Daily Bulletin: Manohar Parrikar passes away, BJP-led alliance to decide next Goa CM, India's first Lokpal likely to be announced; day's top stories

Manohar Parrikar passes away at 63 Former defence minister and Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar, who was battling pancreatic cancer for over a year, died at his private residence in Panaji on Sunday. He was 63.  A technocrat-turned-politician and a BJP stalwart, Parrikar’s health took a turn for the worse in the past two days after his medical condition had fluctuated for over a year. The four-term chief minister was flown to the US for treatment in March last year. According to reports, Parrikar was put on life support system late Saturday night. The central government announced a national mourning on Monday. The Union Cabinet will meet on Monday at 10 am to condole his demise. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the death of Parrikar, hailing him as an “unparalleled leader”. [caption id=“attachment_5181491” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File photo of Manohar Parrikar. Reuters[/caption] The last rites will be performed at Miramar on Monday evening, PTI quoted a BJP spokesperson as saying. Parrikar’s remains will be kept at the Goa BJP head office from 9:30 am to 10:30 am on Monday before shifting them to Kala Academy. People will be allowed to pay their last respects to the chief minister at the academy between 11 am and 4 pm. Parrikar’s final journey will begin after 4 pm when his remains will be taken to Miramar area in a procession, the spokesperson said, adding that the final rites will be performed at 5 pm. Consensus on next Goa chief minister in BJP-led alliance likely today Manohar Parrikar’s death has necessitated the BJP-led alliance in Goa to reach a consensus on who will take over as the chief minister. However, reportedly, no consensus was reached until Monday morning. Union minister and senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari, who arrived here in the early hours of the day, could not secure a consensus between the saffron party and its alliance partners in the state, party MLA Michael Lobo said. While Gadkari was not available for comments, Lobo said Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) MLA Sudin Dhavalikar wanted to be the chief minister due to which the discussions came to a halt. “Sudin Dhavalikar wants himself to be the chief minister while the BJP wants that the leader of the alliance should be from their camp. We could not reach any decision,” Lobo told reporters outside a hotel after a night-long meeting. He said a solution to the crisis is expected to be found later in the day. Lobo said BJP MLAs have suggested the names of Vishwajit Rane and Pramod Sawant for the post. Justice PC Ghose to be India’s first Lokpal, announcement expected today Retired Supreme Court judge Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose is said to be in active consideration for appointment as the country’s first Lokpal, the anti-corruption ombudsman. Justice Ghose, 66, retired as Supreme Court judge in May 2017. He is a member of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) since 29 June, 2017. The Lokpal selection panel is headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. His appointment, if made, may trigger a political storm as Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge had boycotted the selection panel’s meet on Friday. The law, which envisages appointment of a Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in states to look into cases of corruption against certain categories of public servants, was passed on 2013. Rahul Gandhi campaigns in Karnataka, Priyanka Gandhi in Uttar Pradesh Sounding the poll bugle from the banks of river Ganga, Congress’ in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi on Sunday said political stagnancy had left the youths, women, farmers and labourers distressed in Uttar Pradesh and it was her responsibility to change the politics in the region. Priyanka is expected to begin her campaign from Prayagraj to Varanasi by the Ganga river route on Monday. She is likely to make stopovers on the way and interact with locals and party workers. “It would be the first time that any leader of this stature will be reaching out to the electorate using the river route in a motorboat, getting a first-hand account of the people residing in these remote riverine areas,” Congress spokesman Dwijendra Tripathi told PTI on Sunday. This will provide her with an opportunity to interact the locals and know their problems, the biggest of which is caused by recurring floods in these areas as well as the reality of Ganga cleaning, which was first launched by former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, Tripathi said. Congress president Rahul Gandhi is also scheduled to address a public meeting in Karnataka’s Kalaburagi on Monday. This will be his first rally in the state after the Lok Sabha polling dates were announced, reports said. BSNL to approach NCLT to recover dues worth Rs 700 crore from Reliance Communications State-owned telecom firm BSNL will approach National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) this week to recover dues of about Rs 700 crore from Reliance Communications, according to official sources. Earlier, debt-ridden RCom in its plea before the NCLAT said that it wants to voluntarily go back into the insolvency process as it will help to sell its assets in a time-bound manner. It had moved the appellate tribunal, seeking directions to the 37 lenders led by SBI to release Rs 260 crore directly to Ericsson. However, lenders of RCom have opposed the plea, saying that it will lead to the outgo of public money for settling payment of a private party. SBI mulls reducing rights issue listing time After reducing time to list shares on the stock exchanges post-closure of initial public offerings (IPOs), markets regulator SEBI is aiming to cut down the time for listing of rights issue shares, an official said. In September last year, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) decided on reducing the time to list shares on the bourses after IPO to three days from the present 6. The SEBI directive is likely to come into effect from July this year. Golden Globes sets 2020 date ceremony HFPA (Hollywood Foreign Press Association) has set its date for the next year’s Golden Globes — for 5 January. Unlike the Oscars, Golden Globes recognises both television and film in its nominations. Green Book was named best musical or comedy motion picture this year, while Bohemian Rhapsody picked up the award for Best Drama. Top television honours went to The Americans and The Kominsky Method.