Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP Working President JP Nadda, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar during a press conference in New Delhi

New Delhi, Oct 25: The BJP is all set to form a new government in Haryana after clinching an alliance with the Jannayak Janata Party, which won 10 seats in the 90-member assembly, by giving it the post of deputy chief minister.

BJP president Amit Shah announced at a press conference, held with JJP leader Dushyant Chautala, that the chief minister will be from his party and the deputy chief minister from the regional party.

Incumbent Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar is likely to be elected the BJP legislative party leader at a meeting in Chandigarh on Saturday and will then stake claim before the governor to form the government. Chautala is likely to be his deputy, sources said.

“Going by the mandate of the voters of Haryana, leaders of both parties have decided that BJP and JJP will form the government together. The chief minister will be from the BJP and deputy chief minister will be from the JJP,” Shah told reporters.

The alliance is in line with the “spirit” of people’s mandate, he added.

Shah and Chautala were also joined by Khattar and other BJP leaders at the press conference.

Chautala said his party believed the alliance was necessary for stability in Haryana.

Khattar said both the parties had worked together in the past.

Sources said Shah had spoken to Chautala even before the results were out, following inputs that the BJP might not get a majority on its own.

Top BJP leaders moved swiftly since Thursday night to cobble together a majority in Haryana after the party’s tally fell to 40 in the state, six short of the majority mark. Most of the seven independent MLAs have also pledged their support to the party.

Majority of the independent MLAs are BJP rebels and several of them have given their letters of support to Khattar during a meeting at the residence of the party’s working president, JP Nadda, in the national capital.

The saffron party faced flak after controversial MLA Gopal Kanda, an accused in two abetment-to-suicide cases, announced his support to its bid to form the government in Haryana.

Senior BJP leader Uma Bharti appealed to her party not to forget its moral goals, a suggestion that it should not be seeking Kanda’s support for forming government.

Apparently on the defensive, senior BJP leaders ensured that they were not seen with Kanda even as other Independent MLAs were seen moving in and out of Nadda’s residence after announcing their support to the saffron party.

BJP’s Haryana in-charge Anil Jain said the party’s top brass would take a call on the controversial MLA’s support.

BJP leaders are also confident of lone Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) MLA Abhay Chautala’s support to its government.

Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman and BJP general secretary Arun Singh will attend Saturday’s legislative party meeting as central observers, Jain said.

Modi and Merkel are also expected to deliberate on key regional and global issues including the situation in Afghanistan, West Asia and the Korean peninsula.

NEW DELHI: German Chancellor Angela Merkel will pay a three-day visit to India beginning October 31 with an aim to further broad base strategic ties in an array of key areas including defence and security.

Official sources said Merkel and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in their wide-ranging talks, will particularly focus on giving new momentum to the bilateral ties by significantly scaling up cooperation in several sectors.

During her visit from October 31 to November 2, Merkel will also meet top executives of major Indian companies which are active in Germany.

The two sides are likely to explore ways to further ramping up ties in areas of defence, security, renewable energy, high technology, skill development, railways, education, water and waste management and urban development, sources said.

Modi and Merkel are also expected to deliberate on key regional and global issues including the situation in Afghanistan, West Asia and the Korean peninsula.

In June, Modi and Merkel met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in the Japanese city of Osaka and discussed ways to enhance cooperation in areas like artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.

India and Germany have been strategic partners since 2001.

Both the countries have a mechanism of intergovernmental consultations at the level of head of governments which allows for a comprehensive review of cooperation and identification of fresh areas of engagement.

India is among a select group of countries with which Germany has such a dialogue mechanism.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier paid a state visit to India in March 2018. Merkel visited India in 2007, 2011 and in October 2015.

The bilateral cooperation is on an upswing in the last few years.

Germany is India’s largest trading partner in Europe and India was ranked 25th in Germany’s global trade during 2018.

Germany is the seventh-largest foreign direct investor in India since April 2000.

Germany’s total FDI in India from April 2000 until March 2019 amounted to USD 11.7 billion.

A fast-track system to facilitate hassle-free regulatory clearances for German companies has been operating in the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) since March 2016.

The state govt had issued a notification regarding the municipal elections, which stated that any person can be made the mayor without contesting elections.

JAIPUR: After strong objection by deputy CM Sachin Pilot, dispute of the Hybrid formula being implemented in local body elections in Rajasthan has now reached the Interim President of Congress, Sonia Gandhi. It is felt that the decision of making the mayor without contesting elections may have to be withdrawn by the state government. 

Sources say, Sonia Gandhi has asked the organization General secretary, K. C. Venugopal to look into the matter. Venugopal has sought full report of the case from the party’s Rajasthan in-charge, Avinash Pandey.

Pandey has asked UDH Minister Shanti Dhariwal to resolve the dispute with immediate effect by meeting CM Ashok Gehlot and Deputy CM Sachin Pilot. He has also asked that the objectionable provisions made for the mayor election should also be removed so that the image of Congress is not spoilt in the country.

The state government had earlier issued a notification regarding the municipal elections to be held in November, which stated that any person can be made the mayor without contesting elections.

This notification was issued without discussion in the cabinet, which was opposed by cabinet Ministers, Ramesh Meena and Pratap Singh Khachariawas. The very next day, Deputy CM Sachin Pilot not only objected to the issuance of such notification but even said that such a decision would increase horse-trading.

“The decision that a mayor can be selected without winning the election, is against the original spirit of the 73rd and 74th amendment of the constitutional and also against the thought of Rajiv Gandhi. Rajiv Gandhi had said that public participation in local elections should increase. But this decision will increase cross-voting and horse-trading to become the mayor in the state,” said Pilot at Bayana Railway station on Tuesday.

The issue has divided the Government into two camps with Party President and Deputy CM, Sachin Pilot and two of the ministers close to him on one side and CM Ashok Gehlot’s camp led by UDH minister Shanti Dhariwal, strongly defending the decision on the other side.

State in-charge, Avinash Pandey said, “I have asked the UDH minister to settle this dispute. For this, he met the CM and the Deputy CM. The High Command has instructed me to tell him that if there is any objectionable provision, it should be removed.”

 After that, on Tuesday, Congress in-charge Avinash Pandey met K.C. Venugopal for a consultation. There was a discussion between the two on the controversy for about an hour. It is now believed that Avinash Pandey can meet Sonia Gandhi with the report very soon. Earlier on Monday, Cabinet Minister, Ramesh Meena met Organization General Secretary Venugopal and gave him feedback on this issue.

On the reasons for the murder, the ATS said primary investigation reveals that they had committed the crime in retribution to purported statements by Tiwari.

AHMEDABAD: In a major breakthrough in the murder case of former Hindu Mahasabha leader Kamlesh Tiwari, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad on Tuesday said that it has arrested the two main accused from while they were trying to enter the state from Rajasthan.

According to the Gujarat Police, the ATS arrested the two suspects – identified as Ashfaqhussain Jakirhussain Shaikh, 34, and Moinuddin Khurshid Pathan, 27, both residents of Surat – from Shamlaji near the Gujarat-Rajasthan border. The ATS said that the duo were on the way to Gujarat after having reached Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur from Nepal.

The ATS officials said that Shaikh worked as a medical representative, while Pathan worked as a food delivery boy.

On the reasons for the murder, the ATS said primary investigation reveals that they had committed the crime “in retribution to purported statements by Tiwari”.

On Monday, the Uttar Pradesh Police also identified the two assailants who had checked into a nearby hotel a day before committing the murder in Lucknow. According to the UP Police, they had checked out of the hotel barely an hour after brutally murdering the former Hindu Mahasabha leader on October 18, leaving behind their blood-soaked saffron kurtas and a blood-stained knife and other personal belongings in the hotel room.

The Gujarat ATS team, led by DIG Himanshu Shukla, said that the two were “apprehended on the basis of technical and physical surveillance mounted on their family members and acquaintances”.

“The two had approached their family members and acquaintances for more funds after the money they had on them was finished,” the ATS said.

A day after the murder of Tiwari, the ATS had arrested three persons in connection with the case. According to the Gujarat Police, the two arrested accused will be handed over to the UP Police.

UP’s Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Avanish Awasthi also confirmed the arrests of the two suspects. They will be brought to Lucknow on Wednesday, he said.

Three terrorists of the Jaish-e-Mohammed were killed in an encounter on Tuesday in the militancy-infested Tral area.

SRINAGAR: Three terrorists of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) were killed in an encounter on Tuesday in the militancy-infested Tral area of south Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir Police chief Dilbagh Singh said here.

He said two of the three militants killed could be foreign terrorists.

“Further details will be available once the operation ends,” he said.

The police chief said that this module of Jaish was involved in the killing of two brothers from the nomadic Gujjar (nomad) community in August this year.

Some ‘shortcomings’ had been noticed after which re-polling was ordered in these booths.

CHANDIGARH: Re-polling was underway in five polling booths in as many assembly constituencies of Haryana on Wednesday.

Some “shortcomings” had been noticed after which re-polling was ordered in these booths, state’s joint chief electoral officer Dr Inder Jeet had said on Tuesday.

The re-polling is being held in booth number 71 of Uchana Kalan Assembly constituency in Jind district, 161 of Beri constituency in Jhajjar district, 28 of Narnaul Assembly constituency in Narnaul district, 18 of Kosli in district Rewari and booth number 113 of Prithla in Faridabad district, officials said.

Re-polling began at 7 am and will end at 6 pm on Wednesday.

Polling to 90 Assembly seats was held in Haryana on Monday.

Results will be declared on Thursday.

The BJP working president J P Nadda on Tuesday held a strategy meeting with party general secretaries to prepare for the prospects of Jharkhand and Delhi Assembly polls. 

NEW DELHI: The BJP working president J P Nadda on Tuesday held a strategy meeting with party general secretaries to prepare for the prospects of Jharkhand and Delhi Assembly polls. 

The EC is likely to announce poll dates for Jharkhand soon, while the political circle is abuzz with speculations that Delhi elections could be advanced. The BJP poll machinery is already in an overdrive in Jharkhand. The state chief minister Raghubar Das has already concluded his yatra, which was started from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) stronghold

Nadda is learnt to have discussed with party general secretaries about the organisational programmes in the two states to gear the outfit for elections. While the BJP will seek to retain power in Jharkhand, the saffron outfit would be aiming to wrest power in Delhi from Aam Admi Party. The BJP, incidentally, has been out of power in Delhi since 1998. 

The BJP is working to launch a spirited campaign in Delhi where AAP is seen to have taken initiative with campaigns around city government’s programmes. With the Congress facing a daunting task to build organisation in the city, the BJP is bracing up for the prospects of an almost direct contest with AAP. 
Nadda also reviewed the preparations for the organisational elections, which would conclude with the poll to elect the new president of the party in December. 

The BJP is aiming to wrap up district and state level organisational elections by next month by which at least half of the members of the national council of the outfit would be elected to pave way for the national elections.

Shivakumar was arrested by the ED on September 3 in a money laundering case and is lodged in Tihar jail under judicial custody

NEW DELHI:  Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday morning met Karnataka Congress leader D K Shivakumar in Tihar jail and assured him of all support from the party.

Shivakumar, 57, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on September 3 in a money laundering case

He is lodged in Tihar jail under judicial custody.

Gandhi was accompanied by Congress general secretary Ambika Soni and Congress MP D K Suresh, who is also the brother of Shivakumar.

Talking to reporters here, Suresh said the Congress president assured Shivakumar that the party is with him and will stand in his support.

Gandhi told Shivakumar that this is a case of “political vendetta” and other Congress leaders are also being targeted like this by the BJP government at the Centre, he said.

“We have to fight them and come out of this,” Suresh said, quoting the Congress president.

Shivakumar, a seven-time MLA in Karnataka, was booked along with Haumanthaiah — an employee at Karnataka Bhavan in New Delhi — and others for alleged offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The case was based on a charge sheet filed by the Income Tax Department against them last year before a special court in Bengaluru on charges of alleged tax evasion and ”hawala” transactions worth crores or rupees.

Earlier, Gandhi had met former finance minister P Chidambaram when he was lodged in Tihar Jail in connection with the INX Media case.

The government has asked the tea garden owners not to sell off their estates to foreign companies but instead focus on branding the Assam tea.

GUWAHATI: Assam Industry Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary on Wednesday said the state’s tea industry is in a “very bad shape” with many gardens being sold to companies in West Asia. He said the crisis-ridden tea sector in the state is not able to get remunerative price in overseas markets with lack of linkages.

“We have asked the tea garden owners not to sell off their estates to foreign companies but instead focus on branding the Assam tea,” the minister said during an interaction with media persons here.

Most of the tea being sold at the Dubai Tea Park is from Assam and other countries like Sri Lanka and Kenya but they have been branded with different names, he said. “Our tea is not getting the due price and recognition in the international markets”, he said.

Patowary said the state government has already announced zero cess for the tea industry and will soon meet its representatives to find a solution to the problems.

The minister said the Assam government is setting up a tea park at Chaygaon in Kamrup district and has also asked companies to become partners so that they can get better international market linkages. “Assam tea is not getting a favourable competitive price in the international markets mainly due to lack of proper branding and international linkages,” he said.

The minister said that plucking of Assam tea is considered to be the best in the world as it is done manually while most of the other tea- producing countries use machines for the purpose. The state government would also engage a third party such as the IIM, IIT or Tea Research Institute to conduct a study for better management, marketing, technical support, packaging and design, he added.

Fadnavis said the BJP manifesto, released on Tuesday, promises to set up a financial development corporation (arthik vikas mahamandal) for open category students.

NAGPUR: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said his government is committed to the welfare of all sections of the society and referred to a scheme in the BJP manifesto wherein students from an open category would get scholarships to study abroad.

Fadnavis, addressing an election rally in his assembly constituency Nagpur South-West, said open category students will not suffer due to reservation to members of disadvantaged social groups in educational institutes.

“In our manifesto along with introducing various welfare schemes for all sections of the society, the BJP has also announced schemes for open category students who do not get any reservations,” he said.

“The open category will get the same number of seats which it used to get prior to 2018 (when Maratha quota was implemented).

The number of seats will be increased and restored in various institutions (to pre-quota level).

“Hence, there will be no injustice to open category, OBC or students from any other section of the society,” said Fadnavis, who is seeking re-election from Nagpur South-West in the October 21 assembly polls.

Fadnavis said the BJP manifesto, released on Tuesday, promises to set up a financial development corporation (arthik vikas mahamandal) for open category students.

“Through this corporation, open category students will also get scholarships for studying in foreign universities,” informed the chief minister.