India

The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MLAs are expected to meet on Sunday following which new political developments are expected in Tamil Nadu, one of them may also include party MLAs choosing Sasikala as their legislative party leader effectively proposing to make her the chief minister. Speculations are also rife that Sasikala may take over as Chief Minister soon. While February 9 or 8 was speculated as the date for her to take over initially, sources suggest that it may happen as early as Februay 6 to counter any opposition that may arise.

The systematic removal of Jayalalithaa loyalists from top posts in Tamil Nadu was intended at sending a strong message out to everyone: 'Sasikala is the new boss and she will call the shots'. The unceremonious ouster of top bureaucrats in Tamil Nadu including Jayalalithaa aide Sheela Balakrishnan is a 'cleaning up process', say political observers.

The ousting Jayalalithaa's aides is only the first step towards clearing any hurdle that may come in the way of Sasikala or threaten her elevation, say sources. "Not becoming the chief minister undermines her authority within the party and in the state. Sasikala has to become CM to stay relevant. The resistance against her is huge and assuming power is the only way to contain it," said political observer Ramasubramanian.

Sources suggested that the ouster of the IAS officers had more to do with the central government than them being Jayalalithaa loyalists. "Most of these IAS officers, including Sheela Balakrishnan had become loyalists of the central government soon after Jayalalithaa's death. It is quite natural that Sasikala doesn't want anyone around her to function as the eyes and ears of the Modi government. It was imperative to get rid of anyone who could pose even a remote threat to Sasikala's leadership," sources said.

"The shots are being called by Sasikala's husband Natarajan and they will stop at nothing. Their fight is with the central government directly that is trying to gain a grip on the current scenario in Tamil Nadu. Sasikala doesn't trust people like Sheela Balakrishnan to stand by her as they had stood by Jayalalithaa. This is going to be a fight to the finish," said the policial analyst.

Meanwhile, reports on possible transfers of more IAS officers are doing the rounds. Sources suggest that IAS officer Sabitha is likely to join Ramalingam and Venkatraman, who were shifted out of the chief minister's office.

Voting ended in Punjab and Goa on Saturday for the 2017 Assembly elections, with Goa witnessing a high turnout of 83 percent. This year’s turnout in Goa broke last election record of 81.7 per cent.

The two states are the first of the five to go to polling ahead of Uttar Pradesh, Manipur and Uttarakhand which are being held simultaneously in the months of February and March.

The counting of votes for all five states will begin on March 11.

Voting for 40 seats in Goa began at 7.00 am and Punjab, which has 117 assembly seats, an hour later. The percentage in Goa stands at 83 and that in Punjab at 78.62 per cent.

Goa voting ended at 5 pm with voter turnout standing at 83 per cent, breaking last election record of 81.7%. However, all those present at booth at 5 pm got a token as those in the queue at 5 pm are still allowed to vote.

The voting will continue untill the queue ends, as the voters were in the queue before polling officially ended.

Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is contesting for the first time in both the states.

28 people who were accused of arson, rioting and damaging property of minority muslim community during the post-Godhra riots have been acquitted by a Gandhinagar court.

They were also accused of damaging some portion of a dargah in Paliyad during an attack by a mob of around 250 locals of that village, on February 28, 2002, a day after the train burning incident at Godhra railway station.

The court cited lack of evidence against all the accused as the reason for their acquittal.

This was after all the witnessed in the case turned hostile and refused to identify the accused.

During the trial, these witnesses also told the court that they are not having any grudge against anyone at present as they have already struck a compromise with the accused.  

About 58 persons lost their lives when the S-6 coach of Sabarmati Express was torched at Godhra Railway Station on February 27, 2002.

The incident had triggered large scale riots in Gujarat in which around 1,000 people, mostly of the minority muslim community, were killed.

Nagaland Chief Minister T R Zeliang has rejected the demand for his government's resignation following the death of two persons in anti-ULB poll agitation. Five columns of army deployed to bring the situation under control.

Nagaland Chief Minister T R Zeliang has rejected the demand for his government's resignation following the death of two persons in anti-ULB poll agitation in Dimapur and appealed to the people to stop violence and not fall prey to rumour mongers.

"Making unreasonable and unconstitutional demands such as asking the entire Cabinet to tender resignation when the Ministry has undisputed, unquestionable majority and support of the entire Assembly, is simply unacceptable and non-negotiable," the Chief Minister's Office said in a statement.

Violent mobs on Thursday went on the rampage in the Nagaland capital to vent their anger against ongoing elections to urban local bodies, vandalising and setting on fire government offices and vehicles, prompting deployment of five columns of army to bring the situation under control.

Activists of several tribal groups vandalised the State Election Commission and Deputy Commissioner's office and set ablaze the Kohima Municipal Council building. The Regional Transport office and that of the Excise Department were also set ablaze by violent mobs demanding the resignation of Chief Minister T R Zeliang and his entire cabinet for going ahead with the ULB polls despite opposition from powerful tribal groups that are against 33 per cent reservation for women in the municipal bodies, sources said.

In view of the violence, the Kohima District administration has promulgated prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC in certain areas including Raj Bhavan, Ministers' Hill, and Jail Colony.

The curfew came into effect from 9:30 tonight and would continue till further order, a notification said.

"The Government is of the considered opinion that it has been lenient enough to give in to the demands of the agitators (withholding ULB polls) even though it was steadfastly abiding by the Constitution to which it had sworn its solemn allegiance," the CMO statement said.

Zeliang appealed to all not to indulge in vandalism and arson destroying public properties and spreading fear and panic in the minds of the peace-loving citizens of the state.

Resorting to violent activities to convey one's point of view is irrational and has no place in a civilised modern society, he said.

The Chief Minister also urged users of social media to desist from spreading rumours as untruths were being fed to innocent people by people with vested political interests.

The statement said MLA of Northern Angami Constituency Neiphrezo Keditsu was forced to tender his resignation as the Chairman of Nagaland State Mineral Development Corporation on moral ground as one of the two persons killed in Dimapur happens to be from his own village.

Apart from him, no other legislator has resigned and Chief Minister enjoys full support of not only the NPF and Independent MLAs but also of BJP legislators, it said.

Over a thousand Naga tribals have set fire to the Kohima Municipal Council office and the office of the Directorate of Transport to protest against Chief Minister TR Zeliang's refusal to meet their ultimatum: resign by 4 pm.

As night fell on Nagaland's capital city, tension was high as mobs went on a rampage, burning and vandalising government property and cars. The Central paramilitary forces have been deployed at the New Secretariat building.

Since 10 am, thousands of protesters gathered at the old MLA Hostel road at the heart of the town carrying the bodies of the two people who were killed in police firing on Tuesday night in Dimapur. The police had allegedly opened fire to stop a mob from throwing stones at the house of the Chief Minister.

The protesters want 33% reservation for women in civic polls to be rolled back. They believe it is a violation of the right granted to Naga tribals as per the Constitution's article 371(A).

The protestors, all members of Naga tribal groups, want the Chief Minister and his cabinet to resign.

They want the Governor to come and talk to them, but PB Acharya was in Itanagar this afternoon. The protesters also want the suspension of all policemen involved in the firing at Dimapur on Tuesday.

Days before voting in the Punjab assembly elections, at least three persons were killed in a powerful blast in a car close to a rally of a Congress candidate near Bathinda on Tuesday evening, police said.

Nearly 15 people were injured in the blast in Maur Mandi town, which took place close to where Congress candidate Harminder Jassi was addressing a gathering. Maur Mandi is about 200 kilometres from state capital Chandigarh.

The injured, 10 of them in serious condition, were rushed to hospitals in Maur Mandi and Bathinda.

Mr Jassi, who is a relative of Dera Sacha Sauda sect chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, was whisked away by his security personnel following the blast.

Eyewitnesses said that the white Maruti 800 car, in which the blast took place, was parked at the spot for some time and no one removed it despite police making announcements to get it removed.

Some alleged that a few shots were also fired towards Mr Jassi's car.

The eyewitnesses said that a pressure cooker, filled with iron nails and other metallic things, was found lying near the car.

The car, in which the blast took place, was completely destroyed in the incident.

Police officials rushed to the spot and were investigating the incident. They did not rule out conspiracy behind the incident.

Punjab will vote for a new government on Friday.

The Economic Survey 2016-17 tabled in Parliament on Tuesday by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley projected a decline in industrial sector output in India during 2016-17.

According to the survey, the first advance estimates from the CSO (Central Statistics Office) showed that the growth rate of industrial sector is projected at a slower 5.2 per cent in 2016-17 than the 7.4 per cent reported in 2015-16.

''During April-November 2016-17, a modest growth of 0.4 per cent has been observed in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), which is a volume index with base year of 2004-05,'' the survey said.

''This was the composite effect of a strong growth in electricity generation and moderation in mining and manufacturing.''

The survey pointed out that in terms of use-based classification, basic goods, intermediate goods and consumer durable goods attained moderate growth.

Conversely, the production of capital goods declined steeply and consumer nondurable goods sectors suffered a modest contraction during April-November 2016-17.

''The eight core infrastructure supportive industries, viz. coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilisers, steel, cement and electricity, registered a cumulative growth of 4.9 per cent during April-November 2016-17, as compared to 2.5 per cent during April-November 2015-16,'' the survey showed.

The survey elaborated that production of refinery products, fertilisers, steel, electricity and cement increased substantially, whereas the production of crude oil and natural gas fell during April-November 2016-17.

''Coal production attained lower growth during the same period,'' the survey added.

Because of being 'attacked repeatedly' by members of his Samajwadi Party (SP), Shivpal Yadav, beloved brother of party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav, will form a new party, but only on March 11, after the results of the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls are declared.

As of now, there is no word about which party Mulayam will end up choosing. His son's SP? Or his brothers new party?

"Netaji (Mulayam) and I have been attacked repeatedly. Many people have said they are what they are because of Netaji and those same people are today insulting him," Shivpal said today referring to people within the SP doing the attacking.

Earlier today, Shivpal filed his nomination papers for the UP state polls to be held next month. He did so as an SP member and under the party's electoral symbol, which is a 'cycle.'

This development has been in the making since September when the rift in the SP came to light. Ranged on one side of the SP divide were Mulayam and Shivpal and on the other side were Mulayam's son and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and Mulayam's cousin Ram Gopal Yadav.

Several temporary patch-ups later, Mulayam's faction went to the Election Commission seeking the use of the 'cycle' symbol for the polls. The Akhilesh faction did the same and the EC awarded it the use of the cycle. The Mulayam faction retreated to the wings to lick its wounds quietly.

It appeared another patch-up had occurred, but that too proved temporary.

After Akhilesh recently announced an electoral alliance with the Congress party, a furious Mulayam - who was against such a partnership - said two days ago that he wouldn't campaign for the Congress.

Samajwadi Party (SP) founder Mulayam Singh Yadav on Sunday said that he would not campaign for the party, which has entered into a coalition with the Congress, for the upcoming UP Assembly elections.

He also said that he was vehemently against the alliance, and that the SP could have won the election on its own.

Political observers are saying that Mulayam's current stance is a result of his dreams of becoming the president of India being dashed by Akhilesh Yadav, who has his own plans to return as UP chief minister and then go on to become prime minister, or at least be a kingmaker at national-level politics.

A few weeks ago, there had been speculation that Mulayam and Akhilesh had been feuding over control of the SP because they had different views of what was to come. It had been rumoured that the BJP, which leads the NDA coalition government at the Centre, had asked Mulayam to play it soft with his party in the UP polls, so the saffron party could benefit from it.

It is common knowledge that UP is possibly the most politically important state in the country, having sent the most number of prime ministers to Parliament. This includes Narendra Modi, who is a Lok Sabha member from the Varanasi constituency. If the BJP won UP, it would all but cement its position at the Centre for the 2019 General Elections.

That could have been achieved had Mulayam stayed in charge of the SP and not been unseated by son Akhilesh. And if the BJP had won UP, grapevine had it that Mulayam had been promised the post of president of India.

However, none of that happened because of the ambitions of Akhilesh Yadav, who wants not only to return as UP chief minister - he is the incumbent - but also to maybe become prime minister one day. An alliance with the Congress can take him there, because the Congress still has a sizeable voter base outside UP, which Akhilesh might want to tap at the national level.

The alliance at the state level means if he ever were to stake claim to the post of prime minister, he might get support from the Congress. And if the Congress staked claim for Rahul Gandhi to be prime minister if the Congress wins the 2019 General elections, then the SP can play kingmaker and wield greater clout at power corridors of Delhi.

Former Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh and the finance minister of his cabinet P Chidambaram on Monday addressed a joint press conference, two days ahead of the union budget.

At the release of an economic report by the Congress, the former prime minister said several ratings agencies had lowered their GDP growth expectations.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday said the Indian economy was not in good shape, even as the Bharatiya Janata Party government gets ready to release the Union Budget on February 1. At the release of an economic report by the Congress, the Real State of the Economy 2017, Singh also said that several ratings agencies had lowered their Gross Domestic Product growth expectations for the country.

''Tomorrow is the day when the government will present its economic survey,'' Singh said. ''We (the Congress) thought it a good idea that we should also bring out a document which sets out what we consider is the real state of the economy.''

The former prime minister said the report would help the public to assess the state of the Indian economy, ''where it is heading to and what can be done to bring it on the right path'', The Indian Express reported.

Former Union finance minister P Chidambaram, who was also present, criticised the Narendra Modi-led central government for not doing enough to create jobs and help credit growth. ''There are no jobs, capital formation is declining, credit growth is the lowest in several decades ... if the government presents a rosy picture of the economy, (the) people of India are entitled to question that,'' he said.

''Every government must be optimistic, but optimism must stem from a realistic assessment of the situation,'' Chidambaram said, adding that the Modi-led National Democratic Alliance government ''tends to believe (an) exaggerated version of the economy". On Saturday, the former minister said he would have submitted his resignation if he had been the finance minister in the Narendra Modi government when it took the decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.

The release of the report comes one day ahead of the Centre’s Economic Survey report, and two days ahead of the presentation of the Union Budget. Opposition parties, economists and ratings agencies are expected to focus on indicators and schemes focussing on demonetisation and its aftermath.

HIGHLIGHTS

- Manmohan Singh presents Congress document on state of Indian economy.

- Indian economy not in good shape: Manmohan Singh

- I wish the NDA good luck. Nothing good about current state of economy: Chidambaram

- Ask yourself where are the job. You will not get a satisfying answer: Chidambaram

- The document released candidly, truthfully assesses the state of India’s economy, supported by hard research, data: Chidambaram

- There are no jobs, capital formation is declining, credit growth is the lowest in several decades: Chidambaram

- Yet if Government presents tomorrow a rosy picture of the economy, people of India are entitled to question that: Chidambaram

- Every govt must be optimistic, but optimism must stem from a realistic assessment of the situation: Chidambaram

- NDA Govt tends to believe exaggerated version of economy, this research document is closer to truth than what Govt will say tomorrow: Chidambaram

There will be no post-demonetisation limits on the withdrawal of cash from ATMs from February 1, The Reserve Bank of India announced on Monday. The RBI also removed limits on current, cash credit and overdraft accounts with immediate effect.

However, the Rs-24,000 limit on savings accounts will continue, though this too might be lifted soon, the bank said.

Banks have also been asked to encourage promoting digital payments and switching from cash to cashless transactions. On January 16, the RBI had raised the ATM withdrawal limit to Rs 10,000 a day from Rs 4,500.

However, it maintained the weekly cap at Rs 24,000 for savings accounts. The move also comes ahead of Assembly elections in five states - Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh - which begin from February 4.

Earlier, bankers said they expected the RBI to do away with the restrictions by the end of February. After Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 8 demonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1,000, the RBI put restrictions on cash withdrawal from ATMs and banks owing to a shortage of currency notes.