Page 255 - Bjp

6 years after severing ties, Chandrababu Naidu's TDP to return to NDA

As Lok Sabha elections approach, both TDP and BJP appear willing to work together if they can achieve a mutually acceptable seat-sharing agreement

SC to hear SBI plea seeking more time for Electoral Bond details on Mar 11

The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has filed a contempt petition in the Supreme Court against the State Bank of India for not complying with the top court's direction

Congress in Kerala in quandary as stalwart Karunakaran's daughter joins BJP

The decision of Padmaja Venugopal, daughter of former Kerala chief minister and Congress stalwart late K Karunakaran, to join the BJP has left the grand old party in a quandary in Kerala before the Lok Sabha polls. Padmaja officially joined the BJP at a function held at the party headquarters in New Delhi on Thursday. The saffron party has suggested that it marks the decline of the grand old party. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief K Sudhakaran termed Padmaja's decision as "cheating and betraying" the party and a "breach of confidence". He added that there were no reasons for Padmaja to leave the party and it was a "wrong and unfortunate decision". The KPCC chief said that he himself had taken many decisions to protect her interests, but she disregarded all that to leave the party and join the BJP. "Nevertheless, as she is the daughter of the late K Karunakaran, we still have love and respect for her," he said. Emotionally reacting to the development, K Muraleedhara

Valley breathing freely and tourism flourishing: PM Modi in Kashmir

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said while he has a roadmap for the development of the country for the next 25 years, the opposition only has "anger and abuses" to offer and no solutions. Addressing a conclave organised by Republic TV, Modi highlighted the speed and scale of the work done by his government so far and said in the last 75 days, he has laid the foundation stone or dedicated to the nation projects worth Rs 9 lakh crore. "I have a roadmap for the development of the country for the next 25 years. But on the other side (opposition), there is only anger, abuses and disappointment. They neither have any issue to raise nor any solution to offer," the prime minister said. Modi said this decade is for strengthening the foundation of a capable and a developed India. This decade will be of India's high-speed connectivity, high-speed mobility and high-speed prosperity, he said. He said people of the country are "seeing and feeling" the scale and speed of his government's

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LS polls highlights: Cong's poll body meets to finalise candidates

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BJP spreading canards about Sandeshkhali, Bengal safest for women: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday accused the BJP of spreading canards about Sandeshkhali, where women have accused TMC leaders of sexually abusing them, and asserted that the state is the safest place in the country for women. In an apparent reference to former Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay, who joined the BJP during the day, she said, "We will ensure your defeat no matter from where you contest in the Lok Sabha polls." Addressing people after leading a rally in Kolkata for women's rights, she said, "Some people are spreading fake information about Sandeshkhali. BJP leaders are spreading canards about the safety of women in West Bengal but they maintain a stoic silence when women are tortured in BJP-ruled states." "West Bengal is the safest state in the country for women," she said. Hitting out at Gangopadhyay for "taking away jobs of thousands of youths" across the state through his judgments, Banerjee said, "The youths will not forgive you.

INDIA bloc lacks unity, has no vision or agenda for LS elections: BJP

The Opposition grouping INDIA has no unity, vision or agenda for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, claimed the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party here on Thursday. BJP Goa spokesman Yatish Naik said that hours after the constituents of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) met in Goa, the Congress and AAP were seen sparring in the Punjab Assembly. Leaders of INDIA parties, including Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Goa Forward Party, Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (Sharad Pawar) met here on Wednesday and decided to set up a coordination committee to formulate a joint strategy for the Lok Sabha elections in Goa. The coastal state has two Lok Sabha constituencies North Goa and South Goa. In the 2019 general elections, the BJP won the North Goa seat, while the other went to the Congress. Addressing a press conference in Panaji, Naik said on Thursday that the Opposition bloc was focussed on resurrecting a rejected dynast who has failed time and again. The BJP spokesman claimed the

PM Modi reaches Srinagar, scheduled to unveil projects worth Rs 6,400 cr

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday arrived in Srinagar to unveil a slew of development projects worth more than Rs 6,400 crore and address a public meeting, officials said. This is Modi's first visit to the Kashmir valley after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. The prime minister landed at the Srinagar airport and then flew to Badamibagh Cantonment, the headquarters of the Army's 15 or Chinar Corps, they said. At the Badamibagh Cantonment, Modi would lay a wreath at the War Memorial and pay tributes to the fallen soldiers. He would then drive to Bakshi Stadium via Gupkar and Zero Bridge in a cavalcade to participate in the 'Viksit Bharat, Viksit Jammu Kashmir' programme, officials said. The security apparatus has secured the road from Badamibagh Cantonment to Bakshi Stadium. Tricolours, BJP flags and hoardings welcoming Modi have been put up along the route that will be taken by Modi. Stringent security arrangements have been put in place to ensure an incident-fr

Being woman has become crime in 'jungle raj': Priyanka slams UP govt

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday slammed the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh over the issue of crimes against women, alleging that "being a woman has become a crime in this jungle raj". The Congress general secretary said two minor girls, who were victims of gang rape, had committed suicide in Kanpur and now their father has also committed suicide. "It is alleged that pressure was being put on the victim's family to compromise," Priyanka Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X. "In Uttar Pradesh, if victimised girls and women ask for justice, it has become a rule to destroy their families. From Unnao, Hathras to Kanpur, wherever women were tortured, their families were destroyed," she alleged. "Being a woman has become a crime in this jungle raj where there is no such thing as law and order left," Priyanka Gandhi said. What should crores of women of the state do and where should they go, she said. Two girls were found hanging from a tree in a field near the brick kil

Tripura LoP Debbarma resigns, to be sworn-in as minister in BJP-led govt

Senior Tipra Motha leader Animesh Debbarma on Thursday resigned as the Leader of the Opposition in Tripura Assembly. He, along with another MLA of the party, Brishaketu Debbarma, will take oath as ministers in the BJP-led government in the northeastern state during the day. "The Tipra Motha has 13 MLAs in the 60-member assembly. It will join the government as an ally of the BJP and will be allotted two ministerial berths," Animesh Debbarma said. The development comes days after a tripartite agreement for amicably resolving all issues of the indigenous people of Tripura was signed in New Delhi between the Tipra Motha, the Tripura government and the Centre. Currently, there are nine ministers in Tripura, including Chief Minister Manik Saha. According to the rules, the state can have 12 ministers including the CM. Debbarma, after submitting his resignation, told reporters that he would move to the Raj Bhavan to be sworn-in as a minister. Tipra Motha chief Pradyot Debbarma, who is no

NDA will win 22 of 25 Lok Sabha seats in Northeast: Assam CM Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday asserted that the ruling BJP-led alliance will win 22 of the 25 Lok Sabha constituencies in the Northeast in the upcoming elections. Addressing a press conference here, Sarma said only three of the 14 seats in Assam are "uncertain at the moment". "The NDA will win 22 of the 25 seats in the Northeast. Barring Assam, we hope to win all seats in other states of the region," he added. The convenor of the North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), the regional arm of the NDA, asserted that the upcoming Lok Sabha polls are "simple elections" for the ruling front and it will win the polls without any difficulty. "This time, development is the only issue. Enormous works have been done to improve the overall infrastructure of the region," he added.

Why are the BJD and BJP joining forces against Congress in Odisha

The alliance is likely to be formally announced soon. It will mark a return to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) of one of its original constituents

Odisha BJP leaders meet Shah, Nadda amid possibility of alliance with BJD

Odisha BJP leaders on Wednesday met Home Minister Amit Shah and the party's national president J P Nadda here amid indications that it may enter an alliance for the Lok Sabha and assembly polls, which are held simultaneously in the state, with the BJD. Sources said there is a strong possibility of an alliance between the BJP and the BJD but noted that a final call has to be taken by the top brass of the national party depending on various aspects, most importantly the number of seats it will get to contest. In case of an alliance, the BJP will definitely contest a majority of Lok Sabha seats in the state while the regional party will contest a majority of assembly seats, they said. Odisha has 21 Lok Sabha seats and 147 assembly seats. The BJD and the BJP won 12 and eight parliamentary constituencies and 112 and 23 assembly constituencies respectively in 2019. There has been a growing buzz about the alliance between the two parties, which have been allies in the past too. Prime ...

PM Modi hits out at TMC over Sandeshkhali incident, party retorts

PM accused the West Bengal government of using all its might to save the "oppressor of women", a reference to suspended Trinamool leader and Sandeshkhali strongman Sheikh Shahjahan

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ED files court complaint against Arvind Kejriwal for skipping summonses

The Enforcement Directorate has filed a fresh complaint before a Delhi court seeking prosecution of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for skipping multiple summonses issued to him in a money laundering case, official sources said on Wednesday. The latest complaint pertains to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor not honouring summonses no. 4 to 8 sent by the federal probe agency under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said. The court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Divya Malhotra has listed the matter for hearing on Thursday. The ED had earlier moved a local court seeking Kejriwal's prosecution for not attending the first three summonses issued to him in the money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy. The court of ACMM Malhotra has listed this matter (regarding summonses no. 1 to 3) for hearing on March 16. Kejriwal, 55, had called all the ED summonses "illegal" and informed the agency last time that

Our family strives for every family in TN: Stalin takes jibe at PM Modi

'This is family rule, one that strives for every family in TN', says Stalin in response to PM's jibe

Several Oppn leaders will join Congress, says K'taka Dy CM Shivakumar

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar claimed on Wednesday several leaders from opposition parties will be joining the ruling Congress in the coming days, and that he does not want to divulge the "secret" now. He also did not rule out the possibility of "rebel" BJP MLAs S T Somashekar and Arabail Shivaram Hebbar joining Congress. "Why take just two-three names?" Shivakumar asked reporters here, in response to a question on whether Somashekar and Hebbar are joining the Congress. He subsequently nodded his head in agreement, when asked whether more people will be joining the party. Questioned as to how many will be joining Congress from other parties, the state Congress chief said: "why talk about it now? I have told our party workers to induct all those willing and who have regards for the party, locally." Asked if MLAs from other parties will be joining Congress, he said, "How can I divulge the secrets?" Hebbar, MLA from Yellapur, did not turn up for the voting despite a

BJP criticises Bengal govt for opposing HC's ruling on Shajahan Sheikh

The BJP on Tuesday slammed the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal for opposing the Calcutta High Court's order to hand over custody of suspended TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh to the CBI and called it a matter of "great shame". Addressing a press conference, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri said the state government's decision to move the Supreme Court against the high court's order "highlights its value system". Puri said the TMC are not denying the offence but also giving Sheikh political cover. It is not the accused but the state which has gone in appeal to the Supreme Court, he said. First the state government allows such incidents to happen and then does this, the minister said, adding that "it was a matter of great shame". The high court had on Tuesday directed the investigation into a mob attack on ED officials -- when they went to search the premises of Sheikh in Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district on January 5 in connection with a ration scam probe -- to be .