Page 1054 - Politics
Cong, BJP workers clash outside Surat Collector office
Congress and BJP workers clashed outside the collector's office here in Gujarat on Thursday when candidates of both the parties arrived there to file their nominations for the Surat Lok Sabha seat, police said. Some persons from both the sides received minor injuries in the incident, Deputy Commissioner of Police Vidhi Chaudhary said, adding that no FIR was registered yet. The clash took place soon after BJP candidate Darshana Jardosh and Congress nominee Ashok Adhewada reached outside the collector's office along with their supporters to file their nomination papers, she said. However, the police managed to disperse the angry workers without using any force and quickly brought the situation under control, she said. Videos of the incident recorded by mediapersons present at the spot showed some persons, including women, of the rival parties engaging in verbal and physical fight. Later, both the parties blamed each other for the incident. A woman Congress worker showed her
Congress fields Kamal Nath's son Nakul from Chhindwara LS seat
The Congress on Thursday released a list of 12 candidates for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections, fielding Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath's son Nakul Nath from Chhindwara parliamentary constituency in the state.Congress leaders Ajay Singh Rahul will contest from Sidhi and Arun Yadav from Khandwa parliamentary constituencies.Bhajan singer and Padma Shri awardee Prahlad Tipaniya will contest from Dewas. He is considered a close aide of senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh.All 29 Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh will go to polls on April 29, May 6 and 12. The votes will be counted on May 23.
Body of Israeli soldier missing since 1982 found by Russian army: Putin
The body of an Israeli soldier missing since the 1982 Lebanon War has been found by the Russian and Syrian armies, President Vladimir Putin said during a meeting Thursday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu visited Putin in Moscow five days before he is to seek a fifth term in office in a difficult election. "Our military together with Syrian partners found the place of his burial," Putin said, referring to Sergeant First Class Zachary Baumel. "We are very happy that he will be able to receive the right military honours in his homeland," Putin said, adding that Russia would send the remains to Israel. Netanyahu said Baumel would be laid to rest in Israel Thursday evening. "There will be a very moving ceremony tonight," he said. "Zachary's friends and family will take part." Putin's statement contradicted an earlier report by the Israeli army which announced Wednesday that the body had been recovered and returned to the country. Neither Putin nor Israel gave ...
Gorakhpur MP Praveen Nishad joins BJP
Uttar Pradesh's Rashtriya Nishad Party, which last week parted ways with the alliance of Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), on Thursday became part of NDA and its Gorakhpur MP Praveen Nishad joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Rahul's Wayanad candidature a 'short-sighted' decision: D Raja
CPI leader D Raja has attacked the Congress for pitching its president Rahul Gandhi against the Left candidate in the April 23 Lok Sabha election from coffee-rich high-altitude constituency of Wayanad in Kerala and said it was a "short-sighted" decision. "What is the message the Congress wants to convey to the whole nation by fielding Rahul Gandhi from Wayanad? In a way, they are subjecting Gandhi to embarrassment by forcing him to fight CPI and the Left," Raja told PTI in an exclusive interview on Thursday. Gandhi, accompanied by his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and a host of Congress leaders, filed his nomination papers from Wayanad Thursday morning. P P Suneer of the CPI is the LDF candidate from the constituency while the BJP-NDA has fielded Thushar Vellappally. Asked if the left was considering to withdraw its candidate, Raja said, "No way!" "We will not withdraw our candidate and his campaign is in full swing," he said. Describing the Congress decision to field its president ...
Modi govt in 'departure lounge': Anand Sharma
In a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, senior Congress leader Anand Sharma on Thursday said his government was in the "departure lounge" and that its time to "threaten and mislead" people was over. Sharma also accused Modi of lowering the political discourse, saying his language was "full of bitterness and violence". He was in the city to launch the Congress' manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. "The Modi government is in the departure lounge. Its time to threaten and mislead people is over. He considers his political rivals as his personal enemies. We don't want to engage in conversation by stooping to that level," Sharma told reporters here. He was responding to a question on prime minister's criticism of the Congress' manifesto during his rally in Maharashtra's Gondia district on Wednesday. Sharma said Modi was not speaking about what he promised in 2014 and if he fulfilled it. "Instead, he is talking about sending his opponents to jail. It ...
Won't speak against Left in my campaigns, says Rahul Gandhi
After filing his nomination papers for the Wayanad parliamentary constituency, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday vowed not to utter a word against the ruling CPI-M during his electioneering and said he was in the state to send a "message of unity"."The CPM and Congress are locked in a fight in Kerala. I understand that my brothers and sisters in CPM will now speak against me and attack me. I am not going to say a word against the CPM in my entire campaign. I am here to send a message of unity," he told reporters here.On March 31, the Congress had announced that Rahul will be contesting from Wayanad seat in Kerala along with his traditional bastion Amethi in Uttar Pradesh to further strengthen the unity of north and south.However, the move had upset the Left in Kerala, saying it was against the Congress' national commitment to defeat the BJP and vowed to defeat the grand old party in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections."To pick a candidate like Rahul Gandhi against Left means ...
Rahul, Priyanka to campaign in west UP on April 8
Congress President Rahul Gandhi will tour western Uttar Pradesh on April 8. He will be accompanied by his sister and General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi and party leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, party sources said.
If voted to power, NC will review cases against J&K youth: Omar Abdullah
National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah Thursday said cases registered against Jammu and Kashmir youth since 2015, after the PDP-BJP alliance came to power in the state, would be reviewed and the FIRs cancelled if his party is voted to power. Addressing an election meeting here in Chijhama village of Rafiabad in north Kashmir's Baramulla district, Abdullah said he wanted to create an atmosphere in Jammu and Kashmir where people could talk freely. "There are cases against our youth under which they are called to police stations even today. The NC government will review each case, one by one, registered against our youth right since 2015 and especially of 2016 (unrest) and afterwards and cancel their FIRs so that our youth are set free," he said. Cases were registered against several youths in the valley during the unrest which followed the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces in Kokernag area of south Kashmir's Anantnag ..
Cong fields Kamal Nath's son Nakul from Chhindwara Lok Sabha seat
The Congress on Thursday fielded Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath's son Nakul Nath from the Chhindwara Lok Sabha constituency. The party also announced that Kamal Nath will contest the bypoll from the Chhindwara assembly constituency. A total of 12 Lok Sabha candidates were declared by the Congress for Madhya Pradesh, including Nakul Nath from Chhindwara, Congress Working Committee member Arun Yadav from Khandwa, and Vivek Tankha from Jabalpur. The total number of Lok Sabha seats on which the Congress has declared its candidates is 369.
TN Cong leader Thangkabalu is Wayanad poll in charge
Former Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K V Thangkabalu was Thursday named poll in charge of the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency from where party chief Rahul Gandhi is seeking election for the first time. Thangkabalu was named to man the constituency by the All India Congress Committee, a party release here said. "Thangkabalu will stay put in Wayanad till the completion of polls. He has made arrangements for holding a rally in which top Congress leaders will participate," the release by the TNCC media department said. He was present in Wayanad today to receive Gandhi when he arrived to file his nomination for the Lok Sabha elections. A senior leader, Thangkabalu has held various positions including that of State general secretary in the party. Also, he had twice served as the president of the TNCC and was a former Union Minister.
Adityanath slams Rahul over alliance with Muslim League
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday hit out at Congress president Rahul Gandhi for forging an alliance with Muslim League in Kerala."In Wayanad, Rahul Gandhi has asked his special ally Muslim League in Kerala to not come with green flags of their party in his rally, otherwise the Uttar Pradesh voters would get angry. They formed a coalition with Muslim League and call themselves secular. We work for everyone but are being labeled as communal," the Chief Minister tweeted.Addressing a rally in Uttarakhand's Kashipur, Adityanath said, "This country was unfortunately partitioned and Muslim League was responsible for that. Where is the secret alliance of Congress and Muslim League taking the country? The citizens have to teach them a lesson."The Chief Minister also slammed the Congress for promising to quash sedition law and amend the Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) in their manifesto for Lok Sabha elections."Congress will try to incite violence and terrorism by quashing the .
Rahul's journey from Amethi to Wayanad exposes Cong's 'communal character': Naqvi
Senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi Thursday alleged that Congress president Rahul Gandhi's journey from Amethi to Wayanad has exposed the "communal character" of his party. Naqvi's sharp attack on the main opposition party came hours after Rahul Gandhi filed his nomination papers from the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala. The 48-year-old Gandhi scion is also contesting from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh. Hitting out at the Congress and its ally Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), the Minority Affairs Minister said "Muslim League ka jhanda" (the flag of the Muslim League) and "Congress ka Agenda (the agenda of the Congress)" have been exposed. Speaking to reporters here, Naqvi claimed the Congress is "expert in exploitation" of votes on a communal basis. Naqvi claimed that the Congress granted "recognition" to Muslim League's "communal politics" by inducting it in its UPA government in 2004 for the first time after Independence. "Congress president Rahul Gandhi has reached Wayanad
Will jail EC for two days if voted to power, says Ambedkar
Dalit leader and three-time MP Prakash Ambedkar has landed in a controversy for allegedly threatening to put the Election Commission (EC) in jail for two days for not letting political parties speak about the Pulwama terror attack. Taking cognisance of Ambedkar's statement he made during a rally in Yavatmal district of Maharashtra on Thursday, the state election commission Friday sought a report from local poll officials. Ambedkar, the grandson of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, is contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha election from Solapur and Akola constituencies in Maharashtra as a candidate of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) - an alliance of Ambedkar-led Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh and Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM. The VBA is contesting all 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state. "We have lost 40 soldiers (in Pulwama), but still sitting quietly. We have been asked not to speak on the Pulwama attack. How can the EC gag us? Our Constitution has given us the right to speak. I am not the BJP. If ...
Turkey says US failed to report true content of Pompeo talks
Turkey on Thursday accused the US State Department of making false claims after a meeting between top US and Turkish diplomats to discuss tense ties between the NATO allies. Washington and Ankara are at odds over issues including US support for a Syrian Kurdish militia viewed as terrorists by Ankara and Turkey's purchase of a Russian missile system over US objections. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held talks on Wednesday during the Turkish official's visit to Washington as part of 70th anniversary celebrations of the NATO alliance. The US State Department said Pompeo had warned Ankara of "devastating consequences" if Turkey launches an offensive in Syria and urged the "swift resolution" of legal cases involving US citizens and US mission employees under investigation in Turkey. Pompeo also pressed Causoglu about Turkey's plans to buy the S-400 missile defence system from Russia, which Washington has warned could put Ankara at risk of ..
Two Olympians face off against each other in Jaipur Rural LS seat
An interesting electoral combat is on the cards in Rajasthan's Jaipur Rural constituency where two Olympians -- BJP's Col Rajyavardhan Rathore and Congress's Krishna Poonia -- will face each other in the Lok Sabha polls. Olympian-turned-politician Rathore, who is the Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, had won the seat in the 2014 elections and the party has reposed faith in him again while the Congress fielded sitting MLA Poonia to contest against the former Army officer. For Poonia, this election is a "fight of two ideologies". She said she will be fighting the elections on the basis of issues related to the common man. "It is okay that we are athletes but this is fight of two ideologies. The 2014 Lok Sabha election was fought in the name of (Narendra) Modi only. False promises were made and the time was just passed in 'Jumlebazi'. I come from a simple farmers' family and the issues which are related with the common man will be my issues in the elections," ...
Congress names candidates for 3 Odisha Assembly seats
The Congress on Thursday announced candidates for three Assembly seats in the state.
RLP joins hands with BJP in Rajasthan, gets Nagaur Lok Sabha seat
The Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP), which was formed in October last year, on Thursday forged an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party to contest the Lok Sabha elections in the state, where 25 seats are at stake.The RLP has been given one Lok Sabha seat whereas the BJP will fight on the rest of 24 Lok Sabha seats in the state as per the seat-sharing agreement.Beniwal will contest the election from Nagaur parliamentary constituency against Congress' Jyoti Mirdha.RLP president and MLA Hanuman Beniwal joined the alliance in the presence of Union Minister and BJP's Rajasthan in-charge Prakash Javadekar and state party president Madan Lal Saini at the state party headquarters here.With the RLP joining its fold, the BJP is hoping to secure the votes of Jat community which holds significant influence in the region. Political analysts say that the alliance will benefit the BJP in Barmer, Jaisalmer, and Rajsamand Lok Sabha constituencies.After sealing the poll pact with BJP, Beniwal said .
New State Department spokeswoman, new Fox News connection
The US State Department has a new spokeswoman and, keeping up the trend for President Donald Trump's administration, she has links to Fox News. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that Morgan Ortagus, a former US intelligence analyst and national security contributor to Fox News, has become the new spokeswoman -- the face of the United States on the global stage through regular press briefings. "Morgan brings outstanding credentials and a record of public service to the position," Pompeo said in a statement. "Morgan will no doubt help the State Department fulfill its mission of promoting and defending the administration's foreign policy priorities for the American people and among the international community," he said. She replaces Heather Nauert, who came to Trump's attention as a host of "Fox and Friends," one of the television-loving president's favorite programs. Trump said he would appoint Nauert to become US ambassador to the United Nations, but she withdrew herself from ...
Mayawati accuses BJP of portraying PM Modi as India
BSP chief Mayawati Thursday accused the BJP of portraying Prime Minister Narendra Modi as India and India as Modi and said it was repeating the same mistake which the Congress did in Indira Gandhi's rule. Mayawati's remark comes days after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath called the Indian Army "Modiji ki sena" (PM Modi's Army) during an election rally in Ghaziabad. "By portraying 'Modi is India and India is Modi', the BJP/RSS are committing the same mistake and insulting India and democracy which the Congress had done earlier by declaring 'Indira is India and India is Indira'," Mayawati said in a tweet. She said, "A huge pity and most condemnable. People should not forgive them for this sin.