EXIT POLLS SHOW BJP SET TO COME BACK IN TRIPURA AND NAGALAND

The BJP is tipped to retain Tripura, return to power in Nagaland with coalition partner National Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and marginally improve its tally in Meghalaya, while the Congress, which once dominated the Northeast, is headed for a wipeout in the three states, according to exit polls.

An aggregate of the four exit polls whose results started trickling in on Monday evening, soon after voting had finished in Meghalaya and Nagaland – Tripura voted on February 16 — indicates that the BJP, which bagged 36 seats in Tripura in 2018, may scrape past the halfway mark, winning 32 seats in the 60-member Assembly.

The TIPRA Motha, led by royal scion Pradyot Debbarma, which was believed widely to be the kingmaker of this election, is predicted to get 13 seats. The Left, which fought for the first time in an “arrangement” with the Congress in the state, may have to contend with just 15 seats.

In Meghalaya, going by the exit polls, no party is predicted to cross the halfway mark in the 60-member Assembly. The ruling National People’s Party (NPP), as per the aggregate of the four exit polls, may end up with 20 seats. The BJP, an NPP ally in power but which fought the elections separately, may increase its tally from 2 to 6.

The Trinamool Congress, which had overnight become the principal Opposition in the state after 12 Congress MLAs defected to it in November 2021, could win up to 11 seats, going by the average of the exit polls.

In Nagaland, the NDPP-BJP coalition looks poised to return with a comfortable majority of 42 seats in the 60-member House. Given the state of the Opposition in Nagaland, the ruling coalition was far ahead of the race, and the exit polls seem to be on the same line, giving the Congress just 1 seat and the NPF (a formerly formidable force) 6 seats.

Hoping to claw back in Tripura with their once-unthinkable arrangement, the Left and Congress Monday downplayed the exit polls, pointing out these have been way off the mark in the past.

NORTH EAST POLLS DONE, PM MODI SHIFTS ATTENTION TO KARNATAKA

Accusing the Congress of treating the party’s leaders from Karnataka badly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said in the poll-bound state that the opposition party “hates Karnataka” and whenever the party is upset with a local leader, “it begins humiliating” the leader concerned.

Modi referred to ousters of former chief ministers S Nijalingappa and Veerendra Patil by the Congress as a warning. He alleged that Mallikarjun Kharge, another leader from the state, was treated in a shabby manner at the Congress plenary in Raipur even though he is the party president.

Addressing a rally in Belagavi, where he inaugurated several projects, Modi said: “I want to remind you how the Congress hates Karnataka. The leaders of Karnataka have been insulted by the Congress; it is part of their tradition. Whenever the Congress is upset with a local leader, it begins humiliating the leader. History is witness to the humiliation of leaders such as S Nijalingappa and Veerendra Patil at the hands of Congress dynasts.”

Nijalingappa, Karnataka CM from 1956 to 1958 and 1962 to 1968, split from the Indira Gandhi-led Congress and remained in a separate faction.

Patil was CM twice (1968-1971 and 1989-1990) and was unceremoniously removed by Rajiv Gandhi in 1990 after suffering a stroke.

Modi said: “Once again, for the benefit of a special family in the Congress, another leader has been humiliated — a leader who has been a Parliamentarian for 50 years…Mallikarjun Kharge is someone I respect…. I was sad the other day to see Kharge-ji…in Raipur not getting an umbrella to protect him from the harsh sun. Next to him, there was someone who was getting shelter.”

Earlier in the day, Modi praised former Karnataka CM B S Yediyurappa at an event to inaugurate an airport in Shivamogga, on Yediyurappa’s 80th birthday.

CONGRESS UNVEILS NEW SOCIAL JUSTICE ROADMAP FOR 2024

In 2009, the Congress had won 53 of the 131 Lok Sabha seats reserved for the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and the Scheduled Tribes (STs). This number plunged to 12 in 2014 and 10 in 2019, even as the party’s overall tally plummeted to unprecedented lows.

The Congress is now working on a fresh plan to reach out to the SC, ST and OBC communities.

The Congress is working on a plan which has several facets, opening up the party’s leadership positions to SCs, STs, OBCs and minorities, targeted outreach in the 262 Assembly seats – as well as in 56 reserved Lok Sabha constituencies spread across 10 states – and unveiling a new social justice architecture to back these plans.

So the All India Congress Committee (AICC) plenary at Raipur saw the party deciding to reserve 50 per cent of the positions in all committees – from the block level to the Congress Working Committee (CWC) – to the SCs, STs, OBCs and minorities. “The decision to expand the space for SCs, STs, OBCs and minorities will stimulate a whole lot of politics. Because these leaders will get their due space, their voice will be heard at all levels. The dynamics of the Congress party’s politics will change,” K Raju, the Congress’s national coordinator for the SC, OBC, Minority and Adivasi Departments said.

The resolution passed at the plenary Sunday says there is a need to ensure that the judiciary is reflective of the social diversity of the country, and hence the party “shall consider reservations for SCs-STs-OBCs in the higher judiciary”. Reforms will also be undertaken to create an Indian Judicial Service, it says.

The Congress said at the plenary that if voted back to power, it would enact a special Act named after Rohith Vemula to protect and safeguard the right to education and dignity of the SCs, STs, OBCs and minorities besides promising the SCs, STs and OBCs equal access to jobs in the private organised sector.

The resolution also talks about enacting a legislation to guarantee the right to work for urban poor on the lines of the MGNREGA.

SUPREME COURT WARNING ON ONE RANK ONE PENSION ARREARS

The  Supreme Court on Monday pulled up the defence ministry for defying its orders to clear the arrears of retired armed forces personnel under the OROP (One Rank One Pension) scheme by March 15 despite being granted three extensions, as it warned the defence secretary of contempt proceedings for violating its directive.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud asked the secretary concerned to file an affidavit in his personal capacity and posted the matter for further hearing on March 13.

The bench, which included Justices P.S. Narasimha and J.B. Pardiwala, told additional solicitor-general N. Venkataraman that the official must withdraw his unilateral order dated January 20 by which he sought to extend the March 15 deadline fixed by the apex court to March 31.

“You tell the secretary we are going to take action against him for that January 20 communication. Either withdraw it or we are going to issue a contempt notice to the defence ministry.

The bench took exception to the secretary issuing a communication on January 20 through which he informed the ex-servicemen that their arrears would be paid in four instalments till March 31. Aggrieved by the move, retired defence personnel moved the court, alleging a breach of its orders.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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OLI’S PARTY PULLS OUT OF PRACHANDA GOVT

Nepal’s second largest party in Parliament — the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) (CPN-UML) — on Monday withdrew its support to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda”-led government.

The prime reason for the break-up of the alliance between Prachanda and former PM KP Sharma Oli was because the Maoist leader decided to support senior Nepali Congress (NC) candidate Ram Chandra Paudel for the President’s post.

Paudel is from the Nepali Congress, an Opposition party, and from outside the ruling alliance. Nepal’s presidential election will be held on March 9.

The exit of the CPN-UML may not immediately affect the Prachanda-led government, which is supported by the NC which has 89 lawmakers in the House.

As Prime Minister Prachanda violated the December 25 agreement while forming the seven-party coalition government and betrayed the CPN-UML, the party took the decision to leave the government, Bishnu Rijal, deputy chief of the party’s central publicity committee said.

With the three major parties, the NC, the CPN-Maoist Centre and the RSP, the government has the support of at least 141 lawmakers

Prachanda needs only 138 votes in Parliament to continue as PM; experts say he must face a vote of confidence within 30 days

PIOs RAPIDLY CLIMB POLITICAL RANKS IN US

In 2013, the House of Representatives had a single Indian American member. Fewer than 10 Indian Americans were serving in state legislatures. None had been elected to the Senate. None had run for president. Despite being one of the largest immigrant groups in the US, Americans of Indian descent were barely represented in politics.

Ten years later, the Congress sworn in last month includes five Indian Americans. Nearly 50 are in state legislatures. Vice-President Kamala Harris is Indian American. Nikki Haley’s campaign announcement this month makes 2024 the third consecutive cycle in which an Indian American has run for president, and Vivek Ramaswamy’s newly announced candidacy makes it the first cycle with two.

A range of factors, such as the relative wealth of Indian immigrants and high education levels, has propelled a rapid political ascent for the second and third generations.

THE REST

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DELHI HIGH COURT UPHOLDS AGNIPATH SCHEME

A batch of petitions challenging the Agnipath scheme for recruitment in the armed forces were today dismissed by the Delhi High Court. The court said that the scheme was made in national interest and to ensure that the armed forces are better equipped.

The Agnipath scheme, unveiled in June last year, lays out rules for the recruitment of youths in the armed forces.

Those between 17-and-a-half and 21 years of age are eligible to apply in the scheme, and would be inducted for a four-year tenure. The scheme allows 25 per cent of them to be granted regular service subsequently. After the scheme was unveiled, protests erupted in several states against the scheme.

Hearing a batch of petition challenging the scheme, a bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad said, "The scheme is made in the national interest and to ensure that armed forces are better equipped."

The court also dismissed petitions relating to recruitment process for the armed forces under certain previous advertisements while clarifying that such candidates do not have a right to seek recruitment.  The court had reserved its verdict on the batch of pleas on December 15 last year.

MANISH SISODIA SENT TO CBI CUSTODY FOR 5 DAYS; ALL OPPN RALLIES BEHIND HIM

A day after his arrest, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia was sent to five-day CBI custody by a special court here on Monday. The court said Sisodia had failed to “legitimately explain the incriminating evidence which has allegedly surfaced against him in the investigation”.

Sisodia is set to be interrogated under CCTV coverage to allay fears of his lawyers that he may be subjected to third degree methods. He will be medically examined every 24 hours, allowed to meet his lawyers from 6-7 pm, and his wife for 15 minutes during the same hour.

Sisodia’s arrest appears to have achieved what ideology or common cause against the BJP had not -- unify the opposition ahead of next year's general elections. Since Sunday, all key opposition parties have tweeted their rage and dismay, backing Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party.

The sole exception was the Congress, which yesterday evening, took a nuanced position, alleging misuse of Central investigative agencies but keeping silent on AAP.

The Congress's Delhi unit has been at loggerheads with AAP – its leaders have supported the arrest of Sisodia and even declared that Arvind Kejriwal should be the next in line.

But yesterday evening, Congress's media in-charge Jairam Ramesh posted a tweet that placed it firmly at the side of the opposition, though not behind AAP.

INC has always held the belief that institutions like ED, CBI & Income Tax Dept have become instruments of political vendetta & harassment under Modi Sarkar. These institutions have lost all professionalism. Oppn leaders are selectively targeted to destroy their reputation," tweeted Ramesh.

SUPREME COURT DISMISSES PETITION FOR WHOLESALE NAME CHANGES

Frowning upon a petition which sought directions to restore the names of places changed by “foreign barbaric invaders”, the Supreme Court on Monday dismissed it saying “a country cannot remain a prisoner of the past” and that the “court should not be an instrument to create havoc.”

A two-judge bench of Justices K M Joseph and B V Nagarathna told advocate Ashwini Upadhyay, who filed the petition, that one cannot revisit history selectively and that there is no space for bigotry in Hinduism but the counsel sought to remind that the benevolent nature of Hinduism had resulted in it being wiped out from places like Afghanistan and Pakistan and Hindus being reduced to a minority in seven states even in India.

“You want to keep this issue alive and keep the country on the boil? If fingers are pointed at a particular community…You run down a particular section of society. India is a secular state, this is a secular forum,” said Justice Joseph.

Justice Nagarathna too did not approve the petition and remarked that “Hinduism is a way of life. Because of that India has assimilated everybody. Because of that we are able to live together”.

The petitioner contended that many places are named after “looters” who came from abroad. He pointed out that Delhi had places named after invaders like Ibrahim Lodhi, Mahmud of Ghazni. Muhammad Ghori, etc but none after the Pandavas whose capital Indraprastha was.

Justice Nagarathna said invasions were a historical fact which cannot be wished away and wondered whether there were no other problems that the country could focus on. “Yes, we have been ruled by foreign invaders. We have been invaded several times and history has taken its part…Can you wish away invasions from history?…What are you trying to achieve? Don’t we have other problems in our country?” she asked.

Upadhyay sought permission to withdraw his petition and approach the government but the court said it did not want to give him that relief either. “Let us not break society with such kinds of petitions, please have the country in mind, not any religion,” said Justice Nagarathna.

RAILWAYS AIM TO SPEND RECORD AMOUNT AS CAPITAL EXPENDITURE

Around Rs 32,000 crore worth of new lines, a similar amount for doubling of existing lines, Rs 13,000 crore worth of “customer amenities” works and over Rs 4,000 crore worth of new signalling assets feature on Indian Railways’ allocation for next financial year as it sets out to spend a never-before Rs 2.4 lakh crore worth of capital investment.

Dovetailing with the government’s ambitious course of over Rs 10 lakh crore of capital expenditure on infrastructure, Railways has decided to build 600 km of new lines and 2,800 km of doubling, which increases its capacity to carry more. It has put itself up against a target of carrying 1,600 million tonnes of freight next fiscal — 100 MT more than this year — and doubling, tripling and quadrupling of busy corridors is essential to these plans. The Budget has allocated Rs 2.4 lakh crore to Railways’ capital spend.

The Rail sector has never seen so much of public spending. In 2019-20, Railways could spend Rs 1.48 lakh crore as capex after aiming for Rs 1.56 lakh crore. The following year, it prepared a revised estimate of Rs 1.61 lakh crore of capex but ended with spending Rs 1.55 lakh crore. Similarly, it could spend Rs 1.9 lakh crore, its highest spending so far, in 2021-22 after aiming for a revised estimate of Rs 2.15 lakh crore that year. This year, it has estimated to spend Rs 2.45 lakh crore.

ELON MUSK CALLS US MEDIA ‘RACIST’

Billionaire Elon Musk has called US media “racist” after multiple American newspapers announced they would stop publishing the popular comic strip “Dilbert” whose creator Scott Adams called black people a hate group. Musk tweeted Sunday: “For a *very* long time, US media was racist against non-white people, now they’re racist against whites & Asians. Same thing happened with elite colleges & high schools in America. Maybe they can try not being racist.”

NEW ZEALAND STUN ENGLAND IN WELLINGTON TEST

Neil Wagner took four wickets and held two crucial catches as New Zealand pulled off a 'Mission Improbable' by beating England by one run in the second Test on a nerve-jangling day five on Tuesday after being made to follow on.

Having set England 258 to win, New Zealand's hopes had faded as Joe Root (95) and Ben Stokes (33) produced a 121-run stand to cut the deficit to 57 runs with five wickets in hand on a sunny afternoon at the Basin Reserve, in Wellington.

Enter Wagner, who had both out slogging then nervelessly held catches in the deep to help remove Stuart Broad (11) and wicketkeeper Ben Foakes for 35.

Foakes's wicket left tailenders Jack Leach and James Anderson needing seven runs for victory, and Anderson smacked a boundary off Wagner to trim the margin to two runs.

Wagner came again and had Anderson caught down the leg side for four to trigger jubilation among the New Zealand players and fans.

It was only the fourth win in the history of Test cricket by a team asked to follow on, and the second time a team had won a Test by a single run after West Indies beat Australia by a run in Adelaide in January 1993.

The two-match series ended in a 1-1 draw, with England having won the first Test in Mount Maunganui by 267 runs.

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

It requires wisdom to understand wisdom: the music is nothing if the audience is deaf. - Walter Lippmann

OFF TRACK

Gaanv mein bijli aane waali hai, aisi khabar aayee.

Log khushi se naach rahe the.

Ek kutta bhi nachne laga.

Kisi ne poochha: “Tu kyon naach raha hai.”

Kutta: “Khambe bhi to lagenge!!!!!!”