Morning Brief: BJP Vows To Make UP Richest State; May Begins India Visit; FBI Clean-Chit To Clinton

Good Morning, Swarajya Readers! Here's What You Need To Know Today.

BJP Vows To Make UP Richest State: The BJP has promised the electorate of Uttar Pradesh that, if voted to power, it would turn the state into the richest province of the country. Party president Amit Shah said the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party had ‘destroyed’ the state in the last 15 years.

Theresa May Begins India Visit: British Prime Minister Theresa May arrived in Indian on a three-day visit aimed at enhancing bilateral ties in trade, investment, defence and security. She will hold talks with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, and will inaugurate jointly with him, the India-UK Tech Summit.

Two Indian Soldiers Martyred: Two Indian soldiers were martyred and four others were injured as Pakistan resorted to heavy shelling in Poonch, amid two infiltration bids from across the Line of Control that were foiled. The Indian Army said it inflicted heavy casualties on the other side, destroying four Pakistani posts.

FBI Clean-Chit To Hillary Clinton: Giving a boost to Hillary Clinton’s campaign two days before the US election, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said it has found no evidence of criminality in a new batch of her emails. FBI director James Comey told the Congress his agency's review had found nothing to alter its original conclusion.

Trump Blames India-China For US Job Losses: The Americans are living through the greatest jobs theft in the history of the world, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has claimed. US companies, he said, were moving out jobs to countries like India, China, Mexico and Singapore.

India Rises On Business Optimism Index: According to the latest Grant Thornton International Business Report, India was ranked second on the optimism index during the third quarter (July-September 2016). Indonesia took the top spot, with the Philippines coming in third.

Delhi Shuts Schools Over Soaring Pollution: All Delhi schools will remain shut for three days and construction and demolition activities be stopped for five days, said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. As the city faces one of the worst spells of air pollution, the government is also considering bringing back the odd-even scheme. The Met Department said the city has to wait until Wednesday for smog to clear.

NIA To Expose Pakistan’s Role In Kashmir Chaos: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is all set to expose the role of Pakistani defence forces in spreading terrorism in Kashmir. In a chargesheet, the NIA will explain how Pakistani army majors and captains facilitate the infiltration of terrorists.

Police Arrest Protesting JNU Students: The mother and sister of Jawaharlal Nehru University student Najeeb Ahmed were on Sunday detained when they, along with 200 agitating students, tried to take out a protest march to India Gate. They were preparing to stage the protest alleging police inaction in the student missing case.

Pakistan Frustrated With India’s Growth: Pakistan has been frustrated with the growth of India and wants to destablise and divide the country, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Sunday. He also accused Pakistan of facilitating attacks on Indian soldiers by terrorists.

MUST READ OP-EDS

The Middle Class Leaves Its Stamp On GST: The country’s consumption habit has undergone a fundamental transformation. The roll-out of GST is a great chance to officially record this change.

May Comes Calling: Post-Brexit UK Will Need Trade With India More Than Ever: Amid the usual atmospherics that accompany bilateral visits, one item that stands out in Prime Minister Theresa May’s visit to India is trade, given that the post-Brexit Britain will desperately need options after potentially losing access to the European market.

Cyrus Mistry Is Unlikely To Go Quickly Or Quietly: Tata Sons cannot afford to have Mistry continue as chairman of some of its firms but is unlikely to push for his exit as shareholders may not toe its line. Whoever wins, in the short-term, it is the Tata group that is the loser.

SWARAJYA SPECIAL

Judges’ Appointments: Opportunities Underlying The Government-Judiciary Stalemate: There is a stalemate between the government and the Supreme Court over the appointment of judges. This should be seen as an opportunity to reform the judiciary in a significant way.

GST: Industry Caught Woefully Unprepared By The Pace Of Political Executive: Industry is surprised at the pace at which political consensus emerged around the GST, and now it’s unprepared.

We hope you enjoyed reading our morning brief. Have a great day ahead!

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