On the occasion of 53rd foundation day of Shiv Sena, party chief Uddhav Thackeray said that their friendship with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is unbreakable and not a drama.

Lashing out at the opportunism of Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav, Thackeray said that the SP-BSP coalition in Uttar Pradesh ended soon after their debacle in the Lok Sabha elections because they had come together just to stop Prime Minister Narendra Modi from coming to power.

"Our friendship with BJP is not a drama, I think no other party has this kind of friendship. The drama was what happened in Uttar Pradesh, as soon as the election ended the coalition between Mayawati and Akhilesh too came to an end. On the other hand, whatever differences we had with the BJP were sorted out when Amit Shahji visited Matoshri," Shiv Sena chief&nbsp;said on Wednesday.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other leaders from both the parties were also present at the event. Fadnavis said that there were some differences between the BJP and the Shiv Sena, but now they have been ironed out.

The chief minister claimed that the two parties will score a thumping victory in the upcoming Assembly elections in Maharashtra.

The two parties fought the Lok Sabha election together.

(With inputs from agencies)

On the occasion of 53rd foundation day of Shiv Sena, party chief Uddhav Thackeray said that their friendship with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is unbreakable and not a drama.

On the occasion of 53rd foundation day of Shiv Sena, party chief Uddhav Thackeray said that their friendship with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is unbreakable and not a drama. Lashing out at the opportunism of Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav, Thackeray said that the SP-BSP coalition in Uttar Pradesh ended soon after their debacle in the Lok Sabha elections because they had come together just to stop Prime Minister Narendra Modi from coming to power. "Our friendship with BJP is not a drama, I think no other party has this kind of friendship. The drama was what happened in Uttar Pradesh, as soon as the election ended the coalition between Mayawati and Akhilesh too came to an end. On the other hand, whatever differences we had with the BJP were sorted out when Amit Shahji visited Matoshri," Shiv Sena chief said on Wednesday. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other leaders from both the parties were also present at the event. Fadnavis said that there were some differences between the BJP and the Shiv Sena, but now they have been ironed out. The chief minister claimed that the two parties will score a thumping victory in the upcoming Assembly elections in Maharashtra. The two parties fought the Lok Sabha election together. (With inputs from agencies)

Shiv Sena's friendship with BJP is unbreakable: Uddhav Thackeray

Film actor and Gurdaspur MP Sunny Deol has been asked to explain his poll expenditure during the recent Lok Sabha elections after it was found to have crossed the statutory limit of Rs 70 lakh, an official said on Wednesday.

The notice to Deol to "reconcile" his poll expenditure account was issued by Gurdaspur District Election Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner Vipul Ujjwal.

"His poll expenditure was found to be more than Rs 70 lakh limit," said Ujjwal.

Deol was elected MP from Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat. He defeated Congress nominee Sunil Jakhar with a margin of 82,459 votes.

Though Ujjwal refused to comment on the election expenditure figure, official sources said as per preliminary calculations, Deol's poll expenditure was found to be Rs 86 lakh.

Ujjwal said the amount of Deol's poll expenditure was not a "final" figure.

"We have issued a notice to him (Deol) for reconciliation of accounts and the final figure of the poll expenditure will be known only after the reconciliation and settlement of the accounts," he said.&nbsp;

"It is too early to comment on the overspending right now," added Ujjwal.

For Lok Sabha candidates, the statutory poll expenditure limit has been fixed at Rs 70 lakh.

Deol's poll expenditure was found to be in excess of the limit among all other candidates in the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha constituency, officials said.&nbsp;

The reconciliation of accounts is likely to continue till June 22 and 23.

Ujjwal further said after the elections, every candidate was issued notice for the reconciliation of their accounts.&nbsp;

"It is a normal statutory notice," he added.&nbsp;

Earlier on May 15, the Election Commission had issued directions for adding Rs 1.74 lakh to Deol's poll expenditure after he failed to respond to its query about a Facebook page being run in his support.

The order had come on a complaint by the Punjab Congress, which claimed the Facebook page, 'Fans of Sunny Deol', was being run without any prior permission of the poll watchdog.

The BJP had fielded 59-year-old Deol from Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat in 2019 Lok Sabha elections.&nbsp;

Earlier, late actor Vinod Khanna had represented Gurdaspur constituency four times - in 1998, 1999, 2004 and 2014.

Film actor and Gurdaspur MP Sunny Deol has been asked to explain his poll expenditure during the recent Lok Sabha elections after it was found to have crossed the statutory limit of Rs 70 lakh, an official said on Wednesday.

Film actor and Gurdaspur MP Sunny Deol has been asked to explain his poll expenditure during the recent Lok Sabha elections after it was found to have crossed the statutory limit of Rs 70 lakh, an official said on Wednesday. The notice to Deol to "reconcile" his poll expenditure account was issued by Gurdaspur District Election Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner Vipul Ujjwal. "His poll expenditure was found to be more than Rs 70 lakh limit," said Ujjwal. Deol was elected MP from Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat. He defeated Congress nominee Sunil Jakhar with a margin of 82,459 votes. Though Ujjwal refused to comment on the election expenditure figure, official sources said as per preliminary calculations, Deol's poll expenditure was found to be Rs 86 lakh. Ujjwal said the amount of Deol's poll expenditure was not a "final" figure. "We have issued a notice to him (Deol) for reconciliation of accounts and the final figure of the poll expenditure will be known only after the reconciliation and settlement of the accounts," he said. "It is too early to comment on the overspending right now," added Ujjwal. For Lok Sabha candidates, the statutory poll expenditure limit has been fixed at Rs 70 lakh. Deol's poll expenditure was found to be in excess of the limit among all other candidates in the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha constituency, officials said. The reconciliation of accounts is likely to continue till June 22 and 23. Ujjwal further said after the elections, every candidate was issued notice for the reconciliation of their accounts. "It is a normal statutory notice," he added. Earlier on May 15, the Election Commission had issued directions for adding Rs 1.74 lakh to Deol's poll expenditure after he failed to respond to its query about a Facebook page being run in his support. The order had come on a complaint by the Punjab Congress, which claimed the Facebook page, 'Fans of Sunny Deol', was being run without any prior permission of the poll watchdog. The BJP had fielded 59-year-old Deol from Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat in 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Earlier, late actor Vinod Khanna had represented Gurdaspur constituency four times - in 1998, 1999, 2004 and 2014.

Gurdaspur MP Sunny Deol's poll expenditure found to have crossed Rs 70 lakh limit: Election officer

Continuing his attack on the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-arrives-in-kochi-will-visit-guruvayur-temple-in-thrissur-225348">prime minister</a> on the second day of his visit to Wayanad, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/congress-president-rahul-gandhi-arrives-in-wayanad-for-three-day-visit-225247">Congress president Rahul Gandhi</a> said Narendra Modi's Lok Sabha election campaign was filled with "lies, poison and hatred", but his party stood for truth, love and affection.

On his first visit to his constituency after being elected to Lok Sabha, Gandhi addressed party workers at Kalpetta, Kambalakadu and Panamaram during a roadshow on Saturday.

A large number of Congress-led United Democratic Front workers and women thronged the route.

Congress general secretary in-charge of Karnataka K C Venugopal, Leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennithala, Kerala Congress chief Mullappally Ramachandran were with Gandhi in his special vehicle.

Though it rained heavily in parts of the constituency Friday, the weather did not play spoilsport as it was bright and sunny till this noon. 
Gandhi said Modi "uses hatred, anger and lies" which are his "weapons".

He said his party will continue to fight the "worst sentiments" the prime minister represents.

"At the national level, we are fighting poison. Modi's campaign was filled with lies, poison, hatred and divided the people of the country. He used lies in the election... Congress stood for truth, love and affection," he said addressing the crowd at Kalpetta.

At Kambalakadu, Gandhi said there are big challenges in Wayanad which can be resolved by working together.

"My job is to represent all of Wayanad. People from all parties supported me in the election. There are big challenges and issues in Wayanad. We will work together and solve everything," he said.

Gandhi had contested the Lok Sabha election from Wayanad, in addition to his family bastion of Amethi, but lost to Union minister Smriti Irani in the Uttar Pradesh constituency. He won from Wayanad with a margin of about 4.31 lakh votes.

After the Congress party's poor show in the second consecutive general election, Gandhi had offered to resign as the Congress president, but it was rejected by the party's highest decision-making body.

Congress won 52 seats in the 2019 polls. However in Kerala, the only state besides Punjab and Tamil Nadu where it did well, the party and its allies won 19 out of 20 seats.

On Friday in Malappuram district, Gandhi said his party would emerge as a strong Opposition and defend the poor.

Attacking Modi, he said, "Modi may have money, he may have the media by his side, he may have rich friends. But the Congress will continue to fight against the intolerance created by the BJP".

"The intolerance created by BJP and Modi will be dealt by the Congress party with love and affection," Gandhi added.

The Congress president is on a three-day visit to the constituency.&nbsp;

Continuing his attack on the prime minister on the second day of his visit to Wayanad, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said Narendra Modi's Lok Sabha election campaign was filled with "lies, poison and hatred", but his party stood for truth, love and affection.

Continuing his attack on the prime minister on the second day of his visit to Wayanad, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said Narendra Modi's Lok Sabha election campaign was filled with "lies, poison and hatred", but his party stood for truth, love and affection. On his first visit to his constituency after being elected to Lok Sabha, Gandhi addressed party workers at Kalpetta, Kambalakadu and Panamaram during a roadshow on Saturday. A large number of Congress-led United Democratic Front workers and women thronged the route. Congress general secretary in-charge of Karnataka K C Venugopal, Leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennithala, Kerala Congress chief Mullappally Ramachandran were with Gandhi in his special vehicle. Though it rained heavily in parts of the constituency Friday, the weather did not play spoilsport as it was bright and sunny till this noon. Gandhi said Modi "uses hatred, anger and lies" which are his "weapons". He said his party will continue to fight the "worst sentiments" the prime minister represents. "At the national level, we are fighting poison. Modi's campaign was filled with lies, poison, hatred and divided the people of the country. He used lies in the election... Congress stood for truth, love and affection," he said addressing the crowd at Kalpetta. At Kambalakadu, Gandhi said there are big challenges in Wayanad which can be resolved by working together. "My job is to represent all of Wayanad. People from all parties supported me in the election. There are big challenges and issues in Wayanad. We will work together and solve everything," he said. Gandhi had contested the Lok Sabha election from Wayanad, in addition to his family bastion of Amethi, but lost to Union minister Smriti Irani in the Uttar Pradesh constituency. He won from Wayanad with a margin of about 4.31 lakh votes. After the Congress party's poor show in the second consecutive general election, Gandhi had offered to resign as the Congress president, but it was rejected by the party's highest decision-making body. Congress won 52 seats in the 2019 polls. However in Kerala, the only state besides Punjab and Tamil Nadu where it did well, the party and its allies won 19 out of 20 seats. On Friday in Malappuram district, Gandhi said his party would emerge as a strong Opposition and defend the poor. Attacking Modi, he said, "Modi may have money, he may have the media by his side, he may have rich friends. But the Congress will continue to fight against the intolerance created by the BJP". "The intolerance created by BJP and Modi will be dealt by the Congress party with love and affection," Gandhi added. The Congress president is on a three-day visit to the constituency.

Modi's Lok Sabha poll campaign filled with 'lies, poison and hatred': Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi getting a second term in a landslide victory, the affordable housing segment is expected to continue to get the much-needed boost to reach its true potential. &nbsp;

Modi’s ‘Housing For All By 2022’ policy is largely dependent on providing affordable housing pan-India by incentivising developers and homebuyers with schemes and benefits. Now, armed with an approval from the public for his various policies, which led to NDA getting a second term, one will witness a refreshed approach that provides the right ecosystem for the affordable and mid-income housing segment to grow. &nbsp;

What we have witnessed in the last five years of Modi government’s policies, including RERA, GST and demonetisation, has definitely helped the segment to build a stronger foundation and to weather storms that come its way. &nbsp;

The affordable and mid-income housing has seen consistent growth in new launches and absorption of housing units over the last five years, with all market indicators pointing to an upward trend. &nbsp;In the last five years, the Indian government has also provided various benefits to promote affordable housing, including the ‘Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana’ (PMAY), an initiative in which affordable housing will be provided to the urban poor with a target of building 20 million low-cost houses. &nbsp;

Apartments qualifying under the PMAY scheme, wherein various concessional schemes of the government, like interest subvention under the Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS) and concessions on GST, among others, are available. &nbsp; Developers pass on these benefits to the customers on the basis of their eligibility, which significantly reduces the end cost of ownership of the housing units. &nbsp;

We expect these benefits to continue under Modi 2.0, as this has helped many first-time homebuyers to directly benefit from government schemes. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The sector has a lot of expectations from the new government to bring in more liquidity into the realty sector and provide conducive environment for other developers to finish stuck and stressed housing projects. &nbsp;In the recent past, many top developers have taken over the stuck projects from developers, who were able to deliver it after several years of delay. &nbsp;The biggest impact on real estate, which happened in Modi 1.0, was the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA). But even the almighty RERA has not been implemented in letter and spirit in several states in the country. &nbsp; &nbsp;We expect the Centre to convince state governments reluctant to follow RERA in its current avatar. This would further help boost buyers’ confidence. &nbsp; &nbsp;In the next few years, there is a very strong possibility that India will have single-window clearances for real estate projects. Taking various clearances leads to wasting several months before a developer can launch a project. That, in turn, impacts its marketing strategies.

Almost all housing finance companies (HFCs) are now more than interested in backing affordable and mid-income housing segment, as they have clearly seen the level of interest that the government has shown to ensure that Housing For All is a success. &nbsp;&nbsp;

There are now dedicated funds by leading investment banks to put money only in affordable housing projects, a scenario that was talked about at various housing summits and events, but never implemented on ground. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Fortunately, the buyers’ market —which the current real estate sector is at the moment — makes for a scenario that promotes healthy competition. It will also wean out fly-by-night and unorganised developers from the market. &nbsp;

It is not surprising that the housing sector’s contribution to the Indian GDP is expected to reach 11 per cent by 2020, as several ancillary industries are codependent on its growth. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Going ahead, we will experience a cohesive approach by the central and state governments to make housing a reality for the common Indian and quicker delivery of homes by developers. &nbsp;

The Modi government has made an ambitious attempt to put a roof over every Indian’s head under the policy. And now with this historic win under its belt, the Modi-led NDA will ensure that the policy will be implemented. &nbsp;

(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-modi-20-would-propel-affordable-housing-in-india-2757571">original article)</a>

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi getting a second term in a landslide victory, the affordable housing segment is expected to continue to get the much-needed boost to reach its true potential.

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi getting a second term in a landslide victory, the affordable housing segment is expected to continue to get the much-needed boost to reach its true potential. Modi’s ‘Housing For All By 2022’ policy is largely dependent on providing affordable housing pan-India by incentivising developers and homebuyers with schemes and benefits. Now, armed with an approval from the public for his various policies, which led to NDA getting a second term, one will witness a refreshed approach that provides the right ecosystem for the affordable and mid-income housing segment to grow. What we have witnessed in the last five years of Modi government’s policies, including RERA, GST and demonetisation, has definitely helped the segment to build a stronger foundation and to weather storms that come its way. The affordable and mid-income housing has seen consistent growth in new launches and absorption of housing units over the last five years, with all market indicators pointing to an upward trend. In the last five years, the Indian government has also provided various benefits to promote affordable housing, including the ‘Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana’ (PMAY), an initiative in which affordable housing will be provided to the urban poor with a target of building 20 million low-cost houses. Apartments qualifying under the PMAY scheme, wherein various concessional schemes of the government, like interest subvention under the Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS) and concessions on GST, among others, are available. Developers pass on these benefits to the customers on the basis of their eligibility, which significantly reduces the end cost of ownership of the housing units. We expect these benefits to continue under Modi 2.0, as this has helped many first-time homebuyers to directly benefit from government schemes. The sector has a lot of expectations from the new government to bring in more liquidity into the realty sector and provide conducive environment for other developers to finish stuck and stressed housing projects. In the recent past, many top developers have taken over the stuck projects from developers, who were able to deliver it after several years of delay. The biggest impact on real estate, which happened in Modi 1.0, was the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA). But even the almighty RERA has not been implemented in letter and spirit in several states in the country. We expect the Centre to convince state governments reluctant to follow RERA in its current avatar. This would further help boost buyers’ confidence. In the next few years, there is a very strong possibility that India will have single-window clearances for real estate projects. Taking various clearances leads to wasting several months before a developer can launch a project. That, in turn, impacts its marketing strategies. Almost all housing finance companies (HFCs) are now more than interested in backing affordable and mid-income housing segment, as they have clearly seen the level of interest that the government has shown to ensure that Housing For All is a success. There are now dedicated funds by leading investment banks to put money only in affordable housing projects, a scenario that was talked about at various housing summits and events, but never implemented on ground. Fortunately, the buyers’ market —which the current real estate sector is at the moment — makes for a scenario that promotes healthy competition. It will also wean out fly-by-night and unorganised developers from the market. It is not surprising that the housing sector’s contribution to the Indian GDP is expected to reach 11 per cent by 2020, as several ancillary industries are codependent on its growth. Going ahead, we will experience a cohesive approach by the central and state governments to make housing a reality for the common Indian and quicker delivery of homes by developers. The Modi government has made an ambitious attempt to put a roof over every Indian’s head under the policy. And now with this historic win under its belt, the Modi-led NDA will ensure that the policy will be implemented. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Narendra Modi 2.0 would propel affordable housing in India

BJP's Dr Harsh Vardhan who won handsomely from Chandni Chowk parliamentary constituency in Delhi arrived on a bicycle to take charge as the union minister for health &amp; family welfare.

Dr Harsh Vardhan is also minister of science and technology and minister of earth sciences.

PM Modi's new cabinet was assigned portfolios on Friday with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/first-cabinet-meet-all-farmers-to-get-rs-6000-a-year-under-the-expanded-pm-kisaan-scheme-223261">several new faces in the prime minister's</a> team with Amit Shah who masterminded BJP's historic triumph at the general elections given the post of the home ministry.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/cabinet-20-most-ministers-retain-earlier-ministries-check-complete-list-223154">Nirmala Sitharaman</a> who had held the defence ministry post in the previous Modi government was allocated the Finance portfolio with Rajnath Singh being given the defence ministry.

BJP heavyweight Ravi Shankar Prasad who beat Congress candidate Shatrughan Sinha from Patna Sahib was given the telecom ministry including the law and IT ministries which he had held earlier.

Piyush Goyal was given the Railway ministry with Dharmendra Pradhan assigned the petroleum ministry which he held earlier along with the Steel ministry.

Smriti Irani who beat Congress president Rahul Gandhi at Amethi in the parliamentary elections was given the women and child development ministry including the textile ministry which she held earlier.

BJP's Dr Harsh Vardhan who won handsomely from Chandni Chowk parliamentary constituency in Delhi arrived on a bicycle to take charge as the union minister for health & family welfare.

BJP's Dr Harsh Vardhan who won handsomely from Chandni Chowk parliamentary constituency in Delhi arrived on a bicycle to take charge as the union minister for health & family welfare. Dr Harsh Vardhan is also minister of science and technology and minister of earth sciences. PM Modi's new cabinet was assigned portfolios on Friday with several new faces in the prime minister's team with Amit Shah who masterminded BJP's historic triumph at the general elections given the post of the home ministry. Nirmala Sitharaman who had held the defence ministry post in the previous Modi government was allocated the Finance portfolio with Rajnath Singh being given the defence ministry. BJP heavyweight Ravi Shankar Prasad who beat Congress candidate Shatrughan Sinha from Patna Sahib was given the telecom ministry including the law and IT ministries which he had held earlier. Piyush Goyal was given the Railway ministry with Dharmendra Pradhan assigned the petroleum ministry which he held earlier along with the Steel ministry. Smriti Irani who beat Congress president Rahul Gandhi at Amethi in the parliamentary elections was given the women and child development ministry including the textile ministry which she held earlier.

BJP's Harsh Vardhan arrives on bicycle to take charge of new ministry

Terming the contest of 2019 Lok Sabha elections as "a race between a Ferrari and a bicycle", <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/lok-sabha-election-result-2019-samajwadi-party-leaders-mulayam-singh-akhilesh-yadav-register-victory-221167">Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav</a> on Monday said that the BJP did not win elections on the basis of development.

"We have lost the elections, but even today I challenge our adversaries to compare their development record with the Samajwadi development. They will not stand a chance. They have not won the election for development but for other reasons," the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said.

"This race was between a Ferrari and a bicycle. Who used to be on television every day? Who owned the television? They played with and infiltrated our minds," he added.

Yadav's Samajwadi party fared poorly in the Lok Sabha elections despite fighting in alliance with Mayawati's BSP and Ajit Chaudhary's RLD.

"It is a different fight. They termed the SP-BSP alliance an alliance of Muslims, Yadavs and Dalits. We could never make people understand our fight. Only the BJP has the power to divert people`s attention," Akhilesh said.

Speaking of preparations for Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls and next national elections, Akhilesh said, "Many political battles have been fought. We also have to dream big and target 2022 and 2024. If you dream big then only you will succeed."

Samajwadi Party got 5 seats in the state, while BSP got 10 and RLD drew a blank, taking the 'mahagathbandhan'&nbsp;tally to a dismal 15, far behind BJP's 62. The state has a total of 80 Lok Sabha seats.&nbsp;

Terming the contest of 2019 Lok Sabha elections as "a race between a Ferrari and a bicycle", Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Monday said that the BJP did not win elections on the basis of development.

Terming the contest of 2019 Lok Sabha elections as "a race between a Ferrari and a bicycle", Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Monday said that the BJP did not win elections on the basis of development. "We have lost the elections, but even today I challenge our adversaries to compare their development record with the Samajwadi development. They will not stand a chance. They have not won the election for development but for other reasons," the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said. "This race was between a Ferrari and a bicycle. Who used to be on television every day? Who owned the television? They played with and infiltrated our minds," he added. Yadav's Samajwadi party fared poorly in the Lok Sabha elections despite fighting in alliance with Mayawati's BSP and Ajit Chaudhary's RLD. "It is a different fight. They termed the SP-BSP alliance an alliance of Muslims, Yadavs and Dalits. We could never make people understand our fight. Only the BJP has the power to divert people`s attention," Akhilesh said. Speaking of preparations for Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls and next national elections, Akhilesh said, "Many political battles have been fought. We also have to dream big and target 2022 and 2024. If you dream big then only you will succeed." Samajwadi Party got 5 seats in the state, while BSP got 10 and RLD drew a blank, taking the 'mahagathbandhan' tally to a dismal 15, far behind BJP's 62. The state has a total of 80 Lok Sabha seats.

2019 was race between Ferrari and cycle: Akhilesh Yadav

No decision concerning the future of the Grand Alliance was taken during the BSP review meeting held here on Monday, claimed party sources.

No discussions took place on the future of BSP's alliance with the Samajwadi Party (SP) and RLD, they added. The meeting was chaired by party supremo Mayawati.

The meeting was held to accesses party's poor performance in Uttar Pradesh in the recently held Lok Sabha elections.

Riding high on Modi-wave, BJP bagged 62 seats in Uttar Pradesh, while BSP and SP managed to bag only 10, 5 seats respectively. RLD drew a blank.

"It was a closed-door review meeting, election results were discussed. It was analyzed why we lost, how we lost. Several issues including EVMs were discussed. No decision or discussion took place on the future of Gathbandhan," said a party source.

Newly-elected BSP parliamentarians, Lok Sabha elections candidates, zone in-charges and district presidents took part in the meeting at the party's office in the national capital.&nbsp;

No decision concerning the future of the Grand Alliance was taken during the BSP review meeting held here on Monday, claimed party sources. No discussions took place on the future of BSP's alliance with the Samajwadi Party (SP) and RLD, they added.

No decision concerning the future of the Grand Alliance was taken during the BSP review meeting held here on Monday, claimed party sources. No discussions took place on the future of BSP's alliance with the Samajwadi Party (SP) and RLD, they added. The meeting was chaired by party supremo Mayawati. The meeting was held to accesses party's poor performance in Uttar Pradesh in the recently held Lok Sabha elections. Riding high on Modi-wave, BJP bagged 62 seats in Uttar Pradesh, while BSP and SP managed to bag only 10, 5 seats respectively. RLD drew a blank. "It was a closed-door review meeting, election results were discussed. It was analyzed why we lost, how we lost. Several issues including EVMs were discussed. No decision or discussion took place on the future of Gathbandhan," said a party source. Newly-elected BSP parliamentarians, Lok Sabha elections candidates, zone in-charges and district presidents took part in the meeting at the party's office in the national capital.

No decision on future of 'Gathbandhan' in BSP review meeting

India has just been witness to history as the largest ever seven-phase electoral exercise in human history concluded on May 19, with the results being declared on May 23. Some 600 million women and men cast their ballot out of an eligible, incredible 900 million! A very respectable 67 per cent, which is higher than that in many developed countries. The final outcome surprised everyone. The BJP ended up not only as of the single largest party in terms of vote-share but comfortably crossed the half-way mark of 272 to bag 303 seats. This was 21 seats more than their tally of 282 in the 2014 general elections, way beyond anyone’s imagination or expectation.

Belying pollsters and pandits, the BJP even scored in Uttar Pradesh, where it was expected to lose big, in face of the ‘Mahagathbandan’ between BSP and SP. It got 62, just nine less than its tally of 71 seats in 2019. It more than made up for this shortfall in its extraordinary performance in West Bengal, winning 18 out of 42 seats, just four short of the ruling TMC, which bagged 22. Nothing short of unprecedented, this saffron surge far-surpassed its previous performance in the state. The BJP had sent only two Lok Sabha members in 2014 and only one in 2009 from West Bengal.&nbsp;

In addition, the BJP performed impressively in Gujarat (26/26), Maharashtra (along with the Shiv Sena, 41/48), and Karnataka (26/28 seats). Its almost complete sweep of the Hindi heartland, including Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Chattisgarh, and Jharkhand, had already put it in a commanding position. Hardly any of the earlier polls and predictions had given BJP such a huge victory. They were proven wrong, but a couple of the exit polls were closer to the mark. Most of the latter, however, did predict a victory for BJP-NDA.

After the results came out the next, most awaited event, was the swearing in of the new government on May 30. It was accompanied by all the panoply and ceremony of power at the portals of the majestic Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. The day after, on May 31, even as I write this column, the portfolios of the council of ministers have just been announced. Amit Shah, the long-serving and most successful party boss of the BJP, has been inducted as India’s new home minister. Now we truly have our own ‘Loh Purush’ or Iron Man in this very important ministry. We may look to big-ticket interventions of Modi 2.0 in Jammu and Kashmir, besides progress on the Ram Temple at Ayodhya. 
The biggest, boldest surprise was the induction of S Jaishankar, former foreign secretary, as the minister of external affairs. In addition, former defence minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, was promoted to finance. Both these appointments of political outsiders, who have never stood for an election, means a new US-style merit-based Cabinet formation, mixed with the old Indian practice of awarding berths to seniority, region, state, caste, language, community, and political importance.&nbsp; 
We have in place a new way of recognising and rewarding talent, in addition to running the government. Performance rather than patronage seems the deciding factor. ‘Motormouths’ or those who were too press-friendly, including Nitin Gadkari, were put in their place. ‘Giant-killer’ Smriti Irani, too, was not especially compensated for defeating Rahul Gandhi in Amethi. Prakash Javadekar, former MHRD Minister was sent to a ministry he’s best suited to, Information and Broadcasting, with an additional charge of Environment. The new MHRD Minister is writer-poet and former CM of Uttarakhand, Ramesh Pokhriyal.&nbsp;

I was fortunate to follow and comment on these elections closely from the comfortable perch of an armchair analyst on WION (World Is One News). The analysis was actually polite and informative, with carefully chosen panels of experts both domestic and international. No shouting, heckling, butting in, speaking out of turn. What a refreshing change from the pugilistic and uproarious din on other channels, where there is more sound than sense, more smoke than light.&nbsp;

One of my co-panellists on WION made a remark that best sums up this history-in-the-making that we have been privileged to participate in. Narendra Modi would like to be seen as the ‘great transformer’. Mao Zedong, the founder in 1949 of the Republic of China and undisputed leader of the single-party state till his death in 1976, was called ‘the great helmsman’. Modi, in contrast, will go down in history as the great transformer. Modi 2.0 has not only broken the Nehruvian consensus but given us a new conception of India. In his second term, Modi will drive his ministers to accomplish this vision, which includes not only uplifting the lives of ordinary Indians but making India a great power on the world stage.

(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-the-great-transformation-bjp-303-narendra-modi-20-2755901">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp;

India has just been witness to history as the largest ever seven-phase electoral exercise in human history concluded on May 19, with the results being declared on May 23.

India has just been witness to history as the largest ever seven-phase electoral exercise in human history concluded on May 19, with the results being declared on May 23. Some 600 million women and men cast their ballot out of an eligible, incredible 900 million! A very respectable 67 per cent, which is higher than that in many developed countries. The final outcome surprised everyone. The BJP ended up not only as of the single largest party in terms of vote-share but comfortably crossed the half-way mark of 272 to bag 303 seats. This was 21 seats more than their tally of 282 in the 2014 general elections, way beyond anyone’s imagination or expectation. Belying pollsters and pandits, the BJP even scored in Uttar Pradesh, where it was expected to lose big, in face of the ‘Mahagathbandan’ between BSP and SP. It got 62, just nine less than its tally of 71 seats in 2019. It more than made up for this shortfall in its extraordinary performance in West Bengal, winning 18 out of 42 seats, just four short of the ruling TMC, which bagged 22. Nothing short of unprecedented, this saffron surge far-surpassed its previous performance in the state. The BJP had sent only two Lok Sabha members in 2014 and only one in 2009 from West Bengal. In addition, the BJP performed impressively in Gujarat (26/26), Maharashtra (along with the Shiv Sena, 41/48), and Karnataka (26/28 seats). Its almost complete sweep of the Hindi heartland, including Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Chattisgarh, and Jharkhand, had already put it in a commanding position. Hardly any of the earlier polls and predictions had given BJP such a huge victory. They were proven wrong, but a couple of the exit polls were closer to the mark. Most of the latter, however, did predict a victory for BJP-NDA. After the results came out the next, most awaited event, was the swearing in of the new government on May 30. It was accompanied by all the panoply and ceremony of power at the portals of the majestic Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. The day after, on May 31, even as I write this column, the portfolios of the council of ministers have just been announced. Amit Shah, the long-serving and most successful party boss of the BJP, has been inducted as India’s new home minister. Now we truly have our own ‘Loh Purush’ or Iron Man in this very important ministry. We may look to big-ticket interventions of Modi 2.0 in Jammu and Kashmir, besides progress on the Ram Temple at Ayodhya. The biggest, boldest surprise was the induction of S Jaishankar, former foreign secretary, as the minister of external affairs. In addition, former defence minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, was promoted to finance. Both these appointments of political outsiders, who have never stood for an election, means a new US-style merit-based Cabinet formation, mixed with the old Indian practice of awarding berths to seniority, region, state, caste, language, community, and political importance. We have in place a new way of recognising and rewarding talent, in addition to running the government. Performance rather than patronage seems the deciding factor. ‘Motormouths’ or those who were too press-friendly, including Nitin Gadkari, were put in their place. ‘Giant-killer’ Smriti Irani, too, was not especially compensated for defeating Rahul Gandhi in Amethi. Prakash Javadekar, former MHRD Minister was sent to a ministry he’s best suited to, Information and Broadcasting, with an additional charge of Environment. The new MHRD Minister is writer-poet and former CM of Uttarakhand, Ramesh Pokhriyal. I was fortunate to follow and comment on these elections closely from the comfortable perch of an armchair analyst on WION (World Is One News). The analysis was actually polite and informative, with carefully chosen panels of experts both domestic and international. No shouting, heckling, butting in, speaking out of turn. What a refreshing change from the pugilistic and uproarious din on other channels, where there is more sound than sense, more smoke than light. One of my co-panellists on WION made a remark that best sums up this history-in-the-making that we have been privileged to participate in. Narendra Modi would like to be seen as the ‘great transformer’. Mao Zedong, the founder in 1949 of the Republic of China and undisputed leader of the single-party state till his death in 1976, was called ‘the great helmsman’. Modi, in contrast, will go down in history as the great transformer. Modi 2.0 has not only broken the Nehruvian consensus but given us a new conception of India. In his second term, Modi will drive his ministers to accomplish this vision, which includes not only uplifting the lives of ordinary Indians but making India a great power on the world stage. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Narendra Modi will go down in history as a great transformer

Newly-elected Lok Sabha MPs of the Congress will meet for the first time on Saturday and are likely to elect the leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP).

The CPP is currently chaired by Sonia Gandhi and all 52 Lok Sabha MPs will be present at the meeting, besides its members in the Rajya Sabha, sources said.

The meeting will be held in the central hall of Parliament and MPs will also chalk out its strategy for the upcoming session of Parliament, they said.

In its first meeting after the constitution of the 17th Lok Sabha, the Congress MPs are also likely to elect their leader in the Lower House, the sources said.

They said this will be the first official meeting that Congress president Rahul Gandhi will attend after the meeting of the party's working committee held on May 25, where he offered to quit as Congress chief.&nbsp;

The CWC has already rejected his offer to resign and unanimously passed a resolution authorising him to bring structural changes in the party at all levels in a bid to revamp it.&nbsp;

Newly-elected Lok Sabha MPs of the Congress will meet for the first time on Saturday and are likely to elect the leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP).

Newly-elected Lok Sabha MPs of the Congress will meet for the first time on Saturday and are likely to elect the leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP). The CPP is currently chaired by Sonia Gandhi and all 52 Lok Sabha MPs will be present at the meeting, besides its members in the Rajya Sabha, sources said. The meeting will be held in the central hall of Parliament and MPs will also chalk out its strategy for the upcoming session of Parliament, they said. In its first meeting after the constitution of the 17th Lok Sabha, the Congress MPs are also likely to elect their leader in the Lower House, the sources said. They said this will be the first official meeting that Congress president Rahul Gandhi will attend after the meeting of the party's working committee held on May 25, where he offered to quit as Congress chief. The CWC has already rejected his offer to resign and unanimously passed a resolution authorising him to bring structural changes in the party at all levels in a bid to revamp it.

Congress Parliamentary Party to meet on Saturday, likely to elect leader

Newly-appointed Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani Friday said she is "committed to take all appropriate steps" to ensure women empowerment and welfare of children in the country.

Congratulating her colleague and the Minister of State for Women and Child Development Debasree Chaudhuri, Irani sent her best wishes to the lawmaker from West Bengal's Raiganj.

"Best wishes to my colleague in the Ministry of Women and Child Development Debasree Chaudhuri on assuming charge today. We are committed to take all appropriate steps to ensure women empowerment and development and welfare of children in the context of nation building," she tweeted.&nbsp;

From tackling malnutrition and stunted growth among children to drafting the regulations for sexual harassment at the workplace, a host of challenges await Smriti Irani, who was <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/smriti-irani-becomes-part-of-team-modi-20-takes-oath-as-minister-222864">appointed as the Women and Child Development Minister</a> on Friday.&nbsp;

Irani, the youngest face in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Cabinet at 43, emerged as a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/smriti-irani-the-return-of-giant-slayer-222868">'giant slayer'</a> after defeating Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi.

She has retained the charge of Textiles Ministry, a portfolio she held during the first term of the Narendra Modi government.&nbsp;

Preparation has already started at the Women and Child Development Ministry to welcome Irani, who is likely to take charge on Monday, sources said.&nbsp;

However, her junior in the ministry, Chaudhury, has already assumed charge.&nbsp;

Among the several issues that await her are completing the registration of child care institutions and ensuring that the anti-trafficking bill passes the Rajya Sabha hurdle.&nbsp;

Irani succeeds outgoing WCD minister Maneka Gandhi, who was dropped from the Union council of ministers this time.&nbsp;

She has also held portfolios of Human Resource Development and Information and Broadcasting during the first term of the Modi government.&nbsp;

The popular TV actor-turned-politician had her first brush with electoral politics in 2004 when she contested the Lok Sabha elections from the Chandni Chowk seat in Delhi, but lost to Congress heavyweight Kapil Sibal.

Newly-appointed Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani Friday said she is "committed to take all appropriate steps" to ensure women empowerment and welfare of children in the country.

Newly-appointed Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani Friday said she is "committed to take all appropriate steps" to ensure women empowerment and welfare of children in the country. Congratulating her colleague and the Minister of State for Women and Child Development Debasree Chaudhuri, Irani sent her best wishes to the lawmaker from West Bengal's Raiganj. "Best wishes to my colleague in the Ministry of Women and Child Development Debasree Chaudhuri on assuming charge today. We are committed to take all appropriate steps to ensure women empowerment and development and welfare of children in the context of nation building," she tweeted. From tackling malnutrition and stunted growth among children to drafting the regulations for sexual harassment at the workplace, a host of challenges await Smriti Irani, who was appointed as the Women and Child Development Minister on Friday. Irani, the youngest face in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Cabinet at 43, emerged as a 'giant slayer' after defeating Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi. She has retained the charge of Textiles Ministry, a portfolio she held during the first term of the Narendra Modi government. Preparation has already started at the Women and Child Development Ministry to welcome Irani, who is likely to take charge on Monday, sources said. However, her junior in the ministry, Chaudhury, has already assumed charge. Among the several issues that await her are completing the registration of child care institutions and ensuring that the anti-trafficking bill passes the Rajya Sabha hurdle. Irani succeeds outgoing WCD minister Maneka Gandhi, who was dropped from the Union council of ministers this time. She has also held portfolios of Human Resource Development and Information and Broadcasting during the first term of the Modi government. The popular TV actor-turned-politician had her first brush with electoral politics in 2004 when she contested the Lok Sabha elections from the Chandni Chowk seat in Delhi, but lost to Congress heavyweight Kapil Sibal.

Committed to ensure women empowerment, children welfare: Smriti Irani

In a veiled attack on the BJP, days after its thumping Lok Sabha poll win, DMK president M K Stalin Saturday said a situation has now emerged that warranted his party's secularism plank to be pitched in other Indian states.

The nation has been prompted to "look south" for DMK's Parliamentary election strategy that "saved" Tamil Nadu from the "cruel hands of communal forces," he said.

In an open letter to party workers, Stalin took pride on his party taking the third top slot (23 seats) in the Lok Sabha polls after the BJP (303) and Congress (52).

While the DMK-led front won 37 of the 38 seats in the state, the AIADMK could win only the Theni constituency. The election was cancelled in Vellore segment following allegations of corruption.

"A situation has now emerged that necessitates DMK's plank of secularism in other Indian states as well," he said.

The DMK chief also batted for pitching secularism for containing the saffron party and winning polls.

Stalin, during the run-up to the polls in Tamil Nadu, had christened the combine led by him as "Secular Progressive Alliance." The Congress party, Left parties, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and the Indian Union Muslim League were among the SPA constituents.

Stalin said devising a poll strategy whenever the nation's democratic and pluralistic values were threatened was the "political dharma" of his father and the party's deceased patriarch M Karunanidhi.

Following the late leader's "political dharma", the DMK has posted a massive victory and this has "amazed the north, united the south and astounded the whole country", he said.

The DMK chief exhorted his party cadre to take part in the birth anniversary celebrations of Karunanidhi here on June 3 to "thank the great leader (Karunanidhi) who gave us the strategy for victory and the people who made us win."

He asked party workers and leaders to observe "June as Kalaignar's (Karunanidhi) month," and hold events through the month in commemoration of the late stalwart.

Karunanidhi passed away in August last year.

Meanwhile, the DMK mouthpiece "Murasoli," (in an editorial on Saturday) has again urged Congress President Rahul Gandhi to take back his offer to step down from the top party post.

Rahul's move to quit will neither be seconded by the "historic Congress party" nor by the people of India due to their love and affection for the Nehru-Gandhi family, the Dravidian party daily said.

The DMK organ on May 31 had likened Rahul Gandhi to Jawaharlal Nehru for his liberal ideological moorings that went beyond just electoral politics and asserted that the Congress needed a "broad-minded person" like him.&nbsp;

In a veiled attack on the BJP, days after its thumping Lok Sabha poll win, DMK president M K Stalin Saturday said a situation has now emerged that warranted his party's secularism plank to be pitched in other Indian states.

In a veiled attack on the BJP, days after its thumping Lok Sabha poll win, DMK president M K Stalin Saturday said a situation has now emerged that warranted his party's secularism plank to be pitched in other Indian states. The nation has been prompted to "look south" for DMK's Parliamentary election strategy that "saved" Tamil Nadu from the "cruel hands of communal forces," he said. In an open letter to party workers, Stalin took pride on his party taking the third top slot (23 seats) in the Lok Sabha polls after the BJP (303) and Congress (52). While the DMK-led front won 37 of the 38 seats in the state, the AIADMK could win only the Theni constituency. The election was cancelled in Vellore segment following allegations of corruption. "A situation has now emerged that necessitates DMK's plank of secularism in other Indian states as well," he said. The DMK chief also batted for pitching secularism for containing the saffron party and winning polls. Stalin, during the run-up to the polls in Tamil Nadu, had christened the combine led by him as "Secular Progressive Alliance." The Congress party, Left parties, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and the Indian Union Muslim League were among the SPA constituents. Stalin said devising a poll strategy whenever the nation's democratic and pluralistic values were threatened was the "political dharma" of his father and the party's deceased patriarch M Karunanidhi. Following the late leader's "political dharma", the DMK has posted a massive victory and this has "amazed the north, united the south and astounded the whole country", he said. The DMK chief exhorted his party cadre to take part in the birth anniversary celebrations of Karunanidhi here on June 3 to "thank the great leader (Karunanidhi) who gave us the strategy for victory and the people who made us win." He asked party workers and leaders to observe "June as Kalaignar's (Karunanidhi) month," and hold events through the month in commemoration of the late stalwart. Karunanidhi passed away in August last year. Meanwhile, the DMK mouthpiece "Murasoli," (in an editorial on Saturday) has again urged Congress President Rahul Gandhi to take back his offer to step down from the top party post. Rahul's move to quit will neither be seconded by the "historic Congress party" nor by the people of India due to their love and affection for the Nehru-Gandhi family, the Dravidian party daily said. The DMK organ on May 31 had likened Rahul Gandhi to Jawaharlal Nehru for his liberal ideological moorings that went beyond just electoral politics and asserted that the Congress needed a "broad-minded person" like him.

DMK's secularism plank needs to be pitched in other Indian states: Stalin

Asserting that the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/wont-stake-claim-in-lok-sabha-for-leader-of-opposition-congress-223378">52 newly-elected Congress MPs</a> will work like "a pride of brave-hearted lions", Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said that his party will continue to work "fearlessly" and that the BJP cannot have a "walk over" in parliament.

"The Congress Party may have just 52 Lok Sabha members but we will work together like a pride of brave-hearted lions to protect our Constitution and institutions and to fearlessly do our duty as the leading Opposition party. The BJP will have no walkover in Parliament," tweeted Rahul Gandhi.

Congress has secured a meagre 52 out of 543 Lok Sabha seats in the recent elections.

Watch: Sonia Gandhi elected as the leader of Congress Parliamentary Party

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/sonia-gandhi-elected-as-the-leader-of-congress-parliamentary-party-223329/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Addressing the Congress Parliamentary Party, Rahul Gandhi said that Congress'&nbsp;ideological battle with the BJP will continue.

"Every Congress member must remember that each one of you is fighting for the Constitution, for every person in India irrespective of the colour of his skin or belief," Rahul was quoted as saying by party spokesperson Rajdeep Singh Surjewala.

At a meeting of the Congress Working Committee last week, Rahul had last week offered to resign from the post of Congress President accepting responsibility for the defeat in the elections but CWC has rejected it.

Asserting that the 52 newly-elected Congress MPs will work like "a pride of brave-hearted lions", Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said that his party will continue to work "fearlessly" and that the BJP cannot have a "walk over" in parliament.

Asserting that the 52 newly-elected Congress MPs will work like "a pride of brave-hearted lions", Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said that his party will continue to work "fearlessly" and that the BJP cannot have a "walk over" in parliament. "The Congress Party may have just 52 Lok Sabha members but we will work together like a pride of brave-hearted lions to protect our Constitution and institutions and to fearlessly do our duty as the leading Opposition party. The BJP will have no walkover in Parliament," tweeted Rahul Gandhi. Congress has secured a meagre 52 out of 543 Lok Sabha seats in the recent elections. Watch: Sonia Gandhi elected as the leader of Congress Parliamentary Party Addressing the Congress Parliamentary Party, Rahul Gandhi said that Congress' ideological battle with the BJP will continue. "Every Congress member must remember that each one of you is fighting for the Constitution, for every person in India irrespective of the colour of his skin or belief," Rahul was quoted as saying by party spokesperson Rajdeep Singh Surjewala. At a meeting of the Congress Working Committee last week, Rahul had last week offered to resign from the post of Congress President accepting responsibility for the defeat in the elections but CWC has rejected it.

BJP will have no walkover in Parliament: Rahul Gandhi

Soon after taking charge as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/rajnath-singh-takes-charge-as-defence-minister-223334">Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh</a> Saturday asked the chiefs of the Army, Navy and the Air Force to prepare separate presentations on the challenges and overall functioning of their respective forces.

Singh held a meeting with Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa and newly-appointed Navy chief Karambir Singh at the headquarters of the defence ministry at the Raisina Hills during which he was apprised about the security scenario, officials said.&nbsp;

Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik, Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra and several top officials of the ministry were also present at the meeting.&nbsp; 
Officials said separate wings of the ministry were also told to prepare presentations which will be reviewed at a meeting soon.

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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has instructed Defence Ministry officers to prepare detailed presentations on all divisions and departments under him and set time bound targets to achieve the desired outcome. (file pic) <a href="https://t.co/aWY9a7K2Bf">pic.twitter.com/aWY9a7K2Bf</a>
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Singh, who was the Home Minister in the previous government, was accorded a grand welcome by the three services chiefs and senior officials when he arrived at the defence ministry around noon.

A defence ministry spokesperson said Singh urged all those who greeted him to give their best and work towards achieving the "targets".

Earlier in the day, Singh visited the national war memorial and paid tributes to the fallen heroes.

As defence minister, Singh's most crucial challenge will be to speed up the long-delayed modernisation of the three services besides ensuring overall coherence in their combat readiness.&nbsp;

His other challenge will be to ensure peace and tranquillity along the frontier with China while developing required military infrastructure to deal with any possible Chinese hostility.&nbsp;

As he took charge of the ministry just three months after India carried out air strikes on a terrorist training camp in Pakistan's Balakot, it is expected that he will continue with the policy of hot pursuit in dealing with cross border terrorism.

Containing infiltration of terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir from Pakistan will be another key focus area.

As the Defence Minister, Singh will face the challenge of strengthening the combat capabilities of the Army, Navy and the Air Force due to changing regional security matrix and geopolitical dynamics.

The forces have been pressing for equipping them to deal with hybrid warfare and Singh will have to attend to this crucial demand.

The government has been focusing on domestic defence production and Singh will have to carry forward a number of big-ticket reform initiatives, including implementing the ambitious "strategic partnership" model.

Under the new model, select Indian private firms will be roped in to build military platforms like submarines and fighter jets in India in partnership with foreign defence majors.

Singh also faces the challenge of modernising the defence research organisations and various other defence public sector undertakings so that they can produce state-of-the-art military hardware to match the requirement of the forces.

He will also have to oversee the implementation of major reforms in the 12-lakh strong Army. The Army has already finalised a blueprint for its reform including right-sizing of the force.&nbsp;

His predecessor Nirmala Sitharaman had taken on the opposition head-on with her fiery defence of the Rafale fighter jet deal and it will be interesting to see how Singh deals with the issue.&nbsp;

Soon after taking charge as Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh Saturday asked the chiefs of the Army, Navy and the Air Force to prepare separate presentations on the challenges and overall functioning of their respective forces.

Soon after taking charge as Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh Saturday asked the chiefs of the Army, Navy and the Air Force to prepare separate presentations on the challenges and overall functioning of their respective forces. Singh held a meeting with Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa and newly-appointed Navy chief Karambir Singh at the headquarters of the defence ministry at the Raisina Hills during which he was apprised about the security scenario, officials said. Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik, Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra and several top officials of the ministry were also present at the meeting. Officials said separate wings of the ministry were also told to prepare presentations which will be reviewed at a meeting soon. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has instructed Defence Ministry officers to prepare detailed presentations on all divisions and departments under him and set time bound targets to achieve the desired outcome. (file pic) pic.twitter.com/aWY9a7K2Bf — ANI (@ANI) June 1, 2019 × Singh, who was the Home Minister in the previous government, was accorded a grand welcome by the three services chiefs and senior officials when he arrived at the defence ministry around noon. A defence ministry spokesperson said Singh urged all those who greeted him to give their best and work towards achieving the "targets". Earlier in the day, Singh visited the national war memorial and paid tributes to the fallen heroes. As defence minister, Singh's most crucial challenge will be to speed up the long-delayed modernisation of the three services besides ensuring overall coherence in their combat readiness. His other challenge will be to ensure peace and tranquillity along the frontier with China while developing required military infrastructure to deal with any possible Chinese hostility. As he took charge of the ministry just three months after India carried out air strikes on a terrorist training camp in Pakistan's Balakot, it is expected that he will continue with the policy of hot pursuit in dealing with cross border terrorism. Containing infiltration of terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir from Pakistan will be another key focus area. As the Defence Minister, Singh will face the challenge of strengthening the combat capabilities of the Army, Navy and the Air Force due to changing regional security matrix and geopolitical dynamics. The forces have been pressing for equipping them to deal with hybrid warfare and Singh will have to attend to this crucial demand. The government has been focusing on domestic defence production and Singh will have to carry forward a number of big-ticket reform initiatives, including implementing the ambitious "strategic partnership" model. Under the new model, select Indian private firms will be roped in to build military platforms like submarines and fighter jets in India in partnership with foreign defence majors. Singh also faces the challenge of modernising the defence research organisations and various other defence public sector undertakings so that they can produce state-of-the-art military hardware to match the requirement of the forces. He will also have to oversee the implementation of major reforms in the 12-lakh strong Army. The Army has already finalised a blueprint for its reform including right-sizing of the force. His predecessor Nirmala Sitharaman had taken on the opposition head-on with her fiery defence of the Rafale fighter jet deal and it will be interesting to see how Singh deals with the issue.

Rajnath Singh holds high-level meet after taking charge as Defence Minister

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/sonia-gandhi-elected-leader-of-congress-parliamentary-party-sources-223313">The Congress party on Saturday</a> said that it will not stake a claim for the post of the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha as it is falling short of two seats and is not able to reach the required number of 54.&nbsp;

Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala told media that the party needs 10 per cent to of the total number of Lok Sabha seats, "since we're 2 short officially we can't have a Leader of Opposition," he said.

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Surjewala added that the onus lies with the Central government "whether they want to designate a party formally as principal opposition or not".

Watch: Sonia Gandhi elected as the leader of Congress Parliamentary Party

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The party had appointed senior leader Mallikarjun Kharge to the post in 2014 for the 16th Lok Sabha term.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi was re-elected as the leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) today.

The newly elected Congress Lok Sabha MPs were present for the meeting which took place at the Central Hall of Parliament in New Delhi.&nbsp;

The Congress party on Saturday said that it will not stake a claim for the post of the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha as it is falling short of two seats and is not able to reach the required number of 54.

The Congress party on Saturday said that it will not stake a claim for the post of the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha as it is falling short of two seats and is not able to reach the required number of 54. Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala told media that the party needs 10 per cent to of the total number of Lok Sabha seats, "since we're 2 short officially we can't have a Leader of Opposition," he said. Randeep Singh Surjewala on Leader of Opposition: We will not stake a claim to the Leader of Opposition till we have the strength of 54 & since we don't have we're not going to stake a claim. https://t.co/Yjthql3coc — ANI (@ANI) June 1, 2019 × Surjewala added that the onus lies with the Central government "whether they want to designate a party formally as principal opposition or not". Watch: Sonia Gandhi elected as the leader of Congress Parliamentary Party The party had appointed senior leader Mallikarjun Kharge to the post in 2014 for the 16th Lok Sabha term. Meanwhile, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi was re-elected as the leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) today. The newly elected Congress Lok Sabha MPs were present for the meeting which took place at the Central Hall of Parliament in New Delhi.

Won't stake claim in Lok Sabha for Leader of Opposition: Congress

BJP President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/amit-shah-pm-modis-right-hand-man-is-indias-new-home-minister-223085">Amit Shah</a> Saturday took charge as the Union Home Minister, two days after he was sworn-in following a landslide victory in the recently held Lok Sabha election.

Shah was received at the North Block office of the home ministry by Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba and other senior officials.

The home minister is also holding a meeting with the officials to familiarise with the issues concerning the ministry, an official said.

Two newly appointed Ministers of state for home - G K Reddy and Nityananda Rai - also took charge Saturday.

The Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday announced portfolios for 24 cabinet ministers, 9 ministers of state with independent charge and 24 Ministers of State (MoS) in Union Cabinet for the 17th Lok Sabha.

BJP president&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/amit-shah-bjps-chanakya-now-enters-government-222850">Amit Shah</a>, who took oath as a minister on Thursday, has been made the new Home Minister of the country. The portfolio was earlier handled by Rajnath Singh, who has been moved to Defence.

Shah won the Lok Sabha polls from Gandhinagar in Gujarat defeating Congress's J Chavda by a record margin of more than five lakh votes. He is the most notable inclusion in the government and will serve at the Centre for the first time as a minister.

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/narendra-modi-takes-oath-as-prime-minister-for-second-time-222847">right-hand man</a>&nbsp;and long-time strategist, Shah would be in a powerful position as the country's home minister. He masterminded the BJP's landslide victory in the April-May general election in which the party won 303 of the 542 seats and is able to make the government on its own.

Shah has worked as Minister of State for Home Affairs in Gujarat when Modi was the chief minister of the state.

(With inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

BJP President Amit Shah Saturday took charge as the Union Home Minister, two days after he was sworn-in following a landslide victory in the recently held Lok Sabha election.

BJP President Amit Shah Saturday took charge as the Union Home Minister, two days after he was sworn-in following a landslide victory in the recently held Lok Sabha election. Shah was received at the North Block office of the home ministry by Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba and other senior officials. The home minister is also holding a meeting with the officials to familiarise with the issues concerning the ministry, an official said. Two newly appointed Ministers of state for home - G K Reddy and Nityananda Rai - also took charge Saturday. The Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday announced portfolios for 24 cabinet ministers, 9 ministers of state with independent charge and 24 Ministers of State (MoS) in Union Cabinet for the 17th Lok Sabha. BJP president Amit Shah, who took oath as a minister on Thursday, has been made the new Home Minister of the country. The portfolio was earlier handled by Rajnath Singh, who has been moved to Defence. Shah won the Lok Sabha polls from Gandhinagar in Gujarat defeating Congress's J Chavda by a record margin of more than five lakh votes. He is the most notable inclusion in the government and will serve at the Centre for the first time as a minister. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi's right-hand man and long-time strategist, Shah would be in a powerful position as the country's home minister. He masterminded the BJP's landslide victory in the April-May general election in which the party won 303 of the 542 seats and is able to make the government on its own. Shah has worked as Minister of State for Home Affairs in Gujarat when Modi was the chief minister of the state. (With inputs from agencies)

Amit Shah takes charge as Union Home Minister

Political calculations of naysayers and pundits, who predicted that the BJP would not return with a full majority on its own, have come up a cropper. &nbsp;

The results present a few shockers: victories in Karnataka, Telangana, Odisha and the North East where the BJP has been traditionally weak, and the near clean sweep of Rajasthan, MP and Chhattisgarh, where the party had lost the recent assembly elections. &nbsp;

Also notable is the BJP’s clean sweep in Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, which proves that there was a pro-incumbency wave in favour of the party. &nbsp;

But the real story of 2019 elections are two biggest political shockers, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. The success of various schemes and policies of the central government deeply resonated in UP. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ensured speedy and effective implementation of developmental schemes. UP saw the rise of a new ‘Modi vote bank’. This new voter base was formed across the nation, as people broke away from petty political factions and rose as one, identifying themselves as beneficiaries of the Modi government’s schemes.

In UP, the Modi-Yogi duo delivered big time on ground and carried their name as tough taskmasters. Analysts were of the view that the Mahagathbandhan of the SP-BSP will spell doom for the BJP, which would win around 25-30 seats in UP. What happened is that the people of UP rose against traditional vote bank politics and backed development in favour of the BJP, irrespective of caste and creed. &nbsp;

In politics, one plus one is not necessarily two. The magic between the SP and the BSP did not materialise on ground. When in power, SP had resorted to large-scale land grabbing, extortion and political violence against the core vote bank of the BSP. Though the core SP vote bank got transferred to the BSP, its reciprocal did not happen. &nbsp;

It was also wrongly assumed that the Muslims will vote en bloc for the SP-BSP combine. Muslims have now understood that they have been exploited in the name of ‘minority vote bank politics’, and being the beneficiaries of many government schemes, voted for the BJP in a number of segments. &nbsp;

Yogi Adityanath’s track record in UP is very impressive. His government has ensured fast-paced completion of various infrastructure projects. &nbsp;We should credit Adityanath Yogi for the successful conduct of the biggest ever Kumbh Mela. When I had met him in Kolkata, I praised him for the wonderful organisation of the mela at Prayagraj and told him how he had changed the face of the city. He told me that it is only because of the Kumbh that people had noticed Prayagraj, whereas all major cities in UP are undergoing big infrastructural changes. &nbsp;

In West Bengal, people were fed up with mafia rule and the goonda raj of Mamata Banerjee and her appeasement politics. &nbsp;

They voted for the Trinamool Congress, yearning for a change after 34 years of Communist rule, but Mamata too followed the same path. &nbsp;

In her first tenure, the Mamata regime was hit by the Saradha and Narada scams and the poor in her state were disgruntled. &nbsp;

People may question how Mamata won a second term? The reason is that there was no strong opposition and all anti-Mamata votes were divided between the BJP and the Congress-Left alliance in 2016. &nbsp;

The Modi charisma was just starting to grow in Bengal, but was not strong enough to challenge her in the 2016 assembly polls. But the 2019 Lok Sabha polls were a different ball game. &nbsp;

Mamata, thinking about a third tenure, understood that she needed to nurture and consolidate one particular vote bank, Muslims. &nbsp;

It was because of her hardcore appeasement politics of one section of the society, which polarised Bengal on religious lines. I don’t believe in the ‘secularism’ tag, which has been forced upon Bengal by people usually called ‘pseudo-seculars’ during 34 years of CPM rule. &nbsp;

So hell-bent was Mamata on Muslim appeasement that when in 2017, Durga Puja visarjan and Muharram processions fell on the same day, she allowed the procession and postponed the visarjan for two days. Bengali Hindus could never forget that and murmurs started to grow against the Mamata regime. &nbsp;

There were also reports of large-scale riots against Bengali Hindus throughout the state. The local media kept mum and so did the ‘award wapsi’ group and all the torchbearers of ‘secularism’. It was VHP, which revived the Ram Navami celebrations in the state, and chants of ‘Jai Shree Ram’ resonated once again across Bengal. The bubble of ‘pseudo-secularism’ had been burst. &nbsp;

Analysts should also understand that the CPM vote bank was basically anti-Trinamool. This large vote bank saw BJP as the only party which could challenge Trinamool. However, a significant part of the Left vote bank was also anti-BJP, which voted in favour of the Trinamool. So it will be wrong to assume that the entire Left vote bank got transferred to the BJP. &nbsp;

Also, a good chunk of the disgruntled Trinamool vote bank threw its weight behind the BJP. The reason for this was nepotism; Mamata was openly nurturing her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, to succeed her. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Mamata’s constant abuse of PM Modi also worked against her. Barring the last phase of elections, BJP won seats in Bengal in all the phases. The last phase saw Trinamool’s conspiracy of vandalising the statue of Vidyasagar, which might have worked in their favour and stopped the BJP from winning anywhere around 25-30 seats.

I must say that the people of Bengal were fighting the elections on behalf of the BJP, and the state administration and the state police were fighting the elections on behalf of the Trinamool. The real change will come in the next assembly elections.

(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-the-new-modi-vote-bank-2755537">original article)</a>

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Political calculations of naysayers and pundits, who predicted that the BJP would not return with a full majority on its own, have come up a cropper. The results present a few shockers: victories in Karnataka, Telangana, Odisha and the North East where the BJP has been traditionally weak, and the near clean sweep of Rajasthan, MP and Chhattisgarh, where the party had lost the recent assembly elections.

Political calculations of naysayers and pundits, who predicted that the BJP would not return with a full majority on its own, have come up a cropper. The results present a few shockers: victories in Karnataka, Telangana, Odisha and the North East where the BJP has been traditionally weak, and the near clean sweep of Rajasthan, MP and Chhattisgarh, where the party had lost the recent assembly elections. Also notable is the BJP’s clean sweep in Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, which proves that there was a pro-incumbency wave in favour of the party. But the real story of 2019 elections are two biggest political shockers, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. The success of various schemes and policies of the central government deeply resonated in UP. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ensured speedy and effective implementation of developmental schemes. UP saw the rise of a new ‘Modi vote bank’. This new voter base was formed across the nation, as people broke away from petty political factions and rose as one, identifying themselves as beneficiaries of the Modi government’s schemes. In UP, the Modi-Yogi duo delivered big time on ground and carried their name as tough taskmasters. Analysts were of the view that the Mahagathbandhan of the SP-BSP will spell doom for the BJP, which would win around 25-30 seats in UP. What happened is that the people of UP rose against traditional vote bank politics and backed development in favour of the BJP, irrespective of caste and creed. In politics, one plus one is not necessarily two. The magic between the SP and the BSP did not materialise on ground. When in power, SP had resorted to large-scale land grabbing, extortion and political violence against the core vote bank of the BSP. Though the core SP vote bank got transferred to the BSP, its reciprocal did not happen. It was also wrongly assumed that the Muslims will vote en bloc for the SP-BSP combine. Muslims have now understood that they have been exploited in the name of ‘minority vote bank politics’, and being the beneficiaries of many government schemes, voted for the BJP in a number of segments. Yogi Adityanath’s track record in UP is very impressive. His government has ensured fast-paced completion of various infrastructure projects. We should credit Adityanath Yogi for the successful conduct of the biggest ever Kumbh Mela. When I had met him in Kolkata, I praised him for the wonderful organisation of the mela at Prayagraj and told him how he had changed the face of the city. He told me that it is only because of the Kumbh that people had noticed Prayagraj, whereas all major cities in UP are undergoing big infrastructural changes. In West Bengal, people were fed up with mafia rule and the goonda raj of Mamata Banerjee and her appeasement politics. They voted for the Trinamool Congress, yearning for a change after 34 years of Communist rule, but Mamata too followed the same path. In her first tenure, the Mamata regime was hit by the Saradha and Narada scams and the poor in her state were disgruntled. People may question how Mamata won a second term? The reason is that there was no strong opposition and all anti-Mamata votes were divided between the BJP and the Congress-Left alliance in 2016. The Modi charisma was just starting to grow in Bengal, but was not strong enough to challenge her in the 2016 assembly polls. But the 2019 Lok Sabha polls were a different ball game. Mamata, thinking about a third tenure, understood that she needed to nurture and consolidate one particular vote bank, Muslims. It was because of her hardcore appeasement politics of one section of the society, which polarised Bengal on religious lines. I don’t believe in the ‘secularism’ tag, which has been forced upon Bengal by people usually called ‘pseudo-seculars’ during 34 years of CPM rule. So hell-bent was Mamata on Muslim appeasement that when in 2017, Durga Puja visarjan and Muharram processions fell on the same day, she allowed the procession and postponed the visarjan for two days. Bengali Hindus could never forget that and murmurs started to grow against the Mamata regime. There were also reports of large-scale riots against Bengali Hindus throughout the state. The local media kept mum and so did the ‘award wapsi’ group and all the torchbearers of ‘secularism’. It was VHP, which revived the Ram Navami celebrations in the state, and chants of ‘Jai Shree Ram’ resonated once again across Bengal. The bubble of ‘pseudo-secularism’ had been burst. Analysts should also understand that the CPM vote bank was basically anti-Trinamool. This large vote bank saw BJP as the only party which could challenge Trinamool. However, a significant part of the Left vote bank was also anti-BJP, which voted in favour of the Trinamool. So it will be wrong to assume that the entire Left vote bank got transferred to the BJP. Also, a good chunk of the disgruntled Trinamool vote bank threw its weight behind the BJP. The reason for this was nepotism; Mamata was openly nurturing her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, to succeed her. Mamata’s constant abuse of PM Modi also worked against her. Barring the last phase of elections, BJP won seats in Bengal in all the phases. The last phase saw Trinamool’s conspiracy of vandalising the statue of Vidyasagar, which might have worked in their favour and stopped the BJP from winning anywhere around 25-30 seats. I must say that the people of Bengal were fighting the elections on behalf of the BJP, and the state administration and the state police were fighting the elections on behalf of the Trinamool. The real change will come in the next assembly elections. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Here's what helped BJP return to power with a full majority on its own

Former White House chief strategist and media mogul Steve Bannon has said that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/industry/india-can-benefit-from-us-china-trade-war-kkr-chief-183580">India is going to be a key ally</a> of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/imf-warns-us-china-trade-war-will-jeopardize-2019-global-growth-221117">United States in countering China's hegemony</a> as it fights a<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/rare-earths-the-latest-weapon-in-the-us-china-trade-war-222578"> trade war</a>.

Speaking exclusively to WION's Editor-in-Chief Sudhir Chaudhary, Bannon said, "I can tell you the United States is engaged now, countering the economic war with China and India is going to be a key ally of that. If there is any country in the world that's exposed to this expansionist mentality of this radical cadre of the Chinese Communist Party which controls China, is India. And I think that Modi and Trump will be two natural allies."

Bannon said that China has been running in an economic war with the United States and the US is not going to back down. "The United States is now engaged with China on this economic war that China has been running against other democracies in the West and also Japan, India and other of the western allies. The Chinese, with western capital and western technology, is trying to become a hegemonic power in the Pacific and on the landmass Eurasia. We are trying to find out depths of what is going on in this Belt and Road situation. But I can tell you the United States is engaged now, countering this economic war with China," he said.

Since last year, the United States and China have been locked in a trade conflict as Washington seeks to fix the trade balance, currently tilted in favour of Beijing. The two nations have raised or threatened to raise tariffs on each other's goods, moves that could re-draw trade flows and that have threatened to derail the global economy.

An analysis by S&amp;P Global Market Intelligence's trade data firm Panjiva showed recently that American companies are shifting purchases of affected products including furniture, refrigerators and car tyres to countries such as Vietnam and South Korea.

With the latest US tariffs on Chinese goods, India fears Beijing could also re-route exports of electronic items, toys, furniture and organic chemicals to India through other Southeast Asian nations.

Negotiations between the United States and China have soured dramatically since early May when Chinese officials sought major changes to the text of a proposed deal that the Trump administration says had been largely agreed.

A subsequent round of talks ended with no movement as US President Donald Trump increased tariffs to 25 per cent from 10 per cent on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports and threatened to impose duties on all remaining Chinese goods sold in the United States.

Former White House chief strategist and media mogul Steve Bannon has said that India is going to be a key ally of the United States in countering China's hegemony as it fights a trade war.

Former White House chief strategist and media mogul Steve Bannon has said that India is going to be a key ally of the United States in countering China's hegemony as it fights a trade war. Speaking exclusively to WION's Editor-in-Chief Sudhir Chaudhary, Bannon said, "I can tell you the United States is engaged now, countering the economic war with China and India is going to be a key ally of that. If there is any country in the world that's exposed to this expansionist mentality of this radical cadre of the Chinese Communist Party which controls China, is India. And I think that Modi and Trump will be two natural allies." Bannon said that China has been running in an economic war with the United States and the US is not going to back down. "The United States is now engaged with China on this economic war that China has been running against other democracies in the West and also Japan, India and other of the western allies. The Chinese, with western capital and western technology, is trying to become a hegemonic power in the Pacific and on the landmass Eurasia. We are trying to find out depths of what is going on in this Belt and Road situation. But I can tell you the United States is engaged now, countering this economic war with China," he said. Since last year, the United States and China have been locked in a trade conflict as Washington seeks to fix the trade balance, currently tilted in favour of Beijing. The two nations have raised or threatened to raise tariffs on each other's goods, moves that could re-draw trade flows and that have threatened to derail the global economy. An analysis by S&P Global Market Intelligence's trade data firm Panjiva showed recently that American companies are shifting purchases of affected products including furniture, refrigerators and car tyres to countries such as Vietnam and South Korea. With the latest US tariffs on Chinese goods, India fears Beijing could also re-route exports of electronic items, toys, furniture and organic chemicals to India through other Southeast Asian nations. Negotiations between the United States and China have soured dramatically since early May when Chinese officials sought major changes to the text of a proposed deal that the Trump administration says had been largely agreed. A subsequent round of talks ended with no movement as US President Donald Trump increased tariffs to 25 per cent from 10 per cent on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports and threatened to impose duties on all remaining Chinese goods sold in the United States.

US-China trade war: India a key US ally to counter China's hegemony, Steve Bannon tells WION

Prime Minister Narendra Modi pulled off an<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/after-nehru-and-indira-modi-becomes-third-prime-minister-to-return-to-power-with-huge-mandate-221300"> electoral victory this year</a> which resonated across the world. Many global leaders, including US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, congratulated him for the massive mandate in India's general elections.

Steve Bannon, former White House chief strategist and media mogul, has said that the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/lok-sabha-polls-2019-pm-modi-made-the-election-a-referendum-on-his-leadership-says-foreign-media-221210">western media is absolutely stunned by PM Modi's victory</a>. In an exclusive interview with WION's Editor-in-Chief Sudhir Chaudhary, Bannon, the former executive chairman of Breitbart News, said he has been incredibly impressed with Modi.

"When Modi first won five years ago, I was very proud of the fact that Breitbart, which is conservating and right-wing website in the United States, covered that election very closely. The day he won we put a headline that he was 'India's Reagan'. And I have been incredibly impressed with Modi since the first day I heard him and started following him in Indian politics. I would tell the people in India what I believe just happened is exactly like Ronald Reagan's second win in 1984 - his major landslide which is about him and personally the job he had done," Bannon said.

I think the western media is absolutely stunned by the scale of the Modi victory, he added.

Bannon said Modi's victory is good news for US-India relationship.

"It only bodes well for the future relationship between India and the United States. But the people of India should understand - you come with a lot of power, you have empowered Modi. Right now, on the world stage, I think he is one of the most powerful politicians, simply for the fact - not just how powerful India is but the mandate that Indian people gave him for the second term," he said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Modi, won 303 of the 542 Lok Sabha (lower house of Indian Parliament) seats in the April-May election. Together with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) allies, the number of seats rose to a staggering 354. The win gave his party the first back-to-back majority for a single party since 1984.

His re-election reinforces a global trend of right-wing populists sweeping to victory, from the United States to Brazil and Italy.

Modi was showered with rose petals by some of the thousands of cheering supporters who waited for hours in a thunderstorm for his arrival at party headquarters after the results were announced on May 23.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi pulled off an electoral victory this year which resonated across the world. Many global leaders, including US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, congratulated him for the massive mandate in India's general elections.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi pulled off an electoral victory this year which resonated across the world. Many global leaders, including US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, congratulated him for the massive mandate in India's general elections. Steve Bannon, former White House chief strategist and media mogul, has said that the western media is absolutely stunned by PM Modi's victory. In an exclusive interview with WION's Editor-in-Chief Sudhir Chaudhary, Bannon, the former executive chairman of Breitbart News, said he has been incredibly impressed with Modi. "When Modi first won five years ago, I was very proud of the fact that Breitbart, which is conservating and right-wing website in the United States, covered that election very closely. The day he won we put a headline that he was 'India's Reagan'. And I have been incredibly impressed with Modi since the first day I heard him and started following him in Indian politics. I would tell the people in India what I believe just happened is exactly like Ronald Reagan's second win in 1984 - his major landslide which is about him and personally the job he had done," Bannon said. I think the western media is absolutely stunned by the scale of the Modi victory, he added. Bannon said Modi's victory is good news for US-India relationship. "It only bodes well for the future relationship between India and the United States. But the people of India should understand - you come with a lot of power, you have empowered Modi. Right now, on the world stage, I think he is one of the most powerful politicians, simply for the fact - not just how powerful India is but the mandate that Indian people gave him for the second term," he said. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Modi, won 303 of the 542 Lok Sabha (lower house of Indian Parliament) seats in the April-May election. Together with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) allies, the number of seats rose to a staggering 354. The win gave his party the first back-to-back majority for a single party since 1984. His re-election reinforces a global trend of right-wing populists sweeping to victory, from the United States to Brazil and Italy. Modi was showered with rose petals by some of the thousands of cheering supporters who waited for hours in a thunderstorm for his arrival at party headquarters after the results were announced on May 23.

Impressed with Modi, his victory bodes well for India-US ties: Steve Bannon to WION

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday sent a team to Amethi to find out the reason for his <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/the-fall-of-amethi-why-did-rahul-gandhi-lose-congress-stronghold-221658">shocking defeat to BJP leader Smriti Irani</a> from the parliamentary constituency which was considered a stronghold of the Nehru-Gandhi family.

The team comprises of AICC secretary Zubair Khan and Congress'&nbsp;Raebareli in-charge KL Sharma.

Both the leaders have been asked to give a report for the reason for the loss, said a senior party functionary from Amethi.

Sharma was looking after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/had-ensured-that-the-mp-from-amethi-would-be-chosen-from-our-party-smriti-irani-to-wion-221599">Amethi Lok Sabha seat</a> till 2009 when he was replaced by Chandrakant, a party worker from Madhya Pradesh.

He now manages Raebareli parliamentary seat, which is UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi's constituency.

In the recently-concluded Lok Sabha elections, Rahul lost to Irani by over 55,000 votes from Amethi seat.&nbsp;

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday sent a team to Amethi to find out the reason for his shocking defeat to BJP leader Smriti Irani from the parliamentary constituency which was considered a stronghold of the Nehru-Gandhi family.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday sent a team to Amethi to find out the reason for his shocking defeat to BJP leader Smriti Irani from the parliamentary constituency which was considered a stronghold of the Nehru-Gandhi family. The team comprises of AICC secretary Zubair Khan and Congress' Raebareli in-charge KL Sharma. Both the leaders have been asked to give a report for the reason for the loss, said a senior party functionary from Amethi. Sharma was looking after Amethi Lok Sabha seat till 2009 when he was replaced by Chandrakant, a party worker from Madhya Pradesh. He now manages Raebareli parliamentary seat, which is UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi's constituency. In the recently-concluded Lok Sabha elections, Rahul lost to Irani by over 55,000 votes from Amethi seat.

Lok Sabha polls 2019: Rahul Gandhi sends team to Amethi to ascertain cause of defeat

Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley, who opted out of the new government at the Centre, on Thursday congratulated Narendra <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/narendra-modi-takes-oath-as-prime-minister-for-second-time-222847">Modi for taking oath as Prime Minister for a second consecutive term</a>.

In a post on Twitter, Jaitley, who was the Finance Minister in the first Modi regime, stated that India is moving steadfast&nbsp;on the path of progress under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi.

"Congratulations to Narendra Modi ji on taking oath for the second time as the Prime Minister of India. I wish the very best to all the members inducted in the Union Council of Ministers. India is moving steadfast on the path of progress under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi ji," he tweeted.

Jaitley had previously written to the Prime Minister saying that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-to-visit-arun-jaitley-shortly-may-ask-to-reconsider-his-decision-222585">he would like to keep out of the new cabinet</a>, citing his health condition.

"I am writing to you to formally request you that I should be allowed a reasonable time for myself, my treatment and my health and, therefore, not be a part of any responsibility, for the present, in the new government," Jaitley wrote in a letter to the Prime Minister.

The 66-year-old BJP leader, who was absent from Friday's Union Cabinet meeting, said he would "<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/great-honour-to-be-part-of-govt-will-keep-away-this-time-arun-jaitley-in-letter-to-pm-222463">undertake any work informally to support the government</a> or the party".

Jaitley, owing to his health, was not seen at the victory celebrations at the BJP headquarters after the party stormed to power with a massive mandate on 303 seats.

He has not been seen in public in the last few days, however, Jaitley did take a meeting of top Finance Ministry officials at his residence recently.

Watch: 'Allow me reasonable time for myself', says Arun Jatiley

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Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley, who opted out of the new government at the Centre, on Thursday congratulated Narendra Modi for taking oath as Prime Minister for a second consecutive term.

Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley, who opted out of the new government at the Centre, on Thursday congratulated Narendra Modi for taking oath as Prime Minister for a second consecutive term. In a post on Twitter, Jaitley, who was the Finance Minister in the first Modi regime, stated that India is moving steadfast on the path of progress under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi. "Congratulations to Narendra Modi ji on taking oath for the second time as the Prime Minister of India. I wish the very best to all the members inducted in the Union Council of Ministers. India is moving steadfast on the path of progress under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi ji," he tweeted. Jaitley had previously written to the Prime Minister saying that he would like to keep out of the new cabinet, citing his health condition. "I am writing to you to formally request you that I should be allowed a reasonable time for myself, my treatment and my health and, therefore, not be a part of any responsibility, for the present, in the new government," Jaitley wrote in a letter to the Prime Minister. The 66-year-old BJP leader, who was absent from Friday's Union Cabinet meeting, said he would "undertake any work informally to support the government or the party". Jaitley, owing to his health, was not seen at the victory celebrations at the BJP headquarters after the party stormed to power with a massive mandate on 303 seats. He has not been seen in public in the last few days, however, Jaitley did take a meeting of top Finance Ministry officials at his residence recently. Watch: 'Allow me reasonable time for myself', says Arun Jatiley ×

India steadfast on path of progress under Modi: Arun Jaitley

After coming back to power with a bigger mandate than what it got in 2014, Narendra Modi-led NDA government has taken some immediate steps which reflect a big diplomatic outreach to the regional neighbours and Prime Minister's resolve to win the trust of minorities in his second term.

The nation comes first and so it was deeply heartening to see kin of Pulwama martyrs attending the oath-taking ceremony of Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister for his second consecutive term.&nbsp;

The family members of BJP workers, who were killed in the political violence in West Bengal, were also invited to the ceremony.

On the global front,&nbsp;Modi had invited leaders of BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) that shows a continuance of his government's commitment to the&nbsp;'Neighbourhood First' policy. BIMSTEC comprises Bangladesh, Myanmar, India, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Thailand and Nepal.&nbsp;

After URI attack, India had boycotted the SAARC summit which was being organised&nbsp;in Islamabad in November 2016. No further action has been taken to resume the SAARC summit since then.&nbsp;SAARC, or South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, comprises Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, the Maldives, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

Inviting BIMSTEC leaders indicates that India is shaping an alternative regional platform.&nbsp;

The Prime Minister had also extended separate invitations to the leaders of Kyrgyzstan and Mauritius. Kyrgyzstan holds importance here because the country is holding the annual summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) next month which will see Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan as attendees.&nbsp;

Modi's move is in line with the government's 'Neighbourhood First' policy&nbsp;and has sent out the right signal&nbsp;regarding his focus on regional cooperation.

Furthermore, Modi will start his second-term bilateral visits with the Maldives, where China has been trying to expand its influence. He will also address the Maldivian Parliament during his visit.&nbsp;

On his way back from the Maldives, Modi will make a stopover at Colombo to express his solidarity after easter attacks which killed over 250 civilians. It's important to recall here that India had shared intelligence inputs with Sri Lanka before the deadly blasts rocked the country.

The visit can be seen as a clear message that India stands united with Sri Lanka in its fight against terrorism.&nbsp;

India's Stern Message to Pakistan&nbsp;

India has turned down several talks initiatives from Pakistan since 2016 when an Air Force station in Pathankot was attacked by heavily-armed Pakistan-based terrorists. The tension between the South Asia neighbours has escalated since the February 2019 Pulwama attack and India's subsequent airstrike in Balakot - deep Inside Pakistan.

Unlike 2014, the Pakistani premier was not invited to the oath-taking ceremony of Modi this time. When Imran Khan dialled Modi to congratulate him on his second term and expressed his desire to work together for the betterment of their people, Modi made it clear that diplomatic dialogue can't be resumed unless Islamabad stops targetting India by exporting terrorism to Jammu and Kashmir.

Imran Khan and Narendra Modi will be attending the SCO summit in Kyrgyzstan next week but no meeting has been announced between the two so far.&nbsp;

In the last 5 years, India has firmly stood against Pakistan's soil being used by terrorists for plotting and launching attacks on India. After the Pulwama attack, the US, UK and France too backed India to have Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azahar designated as a global terrorist by the UN. Under pressure, China, after a decade, finally lifted the technical hold that was shielding Azhar.&nbsp;

Furthermore, the Prime Minister is likely to host the Chinese President Xi Jinping later this year in Varanasi for an informal summit.

The development comes after the nailing of Masood Azhar which has visibly improved relations between India and China. Reaching out to China for the informal summit is significant because China is an 'all-weather' friend of Islamabad.

Talks with Pakistan won't yield any results unless Islamabad decides to shut its terror export industry, and thus, Modi did the right thing by telling Imran Khan that creating trust and an environment free of violence and terrorism were essential for fostering cooperation for peace.

Message for Minorities

In his first speech after winning the Lok Sabha elections 2019 with a thumping majority, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for 'inclusive politics' and broke his silence on minorities. Modi said his government will work to win the trust of minorities.

Modi expanded his 2014 slogan to - "Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikaas, Sabka Vishwas," and asked his MPs to work for everyone without discriminating on the basis of caste and religion.

Many critics of BJP have downplayed PM's speech. Modi's assurance to minorities should be welcomed by people - liberals too. The appreciable thing will be to give his new government some time to deliver the&nbsp;commitments and promises.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp;

&nbsp;

After coming back to power with a bigger mandate than what it got in 2014, Narendra Modi-led NDA government has taken some immediate steps which reflect a big diplomatic outreach to the regional neighbours and Prime Minister's resolve to win the trust of minorities in his second term.

After coming back to power with a bigger mandate than what it got in 2014, Narendra Modi-led NDA government has taken some immediate steps which reflect a big diplomatic outreach to the regional neighbours and Prime Minister's resolve to win the trust of minorities in his second term. The nation comes first and so it was deeply heartening to see kin of Pulwama martyrs attending the oath-taking ceremony of Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister for his second consecutive term. The family members of BJP workers, who were killed in the political violence in West Bengal, were also invited to the ceremony. On the global front, Modi had invited leaders of BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) that shows a continuance of his government's commitment to the 'Neighbourhood First' policy. BIMSTEC comprises Bangladesh, Myanmar, India, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Thailand and Nepal. After URI attack, India had boycotted the SAARC summit which was being organised in Islamabad in November 2016. No further action has been taken to resume the SAARC summit since then. SAARC, or South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, comprises Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, the Maldives, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Inviting BIMSTEC leaders indicates that India is shaping an alternative regional platform. The Prime Minister had also extended separate invitations to the leaders of Kyrgyzstan and Mauritius. Kyrgyzstan holds importance here because the country is holding the annual summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) next month which will see Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan as attendees. Modi's move is in line with the government's 'Neighbourhood First' policy and has sent out the right signal regarding his focus on regional cooperation. Furthermore, Modi will start his second-term bilateral visits with the Maldives, where China has been trying to expand its influence. He will also address the Maldivian Parliament during his visit. On his way back from the Maldives, Modi will make a stopover at Colombo to express his solidarity after easter attacks which killed over 250 civilians. It's important to recall here that India had shared intelligence inputs with Sri Lanka before the deadly blasts rocked the country. The visit can be seen as a clear message that India stands united with Sri Lanka in its fight against terrorism. India's Stern Message to Pakistan India has turned down several talks initiatives from Pakistan since 2016 when an Air Force station in Pathankot was attacked by heavily-armed Pakistan-based terrorists. The tension between the South Asia neighbours has escalated since the February 2019 Pulwama attack and India's subsequent airstrike in Balakot - deep Inside Pakistan. Unlike 2014, the Pakistani premier was not invited to the oath-taking ceremony of Modi this time. When Imran Khan dialled Modi to congratulate him on his second term and expressed his desire to work together for the betterment of their people, Modi made it clear that diplomatic dialogue can't be resumed unless Islamabad stops targetting India by exporting terrorism to Jammu and Kashmir. Imran Khan and Narendra Modi will be attending the SCO summit in Kyrgyzstan next week but no meeting has been announced between the two so far. In the last 5 years, India has firmly stood against Pakistan's soil being used by terrorists for plotting and launching attacks on India. After the Pulwama attack, the US, UK and France too backed India to have Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azahar designated as a global terrorist by the UN. Under pressure, China, after a decade, finally lifted the technical hold that was shielding Azhar. Furthermore, the Prime Minister is likely to host the Chinese President Xi Jinping later this year in Varanasi for an informal summit. The development comes after the nailing of Masood Azhar which has visibly improved relations between India and China. Reaching out to China for the informal summit is significant because China is an 'all-weather' friend of Islamabad. Talks with Pakistan won't yield any results unless Islamabad decides to shut its terror export industry, and thus, Modi did the right thing by telling Imran Khan that creating trust and an environment free of violence and terrorism were essential for fostering cooperation for peace. Message for Minorities In his first speech after winning the Lok Sabha elections 2019 with a thumping majority, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for 'inclusive politics' and broke his silence on minorities. Modi said his government will work to win the trust of minorities. Modi expanded his 2014 slogan to - "Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikaas, Sabka Vishwas," and asked his MPs to work for everyone without discriminating on the basis of caste and religion. Many critics of BJP have downplayed PM's speech. Modi's assurance to minorities should be welcomed by people - liberals too. The appreciable thing will be to give his new government some time to deliver the commitments and promises. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

From big diplomatic outreach to heartening message for minorities - Narendra Modi 2.0 has sent the right signals

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s new Cabinet represents bold new ideas to run the country. It is best exemplified through the constitution of Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) which comprises Home, Defence, External Affairs and Finance Ministry.

Modi did not buy into the logic of political seniority for picking the top four members of CCS. The direct inductee, a former Foreign Secretary, S Jaishankar is the case in point.

He reflects Modi’s top concern of handling China and managing Indo-US relationship. Modi has put a micro manager at the helms of the affair as global politics is changing rapidly.&nbsp;

The Prime Minister promoted Nirmala Sitharaman and handed her Finance portfolio which requires a hands-on minister. Similarly, Amit Shah is a multi-tasker and de facto number two in the government. His elevation as the Home Minister was not a surprise but Modi has chosen him because, after ages, internal security and nationalism have become public issues and Modi would want robust handling of security matters in time to come.&nbsp;

The only political adjustment has been that of Rajnath Singh who has been shifted to Defence. The ministry does not need handling on a daily basis. It requires gentle guidance and thrust so that services can execute the national mandate. It is for this reason, he also remains number one minister in the order of precedence after Narendra Modi.

Rise and Rise of Nirmala Sitharaman

Her rise looks meteoritic, but she had caught Narendra Modi’s eye as a fiery spokesperson of BJP during UPA 2. Her entry into public life took place when she was made a member of NCW in 2003. She joined BJP in 2006 and went on to become one of the 6 spokespersons under the stewardship of Ravi Shankar Prasad when Nitin Gadkari was the party president. She has surpassed them all. Not only she was appointed a minister of state with independent charge for commerce in 2014 but went on to become the Defence Minister in 2017. She is not a mass leader but is one of those politicians, Prime Minister finds it easy to work with. She is a workaholic and keeps up with the razor-tight time table set by the Prime Minister.&nbsp;

After a long time, the Finance Ministry will have a hands-on minister. Her elevation as the Finance Minister has sealed her position in the party and government for a long time.

&nbsp;Less Noise and More work

This mantra underlines the making of the Cabinet. Despite being a giant killer, Smriti Irani was not given a heavyweight industry. She debuted as HRD minister in 2014 but had to be shunted to Textiles for the controversies generated by her. Same is the case with VK Singh who as MOS will have to report to Nitin Gadkari. In the previous dispensation, he had independent charge of Development of North Eastern Region General (DONER) and also looked after overseas affairs. He had the opportunity to travel to Yemen to evacuate Indians but today he only has one portfolio under his belt.&nbsp;

Continuity and Generational Shift

The Cabinet has been altered considerably but it doesn't mean that it does not have the element of continuity. Senior ministers like Ravi Shankar Prasad, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Hardeep Singh Puri, RK Singh, Jitendra Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Piyush Goyal, Dharmendra Pradhan and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi have retained their old portfolios. Though some have got additional responsibility, but it is an acknowledgement of their performance. Modi is perhaps the first Prime Minister after Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi who has successfully carried out a generational shift. Within five years, Modi has ensured that junior leaders like Nirmala Sitharaman, Smriti Irani, Prakash Javadekar, Dharmendra Pradhan, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Piyush Goyal become full-fledged Cabinet Minister. In fact, he has inducted fresh faces as MoS in the government and the example in such case is Anurag Thakur.

Lastly

Modi’s Cabinet is free from the strain of coalition politics. He is the ultimate arbiter of the who gets to work with him and who does not. The only flip side of such arrangement is that contrary opinions become less prevalent and, in the long run, disappear as no one wants to be seen objecting to the supreme leader. I’m sure that this small limitation can be overcome by the new administration. 
 
&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s new Cabinet represents bold new ideas to run the country. It is best exemplified through the constitution of Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) which comprises Home, Defence, External Affairs and Finance Ministry.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s new Cabinet represents bold new ideas to run the country. It is best exemplified through the constitution of Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) which comprises Home, Defence, External Affairs and Finance Ministry. Modi did not buy into the logic of political seniority for picking the top four members of CCS. The direct inductee, a former Foreign Secretary, S Jaishankar is the case in point. He reflects Modi’s top concern of handling China and managing Indo-US relationship. Modi has put a micro manager at the helms of the affair as global politics is changing rapidly. The Prime Minister promoted Nirmala Sitharaman and handed her Finance portfolio which requires a hands-on minister. Similarly, Amit Shah is a multi-tasker and de facto number two in the government. His elevation as the Home Minister was not a surprise but Modi has chosen him because, after ages, internal security and nationalism have become public issues and Modi would want robust handling of security matters in time to come. The only political adjustment has been that of Rajnath Singh who has been shifted to Defence. The ministry does not need handling on a daily basis. It requires gentle guidance and thrust so that services can execute the national mandate. It is for this reason, he also remains number one minister in the order of precedence after Narendra Modi. Rise and Rise of Nirmala Sitharaman Her rise looks meteoritic, but she had caught Narendra Modi’s eye as a fiery spokesperson of BJP during UPA 2. Her entry into public life took place when she was made a member of NCW in 2003. She joined BJP in 2006 and went on to become one of the 6 spokespersons under the stewardship of Ravi Shankar Prasad when Nitin Gadkari was the party president. She has surpassed them all. Not only she was appointed a minister of state with independent charge for commerce in 2014 but went on to become the Defence Minister in 2017. She is not a mass leader but is one of those politicians, Prime Minister finds it easy to work with. She is a workaholic and keeps up with the razor-tight time table set by the Prime Minister. After a long time, the Finance Ministry will have a hands-on minister. Her elevation as the Finance Minister has sealed her position in the party and government for a long time. Less Noise and More work This mantra underlines the making of the Cabinet. Despite being a giant killer, Smriti Irani was not given a heavyweight industry. She debuted as HRD minister in 2014 but had to be shunted to Textiles for the controversies generated by her. Same is the case with VK Singh who as MOS will have to report to Nitin Gadkari. In the previous dispensation, he had independent charge of Development of North Eastern Region General (DONER) and also looked after overseas affairs. He had the opportunity to travel to Yemen to evacuate Indians but today he only has one portfolio under his belt. Continuity and Generational Shift The Cabinet has been altered considerably but it doesn't mean that it does not have the element of continuity. Senior ministers like Ravi Shankar Prasad, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Hardeep Singh Puri, RK Singh, Jitendra Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Piyush Goyal, Dharmendra Pradhan and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi have retained their old portfolios. Though some have got additional responsibility, but it is an acknowledgement of their performance. Modi is perhaps the first Prime Minister after Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi who has successfully carried out a generational shift. Within five years, Modi has ensured that junior leaders like Nirmala Sitharaman, Smriti Irani, Prakash Javadekar, Dharmendra Pradhan, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Piyush Goyal become full-fledged Cabinet Minister. In fact, he has inducted fresh faces as MoS in the government and the example in such case is Anurag Thakur. Lastly Modi’s Cabinet is free from the strain of coalition politics. He is the ultimate arbiter of the who gets to work with him and who does not. The only flip side of such arrangement is that contrary opinions become less prevalent and, in the long run, disappear as no one wants to be seen objecting to the supreme leader. I’m sure that this small limitation can be overcome by the new administration. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi knocks off seniority as a criterion for top 4 ministries

Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, surprise pick in the new <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/narendra-modi-takes-oath-as-prime-minister-for-second-time-222847">Narendra Modi government</a>, will take over as the foreign minister of the country. Jaishankar, former foreign secretary, took oath along with 56 other ministers at the Rashtrapati Bhavan (President House) on Thursday. He is the first career diplomat to handle the key portfolio.

The high-profile foreign affairs porfolio was handled by Sushma Swaraj who refused to be part of the new dispensation due to health issues. He is among the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/s-jaishankar-former-foreign-secretary-a-surprise-pick-in-team-modi-20-222869">first time ministers who took oath on Thursday</a>.

Considered an expert on China and the US, the new External Affairs minister's moves will be keenly watched to see whether he brings any changes in India's approach in dealing with Pakistan.

Jaishankar is a seasoned diplomat who was the Indian government's pointsman for China and the US. He is the son of late K Subrahmanyam, one of India's leading strategic analysts, and a key member of the Indian team which negotiated the landmark Indo-US nuclear deal.

The deal, initiated in 2005, took several years to craft and was signed by the UPA government headed by Manmohan Singh in 2007.

One of the longest-serving foreign secretaries, Jaishankar played a key role in shaping Modi's foreign policy during his first term, which saw significant growth and expansion of India's ties with key countries, particularly the US and the Arab nations. He will also have to deal with overall expectations of expanding India's global influence and stature, particularly in key multilateral forums like G-20, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and BRICS.

The 64-year-old - who is not a member of either the Rajya Sabha or the Lok Sabha at this point - is also likely to push for deepening cooperation with the African continent where China is fast expanding its influence and presence.

Watch: Amit Shah, S Jaishankar PM Narendra Modi's surprise pick

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He was the Foreign Secretary from January 2015 to January 2018. Jaishankar takes charge of the ministry nearly 16 months after he retired as foreign secretary.

He had earlier served as India's Ambassador to the US and before that to China.

A 1977-batch IFS officer, Jaishankar played a key role in resolving the crisis following the incursion in Ladakh's Depsang and the Doklam stand-off, handling the tough negotiations with Beijing.

Among other positions, Jaishankar has been India's High Commissioner to Singapore and Ambassador to the Czech Republic.

A graduate of St Stephen's College, Jaishankar is an MA in Political Science and an MPhil and PhD in International Relations from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).

Jaishankar is married to Kyoko Jaishankar and has two sons and a daughter.

In 2019, Jaishankar was conferred with Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award of the country.

(With inputs from&nbsp;agencies)

Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, surprise pick in the new Narendra Modi government, will take over as the foreign minister of the country. Jaishankar, former foreign secretary, took oath along with 56 other ministers at the Rashtrapati Bhavan (President House) on Thursday.

Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, surprise pick in the new Narendra Modi government, will take over as the foreign minister of the country. Jaishankar, former foreign secretary, took oath along with 56 other ministers at the Rashtrapati Bhavan (President House) on Thursday. He is the first career diplomat to handle the key portfolio. The high-profile foreign affairs porfolio was handled by Sushma Swaraj who refused to be part of the new dispensation due to health issues. He is among the first time ministers who took oath on Thursday. Considered an expert on China and the US, the new External Affairs minister's moves will be keenly watched to see whether he brings any changes in India's approach in dealing with Pakistan. Jaishankar is a seasoned diplomat who was the Indian government's pointsman for China and the US. He is the son of late K Subrahmanyam, one of India's leading strategic analysts, and a key member of the Indian team which negotiated the landmark Indo-US nuclear deal. The deal, initiated in 2005, took several years to craft and was signed by the UPA government headed by Manmohan Singh in 2007. One of the longest-serving foreign secretaries, Jaishankar played a key role in shaping Modi's foreign policy during his first term, which saw significant growth and expansion of India's ties with key countries, particularly the US and the Arab nations. He will also have to deal with overall expectations of expanding India's global influence and stature, particularly in key multilateral forums like G-20, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and BRICS. The 64-year-old - who is not a member of either the Rajya Sabha or the Lok Sabha at this point - is also likely to push for deepening cooperation with the African continent where China is fast expanding its influence and presence. Watch: Amit Shah, S Jaishankar PM Narendra Modi's surprise pick × He was the Foreign Secretary from January 2015 to January 2018. Jaishankar takes charge of the ministry nearly 16 months after he retired as foreign secretary. He had earlier served as India's Ambassador to the US and before that to China. A 1977-batch IFS officer, Jaishankar played a key role in resolving the crisis following the incursion in Ladakh's Depsang and the Doklam stand-off, handling the tough negotiations with Beijing. Among other positions, Jaishankar has been India's High Commissioner to Singapore and Ambassador to the Czech Republic. A graduate of St Stephen's College, Jaishankar is an MA in Political Science and an MPhil and PhD in International Relations from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). Jaishankar is married to Kyoko Jaishankar and has two sons and a daughter. In 2019, Jaishankar was conferred with Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award of the country. (With inputs from agencies)

S Jaishankar is the new foreign minister, will replace Sushma Swaraj

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/rajnath-singh-man-of-all-seasons-carries-vajpayees-legacy-of-ajatshatru-222854">Rajnath Singh </a>was on Friday appointed as Minister of Defence in Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/modi-20-rajnath-singh-is-defence-minister-amit-shah-home-nirmala-sitharaman-gets-finace-223084">Narendra Modi`s second Cabinet</a>. The BJP heavyweight headed the Ministry of Home Affairs in Modi`s first tenure.

Terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, incursion attempts by Pakistan and China, and the emergence of Islamic State were among the top challenges faced by Singh as Home Minister.

He represents the Lucknow Lok Sabha seat, a constituency he won for the second consecutive in recently-concluded Lok Sabha elections. Earlier, he represented Gautam Budhh Nagar in 2009.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/amit-shah-pm-modis-right-hand-man-is-indias-new-home-minister-223085">Amit Shah, PM Modi's right-hand man, is India's new Home Minister</a>

A politician for over four decades, Singh is well known for maintaining cordial relations with political leaders irrespective of their parties.

Known for his excellent oratory skills, the 67-year-old leader started his career as an RSS volunteer and joined politics in 1974 as secretary of Jana Sangh's Mirzapur unit. He was later elected as an MP from Mirzapur in 1977.He also served as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and as a Cabinet Minister during Atal Bihari Vajpayee`s government.

Watch: Amit Shah gets Home, Rajnath Singh defence, Nirmala Sitharaman finance

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One of the senior most leaders in the Modi Cabinet, he has also served as the president of the BJP twice, 2005 to 2009 and 2013 to 2014.

The Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday announced portfolios for 24 cabinet ministers, 9 ministers of state with independent charge and 24 Ministers of State (MoS) in Union Cabinet for the 17th Lok Sabha.

Prime Minister Modi and his Council of Ministers on Thursday took the oath of office at Rashtrapati Bhavan for a second consecutive term.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/modi-20-prominent-faces-of-the-58-member-ministerial-team-222972">In pics: Prominent faces of the 58-member ministerial team</a>

Rajnath Singh was on Friday appointed as Minister of Defence in Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s second Cabinet. The BJP heavyweight headed the Ministry of Home Affairs in Modi`s first tenure.

Rajnath Singh was on Friday appointed as Minister of Defence in Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s second Cabinet. The BJP heavyweight headed the Ministry of Home Affairs in Modi`s first tenure. Terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, incursion attempts by Pakistan and China, and the emergence of Islamic State were among the top challenges faced by Singh as Home Minister. He represents the Lucknow Lok Sabha seat, a constituency he won for the second consecutive in recently-concluded Lok Sabha elections. Earlier, he represented Gautam Budhh Nagar in 2009. Also read: Amit Shah, PM Modi's right-hand man, is India's new Home Minister A politician for over four decades, Singh is well known for maintaining cordial relations with political leaders irrespective of their parties. Known for his excellent oratory skills, the 67-year-old leader started his career as an RSS volunteer and joined politics in 1974 as secretary of Jana Sangh's Mirzapur unit. He was later elected as an MP from Mirzapur in 1977.He also served as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and as a Cabinet Minister during Atal Bihari Vajpayee`s government. Watch: Amit Shah gets Home, Rajnath Singh defence, Nirmala Sitharaman finance × One of the senior most leaders in the Modi Cabinet, he has also served as the president of the BJP twice, 2005 to 2009 and 2013 to 2014. The Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday announced portfolios for 24 cabinet ministers, 9 ministers of state with independent charge and 24 Ministers of State (MoS) in Union Cabinet for the 17th Lok Sabha. Prime Minister Modi and his Council of Ministers on Thursday took the oath of office at Rashtrapati Bhavan for a second consecutive term. In pics: Prominent faces of the 58-member ministerial team

Rajnath Singh moves to South Block, gets Defence Ministry