Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge appointed chairperson of INDIA bloc: Sources
The Hindu
Congress’ Mallikarjun Kharge could be named the chairperson of the opposition bloc INDIA; Bihar CM Nitish Kumar is is set to become the bloc’s convenor.
A consensus emerged on the name of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for appointment as the chairperson of the opposition bloc INDIA on January 13, sources said.
Leaders of the INDIA bloc met virtually and discussed various aspects of the alliance and the preparations for the Lok Sabha elections, due in April-May. However, sources said leaders of the Trinamool Congress, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and the Samajwadi Party did not attend the meeting.
According to the sources, a consensus has emerged on Mr. Kharge's appointment as the chairperson of the bloc. An official announcement is awaited.
The leaders also decided to make Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar the convenor of the bloc, but a final call will be taken after consulting the parties whose representatives were not present in the meeting, the sources said.
As many as 28 opposition parties have come together under the banner of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) to take on the BJP in the coming Lok Sabha elections.
Several principals of government and private schools in Delhi on Tuesday said the Directorate of Education (DoE) circular from a day earlier, directing schools to conduct classes in ‘hybrid’ mode, had caused confusion regarding day-to-day operations as they did not know how many students would return to school from Wednesday and how would teachers instruct in two modes — online and in person — at once. The DoE circular on Monday had also stated that the option to “exercise online mode of education, wherever available, shall vest with the students and their guardians”. Several schoolteachers also expressed confusion regarding the DoE order. A government schoolteacher said he was unsure of how to cope with the resumption of physical classes, given that the order directing government offices to ensure that 50% of the employees work from home is still in place. On Monday, the Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) had, on the orders of the Supreme Court, directed schools in Delhi-NCR to shift classes to the hybrid mode, following which the DoE had issued the circular. The court had urged the Centre’s pollution watchdog to consider restarting physical classes due to many students missing out on the mid-day meals and lacking the necessary means to attend classes online. The CAQM had, on November 20, asked schools in Delhi-NCR to shift to the online mode of teaching.