Latest Politics News
HD Kumaraswamy to take oath on Wednesday, host of opposition leaders to attend
Chief minister-designate of the newly formed Congress-JD(S) alliance in Karnataka HD Kumaraswamy will take oath on May Wednesday 23 and has said that he would prove his majority in the assembly within 24 hours of taking oath.
A number of leaders from other parties are expected to attend his swearing in ceremony in a show of solidarity – an indication of moves towards a joint front against the BJP.
On Monday, he is scheduled to meet Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in Delhi to discuss the modalities of government formation.
Kumaraswamy had earlier intended to take the oath of office on Monday (May 21) but deferred it as this happens to be the death anniversary of former PM and Rahul’s father Rajiv Gandhi.
According to media reports, the JD(S) president told reporters in Bengaluru that no discussion has taken place so far on the allocation of ministerial berths. He also termed reports on the power-sharing formula of 30 months each between the two parties as ‘bogus’. There were reports about both parties heading the government for 30 months each on rotation, similar to the 20:20 month power sharing agreement in 2006 between the JD(S) and BJP.
“I will be going to Delhi tomorrow to invite Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi to attend the oath-taking ceremony on Wednesday. During the meetings, we will discuss some of the issues regarding the new government, and, based on the outcome of these talks, we will decide the constitution of the cabinet of ministers and how many will take oath,” he said.
“My MLAs have given me the complete responsibility of shaping our participation in the coalition. The issue of formation of the cabinet of ministers has not been discussed formally with the Congress leaders. We have only had some informal talks at a personal level. The Congress has its own procedures in these matters,” said Kumaraswamy, who held meetings with his father HD Deve Gowda and his 36 MLAs and also visited a temple in Srirangam in Tamil Nadu on Sunday.
“I will prove my majority within 24 hours of being sworn in as the chief minister,” he said. Kumaraswamy said that coalition issues like allocation of portfolios, choice of ministers, creation of a coordination committee were yet to be discussed. Dismissing reports about his party working out a power sharing formula with the Congress of heading the government for 30 months each, he said that “no such talks have taken place”.
Kumaraswamy dismissed reports that the JD(S) MLAs were being kept in ‘safe custody’ till the trust vote. “We are not holding the MLAs back. We have left it to their discretion to remain in Bengaluru or go back to their constituencies. They are tired from the rigours of the elections and are getting some rest, that is all,” he said.
Most of the Congress MLAs are at the Hilton Hotel. State Congress president G Parameshwara, who is tipped to be the deputy chief minister, said the party high command would take a decision on number of Congress ministers and the position of deputy chief minister.
Sources in the JD(S) said the party would recommend the candidature of Parameswhara, a Dalit leader, for the post of deputy chief minister.
Parameshwara, however, said there was a proposal to appoint two deputy chief ministers from the Congress. This is seen as an effort to balance some of the caste equations in the state, especially to prevent the alienation of the dominant Lingayat community. The current proposal is to have a Dalit deputy chief minister and a Lingayat deputy chief minister.
The JD(S) has five Lingayat MLAs while the Congress has as many as 19. Lingayat leaders in the Congress are pushing for appointment of a deputy chief minister from the community.
The Congress and JD(S) fear polarisation of the Lingayats towards the BJP following the ouster of Lingayat leader BS Yeddyurappa as the chief minister on Saturday. The Congress also attempted to split the Lingayat votes ahead of the polls by recommending the status of a minority religion for the community.
Both Kumaraswamy and Parameshwara on Sunday denied the possibility of the new coalition partners jointly fighting the elections for two pending seats in the 224-member Karnataka assembly — Raja Rajeshwarinagar and Jayanagar.
A number of leaders of other parties are expected to attend Kumaraswamy’s swearing-in ceremony. Media report said Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Telangana’s K Chandrashekar Rao are also expected to attend the swearing-in.
Former UP Chief Minister and president of the Samajwadi Party Akhilesh Yadav is also amongst the invitees and Mayawati of the Bahujan Samaj Party, who had tied-up with Kumaraswamy’s JD(S) will be present for the swearing-in.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee too has been invited for the oath taking ceremony and DMK working president MK Stalin too is expected to attend Kumaraswamy’s oath taking ceremony.
Reports said RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, and CPI’s D. Raja have already confirmed to the JD(S) that they would attend the ceremony, while CPI(M)’s Sitaram Yechury’s plans could not be ascertained since he had called a meeting of the politburo on Monday — the first since the 22nd Party Congress in Hyderabad last month. Since the news of oath taking postponement to Wednesday came later, it could not be confirmed if Yechury will be attending or not, reported The Telegraph.
Latest Politics News
Bihar caste census results: Greater population, greater rights is our pledge, says Rahul Gandhi
RJD president Lalu Yadav also issued a statement noting that the exercise will set the tone for nationwide caste census which will be undertaken when they form the next government at the Centre.
Nitish Kumar led Bihar government revealed caste survey results on Monday. The opposition including the Congress welcomed the results and urged the central government to conduct a similar exercise at the national level.
Speaking on the matter, Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is also a vocal supporter of nationwide caste census, stated that Bihar’s survey revealed that 84 percent of the people in the state are Other Backward Classes (OBC’s), Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribe (STs). He added that their rights should be provided based on their population.
Taking to Twitter, he wrote that out of 90 secretaries of the central government, only three are OBCs, who handle only 5 per cent of India’s budget. Therefore, it is important to know the caste statistics of India. He further mentioned that greater the population, the greater the rights and that it is their pledge.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said that the caste census results revealed the economic situation of the people belonging to different groups. He added that the census will help the government to take action in order to ascertain social justice and upliftment of all sections.
The Janata Dal (United) leader also called for an all-party meeting on Tuesday to share the details of Bihar caste census report and deliberate what further steps needed to be taken. Reports stated that nine parties are expected to participate in the meeting.
RJD president Lalu Yadav, who is Kumar’s ally also issued a statement noting that the exercise will set the tone for nationwide caste census which will be undertaken when they form the next government at the Centre.
Meanwhile, Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh urged the centre to release the results of caste census. He added that holding caste-census has become essential for providing a firmer foundation for social empowerment programmes and for deepening social justice.
Latest Politics News
Madhya Pradesh: PM Modi lays foundation stone for projects worth Rs 19,000 crore in Gwalior
PM Modi underscored that the double engine government brought Madhya Pradesh among the top 10 states in terms of development.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid foundation stones for projects worth more than Rs 19,000 crore in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh on Monday. Addressing a gathering in Gwalior, PM Modi said that their target is to ensure Madhya Pradesh emerges as one of the top three states, adding that the vote of the people of the state will help them achieve this goal.
He claimed that people who had 60 years could not bring development and always played with the sentiments of the poor and divided the society on the basis of caste. Asserting that the opposition have hatred towards growth because of their politics, PM Modi underlined that Madhya Pradesh has faith in the double engine government which means double development of the state.
He further noted that the next five years would be crucial for Madhya Pradesh’s development and that the double engine government is necessary in the state. He mentioned that nearly 2.25 lakh families will enter into their new homes before Dussehra, Dhanteras and Diwali this year in Madhya Pradesh.
The Prime Minister stated that under the government of vikas-virodhi (apparently referring to opposition), law and order collapses. He noted that beheading took place openly in Rajasthan. He asserted that in states ruled by the opposition, crime and corruption have increased.
PM Modi underscored that the double engine government brought Madhya Pradesh among the top 10 states in terms of development. In addition, he hailed that Gwalior-Chambal has given bravehearts for the security of the country.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi further guaranteed that India will be one of the top three economies in the world in the next few years. The Legislative Assembly election is scheduled to be carried out in Madhya Pradesh in or before November 2023. Earlier in the day, PM Modi addressed a rally in poll bound Rajasthan.
Latest Politics News
Congress left no stone unturned to loot Rajasthan: PM Modi in Chittorgarh rally
PM Modi asserted that the paper leak mafia will be held accountable and will be given harshest punishment.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday launched a scathing attack on Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot over the infighting of Congress in the state. He slammed the state government over multiple issues, including crime against women. He claimed that the Congress government in the state has left no stone unturned to loot Rajasthan.
Addressing a public rally in Chittorgarh in poll-bound Rajasthan, PM Narendra Modi stated that the state has decided to save themselves by bringing back the BJP government. He asserted that the Congress formed the government by misleading people but could not run it, adding that CM Gehlot was busy saving his chair, whereas half of the Congress leaders were actively trying to unseat him.
The Prime Minister further claimed that CM Ashok Gehlot has accepted defeat and is requesting BJP to not stop schemes. He assured that on coming to power in Rajasthan, BJP will not stop any public scheme but will try to improve it. He also accused the Ashok Gehlot led Congress government of destroying the state in the last five years by not taking adequate steps to combat crime against women.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed that it pains him that the state tops in the crime list. He continued that he is pained when atrocities take place against daughters anywhere in the country but Congress has made this a tradition in Rajasthan. He added that the message of people of Rajasthan has reached Congress leaders and that the Chief Minister is also aware that the countdown of Congress government’s farewell has begun.
Speaking on the alleged paper leak issue, PM Modi asserted that the paper leak mafia will be held accountable and will be given harshest punishment. He noted that they will go to the bottom of the paper leak matter and actions will be taken against those who have committed corruption and looted money of the poor.
While addressing the gathering in the poll bound Rajasthan, PM Modi underlined that they are witnessing how leaders of Congress alliance are issuing derogatory remarks about women. He claimed that the alliance is very angry with the Women’s Reservation Act and that they don’t want women to get their rights.
He remarked that there is only one face in elections and that is (Kamal) lotus. The 2023 Rajasthan Legislative Assembly election is scheduled to be held in or before November.
