Page 1011 - Politics
Rahul's contest in Wayanad wrong decision: CPI
CPI Sunday said Congress president Rahul Gandhi's contest in Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala against the party candidate was a "wrong decision" and denied any match fixing between Congress and the Left parties. "It is a wrong decision by Gandhi. It has sent a wrong signal among the people about the intention when both the Left parties and Congress were fighting against the BJP," CPI General secretary S Sudhakar Reddy told reporters here. He replied in the negative to a question whether there was any understanding between the CPI-M and Congress in Wayanad. "It is not correct. There is no match fixing by CPIM or other Left parties," Reddy said. The ruling LDF in Kerala has fielded CPI's P P Suneer in Wayanad while the BJP-led NDA named Thushar Vellappally, president of Bharath Dharma Jana Sena, for the seat. Top leaders of both the CPIM and CPI have criticised the Congress move. Gandhi, who filed his nomination last week, has, however, said he would not speak against the .
Former MP Santosh Chaudhary accuses Amarinder of denying ticket
Former Union minister Santosh Chaudhary Sunday blamed Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh after she was denied Congress ticket to contest the coming general election from Hoshiarpur and asked the party high command to explain why she was "punished for no reason". The Congress has given ticket to its sitting MLA Raj Kumar Chabbewal from Hoshiarpur parliamentary seat. Addressing the media here,Chaudhary, a three-time MP, alleged Singh was responsible for the denial of ticket to her. She asked the party high command to explainto her why she was "punished for no reason" and why electorates were "insulted" by fielding a turncoat. She alleged that a turncoat was preferred to a time-tested party leader in allocating ticket from Hoshiarpur. She was referring to Raj Kumar Chabbewal who was allotted party ticket from Hoshiarpur, ignoring her claim. "A man who is MLA for just two years was preferred to Chaudhary family having 80 years standing in Congress through its three generations," she ...
Will PM Modi have courage to fight from Kerala or Tamil Nadu, asks Shashi Tharoor
Rahul Gandhi's decision to contest from Wayanad shows he has the confidence to win from both north and south India, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said Sunday and asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi would have the courage to fight from a seat in Kerala or Tamil Nadu. With Gandhi contesting the Lok Sabha polls from Kerala's Wayanad constituency, there is palpable excitement across the southern states that the next prime minister could be elected from the the region, Tharoor told PTI in an interview. Tharoor also slammed Modi and the BJP for suggesting that Gandhi chose Wayanad to "run away" from majority dominated areas, saying the ruling party has repeatedly resorted to peddling bigotry. It was dismaying that this was coming from the prime minister, he added. "By reinforcing his role as a torchbearer for the BJP's bigotry, Mr Modi has disregarded the principled position that a prime minister of India must be a prime minister for all Indians," he told PTI from ...
Netanyahu vows to annex occupied West Bank settlements if re-elected
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday said that he would annex settlements in the occupied West Bank if he wins the Tuesday's elections."I am going to apply Israeli sovereignty, but I do not distinguish between settlement blocs and isolated settlements. From my perspective, each of those settlement points is Israeli. We have the responsibility [for them] as the government of Israel. I don't uproot any, and I won't transfer them to the sovereignty of the Palestinians. I take care of them all," Times of Israel quoted Benjamin as saying.Netanhayu made these remarks during an interview to a news channel just three days before Israel's Presidential election.According to some of his officials, last month's US's recognition of Golan Heights as Israel part has reportedly, bolstered Netanyahu to further claim West Bank. Netanyahu believes US President Donald Trump "would give him backing and legitimization to annex or extend Israeli law to all West Bank settlements or at least ..
Congress launches 'Ab Hoga Nyay' poll campaign
With just four days before the voting for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections, the Congress launched its poll campaign with the tagline 'Ab Hoga Nyay' here on Sunday. The campaign focuses on the Congress' key poll promise of Nyuntam Ayay Yojana (NYAY), problem of unemployment, women security, and farm distress.'Ab Hoga Nyay' slogan will feature in party posters, radio jingles, and hoardings. Lyrics of the campaign have been written by Javed Akhtar and made by film producer-director Nikhil Advani. The campaign takes aim at demonetisation, unemployment, and farm distress and renaming of several places by the BJP government.It emphasises on Kaam (job), Daam (price), Samman (respect) and Nyay (justice), party's publicity committee chairman Anand Sharma said at a press conference here on Sunday.He said that the word 'Nyay' in its campaign doesn't refer just to the party's poll promise of Rs 72,000 to 20 per cent of India's poorest but reflects several promises of the party."It is not in
Lt Gen Dhillon urges Kashmiri youths to leave terrorist groups, promises rehabilitation
"Head back to your homes. We will help you rehabilitate," said Lt Gen KJS Dhillon on Sunday while requesting Kashmiri boys who joined terrorist groups to return home and lead a peaceful life."Life of a terrorist after he picks up the gun is three days to 30 days to three months or a few months. So I would request you to get back to your home and we will help you re-establish and rehabilitate," said Lt Dhillon, while talking to ANI.I would like to request all students and boys who are joining terrorist groups to surrender and especially mothers to ask them to surrender," Lt Gen KJS Dhillon told ANI.Giving details of Saturday's encounter, Dhillon said that two terrorists were killed in the encounter, out of which, one was a local and a technical graduate, and joined the terrorist group on April 3 and was killed within days."In 2018, more than 250 terrorists were killed. This year, the figure is almost touching 70 in three months. After Pulwama terror attack, we have targeted the ...
Robert Vadra to campaign for Congress 'all over India'
Businessman Robert Vadra on Sunday said that he would campaign for the Congress party all over India in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.Robert Vadra is the husband of Congress party general secretary in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.Robert said that he will also be present with his mother-in-law Sonia Gandhi and brother-in-law Rahul Gandhi during their filing of nominations.On being asked if he will campaign for Congress party for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections, Robert told ANI, "Yes. All over India, after the filing of nominations (by Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi)."When asked if he will go to Amethi and Raebareli parliamentary constituencies at the time of filing of nominations by Rahul and Sonia, Robert said, "Yes."Congress president Rahul Gandhi will file his nomination from Amethi parliamentary constituency on April 10 and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi will file her nomination from Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat on April 11.The polls in Amethi and Rae Bareli ...
TRS has acted against Constitution: Yogi
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday attacked Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao for his government's "unconstitutional" move to implement 12 per cent reservation for Muslims.Addressing an election rally here, Yogi Adityanath said, "TRS government in the state had announced 12 per cent reservation. This type of reservation is against the Constitution. One cannot give reservation on the basis of caste and religion."The UP chief minister was referring to the resolution passed by the Telangana legislature and sent for Centre's approval seeking an increase in reservations for Muslims in jobs and education from current four per cent to 12 per cent.Yogi said: "Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government did the right thing when it announced 10 per cent reservation for economically weaker section of the society".Flaying the Congress for not taking a tough stance against terror, the chief minister said, "Congress party never took action against terrorist, rather they
Cong, Left will stoop to any level to oust me: Modi in Tripura
Hitting out at the Congress and the Left Front, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Sunday the opposition parties were hell-bent on removing him from power, even if that meant singing paeans to Pakistan. Addressing a rally in Udaipur, Modi said the people of Tripura has set a precedent for the entire country by ousting the Left Front government after 25 years. "Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress has been trying its best to make inroads into Tripura, but people here would not let that happen. They have tolerated the atrocities of the Left Front, waiting patiently for the BJP to rise. I thank the people of Tripura for believing in the BJP," he stated. Modi asserted that the opposition parties could stoop to any level to remove him from power. "The Congress and the Left are working together to oust Modi. They have stooped too low, singing paeans to Pakistan even when the NDA government was taking on the terrorists on the soil of the neighbouring country. "In Tripura, they ...
Defence secretary Sanjay Mitra arrives on 2-day visit to Sri Lanka
Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra arrived on a two-day visit to Sri Lanka on Sunday during which he will call on President Maithripala Sirisena and participate in several high level defence meetings. Mitra, who arrived in Colombo along with six other Indian officials, will also visit the central town of Kandy and the north central town of Anuradhapura, Sri Lankan officials said. The Defence Secretary will have bilateral defence talks in Colombo and will take part in several high level meetings. He is scheduled to meet President Sirisena, his counterpart Hemasiri Fernando and chief of defense staff Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne, officials said. Mitra's visit comes nearly three months after a constitutional and political crisis precipitated by Sirisena's action to sack Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister and replace him with Mahinda Rajapaksa. The over 50-day constitutional and political impasse ended mid-December when Sirisena was directed by the Supreme Court to restore ...
LJP manifesto promises job reservation in private sector
The Lok Janshakti Party, an ally of the BJP Sunday promised extending job reservation in private sector, stern action against those involved in cow vigilantism and mob lynching, if elected to power in the coming Lok Sabha election. Releasing the party's manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections LJP chief and Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said stern action would be taken against those found guilty of mob lynching and giving speeches which incite communal flare up in the society. Pitching for reservation in private sector, Paswan said that his party has promised to extend the benefits of reservation in private sector. Besides, it also talked about incorporating right to work as fundamental right. The LJP has been raising the issue of constituting 'National Youth Commission' which would take care of all the problems of faced by youths, he said. The manifesto also talked about giving 12 decimal of land to landless people irrespective of their caste and religion. Paswan ...
Engineer Rashid is dark horse in Baramulla LS contest
Former MLA and Independent candidate Engineer Rashid is emerging as the dark horse in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency.
EC orders FIR into cash recovery in Arunachal
Days after Rs 1.8 crore was recovered from two vehicles in Arunachal Pradesh, the Election Commission Sunday ordered poll authorities in the north eastern state to get an FIR lodged under a penal provision dealing with bribing voters. While one vehicle belonged to former MLA Dangi Perme, the other vehicle was registered in the name of a deputy secretary of state transport department. The money was recovered during raids by the Election Commission's expenditure monitoring committee. In a letter to state chief electoral officer, the EC directed him to get an FIR registered under section 171 C and D of the Indian Penal Code dealing with bribing of voters. The state goes to Lok Sabha polls on April 11.
Cong blowing Pakistan's trumpet more than that of India: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday alleged that the Congress, through its manifesto, is blowing the trumpet of Pakistan more than that of India. Addressing a rally here, Modi also noted that Congress had claimed no one could tamper with Article 370 of the Constitution, an assertion which Pakistan agreed to. "Congress is helping spread propaganda of Pakistan across the world... Congress' hypocrisy document seems to blow the trumpet of Pakistan more than that of India," he said. Article 370 grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir and limits Parliament's power to make laws concerning the state. "The Congress stands with those who want separate prime ministers for India and Jammu and Kashmir," Modi said. Polling for the two Lok Sabha seats in Manipur will be held on April 11 and April 18.
Congress names 9 more Assembly candidates in Odisha
The Congress on Sunday announced candidates for nine more assembly seats in Odisha. Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Niranjan Patnaik has been fielded from Bhandaripokhari assembly seat in Bhadrak district. He has already filed his nomination from Ghasipura Assembly seat in Keonjhar district. The OPCC chief will be taking on BJD leader and state minister Badri Narayan Patra at Ghasipura and Prafulla Samal, also a minister, in Bhandaripokhari. The party has also fielded Nalinikanta Mohanty from Bhadrak, Sitakanta Mohapatra from Barchana, Rabindranath Kar from Salepur, Bibhranshu Sekhar Lenka from Mahakalapada, Dr Lalatendu Mohapatra from Balikuda-Ersama and Satyabrata Patra from Nimapara. In the new list, the party has replaced two of its candidates with new faces. Debi Prasad Mallick has been fielded in place of Bibhu Prasad Tarai for Tirtol Assembly seat, while Smruti Rekha Pahi was replaced with Kisan Panda from Dharmasala. With this, the Congress has ...
59 registered, unrecognised parties vie for Guj Lok Sabha pie
Fifty-nine registered but unrecognised parties have fielded candidates for the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat, a state which has traditionally seen direct fights between the BJP and the Congress. Among them, Hindustan Nirman Dal and Bahujan Mukti Party have fielded eight and six candidates respectively, while the Right to Recall Party and Vyavastha Parivartan Party will fight from four seats each. The Garvi Gujarat Party, Manvadhikar National Party and the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Party have fielded candidates from three seats each. Other outfits like the Gujarat Janta Panchayat Party, Rashtriya Jankranti Party are also in the fray with their candidates filling nominations for two seats each. Yuva Sarkar Party, which has fielded its candidate on Navsari seat, believes that political parties should not give tickets to candidates over 50 years of age. The party claims power was still concentrated in the hands of elderly leaders despite over 65 population of the country ...
BJP launches campaign themes, says choice between decisive Modi & Oppn's chaos
Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley Sunday launched the party's campaign themes for the Lok Sabha polls and asserted that the choice for people in the elections will be between the "cohesive and tested" government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and "chaos and mahamilawat" offered by the Opposition. Taking a swipe at the Opposition, he said people have to decide between a government led by one captain or a team of 11 players, and that of 40 captains. His party's campaign with the tag line of "Phir ek bar, Modi sarkar" (Modi government, once more) will centre on the Modi's five-year performance, including on the national security front, "honesty", and his ability to take big decisions among other issues, Jaitley told reporters. The Union minister said these promises are not for future as the government has fulfilled them in its five year term. The BJP will launch its manifesto on Monday. Jaitley was joined by Union minister Piyush Goyal and BJP general secretary Bhupender Yadav, among ...
Clear trend in BJP's favour; Oppn divided, Congress a fringe party: Javadekar
BJP leader Prakash Javadekar Sunday claimed that a clear trend in his party's favour had emerged for the Lok Sabha polls, as he made light of the challenge from a "divided" opposition, saying the Congress has become a "fringe" party under Rahul Gandhi. Expressing confidence that the BJP will better its 2014 tally and win over 300 seats, the Union minister said that last time around people voted in "hope" (of better days) and now they will vote in "confidence" seeing the Modi government's performance. The opposition's grand alliance hardly exists and its constituents have been fighting each other in states such as Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Delhi and Andhra Pradesh, he claimed, adding that the people believe that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's only agenda is taking the country forward. "I see a very clear trend in BJP's favour. People want to give Modi another chance. They voted in 2014 in hope because he was not tested in Delhi. "Now, they will vote in confidence because they believe
Congress attacks Vijayan over 'tainted' Canadian firm
The Congress on Sunday asked Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to break his silence over involvement of a company that has stakes in 'tainted' Canadian firm SNC Lavalin in an infrastructure bond floated by the state government.
I have done enough for Shillong constituency: Pala
Former Union Minister and Congress candidate for the Shillong Lok Sabha seat, Vincent Pala claimed that he has done enough for his constituency in the last 10-years to be re-elected again. The highways were in shambles when I became MP for the first time in 2009. I have managed to convince all concerned and successfully built and completed the Shillong-Guwahati four lane road, the Shillong Bye-Pass, Jowai-Silchar highway, ShillongNongstoinTura highway, said, Pala the sitting MP from Shillong seat. "I have done enough for Shillong constituency in last 10 years as an MP. I have been successful in getting infrastructural projects worth over Rs 8,000 crore," the two time MP told PTI. "My constituency has issues with connectivity and congestion and I have tried my level best to ensure that these are resolved," he said. Pala said he is very approachable. "I have been approachable as ever. I meet people till as late as mid night and then in the morning again. I have never ...