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With election trends showing reverses for the BJP, senior party leader and Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said the polls were fought on the basis of the performance of state governments, rejecting the notion that the results would be a reflection of the Modi government.

He also pointed out the Congress-led grand alliance was heading to a "huge defeat" in Telangana, where the TRS appears set to retain to power with a big majority.

Talking to reporters outside Parliament, he also offered his congratulations to all the winning parties and candidates.

As per trends, the Congress was comfortable ahead of the ruling BJP in Chhattisgarh and has an edge over it in Rajasthan. Both parties were locked in a neck and neck race in Madhya Pradesh while the Congress appeared to be losing power in Mizoram to Mizo National Front.

With election trends showing reverses for the BJP, senior party leader and Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said the polls were fought on the basis of the performance of state governments, rejecting the notion that the results would be a reflection of the Modi government.

With election trends showing reverses for the BJP, senior party leader and Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said the polls were fought on the basis of the performance of state governments, rejecting the notion that the results would be a reflection of the Modi government. He also pointed out the Congress-led grand alliance was heading to a "huge defeat" in Telangana, where the TRS appears set to retain to power with a big majority. Talking to reporters outside Parliament, he also offered his congratulations to all the winning parties and candidates. As per trends, the Congress was comfortable ahead of the ruling BJP in Chhattisgarh and has an edge over it in Rajasthan. Both parties were locked in a neck and neck race in Madhya Pradesh while the Congress appeared to be losing power in Mizoram to Mizo National Front.

Polls were fought on state governments' performance: Rajnath Singh

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Congress took an early lead in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh with neck-and-neck battle in Madhya Pradesh between the Congress and the BJP in the five-state polls on Tuesday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/assembly-election-results-2018-live-stakes-high-ahead-of-2019-general-elections-183025">Also Read: Assembly poll results live</a>

KCR-led TRS is set to sweep Telengana leading in 91 seats leaving the Congress and its allies far behind with 22 seats in the 119-member assembly.

After over&nbsp;four hours since the ballot boxes were opened, Congress took a decisive lead in Chhattisgarh bouncing ahead in 61 seats with the BJP leading far behind in 19&nbsp;seats in the&nbsp;90-member state assembly.&nbsp;Ajit Jogi's JCC and Mayawati combine were leading in seven seats with Independents leading in a solitary seat.

Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's Madhya Pradesh is locked in a tight race with the BJP and Congress changing hands as votes are being counted.

The Mizo National Front(MNF) in Mizoram easily crossed the half-way mark in the 40-member House with the party ahead in 26 seats with Congress leading in 9 seats and BJP leading in 1 seat. The Independents were ahead in 4 seats in the state.

In a major upset, Mizoram chief minister Lal Thanhawla was defeated by MNF's T J Lalnuntluanga in Champhai South.

Congress and BJP are involved in a&nbsp;keen tussle in Rajasthan with the Opposition Congress leading in the state in 94 seats and the BJP ahead in 81 seats in the 199-member assembly.

"People have blessed us. We should get a comfortable majority in Rajasthan," Sachin Pilot said with leads indicating his lead in Tonk assembly constituency.

"We are confident that the Congress will get a clear majority and will for its government in Rajasthan," Gehlot added as the BJP and Congress continued to battle in the state.

Congress took an early lead in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh with neck-and-neck battle in Madhya Pradesh between the Congress and the BJP in the five-state polls on Tuesday.

Congress took an early lead in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh with neck-and-neck battle in Madhya Pradesh between the Congress and the BJP in the five-state polls on Tuesday. Also Read: Assembly poll results live KCR-led TRS is set to sweep Telengana leading in 91 seats leaving the Congress and its allies far behind with 22 seats in the 119-member assembly. After over four hours since the ballot boxes were opened, Congress took a decisive lead in Chhattisgarh bouncing ahead in 61 seats with the BJP leading far behind in 19 seats in the 90-member state assembly. Ajit Jogi's JCC and Mayawati combine were leading in seven seats with Independents leading in a solitary seat. Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's Madhya Pradesh is locked in a tight race with the BJP and Congress changing hands as votes are being counted. The Mizo National Front(MNF) in Mizoram easily crossed the half-way mark in the 40-member House with the party ahead in 26 seats with Congress leading in 9 seats and BJP leading in 1 seat. The Independents were ahead in 4 seats in the state. In a major upset, Mizoram chief minister Lal Thanhawla was defeated by MNF's T J Lalnuntluanga in Champhai South. Congress and BJP are involved in a keen tussle in Rajasthan with the Opposition Congress leading in the state in 94 seats and the BJP ahead in 81 seats in the 199-member assembly. "People have blessed us. We should get a comfortable majority in Rajasthan," Sachin Pilot said with leads indicating his lead in Tonk assembly constituency. "We are confident that the Congress will get a clear majority and will for its government in Rajasthan," Gehlot added as the BJP and Congress continued to battle in the state.

Assembly polls: Congress, BJP tussle in Madhya Pradesh; MNF set to sweep Mizoram

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The Karnataka Police Tuesday informed the Supreme Court that there appears to be a connection between journalist Gauri Lankesh and rationalist M M Kalburgi murder cases.

The state police also told the apex court that it will file a charge sheet in the Kalburgi murder case in three months.

A bench comprising Justices U U Lalit and Navin Sinha is hearing the matter related to the killing of the noted scholar and rationalist at Dharwad in 2015.

The top court on November 26 had pulled up the Karnataka government for "doing nothing and just fooling around" in the investigation and had indicated that it may transfer the case to Bombay High Court.&nbsp;

The Karnataka Police Tuesday informed the Supreme Court that there appears to be a connection between journalist Gauri Lankesh and rationalist M M Kalburgi murder cases.

The Karnataka Police Tuesday informed the Supreme Court that there appears to be a connection between journalist Gauri Lankesh and rationalist M M Kalburgi murder cases. The state police also told the apex court that it will file a charge sheet in the Kalburgi murder case in three months. A bench comprising Justices U U Lalit and Navin Sinha is hearing the matter related to the killing of the noted scholar and rationalist at Dharwad in 2015. The top court on November 26 had pulled up the Karnataka government for "doing nothing and just fooling around" in the investigation and had indicated that it may transfer the case to Bombay High Court.

There appears some connection between Gauri Lankesh, M M Kalburgi murder cases: Supreme Court

Assembly Election 2018: Expect a photo finish in Chhattisgarh

A&nbsp;mandated to review facts and circumstances of a violation of international religious freedom have decided to postpone a hearing on freedom of religion or belief in India, which was scheduled for Wednesday.&nbsp;

The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) said the hearing titled 'Freedom of Religion or Belief in India: Rising Challenges &amp; New Opportunities for US Policy' would be held after the release of its annual report on international religious freedom in May next year.&nbsp;

"Due to an overwhelming response in interest on the topic of religious freedom in India by a wide variety of religious and civic organisations, the USCIRF has announced the postponement of this Wednesday's scheduled hearing in order to accommodate more participants and attendees," the commission said.

A mandated to review facts and circumstances of a violation of international religious freedom have decided to postpone a hearing on freedom of religion or belief in India, which was scheduled for Wednesday.

A mandated to review facts and circumstances of a violation of international religious freedom have decided to postpone a hearing on freedom of religion or belief in India, which was scheduled for Wednesday. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) said the hearing titled 'Freedom of Religion or Belief in India: Rising Challenges & New Opportunities for US Policy' would be held after the release of its annual report on international religious freedom in May next year. "Due to an overwhelming response in interest on the topic of religious freedom in India by a wide variety of religious and civic organisations, the USCIRF has announced the postponement of this Wednesday's scheduled hearing in order to accommodate more participants and attendees," the commission said.

USCIRF hearing on religious freedom in India postponed

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday said the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/shaktikanta-das-appointed-new-rbi-governor-after-urjit-patels-exit-183297">new RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das</a> has the right credentials to hold the post and expressed confidence that he will be meet the challenges facing the nation.&nbsp;

He asserted that the independence and autonomy of the RBI will be maintained, saying it is in the interest of the government. Das, a member of the 15th Finance Commission and former Economic Affairs Secretary, was appointed as RBI Governor, a day after Urjit Patel quit abruptly.&nbsp;

Das, an IAS officer from the Tamil Nadu cadre, will have a tenure of three years, according to a decision taken by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC).&nbsp;

"The vacancy arose after Urjit Patel resigned and we accepted his resignation today," Jaitley said.&nbsp;

Talking about Das, the finance minister said, "I think he has the right credentials, he has been extremely professional. He has worked under various governments, has excelled himself and I am sure in meeting the challenges before India`s economy as a Governor of RBI. He`ll certainly add to that office."&nbsp;

To a question, he said that the government of India believes the RBI is an independent body and the government will support RBI and coordinate with it whenever required.&nbsp;

"It is interest of the government to maintain independence and autonomy of the RBI and the government is committed to this effect," said Jaitley.&nbsp;

Praising Das, he said, "Besides his experience as the Revenue Secretary, Economic Affairs Secretary, he also had the experience in preparing several budgets as joint secretary, in charge of budget division. Subsequently he has been a G20 Sherpa on behalf of India. He`s been a member of 15th Finance Commission," he added.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday said the new RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das has the right credentials to hold the post and expressed confidence that he will be meet the challenges facing the nation.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday said the new RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das has the right credentials to hold the post and expressed confidence that he will be meet the challenges facing the nation. He asserted that the independence and autonomy of the RBI will be maintained, saying it is in the interest of the government. Das, a member of the 15th Finance Commission and former Economic Affairs Secretary, was appointed as RBI Governor, a day after Urjit Patel quit abruptly. Das, an IAS officer from the Tamil Nadu cadre, will have a tenure of three years, according to a decision taken by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC). "The vacancy arose after Urjit Patel resigned and we accepted his resignation today," Jaitley said. Talking about Das, the finance minister said, "I think he has the right credentials, he has been extremely professional. He has worked under various governments, has excelled himself and I am sure in meeting the challenges before India`s economy as a Governor of RBI. He`ll certainly add to that office." To a question, he said that the government of India believes the RBI is an independent body and the government will support RBI and coordinate with it whenever required. "It is interest of the government to maintain independence and autonomy of the RBI and the government is committed to this effect," said Jaitley. Praising Das, he said, "Besides his experience as the Revenue Secretary, Economic Affairs Secretary, he also had the experience in preparing several budgets as joint secretary, in charge of budget division. Subsequently he has been a G20 Sherpa on behalf of India. He`s been a member of 15th Finance Commission," he added.

Jaitley confident new RBI governor Shaktikanta Das will meet challenges on economic front

Governor of the US State of Kentucky Matt Bevin will lead a high-power American business delegation, comprising representatives from top companies, for the next Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit in January.

The delegation of US Chambers of Commerce, which includes the US-India Business Council (USIBC) and co-leaders of the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, will strengthen ties with national and state government leaders, industry groups and individual businesses in one of the world's largest and fastest growing economies, the governor's office said.

"Kentucky is excited to explore opportunities within the Indian market and to meet with key government and business leaders during next month's business summit," Bevin said in a statement on Monday.

"Our state is a leading exporter of food products as well as healthcare and engineering technologies. This trip is an incredible opportunity to showcase Kentucky's growth as an epicentre for global companies," Bevin said.

The delegation will help increase awareness about trade and investment opportunities between the US and India, he said.

After Gujarat, the delegation will also travel to Uttar Pradesh to participate in industry meetings surrounding Pravasi Bharatiya Divas.

Nisha Biswal, president of the USIBC, said the organisation will deliver a productive and impactful engagement for Kentucky and the USIBC members at Vibrant Gujarat and in Uttar Pradesh.

"It is an honour for USIBC and its members to welcome a close partnership with Governor Bevin and the State of Kentucky to lead a delegation of US companies critical to the growth of the US-India bilateral trade and commercial relationship," she said.

"Kentucky and India have enjoyed a longstanding partnership, which has resulted in job creation and expanded business opportunities for both Indian and Kentucky companies," Biswal said.

Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development leaders Terry Gill and Vivek Sarin will join Bevin, as will Cabinet's executive director for international affairs Erran Persley and business development, a media report said.

Indian companies own&nbsp;in whole or part&nbsp;five facilities in Kentucky, which currently employ approximately 1,625 people.

In addition to those five facilities, Novelis earlier this year broke ground in Guthrie for a 125-job aluminium rolling mill, which is scheduled to open by 2020.

And this summer Novelis announced it will purchase Aleris Corp, which operates an aluminium rolling mill in Lewisport employing nearly 1,000 people.

The deal is scheduled to close in 2019. Together, those will push Kentucky's Indian-owned facilities to seven, employing about 2,750 people, the Governor's office said.

Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit is aimed at bringing together business leaders, investors, corporations, thought leaders, policy and opinion makers. It is advertised as a platform to understand and explore business opportunities in the State of Gujarat.&nbsp;

Governor of the US State of Kentucky Matt Bevin will lead a high-power American business delegation, comprising representatives from top companies, for the next Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit in January.

Governor of the US State of Kentucky Matt Bevin will lead a high-power American business delegation, comprising representatives from top companies, for the next Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit in January. The delegation of US Chambers of Commerce, which includes the US-India Business Council (USIBC) and co-leaders of the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, will strengthen ties with national and state government leaders, industry groups and individual businesses in one of the world's largest and fastest growing economies, the governor's office said. "Kentucky is excited to explore opportunities within the Indian market and to meet with key government and business leaders during next month's business summit," Bevin said in a statement on Monday. "Our state is a leading exporter of food products as well as healthcare and engineering technologies. This trip is an incredible opportunity to showcase Kentucky's growth as an epicentre for global companies," Bevin said. The delegation will help increase awareness about trade and investment opportunities between the US and India, he said. After Gujarat, the delegation will also travel to Uttar Pradesh to participate in industry meetings surrounding Pravasi Bharatiya Divas. Nisha Biswal, president of the USIBC, said the organisation will deliver a productive and impactful engagement for Kentucky and the USIBC members at Vibrant Gujarat and in Uttar Pradesh. "It is an honour for USIBC and its members to welcome a close partnership with Governor Bevin and the State of Kentucky to lead a delegation of US companies critical to the growth of the US-India bilateral trade and commercial relationship," she said. "Kentucky and India have enjoyed a longstanding partnership, which has resulted in job creation and expanded business opportunities for both Indian and Kentucky companies," Biswal said. Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development leaders Terry Gill and Vivek Sarin will join Bevin, as will Cabinet's executive director for international affairs Erran Persley and business development, a media report said. Indian companies own in whole or part five facilities in Kentucky, which currently employ approximately 1,625 people. In addition to those five facilities, Novelis earlier this year broke ground in Guthrie for a 125-job aluminium rolling mill, which is scheduled to open by 2020. And this summer Novelis announced it will purchase Aleris Corp, which operates an aluminium rolling mill in Lewisport employing nearly 1,000 people. The deal is scheduled to close in 2019. Together, those will push Kentucky's Indian-owned facilities to seven, employing about 2,750 people, the Governor's office said. Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit is aimed at bringing together business leaders, investors, corporations, thought leaders, policy and opinion makers. It is advertised as a platform to understand and explore business opportunities in the State of Gujarat.

Kentucky government to lead US business delegation for Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urged all parties to utilise the winter session of Parliament for public interest rather than individual interests. &nbsp;

PM Modi said leaders should participate in debates, even if sharp, in the winter session of Parliament.

The Indian prime minister hoped that winter session functions more than its stipulated time and issues are taken up in public interest.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urged all parties to utilise the winter session of Parliament for public interest rather than individual interests. PM Modi said leaders should participate in debates, even if sharp, in the winter session of Parliament.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urged all parties to utilise the winter session of Parliament for public interest rather than individual interests. PM Modi said leaders should participate in debates, even if sharp, in the winter session of Parliament. The Indian prime minister hoped that winter session functions more than its stipulated time and issues are taken up in public interest.

Leaders should participate in debates in winter session of Parliament:  PM Modi

TRS chief <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/kcr-an-obscure-congress-foot-soldier-who-became-mascot-of-telangana-pride-183273">K Chandrasekhar Rao</a>, who led his party to a two-thirds majority in the December 7 assembly elections in Telangana, will be formally elected leader of the legislature party Wednesday, party sources said.

A meeting of the legislature party has been convened at 11.30 AM here Wednesday, the sources said.

Asked when Rao would be sworn in as Chief Minister, a senior TRS leader told PTI: "Tomorrow, he (Rao) will take a call on that.

It (swearing-in) will definitely happen before December 15... After the 15th it's not auspicious".

Meanwhile, Rao met the Governor E S L Narasimhan at the Raj Bhavan Tuesday to stake his claim to form the government for a second time.

Rao had dissolved the Assembly in September eight months ahead of schedule in a political gamble that paid off handsomely in the elections, with his party the TRS decimating its rivals, winning 84 of the 119 seats in the assembly.

The Congress won 18, while the Asadudding Owaisi led AIMIM, which supported TRS, bagged seven. The BJP won just one seat.

K Chandrasekhar Rao, 64, who emerged as the mascot of Telangana pride when he led the massive movement that convulsed undivided Andhra Pradesh and ended with the creation of the youngest state of the country in 2014, powered his party winning 82 seats in the 119-member assembly. Its candidates are leading in six places, sources in the state office of the state's chief electoral officer said.

Rao himself won by a margin of over 51,000 votes from his Gajwel seat, trouncing V Pratap Reddy of the Congress.

Rao's son K T Rama Rao and nephew T Harish Rao, both ministers in his caretaker government, also won by impressive margins.

The newly elected lawmakers of the TRS are meeting here at 11.30 am on Wednesday to formally elect Rao as the leader of the legislature party. A TRS leader said the date for his swearing-in will be finalised at the meeting.

The 'Praja Kutami' (People's Front), a 4-party opposition alliance led by the Congress that included Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's TDP, CPI and the newly formed Telangana Jana Samiti, cut a sorry figure together winning 21 seats.

The Congress had just 19 seats in its kitty, two less that what it won in the last polls, while the TDP could win only two against its tally of 15 seats in 2014. The two other coalition partners failed to open their account.

Telangana was the only state among the five where results of assembly polls were declared Tuesday that the Congress had cobbled together a coalition amid the talk of formation of a broad-based alliance to take on the BJP-led NDA in the Lok Sabha polls next year.

Buoyed by a string of electoral successes in assembly elections, the BJP ploughed a lonely furrow after the TDP walked out of the NDA a few months ago. However, the TRS juggernaut put paid to all hopes the saffron party might have had of making inroads into Rao's citadel.

The BJP, which had won five seats in the last assembly polls in 2014 held in undivided Andhra Pradesh that it contested in alliance with the TDP, had to be content with just one seat out of the 118 where its candidates tried their luck. Its state chief and sitting MLA K Laxman finished a poor third in Musheerabad.

Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM, which Rao calls a "friendly party", has won five seats and its nominees are leading in two places.

"We are going to play a very crucial role in national politics...We will show...We will give a new definition to the national political scenario," a triumphant Rao told a press conference.

"Today's results...Telangana has shown the way to the whole nation. Today, Telangana stands (as) a non-Congress, non-BJP state," Rao, who has lobbied with leaders of other major regional parties, including TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, to pitch for a federal front against the two national parties, said.

Dedicating his party's resounding victory to the people of Telangana, Rao said an action plan for development will be prepared to meet the aspirations of people.

The emphatic victory of the TRS might well act as a springboard for the leader who harbours the ambition of playing a greater role in national politics.

Though Telangana came into existence more than four years ago, TRS supremo brought alive the issue of 'Telangana pride' by repeatedly targeting his former boss and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, accusing him of stalling the development of Telangana and calling him an outsider.

His appeal to regional sentiments appeared to have helped the TRS keep the Congress, which made huge gains in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, under check in Telangana as it had aligned with the TDP, a party Rao accused of acting against his state's interests.

Rao's populist schemes, including waiver of farm loans totalling over Rs 17,000 crore and implementation of 'Ryuthu Bandu', a farmers investment support scheme that gave tillers Rs 8,000 per annum per acre also seemed to have endeared him to the sizeable farming community.

Despite his aggressive posturing during the Telangana movement, Rao ensured there was no persecution of those from Andhra Pradesh after its bifurcation, something that ostensibly helped him secure votes of many people from the neighbouring state.

Rao's repeated criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "thwarting" the TRS government's efforts for raising quotas for Muslims and Scheduled Tribes in government jobs and state-run educational institutions during the campaign also apparently helped the party garner support of these sections.

Asaduddin Owaisi, who of late has emerged as one of the most prominent Muslim voices, openly backed the TRS and even organised rallies in support of its candidates.

Rao's decision to dissolve the House in September, eight months before its tenure was to end, and go for an early election, is being seen as a masterstroke, as national issues might have overshadowed those of the state if simultaneous elections were held for the Lok Sabha and the state assembly.

Rao was first off the blocks when he announced the names of 105 candidates for the 119-member assembly barely a couple of hours after recommending its dissolution.

The TRS nominees hit the ground running and the gamble paid off.

Following the opposition coalition's drubbing, Chandrababu Naidu said it respects the people's verdict, but claimed the results of the assembly polls in five states showed people had become "antagonistic" to the BJP.

"People of all states are antagonistic towards the BJP. Results of these assembly elections will enable formation of a strong alternative to the BJP in the 2019 general elections," he said in a statement, and congratulated Rao on his party's victory.

The Congress cried foul, saying it suspected "manipulation" of the Electronic Voting Machines, and demanded that all votes be counted using the VVPAT (Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail) to ascertain the exact number of votes polled by each candidate.

"The whole Telangana society has doubts about EVMs. Why the Election Commission is not counting every paper trail linked to Electronic Voting Machines by delaying result by 4-5 hours? Election Commission does not have a proper answer," Telangana Congress chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy said.

CPI general secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy attributed distribution of "huge amounts of money and liquor" by the TRS for its victory.

"This election was not free and fair. Distribution of money and liquor was terrible. I do not think it is a moral victory for him (Rao), it is only a technical victory," Reddy said.

He said the opposition alliance should have finalised the seat-sharing deal earlier than they actually did as that would have given it more time for campaigning.&nbsp;

TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao, who led his party to a two-thirds majority in the December 7 assembly elections in Telangana, will be formally elected leader of the legislature party Wednesday, party sources said.

TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao, who led his party to a two-thirds majority in the December 7 assembly elections in Telangana, will be formally elected leader of the legislature party Wednesday, party sources said. A meeting of the legislature party has been convened at 11.30 AM here Wednesday, the sources said. Asked when Rao would be sworn in as Chief Minister, a senior TRS leader told PTI: "Tomorrow, he (Rao) will take a call on that. It (swearing-in) will definitely happen before December 15... After the 15th it's not auspicious". Meanwhile, Rao met the Governor E S L Narasimhan at the Raj Bhavan Tuesday to stake his claim to form the government for a second time. Rao had dissolved the Assembly in September eight months ahead of schedule in a political gamble that paid off handsomely in the elections, with his party the TRS decimating its rivals, winning 84 of the 119 seats in the assembly. The Congress won 18, while the Asadudding Owaisi led AIMIM, which supported TRS, bagged seven. The BJP won just one seat. K Chandrasekhar Rao, 64, who emerged as the mascot of Telangana pride when he led the massive movement that convulsed undivided Andhra Pradesh and ended with the creation of the youngest state of the country in 2014, powered his party winning 82 seats in the 119-member assembly. Its candidates are leading in six places, sources in the state office of the state's chief electoral officer said. Rao himself won by a margin of over 51,000 votes from his Gajwel seat, trouncing V Pratap Reddy of the Congress. Rao's son K T Rama Rao and nephew T Harish Rao, both ministers in his caretaker government, also won by impressive margins. The newly elected lawmakers of the TRS are meeting here at 11.30 am on Wednesday to formally elect Rao as the leader of the legislature party. A TRS leader said the date for his swearing-in will be finalised at the meeting. The 'Praja Kutami' (People's Front), a 4-party opposition alliance led by the Congress that included Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's TDP, CPI and the newly formed Telangana Jana Samiti, cut a sorry figure together winning 21 seats. The Congress had just 19 seats in its kitty, two less that what it won in the last polls, while the TDP could win only two against its tally of 15 seats in 2014. The two other coalition partners failed to open their account. Telangana was the only state among the five where results of assembly polls were declared Tuesday that the Congress had cobbled together a coalition amid the talk of formation of a broad-based alliance to take on the BJP-led NDA in the Lok Sabha polls next year. Buoyed by a string of electoral successes in assembly elections, the BJP ploughed a lonely furrow after the TDP walked out of the NDA a few months ago. However, the TRS juggernaut put paid to all hopes the saffron party might have had of making inroads into Rao's citadel. The BJP, which had won five seats in the last assembly polls in 2014 held in undivided Andhra Pradesh that it contested in alliance with the TDP, had to be content with just one seat out of the 118 where its candidates tried their luck. Its state chief and sitting MLA K Laxman finished a poor third in Musheerabad. Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM, which Rao calls a "friendly party", has won five seats and its nominees are leading in two places. "We are going to play a very crucial role in national politics...We will show...We will give a new definition to the national political scenario," a triumphant Rao told a press conference. "Today's results...Telangana has shown the way to the whole nation. Today, Telangana stands (as) a non-Congress, non-BJP state," Rao, who has lobbied with leaders of other major regional parties, including TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, to pitch for a federal front against the two national parties, said. Dedicating his party's resounding victory to the people of Telangana, Rao said an action plan for development will be prepared to meet the aspirations of people. The emphatic victory of the TRS might well act as a springboard for the leader who harbours the ambition of playing a greater role in national politics. Though Telangana came into existence more than four years ago, TRS supremo brought alive the issue of 'Telangana pride' by repeatedly targeting his former boss and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, accusing him of stalling the development of Telangana and calling him an outsider. His appeal to regional sentiments appeared to have helped the TRS keep the Congress, which made huge gains in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, under check in Telangana as it had aligned with the TDP, a party Rao accused of acting against his state's interests. Rao's populist schemes, including waiver of farm loans totalling over Rs 17,000 crore and implementation of 'Ryuthu Bandu', a farmers investment support scheme that gave tillers Rs 8,000 per annum per acre also seemed to have endeared him to the sizeable farming community. Despite his aggressive posturing during the Telangana movement, Rao ensured there was no persecution of those from Andhra Pradesh after its bifurcation, something that ostensibly helped him secure votes of many people from the neighbouring state. Rao's repeated criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "thwarting" the TRS government's efforts for raising quotas for Muslims and Scheduled Tribes in government jobs and state-run educational institutions during the campaign also apparently helped the party garner support of these sections. Asaduddin Owaisi, who of late has emerged as one of the most prominent Muslim voices, openly backed the TRS and even organised rallies in support of its candidates. Rao's decision to dissolve the House in September, eight months before its tenure was to end, and go for an early election, is being seen as a masterstroke, as national issues might have overshadowed those of the state if simultaneous elections were held for the Lok Sabha and the state assembly. Rao was first off the blocks when he announced the names of 105 candidates for the 119-member assembly barely a couple of hours after recommending its dissolution. The TRS nominees hit the ground running and the gamble paid off. Following the opposition coalition's drubbing, Chandrababu Naidu said it respects the people's verdict, but claimed the results of the assembly polls in five states showed people had become "antagonistic" to the BJP. "People of all states are antagonistic towards the BJP. Results of these assembly elections will enable formation of a strong alternative to the BJP in the 2019 general elections," he said in a statement, and congratulated Rao on his party's victory. The Congress cried foul, saying it suspected "manipulation" of the Electronic Voting Machines, and demanded that all votes be counted using the VVPAT (Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail) to ascertain the exact number of votes polled by each candidate. "The whole Telangana society has doubts about EVMs. Why the Election Commission is not counting every paper trail linked to Electronic Voting Machines by delaying result by 4-5 hours? Election Commission does not have a proper answer," Telangana Congress chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy said. CPI general secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy attributed distribution of "huge amounts of money and liquor" by the TRS for its victory. "This election was not free and fair. Distribution of money and liquor was terrible. I do not think it is a moral victory for him (Rao), it is only a technical victory," Reddy said. He said the opposition alliance should have finalised the seat-sharing deal earlier than they actually did as that would have given it more time for campaigning.

Telangana CM's swearing-in will definitely happen before December 15: TRS

Ashok Gehlot didn't make the Congress disappear altogether in Rajasthan and, in any case, the party's good showing in the assembly polls wasn't a solo act. But on Tuesday the Congress appeared close to picking the magician at heart for the chief minister's job.

Gehlot has said magic is in his soul. At a conjurors' convention in 2015 which he inaugurated by performing a little trick of his own, the veteran told the audience he would have followed in his magician father's footstep had he not joined politics.

This he did thanks to Indira Gandhi, according to some accounts. She is said to have noticed his work with refugees in the northeast and roped him in.

In his early years as a politician, he headed the Rajasthan unit of the National Students Union of India (NSUI) and was later seen as a staunch loyalist of the Gandhi family.

Some in the party called him "gilli billi", a tag which referred to his past when he performed magic as an assistant to his father Laxman Singh Daksh on his tours.

Now, after a gap of five years, the veteran could be back in the saddle as chief minister.

After a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party in the state capital on Wednesday, party president <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/it-is-time-for-change-rahul-gandhi-after-poll-results-183326">Rahul Gandhi will take a call </a>between the seasoned 67-year-old and Sachin Pilot, the youthful Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee president.

Sometimes called "Rajasthan's Gandhi" for his simple lifestyle and mass connect, Gehlot has been chief minister twice earlier.

The first stint was in 1998-2003 and the second ended in 2013, with the Bharatiya Janata Party's Vasundhara Raje succeeding him each time.

Gehlot has also been at the helm of the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee four times.

Currently an All India Congress Committee general secretary, Gehlot has been deployed by the party in crucial roles at the national level.

He was appointed AICC general secretary in charge of Gujarat just months ahead of last year's assembly polls. The Congress didn't win but managed to give the BJP a big scare in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state.

In the recent Karnataka assembly polls, he was there in Bengaluru along with Ghulam Nabi Azad to help stitch together a post-poll coalition with Janata Dal (Secular) to form the government.

After his first proper job in the organisation as NSUI's Rajasthan president from 1974 to 1979, he went on to become the Jodhpur district Congress committee president from 1979 to 1982. Then, he was elevated as the state Congress committee's general secretary.

He was first-elected to Parliament in 1980, and went on to win Lok Sabha elections four more times. Since 1999, he has represented the Sardarpura assembly constituency, winning five consecutive terms in the House.

At the Centre, Gehlot has served as a minister of state in the ministries of tourism, civil aviation, sports and textiles, in different stints between 1982 and 1993.

He was also the AICC general secretary in charge of Delhi and the Sewa Dal cell from 2004-2009 and member of the Congress Working Committee looking after Himachal Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.&nbsp;

Ashok Gehlot didn't make the Congress disappear altogether in Rajasthan and, in any case, the party's good showing in the assembly polls wasn't a solo act. But on Tuesday the Congress appeared close to picking the magician at heart for the chief minister's job.

Ashok Gehlot didn't make the Congress disappear altogether in Rajasthan and, in any case, the party's good showing in the assembly polls wasn't a solo act. But on Tuesday the Congress appeared close to picking the magician at heart for the chief minister's job. Gehlot has said magic is in his soul. At a conjurors' convention in 2015 which he inaugurated by performing a little trick of his own, the veteran told the audience he would have followed in his magician father's footstep had he not joined politics. This he did thanks to Indira Gandhi, according to some accounts. She is said to have noticed his work with refugees in the northeast and roped him in. In his early years as a politician, he headed the Rajasthan unit of the National Students Union of India (NSUI) and was later seen as a staunch loyalist of the Gandhi family. Some in the party called him "gilli billi", a tag which referred to his past when he performed magic as an assistant to his father Laxman Singh Daksh on his tours. Now, after a gap of five years, the veteran could be back in the saddle as chief minister. After a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party in the state capital on Wednesday, party president Rahul Gandhi will take a call between the seasoned 67-year-old and Sachin Pilot, the youthful Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee president. Sometimes called "Rajasthan's Gandhi" for his simple lifestyle and mass connect, Gehlot has been chief minister twice earlier. The first stint was in 1998-2003 and the second ended in 2013, with the Bharatiya Janata Party's Vasundhara Raje succeeding him each time. Gehlot has also been at the helm of the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee four times. Currently an All India Congress Committee general secretary, Gehlot has been deployed by the party in crucial roles at the national level. He was appointed AICC general secretary in charge of Gujarat just months ahead of last year's assembly polls. The Congress didn't win but managed to give the BJP a big scare in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state. In the recent Karnataka assembly polls, he was there in Bengaluru along with Ghulam Nabi Azad to help stitch together a post-poll coalition with Janata Dal (Secular) to form the government. After his first proper job in the organisation as NSUI's Rajasthan president from 1974 to 1979, he went on to become the Jodhpur district Congress committee president from 1979 to 1982. Then, he was elevated as the state Congress committee's general secretary. He was first-elected to Parliament in 1980, and went on to win Lok Sabha elections four more times. Since 1999, he has represented the Sardarpura assembly constituency, winning five consecutive terms in the House. At the Centre, Gehlot has served as a minister of state in the ministries of tourism, civil aviation, sports and textiles, in different stints between 1982 and 1993. He was also the AICC general secretary in charge of Delhi and the Sewa Dal cell from 2004-2009 and member of the Congress Working Committee looking after Himachal Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

Ashok Gehlot: Magician at heart could become Rajasthan CM

These are early projections, confident that we will win: BJP leaders on poll result trends

A 38-year-old Indian national has been arrested on charges of smuggling foreign nationals into the US for private financial gain, according to Department of Justice.

Bhavin Patel is charged by indictment with one count of conspiracy to bring in and harbour aliens and six counts of smuggling foreign nationals into the US via commercial airline flights, New Jersey US Attorney Craig Carpenito said on Monday.

He is scheduled to be arraigned on December 18, 2018, before US District Judge John Michael Vazquez. Arrested by special agents of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) on December 7, at Newark Liberty International Airport, Patel if convicted faces a maximum potential sentence of 10 years in prison.

Each substantive charge of smuggling carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison.

In its court papers, HSI said that it's beginning in October 2013, an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a smuggler began meeting with Patel in Bangkok. Patel told the undercover law enforcement officer that he wanted to smuggle Indian nationals into the US.

On three occasions, Patel or his conspirator transported the Indian nationals to an airport in Thailand, at which point the undercover law enforcement officer would purportedly use his contacts to smuggle them into the US via commercial airline flights.

Patel agreed to wire down payments for each individual to be smuggled into the US and to pay a balance of tens of thousands of dollars for each individual once the foreign nationals arrived in the United States, HSI alleged in its court papers.

Over the ensuing months, Patel arranged for six Indian nationals to be brought to Thailand for smuggling into the United States via Newark Liberty International Airport, HIS alleged.&nbsp;

A 38-year-old Indian national has been arrested on charges of smuggling foreign nationals into the US for private financial gain, according to Department of Justice.

A 38-year-old Indian national has been arrested on charges of smuggling foreign nationals into the US for private financial gain, according to Department of Justice. Bhavin Patel is charged by indictment with one count of conspiracy to bring in and harbour aliens and six counts of smuggling foreign nationals into the US via commercial airline flights, New Jersey US Attorney Craig Carpenito said on Monday. He is scheduled to be arraigned on December 18, 2018, before US District Judge John Michael Vazquez. Arrested by special agents of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) on December 7, at Newark Liberty International Airport, Patel if convicted faces a maximum potential sentence of 10 years in prison. Each substantive charge of smuggling carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison. In its court papers, HSI said that it's beginning in October 2013, an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a smuggler began meeting with Patel in Bangkok. Patel told the undercover law enforcement officer that he wanted to smuggle Indian nationals into the US. On three occasions, Patel or his conspirator transported the Indian nationals to an airport in Thailand, at which point the undercover law enforcement officer would purportedly use his contacts to smuggle them into the US via commercial airline flights. Patel agreed to wire down payments for each individual to be smuggled into the US and to pay a balance of tens of thousands of dollars for each individual once the foreign nationals arrived in the United States, HSI alleged in its court papers. Over the ensuing months, Patel arranged for six Indian nationals to be brought to Thailand for smuggling into the United States via Newark Liberty International Airport, HIS alleged.

Indian arrested on charges of smuggling foreign nationals into US

K Chandrasekhar Rao's Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) is headed towards a decisive victory in the assembly election, trends on Tuesday morning showed.

TRS president and Telangana caretaker Chief Minister KCR is leading by 9,212 votes over his nearest Congress rival Vanteru Pratap Reddy in Gajwel constituency after the fifth round of counting.

His daughter and K Kavitha said on Tuesday that there was never a doubt that the party will retain power with a huge majority.

Kavitha, a member of the Lok Sabha, said there was no anti-incumbency as the TRS government had done well on all fronts during the last four-and-a-half years.

"KCR's hard work has paid off," said Kavitha, adding that it was both welfare programmes and Telangana pride which worked for the party in this election.

Nearly all the exit polls had predicted incumbent KCR-led TRS retaining another term with a clear majority.

Legislative Assembly elections were held for the first time in Telangana on December 7 after its formation as the 2014 Assembly polls were held in undivided Andhra Pradesh.

The TRS went alone in the polls and so did the BJP.

K Chandrasekhar Rao's Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) is headed towards a decisive victory in the assembly election, trends on Tuesday morning showed. TRS president and Telangana caretaker Chief Minister KCR is leading by 9,212 votes over his nearest Congress rival Vanteru Pratap Reddy in Gajwel constituency after the fifth round of counting.

K Chandrasekhar Rao's Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) is headed towards a decisive victory in the assembly election, trends on Tuesday morning showed. TRS president and Telangana caretaker Chief Minister KCR is leading by 9,212 votes over his nearest Congress rival Vanteru Pratap Reddy in Gajwel constituency after the fifth round of counting. His daughter and K Kavitha said on Tuesday that there was never a doubt that the party will retain power with a huge majority. Kavitha, a member of the Lok Sabha, said there was no anti-incumbency as the TRS government had done well on all fronts during the last four-and-a-half years. "KCR's hard work has paid off," said Kavitha, adding that it was both welfare programmes and Telangana pride which worked for the party in this election. Nearly all the exit polls had predicted incumbent KCR-led TRS retaining another term with a clear majority. Legislative Assembly elections were held for the first time in Telangana on December 7 after its formation as the 2014 Assembly polls were held in undivided Andhra Pradesh. The TRS went alone in the polls and so did the BJP.

TRS heads towards decisive victory in Telangana

Vasundhara Raje prays in temple as Rajasthan leads trickle in

From living a life of near anonymity as a Congress foot soldier to becoming the mascot of Telangana pride who brought down the then mighty Congress to its knees and wrested statehood, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/opinions/telangana-assembly-elections-2018-why-its-difficult-to-overthrow-k-c-rao-178990">K Chandrasekhar Rao</a> has navigated the choppy waters of politics with the ease of a masterful oarsman.

With the emphatic victory of the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/trs-heads-towards-decisive-victory-in-telangana-183095">TRS</a>, the party he founded with the sole aim of realising the decades-old dream of a separate Telangana, Kalvakuntla Chandrasekhar Rao, 64, has reinforced his position as the tallest leader of the youngest state of the Indian union.

The victory in the assembly elections, the first in Telangana after its formation in June 2014, might well act as a springboard for the leader, often accused of perpetuating family rule and promoting nepotism, to realise his ambition of playing a greater role in national politics.

KCR's suave and sophisticated son <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/telangana-minister-kt-rao-increased-his-assets-by-424-congress-180827">K T Rama Rao</a>, a minister in his cabinet, is his heir apparent, while his daughter K Kavitha is Lok Sabha MP from Nizamabad. His nephew Harish Rao is also a minister.

KCR, as Rao is popularly known, has been one of the votaries of a broad-based non-BJP and non-Congress federal front, and the win would further fortify his position as a regional satrap.

Rao's decision to dissolve the House in September, several months before its tenure was to end, and go for an early election, is being seen as a masterstroke, as national issues might have overshadowed those of the state if simultaneous elections were held for the Lok Sabha and the state assembly.

A canny politician that he is, Rao was first off the blocks when he announced the names of 105 candidates for the 119-member assembly barely a couple of hours after recommending its dissolution.

TRS nominees hit the ground running and the gamble paid off.

Rao retained a majority of his MLAs, leaving some of the ticket hopefuls dejected, but he managed to silence whimpers of protest and keep his flock together.

The TRS supremo whipped up the issue of 'Telangana pride' by repeatedly targeting his former boss and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, accusing him of having stalled the development of Telangana and calling him an outsider. All the while he continued to harp on the welfare schemes launched by his government.

Welfare measures like social security pension and 'Ryuthu Bandu', a farmers investment support scheme that gave the tillers Rs 8,000 per annum per acre, tackling power shortage, and his accusation against the Centre that it blocked his plans to raise quotas for Scheduled Tribes and Muslims in jobs and education underpinned his campaign rhetoric.

The self-proclaimed farmer from Chintamadaka village in Medak district, whose assets soared 41 per cent in the last little over four years to Rs 22.6 crore, cut his political teeth in the Indian Youth Congress as an ordinary member.

Rao joined the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) founded by film icon N T Rama Rao in 1983. His first outing at the hustings the same year ended in failure when he lost to the Congress candidate in Siddipet.

He wrested the seat in 1985 and there was no looking back for him ever since. Rao won 13 elections to the Lok Sabha and state assembly on the trot. He won Karimnagar, Medak and Mahbubnagar Lok Sabha seats five times, including twice in by-polls.

Rao became a minister in the NTR government and subsequently that of his son-in-law N Chandrababu Naidu. He was also the deputy speaker of the Andhra Pradesh Assembly.

However, the dream of a separate Telangana never left him. Rao quit the TDP in 2001, accusing Naidu of discriminating against Telangana. He floated the Telangana Rashtra Samithi and revived the statehood movement that lay dormant for years after the late 1960s.

He joined hands with the Congress that promised statehood for Telangana and fought the 2004 Lok Sabha polls in alliance with it.

The TRS won five seats and Rao was made a cabinet minister at the Centre but walked out of the alliance after accusing the Congress of not being serious about creating Telangana.

In the 2009 assembly elections, TRS allied with the TDP after the latter agreed to extend "unconditional support" for the creation of Telangana.

Rao and his TRS remained a fringe player in undivided Andhra Pradesh as the Congress returned to power in 2009 under the charismatic Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.

Following Reddy's death in a helicopter crash in 2009, Congress plunged into turmoil as his son revolted against the party high command over the leadership issue.

Sensing an opportunity, Rao began a fast unto death for Telangana statehood. As Telangana plunged into turmoil with mass protests and suicides by young men, glory came to Rao who ended his 11-day fast following an announcement by the then Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on December 9, 2009 that steps will be taken for Telangana's formation.

However, in a set back for the TRS boss, the UPA government buckled under pressure from people of coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema region who protested the "unilateral" announcement. The government felt more consultations were needed before the new state could be formed. 
Rao steeled himself for the battle ahead as he went about convincing people of the Telangana region that "injustice" being done to them could end only if it was granted statehood.

He breathed fire and brimstone with slogans like "Telangana waley jaago, Andhra waley bhago (People of Telangana arise, those of Andhra run away)". He threatened a "civil war" and "bloodbath" 
if Telangana was not created.

As Andhra Pradesh, geographically undivided but cleaved by strong regional sentiments, headed for the 2014 assembly elections, Rao's steadfast and aggressive pursuit of Telangana saw the TRS reap a handsome electoral harvest.

And when the new state was born, TRS had 11 of the 17 Lok Sabha and 63 of the 119 assembly seats. Having realised his Telangana dream, he fortified his position as nearly 20 MLAs from the TDP, Congress and other parties switched over to the TRS.

With Telangana firmly under his belt, the political craftsman, a blend of abrasiveness and accommodation, could well seek greater space for himself in national politics should a non-BJP, non-Congress front materialise amid growing aspirations of regional satraps eyeing a piece of New Delhi's power pie.&nbsp;

From living a life of near anonymity as a Congress foot soldier to becoming the mascot of Telangana pride who brought down the then mighty Congress to its knees and wrested statehood, K Chandrasekhar Rao has navigated the choppy waters of politics with the ease of a masterful oarsman.

From living a life of near anonymity as a Congress foot soldier to becoming the mascot of Telangana pride who brought down the then mighty Congress to its knees and wrested statehood, K Chandrasekhar Rao has navigated the choppy waters of politics with the ease of a masterful oarsman. With the emphatic victory of the TRS, the party he founded with the sole aim of realising the decades-old dream of a separate Telangana, Kalvakuntla Chandrasekhar Rao, 64, has reinforced his position as the tallest leader of the youngest state of the Indian union. The victory in the assembly elections, the first in Telangana after its formation in June 2014, might well act as a springboard for the leader, often accused of perpetuating family rule and promoting nepotism, to realise his ambition of playing a greater role in national politics. KCR's suave and sophisticated son K T Rama Rao, a minister in his cabinet, is his heir apparent, while his daughter K Kavitha is Lok Sabha MP from Nizamabad. His nephew Harish Rao is also a minister. KCR, as Rao is popularly known, has been one of the votaries of a broad-based non-BJP and non-Congress federal front, and the win would further fortify his position as a regional satrap. Rao's decision to dissolve the House in September, several months before its tenure was to end, and go for an early election, is being seen as a masterstroke, as national issues might have overshadowed those of the state if simultaneous elections were held for the Lok Sabha and the state assembly. A canny politician that he is, Rao was first off the blocks when he announced the names of 105 candidates for the 119-member assembly barely a couple of hours after recommending its dissolution. TRS nominees hit the ground running and the gamble paid off. Rao retained a majority of his MLAs, leaving some of the ticket hopefuls dejected, but he managed to silence whimpers of protest and keep his flock together. The TRS supremo whipped up the issue of 'Telangana pride' by repeatedly targeting his former boss and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, accusing him of having stalled the development of Telangana and calling him an outsider. All the while he continued to harp on the welfare schemes launched by his government. Welfare measures like social security pension and 'Ryuthu Bandu', a farmers investment support scheme that gave the tillers Rs 8,000 per annum per acre, tackling power shortage, and his accusation against the Centre that it blocked his plans to raise quotas for Scheduled Tribes and Muslims in jobs and education underpinned his campaign rhetoric. The self-proclaimed farmer from Chintamadaka village in Medak district, whose assets soared 41 per cent in the last little over four years to Rs 22.6 crore, cut his political teeth in the Indian Youth Congress as an ordinary member. Rao joined the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) founded by film icon N T Rama Rao in 1983. His first outing at the hustings the same year ended in failure when he lost to the Congress candidate in Siddipet. He wrested the seat in 1985 and there was no looking back for him ever since. Rao won 13 elections to the Lok Sabha and state assembly on the trot. He won Karimnagar, Medak and Mahbubnagar Lok Sabha seats five times, including twice in by-polls. Rao became a minister in the NTR government and subsequently that of his son-in-law N Chandrababu Naidu. He was also the deputy speaker of the Andhra Pradesh Assembly. However, the dream of a separate Telangana never left him. Rao quit the TDP in 2001, accusing Naidu of discriminating against Telangana. He floated the Telangana Rashtra Samithi and revived the statehood movement that lay dormant for years after the late 1960s. He joined hands with the Congress that promised statehood for Telangana and fought the 2004 Lok Sabha polls in alliance with it. The TRS won five seats and Rao was made a cabinet minister at the Centre but walked out of the alliance after accusing the Congress of not being serious about creating Telangana. In the 2009 assembly elections, TRS allied with the TDP after the latter agreed to extend "unconditional support" for the creation of Telangana. Rao and his TRS remained a fringe player in undivided Andhra Pradesh as the Congress returned to power in 2009 under the charismatic Y S Rajasekhara Reddy. Following Reddy's death in a helicopter crash in 2009, Congress plunged into turmoil as his son revolted against the party high command over the leadership issue. Sensing an opportunity, Rao began a fast unto death for Telangana statehood. As Telangana plunged into turmoil with mass protests and suicides by young men, glory came to Rao who ended his 11-day fast following an announcement by the then Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on December 9, 2009 that steps will be taken for Telangana's formation. However, in a set back for the TRS boss, the UPA government buckled under pressure from people of coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema region who protested the "unilateral" announcement. The government felt more consultations were needed before the new state could be formed. Rao steeled himself for the battle ahead as he went about convincing people of the Telangana region that "injustice" being done to them could end only if it was granted statehood. He breathed fire and brimstone with slogans like "Telangana waley jaago, Andhra waley bhago (People of Telangana arise, those of Andhra run away)". He threatened a "civil war" and "bloodbath" if Telangana was not created. As Andhra Pradesh, geographically undivided but cleaved by strong regional sentiments, headed for the 2014 assembly elections, Rao's steadfast and aggressive pursuit of Telangana saw the TRS reap a handsome electoral harvest. And when the new state was born, TRS had 11 of the 17 Lok Sabha and 63 of the 119 assembly seats. Having realised his Telangana dream, he fortified his position as nearly 20 MLAs from the TDP, Congress and other parties switched over to the TRS. With Telangana firmly under his belt, the political craftsman, a blend of abrasiveness and accommodation, could well seek greater space for himself in national politics should a non-BJP, non-Congress front materialise amid growing aspirations of regional satraps eyeing a piece of New Delhi's power pie.

KCR: An obscure Congress foot soldier who became mascot of Telangana pride

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday reacted over the outcome of the Assembly polls results in the five states stating that "issues in state elections are entirely different."

The minister said that in the year 2003 when the BJP had won all these states, the party lost the Lok Sabha polls in 2004.&nbsp;

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FM Jaitley: I think result was certainly not as expected&amp;it's an opprtunity to pause and analyse, for results were not as per expected. In both Chhattisgarh&amp;MP we were in power for 15 yrs&amp;we have done well. I don't think there was aniti-incumbency but fatigue factor does come in. <a href="https://t.co/EbrVEbm3A4">pic.twitter.com/EbrVEbm3A4</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1072521002448510977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2018</a></blockquote>
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"Therefore these results don't reflect automatically. The 2019 elections will be around the performance of Central govt and leadership of PM Modi," Jaitley said.&nbsp;

"The election issue really will be, do we need a tried and tested leadership and govt in place or we want some kind of an unstable non-ideological coalition which is bound to splinter away sooner than later," he said.&nbsp;

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FM Jaitley: Issues in state elections are entirely different, we won all these states in 2003 Dec &amp; lost the general election in 2004. Therefore these results don't reflect automatically. The 2019 elections will be around the performance of Central govt &amp; leadership of PM Modi. <a href="https://t.co/MuYBGjDjs0">pic.twitter.com/MuYBGjDjs0</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1072525527817338882?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Jaitley further added that the results have called for the party to "pause and analyse" as the results were not expected.&nbsp;

"In both Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh we were in power for 15 years and we have done well. I don't think there was anti-incumbency but fatigue factor does come in," he said.&nbsp;

The official data by the Election Commission signal a win for the Congress in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/imposing-prohibition-on-liquor-repairing-roads-on-agenda-mnf-chief-after-assembly-poll-win-183258">Mizo National Front swept Mizoram</a> with 26 over 40 assembly seat. KCR's Telangana Rashtra Samiti also registered a landslide victory with 83 seats in its kitty, leading&nbsp;in 7.

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday reacted over the outcome of the Assembly polls results in the five states stating that "issues in state elections are entirely different.

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday reacted over the outcome of the Assembly polls results in the five states stating that "issues in state elections are entirely different." The minister said that in the year 2003 when the BJP had won all these states, the party lost the Lok Sabha polls in 2004. FM Jaitley: I think result was certainly not as expected&it's an opprtunity to pause and analyse, for results were not as per expected. In both Chhattisgarh&MP we were in power for 15 yrs&we have done well. I don't think there was aniti-incumbency but fatigue factor does come in. pic.twitter.com/EbrVEbm3A4 — ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 × "Therefore these results don't reflect automatically. The 2019 elections will be around the performance of Central govt and leadership of PM Modi," Jaitley said. "The election issue really will be, do we need a tried and tested leadership and govt in place or we want some kind of an unstable non-ideological coalition which is bound to splinter away sooner than later," he said. FM Jaitley: Issues in state elections are entirely different, we won all these states in 2003 Dec & lost the general election in 2004. Therefore these results don't reflect automatically. The 2019 elections will be around the performance of Central govt & leadership of PM Modi. pic.twitter.com/MuYBGjDjs0 — ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 × Jaitley further added that the results have called for the party to "pause and analyse" as the results were not expected. "In both Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh we were in power for 15 years and we have done well. I don't think there was anti-incumbency but fatigue factor does come in," he said. The official data by the Election Commission signal a win for the Congress in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. The Mizo National Front swept Mizoram with 26 over 40 assembly seat. KCR's Telangana Rashtra Samiti also registered a landslide victory with 83 seats in its kitty, leading in 7.

Results not as expected, it's an opportunity to pause and analyse: Arun Jaitley

A UK judge who ordered <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/regret-being-in-situation-could-have-done-something-more-productive-with-my-time-mallya-182983">Vijay Mallya's extradition</a> on Monday was extremely critical of some procedures followed by Indian banks who "waved through" the loans to the former Kingfisher Airlines boss.

Judge Emma Arbuthnot, Chief Magistrate at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London, ruled that the 62-year-old businessman had a prima facie case of fraud and money laundering to answer and expressed her shock at the failure to obtain proper credit reports before certain loans were sanctioned by some of the Indian state-owned banks.

"There was a failure to ensure that the guarantees were formally taken when they should have been and a failure to investigate the representations that KFA [Kingfisher Airlines] made at various stages to obtain the loans," she said.

The judge described these as "continuing failures" by banks and said it remained unclear from the evidence before her if these were by design and with a hidden financial motive.

"Or it is a case of a bank who were in the thrall of this glamorous, flashy, famous, bejewelled, bodyguarded, ostensibly billionaire playboy who charmed and cajoled these bankers into losing their common sense and persuading them to put their own rules and regulations to one side," she said, in one of her most critical statements in the judgment.

"If the criteria for lending to KFA had been applied, if the background checks had been carried out, the loans should not have been granted," she noted.

In an indication that some bank employees may have been involved in a wider conspiracy, the judge concluded she did find a prima facie case of a conspiracy to defraud which involves not just the KFA executives but also some bankers at IDBI who were named in the Indian government case.

"Conspiracies are very rarely proved with direct evidence and there is none in this case but there is evidence that the GOI [government of India] relies on from which it says the court can draw inferences that the bankers were involved in a conspiracy with KFA," the judgement noted.

A UK judge who ordered Vijay Mallya's extradition on Monday was extremely critical of some procedures followed by Indian banks who "waved through" the loans to the former Kingfisher Airlines boss.

A UK judge who ordered Vijay Mallya's extradition on Monday was extremely critical of some procedures followed by Indian banks who "waved through" the loans to the former Kingfisher Airlines boss. Judge Emma Arbuthnot, Chief Magistrate at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London, ruled that the 62-year-old businessman had a prima facie case of fraud and money laundering to answer and expressed her shock at the failure to obtain proper credit reports before certain loans were sanctioned by some of the Indian state-owned banks. "There was a failure to ensure that the guarantees were formally taken when they should have been and a failure to investigate the representations that KFA [Kingfisher Airlines] made at various stages to obtain the loans," she said. The judge described these as "continuing failures" by banks and said it remained unclear from the evidence before her if these were by design and with a hidden financial motive. "Or it is a case of a bank who were in the thrall of this glamorous, flashy, famous, bejewelled, bodyguarded, ostensibly billionaire playboy who charmed and cajoled these bankers into losing their common sense and persuading them to put their own rules and regulations to one side," she said, in one of her most critical statements in the judgment. "If the criteria for lending to KFA had been applied, if the background checks had been carried out, the loans should not have been granted," she noted. In an indication that some bank employees may have been involved in a wider conspiracy, the judge concluded she did find a prima facie case of a conspiracy to defraud which involves not just the KFA executives but also some bankers at IDBI who were named in the Indian government case. "Conspiracies are very rarely proved with direct evidence and there is none in this case but there is evidence that the GOI [government of India] relies on from which it says the court can draw inferences that the bankers were involved in a conspiracy with KFA," the judgement noted.

UK judge critical of Indian banks in Mallya extradition case

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