India Political Updates | Delhi CM Atishi takes charge of education, finance, 11 other departments

Atishi to take oath as Delhi CM at Raj Niwas on Saturday afternoon, say officials

The swearing-in ceremony of AAP leader Atishi as Delhi chief minister and her council of ministers will be held at Raj Niwas on Saturday afternoon, officials said.

Officials at the lieutenant governor's office said President Droupadi Murmu has appointed Atishi as chief minister of Delhi from the date of her being sworn in and has also accepted Arvind Kejriwal's resignation.

The President also cleared the appointment of five ministers and the oath-taking ceremony will take place at 4.30 pm at Raj Niwas, they said.

According to an AAP leader, the ceremony is likely to be a low-key affair as the mood in the party is not upbeat because of Kejriwal's resignation and also because of the delay in approvals, leaving little time for preparations.

BJP wants hung assembly in J&K for Governor's rule to continue, says Omar Abdullah

National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah on Friday said the BJP wants a hung assembly in Jammu and Kashmir so that the governor's rule continues in the Union Territory, but asserted the people will not allow the "conspiracy" to succeed.

"The BJP is trying to have a hung assembly here so that the governor rule remains. Their endeavour is there should not be a clear result so that they tell the Supreme Court that they conducted the elections, but if no one got the mandate, what is their fault?" he told reporters in Budgam district when asked if he had apprehensions of a hung assembly after the polls.

Test of democracy is king tolerates dissent, introspects: Gadkari

Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday said the biggest test of democracy is that the ruler tolerates even the strongest opinion against him, and it leads to introspection. Writers and intellectuals should express themselves fearlessly, the senior BJP leader said at a book release function at MIT World Peace University here.

Crimes against women have spiralled out of control under BJP's rule: Rahul on Odisha incident

The Congress slammed the BJP on Friday over the alleged sexual assault on an Army officer's fiancee in police custody in Odisha, with Rahul Gandhi alleging that crimes against women have spiralled out of control under the saffron party's rule.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the incident, alleging that wherever the party is in power, it is working on the policy to turn police from "protectors to predators".

She questioned the "silence" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the women MPs of the ruling BJP on the issue.

Mallikarjun Kharge's schedule today

11:45 AM: Press Conference in Jammu, Jammu & Kashmir

1:30 PM: Public Meeting at Khour Ground, Chhamb, Jammu & Kashmir

Manickam Tagore wrote a letter to FM regarding the shortage of Rs10, 20 and 50 notes in rural areas

Amit Shah addresses rally in Jammu and Kashmir's Mendhar

They(BJP) make mistakes themselves and then tell us that we are Pakistanis: National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah

"Every time they (BJP) just bring up Pakistan. They make mistakes themselves and then tell us that we are Pakistanis. They say that the alliance between Rahul Gandhi and Farooq Abdullah was formed with Pakistan's support. Why would we have anything to do with Pakistan? I believe they are the ones who are Pakistanis, yet they claim we are a threat. They say Article 370 is responsible for terrorism, but now they are in power—has terrorism ended?... Because this (Jammu and Kashmir) is a Muslim-majority state, they made it a Union Territory and divided this region," says National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah

No power in world can snatch away your reservation rights, Amit Shah tells in J&K

Abdullah, Mufti and Nehru-Gandhi family have spread terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir from the 90s till now: Amit Shah

We will also give guns in the hands of our brothers and sisters in J&K, but this will be for them to join the army: Shah

Previous govt of J&K feared Pakistan, now Pak is scared of Modi: Amit Shah

3 families instrumental in spread of terror in J-K, this election is to put an end to politics of Gandhis, Abdullahs, Muftis: Amit Shah

Gujjars, Bakerwalas protecting borders in J-K since 1947, took bullets to the chest to fight terrorism; proud of them: Amit Shah

Cong chief Kharge to campaign for Tara Chand in Jammu on Saturday

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will campaign for former Jammu and Kashmir deputy chief minister and party candidate Tara Chand and address a rally in the border area of Khour in Jammu district on Saturday.

Kharge will arrive from Delhi on Saturday morning and address a press conference first, a party spokesperson said. Later, the Congress chief will address a public meeting at Khour.

Chand (61), who won the Chhamb seat in 2002 and 2008 but lost to the BJP in 2014, has served as the leader of the Congress Legislative Party, a deputy chief minister, and a speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly.

People spread rumours that we want to break nation, they are lying: Kharge in J&K

Our Home Minister is known for his lies while campaigning, says Kharge in J&K

If they BJP wanted to give 5L jobs, they would have by now. They have been in power for 10 years now. why did they not give? This is a lie: Kharge in Jammu

"The BJP is as usual continuing its work of lying during the election here. We have declared seven guarantees, and the topmost issue is of statehood. We will try our best to get statehood for Jammu and Kashmir," says Kharge

Kharge announces 7 guarantees for J&K in Jammu

VBA releases list of 11 candidates for Maharashtra polls

BJP wants to trigger us, they have called Rahul Gandhi a terrorist. These people who are trying to scare Congress were sitting inside their homes during Independence fight: Kharge

We will tell people about BJP's dirty mind, and poisonous though process: Kharge

Three speed breakers blocking Jharkhand's development - JMM, Congress, RJD: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Chatra

Our priority is to restore statehood, rest later: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on restoration of Article 370 in J-K

Rahul Gandhi tried to tarnish India's image abroad, provoke Sikhs: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Jharkhand's Chatra

For 35 years, the misrule of Congress and National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir resulted in unchecked terrorism, 40,000 deaths, 3,000 days of lockdown, and 8 years of darkness: Amit Shah

BJP will not tolerate infiltrators marrying tribal women in Jharkhand: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh

Big scam in the municipal department: KTR

BRS working president KT Rama Rao on Saturday claimed that there has been a big scam in the municipal department in Telangana.

"The CM executed a scam through the public health department. He passed the tender and gave work worth Rs 1,132 crores to his brother-in-law. He gave such a big contract to a company which has no technical experience for that...You swear not to profit any family member through your office. But today, you (CM Revanth Reddy) have done that...I request the central government to take relevant actions...," he told the news agency ANI.

Amit Shah addresses poll rally in J&K's Thanamandi

Congress, NC & PDP kept entire J&K deprived of development, says Amit Shah in Thanamandi

Addressing a poll rally in Thanamandi, Amit Shah said, "Thanamandi, Jammu and Kashmir region has not developed as much as it should have because Congress, National Conference and PDP kept the entire Jammu and Kashmir deprived of development. Farooq Abdullah ji, why did you deprive the Gujjar Bakarwal and Pahadi brothers of development?"

Atishi to be sworn in as Delhi CM shortly

Chief Minister-designate Atishi will be sworn in along with her new Council of Ministers during a ceremony at the Raj Niwas on Saturday evening that will see AAP form the government in Delhi for the fourth time in a row.

The new Council of Ministers announced by the party comprises Sultanpur Majra MLA Mukesh Ahlawat, a new entrant, besides ministers Gopal Rai, Kailash Gahlot, Saurabh Bharadwaj and Imran Hussain. They will also take oath today.

Atishi takes oath as Delhi CM

AAP leader Atishi took oath as Delhi Chief Minister on Saturday a day after President Droupadi Murmu appointed her for the top job in the national capital. 

Atishi becomes Delhi’s third female and youngest chief minister, following Sheila Dikshit of Congress and Sushma Swaraj of BJP. 

Five other newly appointed ministers — Saurabh Bharadwaj, Gopal Rai, Imran Hussain, Kailash Gahlot, and new Sultanpur Majra MLA Mukesh Ahlawat — were also sworn in at the Raj Bhavan.

No one can touch reservation till the time there is BJP: Amit Shah

Addressing a poll rally in Rajouri, Union Minister Amit Shah said, "... For years, the people who came here (into power) spread terrorism and snatched away your rights. Rahul Gandhi went to America and made a statement that they would end reservation in India. His party has always been against reservation. I want to make it clear that no one can touch reservation till the time there is BJP... Soon, you won't have to take your children to Jammu to show them trains. Trains will soon come to Poonch and Rajouri... You will soon be able to come to Delhi directly from here..."

It is a dummy govt & a dummy CM: Vijender Gupta

Minutes after AAP leader Atishi took oath as Delhi Chief Minister on Saturday, LoP in Delhi Assembly, Vijender Gupta, said, "It is a dummy government and a dummy chief minister. It will be a remote-control run govt....."

Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini slams Congress

Speaking at a poll rally, Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini said, "Congress had made a promise that every year 1 lakh youth will be given jobs, Rs 1500 will be given to women every month and that 300 units of electricity will be given free to the people of Himachal. Same promises they have brought in Haryana...But the situation is such that not a single youth has been given employment in Himachal Pradesh. They have not waived even a single unit of electricity for anyone. And on the contrary, they have increased the prices of electricity in Himachal Pradesh..."

Delhi govt portfolio allocation

CM Atishi will head the 13 existing departments (that she had, earlier) including Education, Finance, Power, Water.

Saurabh Bharadwaj will take charge of eight departments including Health, Urban Development and Social Welfare. Gopal Rai will have three departments including Environment.

Kailash Gehlot to take charge of four departments including Transport, WCD.

Imran Hussain will head the Food Supply and Election Department. Mukesh Ahlawat will become Delhi's SC/ST Minister, along with four more departments including Labour