President poll: Congress waits for Mamata's vote on Pranab's nomination

June 9, 2012

New Delhi, June 9: The race to Raisina Hill is nearing the finish line and the Congress is now reaching out to allies outside the UPA for consensus on Finance Minister Pranab Mukerjee's nomination. The Congress is already in touch with the Samajwadi Party and is expected to be speaking to key ally and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee soon.

The West Bengal Chief Minister had earlier expressed reservations on Pranab as a Presidential candidate and her vote is key to naming a final nominee.

Sources said that Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who has been authorised by the party's Working Committee to pick the candidate, is likely to make the announcement around June 15, probably a couple of days after the expected poll notification by the Election Commission.

Significantly, Sonia's Political Advisor Ahmed Patel had a meeting with Mukherjee at his North Block office.

The sources said the Congress has already secured the support of key allies like DMK, NCP and RLD, who form part of the government, and outside supporters like Samajwadi Party.

Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief and Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh on Wednesday described Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee as a "qualified" candidate for the post of President but said his views on others were equally positive. "The Finance Minister is qualified for President. My views are positive on him, but my views are positive on others as well", Singh said.

BSP, another outside supporter, and UPA's second largest constituent Trinamool Congress, are not not expected to oppose the UPA candidate.

Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav has reportedly struck a deal with the Congress and agreed to back UPA-II's Presidential candidate.

The sources said though Mamata Banerjee had taken the name Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar and a couple of others as her favourite, her party is expected to toe the UPA line once Mukherjee's name is announced, the logic being that Trinamool Congress cannot be expected to oppose a candidate from Bengal for the top post.

The sources also made it clear that no names were considered at the meeting of the Congress Core Group on Friday morning which was attended by Sonia, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and some other leaders.

Meanwhile, former Lok Sabha Speaker PA Sangma, who has been named by AIADMK and BJD as their candidate, met BJP leader LK Advani on Friday to seek NDA's support for him. Sangma is hoping to become the first tribal leader to hold the nation's top office.

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'No place for sacrifice in politics': Akhilesh says will contest Maha polls alone if MVA keeps SP out

News Network

October 27,2024

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav stated on Sunday, October 27, that his party is prepared to contest the Maharashtra Assembly elections independently if the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) does not include them in the alliance.

Yadav assured that the SP would only contest in constituencies where it has a strong organizational presence and would ensure its participation does not affect the MVA’s overall prospects.

Several I.N.D.I.A. alliance members have expressed dissatisfaction with the Congress over seat-sharing arrangements in upcoming state polls.

Both the CPI(ML)L and the RJD voiced frustration after being offered only 3-4 seats each for the Jharkhand elections by the Congress.

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Bomb threats target CRPF schools across India, 2 days after blast at Delhi institute

News Network

October 22,2024

Several Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) schools across India were hit with hoax bomb threats on Tuesday, just days after an explosion occurred near a CRPF school in Delhi. The threats, sent via email late Monday night, targeted schools in Delhi and Hyderabad, according to sources.

Earlier this week, a bomb exploded outside a CRPF school in Delhi’s Rohini area, causing significant damage to nearby vehicles and property. Fortunately, no casualties or injuries were reported.

In response to the blast, Delhi Police confiscated CCTV footage from nearby markets as part of their investigation. Sources indicate that surveillance footage captured a suspect at the scene, wearing a white T-shirt, displaying suspicious behavior the night before the explosion.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the explosive device had been hidden in a polythene bag, buried in a shallow pit, and covered with garbage. The blast caused a hole in the school's boundary wall and shattered the window panes and signboards of nearby shops.

Following the incident, the Delhi Police registered a First Information Report (FIR) under Section 4 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, Section 3 of the Indian Explosives Act, and other relevant sections.

The FIR states, "A case of an explosion caused by an unknown explosive substance has been registered, and the investigation continues." It also details the damage, noting that the blast left a hole in the boundary wall and affected nearby structures.

The targeted schools serve children from CRPF and other paramilitary families, and the recent threats have heightened concerns. In response, Delhi authorities have placed the city on high alert, ramping up security measures, especially in markets, ahead of the Diwali festival.

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