NEWS IN BRIEF – APR 26, 2012
1. Pawar asks Sonia for consensus candidate, Lalu Pitches For Ansari As Next Prez: New Delhi: The Congress on Wednesday started consultations over the presidential elections, with agriculture minister and NCP boss Sharad Pawar telling Sonia Gandhi that UPA’s nominee for the post should be someone around whom consensus can be crafted. [TOI p9]
2. Prez poll race keeps top leaders busy : New Delhi : With Presidential
poll round the corner, meetings between different stakeholders – key
political leaders and possible candidates – is gaining momentum. All big
parties are yet to indicate their preferences but informal meetings and trips
to power centres have already begun.[HT p11]
3. India gets a bad appraisal: S&P revises outlook to ‘negative’, Sensex,
Re Slide; Borrowing Abroad Set To Get Costlier: New Delhi: Global
ratings agency Standard & Poor’s on Wednesday revised the outlook on
India’s long term sovereign rating to ‘negative’ from ‘stable’ — a thumbs
down that could adversely affect the way foreign investors view India.
S&P’s decision questions the India story by citing its sliding growth
numbers. It also cites the high fiscal deficit, a growing debt burden and the
government’s inability to push through economic reforms. [TOI p1]
4. Maoists to free MLA as he agrees to quit: Bhubaneswar: Opening a
new chapter in abduction demands, Maoists in Odisha said on
Wednesday they would free ruling Biju Janata Dal MLA Jhina Hikaka on
Thursday since he had agreed to their demand to quit from the assembly.
This is in addition to the demand for release of Maoists from state jails.
[TOI p1]
5. PM asked Zardari to curb terror : krishna : New Delhi : India on
Wednesday said that diplomatic channels would be used to make
“substantive preparations” for a visit by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
to Pakistan. This is a reiteration of New Delhi’s position that Singh will visit
Islamabad only if it yields a substantive outcome.[IE p3]
6. Govt policy paralysis led to S&P downgrading : Jaitley : New Delhi :
Taking serious note of S&P downgrading India’s credit ratings, Leader of
Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley on Wednesday held the policy
paralysis within the UPA, differences between the Government and the
Congress, lack of decision-making powers with Prime Minister and
arrogance of ruling coalition responsible of the current state of the Indian
economy.[Pioneer Daily p5]
7. Tejinder moves SC for CBI probe against Army Chief : New Delhi :
