Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena, BJP announce alliance, join hands again
Amaravati(AP), Jan 16: Old allies Jana Sena and BJP came together once again and announced an alliance on Thursday, seeking to emerge as the "third alternative" in Andhra Pradesh.
The reunion of the two parties, which comes after a separation of three years due to what they termed "communication gap," may alter the political scenario in the state, where the local body elections are round the corner.
Describing it as a "historic and important development," Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan and state BJP president Kanna Lakshmi Narayana announced the alliance at a press conference, after a four-hour-long meeting of leaders of the two parties in Vijayawada on Thursday.
They exuded confidence that the partnership would clinch power in the state in 2024.
Right from the upcoming polls to the local bodies, the alliance will go on to fight the 2024 general elections as well.
"Our alliance is intended to protect the state," they said.
Alleging that the YSRC government completely failed the people in a very short time, the alliance leaders promised to fight against its policies.
The state BJP chief said the Sena agreed to ally with his party "unconditionally" in the interest of Andhra Pradesh and its people.
A coordination committee would soon be constituted with leaders of the two parties to carry forward their agenda.
Pointing to the "communication gap" between his party and the BJP, which led to a fallout three years ago, Kalyan said, "We held a series of discussions over the past few months and bridged that gap. Thus, we are back in alliance."
The actor-turned-politician held talks with BJP working president J P Nadda in New Delhi on January 13.
"BJP was our first (political) ally," Kalyan recalled.
The Telugu film star claimed that the people of AP were yearning for a third alternative, vexed with the "dynastic, despotic and corrupt" politics of both TDP and YSRC.
"The BJP and the Jana Sena will be the third alternative that people are looking for. We will emerge as a formidable force by 2024," Kalyan noted.
"We have over four years time to strengthen ourselves in the state and we will certainly clinch power in 2024," he asserted.
BJP state in charge Sunil Deodhar stressed that there was no question of any realignment with the TDP.
"We have already made it clear that the TDP is no longer welcome. There will not be any type of alliance with either the TDP or the YSRC," he added.
As soon as the Sena was founded in March 2014, Kalyan supported the BJP-TDP combine in the elections in AP and Telangana.
The Sena remained out of contest in the two states.
Two years down the line, it fell out with the BJP and the TDP for various reasons and allied with BSP and the Left parties for the 2019 elections.
Sena bit the dust in the elections to both Lok Sabha and Assembly in the state last year, managing to win just one seat in the 175-member Assembly.
Rajya Sabha member G V L Narasimha Rao, former Union Minister Daggubati Purandeswari, MLC Somu Veerraju represented the BJP while Political Affairs Committee chairman Nadendla Manohar, retired bureaucrat Rama Mohan Rao and others attended the meeting on behalf of the Sena.
A significant day in Andhra Politics.
— Y. Satya Kumar (@satyakumar_y) January 16, 2020
An alliance between @BJP4India & @JanaSenaParty in Andhra Pradesh is a great move
An united beginning for welfare of people & comprehensive development of State.
This is to end dynast,caste & corrupt politics of ruling & Opposition parties pic.twitter.com/mJhOsl1jVN
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Ordinance issued to increase number of Supreme Court judges from 34 to 38
New Delhi (PTI): The government has promulgated an ordinance to increase the strength of the Supreme Court from the present 34 judges to 38, including the Chief Justice of India.
The law ministry notified the ordinance on Saturday, which amended the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, to increase the sanctioned strength of the top court.
So far, the sanctioned strength of the top court was 34, including the Chief Justice of India (CJI). Now, the number of judges has been increased by four, taking the sanctioned strength to 38.
The top court will now have 37 judges, other than the CJI.
With the apex court having two vacancies at present, and the ordinance coming into force immediately, the Supreme Court Collegium will now have to recommend six names for appointment as judges in the top court.
A bill will be brought in the Monsoon Session of Parliament to convert the ordinance – an executive order – into a law passed by Parliament.
The Union Cabinet had cleared a draft bill on May 5 to increase the number of apex court judges.
The strength of the Supreme Court was last increased from 30 to 33 (excluding the CJI) in 2019.
The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, as originally enacted in 1956, put the maximum number of judges (excluding the CJI) at 10.
This number was increased to 13 by the Supreme Court (Number of Judges), Amendment Act, 1960, and to 17 by another amendment to the law.
The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 1986, augmented the strength of judges from 17 to 25, excluding the CJI.
A fresh amendment in 2009 further increased the strength from 25 to 30.
Article 124(3) of the Constitution lists the qualifications required to become a Supreme Court judge.
An Indian citizen who has either served as a high court judge for at least five years, or as an advocate for 10 years, or is a distinguished jurist, can be appointed to the top court.
The strength of the Supreme Court is increased based on the recommendations of the CJI, who writes to the Union law minister. After consulting the finance ministry, the Department of Justice under the law ministry moves the Cabinet with a draft bill.
