General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - October 2015

Oct 2015

Dec 25, 2020

NSCN-K Faction to Join Naga Peace Talks

A key faction of Naga insurgent group NSCN-K announced that it would join the peace talks with the Centre and restore the ceasefire agreement that it had unilaterally abrogated in 2015 by killing 18 Indian Army personnel in an ambush. This comes at a time when the talks between NSCN-IM, the largest Naga rebel group, and the Centre have reached a standstill.
NSCN-K was part of the SS Khaplang faction but later split over differences. It claims to have nearly 90 armed cadres near the India-Myanmar border. NSCNK's recently elected leader Niki Sumi is wanted by NIA in connection with the 2015 attack. According to officials, Sumi has been in talks with Indian representatives and may join the Naga National Political Groups, a conglomerate of seven political organisations from Nagaland.

Kerala again Seeks Governor's Nod to Convene Special Assembly Session

The Kerala cabinet again decided to recommend to Governor Arif Mohammed Khan seeking approval for a special Assembly sessionon December 31 to discuss and pass a resolution against the three central farm laws, against which farmers have been protesting near Delhi.
As per Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his government was hopeful that the Governor would accord sanction for the special session.
This comes days after Governor Khan declined consent for the Left government in the southern state to convene a one-day session on December 23 to discuss the central laws and express solidarity with the agitating farmers.

Congress Loses Buffer Role in J&K

Congress' lack-lustre performance in the J&K District Development Council polls has not come as a surprise to its leader. The political and ideological fight between BJP and the Gupkar alliance saw the party's sidelining in the UT. While the main national opposition was at odds with its contradictory position in Jammu and the Kashmir valley, the absence of high-profile AICC campaigners, factional feuds and local leaders' focus on family candidates added to the Congress misery.
The regional Congress leadership had announced that it would have an understanding with the Gupkar alliance, taking into account sentiments in the Kashmir valley but AICC disowned the stand due to BJP pressure at the national stage. This saw BJP run over Congress in Jammu while the main opposition's stand against dilution of Article 370 was not enough to help it electorally in the Kashmir valley, where even the son of PCC chief Ghulam Ahmad Mir lost. While BJP opened its account in the valley, Congress' lost its remaining base to the Gupkar alliance.

Dec 24, 2020

Sonia Excludes Anand Sharma from HP Panel

Barely a week after she met the dissenters who had written to her in August seeking radical organizational changes, Congress president Sonia Gandhi excluded one of them, Anand Sharma, from key committees for Himachal Pradesh.
Sharma, one of the 23 Congress leaders who wrote to Sonia seeking comprehensive elections for party structures, is the only sitting MP of the party to have not found any place in the three committees.
Among 14 members of the Political Affairs Committee Sonia approved today are state unit chief Kuldeep Rathore, CLP leader Mukesh Agnihotri, former CM Virbhadra Singh, former AICC in charge Asha Kumari, Viplove Thakur, Dhaniram Shandil, former state chief Sukhwinder Sukhu, Ramlal Thakur, Rajender Rana, Jagat Singh Negi, Sudhir Sharma and Pawan Kajal.
AICC in charge of the state Rajiv Shukla will chair the meetings of this panel.

16th India- EU Summit Proposed for May 2021 in Portugal

The 16^th India-EU leaders' summit has been proposed to be held in Portugal in May 2021, a summit that comes even as Delhi and several European capitals increase cooperation and convergence.
During the summit, a key focus will be on the India-EU free trade agreement which both sides are keen on.
The 15th India-EU summit took place virtually amidst the Covid pandemic in July 2020. India was led by PM Narendra Modi, while was represented by President of the European Council Charles Michel and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

Dec 23, 2020

Bodoland Territorial Council: Guwahati HC Orders Composite Floor Test

Guwahati High Court has ordered a composite floor test in the newly elected sixth schedule Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) on or before December 26. Election to the 40 member council had resulted in fractured mandate with Bodoland People's Front (BPF) emerging single largest party 17 seats. However, BJP and United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) supported by Gana Suraksha Party (GSP) formed the government of the council. Lone Congress MLA left the party and joined BJP.
BJP won nine seats and UUPL emerged victorious from 12 seats. For the majority, 21 seats are required. Gana Suraksha Party won one seat. Later a BPF member left the party and joined BJP. Promod Boro was sworn in as the new chief executive member. The Governor nominated members to the council. The council can have six nominated members from unrepresented communities.
Counsel for BPF, Anan Bhuyan said that the court has stayed the appointment of six nominated members besides asking the council cannot take any policy decision. The court has asked the council for a composite floor test wherein anyone who gets the largest votes will be a chief executive member.

J&K DDC Polls

The seven-party People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) led by Farooq Abdullah has won over seats in the maiden District Development Council polls in Jammu and Kashmir.
Till the last reports came, the PAGD had won or was leading in 112 seats out of 280, followed by the BJP which emerged as the single largest party as it won 73 seats including three in the Kashmir Valley for the first time. The People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) had bagged 100 seats and was leading in 12 others.
The eight-phase DDC polls, which began on November 28, are the first election after Jammu and Kashmir's special status under Article 370 was revoked last year, and it was reorganized into a Union Territory. In the election, 140 seats each in the Jammu and Kashmir regions went to polls.

Dec 22, 2020

Bypolls to Ahmed Patel, Abhay Bhardwaj's Rajya Sabha Seats

Elections for two Rajya Sabha seats in Gujarat which fell vacant following the demise of MPs Ahmed Patel and Abhay Bhardwaj will be held separately. Both Patel and Bhardwaj passed away earlier this month.
Political activity in Gujarat over the vacant Rajya Sabha seats has picked up the pace.
The Central Election Commission has directed the Gujarat state election commission to appoint a returning officer for the Rajya Sabha by polls and make all other necessary arrangements.
In addition, the CEC has also directed the Gujarat SEC to conduct bye-elections for the two seats separately. Dates for the bye-elections are yet to be announced.
Ahmed Patel was elected to the Rajya Sabha till August 18, 2023 while Abhay Bhardwaj was elected to the Upper House of Parliament till June 21, 2026.
If the bye-elections were to be held at the same time, both the BJP and the Congress would have gained one Rajya Sabha seat each. With separate elections, either the BJP or the Congress will require the support of at least 91 MLAs. At this time, the BJP has 111 MLAs while the Congress has 65 MLAs in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly.

Dec 21, 2020

Ex-TMC Leader, 9 MLAs Join BJP

Former Trinamool Congress (TMC) minister Suvendu Adhikari and nine MLAs, five of them from the TMC, joined the BJP.
Adhikari vowed to oust the Mamata Banerjee regime in the next polls. He was handed over the BJP flag by Union Home Minister Amit Shah at a rally in Paschim Medinipur district.

Final Phase of Voting for J&K's DDC Polls Concludes

The eighth and final phase of voting for District Development Council (DDC) elections across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir concluded. Around 40 .91 per cent voting was registered till 1 pm. Despite sub-zero temperatures, people came out in huge numbers to cast their votes.
There are a total of 28 DDC constituencies that went for polls including 13 seats from Kashmir division and 15 from Jammu division with 168 candidates contesting the last leg of the elections.

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