Page 9 - Opposition Parties

Not found it correct to take step that could overlap legal process, says EC

Amid allegations by opposition parties that the government was misusing probe agencies to target its leaders, the Election Commission on Tuesday asserted that while it remains committed to protecting level playing field and campaign entitlement of parties and candidates, it has not found it correct to take any step that could overlap or overrun the legal judicial process. In a statement, the poll authority said it was guided by constitutional wisdom when presented with "live situations" involving political persons which have been under active consideration and orders of the courts based on criminal investigations. "While the Commission remained unwaveringly committed to protection of level playing field and campaign entitlement of political parties and candidates, it has not found it correct to take any step that could overlap or overrun the legal judicial process. Several political parties from the INDIA bloc had approached the poll panel, accusing the government of using probe ...

Oppn criticises PM for praising ED action, claims misuse of law can be seen

Taking a jibe at the Prime Minister's earlier 'jhola leke aye hain' (come with a jhola bag) remark, Patole said that people will vote him out of power LS polls

Oppn lost power due to disunity; Congress need remedying: Amartya Sen

Noting that the Opposition in India has lost much of its power due to disunity, Nobel laureate Amartya Sen said the Congress has many organisational problems that need remedying. In an interview with PTI, Sen said that a caste census might be an exercise to consider, but India needs greater empowerment for the underprivileged through better education, healthcare, and gender equity. The noted economist said he is "enormously proud" to be a citizen of a democratic country like India, but there is a need to "work harder to enhance the nation's democratic nature". Sen said the opposition bloc INDIA failed to gain much traction, with its important allies such as JD(U) and RLD walking out. When asked what the Opposition lacks in taking on the BJP, he said, "The Opposition in India lost a lot of its power due to its disunity. Unity would have given it much more strength." "Congress has many organisational problems that need remedying. The party's great past should inspire it," he said.

LS polls: Even oppn believes NDA govt will return to power, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the BJP used its majority in Lok Sabha for two consecutive terms to strengthen the country while the Congress used its decades-long majority to strengthen its "family", asserting that even the opposition believes that his government will retain power for a third term. In an interview to Hindi daily Hindustan, Modi underlined his commitment to taking strict action against the corrupt amid criticism by opposition parties that probe agencies were used by his government to target their leaders. Steps against corruption are being taken even in states where the BJP is in power, he said, adding that the narrative that only political corruption is being targeted is being circulated by people who are under the sword of investigative agencies. He said, "Of the corruption cases probed by the Enforcement Directorate, only three per cent have people associated with politics. The remaining 97 per cent cases are linked to officials and criminals. Those wh

LS polls: Rahul to address election rallies in TN, share stage with Stalin

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will address election rallies in Tamil Nadu on Friday, in his first set of such engagements after the announcement of the poll schedule. The Wayanad MP will address a public meeting in Coimbatore along with DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin. He will also address a rally in Tirunelveli. The Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu will be held on April 19.

Lok Sabha polls highlights: 'Sea of saffron' gathered at MP rally shows what LS results will be, says PM

General Elections 2024 highlights: Catch all the highlights of the announcements related to General Elections 2024 here

LS polls: INDIA alliance wants to save corrupt people, says BJP's Nadda

BJP national president J P Nadda on Sunday charged that the INDI Alliance leaders, who are either on bail or in jail, were keen on protecting the corrupt people whereas Prime Minister Narendra Modi was striving hard to end corruption in the country. Those leaders such as Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, were in prison while Congress leaders including Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul were on bail, Nadda said and claimed the opposition leaders presented a contrasting picture compared to the Prime Minister who is an epitome of development and determined to end corruption. Prime Minister Narendra Modi says I will finish corruption, but the INDI alliance leaders say save the corrupt people. That is their working style. In Tamil Nadu, the DMK, which stands for Dynasty Money Swindling and Katta Panchayat and its ally the Congress are corrupt. All of them are trying to save their families and dynasties and themselves from their corruption, Nadda said addressing a rally here. The oppositi

Will provide statehood to Puducherry if INDIA bloc wins LS polls: Stalin

DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday said that the INDIA bloc, if voted to power after Lok Sabha polls, will provide statehood to Puducherry. Addressing an election rally here seeking support for Congress candidate and present MP V Vaithilingam, he said the DMK and Congress are firm that Puducherry should be made a full-fledged state. Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy is a "puppet in the hands of the Centre," Stalin said and added, "We are keen that the rights of not only bigger states like Tamil Nadu, but also the rights of union territories like Puducherry should be protected." Stating that Puducherry had not gained during the ten-year rule by the BJP at the Centre, the Tamil Nadu chief minister said that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi was campaigning only in the name of religion and caste. "Modi has not highlighted any measure to ameliorate the lot of the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and weaker sections, but has been campaigning in the nam

Opposition, activists express solidarity with Newsclick founder Purkayastha

The opposition leaders and activists on Saturday expressed solidarity with Newsclick founder Prabir Purkayastha and accused the ruling BJP of crushing dissent. CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, party leader Brinda Karat, CPI general secretary D Raja, AAP leader Gopal Rai, former IAS officer and activist Harsh Mander, and senior journalist P Sainath were among those who expressed solidarity with Purkayastha, who was arrested in October 2023, following raids on Newsclick. Yechury said that his friendship with Purkayastha goes back to his days in the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and recalled he was also arrested during emergency. "We are not just here to express solidarity with a person... he has played an important role in all people's movements," Yechury said. "In my last speech in the Parliament, I said it's our responsibility not to make India a Hindu Pakistan. We have to save ourselves. Voices like Prabir are needed to ensure that," he added. Yechury said arrests ar

RJD's Sarvjeet owns movable, immovable assets worth Rs 8.70 cr: Affidavit

Senior RJD leader and former Bihar Agriculture Minister Kumar Sarvjeet, who is the INDIA coalition nominee from the Gaya Lok Sabha seat, owns movable and immovable assets worth Rs 8.70 crore and has Rs 30,000 cash in hand, according to the affidavit filed by him. Sarvjeet recently filed his nomination papers for the Gaya constituency. Voting for the first phase of elections in Gaya, Nawada, Jamui and Aurangabad is scheduled to be held on April 19. As per the affidavit, the RJD leader owns movable assets worth Rs 90.31 lakh, while his wife Sima Kumari has immovable assets to the tune of Rs 1.95 crore. Sarvjeet owns immovable assets (only inherited assets) worth Rs 7.80 crore. There is no self-acquired immovable asset that is owned by the RJD leader. Whereas his wife owns immovable assets (self- acquired) worth Rs 1.13 crore. Sarvjeet's movable assets include two bank accounts, three four-wheelers, a pistol and a rifle and 108 gm gold (worth Rs 5.94 lakh). His wife has three bank ...

Decision on PM candidate to be announced after LS polls, says Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said the Lok Sabha polls are between forces who are trying to destroy the Constitution and democracy and those protecting them. Speaking at the Congress manifesto launch programme, Gandhi said it is a much closer contest than propagated by the media, and expressed confidence of winning the polls. Responding to a question after the release of the party manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls, he said a similar idea of 'India Shining' was being propagated now as was done in 2004. "Do remember who won that campaign," he said referring to the BJP-led NDA's aggressive 'India Shining' campaign ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in 2004. The BJP had lost the polls and the UPA government was sworn in. Gandhi also said the INDIA bloc has decided that it is fighting an ideological election and a decision on the PM candidate will be taken after the polls. The seven-phase Lok Sabha polls will begin on April 19. Right to apprenticeship, a legal guarantee for MSP, a

INDIA bloc's cracks widen, National Conference, PDP to go solo in Kashmir

Mehbooba Mufti expresses disappointment after Farooq Abdullah-led Jammu and Kashmir National Conference's decides to fight in all three seats of Kashmir

Oppn leaders join BJP as their parties face leadership crisis: UP Dy CM

Opposition leaders are coming to the BJP fold as the leadership of their parties is changing "colours like a chameleon" and has no regard for core ideology, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya has said. In an interview with PTI, he said the BJP never compromises with its ideology and those joining the party know this. They too have to strictly adhere to "our ideology", Maurya said. The BJP leader also dismissed as "far from the truth" the allegations of opposition parties that the Narendra Modi government is misusing central probe agencies to intimidate and poach their leaders and that those facing corruption charges come out clean from the "BJP's washing machine" after they join the party. The leaders of opposition parties that have formed a "ghamandia gathbandhan" are levelling such allegations against the BJP-led government at the Centre as part of their strategy to prepare a "script" in defence of their imminent defeat in the Lok Sabha polls, Maurya said. H

Not scared of Oppn: PM Modi vows stronger action on corruption in 3rd term

Lok Sabha elections: PM Modi, during a rally in Uttarakhand, said that he is not scared of the Opposition's abuses and will act on their alleged corruption with greater force in his third term

HC gives last chance to Oppn to reply on plea against use of INDIA acronym

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday granted a last opportunity to the Centre and several opposition parties to respond to a petition seeking to restrain them from using the acronym INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance). A bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet PS Arora said that the replies be filed within one week to the public interest litigation which alleged that by using the INDIA acronym, the parties were taking undue advantage in the name of our country. The high court, which refused to prepone the date of hearing of the petition, said an endeavour shall be made to hear and dispose of the petition on April 10. The contesting respondents are given the last and final opportunity to file their replies within a week, the bench said. The court was hearing an application by petitioner Girish Bharadwaj seeking early hearing of the matter on the grounds that the petition was pending since August 2023 and pleadings are yet to be completes and the ..

Highlights: Corrupt person, howsoever big, will face action, says PM Modi

LIVE updates: Opposition protests against CM Kejriwal's arrest, BJP unveils lineup of leaders for Tripura LS polls, and more. Catch all the latest updates from across the globe here

BJP being criticised across world over Kejriwal's arrest: Akhilesh at rally

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday said the BJP is "worried" about losing power as he attacked the ruling party for "misusing" probe agencies to target the opposition. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also said that the BJP is being "criticised" across the world for the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Yadav, who arrived in the city for the INDIA Bloc rally at Ramlila ground, told reporters at the airport, the "BJP is worried that it is going (out of power). While we (opposition leaders) are coming to Delhi today, the PM is going out of Delhi. This shows who is going out (of power)". He was referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Meerut later in the day. While mounting an attack on the government over the issue of electoral bonds scheme, he said, "This is a new invention... put ED, CBI, IT to work, and get as much donation as you like". On Kejriwal's arrest, he claimed, "The BJP is being criticised across the world for arresting

PM violating Constitution, resorting to confrontational federalism: Cong

As INDIA bloc leaders gathered for a show of unity at the Ramlila ground here, the Congress on Sunday accused the Modi government of violating the Constitution by resorting to "confrontational federalism". The Congress also accused the prime minister of resorting to fiscal centralisation, obstruction of state programs, destabilising state governments, misusing governors and subverting the rights of States. In a statement, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said as the INDIA Janbandhan's rally at Ramlila Maidan gets underway, it is necessary to recall how the PM is "violating", in letter and spirit, Article 1 of the Constitution of India that states "India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States." He said the prime minister started off his innings in May 2014 talking big about cooperative federalism. "Instead, what he has delivered is confrontational federalism. Cooperative federalism is based on consensus, for which the PM has demonstrated a singular unwillingness and ...

Oppn leaders, Kejriwal's wife at Ramlila Maidan for Loktantra Bachao rally

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita will attend the INDIA bloc rally at Ramlila Maidan on Sunday and read out a message from her husband who is in the Enforcement Directorate custody in connection with an excise policy-linked case, AAP sources said. Top INDIA bloc leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray, Akhilesh Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav are set to attend the rally being held in the backdrop of Arvind Kejriwal's arrest just before the Lok Sabha polls. "Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita will participate in the INDIA bloc's maha rally at Ramlila Maidan. She will read out her husband's message from ED custody. It will be his message for the country," a party source said. The 'Save Democracy' rally -- will also be attended by National Conference president Farooq Abdullah.

Not 'save democracy' but 'save family', hide corruption: BJP on Oppn rally

The BJP on Sunday slammed the opposition INDIA bloc's rally at Ramlila ground here, saying it is not a "save democracy" meeting as projected but a "save family" and "hide corruption" rally. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi cited corruption cases of a host of leaders, including those from the Congress, DMK and the RJD, to assert that all these charges date back to pre-2014 period amid the opposition's accusation that the Modi government is implicating them in graft probes due to its political vendetta. Ramlila ground once hosted "India against corruption" movement under the leadership of Anna Hazare, Trivedi said, adding that it is hosting on Sunday a rally for "everybody with corruption". People who trashed many leaders as thieves and crooks have joined hands with them, and it is a strange and startling sight, he said, in an apparent reference to the coming together of the Aam Aadmi Party with other opposition parties. Their leader is now Lalu Prasad Yadav, a convict in several .