Page 1018 - Politics
Libya PM accuses rival of betrayal over Tripoli offensive
The head of Libya's UN-backed government Fayez al-Sarraj on Saturday accused his rival Khalifa Haftar of betraying him over a military offensive against the capital Tripoli which risks plunging the country into civil war. Forces loyal to the Libyan commander have pressed on with their assault despite international calls to halt hostilities. In a televised address, Sarraj warned of a "war without a winner". "We have extended our hands towards peace but after the aggression that has taken place on the part of forces belonging to Haftar... he will find nothing but strength and firmness," he said. Po-Haftar fighters have been slowed in their advance by forces loyal to Sarraj's Government of National Accord (GNA), which is based in the capital. For the first time, forces backing the GNA launched air strikes earlier Saturday on Haftar's self-proclaimed Libyan National Army (LNA) -- which vowed to retaliate -- around 50 kilometres south of Tripoli. Pro-government forces in Tripoli confirmed .
Rajiv Kumar's comments violate MCC norms: Election Commission
Ahead of the Lok Sabha election, the Election Commission of India has written a letter to NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar over his remarks on NYAY (Nyuntam Aay Yojna) scheme, stating that the comments violate norms prescribed under the Model Code of Conduct (MCC)."The Commission has considered your reply and has not found the same to be satisfactory," said Narendra N. Butolia, Principal Secretary, Election Commission."The spirit of Model Code of Conduct requires all public servants to ensure the sanctity of the electoral process, not to either engage in or appear to engage in any activity that disturbs or appears to disturb the level playing field of conduct of election or creates doubts in the minds of the stakeholders about integrity of the electoral process," Butolia added.He shared that the Commission has come to the conclusion that Kumar's comments "violate the MCC norms.""The Commission has therefore decided to convey its displeasure to you for your comments and expects ...
Senegal President Sall tells PM to scrap his own post
Senegal's prime minister on Saturday announced that President Macky Sall had instructed him to launch reforms that will include the scrapping of his own job. The reforms would include "the suppression of the intermediary level of prime minister", said Mahammed Boun Abdallah Dionne, who Sall had just reappointed to the post. The aim is to bring the administration closer to the administrated and to speed up reforms so they had more impact, said Dionne, speaking from the presidential palace. Dionne was also named as secretary general of the Republic, according to a presidential decree read out on national television. Once the prime minister's post has disappeared, he will continue in this second role, Dionne said. Sall took office this week for his second term as president after comfortably winning re-election. Sall garnered 58 per cent of the vote, well clear of former prime minister Idrissa Seck on 20 per cent with the rest of the pack left trailing, to win easily in a single round of .
Party hoppers before Lok Sabha polls
Before the Lok Sabha elections, a number of politicians switched parties hoping better prospects. IANS compiles a list of the prominent leaders who switched allegiance in the run-up to the elections.
Congress hits back at Jaitley over diary remarks
The Congress on Saturday hit back at Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for his remarks on the AgustaWestland case about diaries being an admissible evidence, asking why his BJP was silent on the Sahara and Yeddy diaries.
Shatrughan joins Congress, to fight from Patna Sahib (2nd Lead)
Actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha on Saturday joined the Congress, ending his decades-old association with the Bharatiya Janata Party on its foundation day and slamming Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party chief Amit Shah as "one-man show, two-man army".
Policeman transferred to non-election post in Andhra Pradesh
A police officer has been transferred for allegedly failing to implement the model code of conduct in Madanapalle, an official said Saturday. P Suresh Kumar, the circle inspector, will be posted to a non-election position, said Andhra Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Gopal Krishna Dwivedi. He said M Subbarayudu, CI, DTC Anantapuram has now been posted as Circle Inspector of Madanapalle town-II. A report has been called from the state government regrading the matter on the basis of which the Election Commission will decide the next course of action. Dwivedi said reportedly a few districts were appointing private school teachers in the polling parties. Later, all the district election officers were asked to appoint only government employees on polling duties.
Dimple Yadav owns Rs 37 crore assets with Akhilesh
Dimple Yadav, the Samajwadi Party candidate from Kannauj in Uttar Pradesh, is a millionaire and owns Rs 37 crore together with her husband and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav.
BJP: Citizenship Bill a non issue in North-East
Terming the Citizenship Amendment Bill a non-issue, BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the people of the North East are "nationalists" and more concerned about national issues."There are more vital issues such as Pulwama attack, Jammu and Kashmir, Ujjwala Yojana, Aarogya Yojana about which voters are more concerned," said Sarma.To the question of BJP's allies in North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) deserting it in the wake of Citizenship Amendment Bill Sarma said, "On some seats where the Congress is not a strong contender, we are fighting against our allies but on most seats, we are fighting unitedly against the Congress."The former Congressman who joined the BJP in 2015 said that the Congress will be uprooted in the elections. "We are going to win more than 10 seats in Assam alone and 20 plus seats in the North-East" he further added.In another rally, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal called the Congress a corruption-tainted party which stands no chance in front of the .
Congress' manifesto made to gather votes of J-K separatists: Ram Madhav
Criticising the manifesto released by the Congress for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) General Secretary Ram Madhav on Saturday said that Opposition party's manifesto has been made to gather votes of the separatists of Jammu and Kashmir."It appears as if this manifesto has been made to gather votes of the separatists of Jammu and Kashmir. There is no all India vision in it. It is a manifesto made for vote-bank only," Madhav said while addressing a public rally here.The BJP has been attacking Congress for promising to review the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) and to repeal Section 124A (sedition law) in its party's manifesto.It is worth to mention here that AFSPA gives the armed forces certain protection from legal action in carrying out their operations in disturbed areas.
BJP to launch its election manifesto 'Sankalp Patra' on Monday
New Delhi [India], Apr 6 (ANI): BJP is set to release its manifesto for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections on April 8.The manifesto will be released in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah. Other senior leaders of the party including several Cabinet Ministers will be present at the event.BJP conducted around three-month long exercise to make this "Sankalp Patra", or the election manifesto for the 2019 election.The party had also launched hundreds of chariots for its 'Bharat Ke Mann Ki Baat, Modi ke Saath' campaign in February this year as it wanted to seek suggestions directly from the people to prepare its "Sankalp Patra"The party had sought suggestions from the people from almost every Lok Sabha seat through this campaign.Earlier on January 6, BJP had constituted 20-member manifesto committee led by Home Minister Rajanth Singh. Rajnath later constituted 15 sub-committees to work on the Manifesto.Now the long exercise is over and BJP is ready with its
Venezuelans protest as Guaido declares history's 'greatest escalation'
Opposition supporters thronged the streets of Caracas and other cities on Saturday in protest against the regime of President Nicolas Maduro, as massive blackouts and the collapse of water supplies further exacerbated a growing political crisis. The United States meanwhile stiffened its economic sanctions against the government, and one top US official on Saturday warned Venezuela's military that it must protect the rights of peaceful protesters. Late Friday, opposition leader Juan Guaido -- who is supported in his claim to be the legitimate interim leader by around 50 nations -- called for a huge turnout in Caracas, announcing in a phone message to supporters the start of "the greatest escalation of pressure we have seen in our history." Two opposition deputies were detained in an anti-government protest in the western city of Maracaibo, fellow legislator Adriana Pichardo said, denouncing the arrests as a violation of parliamentary immunity. Deputy Elimar Diaz, who joined the ...
Congress expels two rebel candidates in Karnataka
The Congress on Saturday expelled two party members for contesting against official candidates it fielded jointly with ruling coalition partner Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) in two Karnataka Lok Sabha seats.
Ram Madhav seeks people's cooperation in wiping out terrorism from J-K
BJP general secretary Ram Madhav Saturday sought people's cooperation in wiping out terrorism from Jammu and Kashmir. "Our fight is against terrorism which is your problem as well. We have almost finished terrorism from the state and need your cooperation to wipe it out completely," Madhav said, addressing election rallies in the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri. Seeking support for the party candidate from the Jammu parliamentary constituency Jugal Kishore, he said "where there is terror, there can never be peace". "We have to wipe out terrorism and our government has taken various steps in this direction. When we entered into a coalition with late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed (former chief minister and PDP patron), our common focus was eradication of terrorism from the state," he said. He said his party considers the people of all the regions of the state as its own. "When we say Jammu and Kashmir is ours, we do not just mean the land but the entire population of Jammu, Ladakh ..
Shah's roadshow starts with slogan 'entire Kashmir is ours'
BJP chief and the party's Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat candidate Amit Shah held two roadshows here Saturday as part of his election campaign and made people chant a slogan proclaiming that the entire Kashmir belongs to India. He made a gathering chant the slogan before his first roadshow in the morning. It came in the wake of PDP chief and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti's criticism that Shah was "daydreaming" about abrogating Article 370 of the Constitution that provides a special status to the state. Saturday was the BJP's 39th foundation day. The first roadshow started from Sarkhej area in the morning, while the second, held late in the evening, passed through the Sabarmati area of the city. Before embarking on the roadshow from Sarkhej, Shah garlanded photographs of Jan Sangh founders Deendayal Upadhyaya and Shyama Prasad Mukhejee. He then made the gathering chant, "Jaha hue balidan Mukherjee, woh Kashmir hamara hai. Sara ka sara hamara hai. (The Kashmir where
Uncertainty cleared, Modi to address Cooch Behar rally
With less than a week left for the first phase of the general elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a public rally in north Bengal's Cooch Behar on Sunday, four days after his twin rallies in the state.
Sitharaman slams Cong's role as opposition party
Senior BJP leader Nirmala Sitharaman Saturday urged people to assess the Congress' five years in the opposition, claiming it was creating chaos to stop the government from doing good work. She said the amount of 72,000 per year, promised by the Congress to the poor under its NYAY scheme, was half of what the Narendra Modi government is giving away currently to poor citizens through direct subsidy transfers. While addressing professionals and intellectuals of the city here as part of BJP's Lok Sabha campaign, she said though PM Modi was ready to reply to the Congress' questions in Parliament, leaders in the opposition created chaos and did not allow him to do so. "Before 2014, the BJP was in opposition and it campaigned to uproot a corrupt government. Now, we are in power while the Congress is in opposition. You should compare our performance as an opposition and that of the Congress," she said. "As an opposition party, we used to raise questions in the Parliament. But, .
Goyal lists unfulfilled poll promises of Congress
Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has alleged that the Congress makes false promises in its manifesto to win votes and noted that perusal of promises made by the party in its 2004 and 2009 manifestos highlights its tendency to "lie and cheat voters".
Jagan's Congress remarks open new post-poll scenarios (News Analysis)
YSR Congress leader Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy's remarks that he has forgiven the Congress could lead to new alignments after the Lok Sabha elections if there is a hung Parliament and parties now perceived to be friendly to the BJP adopt a different course.
Yogi Adityanath to address 2 public meetings in Telangana
: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will address two public meetings in Telangana on April 7 in the run up to the coming Lok Sabha elections in the state, BJP sources said. They said Adityanath would first address a public meeting at the government junior college at Pddapalli in support of the party's candidate, S Kumar. He would be accompanied by Dr K Laxman, the BJP state president. BJP general secretary P Muralidhar Rao would also participate in the meeting. Adityanath's next public meeting would be at Yellareddy where he will canvass in support of Banala Laxma Reddy. G Premender Reddy, BJP state general secretary and other party leaders would accompany him, they said.