Mulayam hints at mid-term elections in his speech to party workers

Lucknow:  With UPA allies pushing the Congress in a tight corner over several issues, the Samajwadi Party chief who is extending outside support to the UPA government at the centre, has hinted at more political uncertainty and the possibility of a mid-term Lok Sabha election.

Speaking to party workers on the 102nd birth anniversary of socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia, Mulayam Singh Yadav said that the party must implement its policies and poll promises efficiently, initiating programmes within the next 6 months.

"I'll tell Akhilesh to have all officers get a copy of the SP manifesto and read up on the promises made by us pertaining to their department. Implementation programmes should start delivering in six months or  a maximum of one year.  It should not take more than a year, because you never know when the 2014 (sic) elections happen. The government has to decide and act soon," said the Samajwadi Party chief.

Mr Yadav said he did not become chief minister but he continues to monitor his party's government in the state. "I will keep an eye on government's functioning and ensure that the promises in manifesto are fulfilled," he said.

There has been much speculation that the 72-year-old, who has just installed his 38-year-old son Akhilesh Yadav as Chief Minister of UP after a spectacular electoral performance, might join the Union Cabinet as the Congress looks for new political alignments to bolster its very fragile coalition at the Centre.
The SP gives outside support to the UPA government and has bailed it many times during Parliament votes. It voted in support of the UPA earlier this week on the issue of the National Counter Terrorism Centre. The government won those votes. Mr Yadav insists his support is based on keeping communal forces away from the Centre.

The Congress is reportedly keen that the SP join the coalition formally  - Mulayam Singh Yadav has 22 MPs in the Lok Sabha, which would more than offset the 19 MPs that the troublesome Trinamool Congress threatens to withdraw regularly.

For NDTV Updates, follow us on Twitter or join us on Facebook

View the original article here

Kate makes maiden speech to UK children's hospice

Ipswich, England:  The Duchess of Cambridge has delivered her first public address, giving a confident albeit brief speech at a children's hospice in eastern England.

The former Kate Middleton spoke clearly and deliberately as she addressed staff and volunteers at East Anglia's Children's Hospice in the English port town of Ipswich.

She glanced frequently at her notes at first but seemed to make a good impression on Monday, drawing chuckles when she said she was sorry that her husband, Prince William, could not join her. He is on military assignment in the Falkland Islands.

Public engagements are a huge part of royal life and Ms Kate's address will be closely scrutinized by royal-watchers for signs of how easily she is adapting to her new role.

For NDTV Updates, follow us on Twitter or join us on Facebook

View the original article here

Union Budget 2012: Pranab Mukherjee's full speech

New Delhi:  Today's Budget is one of the biggest challenges of Pranab Mukherjee's long political career and the Finance Minister set the tone for it when he described the year gone by as a "year of recovery interrupted." He began with listing grim ground realities - the global economic scenario, the battle with double digit inflation and said it was time for tough decisions. Here is the full speech delivered by Pranab Mukherjee in the Parliament today while presenting the financial budget.

Union Budget 2012: Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee's full speech
Budget 2012 Pranab Mukherjee Speech

For NDTV Updates, follow us on Twitter or join us on Facebook

View the original article here

No problem in rollback of speech, says Pranab

New Delhi:  Injecting a note of levity in his sombre Budget presentation, a smiling Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee told the Lok Sabha on Friday that he had no problem in a "rollback of the speech".

Mr Mukherjee, who had to interrupt his reading of the Budget because some members of the House could not hear it properly, offered to read some paragraphs again. "Rollback of the speech, no problem," Mr Mukherjee said, smiling broadly, as the house interrupted in laughter.

The reference was, of course, to the rail budget where United Progressive Alliance (UPA) ally Trinamool Congress has asked for a rollback of the hike in passenger tariff.

For NDTV Updates, follow us on Twitter or join us on Facebook

View the original article here

Full text of Dinesh Trivedi speech on Railway Budget 2012

New Delhi:  Dinesh Trivedi, presenting his first rail budget, had his task cut out. His focus, he said, was three-pronged: "Safety, safety, safety."  Following very closely behind were consolidation, decongestion and modernisation.

Here's the full text of his speech:

For NDTV Updates, follow us on Twitter or join us on Facebook

View the original article here

Full Text: Rahul Dravid's retirement speech

Bangalore: Here is the complete speech made by Rahul Dravid who announced his retirement from Tests and first-class cricket.
I would like to announce my retirement from international and domestic first-class cricket. It has been 16 years since I first played a Test match for India, and I feel it's time for me to move on. Once I was like every other boy in India, with a dream of playing for my country. Yet I could never have imagined a journey so long and so fulfilling. I have had a wonderful time, but now it is time for a new generation of young players to make their own history and take the Indian cricket team even further. (Also see: 'A totally selfless cricketer'; former players hail Rahul Dravid | Time for youngsters to make new history: Rahul Dravid)
No dream is ever chased alone. As I look back, as one does at such a time, I have many people to thank for supporting me, teaching me and believing in me.
My junior coaches in Bangalore and at various junior national camps inculcated in me a powerful love of the game which has always stayed with me.
My coaches at the international level have added to my craft and helped shape my personality. They pushed me and challenged me to keep getting better. The physios and trainers worked hard to keep me fit -- not an easy job -- and allowed me to play late into my 30s.
The selectors who rarely receive any credit in India had, on occasions, more confidence in me than I had in myself and I am grateful for that. The various captains I played under offered me guidance and inspired me.
The media has been kind to me, and I have respect for their craft.
The KSCA and BCCI have provided me a platform and the facilities to play the game.
But most of all, I have to thank the teams I played with. I know what I am going to miss the most is being part of a unit. The joy of bonding together and striving to achieve a goal is what made cricket special for me. I was lucky in my early years to play for a Karnataka team which was trying to forge itself into a strong side and they were years of fun and learning.
In the Indian team, I was fortunate to be part of a wonderful era when India played some of its finest cricket at home and abroad. Many of my teammates have become legends, not just in India but in the wider cricketing world. I admired them, learnt from them and I leave the game with wonderful memories and strong friendships. It is a great gift to have.
A career in sport is almost impossible to manage without the support, guidance, and reassurance of family and friends. During tough times -- and there have been many -- they are the ones we go to. I found strength and encouragement from my parents (Sharad and Pushpa ) and brother (Vijay) and they created around me a positive environment which was essential to my success.
My wife, Vijeeta, has been a remarkable partner in my journey. She has made sacrifices in her own career and has almost been a single parent bringing up our children alone as I travelled abroad to play. Whenever challenges appeared, she was always there, as sounding board, as ally and as guide. Being away from my family became harder and harder through the years and I look forward now to spending time at home and doing the simple things, like just taking my sons (Samit and Anvay) to school.
Finally, I would like to thank the Indian cricket fan, both here and across the world. The game is lucky to have you and I have been lucky to play before you. To represent India, and thus to represent you, has been a privilege and one which I have always taken seriously. My approach to cricket has been reasonably simple: it was about giving everything to the team, it was about playing with dignity, and it was about upholding the spirit of the game. I hope I have done some of that. I have failed at times, but I have never stopped trying. It is why I leave with sadness but also with pride.
View the original article here