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               #,7 ,+-3   he Government formation Tfor the BJP-led NDA (II) will be set in motion on   Saturday with the newly-elect- ed MPs formally electing    Narendra Modi as their leader in Parliament’s central hall.    While the BJP has won 303 seats, the NDA has 352 mem- bers in the Lok Sabha. Modi is   8/%$ also expected to address the MPs following his election as massive fire engulfed a their leader. BJP Parliamentary Afour-storey commercial Party meeting will precede the complex in Surat on Friday, NDA meeting. killing at least 19 teenage stu- The Union Cabinet on dents at a coaching centre, Friday adopted a resolution many of whom jumped and fell recommending the dissolution to their deaths while some of the 16th Lok Sabha, making were suffocated, officials said. way for formal launch of the -      '     .    *           In a video clip of the inci-   +   /    '   '  process to form a new  '   /        '   ! "  +, dent, some young students at       '  "  +, Government. President Ram the Takshashila Complex in Nath Kovind accepted the res- Many newcomers and With Finance Minister Sarthana area, where the build- Minister added. of the building. ignation of the Council of young faces could be part of the Arun Jaitley having health ing is located, can be seen Coaching classes at the According to a fire official, Ministers and asked Modi to second innings of the Modi issues, there have been talks jumping off the third and centre were run in a shade built flames started from the ground continue in office till the new Government. There is possi- whether he will be part of the fourth floors amid plumes of on the top floor of the building, floor and reached the top floor, Government assumes office. bility that big winners like new dispensation or not. thick smoke. he said, adding that they “will forcing some students to take Modi’s swearing-in is BJP’s Aravind Dharmapuri Sushma Swaraj, who had Chief Minister Vijay check if the construction was shelter on the terrace which expected to take place before from Telangana, who inflicted won from Vidisha in Madhya Rupani said at least 19 students illegal”. was covered. the end of this month and con- a drubbing on sitting MP from Pradesh, had opted out from from the outgoing Cabinet, exceedingly well, winning 18 have died in the fire, but Ninteen fire tenders and “Lot of smoke accumulat- sultations are on with NDA Nizambabad K Kavitha, the the electoral battle this time on including Rajnath Singh, Nitin and 16 seats respectively. Deputy Chief Minister Nitin two hydraulic platforms were ed on the top floor where leaders for the Cabinet forma- daughter of TRS chief K health ground. Her Cabinet Gadkari, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Shah is expected to inter- Patel has put the figure at 20. pressed into service to douse there were AC compressors tion. BJP president Amit Shah, Chandrasekar Rao, may be colleague Uma Bharti too did Piyush Goyal, Narendra Singh act with NDA leaders and “As per the information the fire, said an official of and tyres which too caught fire. who came in for high praise part of the new Government. not contest polls. Defence Tomar and Prakash Javadekar share their views on the induc- received, 20 students have died Surat fire control room. There was no escape route from Modi for the party’s spec- Another fresh face is Tejasvi Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is are set to figure in the new tion of their nominees in the in the fire. Many others were Eye-witnesses claimed that available for the students who tacular show in the LS polls, is Surya, 28, who won from expected to continue with a key Cabinet. Cabinet. injured and shifted to a hospi- there were around 50 students got trapped on the top floors. likely to be inducted in the Bangalore South, a seat in the role in the new Government. Senior Minister Manoj Modi is likely to visit tal,” Patel said. in the complex when the fire The fire was doused in one Government, leaving the top past held by late Ananth With Smriti Irani upsetting Sinha, who lost his Ghazipur Varanasi, his home con- Students, mostly teenagers, started. “Around 10 students on hour. party post for someone else. A Kumar. Congress president Rahul seat to BSP’s Afzal Ansari, stituency on May 28, to thank died “either due to suffocation fourth and third floor jumped There were no safety heavyweight portfolio may be Rewards may also be com- Gandhi in his home con- could be brought in the Cabinet the voters there. There after, he or jumping off from the com- off to the ground to save them- equipment installed in the awaiting Shah, sources said ing in way of winners from dif- stituency of Amethi, it is via Rajya Sabha route. will set out for Gujarat on plex”, he said. selves from fire and smoke,” building,” a fire official told the though the BJP president has ficult States like West Bengal expected that her victory may Among allies, the Shiv May 29 to meet his 95-year-old “We have ordered a said a fire official. media. sidestepped queries on this and Odisha, where party has be recognised with an impor- Sena and the JD(U) are likely mother Heeraben Modi. The detailed inquiry into the inci- Locals helped in the rescue Prime Minister Narendra saying it was the prerogative of done exceedingly well to help tant portfolio in the Cabinet. to be given Cabinet berths as swearing-in may take place dent. We will not spare those operation to save the stranded Modi expressed anguished over the Prime Minister. it go past 300 tally on its own. A number of senior faces both the parties have done after these visits. found guilty,” the deputy Chief students and other occupants the fire tragedy. 

                                        #,7 ,+-3 reasons as to how the Congress  gave a strong performance in fter a humiliating defeat in Assembly polls in major States     Athe Lok Sabha polls, top such as Gujarat, Karnataka,    Congress leaders will deliber- Rajasthan,        ate on party losses at a meeting and during the !"   of the working committee slat- past two years, but failed to # $%&#'$%( ed on Saturday in which party keep the momentum and cap-   K    chief Rahul Gandhi is likely to italise on people’s disaffection  K      offer his resignation. Murmurs towards the BJP for a good    !"+  have already started within the showing in the general election.  party over taking responsibil- In Madhya Pradesh, the ity for the poor performance of BJP won 28 out of 29 seats; in       the Congress across the coun- Karnataka, it won 25 out of 28   P  try, with some of its leaders seats, and in Chhattisgarh, the   $,   already sending in their resig- Top party leaders, includ- party won 9 out of 11 seats.      nations. ing UPA chairperson Sonia During 2018 Assembly  - .  Uttar Pradesh Congress Gandhi and former Prime elections of Karnataka, the           chief Raj Babbar and Odisha Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress and the JD(S) com-  /0    Congress president Niranjan are expected to attend the bine were able to win 78 and 37       Patnaik announced their res- meeting. seats, respectively, while the ignations from the post in the The top Congress leader- BJP got 104 seats. !"   # wake of the party’s electoral ship will deliberate on the rea- Babbar — who lost $  debacle in their respective sons for the loss. The party suf- Fatehpur Sikri BJP’s Rajkumar    1 States. The party has convened fered a devastating defeat for Chahar by a margin of 4,95,065 . a meeting of the Congress the second time in a row at the votes — sent his resignation     Working Committee, its high- hands of the Narendra Modi- from to Rahul. “The results are . 2 3  / 1 est decision-making body, on led BJP. It bagged only 52 seats depressing in UP. I find myself 4    5    Saturday, where, according to in this election. guilty of not discharging my   6!K                   P           !  " # sources, Rahul is likely to offer A senior party leader said responsibility in a proper man-      $% & '      ()             *     +, his resignation at the meet. the CWC will introspect the ner,” Babbar said.           9%$-%# 8 “The climber died at Camp  1/  IV after he fell ill near the bal-       wo Indians died on Mount cony area while returning from   /%3:8/ TEverest due to hours-long the summit,” Sherpa said and       2%8 %%&%'%)*'+, “traffic jam”, just days after added Bagwan was the leader hhattisgarh Congress on -*,&.&'/%))),*,&. expedition leaders and the of a two-member expedition. ne of the most wanted CThursday hit back at the ,%0,1&-&*% Nepal Government claimed Their deaths were attrib- Oactive terrorist comman- ‘mirror’ jibe of former Chief .*2'/,2*%/)&..%*0+ overcrowding on the world’s uted primarily to a long queue ders in Kashmir Valley, Zakir Minister Raman Singh, leader tallest mountain was not a of both ascending and descend- Musa, who was Burhan Wani’s of Opposition, Dharamlal *'+))&0+'&, worry. ing climbers, forcing many to successor and chief of Ansar Kaushik and OP Choudhary, )&3%%&%,&&,%) Indian climber Kalpana wait for hours at 8,000 metres Ghazwat-ul-Hind, was gunned stating that it is the BJP which Das, 49, reached the summit, plus altitudes. down by the joint team of needs to see the mirror. but died on Thursday after- A 65-year-old Austrian security forces in South Chhattisgarh Congress mirror. noon while descending as a climber, meanwhile, died on Kashmir’s Pulwama district Committee spokesperson Shukla also took a dig at large number of climbers the northern Tibet side of the late on Thursday night. Sushil Anand Shukla stated IAS-turned politician OP queued near the top. She was a mountain. Earlier this week, A senior police officer that before advising other to see Choudhary for sending a mir- member of the “Three Women Anjali Kulkarni (), 55, described his killing as the the mirror, former CM Raman ror to the Chief Minister Expedition”, Gyanendra and Donald Lynn Cash (USA), “biggest catch” for the securi- Singh should ponder over his Bhupesh Baghel. Shrestha, a liaison officer at the 55, died on the mountain. The dition agency. rock face at 8,790 metres — ty forces chasing top com- Hind, an affiliate of Al-Qaeda. image in the mirror. “If OP Choudhary is brave Everest base camp, was cited as woman’s expedition agency, Indian climber Ravi which many climbers said was manders in the South Kashmir Before joining the ranks of a “In the mirror Raman enough to see mirror then he saying by the Himalayan Times. Arun Treks and Expeditions, Thakar died while returning dislodged in the 2015 earth- districts to flush out holed up terror outfit in 2013, he was Singh will see glimpses of could find the stains of DMF Another Indian climber, said she died of “exhaustion”. from the summit last week. quake. In a “traffic jam”, ultras in the area. So far, 87 ter- studying engineering in a pri- wrong-governance, corruption scam. Even court has directed 27-year-old Nihal Bagwan The American climber A “traffic jam” occurs on exhausted climbers are often rorists have been eliminated by vate Punjab engineering col- and broken promises. He will to continue the probe into the from Maharashtra, died on his died while descending from the Everest when many climbers forced to wait for several hours the security forces in different lege. certainly find Civil Supplies, scam,” Shukla said. return from the summit. Babu summit, 15 metres below the vie for the summit at the same for their turn to ascend or operations across the Kashmir He hogged headlines for a Antagarh, DSK, Augusta “Mirror never lies and the Sherpa, managing director at Hillary Step, which stands at time and it can be especially descend on a single rope, Valley this year. long time after he threatened to Westland chopper purchase path of Congress is that of Peak Promotion Pvt Ltd, said 8,790 metres. “He died of alti- dangerous above 8,000 metres, increasing risks of exhaustion, A household name, Zakir behead separatist leaders of the and chit fund scams in the mir- truth. People who are facing the Bagwan breathed his last at tude sickness as he had lost called the “Death Zone”. frostbite or altitude sickness. Musa, was the lone surviving Hurriyat Conference for calling ror,” Shukla said, while adding charges of fraud and lies should Camp IV on Everest on the energy,” said Pasang Tenje The last steep challenge The number of Everest member of the Burhan Wani Kashmir a political dispute he (Raman Singh) will also find not show mirror to others,” he Nepal side after he was rescued Sherpa, chairman of Pioneer before the summit occurs after climbers in 2019 may exceed group. He was currently head- instead of a religious struggle Jheeram Ghati massacre in the added. by a group of Sherpas. Adventure, the climber’s expe- the Hillary Step — a vertical last year’s record of 807. ing the Ansar Ghazwat-ul- to establish an Islamic state.     !

 #,7 ,+-3 fate, while Congress’ Supaul $!"+  $+  " " % "= and two were fielded by with their victories over their MP lost. The Congress had also             5      5      Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). more renowned rivals. he 17th Lok Sabha will wit- fielded former BJP MP from AA  :5    A!= A!=   While Prem Singh Chandumarja With over 14 per cent Tness close to 200 sitting MPs, Patna Sahib, Shatrughan Sinha,  6A    +   +      lost from Anandpur Sahib, female MPs, the 17th Lok Sabha from the Lok Sabha and return- but he could not retain the seat.      5        .    Harsimrat Kaur Badal retained will have the highest number of ing to the House for another Two sitting MPs were                  the Bathinda seat. women candidates since 1952. term. Among them, there are nominated by the JD(U), while -              @= The AAP’s only seat in the In 16th Lok Sabha, 64 women around 30 women parliamen- three were fielded by the LJP.     "     2: @6 Lok Sabha elections came from had won, while 52 women were tarians. The Lok Sabha polls this All five of them won. Three Punjab where its sitting MP elected to the 15th Lok Sabha. time have seen the largest num- RJD MPs were also renomi- '!=@ "=!   3   7 !=   Bhagwant Mann retained the Irani emerged as a giant- ber of women being elected nated from the State, but had   2:    :  $  :5!"+  constituency. slayer — this time scripting a his- with their tally standing at 78. to face defeat. In Andhra : :5         As far as women parlia- toric win by dethroning Rahul According to the Election Pradesh, the Telugu Desam   4  5          mentarians are concerned, 78 Gandhi in the Congress’ home Commission’s data, as many as Party (TDP) had renominated   -      !C@3 !D+  5D= are women with Uttar Pradesh turf Amethi. Controversial BJP 197 sitting MPs, including 27 nine of its MPs, but could   9  95      5 @ and West Bengal leading at 11 candidate from Bhopal and ter- women parliamentarians, from retain only two of the seats,           each. A total of 724 women can- ror-accused Thakur won against the 2014 Lok Sabha polls have including Vijaywada and         !@+  didates contested from across former Chief Minister Digvijay managed to retain their seats Guntur. The YSR Congress the country with the Congress Singh. Other prominent names this general election. party retained the Kadapa and fielding the maximum women to enter Parliament are DMK Kiren Rijiju, Jual Oram, Rajampet seats in the State. renominated sitting MP Telangana, but could only retain ed 23 of its sitting MPs of which emerged victorious with com- at 54 followed closely by the BJP candidate from Thoothukkudi Radha Mohan Singh, Rajnath Assam saw two sitting MPs Mohammed Faizal PP from two, while four of them lost to nine could not retain their fortable margins. Similarly 14 of at 53. As many as 27 out of 41 Kanimozhi Karunanidhi and Singh, Nitin Gadkari and Babul each from the BJP and the Lakshadweep and secured the BJP. The AIADMK had reposed constituencies. BJP had renom- the 15 recontesting BJP MPs sitting women MPs, including BJP’s Rita Bahuguna, who won Supriyo are among over 145 sit- Congress in the fray. While the seat in 2019 as well. The CPI(M) its faith in seven sitting MPs in inated its lone MP from the were successful in Maharashtra, Sonia Gandhi, Hema Malini from Uttar Pradesh’s Allahabad ting BJP MPs from across the BJP duo won, the Congress ones had renominated its MPs from Tamil Nadu, but did not wrest state, Babul Supriyo, who while 15 of the Shiv Sena sitting and Kirron Kher, retained their constituency. Locket Chatterjee, country who have retained lost. The All India United two seats in Tripura, but both of a single seat. emerged victorious. MPs retained their seats. In seats in the Lok Sabha polls, but Bengali actress-turned-politi- their seats. Bihar saw 12 BJP Democratic Front retained its them lost to BJP. The TRS had In West Bengal, the The BJP fielded 16 sitting Punjab, the Congress had field- the likes of Smriti Irani and cian from the BJP, won in MPs successfully retesting their Dhubri seat. The NCP had renominated six of its MPs in Trinamool Congress had field- MPs in Rajasthan and all of them ed three sitting MPs who won Pragya Thakur stole the show Hooghly constituency.   #,7 ,+-3  #'$%B'*%   2&'),,0'2    .   5    5     3 *%#6A5AAA@A5AAA    he NDA may have swept #'$% !"     A5AAA   #'$% D5DA!    3,*#* TBihar, nevertheless, the   #'$% A"   #,7 ,+-3  A State topped the NOTA charts  3 "*330@ *)3%#  5AAA *'>*%%*)*+#  *3*'*'+ 0 &!" (5 '+%* 4  4  52: 9  5 9 in India with over 8 lakh vot- %*+) &!=C (  #'$%     he Lok Sabha this time 3%, %*'*'+ /    :  52: # # 5.  ers exercising that option in the *,,)/*% &!== ( *%*30*:        Twill have 300 first-term *'3&&', State. It forms 2 per cent of the     *%*'*) =5A6"&A6  members, compared to 314 in   3 52:  452: votes polled in the State.  ( #'$% 2014, including cricketer- &>*4*-&) Daman and Diu (1.7 per cent),  3 ,,*%%*+)#0=*%*,*'+ turned-politician Gautam - / 1- 52:   52: Andhra Pradesh (1.49 per cent) $),'/*#A = 5!6  %  O*'+'*/*% Gambhir, Union Ministers Ravi   .  5$. /  9  52: and Chhattisgarh (1.44 per  5ACD      !=5!=&!!! Shankar Prasad and Smriti  #,7 ,+-3    #'$% # 2  / 5$.  :   5 2: cent) followed in the list.  (#'$% Irani, sufi singer Hans Raj   !@=  :  $ 5 /    2 52: As per the election com-  /    :  O*,'**4 Hans and Bengali actresses 2: hree sitting Rajya Sabha mission data, the NOTA vote  #'$%   0'=*4     @5A"D&A@ Mimi Chakraborty and Nusrat 9    : 52: TMPs of the BJP and one share stood at about 2 per cent  3 *%+>&, !C5=D1  (#'$%0 Jahan Ruhi. :   9  from the DMK would move of the total votes polled in      #'$%  9  O$**'*+K.   /  Irani emerged as a giant- :  5+2: to the Lok Sabha following Bihar, where results of almost  '665AAA#'$%  4   K 5!@@&A killer after dethroning Congress $1   5 their win in the parliamentary all the 40 seats had been 3*2*%*+)  ( #'$% chief Rahul Gandhi in Amethi 2: elections. In contrast, one sit- declared. There was five con- by a margin of 55,120 votes. A ting Rajya Sabha MP from the stituency in the State which saw two-time Rajya Sabha MP, she Congress lost. 30,000 to 50,000 votes cast in the maximum number of vot- voters (0.9 per cent) had opted NOTA secured 1.79 per cent of had unsuccessfully contested in the Lok Sabha election. In Punjab’s Gurdaspur, From the BJP, its chief favour of NOTA while 17 con- ers rejected the candidates. A for NOTA in the 2014 parlia- the total votes polled in the the Lok Sabha polls in 2004 and Congress, DMK and TMC can- actor Sunny Deol Amit Shah, Union Ministers stituencies saw over 20,000 total of 19,246 voters in mentary elections. constituency. 2014. Gambhir, who was con- didates also defeated their rivals defeated Congress heavyweight Ravi Shankar Prasad and votes in favour of NOTA. Faridkot went for NOTA, as A high profile New Delhi In 2019 elections, in the testing from East Delhi, to secure a berth in Parliament. and sitting MP Jakhar Smriti Irani, and from the In States of Uttar Pradesh, per EC data available. constituency in the national key constituency of Varanasi — trounced Congress’ Arvinder In Tamil Nadu, DMK with a margin of 82,459 votes. DMK its leader Kanimozhi Gujarat and West Bengal, 0.84 Over 33,000 NOTA votes Capital, which saw the lowest the seat from where Prime Singh Lovely by a margin of leader and Rajya Sabha MP Actor Ravi Kishan also defeat- are among the prominent per cent, 1.38 per cent, 0.96 per were polled in Himachal turnout, had the second high- Minister Narendra Modi con- over 3.91 lakh. Kanimozhi scripted a win, ed Ram Bual Nishad in winners in the 2019 Lok cent votes were cast in favour Pradesh, where the ruling BJP est number of NOTA votes at tested the elections and won — Controversial BJP candi- defeating her BJP rival by over Gorakhpur by a margin of Sabha election who are sitting of NOTA. The counting was swept the Lok Sabha elections 6,601 accounting for 0.72 per saw 4,037 voters (0.38 per date from Bhopal and Malegaon 3.47 lakh votes in over three lakh votes. Rajya Sabha members. still on for a few seats in each winning all four seats in the cent of their total polling. North cent) opting for NOTA. blast accused, Pragya Thakur, Thoothukkudi constituency. Besides, Uttar Pradesh Shah, 54, was elected to of these States. State. The saffron party won East Delhi saw the highest voter Amongst other key con- defeated Congress’ bigwig In Madhya Pradesh’s Cabinet Minister Satydev the Upper House of Parliament NOTA, which was intro- Mandi, Shimla, Hamirpur, and turnout but received the least stituencies where results had Digvijay Singh to register her Chhindwara, Chief Minister Pachauri, who had unsuccess- in August 2017, making his duced in India following a Kangra with record margins of number of NOTA votes at 4,589 been declared, Amit Shah’s maiden win in a general election. Kamal Nath’s son Nakul won fully fought the 2004 election, parliamentary debut. 2013 Supreme Court direc- about four lakh votes in each of accounting for 0.31 per cent of Gandhinagar constituency saw Prasad, Union Minister his first Lok Sabha poll, defeat- won the Kanpur seat with a He won his first Lok tive, allows voters to express the constituencies. As many as the total votes cast in the con- 14214 (1.11 per cent) NOTA and Rajya Sabha MP, who was ing his BJP rival by 37,536 votes. margin of over 1.55 lakh votes, Sabha election from the their dissent by pressing a but- 33,008 voters chose the NOTA stituency. The percentage of votes and Ravi Shankar Prasad’s in the fray from Patna Sahib In West Bengal’s Jadhavpur defeating Congress’ Sriprakash Gandhinagar constituency by ton saying none of the contes- option. In this way, 0.87 per NOTA votes polled in Chandni Patna Sahib Constituency saw seat in Bihar, defeated sitting constituency, actress Mimi Jaiswal, who had won over a margin of over 5.57 lakh tants are worthy of their vote. cent voters opted for NOTA out Chowk, East Delhi, South Delhi, 5076 (0.52 per cent). The con- MP and Congress candidate Chakraborty scripted a maid- Pachauri in 2004. votes against his nearest rival As per EC’s data, more of the total 38,01, 793 votes and West Delhi stood at 0.52 per stituencies of Kerala’s Wayanad Shatrughan Sinha by a margin en win on a TMC ticket over BJP’s Rita Bahuguna Joshi Congress’ CJ Chavda. than 1.54 lakh voters exer- polled in the state on 19 May, cent, 0.39 per cent, 0.43 per cent, — where Congress scion Rahul of over 2.84 lakh votes, regis- Anupam Hazra of the BJP by a and Keshari Devi Patel also His colleagues in the cised NOTA option in Punjab an election official said. and 0.62 per cent respectively. Gandhi won from — saw 2,155 tering his first victory in a gen- margin of over 2.95 lakh votes. registered their maiden win in Rajya Sabha, Prasad and Irani, where the Congress registered Besides, 8,208 (0.22 per cent) In Jammu & Kashmir, voters (0.2 per cent) pressing eral election. Another actress and TMC the Lok Sabha election from who hold Law and Textile an impressive victory by win- votes were rejected for the about 8,000 voters opted for the NOTA button. In the national Capital, candidate from Basirhat, Allahabad and Phulpur seats, portfolios respectively, also ning eight of the 13 Lok Sabha four Lok Sabha seats of the hill- NOTA button in elections to In 2014 Lok Sabha polls, where the BJP made a clean Nusrat Jahan Ruhi, trounced respectively. Among other win- emerged victorious. seats in the general election. As State, he added. the Baramulla Parliamentary where it was introduced for the sweep of the seven seats, BJP’s Sayantan Basu of the BJP by a ners were LJP chief Ramvilas Irani, 43, who had earli- many as 1,54,423 voters (1.12 The highest 11,327 voters constituency which was won by first time in any parliamentary North West Delhi candidate margin of over 3.50 lakh. Paswan’s brother Pashupati er also served as an the HRD per cent of total votes polled) chose NOTA in Kangra, fol- National Conference’s election, around 60 lakh voters Hans Raj Hans pipped AAP’s West Bengal unit chief of Kumar Paras who won from Minister and the I&B Minister pressed the NOTA option, as lowed by 8,357 in Mohammad Akbar Lone. In had opted for the NOTA option Guggan Singh by a huge mar- the BJP Dilip Ghosh also reg- reserved seat of Hajipur in north in the Modi Government, per election office data. Among Shimla, 8,026 in Hamirpur Baramulla constituency of — equalling about 1.1 per cent gin of over 5.55 lakh votes. But, istered a win over TMC’s Bihar while BJP’s Tejasvi Surya proved herself to be a giant- 13 Lok Sabha seats, it was and 5,298 in Mandi, the official north Kashmir, 7,999 voters of the total votes polled during it wasn’t just BJP candidates Manas Ranjan Bhunia by a triumphed over his Congress killer as she dethroned Faridkot constituency where said. He said a total of 29,032 pressed the NOTA button. those elections across 543 seats. who scored their first-ever win margin of 88,952 votes. rival in Bangalore South. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi in Amethi by a margin of 55,120 votes, while Prasad, 64,  "   #,7 ,+-3 All three — Urmila dislodged sitting MP and for- Matondkar, Shatrughan Sinha mer BJP member Shatrughan n terms of winning percent- and Raj Babbar — from the Sinha who fought on a Iage registered by the stars glitzy world that the Congress Congress ticket by a margin of from the glamour world, the fielded, lost. So did Poonam over 2.84 lakh in Patna Sahib TMC fared better than the their respective seats.  '   $. 5   1  /  9    1$   won the election by a margin Sinha from SP and Nikhil constituency. BJP with 80 per cent of those Actor Mimi Chakraborty       - / 1-  2: of over three lakh votes. Kumar Swamy from JD(S). The TV actor-turned- it fielded winning at the hus- opened her political account on  $ $.K   %K8     5    Hema Malini, also known Actor-turned-politician and politician had twice fought the tings. The BJP had a strike rate a Trinamool Congress ticket .  5# 2  5  %  5 / 1  K   as ‘Dream Girl’, retained her former BJP rebel Shatrughan Lok Sabha election unsuc- of over 70 per cent while the after winning by a margin of        /   .  5 :    Mathura seat, defeating RLD Sinha, who defected to cessfully in 2004, losing to Congress, the SP and the JD (S) nearly 2.9 lakh votes from the    : #  9  2 &( candidate Kunwar Narendra Congress, lost to Union Congress leader Kapil Sibal in saw 100 per cent losses. prestigious Jadavpur Lok Sabha  %2:5    5 Singh by a margin of over three Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad Chandni Chowk constituen- Of the five filmstars the seat. It was in this seat that   2  :    + ;   lakh votes while actor-turned- by over 2.5 lakh votes. Urmila cy and in 2014 suffered defeat TMC fielded, only one Moon party chief Mamata Banerjee N#   O   politician Kirron Kher won a lost Mumbai North parliamen- at the hands of Rahul Gandhi Moon Sen lost. Sen, a sitting had trounced CPI(M) veteran second term from Chandigarh tary seat to BJP candidate Gopal in Amethi. MP from Bankura, was fielded and noted lawyer Somnath     5-   5 defeating her nearest rival Shetty by a huge margin of Besides the BJP MPs, in Asansol against BJP’s sitting Chatterjee in 1984. Pawan Kumar Bansal of more than 4.5 lakh votes while DMK’s 51-year-old MP and Union Minister Babul Pitted against BJP general stars it fielded, seven won with superstar Ravi Kishan and Sunil Jakhar of the Congress Congress by over 40,000 votes. Raj babbar lost Fatehpur Sikri Kanimozhi also scripted her Supriyo, who was a Bollywood secretary Sayantan Basu, anoth- Jaya Prada and Dinesh Lal Manoj Tiwari and Sufi singer from Gurdaspur seat. Deol Locket Chatterjee, opened seat by a margin of five lakh first win in a general election singer. Supriyo defeated Sen by er actor-turned-politician Yadav ‘Nirhaua’ being the only Hans Raj Hans won from the won the Gurdaspur con- the BJP account from Hooghly votes to BJP’s Rajkumar Chahar. as she defeated her BJP rival around 2 lakh votes in a con- Nusrat Jahan won Basirhat by two losers. Dinesh Lal Yadav, BJP on the Modi magic while stituency by 82,459 votes. by defeating the sitting TMC Actor Prakash Raj con- by over 3.47 lakh in test whose campaign was over 3.5 lakh votes. For her part, alias Nirhaua was defeated by south actor Sumlatha Ravi Kishan, an established MP Ratna De Nag while in tested from the Bangalore Thoothukkudi constituency. marred by violence. Satabdi Roy retained Birbhum SP chief Akhilesh Yadav from Ambareesh who was backed by actor in both Bollywood and Delhi, another Bhojpuri super- Central constituency as an However, Congress leader The four other stars from seat by a margin of 88924 votes Azamgarh seat while Jaya the BJP also won her seat against Bhojpuri film industry, faced star and BJP’s State unit chief Independent and even forfeit- and party’s Rajya Sabha MP B the TMC namely Mimi while Deepak Adhikary alias Prada lost to Azam Khan from Nikhil Swamy of the JD (S). off against Samajwadi Party’s Manoj Tiwari defeated three- ed his deposit. BJP candidate P K Hariprasad lost to young Chakraborty, Nusrat Jahan, Dev won Ghatal seat by a mar- Rampur seat. Making his political debut Rambhual Nishad and man- time former Chief Minister C Mohan defeated Congress’s Tejasvi Surya in Bangalore Deepak Adhikary alias Dev gin of over one lakh. Bollywood actor Sunny from BJP, actor Sunny Deol was aged to defend UP CM Yogi Sheila Dikshit by a margin of Rizwan Arshad by more than South constituency by a mar- and Satabadi Roy won from As for the BJP, of the nine Deol, Hema Malini, Bhojpuri pitted against the sitting MP Adityanath ‘s home turf. He over 3.5 lakh votes. 3.5 lakh votes. gin of over 3.31 lakh votes.  #,7 ,+-3 '&'&3'),%)*+ (Prevention) Act, 1967, the established the JMB’s links activities in India. New Delhi: Four new judges of Banerjee were recently part of ment of the four judges. notification said. with bomb blasts at Burdwan The JMB was engaged in the Supreme Court were the three members in-house The names of Justices Bose ndia on Friday declared the ,&0,.,L"*3**,A0A The listing under the First in West Bengal on October 2, recruitment and raising funds administered the oath of office panel headed by Justice SA and Bopanna were earlier IJamaat-ul-Mujahideen 0=*+'*'/*+) Schedule of the UAPA means 2014 and Bodh Gaya on for terrorist activities, pro- by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Bobde, which gave clean chit to returned by the Centre to the Bangladesh (JMB), accused for D"E#*220)+.&%,,%%&% the outfit is now a banned January 19, 2018. curement of explosives chem- Ranjan Gogoi on Friday, taking Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi Supreme Court collegium cit- the terror attack at a cafe in *,,*2>*,*2*.' *>*' organisation in India, a home According to the Home icals and assembling of their overall number to 31 -- after holding inquiry into the ing seniority and representa- Dhaka in 2016, as a terrorist 957L*)2&33,,+*'+ ministry official said. Twenty- Ministry notification, the JMB Improvised Explosives Devices, the full sanctioned strength of sexual harassment allegation tion of regions as the reasons. organisation. two people, including 17 for- came into existence in 1998 it said. Investigations have also the top court. levelled by a former apex court In its May 8 resolution, the In a notification, the Union -%&3&,+*2,)&.,%%&%)3 eigners, were killed in the with the objective of establish- revealed JMB’s plan of making Justices BR Gavai, Surya woman staffer against him. five-member collegium had Home Ministry said the outfit *'+*)4''/*/+' attack at the Holey Artisan ing an Caliphate through Jehad. permanent bases within ten Kant, Aniruddha Bose and AS The apex court, which was reiterated its recommendation has committed and promoted %*+2*)*,&'*'+ Bakery in Gulshan area of The JMB and its formations kilometers along the indo- Bopanna were administered the functioning with 27 judges, to elevate them, observing that acts of terrorism and has been %2%0,3',&.&0,).&% Bangladesh capital Dhaka on like Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh border in several oath of office by the CJI in court including the CJI has now nothing adverse has been engaged in radicalisation and ,%%&%),*2,,)' '+* July 1, 2016. During a joint India or Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen districts of West Bengal, Assam no.1 in the presence of several reached its full strength for the found regarding their compe- recruitment of youths for ter- operation, police killed six of Hindustan and their manifes- and Tripura and plans of other sitting apex court judges. first time since 2008 when tence, conduct or integrity. rorist activities in India. the attackers. tations have committed acts of spreading its network in South Among the 31 judges, the apex Parliament had increased their The collegium, headed by Therefore, the Jamaat-ul- Hindustan and all its manifes- The Bangladesh Police had terrorism, promoted acts of ter- India with an overarching court has three women judges — number from 26 to 31. the CJI, had also recommend- Mujahideen Bangladesh or tations have been inserted in blamed terror group JMB for rorism and have been engaged motive to establish Caliphate in Justices R Banumathi, Indu President Ram Nath ed the names of Justices Gavai Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen India the First Schedule to the the two terror attacks. Security in radicalisation and recruit- the Indian subcontinent, the Malhotra and Indira Banerjee. Kovind had on Wednesday and Kant for elevation to the or Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Unlawful Activities agencies in India have also ment of youths for terrorist notification said. Justices Malhotra and issued warrants of appoint- apex court. PTI | SATURDAY | MAY 25, 2019 chhattisgarh 03 Congress to observe Baghel sheds ‘Chhota Aadmi’ A new era is ushering ‘Martyrs’ day today To mark Jheeram anniversary prefix after Modi, Raman in India: Raman Singh RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee has decided to observe Martyr’s Day on the anniversary of Jheeram killing on remove ‘Chowkidar’ n STAFF REPORTER RAIPUR rejected the rule of anarchy as Saturday. well as the politics of vendetta of STAFF REPORTER n RAIPUR JP national vice president The party has instructed all the district the Congress government. and block units to organize programme in Band state’s former chief min- Chief Minister Baghel who hief Minister Bhupesh ister Raman Singh on Friday their respective headquarters and pay tribute Baghel on Friday removed was behaving like a political to the victims, who laid down their lives in C claimed that a new era is usher- leader of national stature too ‘Chhota Aadmi’ prefix from ing in the country as the BJP has Maoist attack. had bitten the dust as wherever his Twitter handle after Prime scripted a new history, alterna- Notable, on May 25, 2013 top leadership he campaigned including Minister Narendra Modi and tive to that of the grand-old of the state Congress including the then PCC state’s former chief minister Amethi, Lucknow and Bhopal, Congress, by forming a majority Chief Nandkumar Patel, Mahendra Karma, Raman Singh dropped their Congress lost the elections. government of its own for the Uday Mudliyar, Yogendra Sharma, Gopi ‘chowkidar’ prefixes. second time. Even the people of his own Madhwani lost their lives in a Maoist attack. Baghel started using the Addressing a press confer- constituency had rejected him Veteran leader Vidyacharan Shukla prefix “Chhota Aadmi” after ence here at the party’s state and he should now look at him- succumbed to his injuries on June 11. The Raman called him by that headquarters Ekatma Parisar, self in the same mirror which he Congress will also observe the death name before media persons Raman said people of the coun- had sent to the prime minister, anniversary of Shukla as Martyrs day, official close on the heels of BJP lead- try had reposed faith on prom- Raman added. Criticising sources informed. ers using Chowkidar prefix. ises made by the Prime Minister saying people of Chhattisgarh Baghel for his tweet and com- Sources further informed that The BJP’s leaders did so to integral part of him but now Following Modi’s move, Narendra Modi and rooted for have rejected the five-month- ment on Prime Minister symposiums would also be organised at each counter Congress’s the time has come to take the several BJP leaders of the state, him in the elections. He also old Congress government as it Narendra Modi, Raman further and every district and block headquarters “Chowkidar chor hai’ cam- spirit to the next level. including Raman, removed the thanked the people of has lost ground in 66 of the 68 said it’s time now for us to ask where contribution of the martyrs would be paign against Prime Minister He further assured the prefix. Chhattisgarh for overwhelm- seats, which they had won question to Baghel whether he highlighted. The distiguished speakers would Narendra Modi. countrymen that he will keep The Congress leaders in ingly supporting BJP and Modi. during the assembly polls will demand resignation from also threw light on the personality of the Though the Prime this spirit alive every moment the state too removed the Raman further hit out at conducted five months ago. his party president for the departed leaders and homage would be paid Minister in his tweet said the and continue to work for prefix ‘Chhota Aadmi’ soon Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, The people of Chhattisgarh humiliating poll debacle. to them. word “Chowkidar” remains an India’s progress. after CM did so. Raman must introspect on Fire breaks out at Bhilai Steel Suspected Maoist held assembly poll debacle plant: No casualties reported SUKMA: A suspected Maoist, who was reportedly wanted in connection with the STAFF REPORTER n BHILAI killing of two men under Kistaram police shunning arrogance: Cong station limits of fire broke out at Tar Distillation insurgency-hit STAFF REPORTER n RAIPUR months old performance. AUnit of Steel Authority of India Sukma, was Instead of showing arrogance over his (SAI)’s Bhilai plant on Friday arrested, police tate Congress on Friday sharply reacted party’s Lok Sabha poll performance, morning, but there was no report of said here on to former chief minister Raman Singh’s S Raman should contemplate why people of any loss of life or injury. Friday. remark against Chief Chhattisgarh had rejected him According to a SAI press release According Minister Bhupesh Baghel and his government only five the fire broke out at Coke Ovens and to police, the over the ruling party’s Lok months ago. Coal Chemicals (CO&CC) ultra was iden- Sabha performance in the department at 8.30am. “There is a wide difference tified as Veeti state. Immediately, the fire tenders in the working style of Sukka (21), a The party reminded Baghelji and Raman Singh. were rushed to the site and the blaze Raman that only five months was promptly controlled. resident of The intention of Baghel gov- Kistaram police station limits. ago the people of ernment is to provide benefit “There has been no loss of life or “Sukka was nabbed by a team of Chhattisgarh had discarded to the majority of the people, any injury to any of the persons spot for coordinating efforts to con- Raipur Nagar Nigam also reached them and they had suffered a the poor and the farmers and working in or around the site,” the trol the fire and damage. the area as standby arrangement. Special Task Force (STF) and district humiliating defeat in the that’s why it waived off the release said. “Ten fire tenders were pressed A committee has been constitut- police during a search operation in the assembly polls. farm loan of defaulting farm- The reason for the fire is being into service and around 50 firemen ed by the plant’s Chief Executive jungle near Karimgunda village,” a local In a statement Congress’s state general ers within three hours of Bhagelji taking probed into. and officers of the Plant’s Fire Officer (CEO). police officer said. secretary and chairman communication oath as a chief minister”, he said. “On the Meanwhile, there has not been Services Dept bravely fought the fire, Under the chairmanship of Sukka was wanted in connection with wing Shailesh Nitin Trivedi said instead of other hand the priority of Raman govern- any disruption in the plant’s normal which was controlled by around Executive Director (Materials the killing of Podiyami Mutta (40) and blaming the leadership of Baghel for the ment was corruption and that was why operation. 11.30am,” the release added. Management), the committee will Kako Lacchu (21). Both of them were Congress’s debacle in the Lok Sabha polls, they suffered a humiliating poll debacle in Senior officers of the plant, One fire tender from NSPCL and probe into the cause of fire and also abducted and killed by suspected armed Raman should introspect on his own five the assembly polls of 2018”, he added. including CEO and EDs reached the two fire tenders each from Durg and estimate the extent of damage. Maoists a few months ago, police said. Over 70% tendu-leaf collection target met STAFF REPORTER n RAIPUR n the current season till date, near- Ily 13.50 lakh standard sacks of tendu leaves have been collected from forests through primary forest produce cooperative societies in Chhattisgarh, which is nearly 70 percent of the total target, according to an official estimate. There is tremendous enthusiasm among tendu leave collectors as the collection rate has been hiked from Rs 2500 to Rs 4000 per standard sack, a government statement said. sources informed. Forest officials nabbed a multi Official sources further Rakesh Chaturvedi, Managing utility vehicle from Dhamni range of informed that in this season till date, Director of Chhattisgarh State Balrampur at Uttar Pradesh border Bastar region had collected more Minor Forest Produce (Trade and recently and seized 52 thousand tendu leaves sacks than the set tar- Development) alerted all the sacks, sources said. get. 1 lakh 26 thousand standard District Forest Officials about illegal Similarly illegal trafficking of sacks were collected as against the trafficking of tendu leaves at the tendu leaves was also checked at target of One lakh 11 thousand stan- bordering districts of the state. Ramnagarkala village of Balrampur BJP national vice-president and former chief minister Raman Singh congratulated his party candidate from Raipur dard sacks of tendu patta at collec- Illegal trafficking of tendu leaves range in Jharkhand border from constituency Sunil Soni on his victory. He was accompanied by Chhattisgarh BJP chief Vikram Usendi and leader of tion centers of Bijapur, Sukma, is also reported in the bordering dis- where five motor cycles were seized Dantewada and Bastar district tricts of Balarampur range, official while illegally transporting tendu Opposition Dharamlal Kaushik. Soni has defeated Pramod Dubey of Congress with a huge margin of 3.48 lakh votes. unions of Jagdalpur forest circle, sources informed. leaves. ‘Chhollywood’ a dream of loss? Minister proposes ‘Sanskriti Haat’ at Ghasidas museum Hardly one pc Chhattisgarhi movies making profit STAFF REPORTER n ANKIT MISHRA n RAIPUR ernment’s support is the key for tiplexes against Chhattisgarhi RAIPUR the survival of Chhollywood. cinema, he questioned: “Are the here is nothing rosy about “Our state is small, and multiplex East India Company? hhattisgarh Minister TChhattisgarhi film industry Chhattisgarhi is not spoken in They (East India Company) Cfor Tourism and as 99 percent producers are the northern region like used to write before their the- Culture and Home making movies on loss. They Surguja or in southern part like aters ‘Dogs and Indian are not Affairs Tamradhwaj are not even able to raise the Bastar. Ironically, Chhattisgarhi allowed’. The Chhattisgarhi Sahu instructed the offi- publicity cost of their movies. is spoken in rural regions, but movies are getting almost simi- cials to prepare a work Against such a backdrop majority of the movie theaters lar treatment in multiplexes.” plan for establishing a how long can this industry sur- are based in urban regions. “Today Chhattisgarhi cine- ‘Sanskriti Haat’ at vive on its own, noted Urban audience considers it a ma is the only active medium Mahant Ghasidas Chhollywood film director bit down-market to watch a that is promoting our culture. Museum premises. Satish Jain ponders. Chhattisgarhi cinema.” We portray local dance forms An instruction to Jain spoke with ‘The According to Jain, current- like Sua, Karma, Dadariya and this regard was given by would benefit from it. Sanskriti Haat. Pioneer’ over an array of issues ly there are around 40 theaters others in our movies. We shoot him while inspecting the The minister also The minister also plaguing the industry despite Jain had directed the movie movies. A few of his movies in Chhattisgarh out of which movies in scenic locations of museum on Friday earmarked a space for it inspected in museum, being busy with the post-pro- ‘Mor Chhaiya Bhuiyan’, which like ‘Maya’ and ‘Tura around 25 screens are only the state. Most of the producers morning. beside Gadhkalewa and the statues of archeologi- duction of his upcoming movie was Chhollywood’s first block- Riskhawala’ made good money available for Chhattisgarhi in our industry are making Handicraft and instructed the concerned cal importance and gave ‘Hans Jhan Pagli Fans Jabe’, buster released in 2000. even as the Chhollywood was movies. movie incurring losses. The artifacts would be on officials to construct necessary instructions scheduled to hit the screens on Since then Jain had pro- considered a sinking ship. Sharing his agony over the government should step in and display for sale at the adequate numbers of for their conservation June 14. duced, directed dozens of According to Jain state gov- alleged discrimination by mul- support us,” he advocates. haat and local artists stalls for establishing and maintenance.    ! 

#  % !      ?%%: Bhopal: Bhopal Lok Sabha over Digvijaya Singh. She set the Kamal Nath cabinet, was nearly 20,000 votes to their Mahatma Gandhi slogans. made by the party in 2014. seat continues to be in focus the lead from the first round managing Digvijaya Singh's party kitty. Prime Minister Narendra "The BJP won by New Delhi: A day after being port, the AAP had secured 29.49 even after the election process of counting and sustained it campaign. Thakur, who secured 8.65 Modi, who had said he would diverting the entire election routed in the Lok Sabha contest, per cent of votes. In the 2015 is over. for all 26 rounds, except the The Congress suffered a lakh votes to register a mas- never be able to forgive campaign on the false per- Delhi's ruling AAP on Friday Assembly polls, this zoomed to The humiliating defeat of third and fourth. Digvijaya dent of 39,355 votes in his sive win by over 3.62 lakh Thakur for her comment on ception of the threat to the said there is no alternative to 54.34 per cent and helped the former Madhya Pradesh Singh's gains were only from segment since the asembly votes, polled nearly two per Godse, will now confront her country's security and not Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal AAP bag 67 of the 70 Assembly Chief Minister Digvijaya Bhopal Central and North elections. cent less votes than Alok in the Parliament. on any developmental in Delhi and said the party will seats. Singh (Congress) at the hands segments. The other segments rep- Sanjar, her party's outgoing The question is whether planks," he said. win the Assembly elections due Rai said the AAP scored low of political rookie Though his votes did not resented by Arif Aqueel and MP. the party which has served all Thakur, on the other in February without any alliance. now as the Lok Sabha elections Sadhvi Pragya Thakur (BJP) match the crowd seen during Arif Masood suffered a drop The three segments rep- three Godse supporters with hand, addressed the press to Speaking to the media, AAP were highly polarized. is a case study for those the campaign, Digvijaya of over 16,000 votes. resented by the Congress show cause notices will taken say that the leader Gopal Rai said the Aam "People voted for a Prime assessing the voting pattern in Singh still managed to garner Digvijaya Singh did gain mar- MLAs who improved the any action now that all of people had proved that there Aadmi Party will contest the Minister's face. People were the constituency's assembly more than 5.2 per cent more ginally in the assembly seg- party's tally during the recent them have won their elec- was nothing like "Hindu ter- Assembly elections on its own, shown that it was (Narendra) segments. than P.C. Sharma who con- ment of BJP's former state assembly elections failed to tions. rorism" as the Congress was after a failed bid to sew up a tie- Modi for the PM post and if not Thakur got 61.52 per cent tested the seat in 2014. minister Vishwas Sarang. The keep the tempo during the Digvijaya Singh lamented publicising. up with the Congress for the Lok Modi it was Rahul Gandhi. AAP votes, 25.84 percentage points Sharma, now a minister in other BJP candidates added Lok Sabha poll. The five BJP that the ideology of the killers Interestingly, Chief Sabha battle in the national cap- was not offering any PM face. legislators on the other hand of Mahatma Gandhi was pre- Minister Kamal Nath had ital. Even those who voted for BJP all ensured a higher voting in ferred over that love, peace, warned his ministers to "There will be no alliance for and Congress have told us that Thakur's favour. truth and non-violence pro- ensure the party candidates' the Assembly battle. We will con- they will vote for Kejriwal in the Some BJP supporters had moted by the father of the victory in their test on our own," he said. Assembly polls and there is no raised slogans in favour of nation. respective segments, failing The vote share of the AAP alternative of Kejriwal in Delhi." Mahatma Gandhi's assassin He said while he respect- which they should be pre- in the 2019 general elections He said the AAP played up Nathuram Godse - whom ed the people's verdict, it was pared to quit. This, by impli- shrunk to 18 per cent, from 32.90 the issue of full statehood in the Thakur had termed a "patri- sad that though the BJP has cation, means Kamal Nath per cent in 2014. Lok Sabha elections but people ot", when she arrived at one won these polls, it never would be the sole minister to In the 2013 Assembly polls, did not vote on local issues. of the polling booths. They talked about what it had done survive! when Kejriwal formed a 49-day "People voted for the nation were countered by pro- for fulfilling the promises IANS government with Congress sup- and national issues." IANS ;9 <=    "  cent vote share (7357347) in par- electorate) while the remaining .-%# 34%/- liamentary polls, winning all 10 75 percent are non-Jats, which seats. In 2014 Lok Sabha polls, include Dalits, Brahmins, s Prime Minister Narendra the party had won seven seats, Yadavs, Gujjars, Baniyas, Rajputs AModi roared back to power managing to get a vote share of among others. Dalits voters with a historic mandate in par- 34.7 per cent as compared to form around 20 percent in the liamentary elections that saw a 17.21 per cent in 2009 when it state. saffron sweep bigger than the failed to win any seat. “Modi wave” coupled with party got five years ago in The BJP candidates won the BJP’s strategy of non-Jat polar- Haryana, a “perfect 10” for the elections with margins of more ization not only proved the Bharatiya Janata Party left the than lakhs of votes except caste arithmetic of opposition Congress and regional parties Rohtak nominee Arvind wrong but also resulted in defeat dazed and demolished in the Sharma, who wrested the of their heavyweight candidates. state. Rohtak seat from three-time MP Congress’ heavyweight Jat Riding high on “Modi wave”, Deependra Singh Hooda with a leader and former Chief the BJP won all 10 Lok Sabha margin of 7503 votes, in a close Minister Bhupinder Singh seats in Jatland-Haryana, sur- contest. Hooda and his son Deepender passing its last Lok Sabha elec- The Election Commission Singh Hooda, a three-time MP tion tally. The saffron party data suggested that the BJP lost the poll battle from their managed to wrest Rohtak, a maintained its lead in as many bastions –Sonipat and Rohtak. Congress bastion and other two as 79 assembly constituencies Even as the party’s vote Lok Sabha seats of Hisar and out of total 90 in the general elec- share increased to 28.42 percent Sirsa, which it had lost in gen- tions. (3604106) this time from 22.9 eral elections 2014. As the results is a ringing percent in 2014 polls, the As the BJP made hand- endorsement of popularity of Congress failed to register a vic- some gains in northern state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, tory even on a single seat in the Haryana, its vote share also the saffron surge in Haryana also state and all its candidates fin- soar past 50 percent. Out of the suggested how the BJP has ished at second spot except in 70 percent of Haryana’s nearly grown from strength to strength Hisar seat. 1.80 crore people who voted, 58 since 2014 parliamentary polls In 2014, Deepender Hooda percent voted for the BJP in in the state. Until 2014, the was the lone Congress MP to entire Haryana. Congress and Indian National register victory but this time, he Its main challenger- Lok Dal were the major parties could not retain Rohtak seat and Congress could not retain its in the state. the party drew a blank in bastion-Rohtak and also failed The clean sweep by BJP, Haryana. to open its account in the state which focused on consolidation All Congress’ bigwigs in Lok Sabha polls while the of non-Jat votes in Haryana, also including two-time former Chief regional party’s vote percentage indicated towards the waning Minister Hooda, his son remained in single digit in influence of the Jats. Deepender, state party chief Haryana, where the State The Jat community has Ashok Tanwar, Rajya Sabha MP Assembly polls are due to be dominated the state politics Kumari Selja tasted defeat at the held later this year. with Haryana witnessing the hands of BJP candidates, who Chief Minister Manohar rule of Jat Chief Ministers name- had sought votes in the name of Lal Khattar is leading the BJP ly Bansi Lal, Om Prakash PM Modi. Government in Haryana. The Chautala and Bhupinder Singh In 2014 general polls, the BJP has 48 MLAs and its arch Hooda in the past three decades. Congress had lost eight of the rival, Congress has 17 MLAs in Jats are counted as the dom- nine seats it had won in 2009 the 90-member Haryana inant vote bank constituting and saw its vote share declining Assembly. about 29 percent of state’s pop- to 22.9 per cent as compared to The ruling BJP got 58 per- ulation (around 25 percent of the 41.77 per cent in 2009. 9  .-%# 34%/- bers, personnel of Haryana in the state. He also expressed Police and Central satisfaction over getting full aryana chief electoral offi- Paramilitary Forces for their support from the public, polit- Hcer Rajeev Ranjan and active contribution in the suc- ical parties and their repre- Director General of Police cessful organization of elec- sentatives. (DGP) Manoj Yadava on tions in the state in a free, fair Yadava said Haryana Friday said that the general and transparent manner. Police maintained same tempo election to the 17th Lok Sabha DGP Manoj Yadava com- till completion of the counting in the state concluded peace- plimented the police officers, of votes across the state. We fully. jawans and personnel of have also received complete Ranjan congratulated all Central paramilitary forces support from the Central the officers and officials of var- for effective functioning Government which had pro- ious departments, returning ensuring peaceful and inci- vided adequate number of officers, assistant returning dent-free completion of entire Central armed paramilitary officers and their team mem- electoral process at all places forces for elections, he said.    !   !

" D " $% &(  F 79       +'# '# *-*'*%*DE  H    DA   5 n embattled Theresa May >@     Aannounced on Friday that  7%-3#4$'#  ,   she would resign as the UK’s D       Conservative leader on June 7 emocratic congressional )  $  “in the best interests of the Dleader Nancy Pelosi on   $  country”, paving the way for a Thursday said Donald Trump $ I  contest to decide the new   +'# '# Prime Minister. is angry that her party is not       Prime Minister after she failed It said that May’s successor rushing to impeach him, as the   5   to win over her Ministers with ritain’s ruling Conservative as party leader and prime min- relationship reached new lows     a revised strategy to withdraw Bparty on Friday said it was ister was expected to be in place with the rivals trading crude  7%-3#4$'#     Britain from the European “saddened” by Theresa May’s by parliament’s summer recess personal barbs. Union. announcement to resign as the which is set for July 20. It was the second straight resident Donald Trump has  #8   A visibly tearful May said party leader on June 7, but “We are saddened by her day of a very public war of Pdirected the US intelligence  G  she would step down as leader understands why such a step decision but understand it, words between Trump and the community to “quickly and )*3*4*+ % of the Conservative Party on was required. and thank her for her years of speaker of the House of fully cooperate” with Attorney     June 7, with a leadership con- In a joint statement by the service to our Party and our Representatives, who earlier General William Barr’s inves- J      test for a new Prime Minister     +                Tory party headquarters and nation, not just as Prime questioned the president’s men- tigation of the origins of the :   5     to kick off the following week ' 23!       4   "  ) the vice-chairs of the influen- Minister but over many tal fitness for office and multiyear probe of whether    1 @ starting June 10. She would tial 1922 Committee of the decades before that,” notes the expressed hope that those close his 2016 campaign colluded     meanwhile stay on caretaker party’s backbench MPs, the joint statement by to Trump would stage an inter- with Russia.  5   PM until a new incumbent has Conservatives laid out the Tory chair Brandon Lewis and vention “for the good of the The move Thursday been elected by the Tories. > process for choosing a new 1922 Committee vice-chairs country.” marked an escalation in 59     “I will shortly leave the job party leader who would go on Cheryl Gillan MP and Charles Trump responded by Trump’s efforts to “investigate   H   that it has been the honour of E to succeed May as Britain’s Walker. branding Pelosi “crazy Nancy,” the investigators,” as he con- ='/ $   my life to hold,” the 62-year-old  /8,+ personal joy,” a spokeswoman in what appeared to be the first tinues to try to undermine the   May said. said, adding that the council of time he ascribed a pejorative findings of special counsel         “The second female Prime he European Union said EU leaders has “set out its posi- nickname to the woman who is Robert Mueller’s probe amid     . O Minister, but certainly not the TFriday that Prime Minister tion” on the Brexit deal. his congressional nemesis. mounting Democratic calls to  4 :  last. I do so with no ill will, but Theresa May’s resignation does Some of the candidates to The back-and-forth attacks bring impeachment proceed- % !!  with enormous and enduring nothing to change its position replace May as leader of the E are highlighting the bitter feud ings against Trump. 5      gratitude to have had the on the Brexit withdrawal deal Conservative Party and thus  ,/+3# Prime Minister Theresa May that has swelled since the    $ opportunity to serve the coun- that its members agreed with prime minister have said they announced her resignation. release last month of the spe- energising Trump’s core  C     try I love.” Britain. EU Commission would seek to change the terms ermany will keep working Merkel said that she “of cial counsel’s report on Russian voters during his    $ $ The outgoing Prime President Jean-Claude Juncker of the divorce deal she Gtowards an “orderly” course respects the decision” of interference in the 2016 US re-election bid.   5    Minister said she had kept noted May’s decision “without negotiated. Brexit, Chancellor Angela May, adding that they had election. Trump is “disappointed”  5    Queen Elizabeth II informed of Merkel said Friday, hours after always worked well together. According to Pelosi, that the Democrats are holding  % 1  her exit timetable, meaning ling the deficit, reducing unem- The UK was to have left the Trump’s strategy is to get his off for now, Pelosi said, even as        she would be presiding over US ployment and boosting fund- 28-member economic bloc by the chair of the Conservative be in place by the end of July. opponents to commit them- they intensify congressional /5   5 President Donald Trump’s state ing for mental health. March 29 but failed to meet Party’s influential 1922 “I have done everything I selves to impeachment — a investigations into the presi-     visit to the UK in early June. But she admitted: “It is and that deadline and now faces a Committee of backbench MPs can to convince MPs to back process that would almost cer- dent’s links to Russia and his  5    May listed a series of what will always remain a matter of renewed Brexit deadline of on Friday. As her three-year that [Brexit] deal. Sadly, I have tainly pass in the House, and alleged obstruction of justice —      she said were her government’s deep regret to me that I have October 31. May was expected premiership comes to a close, not been able to do so. I tried then fail in the Republican- probes that Trump is trying to     achievements, including tack- not been able to deliver Brexit.” to resign after a meeting with a new Tory leader expected to three times,” she said. controlled Senate, ultimately block. * F , 5' ,   +    '    '+'   .'+'' raq’s top diplomat Friday called on Iran to ri Lankan police on Friday Montgomery (US): A federal Irespect the landmark deal covering its nuclear Sarrested five suspects, lawsuit filed Friday asks a judge programme, which has been weakened by the US allegedly having links with to block an Alabama law that decision to withdraw from it and Tehran’s local Islamist group National outlaws almost all abortions, backing away from certain commitments. Thowheed Jamaath (NTJ) and the most far-reaching attempt “We think the JCPOA is a good agreement,” its leader Zahran Cassim, the by a conservative state to seek said Iraq’s Foreign Minister Mohammed Ali al- mastermind behind the Easter new restrictions on the proce- Hakim, referring to the Joint Comprehensive Sunday bombings. The five dure. Plan of Action signed by Iran in 2015 with Russia, suspects were arrested from the The American Civil China, Germany, Britain and the United States. north central region of Liberties Union and Planned Under the terms of the deal, the UN’s nuclear Horowpothana on the day Parenthood filed the lawsuit on watchdog, the International Atomic Energy when the Parliament extended behalf of abortion providers Agency, is charged with regular inspections of the state of emergency with 22 seeking to overturn the declared facilities in Iran such as uranium mines lawmakers voting for it and Alabama law that would make and centrifuge workshops for up to 25 years. eight Tamil National Alliance performing an abortion at any The aim is to ensure that Iran is not hold- members voting against it. stage of pregnancy a felony ing undeclared stocks of nuclear Sri Lankan President punishable by up to 99 years or material and is not enriching uranium past a cer- Maithripala Sirisena life in prison for the abortion tain level. Wednesday announced to provider. The only exception “We encourage the Iranian Government to extend by a month the state of would be when the woman’s stick to the JCPOA and stick to the spirit of the emergency imposed in the health is at serious risk. agreement and continue with it,” he told wake of the deadly Easter The law is set to take effect reporters in Oslo during a press briefing at a con- Sunday bombings that killed in November unless blocked by ference on combating sexual violence in human- nearly 260 people. a judge. AP itarian crises. Q-R GH 2/$  > -/ H *33 $01!-  %#%%  ;%#4'# emen’s internationally 45 Yrecognised president sent a  7%-3#4$'# yanmar must “show letter to the UN secretary- Mresults” to convince general criticising his envoy to S officials say the Trump administration Rohingya refugees to return, the war-torn Arab country Uhas notified Congress it plans to send 1,500 the UN’s High Commissioner over allegedly siding with Iran- troops to the Middle East amid heightened ten- for Refugees Filippo Grandi aligned Houthi rebels, sions with Iran. Officials said members of said Friday at the end of his first the president’s office said on Congress were notified following a White visit to Myanmar since the Friday. House meeting Thursday to discuss Pentagon crackdown against Rohingya In the letter addressed to proposals to bolster the US force presence in Muslims in 2017. Antonio Guterres, Yemeni the Middle East. The officials spoke on Friday A brutal military campaign President Abed Rabbo on condition of anonymity because the troop in western Rakhine state forced Mansour Hadi accuses Martin plans have not yet been formally announced. some 740,000 Rohingya over Griffiths, the UN special envoy Earlier this week, officials had said that the border into Bangladesh. to Yemen, of undermining Pentagon planners had outlined plans that could Around one million chances for peace. have sent up to 10,000 military reinforcements Rohingya now languish in Hadi also warned his gov- to the region. Acting Defence Secretary Patrick sprawling refugee camps from ernment would stop dealing Shanahan later said planners hadn’t settled on various waves of persecution. with the UN envoy. a figure.    ! # $      K    M$ :     K   K

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%P  "% he return of Mr Narendra Modi          S R     with a generous mandate for the  S            second time makes it necessary to  go into the rest of the phenome-   !""# P %Q'     non. When he was elected in 2014, ( ')   '  *+ ,'-!  thereT were experts who felt that the people     .      /   % had voted with their feet. Even tolerant Indians could not take the gargantuan cor- !""0 *,'  S ,     ruption presided over by the financially hon- ,(    *1 2 ' '  3  est Dr Manmohan Singh. Being entirely new / 2( '( ')    !"4#2  to Delhi and Central politics, Modi was looked upon as a parvenu, who would play 5  S    ##   6 )% ( *!"40    out his time rather like a cricket nightwatch-          (' )  S      man. With demonetisation, many a veteran   2  ''  '   '  '  . of the Lutyens establishment was astound- ed. Actually, if an economy is to be modern,    '* (   '   '     it cannot indefinitely run on two sledges, (S    2(   ''    white and black: the latter had to be eventu- ' '   (  * ally eliminated. This did not make the vet- erans more sympathetic to Modi. Instead, in 7'   .    ' '  order to condemn demonetisation, they inno- 1.  )%   3  2 ( )  ' vated and created a new expression— “infor- '  (  % 28  3 .8    * mal sector” — for the Black economy. The GST was originally initiated by the       '  ' S '   '   Manmohan Singh government and yet / 3  /       % '    ( '  when the Modi government introduced it,  '*5      (  ' ' '   ' (. the tax was repeatedly criticised by Singh’s yearn for overseas, are not for it were, grew up parallel with the speech. He began with accord- Planning Commission’s work party, the Congress. Modi’s Pakistan policy Modi. growth of the computer and ing importance to society with ended with sanctioning the year’s     (       ) )2          ' was frequently denounced until Balakot. Narendra Modi is a mod- could operate the electronic the slogan Swacch Bharat. Even Plan expenditure. The Finance 6 '    '         However, that he was the first Indian leader erniser of the country and with- machine with aplomb, and he earlier, his election campaign Ministry disbursed the money. 1 */    '   '  '     . to be invited to address the British Parliament in it. It is true that Jawaharlal did try to introduce its use in theme of 2014 was development, Thereafter, implementation and  *%  ' (   ' -   . and to be asked for an exclusive lunch by Her Nehru was for his time, a mod- government institutions. But which willy-nilly implied mod- monitoring were entirely the Majesty the Queen at Buckingham Palace ern person. He did think of before he could go far, he lost the ernisation. “Sabka Saath Sabka State’s function. In the bargain, '   '   (   ( 9%%S *+  evoked no compliment from the honourable building irrigation dams, facto- 1989 election and went out of Vikas” clearly implies participa- there was over-expenditure, mis-  '     .  ('   S  (. Opposition. Instead, the Prime Minister was ries that could build advanced power. In any case, he might not tion of all for the purpose of use of funds and inflation. With      ('   P      '2Q accused of destroying institutions. In short, machines, starting Indian have been able to go very far progress. the abolition of the Commission, Mr Modi remained a parvenu in the Lutyens Institutes of Technology as well because he could not motivate One of the first steps Modi inflation has come down quite  (  ( ' ' '    '  ( circle, who hoped he would be marginalised as Management, giant steel men with the same aptitude he took after becoming Prime remarkably.   S     *3  / S ' (   '   in the just held general election. In order to plants and so on. When he could move machines. Before we Minister was to abolish the Many reforms were intro-       '  (      ) ' . make sure that he does not return to power, became Prime Minister, the move to another prime minister, Planning Commission with the duced, especially keeping the the Congress president called him a thief on country was give or take, living we should not forget to record help of a Cabinet resolution. This poor people in mind. It is not  , ' ': '     ' '     '   . an average three times a day. Unfortunately in the 19th century. That India that millions of telephones were was possible because Nehru had that the previous governments  *   ;S ''  for the Congress president and his party, the could catch up and become installed in India during Rajiv set up the Commission by a had not thought of them, but a   '(/  people of India decided otherwise. contemporary was not part of Gandhi’s time. Cabinet decision. Such a large chunk of the money ear- Why have the people of India chosen Mr our thought medium. However, Prime Minister P. V. Herculean economic step was marked was kept back by mid-  S ..' '    Modi for a second term in the face of the most while Nehru did build numerous Narasimha Rao, compelled by taken without going to dlemen. As Rajiv Gandhi in his '   *   . furious opposition that any prime ministe- temples of modernity in a dom- dire financial circumstances as Parliament, perhaps because time had said, only 15 per cent  ( ,      '  rial candidate has ever faced in independent inantly agrarian society, he did he stepped into power, did bring Nehru was apprehensive that the reached the poor person. Mr India? Every political party in the opposition not bring about a revolution in about an economic revolution. comparatively conservative Modi’s policy has been to ensure '  <    ( 2 /  had one common programme and that was the minds of the people that they From a party wedded to a social- members of the Constituent that all poor people should have           to remove Modi from power. Such a unan- needed to modernise and in istic pattern of society, it had now Assembly might not approve of their own bank accounts, where-  )        imous opposition agenda was last seen in turn, could put their shoulder to no choice but to overturn it into such a commission. After all, in monies due to them can be 1977 against Indira Gandhi’s Emergency. But modernising the country. In promoting laissez faire. In short, national planning was intro- remitted directly. All in all, it      '*   . the masses of India perceived Narendra Modi other words, he could not con- he embarked on a path of eco- duced by the Soviet Union in the would be fair to say that through      2 '. as the first leader who had risen from the soil vert modernisation into a mass nomic liberalisation as a step name of Gosplan. Incidentally, the last millennium, India expe-    S 4=>  /  2  and loved his motherland more than every- movement. towards globalisation. Atal Bihari one of the reasons for the col- rienced popular badshahs and thing else, including his own mother, whom Rajiv Gandhi was brought Vajpayee took liberalisation for- lapse of the Soviet economy was hateful nawabs, benign rajas    / * also he loves. The people who have faith in up in a contemporary environ- ward to some extent. His main the excessive powers assumed by and cruel ones and the British    (   3? him have not been disappointed. He has ruled ment and had spent time in contribution, however, was intro- Gosplan. rulers. But Narendra Modi is the  S  '     for the last five years and convinced us that England. He then learnt to fly ducing the construction of mod- As the years went by, the first one who truly belongs to the  /     2('         . he has worked for the people and the coun- aeroplanes; then a transport ern highways, which can be Yojana Bhavan in India began soil of India. A 12-year-old try and not for himself. No previous prime medium of the latest variety. He considered a step towards mod- being misused for manipulating schoolgirl discussing Modi was  * 23?@    )'  '      . minister could be tested on this touchstone. understood machines and cer- ernisation. power over the States. Money quoted saying that the measure         1.  )  * . Do not think that this faith and sentiment tainly chose more or less the best To come back to Narendra was allotted generously, provid- of love is what one is willing to '    ((     )%   % )S  ) are confined only to the Hindus; they passenger aircraft in the Airbus. Modi, he launched modernisa- ed the State Government toed give up for it. And Modi intends extend to quite a number of Christians, An equally good choice was the tion along with preaching its the Central government line. giving himself to India.  '     ' ,* Muslims and others, in whose veins run sim- Bofors artillery gun, if we over- importance; of all places, from Whether the money allocated (The writer is a well-known    '  , 2' S '  '  . ilar blood. Others, including many a Hindu, look for a while the financial the ramparts of the Red Fort in was used or misused depended columnist and an author. Views / S     ( *  2/    whose bodies reside in India but whose souls scandal attached to it. Gandhi, as his first Independence Day on the State Government. The expressed are personal.)  '  '  '    )  ,        ' 2 '     '     ).     %   - *          . 2' :;    '   *  !""= + 5 3 3   4    8I 3&:   ( I         3     :           '   '   ')        . OI    3      + '/   (/)       !""=             I      (   *       '               '    ,' '      (  */    &'/%))-%)+', &%3%'&''),% %)+', '+*' 34*))*+&%,& ''   (      S      K/ 4  K9  K  $ K- 0     '   *      )   .  *<    ' /.A B   (    .  2 2'   (    '  *              %       )     '   .  '2 '    (  * '    .     Q     (   ( ')( ,     ( 2               )     *        Sir — This refers to the editor-    5L#    M& =( Sir — The YSR Congress is all set ' (  '  (    ) C( . ial, “Naya Bharat” (May 24). The 3    52: I to wrest power in Andhra Pradesh.   DA 2 )  )   )   *3 last two months have been a $      $    Remember, in 2003, ahead of the ?     '  E   ' '2'   '  . roller-coaster ride, not just for       2  : &2:( Assembly polls, the then Congress the voters but for mediapersons     1  !"+  I leader YS Rajasekhara Reddy went     ,   */  (       .     2 and political pundits, too.    '   5 #          on a State-wide march across   ( ')  '  )  ' (    . Unfortunately, electoral cam- :   $     undivided Andhra Pradesh to  2' '  '( ')  */  (  paigns were particularly vicious            eventually succeed in unseating where the distinction between      %     I Chandrababu Naidu of the TDP.  ,'(          '(  (  ‘personal’ and ‘professional’ was         I Looks like this successful playbook   '*         (    '    / S    * completely lost. $'   O 5I  was borrowed by his son YS - ( 2     -%25 2  28  -   Nevertheless, the 2017 Lok    I   5     Jaganmohan Reddy against the Sabha electoral verdict has many     O        I same Naidu again and he won       ( ')     ) * lessons for the Congress and the          4          with a landslide.  '  ''            ). Gandhis in particular. Party 8    5# %         %   I With the TDP having burnt *%  2 S   '       S  ' * leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia    $ 4       I bridges with the BJP-led NDA on Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi               1 the issue of special category sta- ?/ S  ' 2' S        '2 need to introspect hard and   ..  /'* tus, it will be interesting to see       ''  /  2/   2   ' selflessly about why their com-      3   5     which way Jagan will align. Will       * bined efforts were not enough to he join hands with the NDA to check the return of Prime protect his party and State inter-     2  ' ( (     Minister Modi.      chord among voters across large mandate, Modi has the luxury of ests, go with the UPA led bloc or  */   '   P    They failed to learn any les- swathes of the country. Trends choosing the right person for the remain non-aligned? F8  (  /   G*Q       son from the 2014 defeat or to are a proof enough that the right job, rather than being Ideologically, Jagan’s roots are in fix responsibility. Instead of Sir — This refers to the editor- Modi wave and the party’s bril- caught in a web of obligations. the Congress and as a daily Bible-     '  : '   ( 2/  raising bread and butter issues ial, “Naya Bharat” (May 24). liant election management swept The focus of the Modi reading devout Christian, would   '' '        S (     * — the agrarian crisis, unemploy- Prime Minister Narendra Modi across geographies, caste lines, Government must now hinge on he be able to get along with a / '        A  ' * ment and water scarcity — has led his party towards what age, gender and economic status. reforming the many institutions Hindu hardline party like BJP? 6 %    (      ' '  * Rahul Gandhi kept harping on looks to be a resounding victo- Now, Prime Minister and bringing reforms in various Jayatheertha SA Rafale. Is it time for the party to ry for a second term in office. Narendra Modi should send out sectors like agriculture and edu- Hyderabad look beyond the Gandhis? His message of nationalism, a strong signal that his second cation among others. P Arihanth national security and Hindu second term will be more inclu- JS Acharya  '  1 Secunderabad pride seems to have struck a sive than the first. With a strong Hyderabad ,,%),&-&'%I/3*12&3    ! . . '          $     D         A   !   E1  J$       1    $  1        1 %         L       L                       I       $  "          I   

" "   25/  -   2   ''( (   '   B' .(  '  % ( '         .   '  * 1 '  ( 1              2 ( / 3  / S  '  '  *8  -   2 '    %   .  %   . 9  6 )? F%.%.96?G  ' (  ).        '   (                 FG' *     (   )').    !"406 )% (  ' '   % )(  ? %     -   * he title of the Marxist philosopher Slavoj ?  2 '     ) Zizek’s book, First As Tragedy, Then As Farce (   'F%.%G%     T(2009), captures the essence of the defeat )  5    '9   *   of Leftist parties in the 17th Lok Sabha elections.  ' '    '( ' '  ' Contrary to the hype and hullabaloo created by      *1'     the Left, the locals at Begusarai believed from the   (          very beginning that Kanhaiya Kumar’s defeat was   %   4@H   =" a foregone conclusion. Zizek, dubbed as “the most  (    * dangerous philosopher in the West” by many, uses an apt anecdote about a peasant and his wife to  -    ( '     illustrate the failures of 20th century Leftist pol- (   %.%  '2 itics. In the 15th century, when Russia was occu-       ('   *< pied by the Mongols, a peasant and his wife were 3$7'8+ ,     F  , !>    '  walking down a dusty road in the countryside. .''#:+%., -   G  S   ' A Mongol warrior appeared on his horse and told %# %#'0,/I !"40 '  % 2      '' . the peasant that he wanted his wife. He added fur- 3:+33.%$3'#       ''   S ther, “But since there is a lot of dust on the ground, $'%;$-%$$-,   ' .(     '*1 you must ensure that I do not get dirty.” Once the 4/%#         soldier left after violating the woman, the peas- #%//%$30,'  C (     1   ant started laughing and jumped with joy. The #%$3'#%+ wife was utterly shocked at the insensitiveness of   ' *    '  '   ,.8/3$;:'$I the husband and rebuked him, “How could you     '2B ./   '' be jumping with joy when I was brutally violat- :8+7%%%# 1 '       )P ed in your presence?” The farmer happily %+%9'$  Q P    ( Q ) *   I answered, “But I got him! His parts are covered '0,//' ,$-, remained obsessed with attacking and their unnatural allies has not been family tree. The disillusionment was     2  S   ''    with dust!” 38,' denigrating him and his party. And in praiseworthy either. Consequently, the inevitable and in the offing. People of 5/       ) The sad joke, the Marxist philosopher -,%+$-5 the process, issues that affect day-to-day electorate largely refused to perceive the Bihar have eventually given their ver- '/ '!"4H  ( '6 ) argues, captures the predicament of the Left today, , 8.%$3'#5 lives of the common man hardly got Opposition and its allies as an alterna- dict. The Left and the Rashtriya Janata % (  '  *'  ) ''   . which is delighted merely by defiling its oppo- ,:+';,#$ public attention; the ruling dispensation tive. Dal (RJD) have been reduced to non-       5   '   nents without any real gains for itself. Zizek argues %# .+3%$, successfully made it a battle between The history of post-independent entities.        %    further that Leftists have hitherto succeeded only .-%#4, Modi supporters and his opponents, India has been the history of disillusion- Examples from around the world show that a financial morass has pushed      ' (/ /   in rubbing the noses of those in power whereas %+$'4,$-,/ thrusting a victimhood upon him ment and disenchantment. First, peo- “the real point is to castrate them.” Despite the which was not there in the first place. ple got disillusioned with the Nehruvian those sliding off the economic ladder to   %      misogynistic tone of the anecdote, one is tempt- $-,/,,H3$#' This trend was captured in a populist dream and Gandhian ideals of Ramrajya a radical opposite, in this case the Right.  *B  '  '  '   /  ed to ask if today’s Left in India is undergoing a 8.-3#%/; song used extensively by the BJP dur- in the 1950s and 1960s. Several authors, And while the Left did hold Bengal and %     '  '   similar kind of crisis in its attempt to take down %$-,/,7,/, ing the campaign — “Noon roti including Phanishwar Nath Renu, Kerala for a while, it is its smug machin- % * opponents? How else would one explain its total #',%; khayenge, Modiji ko jitayenge” (We , Nagarjun, Girish Karnad ery and dependence on it that ironical- +   /  B  2 ' decimation from a high of 15 years ago? .-'3.,%# shall survive on chapatti and salt but and Harishankar Parsai took up the ly made it drift away. That lack of empa-    (    !" )   2 The failure of the Left to negotiate and nav- %+$,/#%$30, bring Modi back to power). theme of disenchantment or mohbhang thy and the tendency to link every dis-  % '   igate between the concerns of the elite — '/:,':+, In the last past five years, India with the political establishment in their tress with a return electoral commit- /  2    regarding freedom of expression and tolerance scored well on Ease of Doing Business works. ment are the reasons why the rural pop- () — and the mundane concerns of the masses has index, whereas it continued to lag This failure gave birth to the rise of ulace has begun looking for a new lead-   '   ership. Both in politics and life one has (    cost it dearly. In the narratives of nationalism ver- behind on the Human Development regional and socialist forces led by Ram % sus right to free speech and secularism, the mass- Index (HDI) and the Environmental Manohar Lohia and Jayaprakash to choose one’s allies as well as oppo-  S '  *3  es identified with the former. It would be gross Performance Index (EPI). Our abysmal Narayan in the heartland. But nents wisely. The Left failed to do this, *     over-simplification to say that the grand narra- performance on the last two indices, Lohia’s and JP’s acolytes did irreparable so did the Congress. The onus now lies   *B  tive of national security post-Pulwama and which take into factor a country’s per- damage to the cause of socialism in on the triumphant BJP to rebuild the %     Balakot overrode the issues of health, education, formance in education, health and Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, where politi- education, health and the environment      ) ' employment and climate change altogether. environment, barely became an issue cal dynasties were established. The sectors, which are in shambles today. History is evidence that the people of "% '   -  There exists no such binary between them as there during the elections. The Opposition fundamental tenets of socialism and sec-   *%'  ) were no easy choices and alternatives for voters. failed to bring such issues to the pub- ularism were used as a ruse and even- this country are not only quick to for- + Hence, they voted for a Government, which lic sphere except mentioning them in its tually subverted in every possible way give and forget but also quick to be dis-  % (   '2 illusioned. '     could at least fulfill their perceived nationalist manifesto mainly because if the perfor- to serve the interests of family. Certain ,  ''' '  2 aspirations. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) suc- mance of the current Government on castes and communities were objectified (The writer teaches English at Deen  cessfully contested the election around the aura these indicators remained dismal, the for years and used merely as tools to Dayal Upadhyaya College, University of   /  of the Prime Minister; whereas its opponents record of the Left, the Congress and strengthen the vote-bank and water the Delhi)     B    (  %     ''     (     %(  )" ' '     '  ' * ?!"406 )% (  '  2  . "  "#$     '    ' * tainable peace in the subcon- tile snubs from the Indian tional acclaim he would receive possibly with good reason — that    ,  -   2  . tinent. This is possible solely Government, Pakistan has for a successful resolution to the any alternative would have been   <      (  through an unwavering com- shown restraint and pragma- Kashmir dispute may serve to performed even worse. J mitment to dialogue, an offer tism — a message underscored balance the damage from his The BJP seems to have   5  F/5G*1 %   Pakistan has extended — and on Wednesday by Qureshi in party’s erosion of rights for reli- replaced the Congress — the %       (  '   ' K India has rebuffed — consis- Bishkek, where he put the dia- gious minorities at home. party which dominated Indian    (/    * tently. A day before the election logue offer back on the table. The Bharatiya Janata Party’s politics for decades after inde- /5(     ' ' results, a photograph capturing It is too soon to say L (BJP) election campaign centred pendence — as India’s natural   ' '     an exchange between Pakistani whether or not Khan was cor- on its vision of India as a Hindu ruling party. Now that the BJP’s % * Foreign Minister Shah rect in predicting that a right- arendra Modi may have country and minorities — par- vision of India has proved so        2  '. Mehmood Qureshi and his wing Government in India railed against Pakistan, ticularly Muslims — face five popular, Opposition parties will    '  -   '   Indian counterpart Sushma would be better for peace talks. Ntaking India to the brink years of deepening anxiety about need to reflect deeply on their        '    or the world’s largest Swaraj emerged from Bishkek, Much would depend on a of war as he saber-rattled his their place in the nation. But purpose or they are likely to    ,       ' *   democracy, the writing is Kyrgyzstan, reigniting opti- change in attitude on the part Hindu nationalist party to elec- Modi’s populist message that he gradually wane away. For Rahul on the wall: Communal mism about a thaw in relations of India, whose hawkish behav- tion victory. But his increased was creating a “strong” India won Gandhi’s Congress, it may       %     F politics in India has triumphed between Pakistan and India. iour has been the main majority could ironically bring the election in the end. This already be too late.     S   *   in an age that will define the Newspaper reports indicate obstruction in the quest for the prospect of peace talks clos- despite the fact the Indian Prime The challenge now for the -     2B   ,   future of the Republic. that Swaraj shared sweets and peace. er than at any point since the Minister broke a string of key BJP will be to navigate its con-  2-  ) 29  2/    2 Despite forecasts of failure acknowledged that past conver- The optimism might not 2008 Mumbai attacks. A campaign pledges, most notably tradictory impulses. It craves        (   * from pundits, who had predict- sations had been bitter. Against be altogether misplaced but it stronger, more electorally safe on the economy, on his way to development but aspires to the  '   B  S   )  ed that India’s economic chal- this backdrop, there is specu- must be followed by a sincere Modi — so the theory goes — the unexpected result. past. Steps that it has taken to   '-        lenges would chip away at lation that the meeting could policy shift. India’s failure to no longer needs the spectre of That said, while Modi invigorate its base — notably    .'     . Narendra Modi’s vote bank, the re-establish contact between ensure this will sound the conflict with an arch enemy to undoubtedly failed to meet many moves to remove Indian citizen-   *<    '     ( ultra-nationalist Bharatiya Islamabad and New Delhi after death knell for regional peace. rile his base. of his promises from 2014, vot- ship from potentially millions of   (  2'  .   Janata Party (BJP) is poised to months of plunging relations. (The Dawn) What’s more, the interna- ers may well have believed — alleged illegal immigrants from form Government for another While there may be opti- Bangladesh — if followed ' .(   '  %.% (   five years after a landslide vic- mism, India’s past record does through may result in the polit- ''   )  (     * tory in the Lok Sabha election. not show it has a genuine ical headache of four million     2       '   . The results are astounding desire for peace. stateless people. The coming      .  (     and depressingly show that Even before the Pulwama years will see an attempt to   ' .(     '   religious hatred and sectarian attack, when Prime Minister remould India from a land of ,     '     politics can be exploited Imran Khan invited an Indian contrasts to a more monolithic,       '  * to lure voters. delegation to the Kartarpur and stronger, Hindu state.            Notably, the months lead- groundbreaking ceremony, The lingering possibility of ing up to Modi’s campaign Swaraj was conspicuous by her war with Pakistan may now be were marked by anti-Muslim absence; she also announced a surplus requirement for Modi and anti-Pakistan rants, with India’s boycott of the Saarc after such a strong showing at the India going so far as to escalate summit in Pakistan. polls. If Pakistan can overcome tensions by conducting air In fact, since the Pakistan its need for an existential threat strikes inside Pakistan in order Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has from India, the observation to whip up nationalist senti- assumed power, Prime from Imran Khan, its prime ment. Now that elections are Minister Imran Khan has reit- minister, that a BJP victory over, we hope that Modi will erated his commitment to dia- increases the prospects for peace rein in his rhetoric that had logue with India several times, between the two neighbours encouraged Hindu extremist appealing to Modi to give may well be correct. groups to step up their intim- peace a chance — invitations Gareth Price is Senior idation of minorities. which have repeatedly been Research Fellow, Asia-Pacific And the focus must turn to spurned. Programme, at Chatham House a practical way forward for sus- Despite the string of hos- (The Daily Telegraph)    ! / )!&     9'+9%$% +/ '      here was no sign of reces- Tsion in political bedlam in Bengal. Rather, the post-poll     pointed fingers at the CPI(M) Assembly elections they will ) '  '% violence engulfed the State 9'+9%$% wondering how a party that refrain from doing so.” from north to south with had more than 34 percent of Rejecting TMC’s argu- reports of arson, loot, shoot- pset with Trinamool votes could forfeit its deposits ments the CPI(M) leadership outs — mostly involving the UCongress’ biggest defeat in 39 out of 42 seats. said “it was the TMC which  6 ''% Trinamool Congress and BJP since 2006, Bengal Chief “You can see Assembly brought BJP to Bengal and it — pouring in from all parts of Minister Mamata Banerjee has wise election results and you was Mamata Banerjee who Kolkata: Trinamool Congress father was a better organisa- the State. %     called a high-level meeting on will need no rocket science first started communal politics on Friday suspended its Bijpur tional player than him. In North Bengal’s Saturday to discuss possible expert to tell how the Left to appease particular com- legislator Subhrangshu Roy, son “Today I have no qualms in Coochbehar district, tens of At least 15 houses were At Bankura too where BJP’s causes, regarding colossal transferred its votes to the BJP,” munity (read the Muslims). of BJP leader Mukul Roy, for accepting that I have lost to my houses were burnt and many looted at Ichhapore, houses Subhas Sarkar humbled defeat in the Lok Sabha elec- said State Minister and losing Senior leader Sujan anti-party comments. father. He is a real chanakya of TMC party offices were on and shops were looted and ran- CPI(M) and TMC heavy- tions at the hands of the BJP candidate from Bankura Chakrabarty also alleged Subhrangshu has been sus- Bengal politics. Our party has Friday looted and torched by sacked from Jagaddal to weights Amiya Patra and “which does not even have a Subroto Mukherjee. “hundreds of our lower rung pended for six years from the lost and people voted against us. alleged BJP supporters alleged- Bhatpara with hundreds of Subroto Mukherjee a reported sound organisational backup “A national level CPI(M) leaders are in jail on false party, announced TMC secre- We should accept it,” ly as a retaliatory attack from the people taking shelter at gov- saffron worker was fired at. He in the State.” leader was contesting against charges — sometimes in nar- tary general Partha Chatterjee at Subhrangshu said. saffron side after four of their ernment schools to avoid riot- however was saved by a whis- Apart from scrutinising me. In the Assembly polls he cotic cases. Others have fled a Press conference this evening. Mukul Roy, once consid- party members were attacked like situation even as newly per as the bullet grazed past his the Assembly segment wise had polled 70,000 votes from Bengal in the face of violence “He has been constantly ered to be the second-in-com- with sharp weapons. The four- won BJP MP and local strong- ear. In neighbouring con- polling reports being prepared one segment. Then how it and in many cases they have making such statements. Our mand of the Trinamool some had been hospitalised. man Arjun Singh went out stituency of Purulia a youth by the district party leaders the could be possible that he got fallen silent as they are asked party’s disciplinary body after Congress, joined the BJP in The incidents took place at appealing to the people te allegedly a TMC man was shot TMC was likely to find out a only 1 lakh votes in seven seg- to pay fines for doing Left pol- consultation with party supre- November 2017 after a fallout Sitai, Toofanganj and remain silent. in his leg by bike-born assailants face-saving excuse for the con- ments. This is a clear case of itics. This is not so in the case mo Mamata Banerjee has with party supremo Mamata Mathabhanga, sources said. Even as the State political police said claiming the attack- sumption of the electorate. sale of ideology for cash,” a of BJP which is allowed to do decided to expel him,” Banerjee. He is being credited BJP’s Nisit Pramanik has wrest- leadership struggled to recover ers could be BJP workers. According to sources, fuming Mukherjee said. organisational politics in Chatterjee said. for the stellar show of the BJP ed the Coochbehar seat from from the shock of electoral Nearer Kolkata attacks on apart from peddling “massive Chatterjee also a senior Bengal. Subhrangshu, a two-time in Bengal in the just-concluded the ruling TMC. defeat conceding 12 seats to the the opposition parties contin- communal polarisation” as the Minister in the Mamata “Hence in the absence of MLA from Bijpur Assembly Lok Sabha elections. Parts of South Bengal also surging BJP the bureaucracy had ued at Bhangor where houses prime reason for the party’s Banerjee cabinet said “the BJP local leaders a ransacked and constituency which is part of the Meanwhile, the Trinamool continued to simmer with con- a tough time handling the chaot- of CPI(M) supporters were electoral debacle the party is has nothing in Bengal. Their battered Left electorate has Barrackpore Lok Sabha seat, leadership broke its silence after tinuing BJP-TMC clashes ic situation with both the sides bombed and looted by alleged also likely to hold the Left balloon was inflated with the voted for the BJP as they have held a Press conference earlier the poor poll show with Partha spreading far and across attacking each other with TMC men. The victims said responsible for paving the way gas provided by the CPI(M). thought that the will get pro- in the day and hailed his father’s Chatterjee saying, losing elec- Barrackpore constituency. Tens bombs, brickbats and other dan- they were attacked because the for the BJP’s entry in Bengal. The people will be told as to tection from them. The TMC organisational skills and said he tions doesn't mean defeat and of motor bikes reportedly gerous weapons requiring State TMC thought that the Left Already two senior leaders how a party like the CPI(M) is resposnbile for BJP’s entry in had tried to give a lead to his BJP's resounding majority is a belonging to TMC supporters DGP Virendra to rush to the transferred their votes to the Subroto Mukherjee and did this compromising its ide- Bengal and loss of its renais- party from his Assembly seg- temporary phase, which will were torched at Naihati, place and hold peace meetings. BJP. Partho Chatterjee on Friday ology,” he said hoping “in the sance culture.” ment but failed to do so as his soon fizzle out. PTI      ,    0     6    )   Amethi (UP): After uprooting Congress pres- Lucknow: The Samajwadi Party utes the alliance defeat, in part, to proval over the idea of giving "half the coalition.     ident Rahul Gandhi from his party bastion, came off worse than its coalition its inability to wean away the non- of the seats" to a partner. The BSP chief not only joined BJP leader Smriti Irani Friday thanked the partner BSP as the caste arithmetic Yadav OBCs, Jats, upper castes and Luck did not favour even the hands with arch-rival SP but also people here for "helping the lotus bloom". by the “gathbandhan” in Uttar Dalits who had switched to the BJP Yadavs' own family. campaigned for one-time sworn Mumbai: The Shiv Sena on Modi, the Sena claimed. Irani defeated the Congress chief and sit- Pradesh failed before a BJP wave in last time. Except Mulayam Singh Yadav enemy Mulayam Singh Yadav in Friday said the massive mandate In Maharashtra, the edito- ting MP by a margin of 55,120 votes. the Lok Sabha elections. He also felt that many benefi- and Akhilesh Yadav, contestants Mainpuri, asking her supporters to the NDA got in the 2019 Lok rial said, senior Congress lead- In a tweet, Irani said, "Ek nayi subah Despite its high expectations ciaries of the central welfare from the family failed to re-enter forget past bitterness. Sabha polls was due to the ers Ashok Chavan and Amethi ke liye, ek naya sankalp. Dhanyawad from the alliance forged with schemes — cooking gas connec- the Lok Sabha But she apparently failed to popularity of Prime Minister Sushilkumar Shinde lost and so Amethi, shat shat naman. Apne vikas per vish- Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party tions, rural housing, toilets and the Akhilesh Yadav won with a ensure that the core BSP voters Narendra Modi and the politi- did Sharad Pawar's grand- was jataya, kamal ka phool khilaya. Amethi this time, the SP got just five seats annual 6,000 allowance to poor comfortable margin of 2.60 lakh transferred to the Samajwadi Party, cal management of BJP chief nephew Parth Pawar. The vic- ka abhaar" (A new morning for Amethi, a new — the same number it won in the farmers — were part of the SP-BSP votes, defeating Bhojpuri star and wherever an SP nominee was field- Amit Shah. tory of Supriya Sule was the only resolve. Thankyou Amethi. You showed 2014 elections. vote bank. BJP candidate Dinesh Lal Yadav ed as a joint candidate. In an editorial in party solace for the NCP, it added. faith in development and helped the lotus But its vote share fell four per- They have shifted allegiance to Nirahua. Mulayam Singh Yadav The alliance had high expecta- mouthpiece Saamana, the Sena It said the Sena also lost bloom). centage points, from 22.35 per cent the BJP, he argued. won in Mainpuri by over 94,000 tions from the elections as the said the opposition raised issues some of its key seats but some In the 2014 Lok Sabha election, Gandhi then to a little under 18 now. The SP even lost in the Yadav votes, defeating BJP's Prem Singh joint rallies held all over the state of unemployment, farm distress new faces won as well. had defeated Irani by 1,07,903 votes. In contrast, the BSP which bastions of Kannauj and Badaun, Shakya. drew large crowds. and the people decided Modi The people reposed faith in Later, in a recorded message to the peo- drew a blank last time won 10 of the indicating that even members of But Akhilesh Yadav's wife It also gave strength to was the right man to solve the "chowkidar" whom the ple of her constituency, she thanked them for 38 seats it contested under the seat- these castes had moved to the BJP. Dimple and cousins Dharmendra Mayawati's apparent prime minis- them. Congress had called "chor" blessing a common worker of the BJP and cre- sharing pact this time. This is the second time that an and Akshay did not make it to terial aspirations, now shattered due "People felt the Congress against the backdrop of the ating history which was witnessed by the Adding the lone seat won by the alliance experiment by Akhilesh Parliament. to the poor performance of oppo- got 60 years, why not five more Rafale fighter purchase deal, the country and world. Rashtriya Lok Dal, the third ally, the Yadav has failed. In Firozabad, Akhilesh Yadav's sition parties nationwide. years to Modi," the editorial paper said. "Today, a common worker of the BJP total seats bagged by the Opposition In the 2017 assembly elections, estranged uncle and founder of During an election rally in claimed. Modi's popularity saw a expresses her gratitude to you all. I repeat my coalition are a mere 15 out of the Akhilesh Yadav forged an alliance Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party- Ambedkarnagar, the BSP chief even It also said "Hindutva" won surge since 2014 and the resolve that in the coming five years resolu- 80 in the State. with the Congress against the wish- Lohia, Shivpal Yadav, was relegat- said, "If all goes well, I may have to in West Bengal, adding that par- Opposition did not get an tion of all problems will be extended to every The Bharatiya Janata Party and es of his father and party founder ed to the third spot, securing about seek election form here because the ties that ran a negative campaign inkling of it, it said, adding that village, every purva and every nyay pan- its ally Apna Dal (S) won 64, com- Mulayam Singh Yadav. The SP tally 91,000 votes. road to national politics passes against Modi were shown the neither Congress general sec- chayat-level. It will be my commitment. pared to the 73 they had won in had then come down to 47 from 224 But an SP leader claimed had through Ambedkarnagar." door by voters. retary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Amethi has taken steps towards development 2014, a performance which went in 2012. Shivpal Yadav not parted ways with In 2009, the BSP had won its The opposition camp is in nor the BSP-SP alliance could ," she added. against what the SP-BSP-RLD ‘gath- When Akhilesh Yadav formed the party, he could have easily won. highest ever number of Lok Sabha dire straits because they do not do any damage to BJP in Uttar The recorded message was released in bandhan’ was predicting. a coalition with the BSP this time, Like Akhilesh Yadav, Mayawati seats, clinching 20 from UP. In 2014, have a leader of the stature of Pradesh, it said. PTI Amethi by her IT cell team. PTI Analyst Rakesh Pandey attrib- his father openly expressed disap- took a big risk in becoming part of it won none. PTI *''   *  7 '  (   *        NP;DN<DFI Kolkata: Gorkha Janamukti traitors of GJM have lost the one led by Bimal Gurung, Morcha leader Bimal Gurung, polls. We would like to take who supported Bisht, and his       2%8 Kashmir valley. Dr Abdullah to label us anti-Nationals and who is in hiding, on Friday this opportunity to thank one time protege Binay /    was responding to a question terrorist sympathisers must lis- congratulated Prime Minister Prime Minister Narendra Tamang who supported Rai. ven before attending the that BJP has said that they will ten. 'We are more Indians and Narendra Modi for the Modi. We will request the BJP "Binay Tamang and Anit Eoath ceremony of newly abrogate Article 370 and 35A we are here to strengthen the resounding victory of BJP and leadership and the new gov- Thapa, the newly appointed Gangtok: The Sikkim party soon," Golay said. elected Prime Minister of India, from J&K if voted to power Nation and protect Article 370 hoped that his new ernment to look into our long officiating chairman of Krantikari Morcha (SKM) on Earlier in the day, SKM National Conference president with majority. Exuding confi- and Article 35A'. Government will look into the standing demand of Gorkhaland Territorial Friday said it will meet soon to spokesperson Jacob Khaling Dr Farooq Abdullah on Friday dence after his party won all Commenting on the EVM long standing demand for Gorkhaland," Gurung told PTI Administration (GTA), should decide on the party’s chief Rai said party leaders and gave 'unsolicited' piece of advice three Lok Sabha seats, Dr issue, Dr Abdullah said that the Gorkhaland. over phone. immediately resign from the ministerial candidate, after workers would like to see Golay to him over the issue of 'Article Abdullah told party workers to Election Commission and all Gurung's faction of The BJP, which has won for party and GTA. The GTA unseating five-time Chief lead the next Government in 370 and Article 35A'. prepare in advance for the the political parties must sit Gorkha Janamukti Morcha the third straight time in should be dissolved," Gurung Minister Pawan Kumar Sikkim. "No matter how powerful Assembly polls in the State. together and find a way out. had supported BJP's Raju Bisht Darjeeling, had made no men- said. Chamling of the SDF. "I thank the people of Prime Minister Narendra Modi He said, National “India is a huge nation. has recorded a massive victo- tion of the statehood issue in its Roshan Giri, general sec- SKM supremo P S Golay Sikkim for giving a mandate to has become after winning with Conference will surely form I say that there is something ry against TMC's Amar Singh manifesto but assured a "per- retary of GJM faction of Bimal is likely to preside over the the SKM for serving them... We the majority, but he cannot Government in the State and but the EVM problem must be Rai. manent political solution" in Gurung, in a statement said legislature party meeting hope to live up to their expec- remove Article 35A and Article reiterated his party's commit- sorted out and whatever is pos- In Darjeeling by-election, the hills and scheduled tribe the defeat of TMC and its later in the evening, where tations," Golay told a local 370 from the State of Jammu & ment to grant 'Regional sible should be done.” Neeraj Tamang Zimba of BJP tags for 11 Gorka communities. proxies in the Lok Sabha and the Chief Ministerial news channel, while leading a Kashmir'', said Dr Abdullah Autonomy' to all three regions On Congress debacle, Dr defeated GJM leader Binoy In the Darjeeling hills the assembly by-polls is a clear candidate will be finalised victory procession. here in Jammu while interact- of the state to end discrimina- Abdullah said, “winning and Tamang, who fought as an Lok Sabha polls were more mandate against the regional before its delegation meets The SKM, founded in ing with reporters at the party tion. Labelling himself as 'sol- losing are part of life. Rahul independent candidate with than a political battle between party and its proxies in the Governor Ganga Prasad to 2013, won a slender majority in headquarters. He arrived in dier' of the country, Dr Gandhi after five years will TMC support. TMC and BJP as it became a hills and in favour of a per- stake claim to form the 32-member legislative Jammu to attend felicitation Abdullah said, "we are not 'ene- make a comeback and don’t "We are very happy that fight to the finish between manent political solution in Government. assembly by bagging 17 seats ceremony after winning all mies' but 'soldiers' of the coun- think that people of Amethi will BJP has won and TMC and the GJM's two warring factions - the Hill region. PTI "It will be decided by the against 15 by the SDF. PTI three Lok Sabha seats in try. All those people who tried forget him.” (       (  1/   

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala. It was the secular atti- It was the Left government will not be able to make inroads massive sweep of the Congress tude and policies of the United in the state that gave fodder for in the secular Kerala," he said. led United Democratic Front Democratic Front (UDF) that the communal elements in the Chennithala also favoured     Alliance who lost in the hus- probing a charge by the DMK recently held election. Dr (UDF) in Kerala proves that the kept the saffron party at bay... state to destroy the democrat- the Yechury line of CPI(M) and .-,##%3 tings. against Panneerselvam and Mythreyan, who was a close BJP will never make inroads in Three factors led to the ic parties", he said. said the Left should have stuck Though the AIADMK has family in connection with the confidante of late J Jyalalitha the state, senior party leader landslide victory of UDF in The Left wanted to avoid to it. "We are not for weaken- s the formalities, associat- 13 member in the Rajya Sabha, amassing wealth not in rune had told The Pioneer that there Ramesh Chennithala said here Kerala. the Congress and make the ing the secular forces. The Aed with the announcement it is customary that only mem- with their known sources of was no possibility of him get- on Friday. The first one is the step- fight between LDF and the CPI(M) should have taken the of the results of the General bers from the Lok Sabha are income. Though the Tamil ting another term as the EPS- In a 'meet the press' organ- motherly attitude of Narendra BJP. However, the saffron party Yechuri way. Instead of fighting Election 2019, have been com- appointed as Ministers. But Nadu Government tried to soft OPS duo does not like him. ised by the Press Club of Modi government and the anti- saw it as a golden opportunity, the communal forces, they were pleted, politics in Tamil Nadu there are no hard and fast rules pedal the issue, the Madras Many senior members of the Thiruvananthapuram, after the Modi wave. Chennithala said. fighting against us," he said. is agog with speculation about vis-à-vis the membership in the High Court issued a directive to party had been cold shoul- Congress party's stellar perfor- The second is the three- Pointing out that the BJP CPI(M) General Secretary the constitution of the new upper house. Raveendrakumar the DVAC to go ahead with the dered by the present party lead- mance in the state in the Lok year-long misrule of LDF gov- allegedly tried to exploit the Sitaram Yechury had favoured Council of Ministers and the is the junior most member of probe and the report is expect- ership. Sabha polls, he said the UDF's ernment and the third is the beliefs of devotees in the joining hands with like-mind- possible names of representa- the AIADMK in the parliament ed any time. Sources in the AIADMK "secular attitude" had kept the Rahul wave in the state after he Sabarimala issue, he said, the ed parties, including Congress, tives from the State. and there are enough con- But the loyalty of most of told this newspaper that MPs saffron party at bay. decided to contest from Kerala," people however understood to oppose the Sangh Parivar The lone AIADMK mem- tenders for the post from the the AIADMK members in the like S R Balasubramaniam The UDF had won 19 of Chennithala said. the "double standards" of the politics across various states, ber to win from Tamil Nadu in Rajya Sabha itself. Rajya Sabha are said to be with (who is known from crossing the 20 LS seats in the state. The Opposition leader said Sangh Parivar and rejected including West Bengal. the general election is Even if the AIADMK lead- V K Sasikala and TTV from one party to another Chennithala alleged that the policies of both the centre their politics. However, the tactical line Raveendrakumar, son of ers propose the name of Dhinakaran, leaders of the with élan), A the Centre's step-motherly atti- and the state were not accept- "We (Congress) had a con- was opposed as the party was Deputy Chief Minister O Raveendrakumar as the party AMMK. Dr V Maithreyan, the Navaneethakrishnan (former tude and the three years of LDF able to the people of the state. sistent stand. We were with the fighting the Congress in Kerala. Panneerselvam who defeated nominee, there are certain irri- senior most AIADMK member advocate general and close government's "misrule" had Chennithala said it was the devotees and not exploiting The Congress led UDF EVKS Elangovan, the Congress tants which would make the in the Rajya Sabha has been confidante of Sasikala) are the helped the Front emerge victo- Left government that gave fod- the issue. The people of Kerala won 19 out of 20 Lok Sabha leader and former Minister. BJP leaders think twice before sidelined by Chief Minister top contenders for ministerial rious, apart from Rahul der for the communal parties in rejected the exploitation of the seats in the State, leaving just Interestingly, Elangovan is the accepting the name. The Edappadi Palaniswamy and O berths. Both Balasubramaniam Gandhi's candidature. the State. "What was the hurry BJP and Sangh Parivar. one consolatory win for the lone candidate from the DMK- Directorate of Vigilance and Panneerselvam. His services and Navaneethakrishhanan "We have proved that the in implementing the Supreme This result is an indication Left in the Alappuzha con- led Secular Progressive Anti-Corruption (DVAC) is were not used during the remained incommunicado. BJP will never make inroads in Court verdict on Sabarimala?. that the BJP, RSS, Sangh Parivar stituency. PTI    ! 1

%(* E / 8!$ &/        9!(      G Bengaluru: Shaken by the rout state. ue the government. 75 of the ruling Congress-JD(S) "We will continue in the Congress Ministers,ahead > combine in the Lok Sabha polls, state and our coalition will con- of the cabinet meeting, met for Lucknow: The results of the Lok the Karnataka Cabinet on tinue under the leadership of breakfast during which they are Sabha polls were a mixed bag for Friday reposed its “faith and Kumaraswamy ji, and all our said to have discussed the need the Yadav clan as except confidence” in the leadership of MLAs are with us," to save the coalition for both Samajwadi Party founder Chief Minister HD Parameshwara said, as he parties, as also about the defeat Mulayam Singh Yadav and his Kumaraswamy, asserting that accused the oppositionBJP of in Lok Sabha polls. son Akhilesh other members of the coalition would continue. trying to destabilise the gov- Congress is likely to con- the family failed to re-enter the As the ruling alliance suf- ernment. vene the CLP meeting next lower house of Parliament this fered a humiliating defeat with "They (opposition) will not week to discuss the same, and time. the BJP painting the entire State be successful and we will not also with an intention to keep its While Akhilesh won with a saffron, winning 25 of the 28 allow them to succeed in desta- flock together amid worries of comfortable margin of 2,59,874 seats, the results are widely bilising the government." dissidence and poaching by votes by defeating Bhojpuri star expected to have a bearing on Continuing his "boycott" BJP. and BJP candidate Dinesh Lal the stability of the if "we didn't want him to lead "We have reposed the faith of the media,Kumaraswamy Stating that Congress Yadav Nirahua, his father Kumaraswamy Government. the Government", but he was and confidence in the leadership did not utter a word though he Ministers met under the lead- Mulayam Singh Yadav won the As voices emerged in the cut short by Congress Ministers, of Kumaraswamy ji as Chief sat along with cabinet col- ership of Siddaramaiah and he Mainpuri seat by a margin of Congress to end the alliance, who asked him to continue in Minister. leagues throughout,as the has also reposed the confi- 94,389 votes defeating BJP's blaming the JDS partnership for the top post, a minister said after This is thedecision taken by Deputy CM briefed about the dence in Kumaraswamy as Prem Singh Shakya. the party's worst ever perfor- the cabinet meeting. all the Ministers today... there is cabinet meeting. Chief Minister, Parameshwara The SP suffered a setback in mance in the Lok Sabha polls, During the meeting, dis- noinstability to this govern- Kumaraswamy had recent- said "at no cost will we allow the Jaipur: A BJP candidate who lost BJP candidate Kailash Kannauj, Badaun and Kumaraswamy had offered to cussions largely focusedon sav- ment, it will continue," ly declared that he was 'boy- conspiracy of the opposition to the Rajasthan Assembly polls Chaudhary won the Barmer Firozabad, where Akhilesh's resign, when some senior ing the coalition and continuing DeputyChief Minister G cotting' the media, apparently destabilise this government to only a few months back made it seat with a margin of 3,23,808 wife Dimple and cousins Congress leaders met him last the Government, amidworries Parameshwara told reporters, upset over the coverage of the succeed." to the Lok Sabha, amid a Modi votes, despite having lost the Dharmendra and Akshay lost to evening, top sources in the of dissidence within and threats flanked by the ChiefMinister Mandya Lok Sabha polls, where However, a Congress wave that has led to a clean sweep assembly polls earlier. the BJP. Government said. of "poaching"attempts by BJP. and other cabinet colleagues. his son Nikhil contestedand Minister who attendedthe cab- for the party in the State. BJP legislator from While Dimple lost by However, they convinced Kumaraswamy also is said Noting that the "informal" lost. inet meeting said they In contrast, two Congress Mandawa, Narendra Khinchar, 12,853 votes to BJP's Subrat him against it and requested to have spoken to cabinet meeting called by the Meanwhile,the Chief impressed upon the CM to MLAs lost the election to the who was given a ticket from Pathak in Kannauj, him tocontinue as the head of AICCGeneral Secretary in- Chief Minister took stock of the Minister also reportedly spoke look into issues raised by party lower House. BJP candidate Jhunjhunu seat won the parlia- Dharmendra lost to BJP's the coalition Government, while charge of Karnataka KC situation after the Lok Sabha to CLP leader and coalition MLAs regarding their con- Kailash Chaudhary from Barmer mentary elections, defeating Sanghmitra Maurya by 18,454 ensuring full cooperation. Venugopal over phone after the election results, he said, "we dis- coordination committee stituencies and governance defeated former party leader Shrawan Kumar of the Congress votes in Badaun and Akshay lost "It (resignation) is a closed- results and requested him to cussed about it at length, and chiefSiddaramaiah over phone, related issues andalso sought Jaswant Singh' son Manvendra by a margin of 3,02,547 votes. to BJP's Chandra Sen Jadon by chapter now," they said. come down to the city for a this "referendum or mandate" is ahead of the informal cabinet- better coordination between Singh who was fielded by the Two Congress legislators, 28,781 votes in Firozabad. The Chief Minister said he meeting soon, to sort out dif- nationally for the government at meeting,during which the latter both parties and the Congress. Krishna Punia and Ramnarayan In Firozabad, Akhilesh's was "mentally ready" to resign ferencesin the coalition. the Centre and not for the assured him support tocontin- Government. PTI The Congress had given Meena, who were fielded from estranged uncle and founder of ticket to Manvendra Singh after Jaipur Rural and Kota respec- Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party he joined it, quitting the BJP over tively were defeated in the Lok Lohia, Shivpal Yadav was rele- growing differences with the Sabha polls. The Congress too gated to the third spot, securing     1 /  % .(' 6 state party leadership. fielded five candidates who had over 91,000 votes. An SP leader 9D Manvendra Singh had earlier faced a drubbing in the 2018 said had Shivpal not parted fought the 2018 state assembly state assembly elections but they ways with the party, he would          elections unsuccessfully. all lost. PTI have easily won Firozabad. PTI

New Delhi: Former Kolkata on May 17 and the IPS officer an application filed by the IPS Police Commissioner Rajeev should not have filed a fresh officer seeking extension of G Kumar on Friday failed to get writ petition. protection from arrest. any relief from the Supreme The bench, also compris- "Is it maintainable (the  #,7 ,+-3 Health Ministry. Court which declined to enter- ing Justices B R Gavai and writ petition)? You can go to He further said that it will tain his petition seeking exten- Surya Kant, said that Kumar the high court or the trial he National Health help improve access to cancer sion of protection from arrest can personally approach the court as the courts are func- TAuthority (NHA) and services and ensure financial risk in the multi-crore Saradha chit Calcutta High Court or the trial tional there," the bench told National Cancer Grid (NCG) protection with minimum fund scam. court there for seeking relief in advocate Sunil Fernandes, who have inked a pact to develop uni- prevalence of catastrophic health He was granted protection the case. was representing Kumar. form standards of patient care to spending and impoverishment. from arrest on May 17 by the "A petition under Article When Fernandes said that battle cancer under Ayushman NHA and NCG will jointly apex court for seven days 32 of the Constitution of India courts in Kolkata are not func- Bharat — Pradhan Mantri Jan review existing cancer treat- which was ending today and he cannot be said to be maintain- tioning due to ongoing lawyers' Arogya Yojana (AB - PMJAY). ment packages, pricing of ser- had filed a fresh petition seek- able as the petitioner (Kumar) strike, the bench said, "You are The National Cancer Grid vices, standard treatment work- ing to restrain the CBI from has also filed an application for wrong. The courts are sitting (NCG) is an initiative of the flows covered under AB-PMJAY taking any coercive action extension of time before this there. All judges are sitting in Central Government to create a and plug in necessary gaps to against him. court," the bench said in its courts and they are hearing the network of cancer centres, ensure enhanced quality of can- However, a vacation bench order. litigants." research institutes, patient cer care. Both organisations will headed by Justice Arun Mishra At the outset, the bench "Your client (Kumar) is a groups and charitable institu- work on creating cancer ser- said Kumar's plea was not told Kumar's counsel that a former commissioner of police tions across India. vices/package benefits based on "maintainable" as a bench head- bench headed by the CJI had and he knows the law better Owing to the multi-disci- priority setting tenets such as ed by Chief Justice of India already passed an order in the than many young lawyers. He plinary nature of care required evidence of efficacy, value (cost- Ranjan Gogoi had already matter and later the CJI had can personally go to courts for cancer management, both effectiveness), low harm, passed an order in the matter also declined urgent listing of there," the bench said. PTI NHA and NCG recognize the demand/ burden, medical importance of collaborative necessity, and wide availability. efforts required to strengthen Dr Indu Bhushan, CEO, delivery of cancer services under Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY, and AB - PMJAY with common NHA said, "NCG's support and > objectives to reduce cancer bur- expertise will help in enabling us den, ensure uniform standards to expand our service delivery of patient care towards effective network by actively encouraging and efficient patient-centric care, its member hospitals to empan- JG said an official from the Union el with AB - PMJAY."

Lucknow: Chief Minister Yogi Lok Sabha election was the first banking on the politics of pos- Adityanath on Friday said the one without any anti-incum- itivity. And the results are in Uttar Pradesh voters rejected the bency against the Government. front of everyone," he said. clan, caste and dynasty-driven Attacking the Opposition, Adityanath claimed that in politics in the State in the Lok Adityanath said, "The claims of the just-concluded polls, the Sabha elections. those who used to say the caste BJP Governments, either at the He said the BJP fought the equations in the state are against Centre or in the State, faced polls on issues of development, the BJP, have been rejected by absolutely no anti-incumbency. Governance and nationalism. the people." "This is the first election in Speaking to reporters here "The voters of the state have which, there was no anti-incum- after BJP's big victory in the state, categorically rejected the politics bency factor against the Centre Adityanath also claimed the of 'parivaarwad' (family), 'vansh- or the State Government," he wad' (dynastic), 'jatiwaad' said. It was because issues aris- (casteism), and have accorded ing out of inflation, shortage of importance to the politics of electricity, law and order prob- development and nationalism," lem, pot-holed roads or farmers' he said. unrest were simply missing, he The Chief Minister said added. PTI Prime Minister Narendra Modi had in the very beginning cau- tioned against resorting the "politics of negativity". "The Prime Minister had said irrespective of the poll out- come, we have to fight the polls focusing on development, Governance and nationalism. "There were no place for politics of negativity and the elections were fought under the leadership of the Prime Minister    ! 2 34

 /'   5. 3..  3    )+ >     6/7 ' 1"   8%3 domestic equity markets after   #,7 ,+-3 continuity of the stable gov- he Indian rupee on Friday ernment. Firm equity markets ndustry body Ficci on Friday Trallied 49 paise to close at would attract dollar inflow Isought reduction in corpo- 69.53 against the US dollar in and rupee therefore would rate tax and abolition of line with a massive surge in get support,” V K Sharma, Minimum Alternate Tax domestic equities following a Head PCG and Capital (MAT) to spur investment as   :  /   $: :/:&  -  decisive mandate for Narendra Markets Strategy, HDFC the BJP-led NDA Government    * ,   ";<32=8<3#-   ).  Modi’s BJP in the general elec- Securities, said. gears up for its second term. ('         (7   /  >   tions. The Bharatiya Janata The Government had pre- !  : :/:     .    )    > On weekly basis, the Indian Party (BJP) has won over 300 sented an Interim Budget for *    /4       % . currency gained 70 paise seats on its own out of 542 2019-20 in February. A full ('    !$" #&  %   !$ :&     helped by a host of domestic seats in the Lok Sabha elec- Budget is likely to be present- :  : :/: and global factors like stable tions — a first back-to-back ed in July. political outlook with NDA majority for a single party “The key recommendation Government’s return, sustained since 1984. was that the focus of the gov- fund inflows, lower crude oil Riding a wave of opti- ernment should be to spur prices and strengthening Asian mism, the BSE Sensex shot up domestic investment and in currencies. 623.33 points, or 1.61 per cent, order to retain India’s compet- However, concerns over to end at 39,434.72, while the itiveness globally, corporate ongoing US-China trade tariff broader NSE Nifty surged tax rate cut should be consid- tussle continued to hurt forex 187.05 points, or 1.60 per cent, ered,” Ficci said after its dele- market sentiment. to 11,844.10. gation met Revenue Secretary At the interbank foreign Bond prices advanced for Ajay Bhushan Pandey as part of   7%-3#4$'# Lok Sabha. fastest growing large economies exchange, the rupee opened at a third day as a retreat in oil the pre-budget discussion. “As far as the IMF is con- in the world. It said the coun- 69.75 against the previous eases concern about inflation In the 2015-16 budget, the he IMF is looking forward cerned, we think that the try has carried out several key close of 70.02. It traded in the which will give central bank government had announced Tto working with the new reforms and the future direc- reforms in the last five years, range of 69.81 to 69.50 during comfort to cut interest rate and that the corporate tax rate government of Prime Minister tion should continue to focus but more needed to be done. the day. The Indian unit final- infuse liquidity in economy, he would be gradually lowered to Narendra Modi, a top official on achieving faster and “India has of course been ly settled the day at 69.53, said. 25 per cent from 30 per cent   9 4    $94&    '-    said Friday, asserting that importantly, more inclusive one of the world’s fastest grow- gaining 49 paise or 0.70 The benchmark 10-year over the next four years and $-& * #,  '         <32=8<3 India’s reforms and future growth with low inflation,” ing large economies of late, per cent. government bonds yield exemptions available to com- !#+-   )%      !   9  direction should continue to IMF spokesperson Gerry Rice with growth averaging about Foreign institutional dropped 0.15 per cent to 7.23 panies would be phased out. , ' $!9,&   9 , '  >'4    ) '   focus on achieving faster and said. seven per cent over the past five investors (FIIs) remained net per cent on Friday. In the subsequent years, /     !  94        !9, more inclusive growth with “The IMF looks forward to years,” Rice had said. buyers in the capital markets on Meanwhile, international the tax rate was reduced to 25 94 low inflation. working with Prime Minister “Important reforms have Friday, buying shares worth oil benchmark Brent Futures per cent for companies with a Prime Minister Modi on Modi’s new government,” Rice been implemented and we feel 2,026.33 crore, according to rose 1.18 per cent to $68.56 a turnover of up to 250 crore. Thursday led his Bharatiya said when asked about the more reforms are needed to exchange data. barrel on Friday. The non-availability of Janata Party to a landmark election results in India. sustain this high growth, “India’s rupee led gains in The weaker oil prices help utilising the scrips towards the victory for a second five-year In March, the International including to harness the demo- Asian currencies as oil prices currencies of major net payment of IGST has led to term in office, winning 303 Monetary Fund (IMF) said graphic dividend opportunity, fell and equity markets surge. importers of the commodity, financial burden on the seats in the 543-member India has been one of the which India has,” he said. Sentiments have improved in such as India and China. importers.     $ J 7       # E   :/          J )        #,7 ,+-3 date to continue its economic       (       (    .  ?  reform efforts.   #,7 ,+-3 smooth transition to BS-VI, he    M*' :9 'N   '   P    '  *+ he BJP's landslide victory in "The final budget for the added.    Tgeneral election reduces fiscal year ending in March uto industry body SIAM Domestic passenger vehi- New Delhi: Vistara announced policy uncertainty and the final 2020, expected in July, will AFriday expressed hope that cle (PV) sales dropped by 17.07 Friday it has leased six aircraft budget for 2019-20 will indicate give an indication of whether the new Government would per cent in April, the steepest from Singapore-based BOC whether the new government or not the BJP will step up eco- take initiatives to revive growth fall since October 2011, as Aviation to boost its domestic  $      will step up economic reforms nomic reforms and return to in all consumer goods, includ- weak customer sentiment led growth and will deploy them to    K 9  ,323#4 Thursday, adding that Huawei earlier this month. was “deeply tied” to the But Trump also said hina ramped up a war of Communist Party. Thursday there was a “good” Cwords with the United Chinese foreign ministry possibility that the two sides States over Huawei on Friday, spokesman Lu Kang said US will strike a bargain and linked accusing Washington of politicians have spread Huawei to any deal for the first spreading “lies” about the tele- rumours about Huawei without time. com giant thrust to the centre providing evidence. “If we made a deal, I can of their trade war. “These American politi- imagine Huawei being includ- The fiery response came cians continue to fabricate var- ed in some form or some part hours after US Secretary of ious subjective, presumptive of a trade deal,” he said. State Mike Pompeo rejected lies in an attempt to mislead the Trump’s comments direct- Huawei’s denials that the American people, and now ly contradicted Pompeo, who Chinese company works with they are trying to incite ideo- earlier said Huawei and the the Communist government. logical opposition,” Lu said at trade issues were not linked. The Trump administra- a regular press briefing. The chief US diplomat sep- tion has infuriated Beijing by Trump on Thursday again arated the two issues between blacklisting the smartphone said Huawei posed a threat to national security concerns and and telecommunications com- national security. efforts to create a “fair recip- pany over worries that China “You look at what they’ve rocal balanced trade relation- uses it as a tool for espionage, done from a security stand- ship.” Lu said he was not aware and allegations of breaking point, a military standpoint. of the “specifics” of Trump’s sanctions on Iran. Very dangerous,” he told comments and repeated that Huawei has repeatedly reporters at the White House. dialogue must be based on denied it works with the The heated rhetoric comes “mutual respect”. Communist-led government. as trade negotiations have The official Xinhua news “To say that they don’t stalled, with neither side agency said in a commentary work with the Chinese gov- announcing a new date to on Friday that China has “fully ernment is a false statement,” resume talks after they prepared for a protracted trade Pompeo told CNBC on exchanged increases in tariffs war” with the United States.    ! .#  44 %     02Q%2R&+))20          ,  *'  2<    ,  : ■ :%/3  ■ 487%-%$3 with the former world youth champion Siwach using his afael Nadal and Roger Federer were ix-time world champion height advantage to full credit. Rplaced in the same half of the draw for MC Mary Kom and the Taller by six inches, Siwach the French Open on Thursday meaning the Sseasoned L Sarita Devi who ousted world champi- two longtime rivals could meet in the semi- spearheaded India's Gold rush onship Bronze medallist Rogen finals. at the second India Open box- Ladon and Commonwealth Second seed Nadal is chasing a 12th ing tournament, which con- Games champion Gaurav title in Paris while 2009 champion Federer, cluded on Friday. Solanki in the previous rounds, seeded three, is playing in the tournament Asian Games Gold medal- was full of energy and confi- for the first time since 2015. ist Amit Panghal thwarted a dence. Nadal starts against qualifiers in the spirited challenge from giant To negate this, Panghal first two rounds while 37-year-old Federer, killer Sachin Siwach with a well- opted the waiting game strate- bidding to become the oldest Grand Slam calculated display to clinch the gy, ducking most of his oppo- title winner of all time, faces Italy's Lorenzo Gold by a split 4-1 verdict in the nent's punches and staying out Sonego, ranked at 73. highly-competitive 52kg men's of his range. Top seed and world number one category. "I think he's the tallest Novak Djokovic starts his campaign against Overall, India swept the boxer I faced till date. I fought Poland's Hubert Hurkacz, the world num- medals in four men's cate- with some tall boxers in the ber 43. gories (52kg, 81kg, 91kg and Asian Championship but Djokovic, the 2016 champion, is bid- +91kg) and three in women's Sachin is taller than them," the ding to become only the second man in his- (51kg, 57kg and 75kg) to con- 5'3" Panghal, who won the tory to hold all four Slams at the same time. clude their campaign with 12 of 52kg Gold in Asian Only Rod Laver, who swept to calen- the 18 Gold medals up for Championship beating dar Slams in 1962 and 1969, has previous- Nadal, who won his first title of 2019 Open final where the Japanese star tri- grabs. Hasanboy Dusmatov, said. ly achieved the feat. in Rome last weekend against a weary umphed while the American suffered a India, who had bagged six "You have to have a long If the seedings work out for the quar- Djokovic, is seeded to face Japan's Kei spectacular meltdown. Golds in the inaugural edition reach and play an in and out ter-finals, then 15-time major winner Nishikori in the last-eight. Defending champion Simona Halep, in New Delhi last year, thus game. It takes a lot of effort and Djokovic would face Germany's Alexander In the women's draw, top seed Naomi seeded three, plays Australia's Ajla doubled their Gold count in the stamina," he said, terming it the Zverev who has still to get past the last eight Osaka, bidding for a third successive Tomljanovic in her first round match. continental meet that witnessed toughest bout of the meet. at a Slam. Grand Slam title, opens against world 92 Venus Williams, unseeded this year, a depleted field with a no-show National champion P L Fourth seed Dominic Thiem, the 2018 Anna Karolina Schmiedlova of Slovakia. begins against ninth seed Elina Svitolina of from Uzbekistan. Prasad and Commonwealth runner-up to Nadal, would face Argentine Three-time champion Serena Williams, the Ukraine. World championship Games Gold medallist Solanki eighth seed Juan Martin del Potro while chasing a record-equalling 24th major, Second seed Karolina Pliskova, the medallist Sarita Devi won her took the Bronze in the 52kg cat- Federer would meet Stefanos Tsitsipas, the begins against Vitalia Diatchenko of Russia. champion in Rome last weekend, starts first Gold in three years beat- egory with another India clean Greek who stunned him at the Australian She could face Osaka in the quarter- against Madison Brengle of the United ing Simranjit Kaur 3-2 by virtue sweep. Open in January. finals in a rematch of their stormy 2018 US States. of a split decision. India had a setback in the Making her debut in 60kg 64kg, when national champion category, Simranjit impressed in Rohit Tokas suffered a knee the first round with some telling twist in the first round and for- blows. feited the bout to former QQ But Sarita Devi did not lose Olympian Richarno Colin, a ground and fought back with a Bronze medallist at the New ■ :%/3 Nadal, who faces a qualifi- counter-attacking display as Delhi 2010 Commonwealth er in the first round but could she celebrated the win looking Games. afael Nadal said on Friday meet Federer or Tsitsipas in a upwards, dedicating the Gold to Tokas, who won a Bronze Rthat he "doesn't care" if he potential semi-final clash, was her mother Laishram at the Makran Cup earlier this is the red-hot favourite to lift a pleased to get away from the Khomthonbi, who passed away year, thus had to settle for the record-extending 12th French court after his Rome success. last year. fight by former national cham- in front of a boisterous crowd Silver, bettering his Bronze Open title at Roland Garros, "I have been at home, one "This Gold belongs to my pion Vanlal Duati of Mizoram at the Karmabir Nabin Chandra medal feat at the last edition of insisting that there are a host of day of golf, one day of family, mother. I lost my dad early and to emerge winner by unani- Bordoloi Indoor Stadium. India Open. players in contention for the and came back here. my mother made me the boxer mous decision. Nikhat Zareen Thapa began with a tight India also could not add trophy. "(I've) already had two that I'm now. This Gold has and Jyoti took the Bronze vigil and was seen in his aggres- their Gold count in the men's The world number two practices here. Good practices. come after a long time. I'm medals for an all-Indian finish sive best from second round 75kg final where Ashish Kumar holds an incredible French (I'm) just trying to continue the missing her very much at this in the podium. onwards en route to get an pulled out against Filipino Open win-loss record of 86-2, preparation and just hold the moment," Sarita got emotion- Home favourite and world unanimous verdict from the Eumir Felix Delos Santos. and hit top form by winning his level." al as she spoke about her moth- championship Bronze medalist five judges. The Asian Championship ninth Italian Open last week But Nadal will not be over- er, who died after suffering Shiva Thapa avenged his last Having moved to the new Silver medalist suffered a fore- with a final victory over old confident in the first week, from cancer. year's semifinal defeat to weight earlier this year, Panghal, head injury in his semifinal win rival Novak Djokovic. pointing to his famous shock Olympic Bronze medallist defending champion Manish who had won the Asiad Gold in against Aphisit Khankhokkruea Nadal could move to with- early Wimbledon defeats by Mary Kom saw off a valiant Kaushik to grab the 60kg Gold 49kg, had a tough first round of Thailand on Thursday. in two titles of Roger Federer's matters is the one who has the forced him to withdraw from Steve Darcis and Dustin all-time men's record of 20 cup at home in two weeks' Indian Wells before a scheduled Brown. Grand Slam trophies if he lifts time." semi-final against Federer. "The problem with Dustin the Coupe des Mousquetaires Before his triumph in "When you're recovering Brown is that if I play badly, I        . on June 9. Rome, it had been far from a from an injury it's also difficult lose to anyone," he said. "In "I don't care if I'm the trademark clay-court season for to recover mentally," he said. "I 2015, I was playing badly, it was favourite," he said. "I care about Nadal. had not had that for a long normal to lose to a dangerous ■ #%##3#4 said: "It's quite a big cut and I feeling well and playing well. The Spaniard failed in his time. player on grass. think it's going to need stitch- "I appreciate that you (the bids for 12th titles in both "Losing in the semi-finals is "I also lost to Darcis in alaysian badminton play- es." media) see me like that, but Monte Carlo and Barcelona, considered bad... Without play- 2013. It's part of the sport. Mer Teo Ee Yi was bloodied The painful defeat put (Dominic) Thiem, Novak where he lost in the semi- ing especially well at the start When one plays badly he usu- and shaken after his doubles Japan 1-0 up in the tie in the (Djokovic), Federer, Tsitsipas finals to Fabio Fognini and of the clay season. ally loses." partner accidentally smashed Chinese city of Nanning and on who has been playing well, Thiem respectively. "You have to have the But Nadal has only lost to him in the face with his shin the way to a semi-finals meet- (Juan Martin) del Potro, (Kei) Another last-four exit fol- humility to value small two men at Roland Garros during their Sudirman Cup ing with Indonesia. Nishikori -- all those that are lowed on home soil in Madrid improvements. For me, one since his triumphant debut in quarter-final defeat to Japan on Men's world number one the best in the world will be against Greek rising star very positive thing was that 2005 — against the now-retired Friday. Kento Momota and Nozomi favourites. Tsitsipas. before I started Rome, it was Robin Soderling and this year's The 26-year-old lay prone Okuhara triumphed in their "The only thing that wor- Nadal admits it took him not a disaster — I'd made three top seed Djokovic, who he on the court floor for nearly 10 singles matches to give Japan — ries me is being well and being time to rediscover his top form semi-finals. could face in the final as the minutes with a gashed chin, who have never won the competitive. after a one-month absence with "It's not incredible, but it's Serbian chases a fourth consec- blood pouring down his neck, Sudirman Cup — an unassail- "The only favourite that the right knee injury which not a total disaster either." utive Grand Slam crown. with the men's doubles clash able 3-0 lead. against top seeds Japan locked Indonesia booked their at 19-19 in the deciding game. place in the last four with a nar- Teo suffered the injury after climbed off the floor to contin- and Keigo Sonoda, but could row 3-2 win over Taiwan. "   /' he and playing partner Ong Yew ue with a large bandage on his not ultimately prevent going Saturday's other semi-final is Sin both dived in an attempt to chin, the Malaysian duo down to a dramatic defeat between the hosts China, who    )++' retrieve the same shot, and appeared to have lost their spread over 95 thrilling minutes. are the hot favourites to win the Ong's trailing left leg caught Teo edge. Teo afterwards refused to mixed-team world champi- in the face. They saved a second match blame the attritional three- onship for an 11th time, and Although Teo eventually point against Takeshi Kamura game loss on the injury, but Thailand. Q!8 June 1. "In the next few days I have to decide on 25-26 players from this squad who will be the most valuable for this competition (King's Cup) and after that, the squad will   Roger Federer on Friday hailed the "won- be cut to 23." derful" addition of the Laver Cup, one of three Stimac was quizzed on the level of men's tennis team events, to the official ATP cal- research he had done on India before accept- endar. ing the job. The tournament, inspired by golf's Ryder "I watched almost every ISL game, I Cup, pits teams from Europe and the 'rest of the have been informed about the young talents world' against each other and was first held in from the Indian Arrows. 2017. ■ %/.,+'#% November. "I recognised through my research It will be in competition with the revamped And Valencia have beaten about some players who didn't make it into Davis Cup and the ATP World Team Cup. amage limitation, and a fifth con- Barcelona only once in 14 attempts, Mr (Stephen) Constantine's squad, for "As I come closer to the end of my playing Dsecutive Copa del Rey, will be the without a success in any of their last whatever reason. But, I'm here to give them career, it's wonderful to know that the Laver Cup prize if Barcelona beat Valencia on eight meetings. the chance to prove themselves and show will be part of the tour that I've dedicated more Saturday as their rejuvenated oppo- But the records ignore trajectory everyone how good they are," Stimac said. than 20 years of my life to," said the 37-year-old nents eye a final flourish to their and momentum. Barca look like a Stimac said that he has so far focused Federer in a statement after the announcement remarkable comeback season. side still hurting, eager to end the sea- on evaluating the fitness of the players. that the Laver Cup would be added to the ATP Victory for Barca would only son and begin recovering over the "I'm happy with the condition of most Tour. slightly alleviate the disappointment summer. Valencia are flying high, of the players, and now I will decide on the This year's edition will be held in Geneva of failing in the Champions League fresh from a late surge that saw them ■ #,7 ,+-3 for a place in the team. intensity of training over the next few days, from September 20-22, with Bjorn Borg's Team but another defeat, less than three snatch fourth place on Saturday. "We all start from zero. Football is like which will be important to see who can cope Europe the defending champions after defeating weeks after the collapse at Anfield, After beating Real Valladolid, ewly-appointed Indian football coach that. You don't get anything for the past. You up with the demands. the John McEnroe-led Team World in 2018 in would plunge the club back into cri- Valencia's players celebrated like they NIgor Stimac in his first press conference get paid for today's job. As successful you "The next few days we will be working Chicago. sis. had won a trophy. on Friday made it clear that all players, are today, tomorrow you get your chance on technical aspects and organisation on the World number one Novak Djokovic played For Valencia, the possibilities are Barcelona are depleted. Luis including the star forward Sunil Chhetri, are once again." pitch." in the Laver Cup last year, but has also been one more positive, given a loss in Seville Suarez and Marc-Andre ter Stegen are on the same pedestal and will have to fight With less than two weeks to go for his The 51-year-old is also impressed with of the driving forces behind bringing back the is expected, while a win would turn out with knee injuries. Philippe for their place in the team. first assignment, Stimac said that he is con- the attitude of the players in the camp. ATP World Team Cup. a decent campaign into a sensation- Coutinho, Ousmane Dembele and "We speak every day. I speak with all our cerned about the defence, and the lack of "I expect not only from Sunil (but) from "The Laver Cup is a true celebration of ten- al one. Arthur Melo are all struggling. Nelson players every day. That's my approach. I need options, particularly at centre-back. Gurpreet , from Jhingan as well to be a role nis that is loved by the fans and embraced by the The numbers favour Barcelona. Semedo and Kevin Prince-Boateng to do that. I need to get information from "Over the next few months, my job will model to young players in a positive way. players," said the 15-time Grand Slam champi- Twenty-six points separate the two might not have started, but they are them," Stimac said on Friday. be to find more competitors for the centre- And not in a negative way because they are on. sides in the table, with Barca scoring unlikely to make it either. "Of course, Sunil (Chhetri) is very valu- back position, which we are short on right the ones who are looked up to. The inaugural Davis Cup finals — which have more goals than Valencia have scored Valencia last won it 11 years ago, able to our team. He is a role model to these now," Stimac said. "Young players always look at what Sunil replaced the World Group after funding from and let in put together. Fernando Morientes scoring in a 3- young players who are knocking on the The 37-man preliminary squad, which is doing, what Jhingan is doing. So I'm quite Barcelona footballer Gerard Pique's investment Valencia's captain Dani Parejo 1 victory over Getafe in a stadium that door. He has played so many games, he is is undergoing a camp at the Jawaharlal happy with their behaviour until now and company Kosmos — will be held in November finished their top scorer on nine no longer exists. That was the last tro- so experienced, and has scored so many Nehru Stadium, will be cut short to 23, by I strongly believe that we will work togeth- in Madrid, while Sydney will host the first World goals, the same number Lionel Messi phy the club hoisted in any compe- goals. But as well as others, he needs to fight the time the team leaves for Thailand on er as much as Sunil did before," he said. Team Cup finals next year. AFP had hit before the middle of tition at all.    ! .#  4 ,&$,$-.", .,$/0#(.$1$

■ #,7 ,+-3 dogs but what stands out is how bal- anced it is. Which means anything he ICC Men's Cricket World can happen on the day which is so Cup 2019 is officially up and exciting." Trunning and all ten skippers West Indies skipper Jason are anticipating 'the most compet- Holder added: "It's a very exciting itive tournament in history'. format. In the past you could play With hosts England kicking off five or six games, and that could be the tournament in less than a week's it. time at the Oval against South "To play every side is great for Africa, the time for talking is almost us. We worked hard with the qual- over. ifiers to get here, that means it is the All ten teams will play each top ten in the world, we want to play other in a new-look round-robin them all and give ourselves a shot. stage, with the top four qualifying "The team that wins will defi- for the semi-finals - a change in for- nitely deserve it." mat that makes this year's edition Sri Lanka's new captain Dimuth more competitive than ever. Karunaratne said: "We have great And Eoin Morgan, Virat Kohli experience in England, we came and the ten tournament skippers here early to get used to the condi- can't wait to get started, with a series tions and we are in good shape, hop- of warm-up matches scheduled ing to do our best. around the country in the next "It is not going to be easy week. though. We are confident and tak- England skipper Morgan said: "I ing it each game one by one." don't think anyone is head and Afghanistan skipper Gulbadin shoulders above anyone else. Naib added: "We are excited to be "These are the ten best teams in here, in front of the cricket world the world, it will be extraordinari- and to play the best teams. ly competitive and some quality "To present Afghanistan to the cricket will be played so we are real- world is great and we are looking ly looking forward to it. forward to it. "Every captain sitting here "There will be a huge audience would lose their left leg to play in a at home in all the different World Cup final at the home of provinces. Cricket is not just a cricket. It's something every one of sport now, in Afghanistan it has us would have dreamed of as a kid. become something else." "We are as best prepared as we who welcomes back both David where in the world. every once I think is great," he said. they won the ICC Champions New Zealand were runners up And finally Bangladesh captain can be. We just want to play that first Warner and Steve Smith as his side "We have plans in place for that, "The way we use our resources Trophy in England in 2017 - is feel- four years ago and skipper Kane Mashrafe Mortaza is confident his game now." look to defend the title they won in and their squad input and output in will be vital, but every team has X- ing confident. Williamson hopes his Black Caps side can spring a surprise. India skipper Virat Kohli added: 2015, said: "Since Warner and Smith terms of the runs they have been factor bowlers that will have a big "All the teams are really bal- side can go one better. "We have got a great bunch of "England in their conditions are the have come back into the set-up they making has been fantastic." say in the successes of the side. anced. I think people are going to He said: "There are a few guys boys, a good mix of seniors and most strong side in this tournament. have been fantastic and contributed South Africa skipper Faf du "I think the bowlers will win it, watch some great cricket," he said. in the squad from the last World juniors coming on. "But all the teams so strong and so much. The morale has been Plessis is hoping to become the first the teams still in it towards the end "Since winning the World Cup Cup which is great. "Cricket is a game that anyone well balanced and the fact we have unbelievable. man to lead the Proteas to a World of the tournament will be the teams in 1992, making the final in 1999 "But four years in between on their day can beat anybody. If we to play every one once, I think this "Once it gets underway, partic- Cup crown, after four semi-final that have done really well with the here in England and then means there are a lot of new play- start well we can hang in there. will be the most competitive World ularly against England, and further appearances. ball." Champions Trophy in 2017, we go ers. "We are confident that we can Cup that anyone will have seen." on for the Ashes, the crowd will play "We are all really excited to try Pakistan skipper Sarfaraz well in England so we are confident "There has been a lot of talk go well, but a lot depends on the Australia skipper Aaron Finch, a part but that is expected every- out this new tournament, to play Ahmed - who led Pakistan when we will do well and challenge." about rankings, favourites, under- start." "  P  '  ■ #,7 ,+-3   C/ ustralia seem to have peaked Ajust at the right time, winning each of their last eight One Day Internationals. Not many would have given them a chance until a few months ago, but recent form =< and arrival of two of their great- est match-winners, Steve Smith 4! and David Warner, makes them ■ +'# '# one of the strongest sides going into the World Cup. ngland captain Eoin The Aaron Finch led side, EMorgan will undergo "a stormed past West Indies in their precautionary X-ray" after injur- unofficial warm-up game at this ing his left index finger in very venue. Steve Smith scored a training, the England Cricket well compiled 76 to assert that Board announced on Friday. 09 he's well and truly ready for the Morgan was practising with long English Summer. Usman his teammates at the Ageas Khawaja, who was struck on his Bowl in Southampton ahead of helmet by a steep bouncer from his team "is in the best possible England World Cup squad and Saturday's unofficial World Cup 0; Andre Russell, was cleared of any place" and is eager for the World everyone seems excited to see him warm-up against Australia threatening injury after scans Cup to start. perform at the biggest stage. His when he took a blow during revealed that there was no serious The top-ranked ODI side opening spell against Pakistan in catching drills. < damage to his jaw. boasts of a strong batting unit the rain-affected game at The "Eoin Morgan took a knock England have dominated which has mounted a series of Oval was another indicator of his to his left index finger fielding  ■ #,7 ,+-3 their arch-rivals in recent times, high totals in recent times. With skills and form in white ball this morning. He is going to having won nine out of the ten them facing a strong Australian cricket. The Barbados born pacer hospital after practice for a India had won four consecutive ODI series, including games played between the two bowling attack which believes in promises to pose a serious chal- precautionary X-ray," said a the Asia Cup, before they were handed their first ODI series sides. The hosts had white- fighting fire with fire, the fans can lenge to the Australian top order brief statement from the ECB. ■ +'# '# 3#.,%93#4$-,3/ loss at home since October 2015 by Australia. The outcome washed Australia 5-0, during the expect an exciting contest. which boasts of in form Aaron Morgan, 32, was one of 14 7'/+ .8: ,8$3# posted serious questions on the team's balance going into previous English summer. Finch, David Warner and Steve players preparing at outh Africa captain Faf du !CC%$,/ ,.% , the World Cup. However, a large part of the squad, includ- Captain Eoin Morgan, during his KEY PLAYER Smith. Hampshire's ground, with Joe SPlessis says the team's record ing the skipper Virat Kohli, seem to be in fine form, thanks team's kit launch on Tuesday, Jofra Archer: Much has been (Venue: The Rose Bowl, Root absent on personal busi- of repeated World Cup heart- '%:%/$-,3 I to some stellar individual performances during the recent- sounded confident and said that talked about his inclusion in the Southampton) ness. break will have no bearing on a ,#'/., 3'+%$3'#5 ly concluded Indian Premier League. largely youthful squad at the '8$-%/3.%-%0, Shikhar Shawan, MS Dhoni and Hardik Pandya's recent 2019 tournament. 7'#28$'#,' form come as a great positive. Rohit Sharma, India's open- Since making their World ,0,#9#'.9'8$ ing batsman and vice-captain, and Kuldeep Yadav, the left- & %'!! %(  Cup debut in 1992 after decades arm wrist-spinner, were among two of India's key players 5 of apartheid-enforced isolation, %$.-,I%<8%/$,/I that were a bit off-colour during the IPL though. They will () ! *+!  South Africa have won just one 3#%+%4%3#$/3 want to make amends during the warm-ups. of seven knockout matches — a +%#9%3#; #,;'8/ New Zealand lost the ODI series to India at home but /0 quarter-final against Sri Lanka ;,%/%4' redeemed themselves after clean-sweeping Bangladesh with  ■ ,+'8/#, in Sydney four years ago. three resounding wins. The batting unit which revolves  ■ ,+'8/#, Captains Day. "We played our They have reached the around the experienced trio of Martin Guptill, Kane last few games against Ireland head of the World Cup, semi-finals four times but have naments are a lot younger and Williamson and Ross Taylor is capable of posting big totals fghanistan might have and Scotland, and he helped me AAustralian great Mark Waugh yet to make a final, with a with those new faces comes against any opposition. Tom Latham's finger injury presents Achanged captains a little a lot. He guided me. He's not has picked his top three ODI bats- match-winning innings from exciting opportunities." opportunity for the uncapped Tom Blundell to justify his under two months before the just another player for me, he's men with Indian skipper Virat South Africa-born all-rounder South Africa have arguably selection in the national squad. World Cup 2019, but the unity still my captain right now. Kohli being the number one Grant Elliott seeing them beat- the toughest start to the group A well-rounded pace attack, quality spinners and gen- and camaraderie in the side is "I want support from him. choice. en by New Zealand in 2015. phase, when they face World uine all-rounders make up a formidable unit for the Kiwis. as strong as ever, Gulbadin Not just him, but [Mohammad] "Definitely Virat Kohli. He's And when the World Cup Cup hosts England in the tour- New Zealand, who had their best ever World Cup campaign Naib, the new captain, said on Nabi, Rashid [Khan] and all the No 1." Waugh told was last staged in England 20 nament opener at the Oval on in 2015 will look to fine-tune things quickly to try and go Thursday. guys who have a lot of experi- cricket.Com.Au. years ago, a dramatic semi-final Thursday. the whole distance this time. Afghanistan Cricket ence. All of us have one goal: we Kohli, who clinched all three tie with Australia saw South England have twice broken Board's decision to remove want to play for Afghanistan major ICC awards earlier in the Africa bow out on net run-rate. the record for the highest one- KEY PLAYERS Asghar Afghan early in April, and play as a team, whoever the year, will hope to lead his coun- But Du Plessis said that even day international in the past Shikhar Dhawan (India): Shikhar Dhawan has been and introduce split captaincy captain is." try to a third World Cup trophy. though he and fellow senior three years. India's most prolific run scorer in ICC tournaments since meant Naib had the honour of Naib has come a long way The Indian captain goes into the players such as Hashim Amla But with conditions promis- the 2013 Champions Trophy . He was India's leading run- leading the one-day interna- since the 2015 World Cup, tournament on the back of 41 and Dale Steyn had endured ing to be ideal for batting, Du scorer at the 2015 World Cup and now, after a good sea- tional side at the World Cup. when he played just the one centuries with a stupendous aver- their fair share of World Cup Plessis believes it is bowlers son with Delhi Capitals, Dhawan looks all set to produce Afghan had, before that, led the match. Now he is captain, and age of 59.57. pain, it would not be an issue who could yet determine the more match-winning performances for India. The left-han- team in their meteoric rise he said he was looking forward For his second pick Waugh plating between the former vice- this time around. destiny o f the World Cup. der who has fond memories at this venue, having scored through the ranks, the latest feat to making the most of the went for England's Jos Buttler. captain and current skipper "You can't control history — And with an attack led by an two hundreds previously, will relish the flat batting condi- being their maiden Test victo- opportunity. Buttler has been in incredible Aaron Finch. I am a firm believer in that," Du outstanding fast bowler in tions. ry against Ireland in Dehradun "I am thrilled to lead the form, scoring a 50-ball century "Aaron Finch at his best is Plessis said at a World Cup cap- Kagiso Rabada, South Africa Trent Boult (New Zealand): Currently ranked second in in March. team in front of the whole against Pakistan in Southampton right up there, so is David tains' press conference in could trouble their opponents' ODI Bowlers' Rankings, Trent Boult will be New Zealand's There was, therefore, world," he smiled. "I remember earlier this month after smashing Warner," said Waugh. London. top-orders. key weapon during the World Cup. His ability to swing the potential for disharmony fol- our last appearance in the 150 from 77 balls against the West "I'll go with David Warner." "All you can try and focus "I think bowlers will win new ball with pace has troubled the best of top-order bats- lowing the captaincy change, World Cup in 2015. I just Indies. After facing a one-year inter- on is what is ahead. If you are this tournament," he said. man in recent years. The left-arm pacer, who was the joint but rather than give way to it, played one game, and I was "Jos Buttler, I'd have him at national ban owing to his role in good enough on the day then "Batters will score runs on good highest wicket taker (22 wickets) in the tournament's pre- Naib said the mutual respect really excited just to be a part No 2 in the top three," Waugh the ball-tampering scandal last great, but if the opposition are wickets, so the team towards the vious edition, will relish bowling with the new ball in English and admiration in team was as of the squad. Now, the ACB said. year, Warner returned to compet- better on the day then that's end will be the team that will conditions. strong as it ever was. have announced me as the For the number three place itive cricket in tremendous form OK," he added. have done well with the ball — (Venue: The Oval, London) "Asghar Afghan is still my captain for this World Cup. It's Waugh settled on fellow country- and finished as the top scorer in "The squad that we have teams that can take wickets on (Live telecast at Star Sports 1 & 2 from 3pm onwards) captain," Naib told the ICC on a big opportunity for me." men David Warner after contem- the recently concluded IPL. here compared to previous tour- flat pitches."

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