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Criticism mounts in Congress at ‘Team Rahul’

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Voices are growing in the Congress over the role of “Team Rahul” in the Lok Sabha elections with suggestions that the aides of vice president Rahul Gandhi could not read the ground realities.

Party leaders have begun giving vent to their feelings after the party’s debacle in the Lok Sabha polls.

However, the criticism is not targeted directly at Rahul Gandhi, who led the party’s campaign, but his team which aided him in campaign planning and strategy.

Sonia likely to head Congress Parliamentary Party again

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Congress president Sonia Gandhi is likely to be again elected the chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party at its meeting scheduled Saturday, party sources said.

This is the first meeting of the CPP after the party’s debacle in the Lok Sabha elections where the party could win only 44 seats.

Party sources said that Sonia Gandhi, who won from Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh in the Lok Sabha elections, would be elected again as the CPP leader and address the members at the meeting.

Sharad Yadav may soon join NDA, claims BJP ally

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Rashtriya Lok Samta Party, a BJP ally which won three Lok Sabha seats in Bihar, today hit out at Nitish Kumar for accepting support from Lalu Prasad Yadav’s RJD to prop up the JD(U) government in the state and claimed that its president Sharad Yadav may soon join NDA.

RLSP President and MP Upendra Kushwaha said Kumar had once formed Samata Party to fight the “jungle raaj (lawless rule)” under Prasad in Bihar but was now back together with him.

Arvind Kejriwal spends sleepless night in Tihar Jail

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Former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal spent a sleepless Wednesday night in the Tihar Jail, struggling with mosquitoes’ buzz and bite and warm air in the cell, said Tihar sources.

A Tihar official told IANS that Kejriwal was seen turning on his sides on a mat inside the 16-by-10 feet separate cell of ward number 14 in jail number 4.

Heatwave condition sweeps Rajasthan, Barmer boils at 44.8 deg C

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Blistering heatwave conditions on Thursday swept across Rajasthan with Barmer sizzling at 44.8 degrees C.

According to MeT office, mercury rose one to four notches at most places in the State during last 24 hours with weather conditions remaining dry.

Heatwave conditions persisted in northwest of Rajasthan specially in Jaisalmer, Barmer, Kota, Bikaner, Churu, Jodhpur where maximum temperature was above 43.2 degrees C, it said.

Jaipur recorded a maximum temperature of 42.3 degrees C, followed by Ganganagar 42.4, Ajmer 41.5 and Pilani 41.2 degrees C.

Rajnath meets BJP general secretaries for Modi’s oath-taking preparations

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Ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi as Prime Minister, BJP President Rajnath Singh on Thursday held a meeting with the party’s general secretaries to oversee the preparation for the event invitation for which is being sent to over 3000 people.

Talking to reporters, General Secretary Ananth Kumar said a congratulatory letter was sent to Modi by Congress President Sonia Gandhi and termed it “natural”.

Invite to neighbours is celebration of democracy: BJP

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BJP on Thursday rejected objections by Tamil parties to the invitation to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa as also the Congress jibe over invitation to Pakistan Prime Minister for Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony, saying it should be seen as a “celebration of democracy”.

“This is essentially an attempt to participate in a joyful celebration of democracy and the invite should be seen in that context,” BJP Spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said.

Seemandhra staff should go to residual state of AP: TRS

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Telangana Rashtra Samiti here on Thursday that the government employees from Seemandhra should work for the new post-bifurcation residual state of Andhra Pradesh.

The statement of TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao, who is all set to become the first Chief Minister of Telangana, came against the background of the ongoing bifurcation of assets, liabilities and employees between the two states.

June 2 is the ‘appointed day’ when the new states of Telangana and the residual state of Andhra Pradesh would come into existence.

Modi wants to follow in Vajpayee’s footsteps: Javadekar

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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Prakash Javadekar on Thursday said that Prime Minster-designate Narendra Modi wants to follow in the footsteps of former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

“Atalji had once said that we can choose our friends, but not our neighbors, and Narendra Modi says he wants to work like Atalji. He is a far thinking leader, and besides, our relationship has not been good with the other nations for the last ten years,” said Javadekar.

Al Qaeda operating ”shadow army” in Afghanistan as US troops prepare to leave

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As the US prepares to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan, the Al Qaeda is reportedly operating a “shadow army” inside the country to keep its numbers and scope of operations under wraps.

Afghanistan is at risk of becoming once again a haven for al Qaeda to train, plan and launch attacks, according to testimony that challenges the Obama administration”s claims that secretive drone strikes have hamstrung the group”s original core and its ability to launch international missions in recent years, The Washington Times reports.

ICC restrains Brit newspaper to prevent further anti-corruption investigation leaks

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The International Cricket Council (ICC) has reportedly issued a restrain order against a British newspaper in order to prevent further leaks into the organization”s anti-corruption investigation reaching the public. The ICC is reportedly planning to launch an investigation into how New Zealand players Brendon McCullum and Lou Vincent”s testimony got leaked to the Daily Mail.

India condemns terrorist attack in China

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India Thursday condemned the terrorist attack at Urumqi in China in which 31 people were killed and 90 were injured.

“We strongly condemn the terrorist attack which took place earlier today at Urumqi, China. India opposes terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. We extend condolences to the families of the victims,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said.

In Urumqi, terrorists Thursday crashed two cars and threw explosives, killing 31 people and injuring around 90.
(IANS)

Syrian troops break rebel siege of Aleppo central prison

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Syrian troops have broken a year-long rebel siege of the central prison in the country’s northern city of Aleppo, Xinhua quoted a senior military source as saying Thursday.

Government troops have succeeded to break the siege, which has been imposed by rebels for more than a year, during which the armed militants made repeated attempts to storm the sprawling facility, where more than 4,000 inmates are incarcerated.

“Syrian troops managed to enter the prison and it’s fully under their control,” the source said.

Priya Dutt says Rahul’s advisors not to blame, ‘disconnect’ behind Congress poll debacle

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Commenting on Congress leader Milind Deora’s statement that the party vice president, Rahul Gandhi’s, advisors did not have their ‘ears to the ground’, former MP Priya Dutt maintained that there was disconnect between the party and the people, and that there was a need to self introspect. “I will not blame the advisors, because we should be open to advices from all the sides. We should take advice from political minded people to the common man. I think, there is disconnect between the party and the people at the grass root level.

Modi meets mother before leaving for Delhi

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Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi met his mother, Heeraben Modi, on Thursday before leaving for Delhi. Modi sought his mother”s blessing before his departure. Modi’s swearing-in ceremony, to be held at the forecourt of the historic Rashtrapati Bhavan, will take place on Monday and is likely to be attended by as many as 3,000 guests. India has invited leaders of all South Asian countries, including Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, to the oath-taking ceremony. (ANI)

Iranian Envoy congratulates Modi on his win

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Iranian Ambassador Gholam Reza Ansari on Thursday congratulated Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi on his victory in the general election. “I should congratulate the Prime Minister as well, Modi, for a great support of the people who he received. It was great support, a very decisive vote of the people and it is great confidence to His Excellency. Definitely, it creates a lot of burden for such confidence of the people,” said Ansari. The Iranian envoy also hoped that bilateral ties between New Delhi and Tehran would improve in light of their relationship with the BJP.

Five Delhi sportspersons get Rajiv Gandhi Award

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Five sportspersons from the national capital Thursday received the Rajiv Gandhi State Sports Awards for the year 2012 and also a monetary reward of Rs.2 lakh each, officials said.

The awards were given to Parveen Rana (wrestling), Garvit Batra (tennis), Suman (women’s kabaddi), Naresh Kumar Sharma (para-shooting) and Pawan Kumar (wrestling) at an event held here at the Thyagaraj Stadium by Delhi Chief Secretary S.K. Srivastava.

In addition, the sportspersons also received a monetary reward, a memento and a citation.

Super Kings post imposing 186-run target for Sunrisers

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An unbeaten 108-run stand between David Hussey (50 not out) and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (57 not out) helped Chennai Super Kings score 185 for three against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the JSCA International Stadium here Thursday.

Super Kings smashed 68 runs off the last five overs with the Indian captain plundering South Africa’s premier pacer Dale Steyn for 24 off the final over.

Leggie Karn Sharma was the pick of the Hyderabad bowlers, claiming two wickets for just 19 runs.
(IANS)

Nayeem behind TRS’ Ramulu’s murder; 8 suspects held so far: SP

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The Nalgonda police have identified some 16 suspects behind the murder of district TRS vice-president Konapuri Ramulu.

Speaking to mediapersons here on Thursday, district superintendent of police Prabhakar Rao disclosed that eight suspects have already been arrested. Alleging that the notorious Nayeem gang members had murdered the TRS leader as per a pre-meditated plan, the SP said six accused were taken into custody in Kerala while two others were nabbed elsewhere.

GHMC Summer training camp begins

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The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) sponsored summer training camp was inaugurated by Mayor Majid Hussain in Chaderghat Victory Sports Stadium on Thursday morning.
The training camp would go on till June 10. GHMC Commissioner Somesh Kumar, Deputy Mayor G. Raj Kumar, Sultan Bazaar corporator Ramchander and others were present. (NSS)

Harish seeks Guv’s help for power

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TRS leader T Harish Rao today sought cooperation of Governor ESL Narasimhan to take up new power projects in Telangana State. He is said to have urged the Governor to give permission to three power projects in T State.
In a letter addressed to Narasimhan here, Harish appealed that the Governor should take immediate steps to provide adequate power to the new state of Telangana which is dearth of the same. Rao urged the Governor to bring the power being produced in Kurnool and Ananthapur districts under CPDL purview to Telangana State and cater to its growing needs.

Expedite Bifurcation process soon, CS tells officials

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Chief Secretary PK Mohanty today directed the officials of various departments to complete bifurcation process immediately.
During a high level review meeting with the officials in Secretariat here on Thursday, Mohanty appealed to them to work in tandem to ensure speedy distribution of officials and hassle free handover of staff among two states. Since Appointed Day is beginning from June 2 and Telangana State Government is to begin functioning the officials should ensure their works complete in time by May 29, he is learnt to have directed them.

Hari Krishna calls on KCR

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Telugu Desam leader and brother in law of TDP Chief N Chnadrababu Naidu, N Hari Krishna today called on Chief Minister elect and TRS Chief K Chandrasekhar Rao at his residence. Along with his son Actor Kalyan Ram and senior actor Kaikala Satyanarayana, Hari Krishna congratulated KCR on being elected leader of TRS LP and achieving statehood to Telangana. Both KCR and Hari Krishna exchanged pleasantries on the occasion. Chief Secretary PK Mohanty and other top officials also called on KCR. (NSS)