Against the backdrop of Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav's attacks on the United Progressive Alliance and the Congress, Union minister Manish Tewari on Friday said the ruling party and the alliance know how to run a coalition. "The UPA and Congress have always shown that they know how to run a coalition and the current UPA government will complete its full term," the Congress leader told reporters.
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
As eight senior secretaries get ready to demit office in the next few months, there is speculation and a sense of anticipation in official circles about which of these officers will get lucky and be granted an extension or given a post-retirement job in a government or quasi-government body, says Sunita Moga
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday visited Union Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh's native Babhalgaon village in Latur and paid their last respects to the departed leader.
With the victory over FDI in multi-brand retail in Parliament, the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance is now gearing up for the party's all important 'Chintan Shivir' (brainstorming camp) next month.
A day after losing the battle with the United Progressive Alliance government in Parliament on the issue of allowing foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail, the National Democratic Alliance has threatened to reject the Union government's notification if it is voted to power in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
The Congress on Tuesday reiterated that the United Progressive Alliance government has taken firm steps to bring back black money stashed abroad in the last three years, and criticized leaders of the National Democratic Alliance for lending support to yoga guru Baba Ramdev's agitation.
Sharing the dais with Ramdev, Bharatiya Janata Party President Nitin Gadkari on Monday pledged his party's "full support" to the yoga guru's agitation against black money and launched a blistering attack on the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government on issues like corruption and black money.
The remarks were made when the former IPS officer accused the media of ignoring corruption allegations against United Progressive Alliance's ministers and not giving adequate coverage to the issue despite erstwhile Team Anna giving evidence regarding it.
Cho Ramaswamy talks about the Sri Lankan Tamil issue, the DMK walking out of the UPA and also his thoughts on the next Lok Sabha elections.
The Bahujan Samaj Party on Thursday promised to vote in favour of Foreign Direct Investment in Rajya Sabha, giving much relief to the government which is bracing for a crucial vote on Friday, even as the Bharatiya Janata Party and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam attacked parties which sided with the United Progressive Alliance despite having reservations over the measure.
Deadlock over the government's decision to allow FDI in retail paralysed Parliament for the fourth day on Wednesday, with a united opposition joined by United Progressive Alliance partners Trinamool Congress and Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam disrupting proceedings, demanding a rollback of the controversial decision. With formal and back-channel talks between government leaders and their opposition counterparts failing to make any breakthrough, both Houses were adjourned.
Renu Mittal analyses UPA government's 'victory' on FDI vote in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, and explains why the Congress-led coalition cannot afford to celebrate.
Do you, dear readers, believe that India needs FDI in retail sector or do you feel that it will be detrimental for the economy?
Bahujan Samaj Party and Samajparty Party, which support the United Progressive Alliance from outside, on Wednesday created repeated obstructions in Rajya Sabha, prompting an angry Bharatiya Janata Party to allege that the government has decided not to run the House because of its 'number game'.
Taking a cue from the UPA's recent tussle with the DMK, foreign investors may consider selling into rallies in the future.
Apprehending that the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party would bail out the United Progressive Alliance on Foreign Direct Investment in retail, Opposition in Lok Sabha on Wednesday warned these parties as also Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam that history will not pardon them if they sided with the government on the issue despite opposing it during the nationwide protest.
Trinamool Congress, which had earlier been ambiguous on the rule under which the debate on Foreign Direct Investment should take place, on Tuesday moved a motion in Rajya Sabha seeking discussion with voting. "This House disapproves the entry of FDI in multi-brand retail," read the motion moved by Trinamool members D Bandopadhyay and Vivek Gupta under Rule 168, which entails voting.
'... as has been happening in the last three weeks, then the foreign exchange reserves will not be comfortable to ensure that the rupee does not fall drastically.'
The Central Bureau of Investigation has recovered 16 more luxury vehicles imported by a Hyderabad-based businessman in alleged violation of customs laws which have been sold to various influential persons even as the SUV registered in the name of Dravida Munetra Kazhagam leader M K Stalin remained untraceable.
Hamid Ansari, in his second stint as vice president, is likely to face a more unruly House, with general elections being less than two years away and the Opposition becoming increasingly aggressive, and the Congress's chief troubleshooter having gone to Rashtrapati Bhavan, writes Neerja Chowdhury
The Central Bureau of Investigation on Thursday carried out searches at 19 places across Tamil Nadu, including the residence of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief M Karunanidhi's son M K Stalin in Chennai in a case of alleged tax evasion of imported cars.
Trinamool Congress, a major constituent of the United Progressive Alliance, on Monday night decided to support the alliance's vice presidential poll candidate Hamid Ansari but oppose any decision to open the multibrand retail to FDI and bills on forward marketing in commodities and privatisation of pension fund in the monsoon session of Parliament.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday said Central Bureau of Investigation's searches at Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader M K Stalin's residence is an example of the 'blatant' misuse of power by the United Progressive Alliance government for its survival and proves that it uses the probe agency to muffle allies who are walking out of the ruling coalition.
The United Progressive Alliance on Monday announced the constitution of a coordination committee under the chairpersonship of Sonia Gandhi to ensure cohesive functioning of the alliance, a demand that was placed by ally NCP during its recent stand-off with Congress.
The government has convened an all- party meeting at 7.30 pm on Wednesday evening to discuss a resolution it plans to move in Parliament on violation of human rights of Tamilians in Sri Lanka, a demand that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam had placed as a condition to stay within the United Progressive Alliance.
In the backdrop of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam withdrawing support to United Progressive Alliance, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday said it has no plans to bring a no confidence motion in Parliament against the government.
The ruling Biju Janata Dal in Odisha on Sunday announced that it would abstain from voting in the vice-presidential election scheduled to be held on August 7.
If the DMK sticks to its position and withdraws from the UPA, one thing is certain: this government will be crisis-ridden and crisis-driven till the next election. The Congress party will run a paralytic government at the dictates of the parties supporting it from outside, says Sheela Bhatt.
Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party leader L K Advani on Friday lashed out at the United Progressive Alliance government describing it as "indecisive and incompetent."
With the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam pulling out of the United Progressive Alliance, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday said the party is ready for the general elections as the continuation of the central government is not in the interest of the country.
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief M Karunanidhi on Tuesday announced that his party was pulling out of the ruling United Progressive Alliance over its stance on the Lankan Tamils issue.
The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance coalition at the Centre, which has been plagued by ally trouble, has finally constituted a coordination committee with all its alliance partners to hold regular consultations
Land acquisition and corruption will be among a string of issues that will be highlighted by Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party, which on Wednesday described the United Progressive Alliance government's decision to launch a direct cash transfer scheme as a "bribe to voters".
Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council will be taken only after a discussion with Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief M Karunanidhi.
Amid opposition's insistence on a discussion with voting on Foreign Direct Investment in Parliament, the government on Tuesday said it was "not concerned" over it, with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asserting that the United Progressive Alliance has the numbers.
Mounting pressure on the Centre on its demand to punish 'war criminals' in Sri Lanka, United Progressive Alliance key ally Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam has threatened to pull out its ministers from the Union Cabinet if its demand to bring in amendments to the US-backed resolution at UNHRC in Geneva was not conceded.
Scores of Sikh protesters gathered at Lal Chowk in the city centre in summer capital Srinagar to protest against the death sentence to Balwant Singh Rajoana, the assassin of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday hit back at the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government and its chairperson Sonia Gandhi over her remark that R P Singh's revelations have "exposed" the BJP. The BJP alleged that Gandhi's statement and the demand for a discussion on the issue from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam have exposed the government's intentions.
