Ahead of no-trust motion, INDIA bloc moves on Mumbai meet, PM Modi keeps date with another mega launch

The Opposition bloc came out with the name ‘INDIA’ for its grouping at the Bengaluru meeting, with the acronym standing for ‘Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance’. Manoj C G had detailed how the name was arrived at, with the Congress and Trinamool Congress showing unusual bonhomie on the matter, with reports that JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar did not leave Bengaluru too happy about this.

Mumbai’s leg of the INDIA meeting will be hosted by Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, who will also have a dinner for the Opposition leaders on August 31 night. Come Sunday, the party will announce its five leaders to coordinate preparations for the talks. The Congress Saturday named former CM Ashok Chavan as the head of its group, which will also include ex-minister Naseem Khan, Mumbai unit chief Varsha Gaikwad, former MP Sanjay Nirupam and Satej Patil. The NCP group includes Supriya Sule, Jayant Patil, Anil Deshmukh, Jitendra Awhad and Narendra Verma.

Ahead of the heat of a no-confidence motion in Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of 508 railway station redevelopment projects across India virtually on Sunday, followed by a speech. It is being pegged as the biggest such ceremony in the infrastructure space by the government, plus the largest foundation stone-laying event by the Railways ever.

While the PM speech might be virtual, the Railways has ensured physical functions at 508 stations, spread across 27 states and UTs, and to be redeveloped at a cost of over Rs 24,470 crore under ‘Amrit Bharat Station Scheme’. BJP leaders will mark their attendance too at these functions.

The West Bengal Raj Bhavan announced that Governor C V Ananda Bose will be present at Sealdah Station Platform No. 6.

In the ongoing survey of the Gyanvapi Masjid in Varanasi, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) Saturday examined the central hall of the mosque, where namaz is offered, apart from some basement areas. Five members from the Muslim side were also present, after having skipped the survey on Friday as they awaited the Supreme Court order. The apex court Friday gave the go-ahead for the survey to continue, after which the Muslim side said they would fully cooperate with it. ASI officials told PTI that they will continue with their work on Sunday. The ASI has got an additional month to complete the survey, with its deadline extended to September 4.

As removed from Varanasi as it gets, a five-member delegation of the ruling Awami League of Bangladesh will arrive in India on Sunday for a four-day trip on an invitation by the BJP, “to understand the vision and functioning of the party”.

The BJP’s foreign affairs department in-charge, Vijay Chauthaiwale, announced the same Saturday, adding: “The visit aims to enhance party-to-party interaction.” The Awami League delegates, including Bangladesh ministers Muhammad Abdur Razzaque and Hasan Mahmud, MPs Aroma Dutta and Merina Jahan, and the party’s organising secretary Sujit Roy Nandi, are scheduled to meet BJP chief J P Nadda among other senior leaders of the party.

Nadda had announced a “KNOW BJP” initiative for the external outreach of the party on its 43rd foundation day last year.

The Awami League government headed by Sheikh Hasina is seen as “pro-India” and enjoys good ties with the Narendra Modi regime.

As the violence in Nuh dies down, the Indian National Students’ Organisation, the youth wing of the ruling Jannayak Janata Party of Haryana, will celebrate its anniversary on Sunday. JJP leader and Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala had raised many eyebrows during his Idea Exchange with The Indian Express where he said that the management of the yatra organised by the VHP and Bajrang Dal, which eventually led to the Nuh clashes, was not handled well.

A mega rally will be held in Hisar on Sunday morning to mark the anniversary, and will see, apart from Dushyant, his father Ajay Singh Chautala, mother Naina Chautala, brother Digvijay Chautala and other JJP leaders participating.

with PTI inputs