'If you go by the capital expenditure, this is a good defence budget. But we will have to see if the government can keep defence spending at 2 per cent or higher in 2027-2028.'
Govt decides to impose central rule in Andhra Pradesh New Delhi, Feb 28 (PTI) Govt to impose President's rule in Andhra Pradesh The government on Friday decided to impose President's rule in Andhra Pradesh and keep the assembly in suspended animation. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Union cabinet while taking up an agenda item "political situation in Andhra Pradesh" and "proclamation under Article 356 (1)", sources said. The move comes in the wake of the resignation of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy following the government's decision to bifurcate the state. Andhra Pradesh Governor E S L Narasimhan will hold the charge during the period of President's rule. The term of the 294-member current Andhra Pradesh assembly expires on June 2, 2014 before which elections are to be held. The Election Commission is set to declare assembly polls along with the Lok Sabha elections in the next few days. The ruling Congress in the state did not propose another candidate to succeed Reddy, who quit as a member of Legislative Assembly as well as from the party protesting against the decision to create Telangana. The bill to create the country's 29th state, by splitting Andhra Pradesh, was passed by Parliament in the just-concluded winter session.
Malik takes over from Roy, who completed his five-year tenure by serving as governor of Tripura for three years and the remaining in Meghalaya.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Wednesday resigned from his post as well as the Congress protesting the manner in which the state was being divided "by throwing all norms to the wind" and lashed out at political parties for dividing the state in quest of "votes".
The post of Chhattisgarh governor was under the additional charge of Madhya Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel since August after the demise of Balram Das Tandon.
Governor E S L Narasimhan asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to adopt a cautious approach when trying to deal with the issues that are currently plaguing the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh Health Minister D L Ravindra Reddy, who had been a vocal critic of various schemes launched by Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, was sacked from the cabinet on Saturday night.
President Pranab Mukherjee arrived in Hyderabad on Wednesday for the customary winter sojourn during which he will stay at Rashtrapati Nilayam at Bolaram till January 1 next.
Controversy is not new to Andhra Pradesh Transport Minister and state Congress president Botsa Satyanarayana. Botsa, who has been in the eye of the storm on earlier occasions for alleged mafia activities, does not seem to shy away from courting controversies. Now, he is accused of abusing his official position for the wedding of his daughter Anusha, a medico, in his native Vizianagaram on Friday night
Finance Minister and Congress trouble-shooter Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday took command of the consultations with Andhra Pradesh leaders to prepare the ground for the creation of Telangana, even as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh decided against imposing President's rule in the troubled state after holding talks with Governor E S L Narasimhan. Assisting Mukherjee in the consultations are Petroleum Minister S Jaipal Reddy and members of a core committee.
Even as the Andhra Pradesh high court ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation to defreeze the bank accounts of beleaguered Kadapa Member of Parliament Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, he has written a letter to the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to save him from a Congress-Telugu Desam Party-CBI 'conspiracy' to nail him for alleged irregularities.
Andhra Pradesh Governor E S L Narasimhan took oath of office for a second term in the gubernatorial post on Thursday.
As the Centre grapples with the Telangana crisis, Andhra Pradesh Governor E S L Narasimhan on Saturday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and is understood to have briefed him about the situation in the agitation-hit region.
With the situation in Telangana going out of control, the Centre is left with only two options -- impose President's rule or appoint a new chief minister from Telangana region to replace Kiran Kumar Reddy. Vicky Nanjappa reports
Andhra Pradesh Infrastructure and Investment Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy resigned from the cabinet as well as the state assembly on Saturday evening. Komatireddy, who had set September 30 as the deadline for the Centre to come out with a statement on the creation of Telangana state, met Governor E S L Narasimhan and submitted his resignation from the Kiran Kumar Reddy-led state government.
A new government has emerged in Andhra Pradesh with the induction of two legislators of the Praja Rajyam Party into the N Kiran Kumar Reddy Cabinet in Hyderabad on Thursday. State Governor E S L Narasimhan administered the oath of office and secrecy to Ganta Srinivasa Rao, a member of the legislative assembly, and C Ramachandraiah, a member of the legislative council, at a brief function in the Raj Bhavan.
Five MLAs - three from the Telangana Rashtriya Samiti and two from the Telegu Desam Party -- were suspended for seven days from the Andhra Pradesh Assembly for unruly behaviour during Governor E S L Narasimhan's address to the joint Legislature session. T Harish Rao, K Sammaiah, Vidyasagar (all TRS), A Revanth Reddy and P Mahender Reddy (both TDP) were suspended.
The Andhra Pradesh Legislature descended into chaos today when Telangana Rashtriya Samiti and Telegu Desam Party MLAs hailing from Telangana region virtually manhandled Governor E S L Narasimhan during which the mike and the lectern were uprooted and chairs on the podium pulled down.
Andhra Pradesh Endowment Minister J Krishna Rao has resigned from the state cabinet in protest against the delay in the formation of Telagnana state.
India's badminton ace Saina Nehwal tied the knot with fellow badminton player and long time partner Parupalli Kashyap in Hyderabad on Friday.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and Praja Rajyam Party chief K Chiranjeevi on Thursday met Governor E S L Narasimhan separately, amidst the speculation that the state is heading for President's rule.
The indigenously built ships use water jet propulsion technology and can use achieve speeds in excess of 35 knots. They will be based in Goa and tasked with the role of detecting, locating and destroying small, fast-moving enemy surface craft engaged in covert operations, a Navy spokesman said.
With Andhra Pradesh Governor E S L Narasimhan on Tuesday deferring the Budget Session of the state legislature, the Telugu Desam Party's plan to move a no confidence motion against the N Kiran Kumar Reddy government has suffered a setback, at least for the time being.
Governor E S L Narasimhan met Congress president Sonia Gandhi at 10 Janpath to apprise her of the prevailing situation in Andhra Pradesh.
National Security Adviser M K Narayanan is being appointed Governor of West Bengal and former Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil will take over as the Governor of Punjab as the Centre has finalised a list of five new Governors in various states.
The Telegu Desam Party made an effort to barge into the Raj Bhavan and demand an explanation from Andhra Pradesh Governor E S L Narasimhan as to why he gave a negative report regarding formation of a separate Telangana state.
President Pratibha Patil on Sunday accepted the resignation of Governor of Andhra Pradesh N D Tiwari and asked the Chattisgarh Governor to discharge the duties till further arrangements are made.
The Telugu Desam Party has sought a clarification from Chief Minister K Rosaiah on the pro-active role being taken by new Governor E S L Narasimhan that was raising doubts about the possibility of the imposition of President's rule in Andhra Pradesh.
Telangana Rashtra Samiti on Monday appealed to Andhra Pradesh Governor E S L Narasimhan to use his good offices to fix a lesser time-frame for the proposed committee to be appointed by the Centre to go into the Telangana issue.
Solicitor General of India Mohan Parasaran has asked the Centre to re-impose the President's Rule in the state, and the dissolution of the Andhra Pradesh assembly to avoid a constitutional crisis. Parasaran has said that there was no need of summoning both Houses of Parliament to endorse the President's Rule in Andhra.
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Raman Singh was on Friday sworn in as the chief minister of Chhattisgarh for the second consecutive term. Governor E S L Narasimhan administered the oath of office and secrecy to the 56-year-old at a function at the Police Parade Ground. The function saw the presence of the top BJP leadership, including party chief Rajnath Singh and prime ministerial candidate L K Advani.
Six new faces -- S Niranjan Reddy, Koppula Eashwar, Errabelli Dayakar Rao, V Srinivas Goud, Vemula Prashanth Reddy and Ch Malla Reddy -- found berth in the Council of Ministers.
TDP Telangana unit president Ramana said they favoured a 'grand alliance' for the elections in the interest of Telangana people.
This is Modi's second visit to the temple since he became the prime minister in 2014.
Governor E S L Narasimhan administered the oath of office and secrecy to the 46-year-old leader, whose party emerged victorious in 151 seats in the 175-member strong state assembly.
President Pranab Mukherjee created a flutter in the Congress party by agreeing to meet 40 Congress MLAs from Andhra Pradesh.
The 26-member Cabinet, including the Chief Minister, has three women members; two from the Scheduled Castes and one from the Scheduled Tribes.