New Delhi: With a Cabinet expansion likely on Sunday, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar is likely to move to the capital soon. As reports of him taking charge as the Defence Minister come to the fore, Parrikar is likely to resign as Goa Chief Minister after meeting the state Cabinet on Friday evening.

He is scheduled to meet Goa MLAs on Friday to decide his replacement in the state. RSS backed BJP leaders - Health Minister Laxmikant Parsekar and Speaker of Legislative Assembly Rajendra Arlekar are being seen as front runners for the top post.

Parrikar is likely to take charge of the Defence Ministry which is currently held by Arun Jaitley as an additional charge along with the Finance Ministry portfolio.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also reached out to TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu on who should be inducted into the Cabinet from his party. Naidu reportedly, has proposed the name of party MP in Rajya Sabha YS Chowdhury for inclusion in the Union Council of ministers.

Other probables in the Cabinet are Haziribagh MP and son of veteran BJP leader Yaswant Sinha, Jayant Sinha. A BJP leader from Rajasthan and a Jat leader from Haryana could also be inducted. BJP leader Hansraj Ahir who exposed the coal block allocation scam could also find a seat when the expansion takes place.

The BJP-led NDA government is also keen to make Shiv Sena leader Suresh Prabhu a minister at the Centre but Shiv Sena has conveyed that the leader cannot be sent to to Parliament till 2016 and has put forward Anil Desai's candidature for Rajya Sabha.

The Union Cabinet is likely to be expanded on Sunday and the swearing-in ceremony of the new ministers in likely to take place on Sunday evening.

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Parrikar may resign as Goa CM today, discussions on his replacement underway

Panaji, Goa: Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has said he will resign on Saturday and a new chief minister will take oath the same day. He is headed to Delhi and is tipped to become Defence Minister in an expansion of the Narendra Modi cabinet likely on Sunday.

Mr Parrikar said this morning that he will brief Goa's 21 BJP legislators about the fast-paced developments of the last few days at a meeting now on. The process of electing his successor and his swearing in would happen after 12 pm on Saturday, he said.

The top contenders to replace Mr Parrikar are Deputy Chief Minister Francis D'Souza, the state's Health Minister Laxmikant Parsekar and the state's Speaker Rajendra Arlekar. The party's central leaders BS Yeddyurappa and Rajiv Pratap Rudy will be in Goa tomorrow as observers at the meeting to elect the new Chief Minister.

Manohar Parrikar, 58, is expected to take over in Delhi from Arun Jaitley, who has held dual charge of two critical portfolios Finance and Defence, for the five months since the Narendra Modi cabinet took oath in May this year.

To be a central minister he has to be a member of Parliament. A Goa minister said today that the party could nominate Mr Parrikar to the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh.

"I give you a guarantee that if I do get the Defence Ministry, I will be clean, transparent and open. On November 9, I will complete 20 years in politics, without a single stain or allegation against me," Mr Parrikar told NDTV on Thursday evening.

He said he had not been officially informed what ministry he would be allotted. However, he did confirm that he got a call from BJP president Amit Shah. "He told me to be ready as there was a possibility that I could move to the Centre," said Mr Parrikar, adding that he has never been too interested in national politics but had agreed as a disciplined party worker.

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Manohar Parrikar, Headed to Delhi, to Resign Today as Goa Chief Minister

Panaji, Goa: Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has said he will resign on Saturday and a new chief minister will take oath the same day. He is headed to Delhi and is tipped to become Defence Minister in an expansion of the Narendra Modi cabinet likely on Sunday.

Mr Parrikar said this morning that he will brief Goa's 21 BJP legislators about the fast-paced developments of the last few days at a meeting now on. The process of electing his successor and his swearing in would happen after 12 pm on Saturday, he said.

The top contenders to replace Mr Parrikar are Deputy Chief Minister Francis D'Souza, the state's Health Minister Laxmikant Parsekar and the state's Speaker Rajendra Arlekar. The party's central leaders BS Yeddyurappa and Rajiv Pratap Rudy will be in Goa tomorrow as observers at the meeting to elect the new Chief Minister.

Manohar Parrikar, 58, is expected to take over in Delhi from Arun Jaitley, who has held dual charge of two critical portfolios Finance and Defence, for the five months since the Narendra Modi cabinet took oath in May this year.

To be a central minister he has to be a member of Parliament. A Goa minister said today that the party could nominate Mr Parrikar to the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh.

"I give you a guarantee that if I do get the Defence Ministry, I will be clean, transparent and open. On November 9, I will complete 20 years in politics, without a single stain or allegation against me," Mr Parrikar told NDTV on Thursday evening.

He said he had not been officially informed what ministry he would be allotted. However, he did confirm that he got a call from BJP president Amit Shah. "He told me to be ready as there was a possibility that I could move to the Centre," said Mr Parrikar, adding that he has never been too interested in national politics but had agreed as a disciplined party worker.

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Manohar Parrikar, Headed to Delhi, Likely to Resign Today as Goa Chief Minister

NAIROBI, KENYA

Somalia's political leaders are at loggerheads once again over the reorganization of the cabinet, prompting a warning from the United Nations to focus on building credible institutions to move the country forward. Analysts say the next year will be crucial for solidifying Somalias recent gains after decades of lawlessness.

The controversy began Monday, when U.N. envoy to Somalia, Nicholas Kay, said he was concerned about allegations that lawmakers were being bribed in exchange for votes to oust the prime minister.

In a statement, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud acknowledged the U.N.'s concern, but called for the international community to respect Somalia's right to determine its own future, and allow Somali leaders to resolve their differences.

Political fault lines

The political bickering between the president and Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed began two weeks ago after the premier made a cabinet reshuffle. Among those affected was the presidents close ally and Minister of Livestock and Husbandry Farah Sheikh Abdulkadir.

The president termed the changes null and void, setting off an increasingly public dispute between the two leaders and their supporters in the parliament.

This is the kind of division that has plagued Somali politics for years. But Somali lawmaker and former constitution minister Abdirahman Hosh said it is good for Somali leaders to negotiate, calling it part of the democratic process. He added that ultimately, the politicians must settle their disputes.

"Top leaders' political wrangling is good thing for us. Leaders who agree on everything is not good for the country. The politics itself is about people with different views coming together, but when there is a division, then a solution has to be found to solve the differences," said Hosh.

Contentious stability

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No End in Sight for Somali Political Bickering

Mr Sarwar is to become a shadow spokesman at international development after Jim Murphy's resignation as the main spokesman following his decision to stand as Scottish party leader triggered a reshuffle tonight.

Glasgow MP Mr Sarwar announced last week that he would quit as no 2 in Scotland, after the results of the Scottish contest for the leader and deputy leaer are known mid-December. The election follows Johann Lamont's resignation as leader last month.

He tweeted: "Having campaigned for last 3 yrs as an internationalist, I'm delighted to have become Shadow Minister of State for International Development."

Mr Murphy's replacement as shadow international development secretary is Mary Creagh, while her former transport brief goes to Michael Dugher. He advised former prime minister Gordon Brown during his time at No 10.

Lucy Powell, who ran Ed Miliband's leadership campaign, has been put in charge of the day-to-day running of the party's effort to win the general election as part of a reshuffle of Labour's top team.

She becomes shadow Cabinet Office minister and vice chair of the general election campaign next year.

Insiders said that it means Mr Miliband will meet his target of at least 50 per cent of his team being female.

A senior Labour source said: "Jim's decision to stand down has created a vacancy which Ed wanted to fill with some of the party's best and most talented campaigners.

"Lucy, who ran Ed's campaign, is obviously a proven talent.

"Ed also wanted to move a step forward in his aim of having a 50/50 gender balance in the Cabinet if we win the next election.

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Anas Sarwar promoted to Labour's shadow cabinet

Amid media reports that Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar was in Delhi and had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah, speculation gained ground that a Cabinet reshuffle might be held on Sunday.

President Pranab Mukherjee will go to Bhutan on a state visit on Friday and will return on Saturday evening. So far, he has no official engagement on Sunday.

In his brief interactions with the media on two-three occasions, the Goa chief minister did not deny suggestions that he was being tipped to be the defence minister. I cannot comment. Let the prime minister, who has invited me, comment, he said when asked about the media speculation after his meeting with Shah.

However, after his meeting with Modi, he told reporters they only discussed Goa issues and there was no talk on his induction in the Union Cabinet. We have not discussed anything about that. So, as of now the issue is dead, he said.

As Parrikar is neither a member of the Lok Sabha nor the Rajya Sabha, he will have to seek a by-election. The BJP will have to find a replacement for him in Goa, where the party is heading a government. Deputy Chief Minister Francis DSouza could be a replacement, which will be a record of sorts for the party.

Others who hold dual charge are Prakash Javadekar (environment and information & broadcasting) and Ravi Shankar Prasad (law and communications and information technology). Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also has a clutch of portfolios, including minister of state for finance, though she has an independent charge despite being a first-time minister.

Rajasthan has only a nominal presence in the Cabinet and new victories in Haryana and Maharashtra will require representation from these two states as well. In anticipation of the Bihar elections in 2015 and Jharkhand and Delhi, there is a possibility these states could send representatives to the Cabinet as well.

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Parrikar meets Modi, Shah amid reshuffle talks

Florida voters granted Gov. Rick Scott another four years in office Tuesday night and he will serve alongside an all-Republican Cabinet, a GOP majority in the state Senate and a super-majority in the House.

That should make it very easy for Scott to carry out his policy goals, as long as it doesnt run counter to the priorities of legislative leaders who have no problems squabbling behind closed doors with the states chief executive.

Scott cannot run for re-election in 2018 because of term limits. That means, for better or worse, Floridians can expect him to follow his own heart on policies and positions without as much consideration as to how voters perceive him.

The governor will make public his plans for 2015-16 when he unveils his budget proposal in January.

No one has a crystal ball, but here are 10 things to look for during Scotts second term.

Focus on jobs: Expect more cold calls and letters from Scott to companies based in Democratic-controlled states as he did throughout his first term. And expect angry rebuttals from those governors as a result. Expect him to continue supporting the elimination of regulations he believes stifle business growth. Expect the governor to compare Florida to Texas often, especially when it comes to job growth statistics. I will not let up; we will become No. 1, Scott said on election night.

More tax cuts: Speaking of jobs, Scott believes that cutting taxes and fees for Florida businesses and individuals fuels economic growth. On the campaign trail, he said he would propose $1 billion in tax and fee cuts during his second term. Some of that will be a heavy lift such as his desire to introduce a constitutional amendment that would limit property tax increases but others could be more palatable to the Legislature now that members have at least two years until the next election.

No tuition increases: Gov. Rick Scott doesnt believe that Florida students attending public universities and state colleges should pay any more in tuition than they already do. He helped convince the Legislature to remove provisions in the state budget that allowed for automatic tuition increases in certain cases. He has great influence on the makeup of universities boards of trustees and the state Board of Governors. As a result, dont expect tuition increases for state universities to get any love, although Florida State University and University of Florida have some special flexibility. Although all schools have more control over the fees that students pay for some services, sizeable increases in that area also will be frowned upon.

No easier restoration of rights: Under Gov. Charlie Crist, felons who had completed the terms of their sentences saw a streamlined process that made it easier to get their rights restored, allowing them to vote and serve on juries. Shortly after Scott took office, he and the Cabinet reversed Crists policy and established a minimum five-year waiting period for ex-convicts to apply to have their rights restored. Not only was Scott re-elected, but the Cabinet was, too, so expect no changes here.

More conservatives on the bench: State law requires four Florida Supreme Court justices to retire in the coming years, including several considered among the most liberal on the seven-member bench. Justice James Perry must retire in 2017, which means Scott will pick his replacement. The other three could hold off until the final days of Scotts term, and that could pave the way for joint appointments by him and his successor. Meanwhile, Scott will appoint dozens of people to judicial vacancies in county, circuit and appellate courts across the state during his second term.

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10 things to expect in Gov. Rick Scott's second term

Norman Baker has launched a fresh attack on Theresa May, saying he resigned as a Home Office minister after facing a constant battle to introduce policies in the face of a Tory lurch to the right in pursuit of Ukip voters.

Nick Clegg was making plans to replace him with a woman. The deputy prime minister has faced intense criticism for failing to appoint any women to one of the Lib Dems five cabinet posts. Bakers replacement will have the title of minister of state one rung below a cabinet minister.

The preparations for the mini-reshuffle came after Baker resigned. He had likened his experience working under the home secretary to walking through mud. The former minister expanded his attack on May on Tuesday morning as he accused her of failing to allow him to develop policies.

Baker told the BBC News channel: The home secretary was reluctant to let me have my head and it was a constant battle to try to get things through. That is unfortunate not just for the Home Office but actually for the government.

The former minister dismissed criticism from Damian Green, who was sacked as a Home Office minister in the Tory summer reshuffle, that he had acted as a Lib Dem home secretary on a par with May.

Baker said: We are in a coalition government and therefore it was right that I took an interest in matters right across the department which is no different to how I behaved in the Department for Transport.

But he said that his battle was complicated by the Tories lurch to the right in response to the Ukip threat.

I have done it for a year, it is very hard work, the Home Office is probably at the cutting edge of the coalition, he said. It is where most policy issues are difficult, whether it is Europe or immigration. It has not been helped by the lurch to the right from the Conservative party as they chase Ukip off to the fringes.

Baker said there was no point in hanging on to office. We dont always have to cling to office as ministers. If we think there is a time to go, there is a time to go. I want a break. I want to spend more time with my family, more time in my constituency, more time doing stuff I want to do, like my music.

The Lib Dem president, Tim Farron, accused the home secretary of insulting the electorate by acting as if the Conservatives had won an overall majority at the last election in her high-handed treatment of Baker.

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Norman Baker describes constant battle with Theresa May

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently extended a Rs 8,000-crore (Rs 80 billion) central support for building roads in Jammu & Kashmir, Union Cabinet's approval for the big-ticket announcement came in barely 48 hours.

Unlike in the past, the proposal did not get stuck in the corridors of the Planning Commission, a Nehruvian-era body.

The Commission, which occupied the centre stage in all critical economic and social decisions until a few months ago, is now but a shadow of its former glorious self.

Its office, an imposing five-storied structure opposite Parliament House, earlier teemed with people engaged in one or the other meeting, especially in the run-up to annual Budget preparations.

Not anymore; that seems to be a story of the past, as hectic activity has given way to an eerie sense of uncertainty.

During its heyday in the 1960s and '70s, even the location where a public-sector undertaking should come up was decided by the Commission. But, today, the pivotal role it was known to play in shaping the country's development trajectory is conspicuously missing from the scheme of things.

The Planning Commission's importance gradually reduced over the years as India moved from a Soviet-style controlled economy to a more market-driven one. But the body still wielded considerable clout, particularly on important decisions of the Cabinet or Groups of Ministers.

Though all major policy decisions are referred to the Commission even today, its opinion is no longer paramount. In fact, even as a new body to replace the Planning Commission takes shape, the wings of the old one are being gradually clipped.

Its diminishing role is also evident in the fact that a mid-term appraisal (MTA) - a course correction of sorts that in normal circumstances is completed by the third year of a Plan period - is yet to be done for the 12th Five-Year Plan (2012-13 to 2016-17).

"We are ready with our sectoral assessment for MTA. But, as of October, there has been no signal from the government on whether or not it wants to carry out the process," said a senior Planning Commission official who did not wish to be named.

Excerpt from:
Battered Planning Commission loses more of its teeth

By Pattrick Smellie

Oct. 6 (BusinessDesk) - The biggest winner in todays new Cabinet line-up from Prime Minister John Key is Simon Bridges, who moves from 18th to ninth in the rankings and picks up the politically important transport portfolio from Gerry Brownlee.

Returning to the environment portfolio, previously held by Amy Adams, is Nick Smith, signalling a softening in the governments intended reforms to the Resource Management Act, while Adams picks up the justice portfolio ranking from Judith Collins, who resigned during the election campaign.

Collins has no way back to the Cabinet until after an inquiry into the actions that led to her departure two weeks out from the Sept. 20 election.

Paula Bennett, tipped as a potential replacement to Prime Minister John Key, moves from ninth to fifth ranking, ceding her social development portfolio to Anne Tolley, whose previous police and corrections portfolios are divided between Michael Woodhouse and Peseta Sam Lotu-Iga, who was promoted into Cabinet.

Bennett also becomes Associate Minister of Tourism, effectively making her under-study to Key, who retains primary responsibility for tourism.

Two new threads of focus are the way portfolios relating to housing and the security and intelligence services.

Finance Minister Bill English will become Minister in charge of Housing New Zealand, while Bennett will take the new social housing portfolio, and Smith will be Minister of Housing. This triumvirate will become responsible for major reforms already under way to make state housing provision more efficient and competitive, with greater provision by non-profit social housing organisations.

Also in their sights will be ongoing progress to improve the availability of urban land for housing to ease house price pressures.

Bridges retains the energy and resources portfolio and becomes deputy leader of the House, supporting Brownlee, who keeps his third-place ranking in the Cabinet, retaining responsibility for recovery from the Canterbury earthquakes and picks up the defence portfolio.

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Bridges biggest winner in new Cabinet