Indian Polls

New Delhi, Jun 1 (PTI) Sonia Gandhi was once again elected leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) at a meeting of party MPs at the Central Hall of Parliament on Saturday.

The meeting was attended by the party's 52 newly elected Lok Sabha MPs and Rajya Sabha members.

Gandhi, who represents Uttar Pradesh's Rae Bareli in Lok Sabha, is the chairperson of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA).

In less than a week after LS elections where BJP won 25 of 28 seats in the state, and only 2 days after forming government at the Centre, it has lost Karnataka Local Body elections. Though counting is still underway, Congress is in a comfortable lead by winning 509 seats against BJP’s 366.

The elections to 1,361 wards, spread across eight city municipal councils, 33 town municipal councils and 22 town panchayats, were held on May 29.

Lucknow, May 30; PTI/GANASHAKTI: Funds under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi could not be transferred to 1.5 lakh farmers in Uttar Pradesh due to "data mismatch" and they will soon receive funds after the problem is rectified, UP Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi said Thursday.

Terming the scheme as a “game changer”, Shahi said  welfare schemes implemented for villagers and farmers resulted in massive support for the BJP in the polls.

New Delhi, May 30 (PTI) BJP ally JD(U) will not join the new Narendra Modi government, its spokesperson Pavan Varma said on Thursday, in what appears to be a sign of differences with the saffron party over the number of ministerial berths offered to it.

"We are not joining the government. This is our decision," Varma, who is also the general secretary of the Janata Dal (United), told PTI.

New Delhi, May 29 (PTI) A meeting of opposition parties, which was scheduled for Friday and meant to deliberate over their reasons for defeat, has been cancelled due to non-availability of some leaders, sources said Thursday.

After facing a drubbing in the Lok Sabha elections, the Congress had convened a meeting of opposition parties in Parliament on May 31 to discuss the possible reasons for their defeat.

They were also expected to discuss their strategy for the Parliament session which is likely to begin from June 6.

New Delhi, May 30 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday described his new council of ministers as a blend of youthful energy and administrative experience.

Soon after President Ram Nath Kovind administered oath to Modi and the council of ministers, the PM in a tweet said the team is a "blend of youthful energy and administrative experience."

He said it has people who have excelled as parliamentarians and those who have had distinguished professional careers.

"Together, we will work for India's progress," he said.

Mumbai, May 30 (PTI) NCP president Sharad Pawar didn't attend the oath-taking ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his new team of ministers as the veteran politician was not allotted seat at the event "as per protocol", the party said Thursday.

NCP chief spokesperson Nawab Malik expressed disappointment over the alleged episode, saying, "It was not right" given that Pawar is a senior national leader who had served as a Union minister and also Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

New Delhi, May 30 (PTI) One-third of the total ministers in the Modi's 2.0 Cabinet are the first-timers, which includes BJP president Amit Shah and former foreign secretary S Jaishankar.

Two former chief ministers -- Ramesh Pokhriyal (Uttarakhand) and Arjun Munda (Jharkhand) -- have taken oath as Union ministers for the first time.

This will be the first innings as Union ministers for six Cabinet ministers and 13 Ministers of State in the Modi government.

Most prominent among them are Shah and Jaishankar, who are likely to get high profile ministries.

New Delhi, May 31 (PTI) Following is the list of portfolios allocated to Ministers of State;

1. Faggan Singh Kulaste: Minister of State in the Ministry of Steel.

2. Ashwini Kumar Choubey: Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

3. Arjun Ram Meghwal: Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises.

4. General (Retd) V K Singh: Minister of State in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

New Delhi, May 31 (PTI) Amit Shah will be the new Home minister, Rajnath Singh the new Defence minister and Nirmala Sitharaman the new Finance minister, the Rashtrapati Bhavan announced on Friday.

Former foreign secretary turned minister S Jaishankar has got the External Affairs ministry while Smriti Irani will be the new Women and Child Development Minister along with retaining the Textile Ministry, according to a communique issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan.