Page 3 - National Politics

Former Rajya Sabha member Rapolu Anand Bhaskar quits BJP, to join TRS

BJP leader in Telangana, Rapolu Ananda Bhaskar on Sunday called on TRS president and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and expressed his keenness to join the ruling party. Bhaskar, who had served as Rajya Sabha member between 2012 and 2018 when he was in Congress, met Rao at Pragati Bhavan, the CM's camp office-cum-official residence here, TRS sources said late on Sunday night. Expressing disappointment over the NDA government at imposing GST on handloom products, Bhaskar told Rao that he cannot tolerate this as he belonged to a family which is into handlooms, they said. Bhaskar, a journalist by profession, informed Rao that he would quit BJP and join the TRS, they added. The former Rajya Sabha member had resigned from Congress and joined BJP in 2019. Bhaskar's meeting with Rao comes close on the heels of two leaders -- former Legislative Council Chairman Swamy Goud and Sravan Dasoju -- quitting BJP and joining the TRS.

Karnataka to strengthen Anti-Terrorism Squad, says CM Basavaraj Bommai

Cautioning that "destructive forces" have crept into all fields in society, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday said his government would strengthen the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), and increase the number of prisons in the state. The state government proposes to undertake more reforms in the police department, he said, as he also highlighted the need for equipping police personnel with sophisticated weapons. Bommai was speaking after paying tributes on Police Martyrs' Day here, during which he recalled Karnataka police's rich history and the services of the personnel who died on duty. "The population is increasing in the society and both national and international destructive forces are trying to disturb peace in the society," the Chief Minister said. Bommai also said the government proposes to undertake more reforms in the police department by having a police museum, strengthening ATS (Anti-Terrorism Squad), and increasing the number of jails, among others. He sai

Mallikarjun Kharge faces multiple challenges in new role as Congress chief

He is the first non-Gandhi president of the party in more than 20 years

Will Kharge be a rubber stamp or a connect between party and family?

Kharge began life as a trade union lawyer and knows what it is to struggle

TRS to BRS: Will KCR's name-change gamble pay off at 2024 LS polls?

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's attempt to catapult the TRS party to the centre stage of national politics by renaming it is being watched by political pundits. Some see it as a move that could help increase his stature nationally, while others fear it could turn into a misadventure. In a politically-significant development in the regional political landscape, the two-decade-old Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) was rechristened Wednesday as Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), with an aim to establish KCR as a national leader. The name change resolution was passed by the party general body meeting in Hyderabad as party workers cheered and banners with slogans like "Desh ka neta KCR," "Dear India, he is coming", and "KCR is on the way" were prominently displayed around the venue of the meeting. Several analysts also surmise the idea as an exercise to fortify his party base in the state -- where the BJP is making inroads and intensifying political activity ahead of 2023 assemb

KCR's 'Bharat Rashtra Samithi' to start expanding from Maharashtra

The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), formerly the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), will make a beginning from Maharashtra to expand its activities nationwide, said party President and Telangana CM KCR

Top headlines: TRS' KCR goes national; European shares fall

Business Standard brings to you the top news of the evening

'Not Sangh's nature': RSS poses no danger to minorities, says Bhagwat

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Wednesday said scare-mongering was being done by some that there was a danger to minorities, but asserted that this is neither the nature of the Sangh nor of Hindus. "The Sangh resolves to stand on the side of brotherhood, amity and peace, Bhagwat said at the RSS Dussehra rally in Nagpur. Raising concerns over inequality, he said "unless temples, water sources and cremation grounds are open to all Hindus, till such time the talk of equality will be a mere pipe dream". There should be no recurrence of Udaipur and Amravati incidents (where a tailor and a pharmacist were killed after they support suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma), Bhagwat said, adding that a particular community as a whole should not be taken as the root cause for it. The RSS chief the concept of "Hindu Rashtra" is being taken seriously. "Now, when the Sangh is receiving the affection and confidence of people and also has become strong, the concept of H

Asaduddin Owaisi welcomes BRS; BJP calls it KCR's 'misadventure'

AIMIM on Wednesday welcomed the decision of TRS to enter national politics by changing its name to Bharat Rashtra Samithi while BJP has termed it as misadventure by CM K Chandrasekhar Rao

JD(S)' Kumaraswamy airdashes to Telangana to join forces with KCR

Senior JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy along with 20 of his party MLAs left for Hyderabad on Tuesday to back Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, who is expected to announce the Telangana Rashtra Samiti's foray into national politics on October 5. The TRS is likely to be renamed as Bharata Rashtra Samiti' (BRS), the ruling party sources said in Hyderabad. Kumaraswamy, the JD(S) second-in-command, and the MLAs left for Hyderabad by a special plane on Tuesday. Rao, the TRS President, had called on former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda and his son Kumaraswamy in May this year in Bengaluru and had a discussion on this issue with them. Kumaraswamy too had visited Hyderabad recently and had an interaction. According to a JD(S) insider, the BRS will be a conglomeration of various regional parties, which are fighting against the BJP in their respective states. The idea is to put up a united fight against the BJP. Basically, it's a combination of various regional .

Shah announces reservation for Pahadi community under ST category in J-K

The reservation quota for the Pahadi community "will not affect the reservation for Gujjar and Bakerwal community under the Scheduled Tribes category," Amit Shah said

Democracy at work: How various national parties elect their leaders

While the leaders of bigger national parties like BJP and INC have limitation to their powers, smaller parties tend to give wholesome control to their leaders

Congress president's election: Uncertain times ahead for the party

The election of Kharge as Congress president is almost certain. From here on, if the Congress does not improve its poor electoral performance, a challenge could emerge to the Gandhi family leadership

House panel flags poor placements, under-utilisation of funds in PMKVY 3.0

The committee is particularly concerned about the third edition of the scheme, as placement figures fall below 10%

Mallikarjun Kharge 'officially starts' campaigning for Congress prez post

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who is one of the contenders for the party's top post, announced his "official start" to the election campaign

Congress president polls: Tharoor, Kharge, and Tripathi file nomination

While the leaders have come out and claimed that the elections in the party is a friendly contest and not a battle between the rivals, reports suggest that Kharge is a favourite candidate

BJP wants to rule entire country, weakening all political parties: Tikait

Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Friday alleged that the BJP was weakening all political parties using money power so that it can rule the country all alone. He also accused the election officials of tampering with the results in more than 100 Assembly seats during the Uttar Pradesh polls held earlier this year, saying the machinery worked at the behest of the saffron party. Tikait, who was en route to Shrawasti, interacted with the media after stopping his convoy in front of the collectorate here. They (BJP) want to dismantle the entire opposition so that only one party gets to rule the country. They will weaken all political parties using money power, he said in response to a question from reporters during an informal chat. When asked about the Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra' headed by Rahul Gandhi, Tikait said it was the right move to unite the country but it should have been carried out earlier. The entire opposition should come out onto the streets. Or else, in

Congress president poll: As nominations close, here are 10 things to know

This is the first Congress president election in more than 20 years with no member of the Gandhi family in the contest

KCR will play key role in shaping course of national politics: Kavitha

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) legislator K. Kavitha on Tuesday said that her father and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao will play a key role in shaping the political course of the country.

Only request to PM Modi is to stop rupee from scoring century: Congress

?? The Congress on Tuesday attacked the Centre over the depreciating value of the rupee against the dollar and said the only request to Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to stop the rupee from scoring a century. The rupee appreciated 37 paise to 81.30 against the US dollar in early trade on Tuesday while consolidating in a narrow range and settling 9 paise higher at 81.58 (provisional) against the US dollar on Tuesday. Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said for the first time in history, the rupee is racing fast towards 82 against the dollar. "With Modi Ji's blessings, the rupee has become the weakest in history and he who claimed (before coming to power) the fall in the value of rupee is directly linked to fall in prime minister's credibility must realise his own credibility is in a bottomless pit," Shrinate said. Exactly a year ago, in September 2021, the value of the rupee was 73 against USD 1, which has now increa