Sustaining the Bolivarian revolution after Hugo Chavez won't be easy. But we must all celebrate its considerable achievements and wish it well, says Praful Bidwai.
As the UPA-II completes four years in office Wednesday, key ally Nationalist Congress Party Tuesday said the government needs a "huge course correction" and ensure that it gains confidence of people in terms of good governance.
More details will doubtless pour out about Sudipto Sen's rackets as investigations proceed. But one thing is certain. The vast majority of Saradha's victims will only get a pittance from the Rs 5 billion compensation fund set up by the Mamata Banerjee government, to be part financed by an additional levy on cigarettes, of all things. But the investors' stake is estimated at Rs 170 billion, if not more, says Praful Bidwai.
Govt will save Rs 30,000 cr in fuel by giving Rs 14,000 cr subsidy to industry for making electric vehicles.
Middle-order batsman Rohit Sharma will lead Mumbai in the absence of regular skipper Ajit Agarkar in their Ranji Trophy Group A match against hosts Hyderabad from November 24. Agarkar was ruled out of the game following an injury.
Rudolf D'Souza (13), Arfat Ansari (15), Tanaay Shah (15), Uzair Ansari (15) and Praful Kumar (16) were selected after their display in the Milind Deora soccer championships by the club's coaches for next week's stint at QPR.
The Congress could have regained some lost ground had it returned to welfare and a pro-poor platform. Instead, it has moved in the opposite direction. Rahul Gandhi's upper middle class-based political mobilisation strategy is likely to fail badly, says Praful Bidwai.
Even if the SP doesn't immediately withdraw support, the UPA government will remain helplessly dependent on the SP and the BSP. Withdrawal of support by either could destroy the UPA's paper-thin majority. It will have to do a balancing act between these two rivals on a day-to-day basis, says Praful Bidwai
To put it starkly, the Congress, and with it, the United Progressive Alliance, is sleepwalking into a minefield by blundering on land and Aadhaar, says Praful Bidwai
Amidst the glowing tributes for National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra, who died last week, it must not be forgotten that he was pivotal to bringing about far-reaching but questionable shifts in India's security and foreign policy stances and forging a hard-line national security apparatus, says Praful Bidwai.
Nationalist Congress Party chief and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar is ready to become the country's prime minister, provided there is a consensus, said party leader and Union Heavy Industries Minister Praful Patel. Patel was quick to add that any talk on this right now is premature.
Sunanda and her husband Surendra have been accused of hiring underworld thugs to extort money from the owners of\n\nSurat-based Praful Sarees.
The crisis in Maharashtra government after Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's resignation is expected to draw to a close with the intervention of Union Agriculture Minister and NCP president Sharad Pawar on Friday.
A crucial meeting of the Nationalist Congress Party Legislature Party will be held in Mumbai on Wednesday to discuss the political situation in the aftermath of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's resignation from the Congress-NCP alliance government in Maharashtra. The Legislature Party of NCP will meet at 2 pm on Wednesday.
The Nationalist Congress Party on Thursday demanded the death sentence for the rapists of three minor sisters in Maharashtra, as it pushed for the expeditious passage of the bill on crimes against women. "It is unacceptable. All of us have to hang our heads in shame. Is there anything short of the capital punishment which should be given to them," Heavy Industries Minister and NCP eader Praful Patel told reporters outside Parliament.
All India Football Federation President, Praful Patel has said that the contentious Sports Code should ensure that National Federations were not pitted against their international parent bodies and it should be approved by Parliament if at all it has to be implemented.
The Income Tax Department on Tuesday also raided 20 premises linked to Gitanjali Gems promoter Mehul Choksi and suspected shell firms in connection with an alleged tax evasion case against them, official sources said.
Three important developments in the nuclear sector have put the department of atomic energy and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India on the back foot, says Praful Bidwai
Indian football's traditional clubs Mohun Bagan and East Bengal on Saturday joined hands to declare an unofficial war against Indian Super League (ISL), threatening to disrupt the cash-rich event if their three-point demand is not met with.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Prtihviraj Chavan, who has been strengthened politically after Nationalist Congress Party's Sharad Pawar and his colleague Praful Patel's personal attacks, had a busy day in New Delhi Monday.
Beleagured Mohun Bagan on Monday appealed to the All India Football Federation (AIFF) for a review of its decision to suspend the club till 2015-16 season for abandoning the December 9 I-League derby against arch-rivals East Bengal.
'No BJP leader trusts him. His bid for the position will sharpen inner-party rivalries. The RSS is wary of him because he is too much of an individualistic autocrat and has destroyed the Sangh in Gujarat,' says Praful Bidwai.
Sharad Pawar's real grievances have to do with the frustration of his prime ministerial ambitions, and his inability to gain high stature, including the Number Two slot in the Cabinet, says Praful Bidwai
Sulking Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Monday skipped the dinner hosted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the honour of outgoing President Pratibha Patil.
The Nationalist Congress Party has decided to pull out of the UPA government and support it from outside in protest against the way the party was treated by Congress, creating fresh trouble for the ruling coalition.
It won't be easy to fight entrenched patriarchy and male-chauvinist prejudice without an extensive campaign of social reform, says Praful Bidwai
Reaching out to sulking Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday hailed him as a "very valued colleague" and said his knowledge, wisdom and experience are a "great asset" to his government.
Nuclear-tipped missiles don't give security, says Praful Bidwai
Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on Saturday said that resignation of his deputy Ajit Pawar from the state ministry will not affect the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party ties.
With exactly 10 days to go for the FIFA U-17 World Cup, Local Organising Committee chairman Praful Patel, on Tuesday, declared that India is "100 per cent ready" to host the event.
The BJP and the Left have come out poorer, while the Congress was galvanised to push Pranab Mukherjee's into the race. The political permutations and combinations also indicate the possibility of a non-Congress, non-BJP 'third front' being in the fray for the 2014 general elections, says Praful Bidwai.
Contrary to the CAG report, the true scam is not exclusive to the UPA, or one for which it bears the prime culpability. Rather, it's a collective or collusive scandal, with both the UPA-ruled Centre and the non-UPA states reaching a nice 'match fixing'-style arrangement to snatch away coal mines from public sector companies and allot coal-mining leases to shady business interests, says Praful Bidwai.
The sport remains popular only in certain geographic areas while the television appetite is restricted to the English Premier League or Spain's La Liga.
Narendra Modi will find it impossible to wash away the bloodstains from Independent India's worst state-sponsored pogrom. His image will remain sullied no matter how many Sadbhavna campaigns he organises, says Praful Bidwai.
If the BJP goes ahead with the idea of forming a minority government without the Shiv Sena like in 2014, the NCP is less likely to support the BJP in any way.
Under a new industrial relations deal, the worker's basic right to a living wage and decent working conditions, as well as the right of association and collective bargaining, must be respected and made effective.
A solution to the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party standoff appears to be in sight with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reaching out to NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday amid indications that a UPA coordination committee could be set up.
With the stand-off between her party and the Nationalist Congress Party continuing, Congress President Sonia Gandhi was heard asking NCP leader Praful Patel to "do something" to end the crisis.
Sulking ally Nationalist Congress Party on Monday kept the Congress guessing on its pullout plans from the government but made it clear that it will not rock the United Progressive Alliance boat and continue its support "till the end".
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