The Congress is in a steady state of decline because of its disconnect with the public and vision of India, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Wednesday, predicting a big win for the BJP in the Maharashtra Assembly election 2024, the PTI reported. "I believe that the Congress Party is in a very steady state of decline. I think that is because of three things. I think the Congress Party has lost its connect in terms of leadership, and public, and I believe that the Congress Party has also lost its connect with regard to a vision of India. When you lose all those three attributes, then you have lost the trust of the people," he said, according to the PTI. Jyotiraditya Scindia, who hits the campaign trail in Maharashtra this week, in a video and text interview with PTI, said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is going to win the hearts of people again in the state. Jyotiraditya Scindia, the Minister for Communications and Development of the North Eastern Region, expressed confidence in the BJP returning to power in the state where elections are due later this month. "As far as Maharashtra is concerned, it's a state which I'm extremely emotionally attached to because I originally come from that state. I spent a lot of time in that state, and I am very, very, very confident that the BJP, under the leadership of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will certainly win its place among the hearts of the people once again in this election," he said, as per the PTI. The Scindia family is descended from Maratha general Ranojirao Scindia, who along with Peshwa Bajirao, led the Maratha campaign to Delhi to fight against the Mughal and also fought against the Portuguese on the western coast of India. On October 26, BJP had released a list of its star campaigners and named 40 leaders that includes the top leadership of the party including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party chief JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in it. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has also been named on the list, followed by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Assam Chief Minister Hemant Biswa Sarma, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav, Smriti Irani, Piyush Goyal, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Pramod Sawant, among others. (with PTI inputs)
06 November,2024 06:36 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentMaharashtra Deputy Chief Minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, was cobbling together an alliance which is dangerous for the state and country. According to news agency PTI, Devendra Fadnavis was speaking at an election campaign rally for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Gopichand Padalkar in Jat Assembly Constituency of Sangli district. Padalkar is pitted against Congress' sitting Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Vikram Sawant in Jat constituency. During his address, the Deputy CM dubbed the Bharat Jodo campaign led by Rahul Gandhi as "Bharat Todo" campaign, and alleged that "anarchist and ultra-left organisations" were associated with it. He also questioned what message Rahul Gandhi wanted to give by showing a red-cover copy of the Constitution of India, PTI stated. "Today Rahul Gandhi has come to Maharashtra [to campaign for the November 20 assembly elections]....the way he is forging an alliance, it is dangerous for the state and the country," Fadnavis said. "An initiative called 'Bharat Jodo' was started. Looking at the name, we thought it is a good initiative, but it has come out that of the 150 to 200 organisations associated with Bharat Jodo, 100 outfits are instrumental in creating anarchy in the country. These outfits are ultra-leftist, anarchist, and if their track record is checked, (it is seen that) they are working to create a malaise in society," the BJP leader claimed. According to PTI, Devendra Fadnavis claimed that these organisations were making attempts to lower the society's faith in the Constitution and judiciary. "It is not a Bharat Jodo but Bharat Todo movement, and I would like to ask Gandhi why he is showing a red-coloured Constitution of India and what sort of message he wants to give," he said. The Congress led by Rahul Gandhi was destroying the fabric of Indian society, Fadnavis further alleged. "They are engaged in an experiment to create anarchy in Maharashtra. But if the blessings of people are with us, the state would get development instead of anarchy and the life of the last man in society will be transformed," the former CM said. (With PTI inputs)
06 November,2024 06:13 PM IST | Sangli | mid-day online correspondentTen people, including six women and three children, were killed while four others were injured on Wednesday after a truck hit an auto-rickshaw in the Bilgram area in Uttar Pradesh, the police said, reported the PTI. The accident took place when the truck crashed into the auto in a bid to avoid hitting a motorcycle, a senior police officer said. At around 12.30 pm, the local police were informed about the accident on the Bilgram-Madhavganj road near Roshanpur village. "Ten persons -- six women, three children and a man -- died in the mishap while four others were left injured. I have spoken to the doctors. Though out of danger, the injured persons have been referred to the district hospital for better treatment," Superintendent of Police Neeraj Jadaun told reporters. There were 15 passengers in the auto, which was badly damaged in the crash, police said. The deceased have been identified as Madhuri (25), Sunita (28), Satyam Kushwaha (12), Aashi (16), Radha (21), Gaukaran (11), Neelam (30) and Vimlesh (20), while two others are yet to be identified, police said, according to the PTI. The injured include Ramesh, Sanjay, Vimlesh Anand and Kishore, they added. "The families of those killed have been contacted. The police have impounded the DCM (truck) involved in the accident," Jadaun said.While the exact cause of the crash is yet to be ascertained, the SP said, "Locals told me that the DCM crashed into the auto in an attempt to avoid collision with a motorcycle. We are investigating the matter," as per the PTI. On the auto carrying a large number of passengers, the officer said the police are on the lookout for its driver who is absconding ever since the accident. "The auto is in our custody but its driver is yet to be identified. Appropriate legal action will be taken against the auto driver after the probe," he added. CM Yogi Adityanath expresses grief Meanwhile, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed grief over the fatal crash and directed the district officials to ensure the best possible treatment for the injured. Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak also condoled the loss of lives, describing the incident as "extremely sad and painful". Brajesh Pathak, who also holds the health portfolio, said the government has directed the concerned officials to ensure proper treatment for the injured. Extending condolences to the bereaved families, the Congress' Uttar Pradesh unit said in a post on X, "The government is requested to arrange for immediate free treatment for the injured and adequate compensation for the deceased." (with PTI inputs)
06 November,2024 06:06 PM IST | Hardoi | mid-day online correspondentThe Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Ajit Pawar-led faction to publish a disclaimer in newspapers, including Marathi ones with 36 hours, that the issue of allocation of "clock" symbol was pending in court, reported the PTI. The disclaimer was directed to be published in the dailies within 36 hours of the court order in clock symbol case. A bench of Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta and Ujjal Bhuyan was hearing the Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) factions over the purported use and misuse of the "clock" symbol when it suggested both the groups to focus on voters instead, as per the PTI. "Don't waste your energy in courts. You both should go and be with the voters to woo them," the bench told the counsel representing the factions. It asked senior advocate Balbir Singh, appearing for the Ajit Pawar faction, to make a prominent disclaimer in the newspapers including Marathi ones within 36 hours. Singh claimed the candidates had filed their nominations and the stage of withdrawal of names was over but the Sharad Pawar faction was attempting to disrupt the entire election process. On the contrary, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the Sharad Pawar faction, contended that the "clock" symbol had been associated with the veteran leader for the last 30 years and the opposing side was trying to misuse it. Singhvi, therefore, sought a direction to the Ajit Pawar-led group to seek a new symbol. Earlier, the Supreme Court had on October 24, directed Ajit Pawar-led NCP to use the clock symbol in its publicity material in the upcoming Maharashtra assembly election 2024 with a disclaimer stating that the matter over the symbol was sub-judice before the Supreme Court, reported the PTI. The top court on March 19 and April 4 had directed NCP to issue a public notice in the newspapers in English, Hindi and Marathi editions notifying that the allocation of the clock symbol was sub-judice, according to the PTI. The apex court had further said the party was permitted to use the symbol subject to the case's final outcome. (with PTI inputs)
06 November,2024 05:55 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentCongress leader Rahul Gandhi, while addressing Samvidhan Samman Sammelan in Maharashtra's Nagpur on Wednesday, said that the caste census will happen in the country, reported the PTI. Rahul Gandhi asserted that the exercise will show the injustice meted out to Dalits, OBCs and Adivasis. "Caste census will make everything clear. Everyone will come to know how much power they wield and what our role is," Rahul Gandhi said, addressing the Samvidhan Samman Sammelan. Caste census is a paradigm of development, Rahul Gandhi said. "We will also break the 50 per cent (reservation cap) wall," he added, according to the PTI. "We have to tell the country that we are fighting to secure justice for over 90 per cent marginalised people in the country," he said. The Constitution drafted by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar is not just a book but a way of life, Rahul Gandhi said. When people from the RSS and BJP attack the Constitution, they are attacking the voice of the country, he added. "You won't find a single Dalit, OBC and Adivasi in Adani company management," Rahul Gandhi said. "You waive off Rs 16 lakh crore debts of just 25 people, but when I speak of farmers' loan waiver, I am attacked for changing habits of these people," he added. Rahul Gandhi urges PM Modi to support caste census Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to publicly endorse a caste census and address representation issues faced by marginalised communities in India. He added that he is "committed" to dismantling the 50 per cent reservation cap to ensure social justice, the ANI reported on Tuesday. Speaking at a meeting on the caste census in Hyderabad on Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi questioned the Prime Minister's silence on the need for data regarding Dalits and OBCs (Other Backward Classes) in sectors such as business and the judiciary. "I still wonder why the Prime Minister of the country has not publicly declared his intent to challenge discrimination in Indian society. Why hasn't he asked how many Dalits are present in India's boardrooms? How many OBCs are there in the judicial system? Why is he reluctant to pose these questions?" Rahul Gandhi remarked. Rahul Gandhi reiterated the Congress party's commitment to conducting a national caste census, describing it as essential for addressing representation gaps in public and private institutions. (with PTI and ANI inputs)
06 November,2024 05:30 PM IST | Nagpur | mid-day online correspondentMaharashtra Deputy Chief Minister (CM) Ajit Pawar on Wednesday said the Mahayuti allies faced the "consequences of the fake narrative" surrounding the Constitution "created by the Opposition" during the Lok Sabha polls. According to news agency PTI, Ajit Pawar said that the situation has changed and the atmosphere is now "conducive" for the Mahayuti to continue in power in Maharashtra thanks to the government's "people-centric" schemes. He also said that the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is making promises that it cannot execute. The deputy CM was speaking in his home turf Baramati after unveiling his Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)'s manifesto for the November 20 state elections for 288 assembly seats, PTI reported. NCP is contesting on 52 seats as part of the Mahayuti alliance with the Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The party unveiled constituency-specific manifestos for all the seats it is contesting on. Ajit Pawar, who is seeking his re-election from Baramati, also expressed confidence that he would retain the assembly seat. The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) has pitted the Deputy CM's nephew Yugendra against him. "During the Lok Sabha polls, a fake narrative was spread by the Opposition that the Constitution will be changed, which is not possible and will never be. The Opposition managed to create a fake narrative about the Constitution, and we [Mahayuti] had to pay for it in the Lok Sabha polls," Ajit Pawar said in a press conference in Baramati. He also mentioned that the blindfold around the eyes of the Lady of Justice at the Supreme Court was removed and the sword was replaced by the Constitution. This shows the respect the government has towards the Constitution, the deputy CM said. Oppn presented schemes which can create additional financial burden on state: Ajit Pawar According to PTI, when he was asked if the promises made by the Mahayuti are sustainable, Ajit Pawar said that the majority of them can be implemented. "We will have to increase the revenue and resources of the state. When we present the budget, we strive to see where we can save without affecting the poor and marginalised class. If we save money, the schemes will get funds," he said. "I heard the speeches made by the opposition parties, in which they cast doubts on the promises made by the Mahayuti stating that the state will face a financial crisis. But at the same time, they are giving more promises than the Mahayuti," the state finance minister said. According to Ajit Pawar, the opposition presented some schemes which can create additional financial burden on the state. "If they are voted to power, they won't be able to execute these schemes. The other thing is that since the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party), which rules the Centre, does not share their ideology, they won't be able to get support. Contrary to that, we will get massive support. Andhra Pradesh and Bihar are two examples of that and we will be able to run the schemes smoothly," he said. According to PTI, he was also asked if the elderly voters in Baramati are drifting towards his uncle and NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, the deputy CM said that the trend showed so during the Lok Sabha polls held earlier this year. "But for the state assembly polls, the trend of Baramatikars has changed and everyone will see it on November 23 (on poll results day)," he said. 'Baramati is my family' Responding to a question about a challenge he has been facing within his family, Ajit Pawar stated that the entire region of Baramati is his family, and this strong connection would lead him to victory. "I am confident of victory as I have reached out to more than 50 villages and established a dialogue with people," he said. When asked about the development of Baramati, often attributed to the entire Pawar family rather than just himself, he said, "I am not refuting that, but I also had a small share compared to the bigger share from others." On the question of why party leader Ramraje Naik-Nimbalkar from Phaltan in Satara was not actively participating in the election campaign for NCP, Ajit Pawar said he would issue a notice to him, seeking an explanation for his absence. He then highlighted the manifesto for Baramati, which includes several key promises, such as the establishment of a sports academy, a logistics park, and a food processing unit. "As a Baramati candidate, I am proud to announce the manifesto for the constituency. Today, all the [NCP] candidates are releasing the manifesto for their respective constituencies. I am very happy to see the transformation of Baramati in the past 30 to 35 years," Pawar said, further emphasising his commitment to making Baramati the most developed tehsil in the country. He outlined plans to establish an international-standard sports academy, modelled after those in Punjab and Haryana, to provide state-of-the-art facilities for athletes. "For farmers, we have decided to set up a food processing unit which will create job opportunities in the region, and a logistics park will also be set up in Baramati," he added. Pawar also shared plans for Baramati to become the first solar energy town in the country. "As the menace of cancer is increasing, we are planning to set up a cancer hospital in Baramati, so that patients from rural areas need not go to Pune or Mumbai for treatment," he said. (With PTI inputs)
06 November,2024 05:01 PM IST | Baramati | mid-day online correspondentIndian Railways has set a new benchmark in passenger transportation during the festive season, with over 120 lakh passengers (12 million) traveling on November 4, the officials said. The record passenger transportation managed by the Indian Railways surpassed the combined population of Australia and New Zealand, said an official. He said that it marks the highest number of passengers carried in a single day this year, further highlighting the important role of the Indian Railways in catering to the massive travel demand during festivals. Around 7.5 crore passengers travelled to Bihar, Eastern UP and Jharkhand from 1st October to 5th November, 2024 through special trains, he added. In an official statement, the Indian Railways said that to cater to passengers demand, Indian Railways operates special trains during this festive season. This year during the period from 01st October to 30th November, more than 7,600 special trains are being run by Indian Railways, whereas last year around 4,500 Special trains were run. This is 73 per cent more than last year. Indian Railways has transported three crore passengers in 24 hours, which is more than the population of Australia and New Zealand combined. Total more than 120 lakh (around 20 lakh reserved and over 100 lakh unreserved non-suburban) passengers travelled on 4th November, 2024. This is the highest figure of passengers travelling in a single day in the current year, it said. Till date 4,521 Special trains were run from 1st October to 5th November, 2024 by the Indian Railways. 65 lakh passengers have been facilitated by these special trains, the statement said. According to a press release issued by Vineet Abhishek – Chief Public Relations Officer of Western Railway, for the convenience of passengers and with a view to meet the travel demand, this year Western Railway is running almost 375 special trains during the festive season to various destinations including trains to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Odisha. These special trains are operated in addition to the regular trains run to various destinations from Western Railway. Additional coaches are also being augmented in regular trains as per availability and demand. It said that On 6th November, 2024, Western Railway ran 18 special trains while on 7th November. 14 special trains will be run for the convenience of passengers, it added. Details of trains running from Western Railway on 7th November 2024: From Mumbai: 1. Train No. 09724 Bandra Terminus – Jaipur Special departing from Bandra Terminus at 09:30 hrs. 2. Train No. 09055 Bandra Terminus – Udhna Special departing from Bandra Terminus at 09:50 hrs. 3. Train no. 09031 Bandra Terminus – Gorakhpur Special departing from Bandra Terminus at 12:15 hrs. 4. Train No. 04712 Bandra Terminus – Bikaner Special departing from Bandra Terminus at 18:20 hrs. 5. Train No. 09415 Bandra Terminus – Gandhidham Special departing from Bandra Terminus at 19:25 hrs. From Surat/ Udhna/ Vapi/ Valsad: 1. Train No. 09067 Udhna – Barauni Special departing from Udhna at 05:30 hrs. 2. Train No. 09007 Valsad – Bhiwani Special departing from Valsad at 13:50 hrs. 3. Train No. 09656 Valsad – Ajmer Special departing from Valsad at 15:05 hrs. From Vadodara: 1. Train No. 03110 Vadodara – Sealdah Special departing from Vadodara at 16:45 hrs. From Bhavnagar: 1. Train No. 09208 Bhavnagar Terminus – Bandra Terminus Special departing from Bhavnagar Terminus at 14:50 hrs. From Ahmedabad: 1. Train No. 09416 Gandhidham – Bandra Terminus Special departing from Gandhidham at 00:30 hrs. 2. Train No. 09419 Ahmedabad – Tiruchchirappalli Special departing from Ahmedabad at 09:30 hrs. 3. Train No. 04166 Ahmedabad- Agra Cantt Special departing from Ahmedabad at 14:10 hrs. From Dr. Ambedkar Nagar: 1. Train No. 09343 Dr. Ambedkar Nagar – Patna Special departing from Dr. Ambedkar Nagar at 18:30 hrs. Vineet Abhishek further stated that to ensure smooth travel and to monitor punctuality of trains, special control rooms have been set up at all levels i.e. Railway Board, Zonal, Divisional and station levels. "Western Railway has taken several precautionary measures and various elaborate arrangements have been made for proper implementation of crowd management at the stations," the statement said.
06 November,2024 05:00 PM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarQuota activist Manoj Jarange on Wednesday said the Maratha community would have been divided had they jumped into the poll fray, and claimed they can change the political landscape just ahead of the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024. According to news agency PTI, Jarange also said that by opting to stay away from the polls, he has kept the fight for the Maratha quota alive. While speaking to a Marathi channel in Jalna district, the Maratha quota activist said that a decision on supporting candidates for the November 20 Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024 will be taken in due course. Jarange had earlier identified certain constituencies where he intended to support or oppose some candidates. But, on Monday, the activist said he will not be fielding or supporting any contestant for the state polls. Elaborating on his future strategy, Jarange said, "A few poll aspirants may have been disgruntled owing to the decision of not contesting elections. But with this decision, I have kept the fight for reservation alive. Elections is happiness for a short period which we should avoid."According to PTI, the activist said they will take a call in due course on whom they want to defeat as there are still some days left before the election. "We will give the draft [in support of Maratha reservation] to those who are seeking support from us. We will sit again and decide whom we should support. We have the capacity to change the [political] environment in the last phase. We will check who is a strong candidate and then decide to whom we should give the draft and support," he said. The Maratha quota activist also said that the community has been targeted. "If we would have contested the elections, the community would have been divided," he claimed. When asked if the decision to opt out of the Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024 will benefit the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), Jarange said, "This is being spoken of since long. Then why were our people attacked [in Antarwali Sarathi village last year]? Cases were registered against them. Reservation was given to 15-16 communities recently, but we were not given reservation." Meanwhile, Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, whose party is a constituent of the MVA, had said on Monday that nobody from the opposition alliance has anything to do with Jarange's decision to opt out of the elections. "We are pleased to hear that Manoj Jarange has decided to withdraw from the Maharashtra Assembly elections. Had he chosen to continue his campaign, it could have inadvertently benefited the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) in the election process. Therefore, we wholeheartedly welcome his decision," Pawar had said. (With PTI inputs)
06 November,2024 04:30 PM IST | Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar | mid-day online correspondentPrime Minister Narendra Modi and other world leaders on Wednesday congratulated Donald Trump on his victory in the United States Presidential elections. PM Modi shared several pictures with Trump on X and wrote, "Heartiest congratulations my friend @realDonaldTrump on your historic election victory. As you build on the successes of your previous term, I look forward to renewing our collaboration to further strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global and Strategic Partnership. Together, let’s work for the betterment of our people and to promote global peace, stability and prosperity." Heartiest congratulations my friend @realDonaldTrump on your historic election victory. As you build on the successes of your previous term, I look forward to renewing our collaboration to further strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global and Strategic Partnership. Together,… pic.twitter.com/u5hKPeJ3SY — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 6, 2024 Meanwhile, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday congratulated Donald Trump on his victory in the recently held US Elections. He recalled their meeting earlier where they discussed the Ukraine-US strategic partnership to end Russian aggression. "I appreciate President Trump's commitment to the "peace through strength" approach in global affairs. This is exactly the principle that can practically bring just peace in Ukraine closer. I am hopeful that we will put it into action together. We look forward to an era of a strong United States of America under President Trump's decisive leadership. We rely on continued strong bipartisan support for Ukraine in the United States," the Ukraine President wrote in a post on X. Congratulations to @realDonaldTrump on his impressive election victory! I recall our great meeting with President Trump back in September, when we discussed in detail the Ukraine-U.S. strategic partnership, the Victory Plan, and ways to put an end to Russian aggression against… — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 6, 2024 Zelenskyy further said that Ukraine was interested in "developing mutually beneficial political and economic cooperation" that would benefit both the US and Ukraine. "Ukraine, as one of Europe's strongest military powers, is committed to ensuring long-term peace and security in Europe and the Transatlantic community with the support of our allies. I am looking forward to personally congratulating President Trump and discussing ways to strengthen Ukraine's strategic partnership with the United States," he further said. Prime Minister of Norway, Jonas Gahr Store also congratulated Trump on his projected victory as the President of the United States of America (USA). "Congratulations to Donald Trump on his victory in the U.S. presidential election. The US is Norway's most important partner and ally. I look forward to continuing to strengthen our relationship with the new Trump administration," he wrote on X. Congratulations to @realDonaldTrump on his victory in the U.S. presidential election. The US is Norway's most important partner and ally. I look forward to continuing to strengthen our relationship with the new Trump administration. — Jonas Gahr Støre (@jonasgahrstore) November 6, 2024 While congratulating Donald Trump, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that European Union (EU) and the US are more than just allies. "We are bound by a true partnership between our people, uniting 800 million citizens.So let's work together on a strong transatlantic agenda that keeps delivering for them," she wrote on X. I warmly congratulate Donald J. Trump.The EU and the US are more than just allies.We are bound by a true partnership between our people, uniting 800 million citizens.So let's work together on a strong transatlantic agenda that keeps delivering for them. — Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) November 6, 2024 Hungary Prime Minister Orban Viktor said that Trump's comeback was the biggest in US political history. The biggest comeback in US political history! Congratulations to President @realDonaldTrump on his enormous win. A much needed victory for the World! — Orbán Viktor (@PM_ViktorOrban) November 6, 2024
06 November,2024 03:46 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAccording to Thomas Mathew, the author of the biography Ratan Tata: A Life, Ratan Tata's "no comments" response to questions about whether he shared the concerns of some Tata Group veterans—who believed Cyrus Mistry was trying to break up the conglomerate—was more revealing than any statement he could have made. As per PTI, Tata had fully supported Mistry as his successor in 2012, despite harbouring doubts about his suitability after the first year of their ‘parallel running’ arrangement. However, Mistry’s removal as Chairman of Tata Sons in 2016 was primarily due to "ethical and moral issues", as well as performance concerns, according to Mathew’s account. In the biography, some senior Tata Group veterans are quoted expressing their concerns that Mistry’s leadership style might have threatened the unity of the conglomerate, especially considering the past record of Shapoorji Pallonji Group’s acquisition of shares in Tata Sons. The group gradually increased its stake in Tata Sons to around 18%, a move that many insiders viewed unfavourably, particularly given its clandestine nature. J.R.D. Tata, the legendary former head of the group, had been uncomfortable with the way shares were acquired, as it exploited the weak moments of some family members. Mathew explained that during Tata’s tenure, directors of Tata Sons were also on the boards of key Tata companies, providing a strong link between the trusts, Tata Sons, and the operating companies. However, under Mistry, this practice was largely abandoned, with Mistry placing directors mainly on two boards, creating unease among the veterans. They feared that this could be a sign that Mistry intended to dismantle the group, although, as per Mathew, these concerns were never put to the test. Asked whether Tata shared these concerns, Mathew said that Tata, being a reserved individual, never publicly commented on it. But his absence of comment spoke volumes. “I asked Mr Tata, ‘Do you think this is true?’ and he simply replied ‘no comments’. To me, that response was more thunderous than any direct statement,” Mathew revealed. Despite the controversies surrounding Mistry’s leadership, Mathew asserted that his removal was due to a combination of ethical, moral, and performance-related reasons. Tata had supported Mistry wholeheartedly when he was appointed in 2011 after a global search, but over time, tensions arose. One key issue was Mistry’s failure to sever ties with the Shapoorji Pallonji Group, despite it being one of Tata’s key stipulations. Furthermore, Tata was dissatisfied with Mistry’s performance and its impact on the group's relationship with shareholders, especially as it led to limited dividends, which in turn affected the funds available for philanthropic activities by the Tata Trusts. Mathew further recalled how Tata offered Mistry the option to step down "for personal reasons", but this request was rejected. Tata's decision to replace Mistry was painful, Mathew noted, but he ultimately felt it was necessary to safeguard the future of the group. In response to a question about why Ratan Tata’s half-brother, Noel Tata, was never considered as a successor, Mathew said that although Ratan Tata was very fond of Noel, he felt that Noel lacked the experience needed to lead a vast conglomerate like the Tata Group, despite acknowledging his capabilities. As per PTI, this insight into the dramatic events that unfolded during Mistry’s tenure as Chairman of Tata Sons highlights the deep divisions within the company and the larger-than-life personality of Ratan Tata in guiding the future of the group. (With inputs from PTI)
06 November,2024 02:56 PM IST | New DelhiCongress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the UDF candidate in the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll, on Wednesday alleged that the BJP and its leader Narendra Modi were "trying to destroy" the Constitutional values of equality, justice and secularism, reported news agency PTI. Continuing her attack on the saffron party, Priyanka claimed that the last 10 years saw a politics of divisiveness in the country by the BJP which tried to distract the people from their real problems to stay in power. Addressing a corner meeting in Cherukode in Wandoor assembly constituency in Malappuram district, she said that when such politics become powerful in a country, then there is no focus on resolution of the problems faced by the people in their daily lives, reported PTI. The Congress leader, on the fourth day of her five-day bypoll campaign in Wayanad constituency, further alleged that under the BJP rule, there was no support system for farmers or medium and small businesses in the country, reported PTI. She said that small and medium businesses were the "backbone of the country's economy" and they provide a lot of employment, "but they need support, just like the farmers", reported PTI. She also reiterated that despite Wayanad producing high-quality agricultural products, including spices, many farmers see no future in agriculture, with residents, including students, migrating abroad for better job opportunities and higher education. She also highlighted issues such as lack of basic drinking water, education and healthcare facilities in the hill constituency. Priyanka said that she was a "fighter" and if given a chance will fight for the people of Wayanad in the Parliament and every other platform to ensure their issues are resolved, reported PTI. "I will not back down. I will fight for you. I will not disappoint you. We are family now," she said, reported PTI. Besides the corner meeting at Cherukode, Priyanka will hold similar meetings at Thuvoor and Kalikavu Town in Wandoor assembly constituency and Pookottumpadam in Nilambur assembly constituency, during the day. The Wayanad constituency comprises seven Assembly segments: Mananthavady (ST), Sulthan Bathery (ST), and Kalpetta in Wayanad district; Thiruvambady in Kozhikode district; and Eranad, Nilambur, and Wandoor in Malappuram district. Priyanka resumed her second campaign phase on Sunday, holding public and corner meetings alongside her brother, Rahul Gandhi, in the hill constituency. The Congress general secretary, who is making her electoral debut, will remain in Kerala until November 7. The by-election for the Wayanad seat is scheduled for November 13. (With inputs from PTI)
06 November,2024 02:21 PM IST | Wayanad | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
