Rahul Dravid preempts another 'conflict of interest' row, informs..
Urvashi Rautela on getting death threats for Hate Story 4: Watch the film
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ENGLISH DAILY MORNING REPUTED NEWS PAPER, AHMEDABAD EDITION
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Gujarat facing severe water crisis
Sridevi was like my sibling: Kamal Haasan
Mumbai: Fondly remembering late actor Sridevi, Kamal Haasan today said even though they were one of the most popular on-screen pairs in the south film industry, in real life they were like siblings. Haasan, while speaking at the India Today Conclave here, recalled the time he spent with Sridevi, who passed away on February 24. "I met Sridevi when she was 15-16 years old. Sometimes in a family, a brother and sister, during Gokul Ashtami or Krishna Ashtami, are dressed as Lord Krishna and Radha. That is what I feel about Sridevi. We were siblings but were made to do romantic things, which we laughed at," he said. "It sounds odd that she was like my sister considering that we were one of the most romantic pairs ever. That is what good acting is about," he added. The actor said Sridevi was a great performer and "had a bag of tricks that she collected from various masters who themselves did not know it came from them.
Gandhinagar: With the water level of the Narmada dam dipping to a record level, Gujarat is already facing a severe water crisis, just three months into 2018. Responding to a question by Congress MLA Lakha Bharwad of Viramgram, the state government informed the house that in the year 2016, 52,181 million cubic metres (MCM ) of water was stored in the Narmada dam, while in the year 2017 63,172 MCM of water was stored. However, in January 2018, water storage in the dam stood at 3,916 MCM, almost one-third of its total holding capacity of 9,460 MCM, a fall of 763 MCM since December last. The Congress MLA had sought information on the water levels for each month of the last two years. Deputy Gujarat CM Nitin Patel, who is minister of the Narmada scheme, answered the Cong MLA's question by
citing figures provided by the department. He was unable to answer why despite having a higher stock of water compared with 2016, how the water level had dipped suddenly. Interestingly, after getting permission from the Centre to close the dam gates, the capacity of the dam had increased by nine metres. Earlier this year, on January 22, the state government announced that water in the Narmada dam reached its lowest level in the last 13 years. The government urged farmers to rethink their summer crop if they were dependent on water from the Narmada. SRP jawans were also deployed in various parts of the state to stop farmers from taking water illegally from Narmada’s canals. Gujarat is heavily dependent on water from the Narmada dam. Most cities and districts in the state get their drinking water from the river. Seeking
to assuage concerns, the government made it clear there is enough stock to provide drinking water. Further, to deal with the low water level, the government said it had started to pump dead water stock after getting the Centre's nod for the same. This is the first time the government is pumping dead water stock from the Narmada dam. The opposition, meanwhile, is up in arms and blaming
The court allowed CBI application seeking permission to confront Karti Chidambaram with his chartered accountant Bhaskaraman in Tihar jail custodial interrogation, Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, said that a CD has been recovered in connection with the case which needed to be sent to Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) for examination. The defence lawyer, however, maintained that the CBI has no evidence against Karti. “It’s tragic for me (Karti). They have no new reason for my remand. They are inventing one. CBI has to justify remand every day and every minute,” Karti’s lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi said. It is a ten-year-old case and all the documents
are available with them and “they need my custody to harass me”, Karti said through his counsel. Earlier in the day, the Delhi High court had granted interim protection from arrest by the Enforcement Directorate to Karti till March 20. A
went to the residence of Bhargavi, daughter of Santhi Kumar Patel who is into construction business, in the evening for combined studies. “It is not known what exactly had happened, as there was nobody in the flat when they were studying. At around 6.30pm, both the girls suddenly jumped off from the balcony of the flat one after the other and died on the spot,” L
B Nagar sub-inspector Vemulakonda Madhu said. The police found a suicide note in the waste paper basket in their room, in which Sravani had scribbled a few words saying: “Dear Ma, Paa.. Sorry,” and “I miss you Teju..” (addressed to her elder brother Teja). “There was no suicide letter written by Bhargavi,” the SI said. “As per the initial investigation, it is a case of suicide, as we found the suicide note. However, we registered a case under 174 CrPC (suspicious death) and took up investigation,” the police officer said. Preliminary inquiries by the police revealed that both the girls were brilliant in their studies.
Two teenage girls commit suicide by jumping from eighth floor of Hyderabad building
Hyderabad: Two teenage girls committed suicide by jumping off the eighth floor of a high-rise building in Hyderabad’s Saroornagar on Thursday night, police said. The deceased were identified as Sravani Kale and Bhargavi Patel, both students of Akshara International School, Byramalguda, and were writing their Class 10 CBSE examinations. Both aged about 15 years. The reasons for the suicides are not known, but police suspect pressure of performing well in the examination. According to the L B Nagar police, Sravani, daughter of Nagendra Kale, a scientist with Research Centre Imarat (RCI),
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Feels like state is celebrating Diwali: PM Modi in Tripura Prime Minister Narendra Modi also sought the Opposition's cooperation in the development of Tripura while promising inclusiveness for even those who did not vote for the BJP
INX Media case: Karti Chidambaram in CBI custody for three more days, gets protection from ED arrest
New Delhi: Delhi’s Patiala House Court on Friday extended the CBI custody of Karti Chidambaram, son of former Union Minister P Chidambaram, until March 12. The CBI had sought an extension of his custody saying “new incriminating materials” have been found against him in the INX Media case. The court also allowed CBI to confront Karti Chidambaram with his chartered accountant Bhaskaraman in Tihar jail. The CBI has already taken nine days police custody of Karti out of the 15 days prescribed under law. While seeking extension of his
March 10, 2018, Saturday
bench, comprising Justices S Muralidhar and I S Mehta, who heard the matter in a packed courtroom, made it clear that if the special court grants Karti Chidambaram bail in the corruption case the CBI has registered against him, the ED will not arrest him till the next hearing before the high court.
New Delhi: In a landmark judgement, the Supreme Court on Friday recognised that a terminally-ill patient or a person in persistent vegetative state can execute an “advance medical directive” or a “living will” to refuse medical treatment, saying the right to live with dignity also includes “smoothening” the process of dying.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in Agartala for the swearing-in ceremony of Biplab Deb as Chief Minister of the northeastern state, on Friday, said the Opposition in the state may have “experience” but we (BJP) are “enthusiastic” and “ambitious”. He also sought the Opposition’s cooperation in the development of the state while promising inclusiveness for even those who did not vote for the BJP. “Those in the Opposition in Tripura today have been in power for long. They surely have a lot of experience. Ours is a new and fresh team. In age, too, our team is younger. They have anubhav, we have umang and utsah. We have to work together for the
progress of Tripura,” he said in a reference to to the 69-year-old former CM Manik Sarkar, who took charge in 1998 at the age of 49, and held the post for 20 years. The newly-installed CM, Deb, is 48. Addressing the the oath-taking ceremony, the PM said the day is historic for the state. “Today is a historic day for Tripura. It feels like the state is celebrating Diwali. We are lighting the lamp of progress and prosperity. There is new vigour and enthusiasm here. I congratulate all those who have taken the oath and wish them the very best as they begin their work,” he said. Senior BJP leaders such as LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, party president Amit Shah and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh
were among those who attended the ceremony in the state capital. Talking about the ousting of the Left Front in the state since almost a quarter of a century, the Prime Minister said, “In the history of India, there are some elections that will always be discussed. The 2018 Tripura elections will be one such example. People will continue to discuss these polls.” He added, “I want to thank the people of Tripura. The polls were peaceful and for that too, the people have to be congratulated.” In an effort to reach out to the entire population of the state, the PM said, “I am here to assure the people of Tripura, this BJP government is for people who voted for us and for those who did not vote for us. Elections are over and we have to look ahead. We will serve every citizen of Tripura.” Stating that the northeast remained largely obscure from public imagination, Modi said the recent elections helped highlight the region. “One great thing about the set of elections in early 2018 is that there is a renewed focus on the Northeast.
New Delhi: Continuing its attack against the BJP over the Rafale fighter jet deal, the Congress on Friday accused the Modi government of “compromising national security” and brewing a “huge scam” by not disclosing the purchase price of the aircraft. Alleging that India is paying more money on the aircraft than Egypt and Qatar, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad questioned the “intent and motive of Modi Government.” In a press conference organised in New Delhi, Azad also said that the very purpose of signing an Inter-Governmental Agreement with France was defeated because India is
paying more price for the jets than Egypt and Qatar. The party also accused Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of going back on her word and not revealing the purchase price of the aircrafts. “Is it correct that per aircraft pricing of Rafale as per bid dated 12.12.2012 during UPA-Congress government comes to Rs.526.1 crore as against Modi government’s per aircraft purchase price of Rs.1,670.70 crore?” he questioned. Attacking Modi, the Congress leader also asked why was prior approval of ‘Cabinet Committee on Security’ not taken before announcing the purchase of 26 aircrafts on April 10, 2015? “On 8th April, 2015;
Foreign Secretary denied any proposal regarding the purchase of Rafale aircrafts during PM Modi’s visit to France two days later. What transpired in 48 hours between 8th April to 10th April, 2015 whereby Prime Minister decided to announce purchase of 36 Rafale
aircrafts?” The Congress, which has repeatedly cornered the government on the deal, also said that while the defence minister had said that the jets were purchased on ‘emergency basis’, why a single aircraft has not been delivered in the period of 35 months?
mismanagement by the government for the current water crisis.
SC guidelines on passive euthanasia
Rafale deal: Cong asks govt to disclose purchase price of fighter jet, claims other countries paying less
Gauri Lankesh murder: Police makes first arrest in case, man allegedly linked to Sanatan Sanstha held While Naveen's family pleads innocence, he is said to allegedly have close links with Sanatan Sanstha, which has been linked to the shooting of rationalists Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare
New Delhi: Six months after journalist Gauri Lankesh was shot dead, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Thursday arrested a man said to be linked with a right-wing radical group in connection with the case. This is the first arrest made in the case. The accused KT Naveen Kumar was initially arrested by the Karnataka police for illegally possessing five bullets. After interrogation, he was taken into eight-days custody by the SIT for suspected links in the Lankesh murder case. While Naveen’s family pleads innocence, Kumar is said to
be allegedly involved with Sanatan Sanstha, which has been linked to the shooting of rationalists Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare. Investigations have shown that Kumar, during conversations about guns and ammunition with friends in Maddur, alluded to his links with the Lankesh murder. The police have also reportedly seized books and material related to the Sanstha from Kumar’s homes following his arrest. He is reported to have attended meetings in the outfit’s headquarters last year, and a senior lawyer of the
Sanstha is among those who have tried to meet Kumar in custody. Kumar, had, in fact also organised a “sabha” of Hindu activists during last November in Karnataka. The
sabha was a joint venture of the Hindu Yuva Sena’s Maddur unit and the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, a sister concern of the Sanatan Sanstha based in Goa’s
Ponda. Lankesh, 55, a staunch critic of religious extremists and right-wing ideology was shot dead at her home in west Bengaluru on September 15, 2017. She edited Lankesh Patrike, a weekly newspaper. Following her murder, protests demanding strict action had taken place across the country. The state government, which constituted the SIT headed by Inspector General of Police (Intelligence) B K Singh, had announced Rs 10 lakh reward for anyone giving clues about the perpetrators of the crime.
2 / Dt. 10/03/2018, Saturday, Ahmedabad Edition Editors’ Picks saturday, 10 march, 2018
Can Indians build worldclass tech companies? Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak’s recent comment
doubting the creativity of Indians was ill-informed at best. But his criticism about the absence of companies making big advances in technology is indisputably true, sizable companies like Infosys Ltd and Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS) notwithstanding. Out of the seven Indian companies that made it to 2017’s Fortune 500 list, three are private companies—Reliance Industries, Tata Motors and Rajesh Exports—and none is a tech company. The early stories of many tech companies feature a precocious geek who identifies a need and uses technology to create the revolutionary product. Larry Page and Sergey Brin at Google and Bill Gates at Microsoft come to mind. Elon Musk at Tesla is cast in the same mould. There are also companies like Dell Computers and Apple which did not invent a new product line, but better served consumers by delivering cheaper or better-designed products. So what gives? Was Wozniak at least partly right about Indians lacking creativity—in technical areas, at least? The story of Simputer, a handheld computer developed by a team of seven Indian scientists in 2001, is relevant here. It was meant to bring the “information highway” to the masses using apps which provided relevant information on weather, money transfer, commodity pricing, etc. The gadget was complete with a touch-screen, an accelerometer and a stylus and The New York Times called it the most important innovation in computer technology in 2001. But early success does not necessarily translate into greatness. Simputer’s production was stopped by 2006 due to limited availability of capital, inability to market a new product, and, most importantly, poor capabilities in hardware manufacturing. The last is still relevant. Sustaining a company requires human capital—a pool of skilled workers—who can help the product evolve and keep the company at the frontier of engineering technology. The Simputer was envisaged at the first Bengaluru IT.com conference in 1998 by a group of IT (information technology) industry professionals and professors. Due to the presence of a diverse and eclectic group of people, universities have traditionally been the anchors around which such clusters of skilled people have honed their ideas. Indian universities, however, have failed to provide these clusters because of the bifurcation of teaching and research. Higher education in India is in a state of disrepair. No Indian university features in the top 200 of the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2018, with Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore sliding further into the 251-300 grouping. In contrast, China has two universities in the top 30 and seven in the top 200. In fact, China’s rise in higher education has been phenomenal. On the key performance indicator of higher education—scientific articles—China has outpaced India, and has now - Kapilkumar M. Hirpara become the Editor world leader.
Sunvilla Samachar (English Daily)
Bollywood-Hollywood Radhika Apte joins the long list of celebrities that are trolled for wearing the clothes of their choice fact that the actor put up a picture of herself in a bikini.. at the beach. Gasp. Oh, the horror! However, Apte being the bad*ss that she is had a befitting response for the trolls. "I didn’t even know I was being trolled till
Delhi: Radhika Apte is the latest name in the never-ending list of notable figures that have been shamed for wearing certain types of clothing. For Apte however, the wrath of the general public was directed towards the
New
someone told me. It’s ridiculous! Do people expect me to wear a sari on a beach? I don’t know them (the trolls), so I don’t deal with them," said the actor, according to said. Apte joins the plush ranks of Priyanka Chopra,
Deepika Padukone, Sonam Kapoor, Taapsee Pannu, Fatima Sana Shaikh amongst others who have previously been shamed for wearing the attire of their choice (because these strong, independent, fierce woman need the
approval of the faceless trolls of the interwebz to dress how they want, obviously). Incidentally, 8 March (yesterday) was International Women's Day. Sigh. We're just waiting for the day when we can stop writing articles like these.
Urvashi Rautela on getting death threats for Hate Story 4: Watch the film before making judgements Mumbai: Model-turned-actor Urvashi Rautela is excited as her film Hate Story 4 hit the theatres today. While she is hoping for good reviews and her performance to make a mark, she has been flooded with mixed reactions from fans, including death threats, even before the film released. Wondering why? Well, in the trailer, Urvashi’s character in the movie compares herself with Draupadi and says: “Draupadi ke toh paanch Pandav the... yahan toh sirf do hain.” Apparently, her character in the film two-times brothers played by actors Karan Wahi and Vivan
Bhathena, and the dialogue did not go down well with some fans. “I was shocked and speechless when I started receiving death threats. I felt vulnerable. It [receiving death threats] has been happening quite often these days, especially in our industry. First, it happened with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmaavat, and now with our film. People need to understand that whatever they see us saying on screen, we are not doing it on our own. There are dialogue writers for a movie, there is a script to be followed... whatever my character says is not a reflection on my personal opinion or principles in life. However, we, as a team, don’t mean to hurt
anyone’s sentiments. I value our holy books and epics,” says Urvashi. The actor adds that she considers “Draupadi as a heroic princess” and nowhere did the filmmakers try to poke fun. “The controversy today is about tolerance, sentiment, and presentation of historical facts, and Indians gets heavily influenced by cinema. I feel that there should be no political interference. I suggest people to watch the movie before making judgements,” maintains the actor, who made her Bollywood debut with Sunny Deol-starrer Singh Saab the Great (2013), and later did films such as Sanam Re (2016) and Great Grand Masti (2016).
Baaghi 2 song O Saathi features Tiger Shroff, Disha Patani as college lovers Mumbai: Ahmed Khan's upcoming film Baaghi 2 — the sequel to the 2016's Sabbir Khan directorial Baaghi — promises to be even more rebellious than the previous installment. Loaded with guns, Tiger Shroff's Ronnie looks even more raging than ever — at least this is what we get to see from the posters. But, there's a softer side to this angry man too. And that is what the new song from the film's OST 'O Saathi' depicts. Starring Shroff and actress Disha Patani, the song chronicles their romantic journey through their college days. They are smitten in love and can't think about anything but each other all the time. In fact they are seen together throughout the song. But what does seem a bit weird is that both actors try too hard to look like college students. And they fail to do so, every time. Sung in the melodious voice of Atif Aslam (although the vocals credit is missing, it is very obvious) and composed and written by Arko, 'O Saathi' makes you nostalgic — not for your college days, but for the 2008 film Race song 'Pehli
Janhvi Kapoor returns to work on Dhadak sets after mom Sridevi’s death
Nazar Mein'. There are moments when you can't differentiate between the two songs. No doubt, Arko has come up as a fantastic young talent, but there's some serious "inspiration" happening in 'O Saathi'. (FYI: Race's music was composed by Pritam Chakraborty. A trickle down effect?) Baaghi 2, produced by Sajid Nadiadwala is slated to hit the screens on 30 March.
Dil Juunglee Movie Review: Sabyasachi Gives Us An Up Close Taapsee Pannu And Saqib Saleem's & Personal Look Of Anushka Film Is More Pain Than Fun Sharma’s Wedding Lehenga Mumbai : Two weeks after her mother Sridevi’s sudden death, Janhvi Kapoor has returned to work on her debut film, Dhadak. She was clicked on the sets of the film, shooting a scene in a saree on Thursday. Celebrity photographer Viral Bhayani shared pictures of the actor on Instagram. “These pics of #janhvikapoor shot secretly yesterday on the sets of #dhadak reminds us so much of #sridevi @shinde_ himanshu,” he captioned the photo. Janhvi’s fanpages also posted photo collages of her picture from the sets and her mother’s look in English Vinglish. The two look incredibly similar in the photos. Janhvi is making her film debut opposite Shahid Kapoor’s helf-brother, Ishaan Khatter in Dhadak. The film is produced by Karan Johar and is scheduled to release
on July 6. Sridevi died in a Dubai hotel on February 24 due to accidental drowning. Her last rites were performed in Mumbai on February 28 where several Bollywood celebs and thousands of fans came together to pay their final respects to the film star. Janhvi also celebrated her birthday on March 7 with her cousins and father Boney Kapoor at their Mumbai home and earlier at an old age home, a family tradition started by Sridevi. In a note written after Sridevi’s death, Janhvi asked her fans to always love their parents. “On my birthday, the only thing I ask of all of you is that you love your parents. Cherish them and devote yourself to making them feel that love. They have made you. And I ask that you remember my mother fondly, pray for her soul to rest in peace,” she wrote in an Instagram post.
Mumbai: After we were done swooning over their beautiful wedding ceremony, we couldn’t help but stare at Anushka Sharma’s gorgeous outfits. She opted to wear Sabyasachi exclusively through the celebration of her wedding. She wore his designs for her engagement, mehendi, wedding as well as her Mumbai and Delhi
reception. Sabyasachi currently has all our love and double-taps thanks to his stunning Instagram feed that is filled with his latest collection: An Endless Summer. Being the superstar that she is, Anushka Sharma got her hands on this collection months before its release and we obviously only realised this once the
designer started to post his collection for the masses to see. Last night, he released a detailed picture of Anushka Sharma’s wedding lehenga on Instagram just like December 11th, 2017, we couldn’t get our eyes off of it! We don’t think we’re ever going to get over her stunning bridal look. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below!
Mumbai: It all begins with a girl in a tearing rush. She is about to elope with her lover. Bites of brinjal sandwiches, loads of airyfairy talk and a diamond ring later, the flaming red car carrying the twosome veers off a highway and plunges into a river. The duo survives the mishap and ends up in a jungle. The trek through the forest does them no good at all. They disappear ever deeper into the woods as they seek to shrug off the repercussions of the accident. Their fate mirrors that of Dil Juunglee, written and directed by debutante Aleya Sen. The shallow, soulless romcom never finds a clearing large enough for sunlight to filter in and illuminate the goings-on. Neither the heroine, a corporate scion who is obsessed with romance and aspires to be a writer of love stories, nor the hero, a Lajpat Nagar gym instructor and Bollywood star aspirant,
evolves into believable characters that we could wrap our hearts, if not our heads, around. Sumeet Uppal (Saqib Saleem) is hopelessly aquaphobic. The staid Koroli Nair (Taapsee Pannu), who teaches spoken English to the former in order to prepare him for his foray into Mumbai filmdom, keeps coming within inches of being drowned. But the love story of the two, when it plays out on terra firma and wanders off in no particular direction, first in Delhi and then in
London, holds no water.It takes the girl nearly two hours to figure out that "we sound really, really boring together". O yes, they do! But by then the boy is too far down the path of unreason to take her seriously and attempt a course correction. "Get a life, Sumeet," Koroli suggests. He refuses to. And so does the film. Dil Juunglee looks pretty in a superficial sort of way, but at no point of its sloppy narrative arc does make any sense even in a superficial sort of way.
3 / Dt. 10/03/2018, Saturday, Ahmedabad Edition
Sunvilla Samachar (English Daily)
BCCI Contracts: The Women Deserve a Better Deal, at Every Level Mumbai: Jayant Yadav last played for India in February 2017, against Australia in Pune. His only ODI appearance was back in 2016, and there have been few signs over the past year that he’s part of the plans for the 2019 World Cup. Jayant is a very capable cricketer, and his all-round displays against England – a superb century in Mumbai, and wickets at crucial times – proved that he could match wits with the best, at least in home conditions. Since making her debut for India Women back in June 1999, Mithali Raj has won 267 caps across formats. The vast majority of those (189) have come in the 50-over version, where she has represented India in five World Cups. There have been two runners-up medals (2005 and 2017) and a thirdplace finish (2009). In her
own way, she has been as colossal a figure as Sachin Tendulkar, an inspiration for thousands of girls hoping to make it to the top. Earlier this week, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) – or the Committee of Administrators (CoA) appointed to administer its affairs – announced vastly improved new contracts for Indian cricketers. Those that excel across formats
– five players including Virat Kohli – stand to make 7 crores as retainer. Even those fringe players at the base of the pyramid, Grade C, stand to earn 1 crore, half of what the highest retainer is currently. Jayant is one of those players, though his chance of wearing the India shirt in the immediate future – there are hardly any home Tests over the next 18 months – are next
Business Trump Doubles Down on Reciprocal Tax After Meeting Tariff Pledge
New Delhi: President Donald Trump warned he planned to proceed with a so-called reciprocal tax on imports as he followed through on his call to impose stiff tariffs on imported steel and aluminum. “We’re going to be doing a reciprocal tax program at some point,” Trump said Thursday, citing an example he’s used in the past -- that if China imposes a 25 percent duty on products imported from the U.S., then the U.S. should institute a 25 percent levy on products from China. “We’re going to be at those same numbers,” said Trump. The president has repeated his support over the last 12 months for a levy on imports from other countries at the same rates those countries impose on U.S. products. In mid-February he said more details would be coming that week and in coming months. But a senior administration official said at the time that no formal plan was in the works. Like the steel and aluminum
tariff, a reciprocal tax could risk escalating tensions with key trading partners and could stir domestic opposition from importdependent industries. While the reciprocal tax seems remote, the import tariff did too. Trump defied critics and forged ahead with the 25 percent duty on steel and 10 percent on aluminum, despite resistance from many Republican lawmakers and from some of his own top advisers. Gary Cohn, his National Economic Council director, who fought
Bank gross NPAs at Rs8.41 trillion in December 2017
New Delhi: The gross non-performing assets (NPAs) of all the banks in the country amounted to Rs840,958 crore in December, led by industry loans followed by services and agriculture sectors, government said on Friday. The gross NPAs or bad loans of scheduled commercial banks as on 31 December 2017 due to loans to industry were at Rs609,222 crore, accounting for 20.41% of the gross advances. That was followed by Rs110,520 crore (5.77%) dues from services sector; Rs69,600 crore (6.53%) from agriculture and allied activities; Rs14,986 crore from other non-food credit and Rs36,630 crore (2.01%) from retail loans, minister of state for finance Shiv Pratap Shukla said in a written reply in Lok Sabha. The highest amount of gross NPAs was for country’s largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) at Rs201,560 crore. Among others, Punjab National Bank (PNB) was at Rs55,200 crore; IDBI Bank Rs44,542 crore; Bank of India Rs43,474 crore; Bank of Baroda Rs41,649 crore; Union Bank of India Rs38,047 crore; Canara Bank Rs37,794 crore and ICICI Bank Rs33,849 crore. Indian Overseas Bank bank had gross NPAs of Rs31,724 crore; Central Bank of India Rs32,491 crore; UCO Bank Rs24,308 crore; Allahabad Bank Rs23,120 crore; Andhra Bank Rs21,599 crore and Corporation Bank Rs21,818 crore. Shukla said there are as many as 8,457 cases pending in the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) and 264 in the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal as on 31 December 2017, through which banks seek to recover their dues. In reply to a question on write off by banks, of which SBI has the highest amount, the minister said that the country’s largest lender had writtenoff Rs20,339 crore (including through compromise) in 2016-17. “This is 24.9% of the amount written off by all PSBs in 2016-17, which is marginally lower than SBI’s share in the total business of PSBs (26.3%),” he added. SBI has apprised that it has two-fold strategy for controlling fresh slippages and resolution of existing NPAs.
against the metals tariffs, announced his resignation earlier this week. While the president has the authority to unilaterally raise tariffs, other nations will likely challenge a reciprocal tax at the World Trade Organization, which limits how high U.S. tariffs can be. “We just want fairness,” Trump said. “We want everything to be reciprocal and I think in the end, we’re going to have a lot of great jobs, we’re going to have a lot of great companies, and all coming back in our country.
to non-existent. At the same time, the women’s contracts have also been made more lucrative. Mithali, whose previous retainer, long since lapsed, was worth 15 lakhs, could now earn 50 lakhs. Jhulan Goswami, the other bulwark of the Indian women’s side over the past two decades, Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana also come in the same pay bracket. So, there you have it. A fringe player who may not play for India in the foreseeable future will be paid twice the retainer that one of the greatest women’s cricketers will be. Yes, we know that comparing men’s and women’s cricket is like mixing apples and oranges. Yes, it’s the men who command the millions of eyeballs that bring in the revenue. Yes, it’s the Indian Premier League (IPL) – contested by the men –
which has put obscene sums of money in the BCCI’s bank accounts. But there lies the rub. The cricket board is not a for-profit enterprise. The bottom line shouldn’t be its priority, especially when it enjoys such riches. The fact is that individuals like Mithali and Jhulan, who have done so much to raise the profile of Indian women’s cricket while earning far less than 50 lakhs over the duration of such long careers, deserve so much more. And it’s not just about them either. Look lower down the food chain and the numbers are pitiable. Under the new payment system, male domestic cricketers will be paid 35,000 Rupees a match day, with that fee halved for Twenty20 games. The reserves will be paid half that. With the Ranji Trophy stalwart guaranteed at least six matches.
“Nothing like a good crisis to bring about change in banking system” New Delhi: he session Reclaiming bad Assets: Are Indian Banks Bankrupt? was looked upon with much interest from the audience, coming at a time when Indian banks are burdened with over Rs 7 lakh crore in non-performing assets and Punjab National Bank (PNB), Indias second largest public sector bank, is in the eye of a storm after fugitive diamataire Nirav Modi swindled it of over Rs 12,000 crore by raising fraudulent letters of undertaking (LoUs). The speakers were of the opinion that it is better to first acknowledge that there is a problem with the banking sector. This is a systemic issue, said Meera Sanyal, former CEO & Chairman, Royal Bank of Scotland. There is nothing wrong with LoUs per se, but in the case of PNB, certain departments, which are prone to fraud, have been exploited by fraudsters. The question is, have all the LoUs issued by PNB resulted in losses to the bank? In that case, it has to be assumed that there were several officials at PNB who have colluded with Nirav Modi to swindle the money from the bank. Talking of the larger problems with banks,
Abizer Diwanji, partner and national leader, financial services, EY, said that what is more worrying is that the market capitalisation of PSU banks is half the net worth of these banks. Also, according to Sanyal, what is more worrying is the crisis of credibility. Banking is nothing but trust and credibility, says she. What is the genesis of the problem? In the post Lehman crisis, while the world was in turmoil, credit growth in India grew 28 per cent per annum. People were pampered and credit extended beyond limits, says Diwanji. The first attempt to set this right came in 2015 from Raghuram Rajan when he was the then RBI Governor. To set things right, what we need is a clarity of purpose. There is nothing like a good crisis to bring about a major change in the way things are run. The PJ Nayak committee has recommended remunerating public sector bank employees at par with private sector banks, but we havent been able to implement such measures. Similarly, the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code is a brilliant piece of legislation, but it should not be thought of as a solution to all ills.
Sensex, Nifty succumb to late sell-off, post second weekly loss; metal stocks fall Mumbai: The BSE Sensex finished 43 points lower at 33,307.14, while the broader NSE Nifty shed 16 points to 10,226.85. The BSE metal index was the biggest loser in Friday's session after US President Donald Trump signed two proclamations that imposed tariffs on some steel and aluminium imports, sparking fears of retaliatory moves by other countries. The 30-share Sensex, which remained in the positive zone for the major part of the session, hit a high of 33,519.49 but succumbed to a late sell-off to end at 33,307.14, down 44.43 points, or 0.13 percent. The broad-based NSE Nifty, after shuttling between 10,296.70 and 10,211.90, finally ended 15.80 points, or 0.15 percent down at 10,226.85. Meanwhile, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth Rs 364.80 crore on net basis while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought shares worth Rs 675.26 crore yesterday, provisional data showed. This was the second straight week of losses for the benchmarks.
SPORTS ROUNDUP
Nidahas Trophy, India vs Bangladesh: Team India Report Card
New Delhi: Shikhar Dhawan slammed his second fifty of the series while bowlers also came to the fore as India registered a comprehensive six-wicket win over Bangladesh in their second match of the Nidahas Trophy, at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Thursday. Cricketnext takes a look at the performance of each and every Indian player from the game -India opener Shikhar Dhawan started from where he left off in the first game as he slammed yet another fifty in the series. After slamming a majestic 90 in the opening game, Dhawan hit his 6th T20I fifty and paved the way for India to bounce back in
the series and win the match. After couple of early blows, Dhawan took the attack to the Bangladesh bowlers and played a more than important role in India's comprehensive victory. Rohit Sharma's poor form in Sri Lanka continues as he was once again dismissed very early in the innings and it was his wicket that put the pressure on the Men in Blue for a short period in the chase. After scoring a 0 in the first match, the India skipper would have hoped to score big runs in this match but he could muster only 17 The stage was set for Rishabh Pant to shine after Rohit's early dismissal but the southpaw once again failed to grab the
opportunity that presented itself before him. Pant scored 7 runs off 8 deliveries and was dismissed after playing a rash shot off the bowling of Rubel Hossain. With so many players waiting in the wings for a crack with the national team, Pant need to start performing on a more consistent basis, whenever he is called upon. After the dismissal of two top-order batsman, Suresh Raina joined forces with Dhawan and the duo batted India out of danger. Raina put together a 50-run partnership with Dhawan and showed glimpses of what hitting prowess that made him one of the most destructive batsman in the world. However, Raina couldn't finish the innings and was dismissed for 28. Raina also dropped a sitter during the Bangladesh innings off the bowling of Vijay Shankar at mid-on. Dinesh Karthik had nothing to do with the bat as till the time he was called into the middle, India were within touching distance of winning the match. And with the glouves in hand, he was as safe as ever behind the stumps.
Rahul Dravid preempts another 'conflict of interest' row, informs BCCI
New Delhi: Former India captain Rahul Dravid seems to have run in to a 'conflict of interest' issue once again. The legendary batsman, who is the head coach of the World Cup-winning India Under-19 team, is in the spotlight for his association with the Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sport Excellence in Bengaluru. Although there is no certainty at the moment that there is a conflict of interest, Dravid has written to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) stressing that he isn't an owner of the centre. “Dravid has voluntarily disclosed and clarified that the centre would bear his name, but he has no ownership interest in the company or in any of the academies run by it,” a top BCCI official was quoted as saying by said. Dravid, coach of the India U-19 and India A teams since July 2015, gave up his coaching role in the Indian Premier
League last year because of conflict of interest. The 45-year-old had informed the Board regarding the current matter before departing to New Zealand for the ICC Under-19 World Cup. It was then brought to the notice of the Supreme Courtappointed Committee of Administrators (CoA). “There should be no problem for Dravid in this but it’s always better to get a legal clarification before coming to any conclusion. Once an ombudsman is appointed, the matter will
be referred to him,” added the BCCI official. The sporting centre in question, of which Dravid is a cochairman in the advisory board, boasts of academies in badminton, cricket, tennis, squash, football and swimming. Dravid was in the news recently for getting his monetary reward reduced to half after India's triumph at the U-19 World Cup. 'The Wall', was who to get Rs 50 lakh, ensured he got the same amount as the rest of the coaching staff by taking a massive pay cut himself.
New Zealand sweat over Ross Taylor fitness ahead of ODI series decider vs England
The BSE Sensex lost 739.80 points or 2.17 percent, while the Nifty shed 231.50 points, or 2.21 percent during the period. "Market started off in a positive territory but absence of major triggers... influenced investors to sell on rally. Global trade fears continue to pull the domestic metal index lower while weakening trend on rupee supported IT companies. "Market participants are cautiously awaiting CPI and IIP data. Inflation is expected to come down to 4.74 percent in February which will ease bond yields in the near term,"
said Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Financial Services. In the metals pack, SAIL tumbled 6.40 percent, Jindal Steel 5.24 percent, Tata Steel 4.66 percent, Nalco 2.19 percent, NMDC 1.85 percent, Vedanta 1.59 percent and Hindalco 1.26 percent. Banking stocks continued their weak run. Axis Bank declined 2.85 percent, Bank of Baroda 2.12 percent, ICICI Bank 1.43 percent, Yes Bank 1.41 percent, SBI 1.40 percent and PNB 1.24 percent. Other laggards included Adani Ports, Sun Pharma.
New Delhi: ew Zealand team management is sweating over the fitness of their premier batsman Ross Taylor ahead of the fifth and final one day international against England on Saturday. On Wednesday, the in-form Taylor had returned for the fourth ODI and struck an unbeaten 181 to guide New Zealand to a series-levelling victory. Taylor aggravated a thigh injury and suffered cramps that restricted his movement and forced him to limp singles in the successful run chase. His heroics put New Zealand level on 2-2 with the series decider to be played at the Hagley Oval, Christchurch. Taylor, who had his left leg heavily strapped, however did not seem to be hampered as he completed a series of drills on Hagley Oval on Friday
and a team spokesman told reporters the final decision would be made just before the toss on Saturday. The batsman's inclusion for the Christchurch match would be a massive boost for New Zealand. He has scored 626 runs at an average of 89.42 in New Zealand's oneday matches this summer with two centuries, three half centuries and three not out scores in the 40s. New Zealand batsman Tom Latham, who has combined with Taylor in matchwinning partnerships in their two victories in the series, said the form the right-hander was in gave the whole side confidence. "It's obviously great to bat with someone like that with one, his experience, and two, the form he's in," Latham told reporters. "He's hitting
the ball pretty well. "That innings the other day was something pretty special that you don't get to see often." Taylor and Latham's 187run partnership in the fourth game at Dunedin levelled the evenly-matched series at 2-2 and gave them an opportunity to end England's impressive run of five successive victories in bilateral series. If New Zealand wins the series they would end their limited overs programme this summer having won 11 of their 13 games, including three against an England side who are fast looming as World Cup favourites on home soil next year. "It would obviously be very special (if we won the series)," Latham added. "They're a great side. They're a quality side that keeps coming throughout their whole innings.
4 / Dt. 10/03/2018, Saturday, Ahmedabad Edition
Sunvilla Samachar (English Daily)
Rajya Sabha Polls: Congress yet to finalise names, likely to field Sam Pitroda Ahmedabad: The Congress is likely to field technocrat Sam Pitroda as one of its two candidates for the Rajya Sabha polls from Gujarat, scheduled to be held on March 23. The last date for filing of nominations is March 12. Pitroda, who is credited with telecom revolution in the country and worked as an adviser on technology missions to late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, was actively involved in the last two Assembly elections
in Gujarat as chairman of the party’s election manifesto committee. He had also served as chairman of the National Knowledge Commission from 2005 to 2009 and as an adviser to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on public information infrastructure and innovation with the rank of a cabinet minister. Pitroda also founded National Innovation Council, motivating technical and management professionals to
focus on innovation and his efforts resulted into setting up of start-up incubation centres at hundreds of technical and management institutes across the nation. The party is, however, yet to officially announce its candidates. With a strength of 77 legislators in the Assembly, the party can win two of the four Rajya Sabha seats that have fallen vacant. According to party sources, the other name being considered for nomination
Fullerton India launches Samriddhi Loan for women borrowers New Delhi: Fullerton India Credit Company Limited (Fullerton India), a leading non-banking financial company with a strong pan-India presence, marks International Women’s Day with the launch of ‘Samriddhi Loan’ – a personal loan specially designed for its select Solidarity Group Loan borrowers with a good repayment track record of at least 24 months. Fullerton India’s rural business under the brand name – Gramshakti, offers Solidarity Group Loans exclusively to women entrepreneurs in rural Indiato start their business ventures and support their families. Samriddhi Loan is a pre-approved personal loan with the ticket size ranging from Rs. 45,000 to Rs. 85,000, depending upon the existing Solidarity GroupLoan quantum borrowed. All applicants with an annual income of Rs. 1.6 lacs and above,and with a good track record, are eligible for Samriddhi loans.Since
the customers are already registered borrowers of Solidarity Group Loan, there is minimal documentationinvolved while applying fora SamriddhiLoan. As privileged customers, the borrowers get competitive interest rates, which is even lower than their existing Solidarity Group Loan. Speaking on the launch, Mr. Vishal Wadhwa, Head of Rural Business, Fullerton India, commented, “We believe that women empowerment is critical to the development of the country. The launch of SamriddhiLoan on the occasion of International Women’s Day is another step towards assisting enterprising women borrowers in rural areas establish an independent identity, expand their sources of livelihood, and fulfil their aspirations. Through Samriddhi Loan, we are re-establishing our faith on our existing Solidarity Group Loan customers, who have been regular in their repayments.
Since these borrowers are preregistered, the sanction process is fast and hasslefree” Borrowers can avail Samriddhi Loanfrom any of the Gramshaktibranches located acrossTamil Nadu,Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan. Fullerton India has been committed to improving customer experience and expand reach through the developments of its digital assets. To ensure quick and hassle free loan processing, and avoid frauds, Fullerton India uses unique initiatives such as bio-metric authentication processes and transaction devices. Fullerton India Credit Company Limited (Fullerton India) is one of India’s leading Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFC). The total revenue of the company for the fiscal year ending March 2017 stood at Rs. 1,608 crore. As on 31st December 2017, the AUM of the company stood at Rs. 13810.9 crore.
to the Upper House from Gujarat is that of Congress leader Janardan Dwivedi. Meanwhile, state Congress president Bharatsinh Solanki said that he was not in the race for Rajya Sabha nomination. Solanki had earlier not contested the Assembly elections last year. On Tuesday, Solanki and Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Paresh Dhanani had met party president Rahul Gandhi in Delhi for finalising the names. AICC
general secretary Ashok Gehlot, who is in-charge of party’s affairs in Gujarat,
Ahmedabad: What would be the first question which comes to your mind when you think about Smart Cities or Smart City? The answer is, there is no definition of a smart city. It varies from State to State, City to state and people to people. It is always known to be different aspects to different people. Smart City depends on the level of development, willingness to unite for a change and urban reforms with available resources and citizen engagement Smart Cities mission is a five-year program, where all the Indian states and Union territories are participating by nominating their cities for the Smart Cities challenge where financial aid will be given by the central and state governments between 2017-2022 to the cities, and the mission will start showing results from 2022 onward. In five rounds
of Smart Cities mission, Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MOHUA) Selected 99 cities which will be transformed towards better urbanisation & ease of citizen centric services. MOHUA selected six cities from the state of Gujarat for Smart Cities mission. According to the date released by MOHUA few months ago, the state of Gujarat received a total sum of Rs 509 crore for development of six smart cities in the state Various projects like Integrated Command & Control Centres, Riverfront development, Intelligent Transit Management System, Smart Roads, rejuvenation of water bodies, walking paths, smart classrooms, skill development centres, and upgradation of health facilities were initiated under the Smart Cities mission in the state. Chief
and other senior leaders were present in the meeting with Rahul. Sources said
that the names of various aspirants were placed before Rahul Gandhi, but no final decision could be taken immediately. According to the sources, the names of Solanki, former union minister Naran Rathwa and Tushar Chaudhary had also cropped up in the meeting as possible candidates, but Rahul reportedly rejected their names on the ground that he wants them to contest Lok Sabha elections from Gujarat in 2019. Though all
of them had lost in the last Lok Sabha elections in 2014, they are considered strongest among the available Congress candidates for next year’s parliamentary elections. Sources said that names of AICC general secretary Deepak Babaria, a close confidant of Rahul Gandhi, and spokesperson Shaktisinh Gohil who played a vital role in the victory of Ahmed Patel in last year’s Rajya Sabha, were also discussed in the meeting.
Smart Cities In Gujarat: Sincere Efforts Towards Urbanization
Virat Kohli Steps out to bat as Brand Ambassador for Uber India
Ahmedabad: Each week, nearly half a million partners across the Uber network drive millions to their destinations, to keep India moving. Today, another partner joins them at the crease. Uber, the ridesharing app that is redefining urban mobility across the world, announced the appointment of Virat Kohli, Captain of the Indian Cricket team as its first brand ambassador in India, a first of its kind initiative across the Asia Pacific region. Sharing a common vision of empowering people and communities, this partnership will see Uber and Virat Kohli join hands to underscore the company’s commitment to serve billions in the country, in the years to come. Speaking on the occasion, Amit Jain, President, Uber India & SA, said, “We are extremely delighted to sign
on Virat Kohli to bat as brand ambassador for Uber India. His commitment to India on and off the field is commendable - from bagging world titles for the country to advocating positive change, he is invested in making a difference to the community at large. In Virat, we’ve found a partner who reflects the drive we share with everyday India, while embodying our commitment to serving the country. Today, we are the most-preferred ride-hailing service in this market and we will continue to invest and innovate in ways that will benefit our driver partners and riders.” Commenting on his association with Uber, Virat Kohli, Captain, Indian Cricket team said, ”As a cricketer, I travel a lot and I have personally enjoyed the seamless experience of booking
an Uber. It’s great to see how the company is using technology to revolutionize the way people move around cities and is empowering millions by creating economic opportunities. I am very excited to join hands with a company that is so committed to people and cities they operate in.” Uber India’s association with Virat Kohli will lay
the foundation for a host of brand-led interventions in 2018. Besides being the face of the brand, Virat will be actively involved in a series of innovative marketing and customer experience initiatives to be rolled out by Uber India. “Virat personifies dynamism, integrity, grit, ability and passion. He is the embodiment of India’s
ambitions on the world’s stage; he anchors the aspirations of billions, and it’s the little things he does that bring joy to their lives. It’s this balance of purpose with a larger responsibility to citizens of the world that makes him the perfect partner to realising Uber’s commitment to India. We are super excited to have him join the team at Uber India,” said Sanjay Gupta, Head of Marketing, Uber India & South Asia India is a key market for Uber and the company will continue to invest in its product, people and processes. Uber is in a very strong position in India, gaining share of heart and mind as the most preferred ride-hailing app in India. In 2018, Uber will continue to focus on technology innovations that will make hailing a ride an even more seamless experience.
Kolkata: Alleging that the country was facing a “super emergency” under the BJPled central government, Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee on Friday said she would try to unite all the anti-BJP forces to defeat the saffron party in the 2019 Lok Sabha election.The West Bengal
chief minister also met senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Praful Patel today to discuss national politics. After the meeting with Banerjee, Patel told reporters that the idea of having a federal front in the future was discussed between them. “A beginning has to be made. She
(Banerjee) was very happy. She said the leadership should not be discussed, the idea is to have a formidable alternative to bring in a change in the government at the Centre. There will be a series of meetings,” he added. Addressing the TMC’s extended core committee meeting here,
Banerjee said, “Someone has to bell the cat. We want everybody to come together to fight against the BJP. We will help them in all possible ways.” Stating that she was not for power, nor any chair, the TMC chief said, “I will be helping everyone. I will coordinate with all the antiBJP parties, so that they can
work together. This is a big fight. “A super emergency is going on in the country under the (Narendra) Modi government. The TMC is not scared of anyone. We cannot be intimidated and will show the way to the country. It was from Bengal that renaissance had started.” Stating that if the BJP had targeted Bengal,
Ahmedabad Smart City has been working on various key projects like Integrated Command & Control Centre which has been rolled out for the better of citizens while the Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) & Janmitra App have also been launched
Minister of Gujarat Vijay Rupani has kept the Smart Cities mission of the state as one of the key focus areas in development of projects across the state. Ahmedabad the largest city in Gujarat, and the administrative capital of Ahmedabad district is the seventh largest metropolitan area in India and is an important economic and industrial hub for the state. It is reported to be one of the fastest growing cities of the decade in various rankings. Textile, Pharmaceuticals and
Automobile are the most prominent industries based in and around Ahmedabad. In addition, there has been significant advancement of the IT sector as well, as many prestigious highereducation institutes in the city continue to at-tract a large pool of highly skilled young professionals. Currently, there are four SEZ’s in the city region, with another three new industrial estates in planning, by the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC). In terms of transport
infrastructure, Ahmedabad has a successful BRT system in operation, and a proposed metro rail set to open soon. Ahmedabad Smart City has been working on various key projects like Integrated Command & Control Centre which has been rolled out for the better of citizens while the Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) & Janmitra App have also been launched. Ahmedabad was amongst the first slot of cities to be selected for the Smart Cities Mission. Ranked at number six, the city was behind Pune, Bhubaneswar, Jaipur, Kochi and Surat, however, the recent tag of becoming India’s first heritage city has boosted the enthusiasm of city officials who are trying their best to maintain the status of India’s first heritage city and at the same time transform it into a smart city.
SP candidate Jaya Bachchan files nomination for Rajya Sabha
New Delhi: Samajwadi Party candidate Jaya Bachchan on Friday filed nomination for Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh at the state assembly in Lucknow in presence of Sahara Group Chairman Subrata Roy and party MP and former state chief minister Akhilesh Yadav’s wife Dimple Yadav. The 69-year-old actor-politician has been a Samajwadi Party member in the Rajya Sabha since 2004, for three terms. Her Rajya Sabha term ends in April. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, whose Rajya Sabha term from Gujarat is coming to an end, will also contest elections to the Upper House from Uttar Pradesh, according to an announcement made by the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP)’s central election committee on Thursday. The committee also said that Law
Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will be contesting from Bihar, Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will stand from Madhya Pradesh, and HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar will contest from Maharashtra. While Pradhan is currently a member from Bihar, Javadekar is from Madhya Pradesh. The BJP is expected to increase its strength as 58 seats are going for elections on March 23. BJP’s impressive performance in the past two years
would have a favourable impact on the party. The current strength of the BJP in the 239-member house is 58 and the NDA has 82. The number of seats falling vacant are — Uttar Pradesh(10), Maharashtra and Bihar (6 each), West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh (5 each), Karnataka and Gujarat (4 each), Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha and Rajasthan (3 each), Jharkhand( 2) and Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal and Uttarakhand (1 each).
her party was looking at the Lal Quila in 2019, Banerjee said, “I will ask them (BJP) to manage Delhi first and then think about Bengal.” Pointing out that the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) had pulled out its ministers from the Modi government, she said, “The Shiv Sena is saying it will go on its own.
They (BJP) have somehow managed to retain Gujarat.” Alleging that the saffron party might try to disturb peace in Bengal, the chief minister exhorted the party workers to be alert. She even asked them to take along the CPM and Congress workers, who could be intimidated to join the BJP during the
upcoming panchayat polls in the state. Banerjee asked the TMC workers to strengthen the party in the run-up to the panchayat polls. Patel said not only NCP chief Sharad Pawar or Banerjee, but other senior political leaders would also meet in New Delhi on March 27-28 to chalk out a future programme.
Super emergency imposed on India under Modi govt, will unite anti-BJP forces for 2019 polls: Mamata Banerjee
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