Top opposition forces see contrasting fates after poll

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president K. Chandrasekhar Rao has appealed to the electors of the Presidential election, scheduled to be held on July 18, to vote as per their conscience after weighing the two candidates in the fray, and not based on their political affiliation. Addressing a meeting of TRS MPs, MLAs, MLCs, its State executive committee members and other senior leaders of the party convened in support of Yashwant Sinha, the candidate fielded by the Opposition, here on Saturday, the Telangana Chief Minister said Mr. Sinha’s candidature outweighs that of his rival’s as he was a towering personality. “He (Mr. Sinha) is an honest politician and an able administrator who handled the key portfolios of finance and external affairs in the Union Cabinet in the A.B. Vajpayee Government,” Mr. Rao said. In an appeal to all Parliamentarians in the country, the TRS chief said that there was a democratic practice in the country of voting as per conscience on some occasions and … [Read more...] about Telangana: KCR asks TRS legislators to vote as per conscience during Presidential poll

A delegation of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) legislators on Saturday met the Opposition’s Presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha and expressed their support for him, ahead of the election slated for July 18. “Four MLAs—Ahmed Balala, Kausar Mohiuddin, Mumtaz Khan and Moazzam Khan—met Mr. Sinha. They said that as per our party president’s decision, they would support him in the Presidential elections,” a party source familiar with the development told The Hindu . On June 27, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi announced that his party would support Mr. Sinha’s candidature. “AIMIM legislators will be voting for opposition candidate @YashwantSinha in the #PresidentialElections. Mr Sinha spoke to me on a call earlier as well,” Mr. Owaisi had tweeted. Party sources said that AIMIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi was not present at the meeting as he was addressing a public meeting in Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh, where municipal polls are due on July 6. “We have fielded 11 … [Read more...] about Telangana: AIMIM extends support to Yashwant Sinha

WASHINGTON - Thanks to the Supreme Court, the battle for control of the House and Senate isn't the only major story in this year's midterm elections. Now there is renewed focus on the states, where a handful of gubernatorial races could change the balance of power between the parties and determine the future of abortion and voting rights, not to mention influencing who is elected president in 2024. The high court's decision overturning Roe v. Wade moves the abortion issue to the states, where legislatures and governors will determine what access, if any, women will have to abortions. In the absence of federal action, states have begun enacting laws restricting voting rights, and depending on what happens in the Supreme Court's next term, state legislatures could be even more empowered to set rules for future elections. Roughly half a dozen states - not surprisingly, they are the states that decided the 2020 presidential election and are likely to decide the 2024 race, as well - … [Read more...] about Why Republicans should be nervous about their candidates for governor

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be addressing a public meeting titled as ‘Vijay Sankalpa Sabha’ at Parade Grounds in Secunderabad here on July 3. As the title of the meeting suggests, PM Modi may sound the poll bugle for the 2023 Assembly polls in Telangana to prepare the BJP cadre for the electoral contest. Modi, who landed here on Saturday to attend the BJP’s two-day National Executive Committee meeting, will address the rally on Sunday evening. During his last visit to the city on May 26, Modi, indirectly referring to TRS party, lashed out at family politics saying ‘parivaarvadi’ is democracy’s “greatest enemy”. He had expressed confidence that the BJP would storm to power in the state in the next assembly elections. According to political pundits, Modi is expected to continue his tirade against Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and the ruling TRS. Rao, popularly known as KCR, on Saturday in a party meeting in support of opposition parties’ presidential candidate Yashwant … [Read more...] about PM Modi to Address Public Meeting in Hyderabad on July 3

NDA’s Presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu called on BJP allies here on Saturday and garnered their support. During her near three-hour stopover here, Murmu met the leaders of AIADMK– K Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam, Tamil Maanila Congress president G K Vasan, and Pattali Makkal Katchi president Dr Anbumani Ramadoss, who all extended their support. “Though your victory becomes almost imminent, you have come all the way to Chennai to seek the support of MLAs and MPs from Tamil Nadu. It shows your simplicity and humility,” Panneerselvam said during the interaction with her. The AIADMK leader, who greeted her separately along with his followers, said had former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, an embodiment of women’s empowerment, been alive, she would have been very much happy to see Murmu as the next President of India. Palaniswami, who is being projected as the next single leader of the AIADMK by apparently sidelining Panneerselvam, was the first leader from the State to greet … [Read more...] about AIADMK, Allies Extend Support to NDA Presidential Candidate Draupadi Murmu

In the fall of 2012, an ailing Bal Thackeray, founder and patriarch of Maharashtra’s then dominant right-wing party — the Shiv Sena (Army of Shivaji) — had appealed to his Shiv Sainiks to stand by his son Uddhav and grandson Aaditya Thackeray. In what would be his final address to his party workers, Bal Thackeray, in his pre-recorded speech at the party’s annual Dussehra rally in Mumbai’s Shivaji Park, called upon the Marathi manoos (Marathi-speaking sons-of-the soil) to remain united and smash the Congress. The speech, three weeks before the 86-year-old Thackeray’s death in November that year, also had an implied appeal to his estranged nephew, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, to join forces with the Shiv Sena. A decade later, while the prospects of the Sena and the MNS uniting have completely evaporated, a bleaker question facing Mr. Uddhav and his son today is whether ordinary Sainiks will stand by them after the recent rebellion of 40 MLAs led by Eknath … [Read more...] about Shiv Sena | The Maratha tiger in its labyrinth

When the resting place of the American Civil War submarine H L Hunley was finally discovered in 2000, marine archaeologists found the eight-man crew still at their posts , frozen in time. It was as if the men aboard had been killed instantaneously - none were found to be trying to fix damage or abandon the sub. As the shipwreck was recovered, experts pored over the craft to try and determine what had caused it. The Hunley was a Confederate vessel that sank after a battle with the 23-gun blockade ship USS Housatonic in 1864. It's the first submarine in the history of naval warfare to sink another ship. But in doing so, the Hunley also sealed its own fate. Now, scientists from Duke University believe the weapon system used by the Hunley to take down the Union vessel was what caused the mysterious death of the crew on board. ( Image: Reuters) Rather than use standard self-propelled torpedoes, the Hunley mounted a 60kg keg loaded with gunpowder on a 5-metre pole on … [Read more...] about Deep sea mystery of crew deaths aboard sunken American Civil War submarine finally solved

Anthony Joshua lost his world titles for the second time in four fights as Oleksandr Usyk was crowned heavyweight champion. Favourite Joshua was on the back foot from the opening bell as Usyk made a fast start to his attempt to become a two-weight world champion. And the Ukrainian had his rival in trouble at several points in the fight - and almost stopped him in the dying seconds with Joshua finishing the bout backed up on the ropes. All three judges then awarded the fight to Usyk by scores of 117-112, 116-112 and 115-113. Joshua was defending his three world titles for the second time since snatching them back from Andy Ruiz Jr two years ago. He had been out the ring since stopping Kubrat Pulev last Christmas - and had been poised to fight fellow world champion Tyson Fury this summer. Anthony Joshua lost his titles to Oleksandr Usyk ( Image: ©Ian Walton Matchroom Boxing) But Fury was instead ordered to fight Deontay Wilder for a third time, leaving Joshua … [Read more...] about Anthony Joshua loses world titles to Oleksandr Usyk after thrilling clash

Mumbai: Brimming with confidence, Sourav Kothari of Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) was clinical and precise with his potting and breezed past Laxman Rawat, also of PSPB, racing to a 7-2 victory in the best-of-13-frame final of the National Sports Club of India (NSCI) All India Snooker Open ‘Baulkline’ 2022 on Saturday. Kothari, who had recently won both the snooker and billiards titles in the Pacific International Championship in Melbourne, was rock solid and charged to a comfortable 95-17, 37-75, 64-05, 70-77, 116-01, 124-05, 70-23, 91-50, and 71-39 victory. The 37-year-old Kothari from Kolkata compiled a break of 65 (1st frame), 58 (4th), 83 (5th) and a century effort of 107 in the sixth, while Rawat managed a solitary break of 63 in winning the fourth on the respotted black. The Kolkata cueist, in the process, avenged his quarterfinal defeat to Laxman in the Khar Gymkhana tournament early last month. Kothari showed great touch as he struck the balls perfectly … [Read more...] about Confident Sourav Kothari clinches NSCI snooker crown in grand style

There is no cause to believe that the >decisive defeat of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s communal and caste politics in Bihar will mean an end to its vicious campaign against cow slaughter. The online threat from a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) official’s twitter handle to retailers to stop selling goods made of cow hide is clear evidence. Although the general campaign against cow slaughter targets Muslims, it is Hindus who will be most adversely affected if the Hindutva brigade has its way with a total ban on cattle slaughter. Brinda Karat Industry choked Along with farmers, the entire chain of the leather industry will be affected with a drastic fall in supply of raw material. According to the Council for Leather Exports, 2.5 million people, the majority of them scheduled castes, are employed in the industry. An estimated eight lakh Dalits earn a living through flaying the skin of dead cattle. This activity is within the law. But with the vigilante actions … [Read more...] about The economics of cow slaughter