Delhi

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.

New Delhi, May 30 (PTI) The Congress has decided not to send spokespersons for television debates for a month. The move comes after the party's debacle in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls.

The Congress has often accused the media of being "biased" towards the Modi dispensation.

"@INCIndia has decided to not send spokespersons on television debates for a month," Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted.

"All media channels/editors are requested to not place Congress representatives on their shows," he said.

New Delhi, May 30 (PTI) The Ganga River water is absolutely unfit for "direct drinking" and only seven spots from where it passes can be consumed after disinfection, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has said.

According to the latest data with the CPCB, most of the Ganga River water in the Uttar Pradesh-West Bengal stretch is unfit for drinking and bathing.

A map released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) shows high level of coliform bacteria in the river.

New Delhi, May 29 (PTI) On the eve of his swearing-in for a second term, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday held a marathon meeting with BJP president Amit Shah as he gave final touches to the shape of his government, which is likely to have representation from most allies and showcase the party's newfound strength in different regions.

New Delhi, May 29 (PTI) After the Lok Sabha polls debacle, the newly-elected MPs of the Congress will meet for the first time on June 1 and elect the new leader of the parliamentary party.

The Congress Parliamentary Party is currently chaired by Sonia Gandhi and all 52 MPs will be present at the meeting, besides its Rajya Sabha members, sources said.

The CPP meeting will be held in the central hall of Parliament and will also chalk out its strategy for the upcoming session.

New Delhi, May 30 (PTI) Robert Vadra, the brother-in-law of Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Thursday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case linked to purchase of alleged illegal assets abroad, officials said.

Vadra was dropped by his wife and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi outside the agency's office near India Gate here at about 10:30 AM.

He was summoned to depose before the investigating officer of the case where his statement will be recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

New Delhi, May 29 (PTI) Ending all speculations, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying he does not want to be a minister in the new BJP government due to health reasons.

In the four-paragraph letter, Jaitley said he had orally informed Modi about his desire not to be a part of the new BJP government to enable him to concentrate on treatment and health.

New Delhi, May 29 (PTI) The Supreme Court Wednesday dismissed a plea of Congress MP Karti Chidambaram seeking return of Rs 10 crore which he had deposited with the court's registry for travelling abroad.

Karti Chidambaram is facing criminal cases being probed by CBI and ED.

A vacation bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Aniruddha Bose rejected Karti's plea and said, "Pay attention to your constituency."

New Delhi, May 27 (PTI) With the dissolution of the 16th Lok Sabha, the contentious Citizenship (amendment) Bill and the one on banning triple talaq have lapsed as they were not passed by Rajya Sabha.

The two bils could not be passed by Rajya Sabha in the Budget session, the last Parliament session of the outgoing government.

The term of the present Lok Sabha was to end on June 3, but with the election process over, President Ram Nath Kovind dissolved the lower house on Saturday.

New Delhi, May 27 (PTI) The BJP-led NDA, which currently has 99 Rajya Sabha members, is likely to get a majority in the Upper House of Parliament by the end of 2021, making it easier for the ruling alliance to carry out its legislative agenda.

After securing a thumping majority in the Lok Sabha polls with victory in 303 seats, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is looking at a rise in its numbers in the Rajya Sabha in the months ahead as it is all set to win most of the seats in states like Uttar Pradesh.