Telangana CM meets PM amid talk of early polls
Hyderabad, Aug 25: Amid growing talks of early elections to Telangana Legislative Assembly, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.
Though officially it was stated that Rao called on the Prime Minister to discuss various pending issues pertaining to the state, the meeting assumed significance in the wake of hints of early polls by the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief.
This is Rao's second meeting with Modi this month and the third in as many months.
It also comes two days after Telangana government's Chief Advisor Rajiv Sharma met Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa.
KCR, as the TRS chief is popularly known, had dropped hints that the Assembly elections may be held early. The state elections are originally scheduled along with the Lok Sabha polls next year.
The TRS leader has already stated that the party will announce its candidates next month.
Meanwhile, according to a statement from the Chief Minister's Office, KCR met Modi on Saturday and discussed various issues pertaining to the state pending for clearances and approvals from the Centre.
He urged the Prime Minister to raise the annual borrowing limit for Telangana by an additional 0.50 per cent of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) as recommended by the 14th Finance Commission
KCR said the state government has fulfilled the conditions laid down for availing the additional fiscal space of 0.5 per cent of GSDP.
"There is a significant jump in the expenditure commitments of the state on account of flagship programmes like irrigation and provision of drinking water to every household. All of the works have reached an advance stage and are about to give benefit to a large number of people in the state," the Chief Minister said in his representation submitted to the PM.
KCR sought early nod for the new zonal system approved by the state cabinet recruitment in government departments, release of Rs 450 crore for the development of backward districts, release of additional FRBM funds, release of the Central share of interest on the loans to be given to women societies and farmers, bifurcation of high court, funds for regional Ring Road and allotment of defence lands for building secretariat.
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Two held for 'firing' at BJP leader's house in Bengal
Kolkata (PTI): A day before the counting of votes for the West Bengal assembly elections, two persons were arrested on Sunday for allegedly being involved in a firing incident outside the residence of a BJP leader in North 24 Parganas district, police said.
BJP leader Kundan Singh lodged a police complaint, alleging that a few gunmen fired at his house in the Noapara constituency around Saturday midnight.
Based on the CCTV footage, the two accused were apprehended, a senior officer said.
BJP's Noapara candidate Arjun Singh, in a post on social media, claimed that around 12.05 am, two armed miscreants arrived on a motorcycle at the residence of Kundan Singh, a BJP functionary and secretary of the Barrackpore organisational district, with an "intent to kill him".
According to the BJP leader, the accused are residents of Garulia and are known criminals.
Their names as offenders had been submitted to the Election Commission, he said.
The police officer did not specify whether the two arrested persons were the same individuals named by Arjun Singh.
According to the complaint, one round of firing took place outside Kundan Singh's house, triggering panic in the area.
The BJP candidate also questioned the role of the police, claiming that one of the accused had been detained by the police on the polling day but was later released in the evening.
The Noapara assembly seat went to the polls on April 29.
Several BJP leaders alleged that attempts were being made to create an atmosphere of fear ahead of the counting and weaken the organisation of the opposition parties.
The counting of votes will take place on May 4. Polling for the West Bengal assembly elections was held on April 23 and April 29.
The BJP urged the Election Commission to intervene immediately to ensure peaceful counting.
TMC candidate Somnath Shyam rubbished Arjun Singh’s allegation, claiming that the BJP nominee had orchestrated the firing incident to divert attention from imminent defeat.
“Arjun Singh knows all the gangsters in the Barrackpore belt. Everyone knows about his links with the underworld. Let the police investigate the incident,” Shyam said.
