Page 1020 - Politics
PM to address rallies in Gujarat On April 10
Mega poll campaigner for the BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is expected to hold around four public rallies on April 10 in his home state Gujarat.
BJP never believes in politics of dynasty: Das
Taking a swipe at the JMM and the Congress, Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das Saturday said that the BJP never believes in politics of dynasty. "The BJP never does politics of dynasty and family. That is the reason why a 'tea seller' is Prime Minister and a 'mazdoor' is a Chief Minister (of Jharkhand). The people of the country cast their votes keeping the interest of the country, which led to a majority government after 30 years (in 2014)," Das said told reporters here. Das accompanied party nominee V D Ram when he went to file his nomination from Palamau (SC) constituency, which is going to polls on April 29. The chief ministers remarks on politics of family dynasty comes in the background of the JMM re-nominating its president Shibu Soren from Dumka and his daughter Anjali Soren from Mayurbhanj in neighbouring Odisha in the Lok Sabha elections. Sorens son, Hemant has been a former chief minister and currently holds the post of working president and the youngest .
Disappointed by BJP, leader quits party in J&K
Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, a senior J-K BJP leader Saturday quit the party, disappointed over its "failure" to fulfil promises made to the SC, ST and OBC communities in the state. Jammu and Kashmir vice-president of the BJP's SC morcha, Narinder Kesar said that he along with his supporters had worked hard to ensure the saffron party's victory in the 2014 elections. However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state failed to meet the expectations of the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC). "I have submitted my resignation to BJP state president Ravinder Raina to lodge my protest against the failure of the party to fulfil its promises to the SC, ST and OBC communities," he told reporters here. "Raina had assured that the BJP will fulfil demands like clearance of pending backlog in recruitment, extending the jurisdiction of national commission for SC, ST and OBC to the state, timely scholarships to students of the communities, ...
Erdogan's ruling AKP ready to accept election recount results
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling AKP will accept the results of local election recounts in Ankara and Istanbul no matter which party is declared the winner, a party spokesman said on Saturday. 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. "At the end of the day, we will accept the final result regardless of whether it is to our advantage or disadvantage," AKP spokesman Omer Celik told a briefing for the foreign press in Istanbul. Voters may have punished the AKP at the ballot box, with Turkey's economy in recession after a currency crisis last year that hit Turkish households hard when the lira ..
Cong fields MLA Ram Lal Thakur against Anurag Thakur
Battlelines have been drawn on all the four Lok Sabha seats of Himachal Pradesh, with the Congress declaring legislator Ram Lal Thakur as its candidate against sitting BJP MP Anurag Thakur on Saturday. Ram Lal Thakur, 67, is the sitting Congress MLA from Naina Devi assembly segment. The five-time MLA will contest from Hamirpur against Anurag Thakur, who is the son of former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal. Anurag Thakur had defeated Rajinder Singh Rana by more than 98,000 votes in the 2014 election. Apart from Ram Lal Thakur, the Congress has announced the candidature of MLA Pawan Kajal for Kangra constituency, Colonel (retd) Dhani Ram Shandil from Shimla, former chief minister Sukh Ram's grandson and BJP state minister Anil Sharma's son, Aashray Sharma, from Mandi. The Bharatiya Janata Party has also announced the candidature of Pachhad MLA Suresh Kashyap from Shimla, sitting MP Ram Swaroop Sharma from Mandi, state minister Kishan Kapoor from Kangra. Himachal goes to polls in the ...
Polish opposition warns of 'Polexit' ahead of European vote
A coalition of Polish opposition parties on Saturday launched its campaign for May's European elections by warning that the governing eurosceptic PiS party could drive the country out of the European Union. The PiS government has stoked tensions with the EU by introducing a string of controversial judicial reforms that Brussels says pose a threat to judicial independence, the rule of law and ultimately to democracy. Warsaw has since backed out of some of the controversial legislation, but the opposition is still concerned that the PiS government's clash with Brussels could pave the way to a "Polexit". "Either (we have) a strong, prosperous, democratic Poland in a strong Europe or what we have today - a party state - on the way to leaving the European Union," said Grzegorz Schetyna, leader of the liberal Civic Platform (PO), the largest of five opposition parties in the European Coalition (KE). "Either a Poland that is one of the leaders of the West, or Poland a drifting to the East," .
Internal strife in Cong-JDS combine at its peak: BJP leader
BJP leader and former deputy chief minister R Ashoka claimed Saturday that the mistrust between the ruling partners in Karnataka was growing and it has peaked during the days ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. "This is mostly evident in Mandya where actress Sumalatha Ambareesh is contesting against Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamys son Nikhil," Ashoka told reporters here. The supporters of Congress are openly campaigning for Sumalatha in the segment, he claimed. "Trouble is brewing in Hassan also where JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowdas grandson Prajwal Revanna is contesting," Ashoka said. He ridiculed Congress candidate for Dakshina Kannada Mithun Rai visiting temples wearing saffron shawls, saying "Congress is behaving like a drama troupe.
UK issues passports without 'European Union' on cover
Britain has begun issuing passports with the words "European Union" removed from the front cover -- despite Brexit being delayed and its political leaders deadlocked over how to extricate the country from the bloc. The interior ministry said Saturday that a longstanding decision to start introducing passports without reference to the EU had gone ahead from March 30, the day after the original date for Brexit. Prime Minister Theresa May has delayed leaving the bloc after 46 years of membership amid stubborn opposition in parliament to the divorce deal she finalised with European leaders in November. MPs have comprehensively rejected the agreement three times. Ahead of an EU summit on Wednesday, she was forced to ask them for another extension, until June 30, to prevent Britain departing with no deal at the end of next week. But the other 27 members must give unanimous backing to any further postponement and are increasingly impatient at the paralysis in Westminster. They could offer ...
Pak not interested in eliminating terrorism: Sitharaman
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Saturday slammed Pakistan for not acting against terrorists operating from its soil despite India providing it evidence several times. Sitharaman told reporters here that Pakistan did not want to eliminate terror. "Pakistan is interested in promoting terrorism. It does not want to eliminate terrorism," the senior BJP leader said when asked about Pakistan stonewalling dossiers on terrorists supplied by India. "Not just this government, but even earlier governments have given dossier after dossier, evidence after evidence but Pakistan has done nothing on them," she said. Talking about the 26/11 terror attack on Mumbai by Pakistani terrorists, she said even the first court in the neighbouring country had not completed the job of trying the accused. Claiming that only the Narendra Modi government could give a befitting reply to terrorists, she said opposition parties were insulting soldiers by questioning the February 26 air strikes on a ...
Modi is like 'dreaded terrorist', says Andhra CM
In a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday said he is like a "dreaded terrorist" who has no humanity left in him.
AAP toughens terms for tieup with Congress in Delhi
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) would enter into an alliance with the Congress in Delhi only if it agreed for the same in Haryana in the Lok Sabha polls and backed its demand of full statehood to Delhi, said a senior party leader on Saturday.
Naveen contesting from two seats fearing defeat in Hinjili:
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Saturday took a dig at his Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik and said the BJD president is contesting Assembly election from two seats "fearing" defeat in his home turf Hinjili in Ganjam district. Like Congress president Rahul Gandhi went to Kerala, Patnaik ran away from Hinjili to Bijepur apprehending defeat because of "failure" of his government on all fronts, the firebrand BJP leader said in a telephonic address for election rallies organised in Berhampur and Phulbani. The UP Chief Minister, who was scheduled to attend two meetings in Phulbani in Kandhamal district and Berhampur in Ganjam district, was unable do so as his helicopter was not allowed to fly there due to absence of night landing and take off facilities in both the places, BJP leaders said. While those who had been waiting at the venues for a long time to hear the firebrand BJP leader were left disappointed, Adityanath, however, addressed the gathering in both
Rebel Amrith Shenoy expelled from Congress
The Congress on Saturday expelled AICC member Amrith Shenoy from the party for a period of six years for anti-party activities, sources said. Shenoy, who filed his nomination as an independent candidate against the Congress- JD(S) combine candidate Pramod Madhwaraj in Udupi-Chikkamagaluru Lok Sabha constituency, had refused to withdraw his papers. Shenoy was an aspirant for the Congress ticket in the constituency which was given to the JD(S) as part of seat-sharing agreement. The JDS gave the ticket to Congress leader and former minister Madhwaraj as a "coalition candidate," as the party could not find a suitable candidate in the segment. Karnataka PCC secretary Shafiulla announced the decision to expel Shenoy through a statement.
EC bans publication of uncertified ads on polling day and day before
The Election Commission on Saturday barred parties, candidates and others from publishing political advertisements on polling day and a day prior to it in each of the seven phases of Lok Sabha polls unless their contents are pre-certified by screening committees. The Commission used its constitutional powers to take the decision. The EC had taken such a decision for the first time in 2015 Bihar polls. Its proposal to ban political advertisements on election day and a day before is pending with the law ministry for years. The poll panel said Saturday that instances of advertisements of offending and misleading nature published in print media have been brought to its notice in the past. "Such advertisements in the last stage of the election vitiate the entire election process. The affected candidates and parties will not have any opportunity of providing clarification/rebuttal in such a scenario," it said. The EC order said that to ensure that no untoward incident takes place because of
Congress is a sinking ship like Titanic: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday compared the opposition Congress to a "sinking ship" which will take down all who are on it.
IUML complains to EC against Yogi's 'virus' remark
A day after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath dubbed the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) a "virus", the party on Saturday filed a complaint with the Election Commission (EC).
BJP slams Rahul for remarks on Advani; Maintain some decorum, tweets Sushma Swaraj
The BJP on Saturday hit out at Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on party veteran L K Advani, accusing him of lowering the level of political discourse while its senior leader Sushma Swaraj asked the Congress president to maintain "some decorum" in his speech. Facing defeat in the upcoming elections the opposition party and its leaders have become desperate and are hurling abuses at BJP leaders, Union Minister Piyush Goyal alleged while reacting to Gandhi's remarks in which he had accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of humiliating Advani. Addressing a poll rally at Chandrapur in Maharashtra, Gandhi had Friday said, "BJP talks of Hinduism. In Hinduism, guru is supreme. It talks of guru-shishya tradition. Who is Modi's guru? Advani. Joota maar ke stage se utara (Advani was kicked out from stage)." Taking strong objection to Gandhi's remarks, Swaraj tweeted: "Rahulji - Advani ji is our father figure. Your words have hurt us deeply. Please try to maintain some decorum of your speech." Goyal ..
PM to campaign in Mangaluru on April 13
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive here on April 13 to campaign for the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, party sources said. He will address an election rally at Nehru Maidan in the city at 3.30 pm in which more than a lakh people will take part, the sources said. Meanwhile, election officer and Dakshina Kannada deputy commissioner Sasikanth Senthil held a meeting here to finalise the security arrangements to be made for the visit. District superintendent of police B M Laxmi Prasad, city police commissioner Sandeep Patil and zilla panchayat chief executive officer R Selvamani attended the meeting. The Lok Sabha elections will be held in two phases in Karnataka on April 18 and 23.
BJP fields Tarai from Jagatsinghpur LS seat
The BJP Saturday named former CPI MP Bibhu Prasad Tarai as its candidate for the Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha seat in Odisha. Tarai, who was given a Congress ticket to contest from Tirtol assembly segment, however, quit the grand old party and joined the BJP on Thursday and received the nomination to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Jagatsinghpur as a BJP candidate. Tarai had won the Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha seat in 2009 in a CPI ticket. He Tarai thanked the BJP leadership for fielding him as a candidate from Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha seat. Earlier, the BJP had also fielded sitting MP Balabhadra Majhi as its Lok Sabha candidate from Nabarangpur Lok Sabha constituency a day after he joined the saffron party. BJP also named Rabin Mallick as its candidate from Kakatpur assembly segment and Sunakar Behera as Kendrapara assembly candidate. With Saturday's announcement, the BJP has announced its candidates for all the 21 Lok Sabha segments and 147 Assembly constituencies in ...
Khattar confidant Bhatia gets ticket from Karnal, 5 sitting MPs retained in 1st Haryana list
The BJP has retained five sitting MPs, fielded a state minister in the first list of Lok Sabha candidates for Haryana announced Saturday. It has dropped its Karnal MP and fielded a former Indian Revenue Service officer from Sirsa. The party has not yet announced candidates from Hisar and Rohtak seats, currently held by opposition INLD and Congress respectively. Haryana has 10 Lok Sabha constituencies. The BJP has retained its MPs from Gurugram (Rao Inderjit Singh), Faridabad (Krishanpal Gurjar), Ambala (Rattan Lal Kataria), Sonipat (Ramesh Chander Kaushik) and Bhiwani-Mahendergarh (Dharamvir Singh). It has fielded Haryana minister Naib Singh Saini, who enjoys good rapport with Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, from Kurukshetra. Its sitting MP from Kurukshetra Raj Kumar Saini had turned rebel and floated his own outfit last year. The party has dropped its Karnal MP Ashwani Kumar Chopra, who has been critical of the BJP leadership for some time, and fielded its state general secretary