Maya inducts Apna men

In the fourth expansion of the 11-month-old Mayawati-led coalition government, two Apna Dal MLAs who had quit their party and joined the BS...

In the fourth expansion of the 11-month-old Mayawati-led coalition government, two Apna Dal MLAs who had quit their party and joined the BSP were today made ministers at a brief ceremony held at the Raj Bhawan. While Surendra Singh Patel was made the Minister of State with independent charge, Ansar Ahmed was sworn in as Minister of State. The Mayawati government now has 30 Cabinet and 48 MoS apart from her.

‘‘This is a big jolt to the Opposition which was trying to weaken the coalition led by me. My government emerges stronger with every attempt to weaken it,’’ the Chief Minister pointed out. Earlier, Minister of State Mahendra Singh Jatav resigned to facilitate the entry of the new members.

Governor Vishnu Kant Shastri has accepted the resignation, sources said. Mayawati is likely to induct two more ministers from the BSP. The CM claimed hers was probably the only political party in which there were no protests over anything. ‘‘Our ministers step down and no voice is raised from anywhere,’’ she said.

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Reacting to the furore in Parliament following slapping of 137 FIRs against Mulayam, she said: ‘‘Main rajnaitik dawab mein aane wali nahin. Doshi kisi bhi haalat mein baksha nahin jayega (I will not succumb to political pressure and the guilty will not be spared).’’ Speaking after the ceremony, she claimed her government’s action was not out of vendetta. ‘‘I have included my tenures as the CM within the ambit of the inquiry,’’ she said.

BSP on damage control

Express news service
New Delhi, April 21

Alarmed by the growing chorus against UP Chief Minister and BSP leader Mayawati among Opposition ranks in Parliament for filing 137 FIRs against SP leader Mulayam Singh Yadav last week, the BSP has swung into a damage control exercise.

In a swift response to accusations of ‘‘political vendetta’’ that rang in both Houses of Parliament, BSP MP Rashid Alvi called a press conference in the Capital this afternoon to clear the air.

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‘‘Whatever we have done is within the law. We will not arrest anyone without the permission of the court,’’ he said.

This assurance comes quick on the heels of Mayawati’s instructions to officials yesterday to first get court clearance before arresting any SP official on the basis of the FIRs filed by her.

Support for Mulayam came from unexpected corners, he said: ‘‘I am surprised by the reaction of these parties,’’ said Alvi, ‘‘why were they silent when an FIR was filed against Mayawati in the Float Pump Case? She was a former CM too and the matter had come up in Parliament where she was present as an MP? No member had come out in her support then,’’ he told reporters.

‘‘It is because she is a Dalit’s daughter,’’ he said, answering the question himself.

'Remain in US, avoid travel': Microsoft, JP Morgan, Amazon advise visa holders to return before Trump’s $100,000 H-1B fee deadline

‘Stay in US, avoid travel’: Firms advise H-1B visa holders to return before fee deadline

World2 hr ago

Microsoft and JP Morgan have warned their employees on H-1B and H-4 visas to return to the US before September 21 due to President Trump's new visa fee rules. Amazon has also advised against international travel. The policy includes a $100,000 annual surcharge on H-1B visas and has caused market fluctuations. It will be in effect for at least 12 months.

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