Page 1078 - Politics
Centre made 'unilateral changes' in Metro Ph-IV, says AAP govt; Centre rejects charge
In what could escalate the tussle between the AAP dispensation and the Centre over DMRC's Phase-IV, the Delhi government Tuesday alleged that the Union government has made some "unilateral changes" in the project, without communicating any reasons. In a statement, the Delhi transport department said, "If the Government of India was of the opinion that only three 'Priority Corridors' were required to be considered in the first stage, it could have very well communicated to the Delhi government and in that case, the Delhi cabinet could also have approved only these three corridors." In early March, three of the six proposed corridors, got the Union cabinet nod. These are: Mukundpur-Maujpur (12.54 km), Janakpuri West-R K Ashram (28.92 km) and Tughlakabad-Aerocity (20.20 km). "The Delhi government had approved all the six corridors proposed by the Delhi Metro in Phase-IV... However, the Government of India thereafter approved only three corridors out of the six approved by the Delhi ...
J&K government ad ban extended to 'Kashmir Uzma'
After banning government advertisements to two English newspapers of the Valley, the Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday extended the ban to the popular vernacular Urdu daily 'Kashmir Uzma', the Kashmir Editors Guild (KEG) said.
Kejriwal and AAP leaders
Amid Congress president Rahul Gandhi's remarks that his party was flexible and open to alliances, the AAP Tuesday said it will discuss the prospects of a pre-poll tie up with the grand old party with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and party leaders. "It was just a statement. We will discuss this with Arvind Kejriwal and other party members and let you know," AAP national spokesperson Sanjay Singh said while responding to a question at a press conference held at the party head office here. Earlier in the day, Gandhi, while releasing the Congress's election manifesto, had said his party was open to stitching alliances across the country and was "very flexible" on the issue. On being asked if there was any confusion over a possible alliance with the AAP, Gandhi told reporters, "There is no confusion on this. The situation is actually very clear on this issue. We have constructed alliances. We have been open to construct alliances and we have done it across the country. We are very ...
BJP announces names of 3 more LS candidates
The BJP Tuesday announced the names of three more Lok Sabha candidates, fielding Malayalam film actor Suresh Gopi from Thrissur in Kerala. Besides this, the party has announced two more candidates from Gujarat -- Sharda Ben Patel from Mahesana and Darshana Jardosh from Surat. With this, the party has announced the names of 377 candidates. The party has also released the names of 11 more candidates for the Odisha state assembly polls, which will be held in four phases starting from April 11 and ending on April 29. The BJP has so far announced candidates for all the Lok Sabha seats which will go to polls in the first four phases of the seven-phase election. The general elections will begin on April 11 and continue till May 19. The counting of votes will be held on May 23. The BJP had earlier nominated Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh from Lucknow. Party chief Amit Shah will contest from Gandhinagar, where L K Advani is the sitting MP.
No return to ballot paper, improved EVMs in Congress manifesto
The Congress, which has been demanding return to ballot papers, made no mention of it in its election manifesto released on Tuesday even as it promised to make electronic voting machines (EVMs) tamperproof, suggesting elections would continue to happen through EVMs if the party comes to power.
Another senior BJD leader joins BJP
BJD founding member and former Odisha minister Raghunath Mohanty joined the BJP on Tuesday, two days after he quit the ruling party. Mohanty joined the BJP at its state headquarters in presence of Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan and the party's national vice-president Baijayant Panda, who is a former BJD parliamentarian. Considered as an influential leader of Balasore district, Mohanty's move is seen as a setback for the ruling BJD in the run up to the elections. After resigning from the BJD, Mohanty had alleged that the ruling party had deviated from the legendary leader Biju Patnaik's ideals, and that the regional outfit was now being run by a group having vested interests. "Though I was one of the founding members of the BJD, the party leadership has sidelined and ignored me and several other founding members. I felt that the party does not require my services any more. I was hurt and decided to quit," he said. A five-time MLA, Mohanty had to resign from the ...
AAP backs SP-BSP-RLD candidate in Ghaziabad
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday extended its support to Suresh Bansal, the SP-BSP-RLD candidate in the Lok Sabha elections.
Regional combine must take on national parties: Sangma
National People's Party (NPP) President Conrad Sangma on Tuesday stressed on the need for a regional parties' combine to take on national level political parties.
Shah vows poor-friendly government like MGR's
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah on Tuesday said the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will form a "poor-friendly government" at the Centre, like the ones by former AIADMK Chief Ministers M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) and J. Jayalalithaa in Tamil Nadu.
Congress should be derecognized, says Thackeray
In a sharp attack, Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackery on Tuesday demanded that the Congress should be derecognized and banned from fighting the 2019 elections as it was propagating "an anti-national agenda".
Maha: Won't attack PM, Pawar says citing mother's influence
NCP chief Sharad Pawar Tuesday cited his mother's influence and said he would not resort to attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally, despite the latter having done so. Launching the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance's poll campaign in Maharashtra at a public rally in Wardha on Monday, Modi had made a stinging attack on Pawar claiming the NCP chief had withdrawn from the Lok Sabha polls as he had realised the situation was not favourable. Modi went on to say Pawar was losing his grip on the Nationalist Congress Party and was weakened by family feuds led by his nephew. "Modi is launching personal attacks wherever he goes. But I will not do so as I am influenced by my mother. Personal criticism does not fit in our culture," Pawar said Tuesday, adding that the prime minister did not need to be bothered about family feuds in the NCP. Pawar was speaking at a meeting organised here for Swabhimani Paksha MP Raju Shetti, who is the opposition alliance's candidate from ...
Army veteran, BJP leader join AAP
Former Indian Army Captain Shalini Singh, also wife of late Major Avinash Singh Bhadauria, who was killed in action in September 2001, on Tuesday joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) here.
Last-ditch bid to avert no-deal Brexit (2nd Lead)
A cross-party group of MPs in Britain's House of Commons announced on Tuesday they plan a new bid to block a no-deal Brexit by tabling a bill to extend Article 50 beyond April 12.
If articles 370, 35A are temporary, so is J-K's accession to India: Farooq Abdullah
NC chief Farooq Abdullah Tuesday said those saying articles 370 and 35A of the Constitution were supposed to be temporary are "wittingly or unwittingly affirming" that J-K's accession to India too was "temporary". The former Jammu and Kashmir (J-K) chief minister asserted that people were unfazed by the threats of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) combine on scrapping the articles which provide special status to the state. The National Conference (NC) chief also backed his son and party vice-president Omar Abdullah's comments on Monday that the NC would seek restoration of terms of accession of the state, including the provision for 'Sadr-e-Riyasat' and prime minister posts. The senior Abdullah said those who created a ruckus about assertions of his son were "unqualified and untaught" about historical facts. "It was our party who after Maharaja Hari Singh executed accession with the Union of India, sought unimpeachable constitutional safe guards for ...
Don't worry about my family: Pawar hits back at Modi
A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacked the Pawar political clan in Maharashtra, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Sharad Pawar on Tuesday advised him to "not to worry about my family".
Yechury trains guns at govt over banning of book on Rafale deal
Hitting out at the BJP-led government over the banning of a book on the Rafale deal, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Tuesday said the current regime was "scared" of any book on the defence "scam". The book titled "Nattai Ulukkum Rafale Bera Uzhaal" (the Rafale scam that is rocking the country) and written by social activist S Vijayan has been printed by Tamil publishing house Bharathi Puttakalayam, based in Teynampet, Chennai, and was scheduled to be released on Tuesday. "It doesn't take much to conclude who is scared of the Rafale Scam and any book talking about it. The most corrupt govt in independent India's history, which had indulged in corruption in Rafale deal at the very top to help his cronies," Yechury wrote on Twitter. According to reports, the publisher of the book was served a hand-written letter banning the book's release and sale and all copies of the book were seized. However, Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa, in a tweet, clarified that neither the ...
Pak's top generals review situation along border with India
Pakistan's top military commanders on Tuesday reviewed the situation along the country's border with India and vowed to defend the nation against "any misadventure or aggression", amid heightened Indo-Pak tensions. The 220th Corps Commanders conference chaired by Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa in Rawalpindi "reviewed geo-strategic environment and ongoing situation along the Eastern border," the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) - the army's media wing - said in a statement. The commanders expressed "strong will, resolve and determination to defend the country against any misadventure or aggression", it added. Tensions between India and Pakistan flared up after a suicide bomber of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group killed 40 CRPF personnel in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on February 14. India launched a counter-terror operation in Balakot on February 26. The next day, Pakistan Air Force retaliated and downed a MiG-21 in an aerial combat and captured its ...
PM's poll speech "below the level of Sarpanch": Telangana CM
In a scathing attack on the Prime Minister, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao accused him of lying on central allocation to the state and said his campaign speech was "below the level of sarpanch". Rao also said he does not have a desire to be the Prime Minister. Taking exception to Modi's criticism against him that he consulted astrologers, the TRS president asked "if this is what the Premier should talk about". Alleging that the Prime Minister did not speak the truth about allocation of funds to the state, Rao, also referred as KCR by many, demanded that Modi apologise to the people. "What does Narendra Modiji speak? KCR sees horoscope... Is this what is to be spoken, for the Prime Minister to speak? Should persons running the politics of the country speak like this? In this country, the Prime Minister speaks going below the level of a sarpanch," he said. Rao, who was speaking at an election rally at Warangal, was alluding to Modi's comments on him at a rally .
Anubrata challenges Shah to contest in Birbhum
Senior TMC leader Anubrata Mondal Tuesday said that the BJP is living in a "fool's paradise" by setting a target of winning 23 seats in West Bengal and challenged its president Amit Shah to contest the coming Lok Sabha polls from Birbhum constituency. Mandal, who is the TMC in-charge of Birbhum and known for his controversial comments, said he would ensure that Shah losses the poll by a margin of "five to six lakh votes". Reacting to Mondal's challenge, West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh suggested that Mondal should protect his political turf. "We have heard Amit Shah has set a target of winning 23 Lok Sabha seats in Bengal. I want to tell BJP that they are living in fool's paradise. If Shah is so keen on winning elections then why doesn't he contest from Birbhum Lok Sabha polls? If he is so confident of winning 23 seats then he should also contest in Birbhum. "I assure you that if he contests in Birbhum we (TMC) will defeat him by a margin of five to six lakh votes,"
Cong claims poll code violation in Amit Shah road show
The Gujarat Congress Tuesday lodged a complaint of model code violation during BJP chief and party's Gandhinagar nominee Amit Shah's March 30 rally cum road show here alleging that loudspeakers were used near hospitals. In its complaint sent to Gujarat Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) S. Murali Krishna through fax, the Opposition party demanded necessary action against Shah for "violating" the poll code. On March 30, Shah addressed a gathering near Sardar Patel's statue in Naranpura area of Ahmedabad before participating in a 4 km-long road show from Naranpura to Ghatlodia. He then left for Gandhinagar to file his nomination papers. In its complaint, the Congress alleged that despite knowing that three big hospitals with emergency and trauma care are situated close to the Sardar Patel statue, loud speakers were used during Shah's rally at the venue. Such use of the loud speakers near the hospitals is a clear violation of the model code of conduct, the party said. CEO ...