Page 1010 - Politics
No independence for Catalonia, says Spanish PM
There will be no independence for Catalonia, nor a referendum on the question if the socialists are returned to power, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez told supporters Sunday. "No is no," Sanchez told a Socialist Party meeting at Zaragoza, in the northeast region of Aragon, ahead of the April 28 legislative elections. "If there is a socialist government, there will be no independence in Catalonia, there will be no referendum for independence and the Spanish constitution in Catalonia will not be violated -- that will not happen," he added. Sanchez's speech came after the socialists' leader in Catalonia, Miquel Iceta, said in a newspaper interview that 65 percent of Catalans wanted independence and that "democracy must find a mechanism to enable it". Iceta's remarks, to a Basque newspaper in late March, have been heavily criticised by the rightwing opposition People's Party and led to allegations that Sanchez is preparing a deal with Catalonia's separatists. Twelve Catalan leaders ..
Congress' Sidhu to campaign across India starting April 10
Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu Sunday said Congress president Rahul Gandhi has asked him to campaign extensively for the party ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Sidhu is expected to campaign for the party for 40 days starting April 10. The cricketer-turned-politician met Gandhi in Delhi on Saturday. "Met Congress President Rahul Gandhi-ji, he directed me to campaign extensively and meet Ahmed Patel Sahab for detailed schedule," Sidhu tweeted on Sunday. "Campaign to begin from the 10th. Will be in line of duty for 40 days." 55-year-old, Sidhu, who is tourism, cultural affairs and local bodies minister in the Amarinder Singh-led state government, met senior party leader Ahmed Patel in Delhi on Sunday in connection with his campaigning schedule. Sidhu said 19 heads of the party's state units had written to the party high command for sending him for campaigning. Sidhu will take Jalandhar Cantt MLA Pargat Singh alonh with himself during campaigning in other states. Known for his ...
BJP unveils campaign theme, slogan songs for LS polls
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday unveiled its campaign logo, tagline and theme song for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls with the slogan "Phir Ek Baar Modi Sarkar" (Modi once more) to seek a second consecutive term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Officers get edge over MLAs/MPs in Odisha pol culture: Shah
BJP president Amit Shah on Sunday accused Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik of having created a "bizarre" political culture of giving bureaucrats an edge over the powers of elected representatives. Shah, after releasing the party's manifesto here, alleged that senior leaders of the ruling BJD have been sidelined and their rights are handed over to bureaucrats. "Odisha is being run without peoples' representatives, which is against the democratic spirit of the nation. "A 'vichitra' (bizarre) political culture has evolved during the tenure of Naveen Patnaik where rights of elected representatives' are being bestowed on officers," the BJP chief said. Pointing out that corruption has "spread from top to bottom" in Odisha, Shah said the malaise is pushing the state backward in all parameters. The BJP president said those involved in corrupt practices will be put behind bars if his party comes to power in Odisha. "While corruption was rampant in allocation of mines, chit ...
PDP leader briefly detained in J-K's Kishtwar
Senior PDP leader and former MLC Firdous Ahmad Tak was briefly detained Sunday along with several of his supporters in Kishtwar district for trying to defy a ban on movement of civilian traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, officials said. Authorities have ordered the closure of the Jammu-Srinagar Highway for all kinds of civilian traffic from Udhampur to Baramulla every Sunday and Wednesday in order to facilitate movement of security forces for Lok Sabha election duty. It will remain effective till May 31. Tak and his supporters were detained at a check point in Kishtwar district when he tried to move towards Jammu in violation of the government order, which came into force on Sunday morning, the officials said. However, he and his supporters were later released. Prior to his detention, Tak had staged a demonstration and demanded a review of the order."We cannot remain mute spectator to the oppressive order," Tak said.
UP grand-alliance sounds poll bugle at joint rally, slams BJP & Cong in equal measures
The Opposition grand-alliance in Uttar Pradesh Sunday organised its first joint rally, where its leaders not only slammed the BJP, which they claimed will be defeated in the Lok Sabha polls, but also castigated the Congress, saying it does not want the grouping to win and will only divide votes. In a grand show of strength of the anti-BJP coalition in the religiously sensitive town in Saharanpur district, which goes to polls in the first phase on April 11, BSP supremo Mayawati, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Ajit Singh addressed the rally, and announced only their alliance can challenge the BJP. "The Congress is not strong enough to give a tough fight to the BJP. Only the grand-alliance can,"said Mayawati, who addressed the rally first. "The Congress too has this realisation. But they think whether we win or not, alliance should not win. They have given tickets on caste and religious calculations to help the BJP," she claimed. Mayawati said the Congress was busy .
Abhishek Manu Singhvi challenges PM to contest from any southern state
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi Sunday challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to contest the Lok Sabha elections from any southern state. He also rubbished claims that Gandhi's decision to contest from Wayanad in Kerala was because of the large population of minorities like Muslim and Christians there and told reporters that 50 per cent of Wayanad's population was Hindu. "Can Modi dare contest elections from any of the constituencies of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala or Tamil Nadu like Rahul Gandhi did," he questioned. Singhvi also praised the Congress's manifesto for its practicality and verifiability. Taking a dig at the BJP over its promises ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, he claimed that the Congress's manifesto contained all issues, except "jumlebaazi" (rhetoric) and "fenkubaazi" (making tall claims). "This manifesto is unprecedented in all respects. Such a manifesto has never been made by any party , but it does not have 'jumlebazi' and 'fenkubazi' in it," Singhvi .
NDA would win over 350 seats, Modi will be PM: Paswan
Lok Janshakti Party chief and Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Sunday claimed that a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) "wave" is sweeping the country and the Narendra Modi government would easily come retain power.
Cong will not have to campaign if people start listening to Modi's previous speeches: Gehlot
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of making "false promises" and claimed the Congress party would not need to campaign to win elections if people start hearing his previous speeches now. Addressing an election rally in Kolayat town in Bikaner district, Gehlot said people had high expectations from the prime minister but an environment of "fear, violence and hatred" was created in five years. He said the Congress party's election manifesto was prepared after "consulting people from all walks of life". "We do not impose anything on the people, like Prime Minister Narendra Modi did with his 'Mann ki Baat'." "Congress president Rahul Gandhi said that we need not impose anything but to listen to people's voice," Gehlot said at the meeting organised in support of Congress nominee for Lok Sabha polls Madan Meghwal. Accused Modi of making false promises, he said the prime minister will be exposed if people start hearing his previous election .
YSR, Andhra's 2nd most powerful family (Dynasty Politics)
If the NTR clan continues to dominate the politics in Andhra Pradesh for over three decades, the YSR family remains its biggest rival since taking the centre stage in 2004.
Election campaigns gaining momentum in Jammu region
Election campaigns are gaining momentum in the Jammu region with all the political parties trying their best to woo voters as only a few days are left for the first phase of Lok Sabha polls. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah addressed separate election rallies here in support of the party candidates, the Congress was banking on the services of its veteran leaders -- former chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and erstwhile 'Sadre-e-Riyasat' and scion of Dogra dynasty Karan Singh. The Jammu region is spread over 10 districts which are covered by two Lok Sabha seats of Jammu and Udhampur which are going to polls in the first two phases of the parliamentary elections on April 11 and 18, respectively. Jammu, Samba, Rajouri and Poonch districts falls in the Jammu Lok Sabha seat and Udhampur, Kathua, Reasi, Ramban, Doda and Kishtwar districts together make the Udhampur parliamentary constituency. A tough battle is on the cards as political analysts predicted no ...
Congress launches 'Ab Hoga Nyay' campaign; theme song by Javed Akhtar
The Congress on Sunday announced 'Ab Hoga Nyay' as its battle cry for the Lok Sabha polls and launched a campaign centred around the theme of 'justice', while alluding to the party's proposed minimum income scheme and the 'anyay' (injustice) "prevailing under the BJP rule". The campaign places Congress chief Rahul Gandhi at its core and reflects his style, which is informal, real, and helps him connect easily and genuinely with people, the party said. The themes covered in the campaign include the 'Nyay' scheme, poverty eradication, jobs for youth, farmers, women's reservation, simplified GST, universal healthcare, education and startups, as promised in the manifesto titled 'Congress will deliver'. As a special feature of the campaign, thousands of container trucks with Congress campaign advertisements on them will take the party's message to various parts of the country starting Sunday. The campaign will be centred around 'Nyay', which not only alludes to the Congress' minimum income
Modi comes to north Bengal only before polls: Mamata
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for coming to north Bengal only ahead of the elections, and skipping the region when the hills were turbulent.
Modi heads list of BJP star campaigners in Rajasthan
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party President Amit Shah and former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje are among BJP's 40 star campaigners for the Lok Sabha elections in Rajasthan.
Erdogan's party to demand total recount of Istanbul ballots
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's party said Sunday it will demand a recount of all ballots cast in Istanbul during last week's mayoral election won by an opposition candidate. The Justice and Development Party (AKP) will make the demand by 5 pm (1400 GMT), its vice president Ali Ihsan Yavuz said. A recount is already under way in several of Istanbul's 39 districts. On Saturday, a party spokesman said the AKP would accept the results of local election recounts in Istanbul as well as Ankara, no matter which party is declared the winner. The AKP won most votes nationwide in last Sunday's election, but results showed the ruling party lost Ankara and was also narrowly defeated in Istanbul in what would be one of their worst setbacks in a decade and a half in power. Electoral authorities are conducting a recount in scores of districts in Ankara and in Istanbul where tallies showed the opposition CHP candidate Ekrem Imamoglu with a very slim lead over the AKP. Losing Istanbul would ..
IT raid on premises of MP CM's OSD, others
The Income Tax Department sleuths searched and seized huge cash and several documents during raids at the residence of MP Chief Minister Kamal Nath's Officer on special duty (OSD) Praveen Kakkar and some other premises, here on Sunday.
Mamata frustrated, petrified in face of defeat: Modi
The West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee venting her anger on the Election Commission, on her officials, and on him, showed she fears defeat in the coming Lok Sabha polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday.
Mumbai Joint CP Bharti transferred on EC's order
Mumbai Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Deven Bharti was transferred on Sunday after the Election Commission (EC) asked the Maharashtra government to shift him, an official said. Vinoy Kumar Choubey, a 1995 batch IPS officer, replaced Bharti who in turn was made Joint Commissioner of Police (Economic Offences Wing), a post held by the former. The Maharashtra government had earlier sent a proposal to EC to allow Bharti to continue on the post, but it was rejected. The EC directed the state government on Saturday to shift Bharti following which he was transferred, a senior official told PTI. According to the EC circular dated January 16, "no officer connected directly with the elections shall be allowed to continue in the present district of posting, if he/she has completed three years in that district during last four years". Bharti became the city's joint commissioner of police (law and order) in April 2015 and was the longest serving officer on the ...
Mayawati, Akhilesh, Ajit denounce BJP, Congress (Roundup)
Addressing their first joint rally in Uttar Pradesh, BSP supremo Mayawati, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav and RLD chief Ajit Singh on Sunday declared war on both the BJP and the Congress saying they were two sides of the same coin.
Stalin not qualified to speak on Cauvery issue: TN CM
: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami Sunday said DMK president M K Stalin was not qualified to speak on the Cauvery issue since the party had failed to notify the final award of the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal in the gazette. Also, he said the DMK had not fulfilled any of the promises it had made during the last assembly elections. Palaniswami made the allegations while campaigning for M Thambidurai contesting from Karur and alliance party candidate PMK nominee S Jothimuthu from Dindigul. "It was only the government of amma, as Jayalalithaa was fondly addressed, which solved the Cauvery issue raging for decades. The DMK does not have the right to talk about it," he said. Palaniswami criticised Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram for not allotting sufficient funds to Tamil Nadu. Had he allotted funds, several farmer-friendly schemes would have been implemented, the chief minister said. He said the Congress and the DMK remember the people only