NEWS

New Delhi: A new political resolution adopted by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Tuesday lambasted the Modi government for its ‘dictatorial’ attitude and vowed to unite regional parties to take on the BJP in the 2019 LokSabha polls.

The resolution read: "The Centre is weakening the financial condition of states... The unilateral style of functioning of the Modi government has led to loss of trust of states in the central government. The states feel that the concept of federalism is only on paper."

The "dictatorial" attitude of the Modi government, its "unilateral and anti-people decisions, misuse of central intelligence agencies and regulatory agencies to suppress political opponents have become a matter of grave concern in the Indian polity", it read. "On the occasion of the swearing-in ceremony of H D Kumaraswamy, leaders of various political parties had assembled in Bangalore as a token of solidarity among regional political parties.

New Delhi: Finance portfolio in the Karnataka government that has become a bone of contention between JD(S) and the Congress has been resolved with Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy likely to keep it with himself. The Congress later is said to have agreed to the demand of JD (S).

Sources said that it appears that Kumaraswamy’s father H D DeveGowda’s deft navigation is behind JD(S) winning the battle. Just a week ago when Kumaraswamy took oath as chief minister, he had told mediapersonsthat his father would not be doing any back-seat driving.

While Congress sources said the finance portfolio will not be a “sticking point”, the party would wait to see what other berths it gets. It was also indicated that the party did not want to prolong uncertainty over cabinet formation as it would spur speculation over a power tussle.

New Delhi: Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) of Pakistan and India on Tuesday got connected by a special hotline that was established between the two country. Both DGMOs reviewed the prevailing situation along the Line of Control and Working Boundary and mutually agreed to undertake sincere measures to improve the existing situation ensuring peace and avoidance of hardships to the civilians along the borders.

A statement issued says, “The DGMOs have agreed to fully implement the ceasefire understanding of 2003 in letter and spirit and to ensure that the ceasefire agreement will not be violated by both sides from now on.” The officials also agreed that in case of any issue, restraint will be exercised and the matter will be resolved through utilisation of existing mechanisms of hotline contacts and border flag meetings at local commander's level.

New Delhi: Union Home minister Rajnath Singh offered talks before the Hurriyat Conference to join the peace process. The Jammu and Kashmir’s separatist leaders said on Tuesday that India’s leadership has to speak “in one voice” about Jammu and Kashmir.

“Let the Indian government give clarity on what it wants to talk about and speak in one voice. We are ready to join the process,” the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), a conglomerate of separatist groups in Kashmir, said in a statement.

Syed Ali Geelani, leader of the hardline faction in Hurriyat, hosted a meeting at his Hyderpora residence on Tuesday. Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chairman Yasin Malik were also present in the meeting.