VARANASI: Picking up a spade, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today launched the 'Swachh Bharat' campaign in his Lok Sabha constituency, removing silt deposited along the banks of the River Ganga here and nominated nine persons, including Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, to carry forward the drive in UP.

Winding up a two-day whirlwind tour of his constituency, the first after assuming power, Modi initiated the cleanliness drive at Assi Ghat, the oldest ghat of Varanasi, where he dug vigorously with a spade, removing the silt that had gathered there.

After digging for about 15 minutes, he shared his plans of spreading the cleanliness drive across Uttar Pradesh in general and Varanasi in particular.

"I have come here to exhort the people of Kashi to become active participants in removing filth from the ghats along the Ganges.I have been assured by social organisations here that in one month's time all the ghats will become spotlessly clean. I expect that the words will translate into deeds", Modi told reporters at the ghat.

The Prime Minister said that like in Delhi, where he had launched the campaign by nominating nine celebrities, he had chosen an equal number of renowned persons in UP to carry forward the drive.

The nine persons named by him included the UP Chief Minister, party MP and Bhojpuri Singer Manoj Tiwari, Sufi singer Kailash Kher, stand-up comedian Raju Srivastava and cricketers Suresh Raina and Mohd Kaif.

The remaining three persons nominated by the PM include founder and Chancellor of the University for the Blind at Chitrakoot, Swami Rambhadracharya, noted Sanskrit scholar Devi Prasad Dwivedi and writer Manu Sharma, best known for his book Krishn Ki Atmakatha (autobiography of Lord Krishna).

After leaving Assi Ghat, where he started off with special prayers to the holy river, Modi visited a nearby ashram set up by the followers of spiritual leader Sri Anandamayi Maa where he garlanded a statue of the 20th century saint and paid a visit to a charitable hospital in the premises.

The Prime Minister later left for Delhi.

Last night, meeting the city's intelligentsia over dinner, Modi gave an assurance to them that the sanctity (garima) of Varanasi would be kept intact and that "Kashi would be transformed into a modern city while retaining its traditional flavour, as the world has seen in London and something we had attempted with success in quake-hit Bhuj when I was the Chief Minister of Gujarat".

He also shared a number of plans for the city's modernisation which included battery-operated cars as modes of public transport, door-to-door garbage collection and a "Palace on Wheels" train running from Delhi to Varanasi via Ayodhya and Prayag (Allahabad).

The Prime Minister also said he wants the entire sprawling campus of Benares Hindu University to be converted into a Wi-Fi zone and to ensure that every school of Varanasi had separate toilets for boys and girls besides drinking water.

He also said that he wished to transform the ghats of Varanasi into a major tourist attraction with the help of cleanliness and state-of-the art illumination technology.

Addressing party workers, he had denounced coalition politics by blaming "fractured verdicts" for lowering the image of the country and asserting that India had begun to get its due on the international stage ever since his party had come to power with a "complete majority".

"Things like lowering of diesel and petrol prices and government officials reporting for duty on time could have happened earlier. But it took a strong government to make these things a reality," Modi said.

Modi said his government was sensitive to the people's needs and hence his party was blessed with victory in Assembly polls in Haryana and Maharashtra, states where the BJP had snapped ties with allies just ahead of elections.

He expressed confidence that the party will emerge victorious in poll-bound Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir as well. — PTI

MUMBAI: The BJP and the Shiv Sena on Saturday appeared to have resolved their differences with the latter deciding to nominate Rajya Sabha member Anil Desai to be included in the Union Cabinet when Prime Minister Narendra Modi reshuffles and expands his ministry on Sunday.

After blowing hot and cold over the last few days, the party also looked agreeable to accepting a power-sharing arrangement in Maharashtra.

"Uddhavji (Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray) had initially decided that we will not recommend any name to be included in the Modi Cabinet unless talks at the state level reach a conclusion.

"But now since the talks are finally in a conclusive mode, we have changed our stand. Our leader has decided to recommend Anil Desai's name so he can be included in the Cabinet tomorrow," a Sena MP said on condition of anonymity.

He said the party leadership will decide the second name to be included in the Union Council of Ministers by evening.

The Prime Minister's Office had on Thursday asked the Shiv Sena to recommend two names to be included in the Union government and the party had said it would be forwarding those the next day.

However, with back channel talks failing to resolve issues between the two parties over power-sharing in Maharashtra, Uddhav had appeared disinclined to nominate any leader to be included in the Union government.

The Sena MP said talks between the estranged former allies in Maharashtra had reached a 'conclusive stage' and a decision on supporting the BJP government during the trust vote scheduled for November 12 will be taken by the party chief on Sunday.

Uddhav Thackeray has called a meeting of newly elected Shiv Sena MLAs and top leaders on Sunday to deliberate on the developments.

"Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis called up Uddhavji and said they want us to be a part of the new government and that they are not interested in taking the support of NCP. We have been offered 12 ministerial berths of which 5 will be of Cabinet rank and 7 Ministers of State," he said.

It was, however, still not clear if the Sena had given up on its demand for Deputy Chief Ministership.

The BJP had earlier rejected Sena's demand for following the 1995 formula when being the junior partner it had got the post of Deputy Chief Minister.

The BJP, with 121 MLAs in the 288-member Assembly, is the single largest party but way short of the magic figure of 145 despite support of 7 Independents and some from smaller parties. The 41-member NCP has declared outside support to the new government. However, the 63 MLA-strong Sena coming on board will obviate the need for backing from Sharad Pawar's party. — PTI

PANAJI: Goa Health Minister Laxmikant Parsekar was on Saturday sworn in as Chief Minister to succeed Manohar Parrikar who is becoming a Union Minister.

Parsekar took the oath of office and secrecy soon after the BJP succeeded in persuading Deputy Chief Minister Francis D'Souza to accept his leadership.

And so, while Parsekar's name was formally proposed by Parrikar, D'Souza seconded it at a meeting of party legislators. D'Souza had earlier said he would not serve in the government under anyone else, including Parsekar. 

Parsekar will be Goa's 11th Chief Minister.

His candidature was also endorsed by the BJP's Parliamentary Board, party sources said.

Parrikar resigned from office after his elevation to the Union Cabinet, possibly as Defence Minister.

Earlier, Parrikar met Goa Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao and explained to him the reason for his departure from state politics.

Parrikar, during his third tenure as Chief Minister from 2012, had a good relationship with the influential Roman Catholic Church in Goa which subtly backed the BJP during the last Assembly polls.

Parrikar on Friday told reporters that he had been formally invited by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to join his Central Cabinet and he had decided to accept the offer as a matter of “national interest” although he also said that he was extremely attached to Goa.

The outgoing Goa Chief Minister will be sworn in as Union Minister on Sunday and is likely to be offered the defence portfolio.

On Monday, he is expected to fly to Lucknow where he will file his nomination papers to book a passage to parliament through the Rajya Sabha. — Agencies

WASHINGTON: After the Republican victory in the US mid-term, Congress is likely to be more interested in doing more with India on security, energy, and foreign policy, according to an American expert on South Asia.

But it's also likely to be still concerned about trade barriers and temporary worker visas, wrote Alyssa Ayres, a former State Department official and an expert at the Council on Foreign Relations.

The midterm elections gave the Republican Party control of the Senate after eight years and a stronger showing in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives Following that President Barack Obama's 2008 Republican presidential rival, Senator John McCain is likely to assume the chairmanship of the Senate Armed Services Committee in January.

"That's good news for New Delhi," Ayers wrote, noting: "McCain has a long track record of support for a stronger India and a stronger US relationship with it." "He's been a frequent visitor, most recently in July, and has spoken forcefully about American interests in a deeper partnership with India," Ayers wrote.

In September, McCain published an essay in Foreign Policy arguing for a pivot to India, with India at the heart of US interests in Asia and argued that the US should be India's preferred partner on energy, trade and defence, she noted.

In the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, ranking member Bob Corker, who may take over as chair, has been a supporter of the India relationship He "has been vocal about the need to reassess US relations with Pakistan, particularly supporting tying US foreign assistance to action against terrorism." Ayers also suggested a shift to Republican control may result in a still-watchful eye on Indian trade issues.

Senator Orrin Hatch, who is likely to assume the chairmanship of Senate Finance Committee, Ayers noted, has expressed concerns about unfair trade practices in India.

So have many members of both houses of the US Congress from both parties.

Indian technology companies and the Indian government have placed great importance on greater access to temporary visas for high-skilled workers Senator Chuck Grassley, who is likely to become chair of Committee on the Judiciary, has been an India supporter and member of the Senate India Caucus.

Grassley also "has a strong interest in US immigration policies," Ayers wrote, noting that he introduced a bill last year to reform the H-1B visa programme.

"So: expect to see continued broad support for India on a bipartisan basis in the United States, with an empowered Senator McCain likely to continue his advocacy for a strong India relationship across the board," Ayers wrote.

Congress may also seek to move further on energy policy issues that would benefit India, she wrote.

At the same time, on two issues of high importance to India - trade barriers and temporary worker visas - "US Republicans coming into leadership positions have expressed concerns very similar to those held by Democrats about trade and immigration matters, Ayers wrote. — IANS