bjp: BJP looks at boosting prospects in south India

After winning elections in the Hindi heartland and the Northeast, the BJP is setting its eyes on South India as leaders feel this is the best time for the party to make its presence felt there.

Meetings are planned, action points are being implemented to increase the support base of the BJP in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and to a lesser extent Kerala. The party is already in power in Karnataka.

Before the RSS completes 100 years in 2025, the party aims to improve its strength in all these states, including Kerala, where efforts have met with no success. In fact, the southern migration was the game plan of the then party president Amit Shah, who worked on it during his tenure, as a result of which the party made some inroads in states like Telangana during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

BJP general secretary CT Ravi told ET, “We have won two bypolls in Telangana, while the ruling TRS has spent huge amounts of money. We are at number three in Tamil Nadu and things are looking good in Andhra as well. Ravi is also the party in-charge of Tamil Nadu. In the 2021 assembly elections, the BJP won four of the 20 seats it contested in alliance with the AIADMK. Last month’s urban local bodies elections in Tamil Nadu boosted the BJP’s confidence and the party now claims to be third in the state after DMK and AIADMK. In the urban civic polls, the BJP had won 308 out of 12,838 seats in the state. BJP had fielded its candidates on 5400 seats. Its vote share in the elections stood at 5.4 per cent.

In Andhra Pradesh, BJP has divided the state into four zones and meetings will be held in each zone from April 27 to April 30.

Originally published at Pen 18

indian prisons: Home Ministry asks states to step up security measures in prisons

The Union Home Ministry has written to the states and union territories asking them to install jamming and search facilities and body-worn cameras inside jails before framing rules for the recently passed Criminal Procedure (Identity) Act.

“Prisons are an important and integral part of the criminal justice system as they not only play a vital role in detaining criminals but also help in the process of reformation and reintegration with the society,” said the MHA’s communication. Is.

Providing five years grant-in-aid to States/UTs for modernization of prisons, the Ministry of Home Affairs emphasized on the use of “modern security equipments to enhance the security of prisons”. Recently, Parliament approved the Criminal Procedure (Identity) Act, 2022, which empowers authorities to collect biometric and physical measurements of people convicted, arrested or detained. Officials said the rules of the law are likely to be notified by next month.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the modernization project will include Central Jail, District Jail, Sub Jail, Women’s Jail, Open Jail and Special Jail. Among the proposed upgrades are video conference facilities that could be used for virtual production and testing of high-risk prisoners before courts, body-worn cameras or impromptu screenings to capture moments of aggression and violence by prisoners. Similarly, baggage scanners and jamming solutions can be installed to prevent smuggling of banned items and interception of mobile and internet calls.

“The jail administration can use this fund to send correctional and behavioral experts to jail once or twice a week,” the home ministry said. At the central level, the project will be monitored by a committee headed by a Joint Secretary level officer of the Ministry of Home Affairs, while at the state level, the committee will be headed by DG/IG Prisons. “The MHA will provide funds to the states on the basis of number of prisons, number of prisoners, number of prison staff. The funding proposal will be decided by the Steering Committee constituted for the implementation of the project,” the letter said.

Originally published at Pen 18

CPI-M Polit Bureau inducts new faces in the central committee

Former Left Front president Biman Bose expressed his desire to retire due to age-related issues, he is not in the Politburo, while three new faces from Bengal – Shamik Lahiri, Debolina Hembram and Sumit Dey – have been inducted into the central committee. .

West Bengal’s Ram Chandra Dom has become the first Dalit leader to join the Politburo, the highest decision-making body of the CPI(M). Newly appointed Bengal State Secretary Mohammad Salim is also part of the Politburo apart from Nilotpal Basu.

Biman Bose has been allowed to retire from the Politburo. However, he will continue as an invited member of the Politburo.

The party’s South 24 Parganas district president and former Diamond Harbor MP Shamik Lahiri has been included in the central committee. Debolina Hembram, known to be a courageous leader of the party, is an eloquent speaker, and represents the tribal community. Hembram was also a minister in the Left Front government in Bengal.

Another new central committee member, Sumit Dey, is a four-time Nadia district president of the CPI(M), and has been inducted.

Politburo for the first time.

Meanwhile, during the 23rd Party Congress, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury has been re-elected as the General Secretary along with the 17-member Politburo and the 85-member Central Committee. Yechury will continue in office for the third term. The announcement was made at the party’s 23rd Party Congress venue on Sunday.

Originally published at Pen 18

Congress disciplinary panel to meet tomorrow to discuss actions of KV Thomas, Sunil Jakhar

Sources said that the meeting of the Congress Disciplinary Committee will be held on Monday.

Work of Congress leaders, KV Thomas from Kerala, Sunil Kumar Jakhar from Punjab and some other party leaders from Mizoram will be discussed in the meeting, sources said.

Action will also be taken against the leaders who violate the rules of the big old party. According to sources, the meeting will be held at 12 noon but the venue of the meeting has not been decided yet.

KV Thomas attended a seminar organized by the CPI(M) in Kannur in defiance of the party’s decision, at which Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee President K Sudhakaran wrote to Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi for “strict and appropriate disciplinary action” against her. demanded.

Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor followed the orders of the party leadership and declined the invitation to the seminar.

Senior party leader PJ Kurien had said that KV Thomas disobeyed the instructions.

Meanwhile, Sunil Jakhar reportedly made “objectionable” remarks targeting former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi for being an SC leader.

The Congress reconstituted the committee in view of the “indiscipline” issue in the party. The grand old party has appointed senior leader and former defense minister AK Antony as the chairman of the committee.

Originally published at Pen 18

djokovic: ‘It’s been difficult for me,’ admits Djokovic ahead of Monte Carlo return

Novak Djokovic admitted on Sunday that his absence from the tournament has been “difficult, mentally and emotionally” due to his continued and controversial refusal to vaccinate, but he is “moving on”.

The world number one appearance in 2022 was in Dubai in February where he played just three matches.

After being relegated from Melbourne and ruled out of a possible 10th Australian Open, her single-minded COVID-19 stance has led to her being declared a personality non-Greta at the Indian Wells and Miami Masters.

Djokovic said, “I hope I don’t play six matches in six months! The last three to four months have been really tough for me mentally and emotionally. But here I am. I will leave all that behind and move on.” ” Ahead of the Monte Carlo Masters, the prestigious European clay-court season opener that began on Sunday.

“I don’t think it will leave a traceable trace away from it. I’ll try to use it as fuel.”

In Djokovic’s absence from the tour, longtime rival Rafael Nadal won the Australian Open for his 21st Grand Slam title, breaking a tie with the Serb and Roger Federer.

He also briefly lost his world number one ranking to Daniil Medvedev, although he is now at the top of the pile where he has lived for 364 weeks so far in his career.

Djokovic said, “I understand that at the beginning of this week I may not be at my best.”

“I’m still testing my engine, so to speak, and building up my game, so obviously it will take some time, some matches to really get into the groove and find a competitive game that I really like.” I should.”

Despite his off-court drama, Djokovic has insisted that he is still keen to be included in his Grand Slam collection.

His next opportunity comes at the French Open where he is the defending champion.

“I still feel inspired to be on tour and compete with young people and challenge the best players in the world for the biggest title,” said 34-year-old Djokovic, 2013 and 2015 champion in Monte Carlo.

“I’m very happy to be here and Monaco at home for more than 10 years. I’m looking forward to the moment I’m out of competition again, so this is the best place I can possibly start Am.”

His opening opponent will be Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Focina who defeated Marcos Giron of the United States 7-5, 6-3 on Sunday.

“Last year’s Roland Garros win is still fresh in my memory, so I try to use that as an inspiration to start the clay-court season in the best possible way,” Djokovic said.

Originally published at Pen 18

pakistan news: Shehbaz Sharif ‘better’ for China-Pak ties than Imran Khan: Chinese official media

Chinese official media on Sunday upbeat about Shehbaz Sharif’s prospects of becoming the new prime minister after ousting Imran Khan said that all-weather relations between China and Pakistan “could be better than Khan’s”.

An article in the government-run Global Times said a new government is likely to be formed in Pakistan under the leadership of Shahbaz, the younger brother of three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

“Chinese and Pakistani analysts believe that solid Sino-Pakistan relations will not be affected by internal political changes in Pakistan because of the joint consensus of all parties and all groups in Pakistan to safeguard and develop bilateral relations. ”

“Khan’s likely successor is from the Sharif family, which has been promoting China-Pakistan ties for a long time, and cooperation between the two countries could be even better than Khan’s,” it added. were better off under traditional political parties.

The $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) progressed well under the previous Nawaz Sharif government.

China had objections to Khan as he was critical of the project when he was in opposition, although he later became a big fan of it after taking office in 2018.

Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, said the latest political changes in Pakistan are mainly due to political party conflicts and issues of the economy and people’s livelihoods.

Qian said that due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, many in the country believe that Khan’s administration has failed to prevent the economic situation from deteriorating,

“In general, the current internal problems in Pakistan have nothing to do with its solid relations with China, so there will be no significant impact on China-Pakistan cooperation,” he said.

“Khan belongs to a newly emerging political party … and when traditional major political parties such as the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) or the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) return to power, Sino-Pakistan cooperation may be even better because these There are traditional major parties. There are very close and deep ties with China,” Qian told the daily.

When Shahbaz was a regional leader of the Eastern Province of Punjab, he signed several Belt and Road Initiative cooperation deals directly with China to improve local infrastructure and economic development, and his family built long-standing ties with China. Because his brother is Nawaz Sharif. Chinese experts said the three-time former prime minister and leader who initiated the CPEC project.

Significantly, the article also commented on Khan’s problematic relationship with the powerful Pakistani military, which led to his downfall.

Some voices have said that the Pakistani military does not like Imran Khan’s diplomatic stance, which they believe has affected the country’s neutrality and led to unnecessary confrontations with the world’s superpowers as the country’s military also Cooperation with America. ,

“This is another reason why the Imran Khan administration was removed, but we need to remember that the Pakistani military also attaches great importance to relations with China,” Qian said.

Originally published at Pen 18

PM Modi and US President Biden to hold virtual meeting on Monday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a virtual meeting with US President Joe Biden on Monday to discuss the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the security situation in the Indo-Pacific region.

White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement, “President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India on Monday, April 11, to further deepen the ties between our governments, economies and our peoples in the virtual Will meet you.”

The leaders will discuss ending the COVID-19 pandemic, strengthening the global economy and strengthening “security, democracy and prosperity” in the Indo-Pacific.

“President Biden and Prime Minister Modi are involved in many things, including maintaining a free, open, rules-based international order to end the COVID-19 pandemic, combat the climate crisis, strengthen the global economy and strengthen security, democracy and Will discuss cooperation on issues. , and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific,” Saki said.

According to the White House, Biden will continue to consult closely on the consequences of “Russia’s war against Ukraine” and its impact on the global food supply and commodity markets.

PM Modi and Biden last spoke during the Quad Leaders’ Meet in March.

The two leaders will review and exchange views on ongoing bilateral cooperation in South Asia, the Indo-Pacific region and global issues of mutual interest, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a separate statement.

“The virtual meeting will enable both sides to continue their regular and high-level partnership with the aim of further strengthening the bilateral Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership,” the Ministry of External Affairs said.

The virtual meeting is scheduled to take place ahead of the 4th India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue.

Originally published at Pen 18