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Soni, Wasnik, Sahay resign ahead of Cabinet reshuffle

NEW DELHI: Ahead of Sunday’s reshuffle of the Union Council of Ministers, three Cabinet Ministers and a Minister of State resigned on Saturday, saying they want to work for the party. 

Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Mukul Wasnik and Tourism Minister Subodh Kant Sahay and MoS Justice and Empowerment Mahadev Khandela met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and submitted their resignations. External Affairs Minister S M Krishna quit the government yesterday. 

The ceremony for swearing-in of new ministers is scheduled at 11.30 hours at the Rashtrapati Bhavan tomorrow when a number of new faces are likely to be inducted. 

Prominent among them are actor-turned politician Chiranjeevi from Andhra Pradesh and A H Khan Chowdhry, MP from West Bengal, who is also the brother of the late Ghani Khan Chowdhry. 

The possible names of the successors in the External Affairs Ministry include Commerce Minister Anand Sharma 

Sahay’s name had cropped up in a controversy following media expose that he had recommended for allocation of coal block a company in Jharkhand in which his brother was a Director. Offering their resignation, Soni, Wasnik and Sahai said they will work for the party. Soni was Congress General Secretary for several years and was Political Secretary to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, while Wasnik was handling the dual responsibility of Congress General Secretary as well as Union Minister. 

Before meeting the Prime Minister, Sahay said on Friday that Congress president Sonia Gandhi called him to draft him for party work. 

“It is an honour to work for the party. I am offering my resignation to the Prime Minister. The party president (Sonia Gandhi) and others want me to work for the party, so I will be working to strengthen the party as the party is supreme. We are in the government because of the party. The party is supreme and will always be supreme,” he said. 

Soni said, “I have taken Prime Minister’s permission to resign. It is not appropriate if I do it on my own, so I have taken his permission and explained it to him“. 

Asked if she was willing to work for the party, she said, “I think it is an honour“. 

Wasnik said, “I have been working for the organisation for the last several years and I would like to work for the organisation“. 

The reshuffle of the Union Cabinet, which could be the last before 2014 Lok Sabha elections, is expected to see induction of new faces in the government. 

Chiranjeevi is being rewarded for his help in ensuring stability of the Congress government in Andhra Pradesh by lending the support of 18 of his MLAs after the merger of his party PRP. 

The other changes could include ministers holding dual portfolios shedding one of their responsibilities. 

Younger ministers like Sachin Pilot, Milind Deora and Jyotiraditya Scindia are likely to be upgraded. 

There have been berths vacated by DMK representatives A Raja and Dayanidhi Maran in the last two years after their names cropped in the 2G scam. 

However, DMK president M Karunanidhi had recently made clear that his party would not not like to reclaim their lost berths. 

Whether Rahul Gandhi would join the government is still a matter of conjecture even as the Prime Minister held consultations with Congress President Sonia Gandhi the day before yesterday, apparently to give final touches to the exercise. 

There is speculation that some young faces, considered close to Rahul, like Manicka Tagore and Meenakshi Natarajan could be inducted into the council of ministers. — PTI

Tariq Anwar to get Cabinet berth: NCP

NEW DELHI: NCP leader Tariq Anwar will take oath as a Union Minister when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reshuffles his Council of Ministers on Sunday.

This was disclosed by NCP General Secretary D.P. Tripathi. Anwar is expected to replace Agatha Sangma as the NCP representative in the Union Council of Ministers, party sources said.

The NCP leader is likely to be made Minister of State for Agriculture, working directly under Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, who is also the NCP chief.

Anwar is a two-time Rajya Sabha member and was a four-term member of Lok Sabha from Katihar in Bihar.

Agatha had been asked to tender her resignation as minister by the NCP leadership in the wake of her father P.A. Sangma’s unsuccessful bid in the Presidential election.

Sangma was the Opposition-backed candidate against the UPA nominee Pranab Mukherjee in the July 19 Presidential election. The NCP is a key partner in the UPA. — PTI

I am making way for younger blood: Krishna

NEW DELHI: SM Krishna, who resigned as External Affairs Minister, on Saturday said it was “time up” for him to make way for younger blood and appeared to keep his options open on playing a role in Karnataka politics.

“...the flavour of the season is that youngsters must take over the reins of responsibility and I felt that it was time up for me to make way for younger blood to take over. I am glad that this initiative has been by and large appreciated,” he told reporters after meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, a day after he quit the government.

Asked whether it was the Prime Minister or he himself who decided to step down as Union Minister, Krishna said, “The decision came from within. And my wife had a major role to play in the decision making.” 

He also said that his decision to make way for younger blood does not denigrate the importance of experience.

“This in no way denigrates the importance of experience. I think experience is an important attribute. And particularly in pursuing the foreign relations with other countries, there has to be patience and patience abundantly and also perseverance,” he said.

Asked about his statement that his resignation does not denigrate experience and whether he would play a role for the party in Karnataka where Assembly elections are due next year, he said, “Well, I said youngsters should lead. And then we are there to support the youngsters in their efforts to forge ahead.” 

To a suggestion that his stint in the MEA was short, the former Karnataka Chief Minister said his tenure was for a “respectable” period. 

Krishna said he had also met Congress president Sonia Gandhi who appreciated his work as the External Affairs Minister. “She wanted me to continue in whatever I am going to do as member of Parliament,” he said.

On his tenure in the ministry, he said there has been an all-round improvement in India’s relations both with its immediate neighbours and the immediate neighbourhood.

“Nobody can claim that all the issues have been resolved with our neighbours. But statesmanship lies in the fact that how well you manage those issues which seem to be confronting you all the time...whether it is in reference to China or Pakistan, I think the last three years has seen quite a bit of improvement in our relationship,” Krishna said.

He said New Delhi had issues with China on border front but it did not affect the overall relationship that India has pursued to have with Beijing.

“It is the same case with Pakistan. I think under the direction of the Prime Minister, we took up the initiative and I made two trips to Islamabad and my counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar came to Delhi. That certainly did help improve the relationship between our two countries,” he said.

He said Pakistan and China are two classic cases where Indian interests have always with theirs.

“But we have been able to manage with both the countries and today I can say with a sense of conviction that we have a manageable relationship with both the countries,” he said.

He said there are “so many” regrets on what he was unable to do as External Affairs Minister. “Foreign affairs is not two plus two...such easy deductions are not possible but one should keep working towards that.” 

He said transparency is one issue on which he was a stickler to the irritation of his colleagues. He said transparency was an unstoppable trend in the light of whatever is happening around. “It is the only effective answer to those who criticise the government.” 

He said in the fields of Haj and passports, the ministry has achieved a lot by doing a “remarkable” work. — PTI

Abducted Indian child killed in US

Hyderabad: The killing of 10-month-old girl kidnapped in Philadelphia in the US on Monday has plunged her family in Andhra Pradesh's Guntur district in gloom.

According to information reaching the family on Friday night, Y Raghu, said to be a relative of the victims, kidnapped Saanvi Venna after murdering her grandmother Satyavathi Venna, 61.

The family was shocked on hearing the news of the infant's tragic killing by Raghu, who had demanded a ransom of USD 50,000.

According to information reaching the family in Guntur, about 300 km from here, Philadelphia police cracked the case with the arrest of Raghu, who confessed to killing both the child and her grandmother.

Dispute over property reportedly led to the ghastly crime. The family was initially suspecting the involvement of African Americans.

Satyavathi was slain and Sravani was kidnapped at a suburban apartment in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania state on Monday afternoon. The woman had gone to the US in July this year to look after her granddaughter. She was babysitting the child when unidentified people broke into the flat.

Amazing to see the rise of F1 in India: Hamilton

NEW DELHI: Amazed to see the rapid rise of Formula One in the country, McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton said the F1 race in New Delhi could become one of the best of the year given the country's potential. "It is amazing to see the rise of India in Formula One. From a driver (Narain Karthikeyan), to a team and then a Grand Prix in a matter of few years shows the potential of the country," the 2008 F1 champion told PTI in an interview.

"I am amazed at the development and rise of Formula One in India in a matter of few years. India will become a major destination on the F1 calendar in the coming years," he said.

Inspired by the vibrant colours of India, Hamilton will be sporting a specially designed helmet during the Indian GP.

"I try and play with the design of my helmet in a few races around the year. Be it the first race of the season, or Monaco, Silverstone or the season-ending Brazil GP. Indian GP is a very special race for me and hence I have designed a special helmet.

"It has the 'Holi' effect with different colours like the beautiful and colourful festival in India and also has a special message in Hindi meaning Believe in yourself enough and anything is possible."

Hamilton felt that Narain Karthikeyan's move to Force India would do wonders as he is presently driving a slower car in HRT.

The Brit said the Indian driver has not been able to drive a competitive car until now due to which he has not secured any good results.

"Not all drivers get fast cars. But, if Karthikeyan were to get to race for Force India, just I drive for a British team, it can work wonders and do great for both the driver and the car."

Hamilton is disappointed at how the season has panned out for the Woking-based Mclaren outfit so far. — PTI

Saina enters French Open semifinal

Paris: Top seed Saina Nehwal drew from her reservoir of experience to enter the French Open semifinal after a straight-game win over Thai teen Ratchanok Intanon in the semifinal here.

The world number three Indian won 22-20 22-20 in a 42-minute clash during which she was given some anxious moments by the 17-year-old Thai, who is ranked 10th in the international list and seeded seventh in the event.

Saina, fresh from her Denmark Open triumph last week, will now be up against fourth-seeded German Juliane Schenk, who powered past upcoming Chinese player Chen Xiao Jia 21-10 21-14.

It will be a replay of the Denmark Open final in which London Olympics bronze-medallist Saina had emerged triumphant to clinch her second Super series Premier title.

In yesterday's match, Saina started well, taking an 11-7 lead in the first game but Intanon came back strongly to make it 20-20 before the Indian managed to clinch it with her eighth trademark smash of the game.

The second game followed a similar script as Intanon tested Saina with her fine strokeplay. But the 22-year-old Hyderabadi drew from experience to come out triumphant and inch closer to her third Super Series title this year.