Nineteen opposition political parties, including the Congress have announced a boycott of the ceremony on May 28, demanding that President Droupadi Murmu and not Prime Minister Narendra Modi do the inauguration.
A Yuvajana Shramika Rythu Congress Party activist was on Wednesday arrested for allegedly posting 'irresponsible' comments on the social networking site Facebook regarding cyclone Hudhud which hit the North Andhra Pradesh coast earlier this month.
Birla, 57, has been MLA from Rajasthan thrice and MP twice.
The presidential election is due in July and the poll to the post of the vice president is scheduled for August.
Jaganmohan Reddy hopes for a hung Parliament to 'extract a better deal' for Andhra Pradesh, and says his party will sweep all 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state.
ED attaches properties worth Rs 53 crore in quid-pro-quo investments case.
Murmu's vote share is now likely to go past 61 per cent, while it was earlier estimated to be around 50 per cent at the time of her nomination.
The BJP-led NDA now has nearly 100 members in the 245-member House. If the support of friendly parties like the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (9), Biju Janata Dal (9), Yuvajana Shramika Rythu Congress Party (6), and several allied nominated members and smaller parties is counted, then the Modi government is unlikely to face any serious numerical challenge there.
The bill was passed by a voice vote after Shah sought to allay concerns raised by the Opposition, which claimed the draft law was "draconian".
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday assured at the all-party meeting that the government is ready to discuss all issues.
Harivansh, a Janata Dal-United MP, is likely to get the support of 126 members in the Upper House, which has an effective strength of 244 MPs, sources in the Bharatiya Janata Party said.
Several parties had requested that the session, which was originally scheduled to continue till April 8, be curtailed due to the five assembly elections being held in eight phases till April 29.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said it will 'depend on the situation' who becomes the face of the Opposition to take on the BJP, but added she has no problem if someone other than her leads.
The new chief minister, if from the Congress, will have little or no time for political administration, to ensure that he does not lose the voter's goodwill even before the Lok Sabha polls. He can count only on one thing. That the BJP may not want to upset him too early lest an early failure should become an added problem for the party in all the polls to follow, predicts N Sathiya Moorthy.
Usually, the chair in the Upper House reads out obituary references before members rise as a mark of respect to the memory of the departed.
The bill is unlikely to have a smooth passage in the committee with the Congress party making it clear that "there is no compromise on the land bill."
He said he requested the prime minister to be 'magnanimous' towards the people of Andhra Pradesh.
They are likely to meet Sitaram Yechury following the meeting with Gandhi.
The Bill was supported by the members across party lines, however, some suggested to add in its purview hospital sanitary staff, ASHA (accredited social health activist) workers and 'Corona warriors' in emergency services such as police and personnel from other departments.
The TDP members in the Upper House refused to leave the chamber even after the House was adjourned for the day.
WhatsApp, last month, sued Israeli surveillance firm NSO Group, accusing it of helping those buying its spyware Pegasus break into the phones of roughly 1,400 users across four continents.
'Why wasn't my no-confidence motion tabled in the House?' asks YSRCP MP Y V Subba Reddy.
For the bribe takers, the bill proposes to increase the punishment to a minimum of three years of imprisonment, which may extend to seven years, besides fine.
'The Modi-Shah duo won't leave the war zone without putting up a tough fight.' 'Modi's slogan for 2019 could well be, "I have done much. Give me one more chance to do even more".' '2019 will be tough for the BJP.' 'But it will be even tougher for the Opposition -- united or otherwise,' says R Rajagopalan.
The Andhra CM charged the BJP and Centre with 'mud-slinging' and trying to 'damage his credibility'.
Besides, the government would also undertake and promote steps for water conservation and curbing extraction of underground water, which is depleting the water table and is a matter of concern, the minister said.
He asserted that the BJP does not carry out any action with a vindictive approach.
Hyderabad Central University VS Appa Rao on Wednesday asserted there had been "no pressure" from Union ministers or the HRD ministry to act against the youth.
Shah defended the government for not filing an appeal against the acquittal of all four accused, including the radical right-wing's Swami Aseemanand, in the 2007 Samjhauta Express blasts case.
A 7-hr debate was held over the contentious bill. Oppn amendments rejected.
'The BJP will take time to come to power in Andhra.'
The issued rocked both houses of Parliament with the Opposition demanding Modi's statement on Trump's controversial remarks, holding that Kashmir is a bilateral issue and no third party can intervene.
Opposition parties ask the government to listen to the concern of the intellectuals returning awards.
Biju Janata Dal members had staged a walk-out while NDA ally Shiv Sena did not participate in the voting.
Attacking the note ban move, Yechury said the PM's assertion that it will impact terror funding has not yielded any result.
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