Archives for 2019

Indicating that the Sena was nearing an understanding with the Congress-NCP, Raut urged that this was the ‘critical moment’ for the two Opposition parties.

MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena has decided to quit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA in the Centre and would form a government in Maharashtra with the support of the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Sena MP Sanjay Raut said here on Monday.

Indicating that the saffron party was nearing an understanding with the Congress-NCP, Raut urged that this was the “critical moment” for the two Opposition parties.

“We have taken the first step… It is upto them now to take a suitable measures to form the government based on a common minimum programme acceptable to all sides,” Raut said in the clearest pointer so far to the unfolding developments.

However, the opposition NCP appeared to play coy and refrained from categorically endorsing the Sena stand.

“We have no mandate. Those who have the mandate should do it. Our stand is made clear many times. Government formation is not an easy task, and many issues come into the picture. We still have no alliance or understanding with anybody,” senior NCP leader Praful Patel said.

Expressing the Sena’s sincerity of purpose, Raut pointed out that the party President Uddhav Thackeray has already directed the Sena’s sole nominee in the Union Cabinet, Heavy Industries Minister Arvind Sawant to quit his post.

“In view of the recent developments and the objectionable statements made by the Bharatiya Janata Party, its clear they want to keep us away from power. So what’s the point in continuing with the NDA?” Raut asked, without categorically saying that the Sena-BJP alliance has snapped – as demanded by the Congress-NCP for its backing.

Patel maintained that there was still no discussion and the party would take a decision in the matter after discussing all aspects in detail in view of the rapidly changing scenario, with party supremo Sharad Pawar on Monday morning.

The Congress leaders were likely to discuss the developments at a meeting with party chief Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi later in the day.

The Congress’ original stand is that the party will sit in the opposition as people gave mandate to sit in the opposition.

NEW DELHI: A meeting of the Congress working committee is underway on Monday morning to decide on whether to support the Shiv Sena in forming the government in Maharashtra, sources said.

Top Congress leaders are discussing the issue at a crucial meeting of the working committee chaired by party chief Sonia Gandhi, according to the sources.

The CWC is the highest decision-making body of the Congress.

Hectic deliberations have started since Sunday over the Congress’ participation in government formation in Maharashtra after the Shiv Sena was invited by the governor to form the government.

Senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Monday said if the BJP was not willing to fulfil its promise of sharing the chief minister’s post in Maharashtra, there was no point in continuing the alliance.

Reaching out to the opposition parties, Raut said the Congress and the NCP should bury their internal differences to come up with a ‘common minimum programme’ in the interest of Maharashtra.

Sena leader Arvind Sawant, the lone party minister in the Narendra Modi cabinet, on Monday announced his decision to quit the NDA government at the Centre.

The Union Minister for Heavy Industries accused the Maharashtra BJP of resorting to untruths to snap off ties and reiterated that the Sena always stood for truth.

NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena’s sole representative in the Cabinet, Union Minister for Heavy Industries Arvind Sawant said he will quit his post on Monday.

In a series of tweets, Sawant said that prior to the Lok Sabha election, a formula was decided on power-sharing between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Sena.

“It was acceptable to both sides, but by rejecting it, an attempt is made to portray the Sena as a liar. This is shocking and a blot on the state’s self-respect (‘swabhiman’),” Sawant said.

He accused the Maharashtra BJP of resorting to untruths to snap off ties and reiterated that the Sena always stood for truth.

“Under such an atmosphere of lies, why should I continue in the Union Cabinet? I will speak with the media at 11 a.m. today,” said Sawant.

Sawant tweeted his plans after relations between the BJP and Sena were on the verge of snapping over the deadlock in forming the Maharashtra government since the past 18 days.

The state’s BJP unit on Sunday informed Governor B.S. Koshyari that it could not form the government though it’s pre-polls alliance had secured a full majority.

Now, the Governor has invited the second-largest party, Shiv Sena to form the government and submit its reply by Monday evening.

Seshan has been credited for several electoral reforms including ending malpractices and bringing transparency to the electoral process.

Former Chief Election Commissioner of India, Tirunellai Narayana Iyer Seshan passed away at his residence in Chennai on Sunday night. Seshan suffered a cardiac arrest, his family said. He was 86.

Born in Palakkad district of Kerala, the 1955-batch IAS officer served as the 10th CEC of India between 1990 and 1996. 

Seshan has been credited for several electoral reforms that brought an end to malpractices and brought transparency. His reforms by and large changed the face of Indian elections.

Known for enforcing Model Code of Conduct, Seshan took stern action against any politician who tried to flout its provisions.

He won the Ramon Magsaysay Award for government service in 1996. After retiring as the CEC, he contested to be the President of India in 1997 but lost to KR Narayanan.

Seshan’s successor SY Quraishi took to Twitter to announce the news of his death. “Sad to announce that Shri TN Seshan passed away a short while ago. He was a true legend and a guiding force for all his successors. I pray for peace to his soul, he wrote.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi too took to the microblogging site to express his condolences.

“Shri TN Seshan was an outstanding civil servant. He served India with utmost diligence and integrity. His efforts towards electoral reforms have made our democracy stronger and more participative. Pained by his demise. Om Shanti,” Modi wrote.

The cremation is said to be planned on Monday afternoon at Besant Nagar crematorium.

Bharti Airtel had, last month, told the exchange that it has deferred the September quarter result announcement till November 14, due to the AGR issue.

NEW DELHI: Incumbent telecom operators Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea, which have been hit the hardest by the latest SC ruling on definition of telecom revenue, are scheduled to announce their financial results on November 14.

“Notice is hereby given that the meeting of Board of Directors of the company will be held on Thursday, November 14, 2019, to consider and take on record the audited financial results (standalone and consolidated) for the second quarter and half year ended on September 30, 2019,” Airtel said in a regulatory filing.

Bharti Airtel had, last month, told the exchange that it has deferred the September quarter result announcement till November 14, due to the adjusted gross revenue (AGR) issue.

In a separate filing, Vodafone Idea also said its board will meet on November 14 to “to consider and approve the unaudited financial results of the company for the second quarter and half year ended September 30, 2019”.

Airtel, Vodafone Idea and other telecom operators may have to pay the government a whopping Rs 1.4 lakh crore following the recent Supreme Court order that sent shock waves through an industry already grappling with billions of dollars in debt and an intense tariff war to retain customers.

The Supreme Court, last month, upheld the government’s position on including revenue from non-telecommunication businesses in calculating the annual AGR of telecom companies, a share of which is paid as licence and spectrum fee to the exchequer.

According to the telecom department’s calculations, Bharti Airtel faces a liability of around Rs 42,000 crore after including licence fees and spectrum usage charges, while Vodafone Idea may have to pay about Rs 40,000 crore. Jio may have to pay around Rs 14 crore.

The apex court cleared the way for the construction of a Ram Temple at the disputed site at Ayodhya.

JAIPUR: The spiritual head of Ajmer dargah on Saturday welcomed the decision of the Supreme Court on Ayodhya case and appealed to people to maintain peace and harmony.

The apex court on Saturday cleared the way for the construction of a Ram Temple at the disputed site at Ayodhya, and directed the Centre to allot a 5-acre plot to the Sunni Waqf Board for building a mosque.

“The judiciary is supreme and everyone should respect the decision. It is the time to present a united face before the world because entire world is looking at India today,” Dargah Deewan Zainul Abedin Ali Khan said.

“We respect and accept the verdict. I appeal to the people of the country to maintain harmony and peace.

This is the victory of the judiciary and the message should be loud and clear that how much the judiciary is important for us and people of the country are peace-loving,”

He said that respecting and honouring the laws of the land is the basic Islamic teaching. “We now need to concentrate on the development of self and the nation