Congress backs Nitish Kumar, reaches out to Yeddyurappa

June 21, 2012

New Delhi, June 21: BJP biggies may have been the first to congratulate Pranab Mukherjee on his then still-rumoured move to Rashtrapati Bhavan, but the Congress decision to nominate him has created enough bitterness in the two camps that it is becoming a free-for-all.

The Congress has eagerly latched on to the Nitish Kumar-Narendra Modi tussle to egg on the Bihar CM to come out of the NDA. "We will definitely welcome if JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar leaves the NDA. He has rightly said that a country with such diverse cultures and beliefs needs a secular person at the top," AICC in-charge for Bihar Gulchain Singh Charak said.

Asked if he would be taken into the UPA, Charak said it would depend on Kumar accepting the UPA's common minimum programme.

The comment junked the Congress's caution on its political rivals on the grounds that it was seeking votes from all sections, possibly out of the realization that the BJP is sure to field its candidate. Charak's comment contrasted with the party's silence in the wake of Kumar's veiled jibe at Modi.

The bitterness appeared to stem from the BJP belying the Congress's hopes of backing its veteran and instead "poaching" on UPA ally NCP by getting P A Sangma to contest. The Congress seems riled by the BJP deputing Subramanian Swamy as the pointsman to coordinate with allies. He has been attacking party chief Sonia Gandhi.

The AICC could not hide its revulsion on Wednesday when spokesman Rashid Alvi waved off a query by saying, "Subramanian Swamy is irrelevant in Indian politics. I don't want to stoop so low to comment on him."

Observers think the contest could degenerate into a free-for-all. While personal attacks as in the last presidential poll is unlikely with Mukherjee in the fray, Congressmen feel the BJP will use the support for Sangma to bolster its grip on "tribals" and play on the northeast factor. A senior Congress leader said Sangma was the "next Najma Heptullah" with a Rajya Sabha nomination waiting for him.

But the Congress is enthused that saffron attempts to use the election to spread its support base has ended up showing chinks in the NDA's armour with the JD(U) and Shiv Sena breaking rank.

Also, it is reassured that the Trinamool is unlikely to support the BJP candidate despite being at war with the Congress. In fact, TMC's central minister Sultan Ahmed said Mukherjee was an option for the party while ruling out support for Sangma.

On the contrary, leaders wondered if Mukherjee's reported phone call to B S Yeddyurappa was an attempt to play on the faultlines in the Karnataka BJP unit. The former CM is at loggerheads with the official BJP faction led by Sadananda Gowda.

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Taliban appoints Ikramuddin Kamil as acting consul in Mumbai as India-Afghan ties improve

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November 12,2024

The Taliban regime has appointed Ikramuddin Kamil as the acting consul in the Afghan mission in Mumbai, Afghan media has reported.

It is the first such appointment made by the Taliban set up to any Afghan mission in India.

There was no immediate comment from the Indian side on the appointment that came.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan has announced the appointment of Kamil as the acting consul in Mumbai, the Taliban-controlled Bakhtar News Agency reported on Monday, citing unnamed sources.

"He is currently in Mumbai, where he is fulfilling his duties as a diplomat representing the Islamic Emirate," it said.

The appointment is part of Kabul's efforts to strengthen diplomatic ties with India and enhance its presence abroad, the media outlet said

Kamil holds a PhD degree in international law and previously served as the deputy director in the department of security cooperation and border affairs in the foreign ministry, it said.

He is expected to facilitate consular services and represent the interests of Afghanistan in India, the report added.

Kamil's appointment comes days after the external affairs ministry's point-person for Afghanistan held talks with the Taliban's acting defence minister, Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, in Kabul.

Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, the Taliban's deputy foreign minister for political affairs, also posted on X about Kamil's appointment.

The appointment of Kamil is seen as part of efforts to facilitate consular services to the Afghan population in Mumbai.

There has been almost negligible presence of diplomatic staff at the Afghan missions in India.

Most of the diplomats appointed by the Ashraf Ghani government have already left India.

In May, Zakia Wardak, the seniormost Afghan diplomat in India, resigned from her position after reports emerged that she was caught at the Mumbai airport for allegedly trying to smuggle 25 kg of gold worth Rs 18.6 crore from Dubai.

Wardak had taken charge as the acting ambassador of Afghanistan to New Delhi late last year, after working as the Afghan consul general in Mumbai for more than two years.

She took charge of the Afghan embassy in New Delhi last November, after the mission helmed by then ambassador Farid Mamundzay announced its closure.

Mamundzay, who was an appointee of the Ghani government, had moved to the United Kingdom.

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You all can protest as much as you want, but Modi will surely amend Waqf Act: Amit Shah

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November 15,2024

Union minister Amit Shah on Friday, November 15, said PM Narendra Modi will amend the Waqf Act despite opposition from leaders like Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar.

"Modi ji wants to change the Waqf Board law, but Uddhav ji, Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule are opposing it," Shah said, addressing a rally at Umarkhed in Maharashtra's Yavatmal district.

"Uddhav ji, listen carefully, you all can protest as much as you want, but Modi ji will amend the Waqf Act," he said. Shah said there are two camps in the November 20 Maharashtra assembly polls, one of 'Pandavas' represented by the BJP-led Mahayuti and the other of 'Kauravas' represented by Maha Vikas Aghadi.

"Uddhav Thackeray claims that his Shiv Sena is the real one. Can the real Shiv Sena go against renaming Aurangabad to Sambhajinagar? Can the real Shiv Sena go against renaming Ahmednagar to Ahilyanagar? The real Shiv Sena stands with the BJP," Shah said.

"Rahul Baba used to say that his government would credit money in the accounts of the people instantly. You were unable to fulfil your promises in Himachal, Karnataka, and Telangana," he said.

Shah said the Mahayuti alliance has promised that women will get Rs 2,100 per month under the Ladki Bahin Yojana. "Kashmir is an integral part of India and no power in the world can snatch it away from us," Shah said.

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