BJP to elect its legislature party leader in Maharashtra, set in motion process to form govt
Mumbai (PTI): The crucial legislature party meeting of the BJP will be held at the Maharashtra Vidhan Bhavan on Wednesday to elect its leader, who is expected take over as the next chief minister of the state.
Former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is being seen as the frontrunner for the top post in the new BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP Mahayuti government.
The BJP legislature party leader elected in the meeting is then expected to meet the governor to stake a claim to form new government in the state.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani have been appointed as central observers for the BJP legislature party meeting.
Rupani, who arrived in Mumbai Tuesday evening for the meeting, said late night that the legislature party leader's name will be finalised after talks with the party's newly-elected MLAs.
If there is unanimity, then only one name will be selected, he said.
The BJP achieved remarkable success in the November 20 Maharashtra elections, securing 132 out of 288 seats, marking its best performance in the state so far.
Together with its allies -- the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar's NCP, the Mahayuti coalition has a commanding majority of 230 seats.
On Tuesday, Fadnavis met caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at his official residence, 'Varsha,' here, the first in-person meeting since their discussions in Delhi last week for government formation.
While the hour-long meeting's details remain unclear, some political observers view it as an outreach effort by the BJP to placate an ally which is weighing its options, while others believe it served as a preliminary discussion regarding the swearing-in ceremony set for December 5.
Preparations were on in full swing for the swearing-in ceremony to be held on Thursday at the Azad Maidan in south Mumbai, which will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as well as nearly 2,000 VVIPs and 40,000 supporters.
Several Union ministers, and 19 chief ministers and deputy CMs of various states are also expected to attend the ceremony.
BJP leader Prasad Lad has said the ceremony will be a "historic moment" for Maharashtra.
"The event will be telecast live across the state wherever LED screens are available," he said.
There are indications that the distribution of portfolios among the three allies might not be a smooth process.
Sena leaders on Monday said that as per the "convention" of alliance politics, their party should get the home portfolio if the CM post went to the BJP.
A Shiv Sena leader said a broad consensus has emerged among top BJP leaders and other Mahauti allies to drop ministers facing serious allegations of corruption in the new government.
Earlier on Tuesday, Shinde visited a private hospital for a health check-up, setting tongues wagging in the Maharashtra political circles.
"I came for a check-up. My health is in good condition," he later told reporters while leaving the hospital.
His decision to head to his village in Satara district last Friday had sparked speculation that he was unhappy over the way the new government was shaping up.
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India votes in favour of UNGA resolution on Palestine calling for end to Israeli occupation
United Nations, Dec 4: India voted in favour of a UN General Assembly resolution that called for the withdrawal of Israel from the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, and reiterated the call for achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in West Asia.
The draft resolution ‘Peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine’ tabled by Senegal was overwhelmingly adopted in the 193-member General Assembly on Tuesday.
India was among the 157 nations that voted in favour, while eight Member States - Argentina, Hungary, Israel, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea and the United States voted against it.
Cameroon, Czechia, Ecuador, Georgia, Paraguay, Ukraine and Uruguay abstained.
The resolution, adopted as orally revised, reiterated its call for the “achievement, without delay, of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East (West Asia)” on the basis of the relevant United Nations resolutions and an end to the Israeli occupation that began in 1967, including of East Jerusalem.
The resolution called for the “withdrawal of Israel from the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem” and for the realisation of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, primarily the right to self-determination and the right to their independent State.
Through the resolution, the General Assembly reaffirmed its unwavering support, in accordance with international law, for the two-state solution of Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security within recognised borders, based on the pre-1967 borders.
It also demanded that Israel, “the occupying Power, comply strictly with its obligations under international law, including as reflected in the advisory opinion of the International Court of 19 July 2024, including to bring an end to its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as rapidly as possible, to cease immediately all new settlement activities and to evacuate all settlers from the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and to put an end to its unlawful acts, including by repealing all legislation and measures creating or maintaining the unlawful situation.”
It rejected any attempt at demographic or territorial change in the Gaza Strip, including any actions that reduce the territory of Gaza.
The resolution further stressed that the Gaza Strip constitutes an integral part of the Palestinian territory occupied in 1967, and “reaffirms the vision of the two-state solution, with the Gaza Strip as part of the Palestinian State.”
The resolution further stressed the need for an immediate and complete cessation of all acts of violence, including military attacks, destruction and acts of terror, as well as all acts of provocation and incitement.
India also voted in favour of a resolution in the General Assembly that demanded that Israel withdraw from all the occupied Syrian Golan to the line of June 1967 in the implementation of the relevant Security Council resolutions.
The resolution was adopted with 97 votes in favour, 64 abstentions and eight votes against, including by Australia, Canada, Israel, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The resolution expressed deep concern that Israel has not withdrawn from the Syrian Golan, which has been under occupation since 1967, contrary to the relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions.
It stressed the illegality of the Israeli settlement construction and other activities in the occupied Syrian Golan since 1967.
It declared that the Israeli decision of December 1981 to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration on the occupied Syrian Golan is “null and void” and has no validity whatsoever and called upon Israel to rescind it.
