Daily wrap: Rahul in Wayanad; Federer worst Slam loss in 11 years

Rahul Gandhi arrives in Wayanad on 3-day thanksgiving visit

Congress president Rahul Gandhi arrived at his Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency on Friday (June 7) on a three-day thanksgiving visit. In the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls, Gandhi won from Wayanad by a margin of over 4.31 lakh votes, a state record, even as he lost Congress stronghold Amethi in Uttar Pradesh to BJPs Smriti Irani. The Congress president arrived at Kozhikode airport around 2 pm and is scheduled to participate in at least 15 public receptions across the constituency, spread over in the districts of Wayanad, Malappuram and Kozhikode.

Also read: RaGa, the new Wayanadan Thampan

May quits as party leader, starting succession race

British Prime Minister Theresa May steps down as leader of her Conservative Party on Friday (June 7), formally triggering the race for a successor who will try where she failed to deliver Brexit. May will remain prime minister until a new leader is chosen, likely in late July, but has relinquished control over the direction of Britains tortuous departure from the European Union.

Also read: Theresa May: A legacy sunk by Brexit

Jagan to have five Deputy CMs, the most by any state

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, who is set to expand his cabinet on Saturday (June 8), will have five Deputy Chief Ministers in his team. This is an unprecedented number for any state cabinet in the country. An indication to this effect was given by Jagan while addressing a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) at Tadepally in Guntur district on Friday (June 7). A 25-member cabinet will be sworn-in at 11.49 am on Saturday.

Adityanath offers prayers to Ram Lalla, says everyone wants Ram temple in Ayodhya

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday (June 7) offered prayers at the makeshift Ram Lalla temple here, reiterating support for the construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site. According to the expectations of the world, “I wish a Ram temple is built soon in Ayodhya,” he said as he unveiled a seven-foot rosewood statue of Lord Ram at the city’s Shodh Sansthan Museum. On his first visit to the temple town after the Lok Sabha elections, Adityanath also took part in celebrations to mark the birthday of Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas chief Mahant Nritya Gopal Das.

Gauhati High Court bail to Kargil war veteran ‘foreigner’ Sanaullah

Days after Mohammad Sanaullah, a retired army personnel and a Kargil war veteran, was declared an illegal immigrant and sent to a detention camp, the Gauhati High Court on Friday granted him bail and issued notice to the central and the Assam governments. Also, the court issued notices to the Election Commission, NRC authorities and an investigation officer of the Assam Border Police, media reports said.

AIADMK in a soup over RS nominations as BJP tries to retain its ground

With the tenure of the six Member of Parliaments from Tamil Nadu coming to an end on July 24, the tussle within parties in the state is getting more intense as both the DMK and AIADMK can each nominate three MPs. In the Rajya Sabha, of the 18 MPs, DMK MP Kanimozhi retired after she contested and won in the Lok Sabha polls. Now the representation in the Upper House is reduced to 17. Of the 17 MPs, the tenure of AIADMK MPs V Maitrayen, R Lakshmanan, T Rathinavel and KR Arjunan, and CPI MP D Raja ends on July 24.

Also read: Civic issues may see redressal as TN ‘braces’ for local body polls

Kannadigas demand govt to implement job reservation for locals

After resisting the Hindi language imposition and three language policy, now pro-Kannada organisations urge the state government to implement the reservation for locals in private sector jobs. Before the elections, as a pre-poll promise, the state government proposed that it would give 100 per cent reservation for locals in category C and D jobs in Karnataka. Now, activists demand the state to draft rules on how it will effectively implement it. Otherwise they vowed to storm into private companies and banks in protest, starting next week.

Pragya appears in NIA court, says didn’t know about Malegaon blast

BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur on Friday (June 7) appeared before a special court in Mumbai in connection with the 2008 Malegaon blast case, after failing twice this week to do so. When Special NIA Judge V S Padalkar asked the saffron-clad Thakur if she has to say anything about the blast, she said, “I dont know.” Supported by two aides while entering the court, Thakur appeared before the special NIA Judge as per the direction of the court which is conducting trial in the 11-year-old case. Besides her, other accused in the case also attended the court.

Nadal hands Federer worst Slam loss in 11 years to reach 12th French Open final

Defending champion Rafael Nadal powered past Roger Federer in the French Open semi-finals on Friday (June 7), to move within one victory of a record-extending 12th Roland Garros title after handing his oldest rival his worst Grand Slam defeat in 11 years. The 33-year-old produced a masterful performance to get past Federer 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in the last four on Court Philippe Chatrier and set up a final clash with either world number one Novak Djokovic or Austrian fourth seed Dominic Thiem on Sunday. It will be Nadal’s 12th appearance in the championship match, which he has never lost before. “Its incredible to play with Roger here,” said Nadal.

BCCI backs Dhoni after ICC wants removal of army insignia from his gloves

MS Dhoni sporting a pair of wicket-keeping gloves bearing a logo similar to the badge of honour given to the Para Commandos has triggered a new controversy, with the ICC seeking the removal of the gloves and the BCCI standing firm behind the former skipper. In the opening match for India against South Africa in the ongoing World Cup, Dhoni was seen wearing the gloves that featured a ‘balidan’ badge. Committee of Administrators (CoA) chief Vinod Rai said that they have already written to the ICC to seek permission for Dhoni to wear the badge on his gloves. India had defeated Proteas in the match by 6 wickets.

Also read: Take that glove off, Dhoni, you don’t need it

Fruitless to attend Niti Aayog meeting, Mamata writes to PM

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday (June 7) wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing her inability to attend the Niti Aayog meeting scheduled on June 15, saying it was “fruitless” as the body does not have the power to support state plans. “Given the fact that the Niti Aayog has no financial powers and the power to support state plans, it is fruitless for me to attend the meeting of a body that is bereft of any financial powers,” Banerjee said in a letter to the prime minister.