Page 1022 - Politics
Maldives votes in crucial ballot to elect new parliament
People in the Maldives voted in a crucial parliamentary election on Saturday that many hope will help President Ibrahim Mohammed Solih overcome a coalition split that has hampered his efforts to restore political freedoms and tackle corruption. Some voters who had lined up earlier were allowed to cast their vote well after balloting officially ended at 6 pm in the Indian Ocean archipelago nation known for its luxury resorts, said Ahmed Akram, an election official. He said voter turnout was over 78 per cent. Officials were planning to announce results later Saturday night. Solih's Maldivian Democratic Party is seeking at least 44 seats in the 87-member parliament for a majority to pass legislation needed to implement pledges from last year's presidential campaign. His coalition currently has 52 seats, but one partner with 22 seats is now aligned with former strongman Yameen Abdul Gayoom. Solih defeated Yameen last year, giving new hope to the young democracy that has gone through a ...
Turf war between Amarinder and Jakhar, says SAD
SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal Saturday claimed there was a turf war between Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and state Congress chief Sunil Jakhar over shortlisting of candidates for the Lok Sabha polls. He alleged that several Congress leaders had rebelled against those who had been given tickets. "There is a turf war between Amarinder and Sunil Jakhar. Amarinder does not want candidates proposed by Jakhar and the Punjab Congress chief also does not want inclusion of names of candidates which have support of Amarinder. There is an open fight between both of them," Badal claimed. "Congress ticket aspirants have rebelled against those who have been given tickets," he told reporters in Kurali, about 25 km from here. Former Congress MP Mohinder Singh Kaypee, who was denied ticket from the Jalandhar seat, had said that he would take a call on contesting as an independent candidate after consulting his supporters and family. The Congress has nominated sitting MP Santokh Singh ...
BJP announces candidates for 4 UP seats
The BJP announced four Lok Sabha candidates for Uttar Pradeah on Saturday, fielding new faces in Banda and Jhansi seats. The party announced the candidature of Anurag Sharma from Jhansi in place of 59-year-old Uma Bharti, who herself decided not to contest and instead work for the party. The BJP also decided to drop sitting Banda MP Bhairon Prasad Misra and fielded R K Patel, a party spokesman here said. Besides the party reposed faith in Neelam Sonekar, the incumbent from Lalganj (Azamgarh), the spokesman said, adding former chairperson of zila panchayat Kesari Devi Patel will contest from Phoolpur seat in Prayagraj.
Politics of dishonesty begins when leaders switch parties: Ex-Himachal CM
Former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Shanta Kumar Saturday criticised Shatrughan Sinha's decision to join the Congress and called switching parties "politics of dishonesty". Apart from Sinha, who joined the Congress earlier in the day, Kumar also hit out at former chief minister Sukh Ram for joining the grand old party. He demanded that Ram's son, Anil Sharma, should resign as a minister in the Bharatiya Janata Party-led state government. Saying he was hurt by Sinha joining the Congress, Kumar said: "I have been personally attached to Shatrughan Sinha's family since the late eighties. I asked Shatru and his wife, Poonam, several times not to leave the BJP." "The politics of dishonesty begins when the leaders switch parties. The trend of switching parties is deeply damaging politics," the BJP leader said. Kumar said he was against such politics where people shift parties to suit their motives. He said "aaya Ram gaya Ram" was the main feature of Haryana politics, alleging that Ram had
Time to get rid of those who have put democracy in danger: Gehlot
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot Saturday said it was time to get rid of powers that have created an "environment of hatred" in the country and put democracy in danger. Addressing a rally in Banswara ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, Gehlot said: "There is an environment of hatred in the country. The country is getting ruined." "Democracy and the Constitution are in danger. It is time now that we get rid of them," he said at the rally in support of Congress candidate Tarachand Bhagora. Stressing that there was no difference in the words and deeds of the Congress, Gehlot said that the party has fulfilled its promise of waiving-off farm loans after coming into power in the state. On the other hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's poll promises, including bringing back black money and depositing Rs 15 lakh in bank accounts remained just a rhetoric, he alleged. Gehlot said the Congress party salutes the valour of the Indian Army for carrying out surgical strikes, but does not politicises
Libyan strongman's forces say targeted by air strike
Forces loyal to Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar said Saturday they had been targeted by an air strike, as fresh fighting flared south of Tripoli. "We strongly condemn the air raid... in the Al-Aziziya region" by a plane, which had taken off from western Misrata, said the media office of Haftar's self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA). Forces in Misrata are mostly loyal to Libya's internationally-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA), which has been battling Haftar for control of the war-torn north African country. Pro-government forces in the capital Tripoli confirmed they had targeted Haftar's men with "intensive strikes". The air strikes came as fresh fighting flared Saturday south of Tripoli between the pro-government forces and Haftar's troops despite calls from the international community to halt the military offensive. Haftar's forces are battling for control of an area some 30 kilometres (18 miles) south of the capital near Tripoli's international airport, which was ...
New definition of patriotism being taught: Sonia
Senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Saturday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi government and said that a new definition of patriotism is being taught to people wherein those who don't accept diversity are treated as patriots.
Deve Gowda clan thrives in Karnataka (Dynasty Politics) (Lead, correcting para 22)
"A cat has nine lives, but Deve Gowda has 10!" is an oft-repeated phrase in Karnataka, as the former Prime Minister and ruling Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) supremo battles at the age of 86 to baptise two of his grandsons in the political terra firma.
'Mahagatbandhans' always post-poll after 1977: Yechury
'Mahagatbandhans' have been formed only after Lok Sabha elections since 1977 and this time too, such a grand alliance would be formed after the polls, CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said on Saturday.
Modi govt is anti-farmer, serving interests of corporates: CPI's D Raja
The Narendra Modi government at the Centre is serving the interest of big business houses and is "anti-farmer", CPI leader D Raja said on Saturday. Speaking at an event titled 'People's Agenda 2019' held here, Raja also dubbed the BJP-led government as "anti-people" and "anti-women". "Modi government is serving the interests of finance capital, of big business houses and of big corporate houses. Modi government is not with the people. It is anti-people, anti-farmer and anti-women," he said. In his address at the same event, AAP leader Sanjay Singh said the country will move ahead by taking together its people, not by dividing them. "In last five years, we have been dealing with a 'beharupiya' (impersonator) prime minister, who just speaks lies every day. Only when he is sleeping he remains silent. When he is awake, all he does is give speeches," he alleged.
France on Brexit: 'Time for this situation to end'
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Saturday that it was time for the Brexit crisis to end, saying that it couldn't continue to dominate EU discussions. "It's time that this situation ended," he told reporters on the sidelines of a G7 meeting in Dinard, northern France. "We can't live constantly with Brexit. At some point, there needs to be a departure. "The British authorities and the British parliament need to understand that the European Union is not going to be able to constantly exhaust itself with the ups and downs of domestic British politics. The British need to tell us very quickly how they are going to get out of this crisis," he added. France has sought to ramp up pressure on British Prime Minister Theresa May ahead of an emergency summit meeting of European leaders in Brussels from Wednesday. French President Emmanuel Macron has said her request for an extension of the deadline for Brexit would not automatically be accepted, meaning Britain could crash out of ..
Congress will form the next government: Antony
The Congress-led UPA will be forming the next government, according to AICC working committee member and senior Congress leader A.K. Antony.
Mehbooba appeals to people to reject those attempting to fragment J-K
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti Saturday said the society needs to collectively reject the nefarious moves aimed at fragmenting Jammu and Kashmir to weaken the special status of the state. "Recent statement of some right-wing political leaders using lure of sops for a particular community, tactical mandate for Lok Sabha elections by some parties and fielding of proxies clearly point to a design to fragment the popular mandate of the people of the state," Mufti said addressing a party workers' convention at Tangmarg in Baramula Lok sabha constituency. She said such forces want to "peddle lies" that only Kashmiri-speaking Muslims of the Valley are for the special status of the state. "Division of our state along sectarian lines and aggravating the fault lines are the ways and means of fragmenting our state and weaken our special status and thus dilute its Muslim-majority character," she said. "Those igniting the fires of Gujjar-Pahari, ShiaSunni, North-South divide are the real enemies of .
Arrangements being made at Kanhum village for Bru voters
Alternate arrangements were being made at Kanhum village in Mizoram-Tripura border, where 15 special polling stations, erected for the 12,081 Bru voters lodged in six relief camps in Tripura, were damaged in thunderstorm, CEO Ashish Kundra Saturday said. Polling for the lone Lok Sabha seat in Mizoram and by-election to the Aizawl West - I would be held simultaneously on April 11. The Chief Electoral Officer said while 15 special polling stations were established at a playground and a nearby community hall for the Mizoram Assembly election held on November 28 last year, alternate arrangements were being made to erect nine polling stations at a nearby Catholic School building. The CEO said that the logistics would be like as was done during last year polling and the Tripura government would arrange the vehicles for transportation of the Bru voters from the relief camps to the Mizoram border. Over 6,000 Bru voters had exercised franchise at the 15 polling stations in ...
IUML files complaint with EC over Yogi Adityanath's tweet
: Indian Union Muslim League Saturday took strong objection over the tweet posted by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and said it had filed a complaint with the Election Commission on the matter. "IUML filed a complaint today with Election Commission against the malicious tweet of Yogi Adityanath that Muslim League is a virus. IUML does not need a certificate about its nationalist or patriotic credentials from any quarters, including Yogi Adityanath", IUML National General Secretary P K Kunhalikutty said in a statement. The IUML is a recognised party in Kerala and has a long history of upholding the "secular democratic ethos of our Constitution", he said. The agenda of creating divisive politics by these "forces" in this country would not succeed as the people are determined to expose these forces and their game plans through the mighty force of the ballot paper, Kunhalikutty said. He claimed that the entire country recognised and appreciated the IUML ...
BJP's Tawde ridicules Pawar for claiming his family is united
Senior BJP leader and Maharashtra minister Vinod Tawde Saturday said NCP chief Sharad Pawar's family was not united and its members were speaking in different voices. Speaking to reporters here, he also demanded that the Congress clarify if it wanted MNS chief Raj Thackeray to address public rallies for the opposition or not. Tawde said the NCP chief has been claiming that he was being attacked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he had united opposition parties. "Is Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav, Mamata Banerjee and Arivnd Kejriwal a part of the mahagathbandhan (grand alliance)? To say the mahagathbandhan is united is like saying the Pawar family is united," Tawde said. Tawde added that despite the NCP chief's claim about the family being united, relatives like Rohit Pawar, Parth Pawar and Ajit Pawar, as well as daughter Supriya Sule, were talking in difference voices. "Pawar is making such statements as he is feeling restless due to the sword of Tihar jail hanging (over his
By praising Modi, forgiving Congress, Jagan keeps everybody guessing
YSR Congress Party leader Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is keeping everyone guessing with his praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and also by forgiving the Congress.
BJP names one LS, two Assembly candidates in Odisha
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Odisha on Saturday announced candidates for one Lok Sabha and two Assembly seats.
Dimple files papers from Kannauj after road show (3rd Lead)
Kannauj MP Dimple Yadav, accompanied by husband and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, on Saturday filed her nomination papers for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections after a colourful and widely attended road show.
After Imran's tweet, BJP says oppn strengthening those harbouring terrorism with its attitude
The BJP on Saturday hit out at the opposition parties, alleging that they were strengthening the hands of those harbouring terrorism by "distrusting" the government and the armed forces. The party was reacting to queries on Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan accusing the BJP of "whipping up war hysteria" and making a "false claim" of downing an F-16 aircraft. Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said it was deplorable that the opposition was trying to strengthen the argument of the neighbouring country with its attitude. "Here the Prime Minister Modi sends the air force to cross the line of control, get into Pakistan, attack terrorism at its roots in Balakot, and on the other hand, the opposition is trying to strengthen the arguments of the neighbouring country," he said. "When you have people like Sam Pitroda and Farooq Abdullah and other Congress leaders, distrusting their own government and their own armed forces, obviously you are going to strengthen the hand of the people and the .