Morning Brief: Yeddyurappa Confident Of Winning Trust Vote; Congress Plans ‘Save Democracy’ Protests; Haspel Confirmed As New CIA Boss

Good morning, dear reader! Here’s your morning news and views brief for today.

Yeddyurappa Confident Of Winning Karnataka Trust Vote

Newly-appointed Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa said on Thursday that he was “100 per cent sure” of winning the trust vote in the assembly as the Supreme Court is set to resume hearing the matter today (18 May). “I am sure of winning the vote of confidence and my government completing five years,” said Yeddyurappa, who has been given a 15-day window by Governor Vajubhai Vala in a decision that has been challenged in the Supreme Court. He slammed the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) alliance as “unholy” and charged that they were out to grab power though the people had “rejected them outright”. “I have people’s support for me and my party,” said Yeddyurappa, who has now a tough task to muster the numbers to reach the half mark of 112. The BJP has emerged as the single largest party with 104 seats in the 12 May elections which threw up a hung assembly.

Congress To Observe ‘Save Democracy Day’ Today

The Congress is observing ‘save democracy day’ across the country today (18 May) in protest against Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala’s decision to invite Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader B S Yeddyurappa to form the government in the state. “The Congress has decided that its workers and leaders will observe a ‘save democracy day’ across the country on 18 May to highlight the Governor’s trampling of the Constitution,” the party's communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala said. He also accused the Karnataka Governor of colluding with the BJP and playing a “partisan” role in government formation in Karnataka after it threw a split verdict. Surjewala said Congress leaders and workers would hold protests and dharnas at various state and district headquarters across the country.

Congress-RJD To Stake Claim To Form Governments In Goa And Bihar

Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal, which had emerged the single largest parties in Goa and Bihar, respectively, will stake claim to form government in the states, following the Karnataka developments. The parties said they will approach the respective state governors, after the Karnataka Governor’s decision to invite the BJP to form the government on the ground that it emerged as the single-largest party. With the BJP winning 104 seats in 224-assembly in the Karnataka elections, Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala invited its legislative party leader B S Yeddyurappa to form the government and prove its majority within 15 days.

UN Sees India’s Economy Growing 7.6 Per Cent In Fiscal Year 2018-19

India's economy will grow 7.6 per cent in 2018-19 fiscal on the strengths of past reforms and robust private consumption, said a UN report. It will remain the fastest growing economy in the world, though sustained recovery in private investment remains a crucial challenge, said the UN World Economic Situation and Prospects. The gross domestic product growth in India is expected to climb to 7.5 and 7.6 per cent in fiscal years 2017-18 and 2018-19 respectively. This is a substantial recovery from the 6.7 per cent growth India registered in fiscal year 2017, it said, adding, that although capital spending has shown signs of revival, a more widespread and sustained recovery in private investment remains a crucial challenge in India.

Oil Hits $80 Per Barrel: Saudi To Ensure Adequate Supplies To India

In the backdrop of oil prices rising to $80 per barrel, India, the world’s third largest oil consumer, said on Thursday it had received assurances from Saudi Arabia it would ensure adequate supplies to keep a lid on soaring oil prices. This comes as oil prices rose back to $80 per barrel for the first time since 2014 due to rising concerns over disruptions to Iranian oil exports because of new US sanctions and due to plummeting output in Venezuela. Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Al Falih had assured him Riyadh and other producers would “ensure availability of adequate supplies to offset any potential shortfalls and ensure that prices remain reasonable”. A surge in crude oil prices pushed the cost of petrol in the country further higher on Thursday, with the transport fuel being sold at Rs 75.32 per litre in the national capital. In the other major cities of Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai also petrol was priced at multi-year highs — Rs 78.01, Rs 83.16 and Rs 78.16 per litre respectively.

Parliamentary Panel Summons RBI Governor Over Banking Fraud

Following banking fraud cases, including those related to Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi, a parliamentary panel has summoned Reserve Bank of India Governor Urjit Patel before it on 12 June. The panel is examining the challenges before the banking sector in India and the way forward. It will also examine the issue of non-performing assets (NPA) and stressed assets in banks and financial institutions. The panel members will also be seeking a written response from the RBI on the issue of rising non-performing assets (NPAs). Patel was earlier supposed to appear before the panel 17 May but the sitting of the Standing Committee on Finance, headed by senior Congress leader M Veerappa Moily, has been advanced to 12 June. A member of the panel said that in an earlier meeting, some of the committee members had raised serious concerns over the "syphoning off" of hard-earned money of people from public sector banks in such a manner (referring to the Nirav Modi scam).

Trump Pushes For North Korea Denuclearisation

US President Donald Trump said he will not back down from his demand for North Korea’s denuclearisation, after Pyongyang threatened to pull out of an upcoming summit set for June 12 in Singapore over the US insistence on the denuclearisation. However, he could only say, “We’ll have to see,” when asked if the summit was still on. “No decision, we haven’t been notified at all … We haven’t seen anything, we haven’t heard anything,” he said. Trump said that nothing has changed with respect to North Korea after the warning from Pyongyang. He said North Korean officials are discussing logistical details about the meeting with the US “as if nothing happened.” North Korea also called off talks with South Korea scheduled for Wednesday, blaming US-South Korean military exercises.

US Senate Confirms Gina Haspel As New CIA Boss

The US Senate confirmed Gina Haspel as the next Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) director, despite deep reservations among some lawmakers that her past involvement in the harsh interrogation of terror suspects was a red flag. President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the CIA passed with a handful of opposition Democrats bucking their party and supporting the controversial Haspel’s nomination, while others warned the vote would signal the nation’s position on torture. The 61-year-old Haspel, a Russia specialist who spent her career in the clandestine service, becomes the first woman to lead the agency, taking over from Mike Pompeo, whom Trump recently made his secretary of state.

MUST READ OPINIONS AND COLUMNS

Now Is The Best Time To Create Solutions For Bharat: With more than a billion users on the Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile trinity and the increasing adoption of open access and inclusive technologies, we believe that the unseen majority of Bharat will join the economic mainstream, creating vast opportunities for innovative entrepreneurs.

Building A Reliable Database Of The Indian Economy: Several initiatives are progressively putting the database of the economy on a much firmer footing than in the past. The results should begin to show by the end of this year

The Tragic Story Of Civilian Prime Ministers In Pakistan: It is difficult to fault a civilian Pakistani PM as they are by definition an endangered species. That is the unfortunate tragedy of Pakistan.

SWARAJYA SPECIAL

The Karnataka Face-Off: Why The Governor’s Decision Has Prevailed: Invitation to form the government is Governor’s prerogative, and those who really have the numbers on their side have no reason to worry.

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