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BJP-led NDA, which the JD(U) joined in August 2017, is scheduled to hold a meeting in Bihar on June 7.
Patna: The JD(U) core committee met here on Sunday ahead of a meeting of the National Democratic Alliance scheduled later this week, after which a senior party leader said Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is the face of the NDA in Bihar.
Kumar, also the JD(U) national president, held the core committee meeting at his residence.
JD(U) national general secretaries KC Tyagi and Pavan Varma, who arrived from New Delhi, poll strategist Prashant Kishor and a few other state leaders took part in the meeting.
The meeting assumes significance as the BJP-led NDA, which the JD(U) joined in August 2017, is scheduled to hold a meeting in Bihar on June 7. During the NDA meeting, to be attended by Kumar, the coalition partners are likely to discuss their strategy in the state for the next Lok Sabha polls.
Emerging out of the chief minister’s residence after the meeting, Varma told reporters that Kumar “is the face of the NDA in Bihar, that is why he is the chief minister. JD(U) is the largest constituent of the coalition”.
Varma’s remark assumes significance amidst speculation in political circles here that the JD(U), which has only two Lok Sabha members, might press for a seat-sharing arrangement commensurate with its strength in the Bihar assembly where it has about 70 MLAs against nearly 50 of the BJP.
Besides the JD(U) and the BJP, the NDA in Bihar comprises Ram Vilas Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party and Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Samata Party.
The BJP had bagged 22 out of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state in 2014, when the JD(U) had fought separately.
However, in the wake of the poor show by the BJP in a number of bypolls recently, its allies have started voicing the need for better coordination within the NDA instead of a “big brotherly attitude” displayed by the senior coalition partner.
Asked about Kumar’s renewed demand for special status to Bihar, Varma said “the party had never given up the demand. To fight for this legitimate right of the state is the JD(U)’s commitment”.
He, however, declined to divulge the details of the consultations held with Kumar.

India and the United States have pledged to continue their strong bilateral strategic partnership, the Pentagon said after a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis.
Washington: India and the United States have pledged to continue their strong bilateral strategic partnership, the Pentagon said after a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis.
Mattis met the prime minister on the sidelines of the International Institute for Strategic Studies’ 17th Asia Security Summit — also known as the Shangri-La Dialogue — in Singapore on Saturday.
“The two discussed the importance of the US-India relationship, and the role of both nations in cooperating to uphold international laws and principles, and to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific,” defence spokesperson Captain Jeff Davis said here yesterday.
The two leaders “pledged to continue the strong US-India strategic partnership and affirmed their commitment to maintaining peace, stability and prosperity in the region,” Davis said in a readout of the meeting.

The Election Commission has formed teams consisting of two members each to verify electoral rolls in Narela, Bhojpur, Hoshangabad and Seoni Malwa Assembly constituencies.
New Delhi: The Election Commission on Sunday formed four teams to look into allegation levelled by Congress that lakhs of bogus voters were registered in Madhya Pradesh.
The EC has formed teams consisting of two members each to verify electoral rolls in Narela, Bhojpur, Hoshangabad and Seoni Malwa Assembly constituencies.
The teams will start their probe from Monday and submit their report by June 7.
The EC`s move came hours after the Congress submitted a memorandum to the poll panel along with instances of multiple entries of the same voter with different names in a given Assembly constituency as well as those of one voter listed in multiple Assembly constituencies.
The Congress alleged that there were close to 60 lakh bogus voters in the state and that it was being done at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party`s (BJP) behest.
Madhya Pradesh Congress President Kamal Nath said they have provided evidence to the EC that there were approximately 60 lakh fake voters in the lists.
Citing figures, Nath questioned: “How is it possible that population has increased by 24 percent but the number of voters has increased by 40 percent?”
The party has sought the removal of all duplicate entries in the electoral rolls of 230 Assembly constituencies of Madhya Pradesh to conduct free and fair elections.
The terms of reference of the teams formed by the EC include enquiring into each specific issues raised in the complaint; to find out the “alleged fake voters’ name, if any”, to find out “how did it happen” and fix the responsibility to initiate appropriate action.

While the Centre announced unilateral ceasefire for the holy month of Ramzan, Rajnath Singh recently said the Centre was ready to talk to separatists in the Valley if they are willing for a dialogue.
Srinagar: Asking the separatists to come forward for talks and save the state from “bloodshed”, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti today termed the unilateral ceasefire and the offer of dialogue by the Centre as an opportunity that does not come every day.
The people of Kashmir and the leadership here have to decide on the opportunity provided by the Centre in terms of unilateral ceasefire, which stopped the bloodshed here, and then the readiness for dialogue, how we benefit from it, Mehbooba said addressing a convention of her Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Mehbooba said the ceasefire and talks offer an opportunity to the separatists to stop bloodshed in Jammu and Kashmir.
There are other parties who are not in the mainstream, and if they have some other agenda, they have an opportunity now if they want to stop bloodshed in J&K. We always say that there has to be a political solution to J&K and the army or CRPF or police cannot resolve it.
“It can only be resolved politically thorough dialogue. And when there is an offer of dialogue from the Centre, I request all stake holders to come forward to save J&K and its economy,? she said.
While the Centre announced unilateral ceasefire for the holy month of Ramzan, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh recently said the Centre was ready to talk to separatists in the Valley if they are willing for a dialogue.
The CM said while she cannot force the separatists, they have to think on giving the youth in Kashmir a way out from the stone and gun culture.
We cannot force you or give you a dictation, but can only request even a day before yesterday a youth got killed after he came under a vehicle during stone-pelting. He was an orphan but why take to stone-pelting? Why not give them a way out from this morass, from stone or gun culture, she said.
Putting the onus on the separatists, Mehbooba said the mainstream parties in the state gave them an opportunity by providing an atmosphere for talks and now it was up to the separatists to take advantage of the opportunity.
We, mainstream parties, gave you unilateral ceasefire and an atmosphere for talks, now it is up to you – the separatists. I request them that it is an opportunity, that you always say that military solution is no solution and only dialogue is the way forward to achieve a political solution. So, today you have an offer of dialogue.
“They (Centre) are saying come and talk to us. I think if J&K has to be taken out of this morass and difficult time, then all be it mainstream parties or separatists have to come forward and use this opportunity. Such an opportunity does not come every day”, she said, adding, “I request all the leaders (separatists) you are very tall leaders – but right now use this opportunity of talks to save J&K. Come forward and talk?”
She said the eyes of the whole country were on Kashmir and if the people here lose this opportunity, then no one will support or advocate for them tomorrow.
The Home Minister of this country is saying they want to embrace Kashmiris and are ready for talks. If we lose this opportunity, nobody will support us tomorrow, no one will advocate for us. The eyes of the whole country are on J&K and its leadership to see what they decide and how they try to save the people of Kashmir, especially its youth. If we have to save J&K, this is an opportunity for us, Mehbooba said.
Amidst reports of more youth joining militant ranks, the chief minister said the increase in the militancy would only increase the footprints of the security forces in the valley.
The increase in the number of youth picking up guns will increase the presence of army, CRPF and the police here. The more the situation improves, the more we can tell Army, CRPF or police that your role is over and you reduce your footprints, she said.
Referring to the spate of grenade attacks over the last few days, Mehbooba said gun or grenade attacks achieve nothing.
“Despite the unilateral ceasefire, there are grenade attacks. They do not see that civilians are getting killed, they do not see that army or CRPF jawans have come from far-flung areas for their bread and butter, what will this achieve? There have been thousands of grenade attacks till now, thousands have picked up guns and become militants, but what has been achieved? We have achieved Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road, Poonch-Rawalkote road and if the situation improves, I promise you that we will re-open more such routes,” she said.
The CM also batted for talks between India and Pakistan and condemned the ceasefire violations on the border.
“Till both the countries come closer, the situation will not improve. J&K bears the maximum impact of the relationship between India and Pakistan. So, our party’s agenda is that they should talk to each other,” she said.

Scuffles between those carrying milk to cities and farmer-activists in Bathinda, Sangrur; dairy owners protest setting up of nakas, holding of vigils
Amritsar : Scuffles between milkmen and farmer union activists took place at many places in the state on Sunday after the former were stooped from carrying milk to cities on the third day of the nationwide ‘Pind Bandh’ (village blockade) beginning June 1.
Milkmen and dairy owners protested the farmer unions’ move to set up check-points on routes to the cities and holding of night vigils.
While the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU Ekta Sidhupur) has supported the strike call by farmers under the banner of the Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh, a federation of 130 farmer organisations, BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) has opposed the call.
Near Bibiwala village of Bathinda district, tension prevailed when milkmen from the nearby villages coming to Bathinda city to supply milk were stopped on Sunday morning by activists of BKU (Ekta Sidhupur). Police reached the spot and the milkmen had to take another route to reach the city. The two groups entered into a scuffle.
Similar scenes were witnessed at Rampura Phul and on the Bathinda- Muktsar road where milkmen resorted to protest by raising slogans against them being stopped from selling their produce.
Activists of the BKU (Ekta Sidhupur) had set up nakas at Jodhpur Romana near Bibiwala village on the Bathinda-Talwandi Sabo road, the Bathinda – Goniana road and on the Bathinda-Malout road.
Sohan Singh, the state president of the Milkmen Union, said that they had told the farmer unions before the start of the strike that any milkmen who want to support them are free do so by not supplying milk to the city areas but no milkman should be forced to stop the supply.
He said that it is not possible for the majority of the milkmen not to supply milk for 10 days.
In Sangrur district also, farmers set up check-points at different places and stopped vegetable growers and dairy owners from carrying their produce to the city areas on Saturday night and on Sunday morning. Dairy owners dumped milk on the roads at Bhawanigarh, alleging that farmer unions were harassing them and milkmen. They said the activists should instead hold protests outside big milk plants.
The BKU leadership, however, claimed that milkman unions are supporting their agitation. Balbir Singh Rajewal, president of a faction of BKU, said he was working to make this protest peaceful. “We are getting expected response,” he said.
At Phagwara, a group of farmers laid siege outside the local vegetable market and did not allow trucks or tractor-trolleys carry farm produce to enter inside.
A group of farmers created ruckus at the new vegetable market by forcing commission agents to shut their shops and not allowing them to sell their stock of vegetables and fruits. Police force was deployed to avoid any untoward incident.
Veggie prices continue to soar
Prices of various vegetables have doubled or trebled since the strike started two days back.
Varinder Kumar, a vegetable seller in Jalandhar, said they are somehow managing to get vegetables from farmers or from the old stocks at mandis at double or triple rates.
Tomato, which was being sold at ₹10 per kg three days ago, is now ₹30 per kg while prices of peas, brinjal, cabbage, cauliflower and other vegetables have also gone up.
Not much effect in Majha
In Majha belt, the plan to suspend the supplies of vegetables and milk failed to elicit much response as essential commodities were available in the market as usual.
The Kisan Sangarsh Committee has refused to support the protest.
Its Punjab convener, Kawalpreet Singh Pannu, said they will not support the protest that affects the common man.

Eight days after cancelling the unprecedented summit, citing Pyongyang’s “open hostility,” Trump welcomed North Korea’s former intelligence chief, currently under punitive US sanctions, to the White House Oval Office.
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump, in a complete reversal, said on Friday he would hold a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on June 12 in Singapore in the latest twist in the high-stakes diplomacy over eliminating Pyonyang’s nuclear arms program. Eight days after cancelling the unprecedented summit, citing Pyongyang’s “open hostility,” Trump welcomed North Korea’s former intelligence chief, currently under punitive US sanctions, to the White House Oval Office, afterward exchanging smiles and handshakes, patting his arm in a friendly gesture.
“Good meeting today. I think it’s a great start,” Trump said after conferring for about 90 minutes with Kim Yong Chol, who became the first North Korean official to visit the White House in 18 years and who the US president called “the second most powerful man in North Korea.”
Trump said he expected an eventual “very positive result” with North Korea but dampened expectations for a breakthrough in Singapore. “We’re not going to go in and sign something on June 12th, and we never were,” Trump told reporters on the White House lawn. “We’re going to start a process. And I told them today, ‘Take your time, we can go fast, we can go slowly,’ but I think they’d like to see something happen.”
Trump said it could take several meetings to reach an agreement, but he was convinced that Kim Jong Un was committed to denuclearisation. “He’d like to see it happen,” Trump said.
It was an extraordinary change in tone from a president who last year threatened to rain “fire and fury like the world has never seen” on North Korea because of the threat its nuclear weapons and missiles posed to the United States.
Trump even backed away from the words “maximum pressure” that his administration had used to describe its approach to North Korea, combining the toughest-ever US and international economic sanctions with diplomatic actions and the Republican president’s military threats and preparations.
‘GETTING ALONG’
“We’re getting along, so it’s not a question of maximum pressure,” Trump said. “At some point, hopefully … for the good of millions of people, a deal will be worked out.” Trump said one thing that could come out of the summit is an agreement formally ending the 1950-53 Korean War, which was concluded only with a truce, not a peace treaty.
“We are going to discuss it prior to the meeting. That’s something that could come out of the meeting,” Trump said when asked if a document ending the war was bring prepared.
South Korea’s presidential office said on Saturday that the path to the North Korea-US summit had become “broader and firmer,” and it would calmly yet excitedly watch the historic meeting to be held in Singapore.
The visiting North Korean official, linked by US intelligence to a high-profile cyber attack on Sony Pictures in 2014, delivered a letter from Kim Jong Un to Trump. A White House official said Trump had read the letter but did not reveal its contents.
Trump wants North Korea to “denuclearize,” meaning to get rid of its nuclear arsenal, in return for relief from economic sanctions. But North Korea’s leadership is believed to regard nuclear weapons as crucial to its survival and has rejected unilaterally disarming.
A senior member of Trump’s Republican Party sounded a note of caution. Speaking in Kentucky, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he expected the North Koreans to make “every effort they can to get sanctions and other relief and give up as little as possible.”
“For these situations to work, you have to not want the deal too much,” McConnell said. “You fall in love with the deal and it’s too important (to) you to get it, and the details become less significant, you could get snookered,” McConnell said.
North Korea, whose nuclear ambitions have been a source of tension for decades, has made advances in missile technology in recent years but Trump has sworn not to allow it to develop nuclear missiles that could hit the United States.
Wall Street took news of the summit’s revival in stride.
While Trump sounded conciliatory toward North Korea, Kim used Cold War-style language about Washington during a televised encounter with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Pyongyang on Thursday, referring to “US hegemonism.” Referring to the Lavrov meeting, Trump said he “didn’t like it.”
‘TOTALLY OVER THAT’
Trump abruptly called off the summit on May 24 after North Korea sharply criticized US Vice President Mike Pence and Trump’s national security adviser, John Bolton. “I think we’re over that, totally over that,” Trump said on Friday.
While Trump has put great importance on sealing a nuclear deal with North Korea, and secured the return of three Americans detained there, he has bucked traditional US foreign policy and alienated America’s European and NATO allies and trading partners.
He snubbed France, Germany and Britain by pulling out of a nuclear agreement with Iran and upset the Europeans, as well as neighbors Canada and Mexico, with protectionist trade policies. The North Korean envoy, Kim Yong Chol, was the highest-level figure from the reclusive country to hold talks at the White House since a senior envoy visited former President Bill Clinton in 2000. He is vice chairman of the ruling Workers’ Party’s Central Committee.
Trump walked the envoy out of the Oval Office to the lawn, posing for photographs as his secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, looked on.
Trump said North Korea’s human rights record was not discussed at the meeting. Kim Yong Chol once served as a bodyguard to the current leader’s father, Kim Jong Il, and was previously chief of the Reconnaissance General Bureau, a North Korean military intelligence agency. In 2015, then-US director of national intelligence James Clapper described Kim Yong Chol as “the guy who ultimately would have to okay the cyber attack against Sony” in 2014.
North Korean hackers allegedly infiltrated Sony’s systems and destroyed computers and laptops, apparently in retaliation for the entertainment company’s comedy movie “The Interview” that parodied North Korea’s leadership.
Kim Yong Chol has featured on lists of North Korean officials targeted by US Treasury sanctions, including for supporting his country’s nuclear and missiles programs and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the cyber attack. He was granted special permission to travel to the United States for meetings this week with US officials, the State Department said.
He was accused by South Korea of masterminding deadly attacks on a South Korean navy ship and an island in 2010. North Korea denied any involvement in those incidents.

32-year-old Dulal Kumar, who went missing on Friday, was found dead on Saturday morning.
KOLKATA: A BJP worker was on Saturday found hanging from a pole in Dabha village of Purulia’s Balarampur. Following the incident, the saffron party alleged TMC’s role behind the murder of 32-year-old Dulal Kumar, who had gone missing on Friday.
Taking to Twitter, BJP National General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya said that Dulal’s murder is quite similar with that of BJP activist Trilochan Mahato who was found dead last Wednesday.
The body of 20-year-old Trilochan Mahato was found hanging from a tree in Purulia’s Balarampur with a message inscribed on the back of his T-shirt, accusing him of supporting the BJP.
A poster found nearby claimed the youth had to die for his affinity for the saffron party. While the local police lodged a case of abduction and murder, the BJP termed the incident as a political killing by the goons of the Trinamool Congress.
Hundreds of workers and leaders of the West Bengal BJP on Friday held protests and demonstrations against Dulal’s killing.
Protests were also held outside several police stations by the BJP workers, who accused the state administration of failing to maintain law and order.
State BJP chief Dilip Ghosh had accused the Trinamool Congress of trying to obliterate the political opposition from the state. Ghosh, however, claimed that his party is capable of giving a befitting reply to the ruling party’s violence.
Soon after Trinamool Congress won Panchayat elections, West Bengal continues to boil over alleged killings of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers.
In Purulia, the TMC and the BJP had a close fight in the gram panchayat polls winning 839 and 645 seats respectively. Out of the 38 Zilla Parishad seats, TMC had won 26 seats and BJP nine seats.

The CRPF vehicle was reportedly stuck amid a protesting mob when the incident took place.
SRINAGAR: A 21-year-old youth who was allegedly run over by a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) vehicle on Friday, succumbed to his injuries on Saturday. The deceased, Kaiser Ahmad, was admitted to Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura after he was run by a CRPF vehicle in Nowhatta area on Friday. The vehicle was stuck amid a protesting mob when the incident took place. Police said there was no deployment in the area on Friday as the authorities had decided to ease tension in the area during Friday’s congregational prayers.
However, after the Friday prayers culminated at the Jamia Masjid, a group of youth reportedly started pelting stones on the security forces. Police said that the forces fired tear shells to chase away the protestors. Some protestors attacked a vehicle of the security forces which had taken a wrong turn and crossed paths with the mob while it was reportedly going for another assignment. The vehicle hit two youngsters from the mob, leaving them injured. The injured were taken to SKIMS hospital in Soura for treatment.
There is no clarity over the sequence of events.
There has been outrage over the incident from all quarters. Hitting out at the state government, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said: ‘ceasefire means no guns so use jeeps’. He tweeted: “Earlier they tied people to the fronts of jeeps and paraded them around villages to deter protesters. Now they just drive their jeeps right over protestors. Is this your new SOP @MehboobaMufti sahiba?”
National Conference leader Junaid Azim Mattu also termed the incident as ‘haunting’. “The images of a man being run over by a CRPF gypsy are haunting. The gypsy was attacked – that’s a fact – yes. However, it’s a failure of the local police in the area to have allowed a CRPF gypsy to pass through an almost 200 strong hostile crowd. Extremely unfortunate,” he tweeted.
“Extremely extremely unfortunate! You get the mainstream parties to support a half-baked ceasefire demand (which amounted to precious little) and then people are mowed down by cars in Ramzan as the local police is caught napping! Who do you blame this on Madam CM? Introspect!!!,” he added.

After the arrest of four people, the police during investigation had established a “connection” between Jalan and Arbaaz.
MUMBAI: Bollywood actor and film-maker Arbaaz Khan has been summoned by the Thane Police in connection with an alleged Indian Premier League (IPL) betting racket. The questioning is likely to take place on Saturday at around 11 am.
The Thane Police had on Friday sent a letter to Arbaaz to join the probe in the wake of the arrest of an alleged bookie who was placing bets on the recently-concluded IPL. The IPL betting racket was busted on May 15 by the Anti-Extortion Cell (AEC) of Thane Police’s crime branch with the arrest of four people in Mumbai, including Sonu Jalan alias Sonu Malad, who is believed to be one of the top bookies of the country
The police have readied a list of questions that it is likely to ask Arbaaz. He will be questioned on his ties with Sonu, the alleged bookie who has been arrested. He is likely to be asked questions over the first time he met Sonu, how many times have the two met and who else was present during those meetings.
To ascertain whether there are others in Bollywood who may be involved too, the police is likely to ask him the names of other people in the film industry who have links with Sonu. Arbaaz may be asked whether he was involved in betting and if he had the knowledge that Sonu had links with the underworld. He may also be asked if he placed bets on any of the matches.
It has been reported that Sonu used to blackmail Arbaaz over a video. The police are thus likely to question Arbaaz over the details and whereabouts of the video.
Questions are also likely to be asked about his brother Salman Khan. The police may ask him if Salman and other family members were in the know of his links with Sonu and his alleged involvement in betting.
He may be asked about how much money he has placed in bets, his alleged ties with the underworld and the meetings in Dubai. He can also be asked if his films Dabangg and Dabangg 2, which he produced, were funded by the underworld.
After the arrest of four people, the police during investigation established a “connection” between Jalan and Arbaaz, said Senior Inspector Pradeep Sharma, head of the AEC. “We suspect that Khan had placed bets on IPL matches and want to scrutinise his bank transactions,” another police official said.
Arbaaz allegedly lost Rs 2.80 crore in betting to Jalan and was not paying the amount, following which the bookie had threatened the actor, the official said citing the interrogation of the arrested accused.
Jalan allegedly ran his betting racket from Dombivli in Thane district of Maharashtra. Jalan has been arrested in connection with the case under sections 420,465,468,471rw 34 of the IPC, section 4(A),5 of the Gambling Act and also IT Act 66A registered in the Dombilivi police station.

She was admitted to the JJ Hospital in April also following an alleged drug overdose.
MUMBAI: Indrani Mukerjea, the former head of INX Media and the prime accused in her daughter Sheena Bora’s murder case, was on Friday admitted to JJ Hospital in Mumbai. Indrani had complained of chest pain, following which she was rushed to the state-run-hospital.
She was admitted to the JJ Hospital in April also following an alleged drug overdose. She had been brought to the hospital a “semi-conscious” condition from her cell in the Byculla Jail in south Mumbai. The state prisons department had ordered an inquiry to find out how Mukerjea fell ill in the jail.
Indrani’s health had deteriorated after she had an overdose of anti-depressants, which were not prescribed to her. She was made to undergo a series of medical tests in the hospital.
Her urine samples were sent for analysis at a forensic laboratory and after receiving its report, the hospital authorities said she had an overdose of anti-depressants that were not prescribed to her.
“The reports of her urine sample showed a significant increase in the level of benzodiazepine, a class of anti-depressants,” a doctor from the hospital had said, quoting from reports of the Forensic Science Laboratory at Kalina. The doctors had said that the medicine prescribed to her is amitriptyline, which is an anti-depressant, but certainly does not belong to the benzodiazepine class of drugs and how did she have an overdose of it benzodiazepine will be investigated by the police.
Indrani is currently facing trial for allegedly killing her daughter Sheena Bora. 24-year-old Sheena was abducted and killed on April 24, 2012, allegedly over a financial dispute. Her body was disposed of in a forest in adjoining Raigad district. Bora was Indrani’s daughter from an earlier relationship. Indrani and her former husband Sanjeev Khanna were arrested in August 2015 along with her former driver Shyamvar Rai, while Indrani’s present husband Peter Mukerjea was nabbed in November the same year. Rai has turned an approver (prosecution witness) in the case.