Prez polls: Cong tribal leaders oppose Sangma's candidature

May 23, 2012

sangam

New Delhi, May 23: Congress tribal leaders led by former Chhatisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi today opposed the candidature of P A Sangma for presidential election, saying the NCP leader is ''playing into the hands of communal forces''.

Asked who are these communal forces, the former Chhatisgarh Chief Minister told reporters, "BJP and its allies are representing communal forces."

Sangma has sought support from various political parties for his Presidential bid.

"One should not declare himself as a presidential candidate. It is such a high office. It has never been demanded by any individual. Country chooses...electoral colleges decide it. But Sangma has claimed it as tribal leader which is wrong," Congress tribal leader said.

Asked whether he is against the tribal candidate, he said, "We are not against any candidate. UPA has not decided on it as discussions are going on."

He further said, "Either there should be consensus on deciding the candidature or whoever has majority will decide."

Asked about his stand on supporting a tribal candidate for presidency, Jogi said the party has not decided yet. "If party decides for a tribal candidate we will definitely support it."

To question whether he himself would like to be a presidential candidate as a tribal leader, Jogi said, "No way."

Asked whether Congress has decided to oppose Sangma, he said, "Party has not decided yet. It is our view."

Recalling earlier presidential elections, Jogi said, "Once a tribal leader from Meghalaya GG Swell was the candidate and then Sangma had opposed him. Now he is seeking support in the name of tribal."

Jharkhand Rajya Sabha MP Pradeep Balmuchu said, "Sangma belongs to NCP and his party is also not supporting him on the issue."

Minister of State for Water Resources Vincent Pala, Manipur MP Rishang Keising and Arunachal MP Ninong Erring are among other tribal leaders who were present on the occasion.

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News Network
January 31,2020

New Delhi, Jan 31: Chief Economic Adviser K V Subramanian on Friday said India's GDP is expected to grow at 6-6.5 per cent next fiscal as the economic slowdown has bottomed out.

As per the first advance estimates released by the National Statistical Organisation (NSO), the country's economic growth is likely to hit an 11-year low of 5 per cent in the current fiscal ending March 2020.

The Economic Survey 2019-20, prepared by a team lead by Subramanian, has projected the GDP to expand in the range of 6-6.5 per cent during 2020-21.

The Indian economy has hit the bottom and it will see an uptick from here, he said in a media briefing post the Economic Survey.

Amidst a weak environment for global manufacturing, trade and demand, the Indian economy slowed down with GDP growth moderating to 4.8 per cent in the first half of 2019-20, lower than 6.2 per cent in H2 of 2018-19.

Based on NSO's first advance estimates of GDP growth for 2019-20 at 5 per cent, an uptick in GDP growth is expected in the second half of the fiscal, it said.

According to it, the uptick in second half of 2019-20 would be mainly due to ten positive factors like picking up of Nifty India Consumption Index for the first time this year, an upbeat secondary market, higher FDI flows, build-up of demand pressure, positive outlook for rural consumption, rebound of industrial activity, steady improvement in manufacturing, growth in merchandise exports, higher build-up of foreign exchange reserves and positive growth rate of GST revenue collection.

The survey also emphasised that merger of public sector banks may increase the financial strength of the merged entities, lower the risk aversion and result in lowering of lending rates.

Further, as the implementation of GST further settles down, the increased unification of the domestic market may reduce business costs and facilitate fresh investment.

Reforms in land and labour market may further reduce business costs, said the survey, presented a day before Sitharaman's Union Budget 2020-21.

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Agencies
August 1,2020

New Delhi, Aug 1: Rajya Sabha MP and former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh has died in Singapore where he was undergoing treatment.

Amar Singh, 64, had undergone kidney transplant in 2011 and was not keeping well for a long time.

“Saddened to know about the death of senior leader and parliamentarian Amar Singh,” Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted.

Earlier in the day, the former Samajwadi leader had posted messages on Twitter, paying tributes to Bal Gangadhar Tilak on his 100th death anniversary and also wishing people on Eid.

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Agencies
July 30,2020

New Delhi, Jul 30: India's gold demand in 2020 is expected to fall to the lowest level in 26 years with domestic bullion prices hitting a record high and as falling disposable incomes could curtail retail purchases, the World Gold Council (WGC) said on Thursday.

Lower demand by the world's second-biggest bullion consumer could limit a rally in global prices, which hit a record high earlier this month, although it could also reduce India's trade deficit and support the ailing rupee.

"Fast rising gold prices could act as headwinds," said Somasundaram PR, the managing director of WGC's Indian operations.

Local gold futures have jumped 35% so far this year after rising a quarter in 2019.

India's gold consumption in the first half of 2020 plunged 56% on-year to 165.6 tonnes. Meanwhile, the coronavirus-triggered lockdown also slashed demand by 70% in the June quarter to 63.7 tonnes, the lowest in more than a decade, the WGC said in a report published on Thursday.

Millions of Indians have lost their jobs or taken a pay cut after the country imposed a lockdown on its 1.3 billion people to curb the spread of the virus that has infected more than 1.5 million Indians.

Consumption is generally high during the June quarter due to weddings and key festivals such as Akshaya Tritiya, but lockdown restrictions kept shoppers indoors this year.

The weak demand in the first half could drag down India's gold consumption in 2020 to the lowest since 1994, when demand stood at 415 tonnes, Somasundaram said, adding that it is still difficult to provide an estimate for full-year demand as the coronavirus crisis is still unfolding.

"Indian demand has previously jumped as much as 300 tonnes in a quarter. Latent demand could come out in the second half," Somasundaram said.

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