Page 1049 - Politics

63 candidates file nominations for LS polls in Assam

A total of 63 candidates have filed nominations for the four Lok Sabha constituencies in Assam which are going to the polls in the third phase to be held on April 23, election officials said on Thursday.

Congress ex MP Bibhu Tarai joins BJP in Odisha

Former MP Bibhu Prasad Tarai, who quit the Congress on Wednesday, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday.

Senior NPP leader joins Cong in Meghalaya

A senior leader of the ruling National People's Party on Thursday joined Congress giving a boost to the grand old party in Meghalaya. Former minister E C B Bamon was given a grand welcome at the Congress Bhavan here where he was formally accepted by state Congress president C Lyngdoh and others. Bamon, a close aide of former Lok Sabha Speaker P A Sangma, was a minister in 2008-09 and later stood by Sangma when he formed the NPP.

SAD trying to 'sabotage' probe into sacrilege incidents with 'false' complaints: Cong

The Congress Thursday accused the Akali Dal of trying to use the ECI by filing a "frivolous" complaint, aimed to "sabotage" the SIT probe into 2015 sacrilege and police firing incidents. In a memorandum submitted to Punjab's chief electoral officer, Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar urged the ECI to give strict instructions to the SAD to refrain from making "false" complaints and issuing "threatening" statements to intimidate government officers with an intention to cause "obstruction" in free and fair working. Jakhar was accompanied by four cabinet ministers Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Sukhjinder Randhawa, Gurmeet Kangar, Bharat Bhushan Ashu and MLAs Raj Kumar Verka and Davinder Singh Ghubaya. "It (the Akali Dal) is trying to sabotage the investigation by threatening a SIT member with a false and frivolous complaint," Jakhar alleged. Rubbishing the allegations of SIT being "politically motivated", Jakhar said the Special Investigation Team was working as per law. He accused the ...

BJP has never regarded its critics as enemies or anti-nationals: LK Advani

BJP has never regarded its critics either as 'enemies' or 'anti-nationals,' said the party veteran LK Advani in his blog titled 'Nation first, party next, and self last' on Thursday.Batting for freedom of expression in democracy, Advani writes: "The essence of Indian democracy is respect for diversity and freedom of expression. Right from its inception, the BJP has never regarded those who disagree with us politically as our enemies, but only as our adversaries.""The guiding principle of my life has been 'Nation First, Party Next, and Self Last.' And in all situations, I have tried to adhere to this principle and will continue to do so," Advani writes in his blog."Similarly, in our conception of Indian nationalism, we have never regarded those who disagree with us politically as anti-national. The party has been committed to freedom of choice of every citizen at personal as well as political level," he says.Underlying the need for corruption-free polity and transparency in political ..

BJP never saw political foes as anti-national: Advani

In a veiled criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah, BJP veteran L.K. Advani on Thursday said his party never viewed those who disagreed with it politically as "anti-national" but only as "adversaries".

Pilot demands 'white paper' from Centre on achievements through programmes launched in last 5 yrs

Rajasthan Congress president and Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot Thursday demanded that the Narendra Modi government release a "white paper" on what it has achieved through programmes launched in the last five years. He said the government had given "a dozen slogans" like Standup India, Digital India and Make in India, but its time to release figures of what it has achieved through all such schemes. "The government should bring a white paper to tell people what was the result of such slogans," he said. Terming the Congress's election manifesto revolutionary, Pilot said the party has released a "grounded, wide and visionary manifesto" while keeping in mind the present situation. He accused the BJP of talking only on issues like religion, caste, India-Pakistan to divert people's attention from "actual problems" like unemployment. He said, "The BJP leaders were hiding behind the Army to cover up the government's failure". "The BJP has given a new definition of nationalism. Those who ..

Union minister Sudarshan Bhagat files nomination from

Union Minister of state for Tribal Affairs, Sudarshan Bhagat, who has been re-nominated by the BJP to contest from Lohardaga (ST) seat, Thursday filed his nomination papers. Chief Minister Raghubar Das and other BJP leaders accompanied Bhagat during filing of nomination. His was the only papers filed from the constituency during the day, election office sources said. The last date for nomination is April 9 while scrutiny will be taken up the next day and April 12 is the last date for withdrawal for the April 29 polling. Along with Lohardaga, Chatra and Palamau (SC) are also going for the first phase (ECIs fourth phase) polling in Jharkhand, which is going for four-phase polling for its 14 Lok Sabha seats. The union minsters main contender is expected to be Congress MLA Sukhdeo Bhagat.

UK police warns against inflaming Brexit tensions

Britain's police forces on Thursday warned politicians and campaigners not to inflame tensions amid ongoing uncertainties around the UK's impending exit from the European Union (EU). The UK's National Police Chief's Council (NPCC) said that its officers were fully prepared for a range of scenarios in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal in place, including planning for potential protest, crime and emergencies. "Our planning considers what might happen and the worst case scenarios. We are not predicting these outcomes but we are preparing for them, said NPCC chair Martin Hewitt. "There are strong views on EU exit and often loud and passionate debate. There's a responsibility on us all to think carefully and be temperate in how we communicate so we don't inflame tensions, he said. As a precautionary measure, around 10,000 officers are on stand-by to be deployed within short notice in the event of a chaotic no-deal Brexit, which remains the default option for the April 12 ...

Modi is old and in a hurry, so telling lies: Rahul

Congress president Rahul Gandhi Thursday said that unlike Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is "old and in a hurry", he was not interested in telling lies. Addressing a poll rally here, the Congress leader asserted that he was in politics for the long haul and "here for another 10 to 15 years." "I want to build a long-standing relationship with you. I will not speak lies. Modi has grown old and is in a hurry. So he is telling lies," Gandhi said. He did not lie since lies gets exposed sooner or later, the Congress president said, adding that his party works while the BJP "only makes hollow promises". Polling will be held in Nagpur Lok Sabha constituency in the first phase on April 11. Union minister Nitin Gadkari of the BJP is pitted against Congress' Nana Patole here. Making a strong pitch for the 'Nyay' minimum income guarantee scheme of his party, Gandhi said all economists have told him that the scheme to deposit Rs 72,000 every month in the bank accounts of the poor ...

After Adityanath, Naqvi in soup over 'Modiji ki Sena' remark

Close on the heels of the controversy over Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's 'Modi ki Sena' remark, Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi was caught on camera making a similar comment, from which he sought to wriggle out on Thursday. At an election rally in Rampur on Wednesday, the footage of which has gone viral on social and electronic media, Naqvi said, "Our missiles, our defence personnel annihilated the terrorists after storming their bastions. This is not an ordinary feat." "'Ab dikkat yeh hui ki Congress party, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party sab chilaane lage ki bhai yeh jo Modi ji ne ghus ghus kar, Modiji ki sena ne ghus ghus kar ke aatankwaadiyo ko tabaah kiyaa uskaa saboot to dikhaa do' (But the problem is that the Congress, SP, BSP started demanding proof of the attack carried out by 'Modiji ki sena')," he added. When contacted by PTI on Thursday evening, Naqvi maintained that he had not said it in as many words. "I might have said 'meri sena, aapki sena, ...

Bihar Congress leaders face ire of slighted workers

Scores of angry Congress workers engaged in fist fight and heckled top leaders at the partys state headquarters here, charging them with having sold out the interests of the party while negotiating seat-sharing arrangements and deciding candidates. AICC in-charge for the state Shaktisinh Gohil and other senior party leaders were mobbed by angry workers at the Sadaqat Ashram where they had gathered to conduct a meeting of the state election committee, with just a week left for casting of votes to begin. The protesters, most of them supporters of former Aurangabad MP Nikhil Kumar, were livid over the announcement of RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha that he would seek re-election from his sitting seat of Karakat, besides Ujiyarpur. The former Aurangabad MPs supporters have been feeling slighted over the seat a stronghold of Nikhil Kumars family whose grandfather was the states first Deputy Chief Minister, father a several term MP and Chief Minister for a brief period and late .

Delhi HC orders to recall LOC against Pradeep Koneru

The Delhi High Court has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to recall a Look Out Circular (LOC) issued against Pradeep Koneru, a suspect in the meat exporter and alleged hawala dealer Moin Akhtar Qureshi case.

Need non-BJP, non-Cong govt at Centre for states' benefit-KCR

Blaming the Congress and BJP for "non-development" in the country, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao Thursday said there is need for a government at the Centre that would heed to the demands of the States. "There is need to link agriculture with MGNREGA scheme. We have repeatedly requested the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his predecessor Manmohan Singh, but they did not heed," Rao said. This is the reason why such leaders should be rejected and a Federal Front brought in at the centre, Rao said. "There is need for a government that would heed to the demands of State. For that (TRS) we need to win 16 seats (in the State)," he said in an election rally at Mahabubabad. Both Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Modi were calling each other "chor" to confuse the public, he alleged. Rao claimed that there is no state in the country which supported its poor people by giving pension as much as his state gave. "Who ruled this country for 66 years? You (Congress and ..

Prakash Ambedkar threatens to throw EC into jail

Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM) chief Prakash Ambedkar on Thursday threatened that if voted to power, his party would "throw the Election Commission (EC) into jail" for banning any reference to the Pulwama suicide attack during the elections.

EU rekindles row between Spain-UK over Gibraltar

The European Union rekindled on Thursday a long-rumbling row between Spain and the United Kingdom over the tiny British overseas territory of Gibraltar while approving legislation waiving a need for travel visas after a hard Brexit.

Kamal Nath to contest from Chhindwara Assembly seat

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, who is not a member of the state legislature, will contest the Chhindwara Assembly by-election, the Congress announced on Thursday.

Urmila Matondkar, Hardik Patel to address Mumbai youth

Bollywood actress and Congress candidate from Mumbai North Urmila Matondkar and Gujarat Patidar leader Hardik Patel will address a 'Mega Youth Meet' in Andheri here on Sunday.

EC initiates inquiry against Meghalaya minister for using

The Election Commission has initiated an inquiry into alleged violation of model code of conduct by Meghalaya minister A L Hek by using official vehicle to campaign for BJP candidate on Shillong Lok Sabha seat Wednesday, officials said on Thursday. Hek had gone to various places in the West Jaintia Hills district Wednesday to campaign for BJP candidate Sanbor Shullai on Shillong Lok Sabha seat, using an official vehicle allotted to him as Health Minister, they said. Meghalaya chief electoral officer F R Kharkongor asked returning officer Abhishek Bhagotia to conduct a probe, who in turn instructed district election officer to ascertain the facts and issue notice after verifying the matter. I have asked the concerned sector officer to submit a report, following which action will be taken as per guidelines on the matter, district election officer C P Gotmare told PTI. The matter came to light after a picture of Hek coming out of the official vehicle, while campaigning for .

Goa CM holds high-level meeting with police officials

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant Wednesday held a meeting with senior police officials to discuss various issues, including the law and order situation and tackling drug peddling in the state, said a government spokesman Thursday. This was the first meeting of senior police officials presided over by Sawant after assuming charge on March 19. "Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday held a comprehensive review meeting with senior officers of Goa Police which was attended by Director General of Police Pranab Nanda besides others," said the spokesman in a statement here. "All aspects concerned with law and order situation in the state were discussed for evaluating the best approaches to ensure priorities of police," he said. At the meet, special emphasis was given on eliminating drug peddling in the tourist state, the spokesman said. "Other aspects like security, crime, traffic and police welfare were also discussed during the meeting," the spokesman said. Sawant took over