In a blow to Pakistan's former dictator General (retd) Pervez Musharraf, the special court hearing the high treason case against him has also authorised the government to suspend his passport as well as his national identity card, according to a media report today.

Last week, the special court had ordered the government to arrest the Dubai-based former president and confiscate all his properties as it heard the high treason case against the 'proclaimed offender' for imposing emergency rule in the country in 2007.

Musharraf, 74, was indicted in March, 2014 on treason charges for imposing emergency in 2007 which led to the confinement of a number of superior court judges in their houses and sacking of over 100 judges.

The special court had earlier directed the Interior Ministry to approach the Interpol for the arrest of Musharraf.

If Musharraf fails to submit a written request for security to the Ministry of Interior, the government can take 'positive steps' to ensure the arrest of the accused and attach his properties abroad, including suspension of the National Identity Card (CNIC) and passport of the accused, The Express Tribune quoted a four-page order of the special court.

If the federal government suspends his passport and CNIC, Musharraf will not be able to travel to any country.

The three-member bench, headed by Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Yahya Afridi had conducted the last hearing in the case on March 8.

However, the written order was issued later, the report said.

Since 2013, the special court is hearing the treason case against Musharraf, also head of the All Pakistan Muslim League, for subverting the constitution in 2007.

The next hearing of the case has been fixed for March 21, it said.

A conviction for high treason carries the death penalty or life imprisonment.  -- PTI

The All India Anna Davida Munnetra Kazhagam today expelled former MP and one of its spokespersons K C Palanisamy for alleged anti-party activities after he favoured support by the ruling party to the no-confidence motion against the Narendra Modi government in Parliament.

A party release, jointly signed by AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam and co-coordinator Edppadi K Palaniswami, said he was expelled 'effective today' from the basic party membership and all other responsibilities.

Palanisamy, a known television face of the AIADMK, was removed from primary membership of the party for acting against party's principles and for bringing disrepute to it, the release said.

Participating in a Tamil television debate, Palanisamy said the rights of Tamil Nadu could be established in the Cauvery issue if the AIADMK offered (conditional) support to the no-confidence motion sought to be moved by the Telugu Desam Party and the Yuvajana Shramika Rythu Congress.

Earlier in the day, the AIADMK said its top leadership will decide on the party's stand on the no-confidence motion.

Reacting to his removal, Palanisamy wondered what principle of the party he violated and added that neither his view was not sought nor any notice sent to him by the party.

A Coimbatore region based party strongman from the days of AIADMK founder M G Ramachandran, Palanisamy has been a loyalist of Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam.

He was also a former MLA.

During January 2017, days after late J Jayalalithaa's aide V K Sasikala was named as interim party chief, Palanisamy had approached the Election Commission against it.  -- PTI

Former United States secretary of state Hillary Clinton, who is on a visit to India, has suffered a hairline fracture on her right wrist after a fall, the director of a private hospital said in Jodhpur today.

Clinton was brought to the hospital at 5 am on March 14 and doctors conducted a CT scan and an X-ray on her right hand, Goyal Hospital director Anand Goyal said.

They found a hairline fracture on her wrist following which she was given a temporary cast, he said.

She had injured the hand during a sight-seeing tour of Mandu in Madhya Pradesh on March 12, according to sources in Umaid Bhawan Palace Hotel in Jodhpur where she stayed.  -- PTI

Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah is likely to hold a meeting with the core group of the party's Andhra Pradesh unit tomorrow, party sources said after the Telugu Desam Party walked out of the National Democratic Alliance.

The meeting comes as the BJP finds itself in a tight corner in Andhra Pradesh after the TDP and Yuvajana Shramika Rythu Congress moved notices for a no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha against the Modi government.

Shah is likely to review the political situation in Andhra Pradesh and strategise over his party's options in the state, which sends 25 members to the Lok Sabha and where assembly polls will be held along with the parliamentary elections next year.

The party has already asserted that the TDP's decision to sever ties with it is a timely opportunity for it to grow in the state.

"TDP's decision to quit was inevitable after its mischievous propaganda against Centre. People of AP have now realised that the TDP is resorting to lies to cover up its inept & inert governance. Far from being a threat, TDP's exit is a timely opportunity for the BJP to grow in AP," BJP spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao said.

The TDP and the YSR Congress headed by Jagan Mohan Reddy are the two main parties in the state. While the former has been a part of the NDA since 2014, the YSR Congress too has often supported the government in Parliament on many legislations.

However, both have now been targeting the BJP after the Centre declined to grant special category status to the state.  -- PTI

The toll in the devastating fire at Kurangani forests in Theni district rose to 16 with the death of two more women in private hospitals today, police said.

The Deceased were identified as Sakthikala and Devi, police said.

Of the 16 killed in the fire, 12 are women.

A 36-member team -- 24 people from Chennai and 12 from Tiruppur and Erode districts -- had embarked on the trekking expedition and reached Kurangani hills on March 10.

The trekkers after staying at an estate in Kozhukumalai overnight, started their return journey to the plains Sunday morning when they heard of the sudden forest fire and got separated while attempting to find a safe way.

The trekkers were caught in the forest fire in Kurangani Kozhukumalai hill ranges near Theni, some 500 km away from Chennai.

The hills are in the Western Ghats near Bodinayakanur, about 40 km from Theni. The forest department has suspended forest officer Jaisingh in connection with the incident.

A case was also registered against Peter Van Geit, the owner of the Chennai based Trekking club believed to have arranged the trekking expedition to Kurangani Hills.

He has been charged under Indian Penal Code Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), police said.

Two persons, including an agent of the club at Erode, have been arrested in connection with the trekking programme.  -- PTI

After the Telugu Desam Party quit the National Democratic Alliance over lack of financial support, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today said the Centre was committed to giving Andhra Pradesh a special package equivalent to a special category state and has been endlessly waiting for the state government to revert on mechanism of receiving it.

Jaitley said the modalities of giving the special package were agreed way back in September 2016 but the state government only in January this year suggested a change in route of receiving funds, to which the Centre agreed but has not heard from it ever since.

"A solution has been put on the table. It is for Andhra Pradesh to decide whether they want the resources or they want to make an issue (out of it)," he told PTI.

The TDP, which has 16 MPs in the 545-member Lok Sabha, first pulled out its ministers from the Narendra Modi government and today decided to quit the alliance itself.

The party, which is in power in Andhra Pradesh, had been demanding greater financial assistance to make up for the disadvantage it has been put to since its division in 2014.

Jaitley, however, said the Centre has been fully committed to giving the promised funds to the state and there has been no delay on its part.

He said the so-called special category status cannot be given to Andhra Pradesh in its literal sense after implementation of the award of 14th Finance Commission, which deals with sharing of central government's financial resources with the states.

The constitutionally-mandated Commission gave increased share of states fund in central taxes to 42 per cent from 32 per cent previously and meeting revenue deficit in case any state needs to be extraordinarily compensated.

The minister said a special category state gets to pay just 10 per cent share of the money to be spent on a centrally sponsored scheme in comparison to general category states having to pay 40 per cent.

The remaining 90 per cent in case of special category states and 60 per cent in general category states is borne by the Centre.

The 30 per cent equivalent advantage that the special category states had was agreed to be given to Andhra Pradesh for five years.

"We found a solution on September 16, 2016 that instead of a special category, we will give a special package," he said adding the funds equivalent to 30 per cent additional funding was to be met in some other form.

Andhra Pradesh, he said, suggested that this should come to it in form of external aided projects wherein the repayment is 90 per cent borne by the Centre and 10 per cent by the state.

"We agreed," he said.

But in January this year, Andhra Pradesh changed its stance and said it should come via NABARD, Jaitley said adding the Centre told the state that such funding would increase its fiscal deficit and restrict borrowing space.

So it was suggested that a special purpose vehicle be created into which NABARD can transfer funds.

The Centre would have repaid such funds to the extent of 90 per cent, he said.

"On February 7 their officers said they will find out the details and come. No one has come till now," he said.

"We have been literally waiting for them to come."

"The Centre has always been willing to give and there is no delay on our part," he said.

"The changeover has been done in January by Andhra Pradesh not by us."

On meeting the revenue deficit faced by the state due to carving out of Telangana, Jaitley said 14th Finance Commission has already calculated the funds for 2015 to 2020, which the Centre will pay.

For the 10 months prior to that, the deficit can be calculated either by taking the 2013-14 as the base or by extrapolating revenue of 2015-16.

In the first case only Rs 138 crore is left to be paid and if the second is used, Rs 1,600 crore is due.

"We have said take it," he said.

"We have been waiting endlessly for a response from them to resolve the issue," he added.  -- PTI

Aam Aadmi Party's Punjab in-charge Manish Sisodia said today that the party leadership will talk to state leaders, who are unhappy over Arvind Kejriwal's apology to Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia, to solve the issue.

"We fight for the people on streets. It is not our work to fight in court. However, we will fight for people in court," Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Sisodia said on the apology to Majithia.

"If we spend time in court, then how we will be able to spare time for the people?" he said.

In a surprising development, Kejriwal yesterday tendered an apology for having levelled 'unfounded' allegations against Majithia in connection with his involvement in drugs trade.

The SAD leader later decided to withdraw a defamation case against the Delhi chief minister.

Miffed over his apology, Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann resigned as AAP's Punjab chief today.

Kejriwal's apology also drew flak from party's leaders and MLAs in Punjab, who said they were 'stunned' by the move and 'disappointed' as they were not kept in the 'loop'.  -- PTI

Congress president Rahul Gandhi today again trained his guns on the government over the Rafale fighter jets deal, alleging that it had caused a loss of Rs 36,000 crore to the state exchequer even as the Army 'begs' for more money.

He also alleged that Dassault Aviation, the French company that manufactured the fighter jets, had called the 'lie' of 'RM' (Raksha Mantri or Defence Minister) Nirmala Sitharaman by releasing the price of the aircraft.

Gandhi highlighted the price the Bharatiya Janata Party government paid for the fighter jets, the figure finalised by the erstwhile United Progressive Alliance regime led by Manmohan Singh for purchasing the aircraft and the amount Qatar had paid for the same.

'Dassault called RM's lie and released prices paid per RAFALE plane in report: Qatar = 1319 Cr, MODI = 1670 Cr, MMS = 570 Cr.

'1100 Cr per plane or 36,000 Cr i.e 10 pc of our Defence budget, in the pocket. Meanwhile, our Army begs our Govt. for money (sic),' the Congress leader said on Twitter.

Gandhi has been attacking the BJP-led government over the defence deal, alleging that it has caused a huge loss to the state exchequer.

He has also questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on the issue.  -- PTI

BSE Sensex today.

BSE Sensex: Top losers today.

The Telugu Desam Party on Friday formally decided to quit the National Democratic Alliance, days after two of its ministers quit the Narendra Modi government protesting for special category status to Andhra Pradesh.


Hours later, TDP leader Thota Narasimham moved a no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha which may be taken up for consideration on Monday.


While the TDP has maintained that the denial of special category status is the reason behind its exit from the NDA, sources say, there could in fact, be other more reasons for the TDP's disenchantment with the BJP.


The truth, say sources, lies somewhere in this story.


The relationship between Chandrababu Naidu and Narendra Modi soured on the day the BJP elevated M Venkaiah Naidu as vice president of India.


The TDP had then issued a statement that the Centre had in effect usurped a staunch supporter of Andhra Pradesh from the Council of Ministers.


Born in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh, the veep had always been a proud Andhra man. Political observers say he had apparently accepted the post of vice president with some reluctance.


As for the other Naidu, BJP sources quipped that Chandrababu had signed several MOUs with Singapore, Japan, Korea and Malaysia for building the capital city, Amaravati. The MoUs totalled  approximately Rs 35,000 crore. The BJP is asking why this money can't be used for the state.  


The BJP says the Centre has been extending support to Andhra Pradesh on various social welfare schemes but Naidu has not submitted utilisation certificates. Where have the funds gone, they ask and say Naidu must have diverted the funds to build Amaravati.


For the past one year, Chandrababu Naidu was not given time to meet Prime Minister Modi. The central leadership has also been hesitant to meet Naidu because in almost all the 16 meetings between 2014 and 2016, Naidu has asked for funds every single time. The PM apparently was irritated with these requests and decided not to meet Naidu.


Chandrababu has been wanting that the Centre appoint a new governor of Andhra Pradesh, because he believes the incumbent, ESL Narasimhan, is toeing the line of Telangana CM K Chandrashekhar Rao.


Naidu has also shown reluctance in giving his nod to extending Nirmala Sitharaman's tenure in the Rajya Sabha and wanted Suresh Prabhu as the BJP nominee from the state. Naidu felt Sitharaman was being thrust on Andhra and found her frequent visits to the state to be an irritant.


So are these the real reasons or just the special status for the state that broke the camel's back? 

While on the subject, do read this article Has Naidu misread Modi?

Expressing hope that the 'rashtravadi' (nationalist) and Hindutva forces will stay together, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis exuded confidence that Shiv Sena won't support the no-confidence motion against the NDA government.


The statement came after the Telugu Desam Party moved a no-confidence motion against the BJP-led government in the Lok Sabha today, following TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu's announcement that his party was exiting the National Democratic Alliance.


"There have been no talks with Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray as yet. The seniors in our party (BJP's central leadership) will do that. However, I am confident that the 'rashtravadi' and Hindutva forces will stay together," Fadnavis told reporters. "The Sena will remain with us."    


"Some Sena leaders met me this morning. They had come to seek (the BJP's) support in the Mumbai municipal corporation bypoll. We are supporting them," Fadnavis said.


Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray is expected to hold a meeting with party MPs and senior leaders soon to decide stand on their stand.


Fadnavis denied that he met the Sena leadership over the no-trust motion.


On the recent farmers' long march here, Fadnavis said the manner in which the issue was highlighted made it seem that farmers were protesting over the disbursement of loan waiver amount. "There were barely a few farmers in the protest. Most of the participants were adivasis, against whom injustice has been meted out over the years," he said. PTI

In Darbhanga, Bihar, a man was beheaded for naming a chowk after the prime minister. The son of the 70-yr-old man who was killed told ANI, "Around 40-50 men came on 25-30 bikes with hockey sticks and swords. My father went to them to explain the situation, but was beheaded. They also tried to kill my brother."

Aam Aadmi Party Punjab Vice President Aman Arora resigns from his post following Arvind Kejriwal's apology letter to Bikram Singh Majithia.

The Telangana Rashtra Samiti led by K Chandrasekhar Rao today ruled out its support for the no-confidence motion against the NDA government, describing the move as a "political gimmick".


The Telugu Desam Party moved a no-confidence motion against the central government in the Lok Sabha today, hours after party president N Chandrababu Naidu announced in Amaravati that the party was exiting the National Democratic Alliance on the issue of special category status to Andhra Pradesh.


TRS parliamentary party leader and secretary general K Keshava Rao, however, said his outfit supports the demand for SCS.  -- PTI

Poster with pictures of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati seen outside the Samajwadi Party office in Lucknow. The SP-BSP won the bypolls in Gorakhpur and Phulpur this week, trouncing the BJP. 

The Maharashtra government has decided to ban the use of plastic from "Gudi Padva", the Maharashtrian New Year which falls on March 18, Environment Minister Ramdas Kadam today said in the state Assembly. The ban would cover the production, use, storage, sale, distribution, import and transportation of plastic, the minister informed the House. He said that those violating the ban would be fined Rs 25,000 and could also face a three-year jail term.


He told the House that plastic bags, thermocol, disposable cups and plates, cutlery, non-woven polypropylene bags, plastic pouches and packaging would be banned.


However, plastic used to cover medicines, forest and horticulture products, solid waste, tree saplings and the use of plastic in special economic zones for export purposes would be exempt from the ban.


Similarly, plastic covers and wrappers used for  manufactured and processed products would also be exempt, he said. Plastic milk pouches would have to be above 50 microns and it should be recyclable, he said, adding that these used pouches should be bought back for recycling at a cost not less than 50 paise.


Kadam said that the dairy industry must have a mechanism for the collection of used milk pouches and it would be mandatory for them to buy it back. He said that manufacturers, sellers and distributors should consider it their responsbility to prepare a mechanism to recycle PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles. The purchase of such bottles for the purpose of recycling should not cost more than one rupee. He said they would have to set up bottle recycling and collection centres within three months of the rules and regulations being published. - PTI

The BSE Sensex today dived almost 510 points -- its biggest single-day fall since February 6 -- to close at 33,176 due to a major sell-off amid global trade worries and political concerns after the TDP quit the NDA and moved a no-confidence notice against the government. Other Asian markets were also in the negative zone as investors fret over the prospect of a global trade war, accelerating selling pressure on the domestic bourses, brokers said.


For the third straight week stocks ended in the red with the flagship Sensex recording a weekly fall of 131.14 points, or 0.39 per cent, and the NSE Nifty losing 31.70 points, or 0.30 per cent.


Sentiment suffered a setback following fresh development on the political front after a key NDA ally, TDP, decided to quit the alliance and moved a no-confidence motion notice against the government, accelerating the selling pace by participants, brokers said. -- PTI

Senior Congress leader M Veerappa Moily has landed in a controversy over a tweet suggesting money plays a role in his party deciding who gets the ticket for upcoming elections in Karnataka, though he denied posting it, saying "I have not done it".


"INC need (sic) to solve money in politics. We can't afford to have contractors and their nexus with the state PWD minister determine how candidates are selected for the upcoming assembly elections," said a tweet from a twitter handle that is not verified.


As the tweet went viral on social media and created a buzz in political circles, Moily, when contacted by PTI, said it was a "mistake (committed) by somebody else."


"That Twitter (handle) is not in my control. It's not (an) appropriate (tweet). I'm withdrawing (it)," said Moily, who heads the manifesto committee for the assembly polls.


Coming on the day when the AICC plenary was to begin at New Delhi, the tweet also tagged Rahul Gandhi's office, Congress headquarters, Karnataka Pradesh Congress and Moily's son Harsha Moily. Minutes later, the same tweet was posted on the twitter handle of Harsha too.


This tweet tagged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also. Both the tweets were later deleted.


The tweet was allegedly targeted at PWD minister H C Mahadevappa, a trusted aide of Siddaramaiah. The tweet row has erupted amid reports that Moily, a former chief minister, was unhappy over discouraging remarks allegedly made by Mahadevappa during a screening panel meeting about giving party ticket to Harsha to contest the assembly polls from Karkala.


Asked if his twitter account was hacked, Moily said, "I don't say that but even then it's not proper." "It's unfortunate. It shouldn't have come. I haven't done it. Somebody else has done it. I don't want to go public on party matters." -- PTI

The government today (yet again) categorically said there was no proposal to discontinue Rs 2,000 currency note, which was introduced post demonetisation in November 2016.


The government also informed the Lok Sabha that it had decided to conduct field trials of plastic currency notes of Rs 10 in five cites.


"There is no proposal under consideration of the government to stop Rs 2,000 note," Minister of State for Finance P Radhakrishnan said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha to a question whether the finance ministry has any plan to stop the note in near future.


The sizes of new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 denomination in the Mahatma Gandhi (New) series is 66mm X 150 mm and 66 mm and 166 mm, respectively.


As regards plastic notes, the minister said: "It has been decided to conduct field trial of plastic banknotes in denominations of Rs 10 at five locations". The trial would be conducted in Kochi, Mysore, Jaipur, Shimla and Bhubaneshwar, he said, adding that the note will be printed in Indian presses on imported substrate. He, however, did not specified any timeline. PTI

Terming the BJP's loss in the Gorakhpur Lok Sabha bypoll a "defeat of ego and arrogance," the Shiv Sena today launched a fresh salvo at its ally, saying the party's strength in the Lower House of Parliament will come down by at least 110 seats in the 2019 general elections.


The Sena also taunted its ally saying those who abandon their friends and "tread the path of lies" are destined to lose.


"The BJP won the tiny state of Tripura. While the party was celebrating the victory, the results of two Lok Sabha bypolls in Uttar Pradesh took the shine off the win.


"These results have created panic in the BJP camp. The party's two strongholds- Gorakhpur and Phulpur- were won by the SP," the Sena said in an editorial in its mouthpiece- 'Saamana'.


It said that since the Modi government came to power, bypolls to 10 Lok Sabha seats were conducted, of which the BJP lost nine.


"Initially, there were 282 BJP MPs in the Lok Sabha, but the figure has now come down to 272. Under the leadership of Modi and Amit Shah, the BJP has lost virtually every bypoll," the Uddhav Thackeray-led party said.


The editorial referred to the BJP's stunning victory in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls last year as it attacked the party over its loss in the Gorakhpur byoll.


"Last year, the BJP set a record by winning 325 seats in UP Assembly polls. Yogi Adityanath became the chief minister, while Keshav Maurya became his deputy.


Since 1991, Adityanath had never lost the Gorakhpur seat. But now, despite being the CM, his party lost. If the BJP could topple the Left government in Tripura, why couldn't it win Gorakhpur?" it asked.


In Bihar, the Araria Lok Sabha seat and the Jehanabad Assembly seat were won by the RJD, it said. "All this shows that the BJP is losing ground," it said.


"It is now clear that in 2019, the BJP will not get 280 seats. The number will come down by at least 100-110. Therefore, the BJP needs to remain grounded. Defeat is certain for those who abandon their friends and tread the path of lies. When the downfall starts, no Chanakya can stop it," it said.  -- PTI

Actor Irrfan Khan tweets he that he is suffering from a Neuroendocrine tumour.

Khan began his tweet with a quote from Gone with the Wind author, Margaret Mitchell, "Life is under no obligation to give us what we expect.".

He then writes,

"The unexpected makes us grow, which is what the past few days have been about. Learning that I have been diagnosed with NeuroEndocrine Tumour as of now has admittedly been difficult, but the love and strength of those around me and that I found within me has brought me to a place of hope. The journey of this is taking me out of the country, and I request everyone to continue sending their wishes. As for the rumours that were floated NEURO is not always about the brain and googling is the easiest way to do research ;-) To those who waited for my words, I hope to be back with more stories to tell."


Khan's tweet on March 5 had his fans guessing about what he was in fact suffering from. He had tweeted cryptically, "Sometimes you wake up with a jolt with life-shaking you up. The last 15 days, my life has been a suspense story. Little had I known that my search for rare stories would make me find a rare disease."

Drivers of cab aggregators Uber and Ola have threatened to go on an indefinite strike from the midnight of March 18. The strike is expected to be observed in key cities like Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune among other cities.


"Ola and Uber had given big assurances to the drivers, but today they are unable to cover their costs. They have invested Rs 5-7 lakh, and were expecting to make Rs 1.5 lakh a month but are unable to even make half of this, owing to the mismanagement by these companies," Sanjay Naik of Maharashtra Navnirman Vahatuk Sena, who is organising the strike, told PTI today.


Naik further alleged that these taxi-hailing companies are giving first priority to company-owned cars rather than driver-owned vehicles, causing a slump in their business.


While taxi-hailing companies offered loan-guarantee letters to drivers through the Mudra scheme and that too without any verification, they are defaulting on repayment now as their costs are not covered, he claimed.


In Mumbai alone there are over 45,000 cabs on these aggrgators but due to the slump in business there has been a fall of 20 per cent in the number of cabs running on these platforms in the city.


"If our demands are not met, we will go on an indefinite strike," he said, adding the drivers had approached MNS leader Raj Thackeray to intervene in the matter. Other unions of Ola and Uber are also in support of the strike, Naik said. -- PTI

AIADMK moves the Madras High Court against TTV Dinakaran over his party AMMK's flag. 

Supreme Court reserves verdict on petitions seeking a Special Investigation Team probe into the death of CBI Judge BH Loya.

Congress' Ripun Bora moves private member's resolution in Rajya Sabha, seeking amendment of the National Anthem & replacing the word 'Sindh' with 'Northeast India.'

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Nadiu addresses the state assembly after his party, the TDP, quit the NDA.


"We've quit NDA. I took the decision, not for selfish reasons, but for interests of Andhra Pradesh.


"For four years I made all efforts, went to Delhi 29 times, asked many times (for special status for Andhra)


"This was the centre's last budget and there was no mention of AP; we had to pull our ministers out of cabinet.


"Bifurcation promises are not yet fulfilled. Had special status been included in the Act in then Lok Sabha then, this situation would have not arisen.


"Arun Jaitley said, sentiment cannot increase quantum of funds. What a reckless statement. Telangana was carved for sentiment. Sentiment is very powerful. Even now you are doing injustice.


"TDP has survived many crises and we can sail through this situation. I wrote many letters to the Centre. Recently also I gave a letter to PM but nothing materialised."


TDP leader Thota Narasimham moved a no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha today, hours after party president N Chandrababu Naidu announced in Amaravati that the party was exiting the National Democratic Alliance.


Andhra Pradesh's ruling party had yesterday offered to back the YSR Congress' no-confidence motion but has now said it withdraws the support as it smells a nexus between it and the BJP.

Harish Khare, editor-in-chief of The Tribune, the independent, Chandigarh-based newspaper known for punching above its weight on the national media scene, is on his way out, The Wire has learned. Word of his departure comes weeks after The Tribune's expos of a security flaw in the Aadhaar database that allowed middlemen to access key personal information about all those enrolled in the government's 'voluntary' universal ID scheme database. The story won Khare and his team plaudits from privacy advocates and the media fraternity but also led to the filing of criminal charges against the reporter, Rachna Khaira, as the UIDAI scrambled to limit the damage. Read more

Punjabi pop singer Daler Mehndi has been sentenced to two years in prison after he was convicted in a 2003 human trafficking case by a court in Delhi today, reports ANI.


Mehndi and his brother, Shamsher Singh, had been accused of illegally sending people abroad disguised as members of his troupe by charging hefty "passage money."

Audio analysis of the viral Araria video with alleged Pro-Pak slogans raises suspicions.  Read

West Bengal: Many feared injured in an explosion at a firecracker factory in South 24 Parganas district's Magrahat.

The Centre today informed the Supreme Court that in the "interest of the nation", it will not damage the mythological Ram Sethu for its Sethusamudram Ship Channel project.


The Union Ministry of Shipping, in its affidavit, told a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra that the PIL filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy against the Sethusamudram project can now be disposed off by taking note of its stand.


"That the government of India intends to explore an alternative to the earlier alignment of Sethusamudram Ship Channel project without affecting/damaging the Adam's Bridge/Ram Sethu in the interest of the nation," the affidavit filed by the ministry said. Additional Solicitor General Pinky Anand, appearing for the Centre, said that the Centre has filed the response in pursuance of the earlier directions and the PIL can now be disposed off.


Swamy had filed a PIL against the ship channel project and had sought direction to the Centre that the mythological Ram Sethu be not touched. PTI


Also read: Is Ram Setu man-made?

Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann resigned as AAP's Punjab chief today, a day after party convener Arvind Kejriwal apologised to a SAD leader for accusing him of being involved in the drug trade.


The Delhi chief minister's apology drew flak from his party's leaders and MLAs in Punjab, who said they were "stunned" by the move and "disappointed" as Kejriwal had not kept them in the "loop".


Mann announced his resignation on Twitter. "..I m resigning as a president of AAP Punjab...but my fight against drug mafia and all kind of corruption in Punjab will continue as an "Aam Aadmi" of Punjab (sic)," Mann said in a tweet.


Kejriwal had yesterday apologised for levelling charges of involvement in drugs trade against SAD leader former Punjab minister Bikram Singh Majithia, saying he had learnt that his allegations were unfounded.


The chief minister in his apology letter had said, "In the recent past I made certain statements and allegations against you (Majithia) regarding your alleged involvement in the drug trade. These statements became a political issue."


"Now I've learnt that the allegations are unfounded. Hence there should be no politics on such issues. I hereby withdraw all my statements and allegations made against you and apologise for the same," he said.


Leader of Opposition in Punjab Sukhpal Singh Khaira said that he was "stunned" by the apology by Kejriwal. "We're appalled n stunned by the apology of @ArvindKejriwal tendered today,we don't hesitate to admit that we haven't been consulted on this meek surrender by a leader of his stature," he said on Twitter. In another tweet, Khaira said, "We promise to continue our tirade on the burning issue of drugs destroying the youth of Punjab".

When Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated in 2014, it sought Special Category Status on the grounds that it was at a disadvantage, since it would lose a significant amount of revenue as a result of Hyderabad going to Telangana, the new state that came into existence on June 2, 2014, reports the TOI.


Andhra Pradesh was promised Special Category Status by the Congress government, which was at the Centre during the state bifurcation, and by the BJP during the course of its 2014 election campaign, Manmohan Singh, who was then Prime Minister, said in the Rajya Sabha that special category status would be extended to Andhra Pradesh for five years to help put the state on a firmer footing. This oral submission by the then PM has been the basis for Andhra Pradesh's claim to the status. BJP, which was in the opposition, also stated that its would extend it to five more years if it formed the government.However, the 14th Finance Commission changed this.

As expected, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan says the no-confidence motion has been received, but cannot bring it to the House since it is not in order. The Speaker adjourned the Lok Sabha for the day without taking up the no-confidence motion, as opposition protests continue.


Speaking outside Parliament, GVL Narasimha Rao, national spokesperson of the BJP says, "We believe TDP is finding the going tough in AP, they are seeing a defeat for themselves in 2019 and they want to use this as an alibi to really retrieve lost political ground. Questions being asked in AP as to why AP CM took four years to realise that this is not working.

"The state govt and TDP are feeling the pinch of the public opinion going against them and BJP will use this as an opportunity to grow as a political party and emerge as a dominant political force in Andhra Pradesh. For us it will prove to be the next Tripura."

The proceedings of the Lok Sabha were disrupted for the 10th consecutive day today as TDP, YSR Congress, AIADMK and RJD continued their  protests over various issues, including the banking scam and special status for Andhra Pradesh. As soon as Speaker Sumitra Mahajan took up the Question Hour, members from these parties trooped into the Well holding placards.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi is all set to visit the poll-bound Karnataka two times after March 20.


During the first leg, the Congress President will visit Mangaluru and Udupi on March 20 and 21, while his second visit would be to Mysuru and Mandya on March 24 and 25.


Earlier in February, the Congress scion visited Raichur, Bidar, Bellary, Yadgiri and Koppal districts of Karnataka.


Ahead of the election in the 224-member assembly in Karnataka that is yet to be declared, the state has witnessed frequent visits by national leaders, from both the Congress party and the Bharatiya Janata Party.


While the ruling Congress is trying to retain power in Karnataka, the BJP is eyeing to seize the southern state from it. Earlier, the Congress had dethroned the BJP in Karnataka in 2013. -- ANI

Both houses of Parliament adjourned over the Andhra Pradesh special status issue.


TDP leader Thota Narasimham moved a no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha today, hours after party president N Chandrababu Naidu announced in Amaravati that the party was exiting the National Democratic Alliance.


Andhra Pradesh's ruling party had yesterday offered to back the YSR Congress' no-confidence motion but has now said it withdraws the support as it smells a nexus between it and the BJP.


"We go according to principles. Our leader felt being part of NDA and moving a no-confidence motion would not be ethical. So we withdrew from the NDA and I have issued a letter on no-confidence motion to the speaker at 9.30 am," Narasimham, the TDP's floor leader in the Lok Sabha, told reporters.


He said letters would go out to BJP leaders about the party's decision to exit the alliance.


His colleague, C M Ramesh added that YSR Congress MP Vijaysai Reddy was seen making attempts to meet the prime minister and this hinted at a nexus between both parties.


"We have no confidence in their no-confidence motion, so we have decided to go on our own," he said. "If it is not taken due to lack of time today, on Monday we will get signatures from 54 MPs from various other parties and push for a no-confidence motion vigorously," Ramesh said.


The motion can be accepted only if it has the support of at least 50 members in the House.


Two days ago, two TDP ministers resigned from the Narendra Modi government following the Centre's refusal to grant Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh.


"We will support a no-confidence motion, whoever moves it. We will be ready for that and our 16-17 MPs will fully support that. We will cooperate with whoever fights for the state's rights," Naidu said in the state Assembly yesterday.


With the BJP alone having 274 members in the 536-member Lok Sabha and enjoying support of allies, the no-confidence motion, if accepted, is certain to be defeated but it has the potential to put the saffron party in an tight corner in the state. --  PTI

Supporting the no-confidence motion against the NDA government, CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury tweeted: "Its (BJP's) betrayal of the promise of special status for Andhra Pradesh is inexcuseable. Its all-round failure and evasion of parliamentary accountability needs to be highlighted."

The Telugu Desam Party today decided to quit the NDA, days after two of its ministers resigned from the Narendra Modi government following the Centre's refusal to grant Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh.
The party will also move a no-confidence motion against the Modi  government over the injustice meted out to the state, an official communique said.


So far, the TMC, Congress, AIMIM, BJD, CPM, CPI, AAP, TRS have extended support to the TDP for the no-confidence motion. Mamata Banerjee's TMC was the first to extend support followed by the Congress.  But for the no-confidence motion to be passed, the house -- the Lok Sabha -- has to be in order. Given the numbers in the treasury benches, it seems improbable, but the coming together of the opposition, will act as a warning to the government ahead of the general elections.

Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on the BJP-TDP break-up: Will see what happens in Parliament, which party chooses to go which way. In a way it is election year & every state has demands & issues, it is not right for us to comment on it. It is a custom, before actual elections there is always a rehearsal in Parliament.


The Telugu Desam Party today decided to quit the NDA, days after two of its ministers resigned from the Narendra Modi government following the Centre's refusal to grant Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh.


The party will also move a no-confidence motion against the Modi government over the injustice meted out to the state, an official communique said.


So far, the Congress, TMC, Owaisi's AIMIM, BJD, AIDMK, the Left and the YSR Congress have supported the no-confidence motion which will be moved in Parliament on Monday.

Congress to support no-confidence motion against the Centre by Telugu Desam Party & YSR Congress Party: Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee President N Raghuveera Reddy

Mamata Banerjee reacts to the TDP's exit from the NDA. "I welcome the TDP's decision to leave the NDA. The current situation warrants such action to save the country from disaster." 

TDP leaders CM Ramesh, Thota Narsimhan, Ravindra Babu and others address the media in Delhi after exiting NDA, say, 'BJP means 'Break Janta Promise,' also add that they will be moving a no-confidence motion on Monday.

First reactions from the BJP: The party's national spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao said the TDP's decision to quit was inevitable after its mischievous propaganda against Centre. People of AP have now realised that the TDP is resorting to lies to cover up its inept & inert governance. Far from being a threat, TDP's exit is a timely opportunity for the BJP to grow in AP.


The TDP today formally decided to quit the NDA, days after two of its ministers quit the Narendra Modi government protesting for Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh.


The party will also move a no-confidence motion against the Modi government over the injustice meted out to the state, an official communique said.


Union ministers -- P Ashok Gajapati Raju and Y S Chowdary -- had quit on March 8 after a meeting with the prime minister over the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014.


The TDP politburo unanimously took the decision during a tele-conference with party supremo and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu this morning.

At least two militants have been killed in an encounter with security forces which broke out after a failed bid to snatch the weapon of the personal security guard of a BJP leader. The terrorists yesterday tried to snatch the service rifle of constable Bilal Ahmad, who is the PSO of BJP leader Anwar Khan, at Balhama in Pulwama district.


The police personnel accompanying Khan foiled the attempt, during which Ahmad received a bullet injury.


"Bodies of two militants have been recovered so far. Their identities are being ascertained," a police spokesman said. "Incriminating materials, which include weapon and ammunition, have been recovered as well," he said.


Searches are going on at the encounter site as there were reports of third militant as well at the time of weapon snatching attempt. -- PTI


Representational image

The Supreme Court will on Friday continue hearing the petitions seeking a Special Investigation Team probe into the alleged mysterious death of Central Bureau of Investigation judge B H Loya.


The apex court had earlier asked the Maharashtra Government to submit the postmortem report of the CBI judge, who had died in alleged suspicious circumstances in 2014, citing that the "matter was very serious.


"As per reports, Maharashtra-based journalist B.S. Lone and activist Tehseen Poonavala had filed independent pleas seeking a fair probe into the death of Justice Loya, who was hearing the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case, involving various police officers and Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah.


In a press conference held on January 12, Justices Madan B. Lokur, Kurien Joseph, Ranjan Gogoi and Jasti Chelameswar questioned the conduct of Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, alleging that selective Benches were being appointed to preside over certain cases in the apex court.


Justice Loya's death is one among the certain cases hinted by the four judges. -- ANI

The YSR Congress submitted a notice for a no-confidence motion against the Modi government for its refusal to grant special category status to Andhra Pradesh, the first such move in the tenure of the National Democratic Alliance government.


Andhra Pradesh chief minister and Telugu Desam Party boss N Chandrababu Naidu immediately announced support for the motion and YSR Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy is understood to have sought the backing of other opposition parties. His tally of nine MPs is well short of the 50 required for the motion to be admitted and even TDP's 16 MPs will not be enough for the purpose.


The TDP today formally decided to quit the NDA, days after two of its ministers quit the Narendra Modi government protesting for Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh.


 Union ministers -- P Ashok Gajapati Raju and Y S Chowdary -- had quit on March 8 after a meeting with the prime minister over the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014.


The TDP politburo unanimously took the decision during a tele-conference with party supremo and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu this morning.


The Telugu Desam Parliamentary Party will issue a notice to move the no-trust motion today, it said.


The party politburo meeting to decide over quitting the NDA was planned for this evening, but the formality was completed during the daily tele-conference Chandrababu holds with party leaders in the morning.


The TDP will write a letter to BJP president Amit Shah and also other constituents of the NDA informing its decision and the reasons for it, the communique said.


Image: Letter of YSR Congress Party MP YV Subba Reddy to Lok Sabha Secretary-General for moving motion on 'No-Confidence in the Council of Ministers' in the house.