Page 89 - Aap

AAP to declare CM face for Guj polls on Nov 4, seeks public opinion

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said that his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will announce on November 4 the name of its chief ministerial face for the upcoming Gujarat Assembly elections on the basis of opinion given by the people of the state. Addressing a press conference, the AAP's national convener urged people to contact the party through SMS, WhatsApp, voice mail and e-mail to give their views about who should be the CM candidate from the party. He said there is an atmosphere of change in Gujarat and people believe that AAP is going to form a government in the state. "Today, I would like to ask the people of Gujarat as to who they want to see as the next CM of Gujarat. To know the opinion of the public, we are releasing a number - 6357000 360. You can send SMS, WhatsApp messages, and leave voice messages. We are also releasing e-mail - aapnocm@gmail.com," Kejriwal said. He said people can give their choice in four ways - SMS, WhatsApp, voice mail or e-mail till 5 pm

Ahead of polls, AAP sets up 2 bodies of Kashmiri-displaced people in Jammu

In a bid to increase the footprints of the party in the region, the AAP on Friday announced formation of two bodies of Kashmiri-displaced people in Jammu., The party, as it made the announcement, also claimed that it will form next government in Jammu and Kashmir as people have made up their mind give them a chance. "People in Jammu and Kashmir are watching the model of governance of Arvind Kejriwal ji in Delhi and Punjab. They have made up their mind to elect AAP government in J&K. We will form government here," MLA Delhi and In-charge of J&K unit of AAP, Durgesh Pathak told reporters here. "People have tested National Conference, PDP, Congress. BJP is currently ruling here through backdoor. They tested them, and now they have made up their mind to vote AAP to power here," he said. Earlier, Patahak administered oath to the newly-appointed office bearers of the party. The party announced two panel for Kashmiri-displaced people -- a 16-member provincial level panel headed by M .

AAP faces flak on removal of Mahatma Gandhi's pictures from offices

Amid a row over Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's appeal for printing images of Hindu deities on currency notes, the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress in Gujarat on Friday criticised the Aam Aadmi Party for removing Mahatma Gandhi's photos from government offices in Punjab, where the AAP is in power. Attacking Kejriwal over his demand, Gujarat BJP president CR Paatil said people should remain cautious and make sure the AAP does not remove Mahatma Gandhi's photograph from currency notes like it did in government offices. "The AAP has removed Gandhiji's photos from the Punjab Chief Minister's Office as well as from all government offices in the northern state after coming to power. People need to remain cautious to make sure the AAP does not remove Gandhiji's photos from currency notes too," Paatil told reporters at Patan town of Gujarat. Notably, Kejriwal, the AAP convener, and his party colleague, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, were in Panchmahal district of Gujarat on Friday to

AAP releases seventh list of 13 candidates for Gujarat Assembly polls

The Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday released its seventh list of 13 candidates for the upcoming Gujarat Assembly elections, taking the number of nominees whose names the party has declared so far to 86. The list was released by the party's state unit president Gopal Italia. Elections to the 182-member Gujarat Legislative Assembly are due by the end of this year. However, the poll schedule is yet to be announced. Ten out of these 13 seats are currently held by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while the opposition Congress holds three others. Two seats - Kadi and Kalavad - are reserved for Scheduled Caste (SC) candidates, while three - Sankheda, Mandvi and Mahuva are reserved for Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates, he said. The candidates include a retired government officer, doctor, lawyer and industrialist, Italia told reporters. The seats on which the names of candidates were announced on Friday are Kadi (SC), Gandhinagar (North), Wadhwan, Morbi, Jasdan,

AAP accuses Delhi L-G of not approving 'Red Light On, Gaadi Off' campaign

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Friday accused the lieutenant governor of making excuses for not giving timely approval for the 'Red Light On, Gaadi Off' campaign and questioned his seriousness about the level of pollution in the national capital. Setting the stage for a fresh confrontation with Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, the AAP government on Thursday had said it was postponing the launch of the campaign as the LG's office was yet to approve it. However, sources in the LG office alleged that Rai did not speak the truth about the date of the roll-out of the campaign and claimed that the AAP dispensation did so to coerce the LG into taking a decision. "LG is either not aware of seriousness of pollution or making excuses for not giving timely nod to 'Red Light On, Gaadi Off' drive. I appeal to him to give the approval as soon as possible," Rai said at a press conference on Friday. Talking about the difference in dates of the permission sought from the LG and the launch o

Puja stuck amid politics of 2 parties, says Delhi Chhath Puja Samiti Prez

Ahead of the Nahai Khai of the Chhath, Delhi BJP President Aadesh Gupta visited the oldest Yamuna Chhath Ghat of Delhi called the ITO Yamuna Ghat for assessment of the arrangement on Thursday."This is the oldest Chhath Ghat of Delhi and there is no arrangement so far. It is the total accountability of the Delhi Government. Due to Covid pandemic, there were no Chhath celebrations on the bank of the Yamuna rive in the last two years and this year too, no arrangement has been made so far. So, due to mismangement, no Chhath celebrations be made this year too, "said Aadesh Gupta during the inspection.He further accused the Aam Aadmi Party of lying and said that their leaders are expert at spreading propaganda. During elections, their leaders become Hindu and before that, they make fun of the Hindu Gods and goddess."Meanwhile, Delhi Chhath Puja Samiti President Shiva Ram Pandey said that they have been working for Chhath Ghat for more than a month but are still unaware of the location."We ..

Arvind Kejriwal's radical transformation

Kejriwal may have shrewdly given up his secular positions, but he is no Hindutva hero. He has simply been able to sense which way the wind is blowing

BJP vs AAP in Ghazipur after CM Arvind Kejriwal visits landfill site

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday visited the Ghazipur landfill site and launched a scathing attack on the BJP for the 'garbage mountain' ahead of the MCD elections

Firmly oppose language used for CM: AAP slams Delhi LG over Chhath Puja row

After Delhi LG Vinai Kumar Saxena cautioned CM Kejriwal against "misleading" and "premature publicity" regarding 'Chhath Puja', AAP on Thursday hit back objecting to the language used for the CM

BJP terms Delhi property tax amnesty scheme announced by LG 'historic step'

Delhi BJP leaders on Wednesday termed the property tax amnesty scheme announced by Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena as 'a historic step'.

Best of BS Opinion: Protecting competition, the overvalued rupee, and more

Here is the best of Business Standard's opinion pieces for today

'Anti-religious': Gujarat BJP targets Kejriwal over cracker ban in Delhi

Gujarat BJP chief C R Paatil has hit out at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over his government's decision to completely ban firecrackers in the national capital, and dubbed such people "anti-religious" who were stopping citizens from celebrating their festivals. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Delhi government last month re-imposed a complete ban on the production, sale and use of all types of firecrackers till January 1, 2023, including on Diwali, a practice it has been following for the last two years. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai recently said bursting of firecrackers on Diwali in Delhi will attract a jail term of up to six months and a fine of Rs 200. Production, storage and sale of firecrackers in the capital will be punishable with a fine of up to Rs 5,000 and three years jail under Section 9B of the Explosives Act, Rai had said. Ahead of the Gujarat Assembly polls due later this year, AAP national convener Kejriwal has visited the state multiple times in the rece

CBI refutes allegations made by Sisodia that he was threatened to leave AAP

The CBI on Monday refuted the allegation levelled by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia that during his questioning in the Delhi excise scam case, he was threatened to quit the AAP. In a statement, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said that Sisodia was examined strictly on the allegations in the FIR and the evidence collected so far during the course of investigation. "His statement will be verified in due course and further action taken as per requirements of investigation," the agency said. The CBI said some sections of the media have aired a video in which, after leaving the CBI office, Sisodia has stated on camera that during his questioning, he was threatened to leave his political party and similar such insinuations. "The CBI strongly refutes these allegations and reiterates that examination of Sisodia was carried out in a professional and legal manner strictly as per the allegations against him in the FIR. The investigation of the case will continue as per the law

Without ideology or loyalty: Arvind Kejriwal and his pursuit of power

Rajendra Pal Gautam, Tahir Hussain and Amanatullah Khan have joined a long list of colleagues who have been left high and dry by Kejriwal. They were, in the end, mere props in his pursuit of power

Delhi has become the crime capital: Deputy CM Manish sisodia writes to LG

Citing the criminal incidents rising in the national capital over a few days, Deputy CM of Delhi Manish Sisodia on Sunday wrote a letter to LG Vinay Kumar Saxena

AAP releases fifth list of 12 candidates for Gujarat Assembly polls

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday released its fifth list of candidates for 12 seats in the Gujarat Assembly elections due this year-end. With the new list, the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP has so far announced the names of 53 candidates for the upcoming polls to 182 Assembly seats in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled state. The ruling BJP and the opposition Congress have so far not announced names of any of their candidates for the polls. The new entrant AAP, which is trying to position itself as the main contender to the BJP, had on October 6 announced its fourth list of 12 candidates and said it will contest elections on all 182 seats in the state. The latest names announced on Sunday of candidates are for 12 seats, four of which are reserved for the Scheduled Tribes (STs) and two for Scheduled Castes (SCs). Out of these 12 seats, six are currently held by the Congress, five by the BJP and one by the Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP), the Chhotu Vasava-led outfit which recently br

Gujarat polls: Dalit votes may get divided among BJP, Congress and AAP

At around eight per cent of Gujarat's population, Dalits are not a numerically dominant community in the state, but their votes are likely to get divided among the ruling BJP, opposition Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party in the upcoming Assembly elections, say political observers. All political parties are trying their best to woo the community, because apart from 13 seats (out of the total 182 in the state) reserved for the Scheduled Castes, Dalit voters can also tilt the scales in a few dozen other seats, they feel. While the BJP says it is confident Dalits will vote for it in the state Assembly polls due this year-end, the Congress says it is paying attention to seats with 10 per cent or more Dalit population. The BJP has won a majority of the 13 seats reserved for the Scheduled Castes since 1995. In 2007 and 2012, it won 11 and 10 of these seats, respectively, while the Congress had won two and three seats. But in 2017, the BJP faltered and managed to win only seven seats, while

AAP's Arvind Kejriwal, Bhagwant Mann on 2-day Gujarat visit from today

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann will be on a two-day visit to poll-bound Gujarat from Sunday. Aam Aadmi Party's national convener Kejriwal along with Mann will address public rallies in Bhavnagar, Mehsana and Banaskantha districts during the two days, AAP's state general secretary Manoj Sorathiya said. "They will reach Bhavnagar on Sunday afternoon and address a public rally there," Sorathiya told reporters. On Monday, the two leaders will address public meetings in Unjha town of Mehsana district and Deesa town in Banaskantha district, he said. "During the two days, the two leaders will also meet local leaders and hold meetings with the state AAP leaders on the upcoming elections," Sorathiya said. The elections in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled Gujarat are due this year-end. Kejriwal has visited Gujarat multiple times in the recent past and made a number of promises for the welfare of people of the state if his party is voted

Press mute for Indian Muslims

The silence of national parties, leaders on the flogging of Muslim men in Gujarat shows how afraid 'secular' forces have become, allowing radical Muslim voices to fill the vacuum

PM Modi's frequent Himachal visits show BJP's failures: AAP state chief

Himachal Pradesh AAP chief Surjit Thakur took a dig at the BJP over PM Modi's frequent visits to the state and said that it is a reflection of the ruling party's failure to fulfil the poll promises.