New Delhi, Mar 18 (PTI) In a tit-for-tat response to RJD following the snub in Bihar, Congress today struck a deal with JMM for Lok Sabha elections in adjacent Jharkhand, leaving the Lalu Prasad-led party high and dry in the state. "We have reached an agreement... Congress will contest 7 seats and JMM 2. We have left two seats (sitting RJD MPs)," party in-charge of Jharkhand K Keshava Rao told reporters at the AICC briefing. He said that as per the agreement, the parties will take the sitting seats in the state which sends 14 members to the Lok Sabha.
"This means that we take 6 sitting seats and JMM 4. As two seats were held by other parties, we have decided to take one each. Congress will contest the Koderma seat while JMM would contest from Hazaribagh," Rao said.
Rao did not name RJD in his briefing but said "we have decided to keep two seats aside. "If RJD wants it, we will give them," he said.
The RJD was asking for the two seats it had won last time (Chatra and Palamu), apart from Koderma from where Congress will contest.
In their agreement, Congress and JMM have not left any seat for Ram Vilas Paswan-led LJP which too was seeking a couple of seats in the state.
Asked whether the Jharkkhand agreement was in retaliation to what RJD had done to Congress in Bihar, Rao said "we only act, do not react". PTI
There are no good Taliban, cautions India
New Delhi, Mar 18 (PTI) As it prepares to participate in two international conferences on Afghanistan, India today cautioned against treating any section of Taliban as "good", in an apparent message to the US which has expressed readiness to hold talks with "moderate" militia.
Maintaining that it would be unwise to negotiate with Taliban and leave people to their mercy, sources here said efforts should instead be made to strengthen the age-old tribal structures which are still intact in Afghanistan.
The situation in Afghanistan, over which world concerns are growing because of resurgence of Taliban, will be discussed at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Moscow on March 27 and a conference in The Hague later this month.
India is expected to be represented by the Prime Minister's Special Envoy S K Lambah at the SCO meeting. Some high-ranking official will also be attending The Hague meet.
At these meetings, India will present its prescription for stabilisation of Afghanistan, which would include giving thrust to developmental initiatives besides military and security components in creating a zone of peace.
India feels that efforts should be made to create 'secure areas' and promote developmental activities in such areas, a process that would alienate the Taliban. PTI
Rupee recovers by 19 paise vs dollar on firm equity markets
Mumbai, Mar 18 (PTI) A smart rise in equity markets today amid fresh capital inflows helped the rupee to recover by 19 paise to close at more than a two-week high of 51.30/31 against the greenback.
In fairly active trade at the Interbank Foreign Exchange (Forex) market, the domestic currency opened strong at 51.40/42 a dollar from its previous close of 51.49/51.
It later moved in a range of 51.49 and 51.27 before concluding the day at 51.30/31 per dollar. Yesterday, the rupee was down by nine paise.
The Indian benchmark Sensex today pared early sharp gains but still closed up by nearly 113 points or 1.27 per cent, after yesterday's fall of nearly 80 points.
Most of the Asian indices also exhibited firm trends at close today while European markets also resumed better.
According to provisional data, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) were net buyers on March 17, which also supported the rupee rise.
But according to analysts, the rise in the rupee might cap due to a firm dollar overseas and some demand from oil companies as the global crude oil prices were trading over USD 48 a barrel in Asian trade today. PTI
"Slumdog Millionaire" to hit Chinese theatres
Beijing, Mar 18 (PTI) "Slumdog Milliionaire", the multiple Oscar-winning film of this year, is all set to hit the Chinese theatres on March 26, an official said here.
The film is one of the 20 major foreign films that the China will import this year.
"The movie will be available at cinemas nationwide," said Zhang Xiaosong, an official with the China Film Group Corporation (CFGC), Xinhua news agency quoted him as saying.
Weng Li, spokesman of CFGC, said in February that the film was imported because "its artistic value has already been proven by the Oscars. Its theme is positive, healthy and inspirational." Directed by British Filmmaker Danny Boyle, the film depicts the heartwarming story of a Mumbai slumdweller's journey to fame and fortune in his quest to find his childhood love.
Made on a shoe-string budget, the film won eight trophies at the Oscars this year including the best film and best director award. PTI
.::. All my articles can be view here: MELTED HEARTS .::.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_c.png?x-id=cedfcd7f-2da9-4ebf-8a76-536d85daab9b)
"This means that we take 6 sitting seats and JMM 4. As two seats were held by other parties, we have decided to take one each. Congress will contest the Koderma seat while JMM would contest from Hazaribagh," Rao said.
Rao did not name RJD in his briefing but said "we have decided to keep two seats aside. "If RJD wants it, we will give them," he said.
The RJD was asking for the two seats it had won last time (Chatra and Palamu), apart from Koderma from where Congress will contest.
In their agreement, Congress and JMM have not left any seat for Ram Vilas Paswan-led LJP which too was seeking a couple of seats in the state.
Asked whether the Jharkkhand agreement was in retaliation to what RJD had done to Congress in Bihar, Rao said "we only act, do not react". PTI
There are no good Taliban, cautions India
New Delhi, Mar 18 (PTI) As it prepares to participate in two international conferences on Afghanistan, India today cautioned against treating any section of Taliban as "good", in an apparent message to the US which has expressed readiness to hold talks with "moderate" militia.
Maintaining that it would be unwise to negotiate with Taliban and leave people to their mercy, sources here said efforts should instead be made to strengthen the age-old tribal structures which are still intact in Afghanistan.
The situation in Afghanistan, over which world concerns are growing because of resurgence of Taliban, will be discussed at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Moscow on March 27 and a conference in The Hague later this month.
India is expected to be represented by the Prime Minister's Special Envoy S K Lambah at the SCO meeting. Some high-ranking official will also be attending The Hague meet.
At these meetings, India will present its prescription for stabilisation of Afghanistan, which would include giving thrust to developmental initiatives besides military and security components in creating a zone of peace.
India feels that efforts should be made to create 'secure areas' and promote developmental activities in such areas, a process that would alienate the Taliban. PTI
Rupee recovers by 19 paise vs dollar on firm equity markets
Mumbai, Mar 18 (PTI) A smart rise in equity markets today amid fresh capital inflows helped the rupee to recover by 19 paise to close at more than a two-week high of 51.30/31 against the greenback.
In fairly active trade at the Interbank Foreign Exchange (Forex) market, the domestic currency opened strong at 51.40/42 a dollar from its previous close of 51.49/51.
It later moved in a range of 51.49 and 51.27 before concluding the day at 51.30/31 per dollar. Yesterday, the rupee was down by nine paise.
The Indian benchmark Sensex today pared early sharp gains but still closed up by nearly 113 points or 1.27 per cent, after yesterday's fall of nearly 80 points.
Most of the Asian indices also exhibited firm trends at close today while European markets also resumed better.
According to provisional data, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) were net buyers on March 17, which also supported the rupee rise.
But according to analysts, the rise in the rupee might cap due to a firm dollar overseas and some demand from oil companies as the global crude oil prices were trading over USD 48 a barrel in Asian trade today. PTI
"Slumdog Millionaire" to hit Chinese theatres
Beijing, Mar 18 (PTI) "Slumdog Milliionaire", the multiple Oscar-winning film of this year, is all set to hit the Chinese theatres on March 26, an official said here.
The film is one of the 20 major foreign films that the China will import this year.
"The movie will be available at cinemas nationwide," said Zhang Xiaosong, an official with the China Film Group Corporation (CFGC), Xinhua news agency quoted him as saying.
Weng Li, spokesman of CFGC, said in February that the film was imported because "its artistic value has already been proven by the Oscars. Its theme is positive, healthy and inspirational." Directed by British Filmmaker Danny Boyle, the film depicts the heartwarming story of a Mumbai slumdweller's journey to fame and fortune in his quest to find his childhood love.
Made on a shoe-string budget, the film won eight trophies at the Oscars this year including the best film and best director award. PTI
.::. All my articles can be view here: MELTED HEARTS .::.
No comments:
Post a Comment