Page 1059 - Politics
Gujarat: Cong releases list of candidates for by-polls in 3 Assembly seats
The Congress party on Wednesday announced the names of three candidates - Dineshbhai Jivarajbhai Patel, Jayantibhai Sabhaya and Arvindbhai Jinabhai Ladani - for by-elections on three Assembly seats in Gujarat.The party has fielded Dineshbhai from Dhrangadhara, Jayantibhai from Jamnagar Rural and Arvindbhai from Manavadar.Manavadar seat in Junagarh district fell vacant after Congress' four-time sitting legislator Jawahar Chavda quit the party. Dhrangadhra's MLA Parshottam Saparia also resigned from the seat and party later.Congress MLA from Jamnagar Rural seat Vallabh Dharaaviya also tendered his resignation as a member of the legislative assembly to Speaker Rajendra Trivedi.The by-election will be held on April 23 alongside the Lok Sabha election in the state. The result will be announced on May 23.
Brexit: May holds 'constructive' talks with Corbyn
British Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday engaged in "constructive" talks with Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn in an attempt to end the Brexit deadlock. The leaders are looking forward to further discussions in the coming days.CNN quoted a Labour Party spokesperson as saying, "We have had constructive exploratory discussions about how to break the Brexit deadlock.""We have agreed a programme of work between our teams to explore the scope for agreement," the spokesperson added.Meanwhile, Corbyn hinted that the Prime Minister intends to table the Brexit deal once again in the Parliament for a vote next week.Addressing the media after his meeting with May, Corbyn said: "If it goes beyond the 22nd of May then clearly it does involve European elections, which the government absolutely does not want to be involved in. They made that very, very clear ... and that is why she is very keen to get a vote through the House next week."Corbyn further indicated towards the possibility of a ...
LS polls: BJP fields HS Patel from Ahmedabad East in place of Paresh Rawal
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday announced Hasmukh S Patel as a replacement for actor-politician Paresh Rawal from the Ahmedabad East for the ensuing Lok Sabha election.Patel was BJP MLA in 2012 and then again in 2017.Paresh Rawal - a sitting Member of Parliament from Ahmedabad East constituency - had previously announced that he is not keen on contesting the ensuing Lok Sabha polls."I had told the party four to five months ago that I do not want to contest the elections. But, ultimately it is the party's decision," Rawal said.Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to be held from April 11 and will go on till May 19 in seven phases. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.
Senate takes step to fill senior ranks at State Department
The Trump administration has overcome a significant hurdle in its effort to bolster the ranks at the State Department. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has voted to advance 23 nominees for senior positions at the department. The committee chairman, Republican Sen. Jim Risch (rihsh) of Idaho, says it's an important step to "get the State Department up and running." Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pledged to fill top posts when he took over last year as America's chief diplomat. But he's faced pushback from Democrats who argue that many of President Donald Trump's nominees aren't qualified. The State Department lost many of its top diplomats under Trump's first secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, who tried to overhaul the department. The nominees await confirmation votes from the full Senate.
Biden says he will be 'more mindful' about personal space
Former vice president Joe Biden, who is mulling a White House run, said Wednesday after coming under fire over his physical contact with women that he will be "more mindful" in the future about respecting personal space. "Social norms are changing, I understand that, and I've heard what these women are saying," the 76-year-old Biden said in a message on his Twitter account. "Politics to me has always been about making connections, but I will be more mindful about respecting personal space in the future," he said. "That's my responsibility and I will meet it," said Biden, who is considering whether to seek the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020. Two women have gone public in the past week with claims that Biden inappropriately touched them years ago. "It wasn't sexual, but he did grab me by the head," Amy Lappos told Connecticut's Hartford Courant newspaper about an incident at a 2009 political fundraiser. Former Nevada state lawmaker Lucy Flores said she was "mortified" when ..
Ivanka Trump plans Africa trip to promote women's initiative
White House adviser Ivanka Trump is planning a trip to Africa to promote a global women's initiative she's leading. President Donald Trump's daughter will visit Ethiopia and Ivory Coast over four days this month. The White House said Wednesday that her schedule includes a women's economic empowerment summit in Ivory Coast as well as site visits and meetings with political leaders, executives and female entrepreneurs in both countries. Accompanying her will be Mark Green, administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development. On parts of the trip, they will be joined David Bohigian, acting president of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, as well as Kristalina Georgieva, interim president of the World Bank Group, which is hosting the summit. OPIC provides loans, loan guarantees and political risk insurance, funding projects that stretch across continents and industries. It will be Ivanka Trump's first visit to Africa since the White House undertook the Women's Global ..
British parliament says no to more indicative votes
British lawmakers were tied 310-310 on Wednesday in a vote on an amendment to hold another round of "indicative votes" on Brexit options.
Miss India contestant Sana Dua volunteers to be J&K poll dept's brand ambassador
Lawyer-turned-model Sana Dua would be the brand ambassador of the Jammu and Kashmir election department for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of the state Shailendra Kumar said on Wednesday. Dua, the first runner-up in the Femina Miss India 2017 contest, has also participated in the Miss United Continents 2017 and figured among the top 10 contestants. "The celebrity has voluntarily offered her services for educating, creating awareness and motivating the electorate of Jammu and Kashmir for exercising their franchise to ensure greater participation in the forthcoming Lok Sabha election," Kumar told PTI. A lawyer by profession and an enthusiastic social activist, Dua would encourage the eligible youth to register themselves as voters. Born in 1993 in a Sikh family in Assam with roots in Jammu and Kashmir, Dua graduated in law and practised as a lawyer before entering the glamour world in 2015. Recipient of various awards in the glamour world, she has actively ..
Odisha govt "not accepting" resignation of BJP candidate
A delegation of the opposition BJP Wednesday staged a dharna in front of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's residence demanding early acceptance of the resignation of its candidate Dr Budhan Murmu. Murmu who had resigned under the voluntary retirement scheme was fielded by the BJP as its candidate for the Saraskana assembly segment in Mayurbhanj district. Murmu alleged that though he had submitted his resignation on October 4 last year, it is yet to be accepted by the government. The delegation comprising BJP state vice-president Samir Mohanty and others met the chief minister's political secretary Gopabandhu Dash who informed them that Dr Murmu's resignation was under process. Odisha Health Minister Pratap Jena also assured the delegation that Murmu's resignation will be accepted soon. Murmu wondered how his resignation was not accepted while other government servants got clearance much earlier. He was a doctor at the Rangamatia Primary Health Centre in Mayurbhanj ...
JMM renominates party chief Shibu Soren from Dumka
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) Wednesday announced that its president and sitting MP Shibu Soren will contest again from Dumka (ST) Lok Sabha constituency. The party has also announced to field another sitting MP Vijay Hansda from Rajmahal (ST) seat. Elections for Dumka and Rajmahal will be held on May 19, the last phase. The JMM nominated MLAs Champai Soren and Jagarnath Mahato for Jamshedpur and Giridih Lok Sabha seats respectively, party general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya told reporters here. These two seats would go to polls on May 12. The party has got four out of the 14 constituencies as per the seat sharing formula among the Mahagathbandhan allies in Jharkhand. The JMM also announced that it would contest Lok Sabha elections in 10 seats of West Bengal, four constituencies of Bihar and five seats of Odisha. Bhattacharya also declared names of the candidates of the seats in these three states.
Stalin dares IT department to carry our raids at PM, CM and Dy CM's house
DMK president M K Stalin dared the Income Tax (IT) department on Wednesday to conduct raids on the premises of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Definitely there are crores of money stashed in Modi's house and will the IT department be ready to conduct the raids on Modi's house?," Stalin asked while addressing a poll meeting seeking votes for CPI(M) candidate P R Natarajan here. Similarly, would the department dare to conduct raids on the premises of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisamy and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, where it would get a huge amount of money, he asked. It was reported that crores of money were being distributed in Theni, from where Panneerselvam's son is contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, the DMK chief said. He raised this issue in reference to the IT raids conducted on DMK treasurer Dorai Murugan's premises in Vellore, from where his son was contesting the polls. The IT department had given an explanation that the raids were conducted ...
Bouteflika 'apologises' to Algerians in farewell letter: State media
Abdelaziz Bouteflika on Wednesday offered his "apologies" to the Algerian people in a letter published by state media, after he resigned as president in the face of huge protests. "I leave the political stage without sadness or fear for the future of our country," Bouteflika said in the letter released by the APS news agency.
May holds 'constructive' Brexit crisis talks with UK opposition
Prime Minister Theresa May held "constructive" talks Wednesday with Britain's opposition leader in a bid to forge a Brexit compromise that avoids a chaotic "no-deal" departure from the EU in nine days. May tore up her steadfast strategy and sought Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn's support in a surprise last-minute gesture that could determine the fate of the country and her government. Her divorce deal with the other 27 EU nations has been rejected three times by parliament and patience is wearing thin in Brussels as an April 12 deadline to end Britain's 46-year membership nears with no agreement in sight. The premier said Tuesday she would seek another "short" Brexit extension at an EU leaders' summit in Brussels on April 10. She crucially added that she was now willing to bend her previous principles and listen to proposals for much closer post-Brexit trade relations with the bloc than most in her Conservative party were ready to accept. Both sides described Wednesday's meeting as ...
Congress to hold press meets in 21 cities on manifesto
The Congress has planned a nation-wide reach out to voters about its manifesto for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls with press conferences across 21 cities on Thursday.
Congress names 6 more LS candidates in Gujarat
The Congress on Wednesday announced a list of six more candidates for the Lok Sabha elections in Gujarat.
People not suffering from fear psychosis under BJP rule: CM
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh Wednesday said people of the state are not suffering from fear psychosis after the BJP came to power two years back. "There has been no case of fake encounter" now unlike before when the Congress was in power, Biren said at a BJP election rally. "The relationship between the people and the police has improved," he said He said the Congress which has been campaigning to repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) was actually implemented in the state by the same party. On the escape of a militant leader of the proscribed Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) from a hospital, he said efforts are on to nab the undertrial prisoner.
NATO chief tells Congress of 'serious' alliance divisions
In the first address to Congress by a NATO head, Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday acknowledged serious divisions within the alliance and called for bigger defense budgets to cope with global challenges such as Russian assertiveness, the core reason NATO was created in Washington 70 years ago this week. "We have to be frank," Stoltenberg said before a joint meeting of Congress. "Questions are being asked on both sides of the Atlantic about the strength of our partnership. And, yes, there are differences." The NATO secretary general credited President Donald Trump with compelling allies to spend more on defence, without noting that Trump also has questioned the value of the alliance and suggested that some members are freeloaders. Trump's criticisms have upset a delicate balance within an alliance that has long counted on Washington to be its leader. Stoltenberg's speech provided a diplomatic counterpoint to Trump's sometimes derisive rhetoric, and the enthusiastic reception he received ...
In Arunachal Pradesh, Rs 1.80 crore in cash seized from BJP candidate's son, ex-MLA
Authorities have seized Rs 1.80 crore in cash from the son of a BJP candidate in Arunchal Pradesh and a former legislator at a government guest house in East Siang district's Pasighat town, officials said Wednesday. The money was seized from two vehicles parked at the guest house, Additional Chief Electoral Officer Kanki Darang said, adding that it was the largest seizure of cash in the state. While Rs 1 crore, which was seized from a government vehicle, was claimed by Christopher Perme, son of Mebo BJP candidate Dangi Perme, Rs 80 lakh was found inside the private vehicle of Ralomg Borang, a former MLA, Darang said. The government vehicle was registered in the name of Deputy Secretary of Transport Department, he said, denying Congress's claim that the vehicles were part of Chief Minister Pema Khandu's motorcade. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed an election rally in Pasighat during the day. Both Christopher and Ralomg were present at the guest house when the cash was seized by ..
20 file nomination in Assam for third phase
A total of 20 nominations were filed on Wednesday, taking the total applications to 38 in the four constituencies going to polls in the third phase on April 23, an election department communique said. During the day, seven nominations were filed for Gauhati, five for Barpeta, four each were submitted for Kokrajhar and Dhubri Lok Sabha constituencies. In Gauhati, Samajwadi Party's Ratul Kumar Choudhury, Hindustan Nirman Dal's Rajib Kakati, Voter's Party International's Partha Pratim Baruah and four Independents submitted their papers. Congress MLA Abdul Khaleque, former AGP parliamentarian Kumar Deepak Das, former AIUDF MLA Rafiqul Islam, Bhadreswar Barman of National Republican Congress (NRC) and Rejaul Karim of Republican Party of India (A) filed their papers for the Barpeta constituency. Kokrajhar seat saw submmission of nomination by Congress' Sabda Ram Rabha, former Rajya Sabha member Urkhao Gwra Brahma of United People's Party (Liberal), Charan Iswary of Purvanchal
Modi-Mamata war of words heat up battleground Bengal (Roundup)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee fought a vicious war of words during the course of three major public meetings in the state on Wednesday, heating up the electoral battle just eight days before first phase of polling for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.