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Mulayam will not join DHANBAD, May 16: Samata Party president George Fernandes today ruled out the possibility of Samajwadi Party, headed by Mulayam Singh Yadav ..more SJP’s concern over war of words between BJP, Cong NEW DELHI, May 16: Former Prime Minister and Samajwadi Janata Party (SJP) president Chandrashekhar has expressed concern over the ongoing war of words between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the ...more Cong, SP rapprochement essential to
defeat BJP NEW DELHI, May 16: CPI(M) strongly feels that a
rapprochement between Congress and Samajwadi Party in
Uttar Pradesh is essential to defeat BJP in its
stronghold in the Lok Sabha elections and indicated the
coming ..more Patel allocates GANDHINAGAR, May 16: Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel today divested controversial Cabinet Minister Jaspal Singh of his Food and Civil Supplies Department while allocating portfolios ...more |
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INS Viraat to be
pressed back if needed: Navy Chief NEW DELHI, May 16: India’s only air craft carrier, INS Viraat, ...more Ghalib’s house needs NEW DELHI, May 16: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) ....more Cutting in budgetary outlay NEW DELHI, May 16: Cutting the budgetary outlay for ...more Mata Prasad ITANAGAR, May 16: Arunachal Pradesh Governor...more
SJP’s concern over war of words between BJP, Cong NEW DELHI, May 16: Former Prime Minister and Samajwadi...more |
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Mulayam will not join NDA, hopes Fernandes DHANBAD, May 16: Samata Party president George Fernandes today ruled out the possibility of Samajwadi Party, headed by Mulayam Singh Yadav joining the newly formed National Democratic Alliance (NDA). "I do not hope Mulayam Singh Yadav will join the alliance," Mr Fernandes told newsmen here. Political divergence difference between Mr Yadav and partners to the NDA precludes any possibility of the former joining the alliance, he said. "Mulayam Singh’s politics is poles apart from ours," he said adding, however, that the Samajwadi Party was not unwelcome to the alliance. To a question Mr Fernandes said individual parties forming the NDA shall contest the election on their own symbol though the manifesto will be common. The manifesto will, however, seek to accommodate regional issues and programmes in case any of the partners so desires, he said. Since the alliance has been formed at the backdrop of coming elections, the manifesto will focus on the national challenges and programmes, he said. The alliance has been formed to vest pre-election solidarity among parties regarding policies and programmes, besides bringing uniformity. After last elections, a co-ordination committee had been formed "but we have decided to go to the polls this time under a single umbrella," he said. Asked about the reported statement of Indian National Lok Dal chief Om Prakash Chauthala not to join any front with Haryana Vikas Party, Mr Fernandes said both the parties had participated in the co-ordination committee meeting yesterday. "If any difference has cropped up, we will sort out the matter later", he said. On the performance of the alliance, Mr Fernandes said they had decided to run the Government without an alliance. He, however, dismissed the observation by political analysts that a coalition Government cannot be successful in India. "All those who stayed together with the Vajpayee Government during the voting on confidence motion are part of the alliance". On the possibility of Janata Dal leader Ramvilas Paswan joining the alliance, he said there has been no formal talks to expand the BJP-Samata alliance in Bihar. "Informally I talked with him (Mr Paswan)," he said. Railway Minister Nitish Kumar, who was accompanying Mr Fernandes said doors were open to parties willing to join the alliance. (UNI) |
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SJP’s concern over war of words between BJP, Cong NEW DELHI, May 16: Former Prime Minister and Samajwadi Janata Party (SJP) president Chandrashekhar has expressed concern over the ongoing war of words between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress in the run-up to the coming general elections and feared that such a level of campaign might shake the foundation of democracy. "The accusations being hurled upon each other by the two major political parties leaves no one in doubt that the level of debate will be in no way graceful and dignified," Mr Chandrashekhar said in an obvious reference to the BJP and the Congress in his editoral in the forthcoming issue of ‘Young Indian’. However, he said that no single politician, political party or group can be held responsible for such a situation as it has become an all pervading behaviour and poses a serious challenge to the democracy. Concerned people should face such a situation with courage and cohesion, he said and cautioned that issues being discussed at various levels will have very little validity if the very foundation of the democracy is shaken. An anguished Chandrashekhar was at a loss to visualise the campaign scenario for the polls slated for September-October when charges and counter charges of ‘this level’ are being levelled by the two parties even when the poll campaign is yet to start. The former Prime Minister took strong exception to reports emaneting from the ruling coalition that foreign hand was behind the destablisation of Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee Government and wondered if it was so, why the Government did not swing into action to prevent that. "It makes the matter more serious. It is sad and surprising that the Government could not effectively counter it. It seems to be a pathetic situation. We have reached to a point of total helplessness even in preserving its very survival against the destablising forces". From all indications it seems that suspicion of the ruling coalition was not without any foundation, he observed but at the same time wondered "if the Government had an inkling of such a move, why did it not take counter offensive". Analysing the situation which led to the mid term polls, Mr Chandrashekhar said that tensions and strains within the ruling coalition were there ever since Mr Vajpayee came to power and the Government failed to tackle the situation. The divided opposition could not provide an alternative and this sordid drama was enacted mainly around certain individuals. "How to retain power and how to grab it was the motivating factor in determining the course of action during the crucial period of the alternative Government formation," he added. (UNI) |
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Cong, SP rapprochement essential
to defeat NEW DELHI, May 16: CPI(M) strongly feels that a rapprochement between Congress and Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh is essential to defeat BJP in its stronghold in the Lok Sabha elections and indicated the coming together of left and like-minded parties and the Congress to keep the BJP out. In an interview to PTI, CPI-M general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet, who was actively involved in abortive efforts to put up an alternative Government after the fall of Vajpayee Ministry, ruled out possibility of any single party gaining majority in the country and predicted a decline in the strength of BJP and allies in the elections. Since a hung Parliament is on the cards, a rapprochement between the two parties that prevented the formation of an alternative Government last month was essential in the interest of the country, Surjeet said. Sounding bitter, he said the damage done by them can be seen. Congress and the SP are unfortunately at loggerheads and a rapprochement between them is essential for the country’s future since SP is most influential party in Uttar Pradesh and the danger of the BJP is very acute there. Since the BJP is also facing a crisis in UP an understanding between SP and a Resurgent Congress would effectively counter chances of any BJP sweep in the state, he said. Surjeet did not spell out if they would have an electoral understanding with Congress since the Left Parties were confident of a Third Force emerging in the coming months. He however, did admit that if it was a question of keeping BJP out of power, Left Parties would not hesitate in supporting the Congress. Though at the moment the Third Force was still nebulous, It is bound to emerge. They have a definite role to play. As there are many parties which are opposed to both Congress and BJP, they could be agreeable to come to an understanding on a Government to be formed by Congress to keep the BJP out, he said. Asked if the Third Force would project West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu as a Prime Ministerial candidate, Surjeet said we have never projected nor will I never project anyone as a Chief Minister or a Prime Minister ... Because people have to be rallied behind a programme and not individuals. To a question if the Left Parties especially the CPI(M) had softened their stand towards Congress, the Veteran Marxist leader said we will oppose the Congress where we are strong, but our role is to ensure it that BJP is defeated. We are not soft (on Congress). Both represent the bourgeois-landlord class who have compromised with imperialism. But we differentiate between Congress and BJP and its communal agenda which is openly disruptive of democratic movement and poses a challenge to national unity. Though Congress was the CPI-M’s enemy number one, it is now a beaten enemy which has lost the monopoly of power and it has no hopes of reviving that monopoly so it no longer poses a threat like before, he said. However, in the last few years BJP has grown and is undoubtedly the enemy now. Asked if Sonia Gandhi’s foreign origin would be an election issue, Surjeet said I don’t think it will have an impact on the electorate. She is the head of the biggest party and she is undoubtedly responsible for galvanising the atmosphere in favour of Congress. She is also the maximum crowd puller and has an appeal for the minorities. The BJP campaign against her Italian origins shows it had no programme to rally the masses, especially the downtrodden or the backward. Speaking on the party’s alliances in various states, Surjeet said while talks were going on in some of the Southern states, it was almost certain the left forces would align with RJD in Bihar which was a big force there. Asked if corruption cases against the RJD chief would not come in the way, he said corruption was no doubt an issue, but He (Laloo Prasad Yadav) has a role to play against the BJP. He is coming to an understanding with other opposition parties particularly of the left. There are some problems between RJD and Janata Dal but efforts are being made to resolve them. On Tamil Nadu, he said the combination of Left Parties, JD and TMC was not strong enough compared with BJP, its allies and DMK and a proposed alliance between AIADMK and Congress. He said the situation would become clear in the coming days. (PTI) |
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Patel allocates portolios to new ministers GANDHINAGAR, May 16: Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel today divested controversial Cabinet Minister Jaspal Singh of his Food and Civil Supplies Department while allocating portfolios to the new ministers of his cabinet. The Health and Family Welfare Minister, Ashok Chandulal Bhatt, has been given the additional charge of Food and Civil Supplies Department while Singh has been made jail and rural housing minister, an official release said. The 14-month-old BJP Ministry in Gujarat was expanded yesterday with the induction of eleven more members — nine Ministers of State and two Deputy Ministers. Two Ministers of State in the present ministry, Anandiben Patel (Education) and Kaushik Patel (Energy), have been elevated to the rank of Cabinet Minister and Deputy Minister Harjivanbhai Patel has been promoted as Minister of State, the release said. The Chief Minister retains the general administration department, home, information and broadcasting and all other departments not allocated to other ministers. With the induction of new faces, the strength of BJP Ministry has gone up to 38, including 12 Cabinet rank ministers, 20 Ministers of State and six Deputy Ministers. The Chief Minister also appointed 19 chairmen, five vice-chairmen and members and directors of Government-run boards and corporations. (PTI) |
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INS Viraat to be pressed back if needed: Navy Chief NEW DELHI, May 16: India’s only air craft carrier, INS Viraat, which is undergoing repairs, can be pressed back into service whenever the situation warrants, Naval Chief Sushil Kumar said today. We can pull back INS Viraat at any moment. We have also undertaken certain tactical measures like realigning the forces to fill the void created by the absence of Viraat from the Western coast, Sushil Kumar told here after releasing the first day cover on the occassion of the golden jubilee of armed forces medical services. INS Viraat, which was commissioned in 1987, had gone in for repair and modernisation work in Kochi since May 5 and the work is expected to be completed in a year and half, the Navy Chief said. Modernisation of INS Viraat will include fitting highly sophisticated equipment like antennae and other minor repair works which is expected to cost about Rs 220 crore, he said. INS Viraat is India’s second air craft carrier after INS Vikrant and is currently the only operational air craft carrier after INS Vikrant was decommissioned in 1997. INS Viraat or ex-hms hermis, brought into the Indian Naval Force from the British Royal Navy is considered the pride of the Indian Naval Force. (PTI) |
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Cutting in budgetary
outlay NEW DELHI, May 16: Cutting the budgetary outlay for Doordarshan to a mere Rs 1836 crore at a time when it is in a ‘totally disadvantageous position in a competitive environment’ is bound to result in dropping of various schemes of vital importance to the nation. The Parliamentary Standing Committee head by Mr Somnath Chatterjee which in its fifteenth report examined the demands for grants of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry has also said that arresting the declining trend in revenue generation will help the media in having more outlay at its disposal for quick development of the electronic media. Noting that coverage of the population had been stagnating at 87 per cent for many years, the commmittee said "the Information and Broadcasting Ministry should boost its implementation machinery and show results." It added that the Ministry should manage the budgetary shortfall by strengthening its machinery to generate more revenue. The Committee also noted with concern that Doordarshan’s initial proposal for outlay of Rs 3992.28 crore for the ninth plan was first revised to Rs 3135 crore at the instance of the planning commission and then finally reduced drastically to Rs 1836 crore. Furthermore, the budget estimates of Rs 449.4 crore for 1998-99 had been pruned to Rs 391.52 crore in 1999-2000, and the Committee was distressed to note that this substantial reduction in plan outlay had forced the ministry to curtail its developmental projects and to refix priorities. The committee said it was clear that the broadcasting sector will have to bear the brunt of this reduction. Doordarshan, which still retains the largest viewership in the country despite a proliferation of cable and satellite channels, has seen a sharp fall of almost Rs 172 crore in its commercial revenue during the two years. The Committee noted with regret that the revenue had fallen from the "peak generation" of Rs 572 crore in 1996-97 to Rs 490 crore in 1997-98 and about Rs 400 crore in 1998-99. The revenue of Doordarshan had been Rs 430.12 crore in 1995-96. On the other hand, the income of All India Radio, which had fallen marginally from Rs 80.97 crore in 1995-96 to Rs 79.69 crore the following year, registered an increase to Rs 93.44 crore in 1997-98. An official study shows that the commercial revenues of both All India Radio and Doordarshan doubled in the first six years of this decade, with Doordarshan registering an increase of more than 125 per cent. According to officially released figures, Prasar Bharati earned Rs 2501.91 crore between 1992-93 and 1996-97. From an income of Rs 419.14 crore in 1992-93, which was the first year of the eighth plan, the revenue went up to Rs 667.93 crore in 1996-97. (UNI) Mata Prasad relinquishes office ITANAGAR, May 16: Arunachal Pradesh Governor Mata Prasad relinquished office and left for his home state Uttar Pradesh today, Rajbhawan sources said. The Governor of Assam Lt Gen (Retd) S K Sinha, who has been given additional charge of Arunachal Pradesh, would be sworn-in here tomorrow by the Chief Justice of Guwahati High Court Justice Brijesh Kumar, the sources said. At a farewell function here last night, the Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Mukut Mithi admired the services rendered by Prasad. Prasad in his farewell
speech appreciated the people of Arunachal Pradesh for
preserving their age-old cultural heritage and their
outspokeness. He was also of the view that ulike other
parts of the country, Arunachal Pradesh was above any
caste or class discrimination. (PTI) SJP’s concern over war of words between BJP, Cong NEW DELHI, May 16: Former Prime Minister and Samajwadi Janata Party (SJP) president Chandrashekhar has expressed concern over the ongoing war of words between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress in the run-up to the coming general elections and feared that such a level of campaign might shake the foundation of democracy. "The accusations being hurled upon each other by the two major political parties leaves no one in doubt that the level of debate will be in no way graceful and dignified," Mr Chandrashekhar said in an obvious reference to the BJP and the Congress in his editoral in the forthcoming issue of ‘Young Indian’. However, he said that no single politician, political party or group can be held responsible for such a situation as it has become an all pervading behaviour and poses a serious challenge to the democracy. Concerned people should face such a situation with courage and cohesion, he said and cautioned that issues being discussed at various levels will have very little validity if the very foundation of the democracy is shaken. An anguished Chandrashekhar was at a loss to visualise the campaign scenario for the polls slated for September-October when charges and counter charges of ‘this level’ are being levelled by the two parties even when the poll campaign is yet to start. The former Prime Minister took strong exception to reports emaneting from the ruling coalition that foreign hand was behind the destablisation of Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee Government and wondered if it was so, why the Government did not swing into action to prevent that. "It makes the matter more serious. It is sad and surprising that the Government could not effectively counter it. It seems to be a pathetic situation. We have reached to a point of total helplessness even in preserving its very survival against the destablising forces". From all indications it seems that suspicion of the ruling coalition was not without any foundation, he observed but at the same time wondered "if the Government had an inkling of such a move, why did it not take counter offensive". Analysing the situation which led to the mid term polls, Mr Chandrashekhar said that tensions and strains within the ruling coalition were there ever since Mr Vajpayee came to power and the Government failed to tackle the situation. The divided opposition could not provide an alternative and this sordid drama was enacted mainly around certain individuals. "How to retain power and how to grab it was the motivating factor in determining the course of action during the crucial period of the alternative Government formation," he added. (UNI) |
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