Page 5 - Opposition Parties

Maharashtra results: NDA leads comfortably in 229 seats - show 4 pm trends

At 9 am, counting trends showed the Mahayuti-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leading on more than 153 of the 288 seats. Meanwhile, the Opposition was ahead on 86 seats

Cong's samosa caucus has arrived in Maharashtra to trade lies: Smriti Irani

Former BJP MP Irani referred to the Congress group as the 'samosa caucus' and mocked them for their past actions and statements

Shivraj calls India bloc's election guarantees in Jharkhand as dud bombs

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday termed the INDIA bloc guarantees for the upcoming Jharkhand assembly elections as "lies" and "dud bombs". Talking to reporters here, Chouhan claimed the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Congress had made promises during the previous assembly elections also but none of them were fulfilled. "They (JMM and Congress) had said that they will provide five lakh government jobs. Not given. They promised to give Rs 2,000 monthly for chulha-kharch (domestic expenses). Not given. They brought a scheme to give Rs 1,000 just two months ahead of elections. They promised unemployment allowance to the jobless. Not given," Chouhan said. These parties had promised to purchase the paddy crop by giving bonus on the minimum support price (MSP), but it was also not given, the BJP leader said. "The JMM had made 117 promises (in the last assembly elections), Congress made 344 promises. Not even one of them was fulfilled in the last five years a

KTR accuses CM Reddy of phone tapping leaders of Congress, Opposition

BRS leader also alleged that Revanth Reddy was caught with a bag containing Rs 50 lakh in the past

Kejriwal likely to campaign for INDIA bloc in Maharashtra, Jharkhand polls

Arvind Kejriwal is likely to campaign on assembly seats where AAP has a volunteer base and where the MVA candidates don't have a controversial background

AAP unlikely to contest Maha, J'khand polls; looks to strengthen INDIA bloc

Our focus is Delhi and we don't want to create further confusion in minds of voters in Maharashtra which could lead to splitting anti-BJP votes, AAP sources said

Cong's maximum time goes into infighting, failed as opposition: PM Modi

The Congress spends most of its time infighting and every child in Haryana is aware of it, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday while asserting the people have decided to give one more chance to the BJP to serve the state. Interacting with Haryana BJP workers through the NaMo app, he discussed fieldwork at the booth level for the upcoming state polls and encouraged them to devise a strategy for the party to win the election. While alleging the Congress has failed as an opposition in the past 10 years, PM Modi claimed the grand old party's maximum time goes into infighting and taking on each other. Every child in Haryana is aware of the grand old party's internal strife, the prime minister said. Attacking the Congress, he said, "The entire basis of those fighting against us in the polls is lies. They repeatedly tell lies, their talks have no head and tail and they vitiate the atmosphere." These days, the Congress' loudspeakers which earlier were making big claims have fall

'If Bengal burns, Delhi will too': Mamata sparks row; INDIA bloc silent

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has heavily condemned Mamata Banerjee for her provocative and "hateful" comment saying that if violence spreads to Bengal, other states will be impacted

Opposition protests Himanta govt's failure to prevent crimes against women

The opposition parties in Assam on Tuesday held demonstrations in various parts of Guwahati, including the assembly complex, alleging the failure of the government to protect women and prevent crime against them. Congress MLAs led by Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia marched from inside the assembly building to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi within the compound, holding placards and shouting slogans demanding the safety of women and condemning the targeting of a particular community for all crimes against women. "The Dhing incident is not the only one. After that also, many such cases have taken place in different parts of the state," Saikia told reporters here. "The CM, who also holds the Home portfolio, is not at all serious and concerned about the situation. We discussed in the assembly about crimes against women with NCRB data and asked the government to take action," he said. Saikia claimed that the Home Department has asked the Assam Police not to register "some cases"

Shivaji Maharaj statue collapse: Raut seeks CM's resignation, alleges scam

A statue of Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a fort in Maharashtra's coastal Sindhudurg district just eight months ago, collapsed on Monday, an official said, with the chief minister blaming "strong winds" for the cave in. As the incident caused an embarrassment to the state government and invited scathing criticism from the opposition, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde vowed to rebuild the structure, which he said, was designed and constructed by the Indian Navy. Asked about the collapse, Shinde told PTI, "The wind was blowing at a speed of 45km per hour, which caused the statue to fall. It is very unfortunate the statue has fallen as it was designed and built by the Navy. However, our guardian minister (Ravindra Chavan) has arrived at the spot to assess the situation, and we will rebuild this statue even stronger. Navy officials will also take part in the rebuilding efforts." Public Works Department (PWD) personnel will visit

BJP's Sudhanshu Trivedi attacks INDIA bloc for 'covering up' for criminals

The BJP alleged on Tuesday that the recent rise in the political strength of 'do ladke', a reference to Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav, has resulted in criminals getting emboldened in Uttar Pradesh. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi accused the Samajwadi Party of sheltering criminals, and targeted the Yadav-led party over the arrest of two persons allegedly associated with it on the charges of rape and attempt to rape. Not only the SP has been giving "cover fire" to criminals but the members of the opposition INDIA bloc are helping each other defend criminal elements of their alliance partners as well, he told reporters. "Those associated with two boys have been committing crimes. The audacity of criminals has been rising since the increase in the strength of these two boys," he said in an apparent reference to Congress leader Gandhi and Yadav, whose alliance outperformed the BJP-led NDA in Uttar Pradesh in the recent Lok Sabha polls. It is in the DNA of the Samajwadi Party to st

Opposition spreading rumours about 'Ladki Bahin' scheme: Maha CM Shinde

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde targeted the opposition parties, accusing them of spreading rumours about his government's flagship 'Ladki Bahin' scheme for women, and asked people to be cautious of such "stepbrothers". Speaking on Friday night in Thane, his home turf, Shinde said his government does not work keeping in mind the elections, but it works for the welfare of people. Assembly elections in Maharashtra are likely to be held in October this year. Months before the elections, his government announced 'Mukhymantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana', which literally means 'Chief Minister's My Beloved Sister Scheme', under which eligible women will be given a financial assistance of Rs 1,500 every month. "Citizens, especially women in the state, should be cautious of the 'savatra bhau' (stepbrothers) who spread all kinds of rumours about the Ladki Bahin scheme. So far, I had only one sister. Now, I have got lakhs of sisters across the state," CM Shinde said at Yeoor here durin

Dhankhar vs Jaya: Walkout over VP's tone, he says Constitution disrespected

Uneasy relations between Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar and opposition parties on Friday erupted in a heated exchange between the chair and Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan, leading to a walkout by opposition parties and Dhankhar calling it "disrespect to democracy and constitution". The cine star objected to the "tone" in which Dhankhar addressed her as well as switching off the mike of Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, triggering a heated exchange. The Chairman, who is also the Vice President of India, said he can't be "schooled" and that Bachchan "may be anybody... a celebrity" but she has to observe decorum. As Dhankhar refused to allow her or any one from the opposition to speak, INDIA bloc parties staged a walkout, which was slammed both by the chair and the treasury benches. Leader of the House and Union Minister J P Nadda called the opposition behaviour "highly indecent and irresponsible". Trouble broke when the Congress MPs sought an apology from BJP memb

'Unacceptable tone': Jaya Bachchan demands apology from RS Chair Dhankhar

The Opposition staged a walkout on Friday after Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan accused Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar of using unacceptable' tone

Protest over Phogat disqualification in RS, anguished Dhankhar leaves House

An anguished Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar left the House for some time during the morning session on Thursday, following an uproar and walkout by Opposition party members, who were not allowed to raise the issue related to the disqualification of Vinesh Phogat from the Olympics. Soon after the listed papers were tabled in the House, Leader of Opposition and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge stood up to raise the Phogat disqualification issue and wanted to know "who is behind" it. However, Dhankhar did not allow Kharge to raise the issue. In the meantime, Derek O'Brien of TMC, stood up to raise some issues but was not allowed by the Chair. To this Dhankar cautioned the TMC member, saying "You are shouting at the Chair. Your conduct is ugliest in the House. I condemn your actions. Next time I will show you the door". As uproar increased in the House, Opposition parties staged a walkout. Dhankhar expressed his anguish on the conduct of Opposition members and left the H

Oppn leaders protest on Parliament premises, seek crop MSP for farmers

Opposition leaders on Thursday held a protest on the Parliament premises, demanding that farmers' crops be bought at MSP and justice ensured for them. MPs from parties such as the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) - Sharadchandra Pawar, and the Shiv Sena (UBT), among others, protested on the steps leading to the Makar Dwar of Parliament. The MPs wore a garland of vegetables and raised slogans such as "Kisan ko phasal pe MSP do" and "Kisan pe anyay bandh karo". "The manner in which the BJP has given minimum support price to TDP (Telugu Desam Party) and JD(U), it should also ensure MSP (minimum support price) for farmers and that is why we are protesting," Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said. The export ban on onion farmers of Maharashtra should be lifted. Innumerable requests have been made to the Centre but to no avail, she said. The protesting MPs said justice for farmers was their objective and they would keep raising

Oppn slams govt for not withdrawing GST on health, life insurance premiums

Opposition members in Lok Sabha on Wednesday slammed the government for not taking up an amendment in the Finance Bill to withdraw the 18 per cent GST levy on medical and life insurance premiums. Opposition MPs staged a walkout from Lok Sabha after an amendment moved by RSP member N K Premchandran seeking removal of 18 per cent GST on medical and life insurance premiums was not taken up by the House during the passage of the Finance Bill. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who piloted the Finance Bill, said any amendment in GST has to be approved by the GST council. "Specific demand of the entire opposition is to withdraw the 18 per cent GST on life and health insurance schemes for which I had given an amendment. Normal procedure of the House is that the amendment is circulated only if it is admitted," Premchandran told reporters outside Parliament after the walked out by the opposition MPs. "This was circulated yesterday itself. This gives a message that it has been accepted, or

Opposition stands with govt amid Bangladesh crisis

On Tuesday, the central government convened an all-party meeting in the Parliament building to discuss the situation in Bangladesh.

BJP spreading lies, trying to create fissures in BJD: Odisha's Oppn whip

Opposition chief whip in the Odisha assembly Pramila Mallik alleged that the ruling BJP was spreading lies that several BJD leaders would join the saffron camp, asserting that such an attempt was aimed at creating fissures in the regional party. Her comment comes after BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi had, on August 4, said Rajya Sabha MP Mamata Mohanta joining BJP after resigning from the BJD was just a trailer and many others would follow her suit. Mallik, a former state minister and ex-Speaker of the assembly, also rejected several BJP leaders' remarks that many BJD functionaries were in touch with the saffron camp. A false campaign is being spread by BJP leaders, she said. Several BJP leaders, including former minister and MLA Arabinda Dhali, were accused of spreading lies that many BJD leaders would join the saffron party as they did not have confidence in former chief minister Naveen Patnaik. They (BJP) are spreading lies to disturb our party. No one from our party is interested in

Opposition slams government over 18% GST on life and health insurance

Sources in the TMC said that its MPs have raised the issue in Parliament and their party chief, WB CM Mamata Banerjee, has written to FM Nirmala Sitharaman on the matter