QBullet: BJP Seals Northeast Deal; PNB Case to Rock Budget Session
Top news stories of the day.
1. BJP-Backed Alliance Set to Rule Meghalaya, Conrad Sangma to Be CM
National People’s Party (NPP) leader Conrad Sangma is set to be sworn in as the next Meghalaya chief minister on Tuesday, with support from the BJP and regional players, ending the uncertainty over who will rule the state after the February assembly polls didn’t give a clear majority to any party.
The NPP, founded by former Lok Sabha speaker PA Sangma, won 19 seats in results declared on Saturday, the United Democratic Party got six, the People’s Democratic Front got four, the Hill State Peoples Democratic Party and the BJP secured two apiece in the 60-member House.
Among the three Independent legislators, Samuel Sangma is said to have declared his support on Sunday to the 39-year-old NPP leader — one of the three children of PA Sangma active in politics.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
2. NDPP-BJP Tout Majority, but Ruling NPF Eyes Another Term
The Neiphiu Rio-led NDPP, with ally BJP, has drummed up the magic figure needed to take over the reins in Nagaland. The TR Zeliang-led NPF has been left high and dry by its alliance partners but is in no mood to give up without a fight — the single largest party still hopes to woo over BJP and beat Rio at his game.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with its unprecedented performance in Nagaland Assembly elections has emerged as both the king and the kingmaker. While 12 seats in a 60-member assembly does not account for much, Saturday’s fractured verdict has made BJP the beloved of both the regional parties – Naga People’s Front (NPF) and the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP).
(Source: The Indian Express)
3. Manik Sarkar Resigns in Tripura, BJP to Take Over on 8 March
Manik Sarkar resigned as Chief Minister of Tripura on 4 March, but was told to officiate until the new government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party takes charge.
State BJP president Biplab Kumar Deb, frontrunner for Chief Minister, said the swearing-in would be on 8 March, two days after party heavyweights converge to elect the legislature party leader. “(Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin) Gadkariji is scheduled to arrive here on 6 March for electing the legislature party leader. The swearing-in would be done a couple of days later,” he told the media.
BJP leaders said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the oath-taking ceremony in Tripura on 8 March.
(Source: The Hindu)
4. Gorakhpur Bypoll: to Counter BJP, Mayawati Extends Support to SP
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati announced tacitly on Sunday her party’s support to the Samajwadi Party (SP) in bypolls to a couple of Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh and two more important elections this year, indicating a joint push by the rivals to fight the ruling BJP.
But she made it clear that the understanding for the bypolls, the biennial election to the Rajya Sabha and the UP legislative council elections in March-April should not be read as an alliance for the 2019 parliamentary polls.
In an interview to ANI, Mayawati said she had told her cadre to exercise their franchise and support the strongest candidate positioned to defeat the BJP.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
5. Bank Scams to Dominate Second Part of Budget Session
Opposition parties are all set to raise the issue of financial scams involving public sector banks to corner the government in Parliament when the second part of the Budget session resumes on 5 March.
Parliament could see disruptions if the government does not agree to the Opposition demand calling for an explanation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on how diamond trader Nirav Modi and his business partner Mehul Choksi defrauded the public sector Punjab National Bank (PNB) and other banks to the tune of Rs 22,000 crore under his watch.
Calling it the “Chhota Modi” scam, the Congress said the government’s claim of being an anti-corruption crusader was in shambles and that’s why it arrested Karti Chidamabaram, son of former Finance Minister P Chidambaram.
(Source: The Hindu)
6. Karti Moved Rs 1.8 cr to Senior Neta's a/c: ED Officials
The Enforcement Directorate’s probe into the alleged money laundering case against Karti Chidambaram may have entered a volatile stretch with officials at the agency claiming that investigators have found details of him transferring Rs 1.8 crore into the bank account of an influential political figure.
ED officials conversant with the progress of the politically sensitive probe against the son of former finance minister P Chidambaram alleged that Karti transferred the money from his account in the Chennai branch of Royal Bank of Scotland(RBS).
(Source: The Times of India)
7. Nirav Modi's Auditor, Gitanjali Director Among 4 Arrested by CBI
In a fresh development, the CBI on Sunday arrested two employees and one auditor of the Nirav Modi Group of Companies in connection with the alleged Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case. The investigating agency also arrested a director of the Mehul Choksi-led Gitanjali Group of companies. A total of 18 persons have been held in connection with the case till now.
Manish K Bosamiya, the then Additional General Manager (operation) and Miten Anil Pandya, the then Finance Manager, both of Firestarter International, were arrested for their alleged role in the preparation of applications for the fraudulent Letters of Undertaking (LoU) submitted to PNB. Auditor Sanjay Rambhia, a partner in the Mumbai-based CA firm Sampat and Mehta, has also been arrested in the ongoing investigation.
(Source: The Indian Express)
8. Shootouts a Bid to Usher in Ram Rajya: UP Deputy CM
Uttar Pradesh deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya has sought to downplay criticism on the growing number of encounter killings in UP, saying eliminating criminals is a step towards setting up a “Ram Rajya”. “UP is not the only state where steps are being taken at a grand scale to ensure law and order.
Our priority is not to kill them (criminals). But if armed men attack cops, they will be fired back at. The aim is to eliminate evil and ensure a peaceful atmosphere, that is ‘Ram Rajya’,” Maurya told TOIon Sunday.
Since BJP came to office in March last year, 1,240 encounters have taken place in which 40 criminals have been killed and 305 injured.
(Source: The Times of India)
9. CBSE's Class X, XII Exams Begin Today
More than 28 lakh candidates will appear for the Class X and XII Board examinations conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education from Monday. The exams will continue till April 4 for Class X and April 13 for Class XII.
A total of 2,89,958 and 2,50,736 candidates from Delhi region have registered for the Class X and Class XII examination, respectively. Students from across 17,574 schools will appear for the Board exams, which will be conducted across 4,453 centres.
CBSE, this year, has decided to allow children with special needs to use computer/laptops for their exams.
(Source: The Times of India)
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