Page 1088 - Politics
UK Cabinet to meet as MPs reject Brexit options
UK Prime Minister Theresa May will summon her warring Cabinet to Downing Street for a five-hour showdown on Tuesday after Parliament once again failed to agree on any alternative to her rejected Brexit deal.
No-deal Brexit 'day after day more likely': EU's Barnier
The European Union's chief negotiator Michel Barnier warned Tuesday it is "day after day more likely" that Britain will crash out of the bloc next week without an orderly withdrawal agreement. Barnier was addressing a think tank in Brussels the day after British lawmakers again failed to unite behind any alternative to the Brexit withdrawal agreement Prime Minister Theresa May signed last year. "No deal was never our desired nor intended scenario. No deal was never my intended scenario, but the EU 27 is now prepared. It becomes day after day more likely," Barnier told the European Policy Centre. "Let's not forget first that we have already an agreement, we have already a deal, and it was concluded by Theresa May and the British government and the European Council and European Parliament on November 25 last year, four months ago," he said. "We tried to make sure that the UK could leave the EU on March 29, just as the UK had foreseen itself... If the UK still wants to leave the EU in an
Raj Guv's remarks supporting return of PM Modi violative of poll code: EC
Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh's remarks supporting the return of Narendra Modi as prime minister are violative of model code of conduct, the Election Commission has concluded. Sources said since Singh holds a constitutional post, the EC will write to President Ram Nath Kovind, flagging the issue. The poll panel had examined the remarks made by the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister in the light of model code violation as holding a constitutional post makes him "apolitical". Addressing BJP workers at his Aligarh residence on March 23, Singh reportedly said, "All of us are BJP workers and we want the party to win. We want Modiji to become the prime minister. It is necessary that Modiji becomes the PM again." The Governor made these remarks to placate some agitated BJP members who gathered outside his house over ticket distribution. In the 1990s, the EC had expressed displeasure to then Himachal Pradesh Governor Gulsher Ahmed for campaigning for his son. He later quit.
Pakistan says Indian fire killed 3 of its soldiers
The Pakistan Army said on Tuesday that it lost three soldiers due to "unprovoked" Indian firing across the Line of Control. Military spokesman Major Gen Asif Ghafoor said in a statement that Indian troops resorted to "unprovoked" firing in Rakhchakri area of Rawalakot Sector along the LOC. Three soldiers were killed, he said. Ghafoor said that the Pakistan Army responded effectively. Meanwhile, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir "Prime Minister" Raja Farooq Haider on Monday said his government has prepared a plan for evacuation of civilian population from the highly vulnerable areas along the Line of Control (LoC) in case of emergency, according to a report in Dawn. Tensions between India and Pakistan flared up after the Pulwama terror attack claimed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed. Amid mounting outrage, the Indian Air Force carried out a counter-terror operation, hitting what it said was a JeM training camp in Balakot, deep inside Pakistan on February 26. The next day, Pakistan Air Force .
BJD govt did not cooperate, chowkidar transformed Odisha with Central schemes: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday slammed the Naveen Patnaik-led Odisha government for "not cooperating"with the Centre to bring about speedy development in the state and said he has taken advantage of central schemes to ensure welfare of Odiyas. "The government in Odisha did not cooperate with us. Despite its indifference, we did our best in launching development projects in the state," Modi said, while addressing a rally in this west Odisha town. This chowkidaar (watchman) has taken advantage of Centre's schemes to ensure welfare of the Odiyas, he insisted. If the BJP had formed government in Odisha after 2014 election, the state would have witnessed "speedy development in all sectors", he claimed. Calling upon the people to vote for the double-engine government of the BJP at the Centre and the state, Modi said Odisha should repeat the history created by Uttar Pradesh in 2017 and Tripura in 2018. Listing his government's achievements, he said the NDA government has ...
Cong manifesto released, Rahul calls it voice of people
The Congress on Tuesday released its manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections with its president Rahul Gandhi describing it as the "voice of people". Senior party leader P Chidambaram asserted that "wealth and welfare" is the manifesto's central theme. Rahul Gandhi was joined by other top party leaders, including former prime minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi, as the opposition party unveiled its manifesto. Chidambaram said real issues in the country are unemployment, farmer distress and women's safety among others and accused the ruling BJP of trying to take narrative to hyper nationalism. Singh said the manifesto's purpose is to spell out the vision for the country to move towards forward-looking and inclusive economy and polity. The Congress chief said if his party is elected to power, its government would spend six per cent of the GDP on education. His party will work to unite the people, he said, accusing the Modi government of dividing the society and spreading ...
Delhi Congress chief Sheila Dikshit meets Rahul Gandhi
Delhi Congress chief Sheila Dikshit met party president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday triggering fresh speculations on the party's possible alliance with the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The meeting, which last for around 20 minutes was also attended by AICC in charge of Delhi PC Chacko. Dikshit, who has been opposing an alliance with the AAP, had said on Sunday that the decision on tie-up for Lok Sabha polls will be declared in a few days. The decision from Rahul Gandhi on an alliance is expected "anytime" now, sources said. Delhi Congress is divided over the issue with one side claiming that a 4-3 seat sharing formula has been finalised and AAP will be asked to leave three out of the seven parliamentary constituencies in national capital. AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal had however said on Monday that Rahul Gandhi had refused an alliance with his party.
Cong manifesto includes probe into Rafale deal: Bhalchandra Mungekar
Congress has promised to probe the alleged irregularities in Rafale jet deal in the party manifesto, a member of the manifesto committee said on Tuesday morning.Congress manifesto committee member Bhalchandra Mungekar told ANI, "We will initiate an inquiry into Rafale deal on the first day after coming to power and we have included this in the manifesto."The Congress poll documents, said Mungekar, has been named as 'people's manifesto' which is scheduled to be released today by party president Rahul Gandhi."We have vowed to take all steps needed to undo the damage done to the country by the Modi government in the last five years and bring in 'achhe din' in real means," he said.According to sources, the big-ticket promise in the manifesto will be NYAY, the minimum income guarantee scheme for the 20 per cent of India's poorest families, which has already been unveiled by the Congress president.To emphasise on the scheme, the Congress has coined a new slogan of 'Gareeb Parivar, Bahattar .
Modi makes brief stopover at Raipur airport on way to Odisha
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday made a brief stopover at the airport here in Chhattisgarh before proceeding on a campaign tour of the neighbouring Odisha. Modi arrived at the Swami Vivekanand Airport in Raipur around 10.05 am by a special aircraft and was there for a few minutes before he headed for Kalahandi in Odisha, a state BJP spokesperson said. He was welcomed by Chhattisgarh's former chief minister and BJP national vice-president Raman Singh, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Dharamlal Kaushik, former state minister Rajesh Munat, Raipur MP Ramesh Bais and other party leaders, he said. The prime minister later left for Kalahandi around 10.10 am by a helicopter of the Indian Air Force, he said. While returning from Odisha later in the day, Modi will again arrive at the Raipur airport and leave from there after a brief break in journey, the spokesperson said.
Govt proposes bureaucrats-led committees to probe complaints against info commissioners
The Centre has proposed to form committees under cabinet secretary to look into complaints against Chief Information Commissioner and Information Commissioners, a move seen as an attack on the independence of the transparency panel. The proposal sent to the Central Information Commission (CIC) by the Department of Personnel and Training was discussed in a meeting of the Commission on March 27 where all but one of the seven commissioners, including the chief, were present. It was unanimously opposed by the commissioners, and Chief Information Commissioner Sudhir Bhargava was urged to send a suitable reply to the government, sources privy to the development said. "We will be sending a communication to the government soon," Bhargava told PTI without elaborating on the Commission's deliberations and the nature of response it intends to send to the Centre. According to the proposal, the government intends to form committees under cabinet secretary to look into complaints against Chief ...
Tough New Zealand gun laws easily pass first hurdle
New legislation to tighten New Zealand gun laws in the wake of the Christchurch mosque shootings drew overwhelming support when it was introduced to parliament on Tuesday. Lawmakers voted 119-1 in favour of the bill, which bans military-style semi-automatic (MSSA) rifles like those used in the March 15 rampage by a white supremacist which claimed 50 lives. Police Minister Stuart Nash said the attack by accused gunman Brenton Tarrant showed current firearms restrictions were inadequate. "Far too many people in this country have access to these dangerous firearms for no legitimate purpose, but at significant risk to the public," he said. The sole holdout against the legislation was David Seymour, a conservative whose ACT Party has a single seat in parliament. Seymour criticised the speed with which his colleagues were handling the legislation, fast-tracking a process that usually takes months so that the law will take effect by the end of next week. "It is important that we maintain our
TDP spokesperson in Telangana joins TRS
In a setback to TDP in Telangana, one of its spokespersons, B N Reddy joined the ruling TRS on Tuesday. Reddy joined TRS in the presence of its working president K T Rama Rao, TRS sources said. TDP has not fielded candidates in Telangana for the Lok Sabha polls. It has decided, in principle, to support Congress candidates as per the latter's request. Having suffered large scale migration of its leaders to the ruling TRS in the last few years, TDP found its base substantially eroded in Telangana. The latest major leader to switch over from TDP to TRS is former MP Nama Nageswara Rao who has been fielded by the TRS in Khammam Lok Sabha constituency. Nageswara Rao had earlier represented Khammam in Lok Sabha on behalf of TDP.
Rajasthan Governor violated MCC calling for Modi win, ECI may approach President: Sources
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has found Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh's alleged remark calling for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's win as violation of Model Code of Conduct (MCC), poll body sources said on Tuesday.The poll panel is likely to write to President Ram Nath Kovind to bring the matter to his notice. However, the ECI will take a final call at a meeting to be held today, the sources added.On March 25, Singh allegedly said that as a party worker he "genuinely" wanted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to win the ensuing Lok Sabha elections, which are going to be held in seven phases from April 11 to May 19."As a worker of BJP, I genuinely want the party to win. We want that once again Narendra Modi should become the Prime Minister. It is important for the nation and society that Narendra Modi should become the Prime Minister again," he had told reporters in Aligarh.Singh, who served two terms as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh (1991-1992 and 1997-1999) was ...
Rajasthan Governor violates MCC calling for Modi win, ECI may approach President: Sources
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has found Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh's alleged remark calling for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's win as violation of Model Code of Conduct (MCC), poll body sources said on Tuesday.The poll panel is likely to write to President Ram Nath Kovind to bring the matter to his cognizance. However, the ECI will take a final call in the meeting to be held today, sources added.On March 25, Singh allegedly said that as a party worker he "genuinely" wanted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to win the ensuing Lok Sabha elections, which are going to be held in seven phases from April 11 to May 19."As a worker of BJP, I genuinely want the party to win. We want that once again Narendra Modi should become the Prime Minister of India. It is important for the nation and society that Narendra Modi should become the Prime Minister again," he told reporters in Aligarh.Singh, who previously served two terms as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh (1991-1992 and ...
Janta maaf nahi karegi: BJP unveils advertisement targetting Congress
As political climate heats up in the country in the run-up to the 17th Lok Sabha polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday unveiled an advertisement titled 'Janta maaf nahi karegi (people will not forgive)' which was one of the popular electoral slogans used by the party in the 2014 General elections.The party has tagged a video of a commoner who is seen attacking the Congress for raising questions on the works done by the BJP in the last five years."You are questioning the surgical strike and air strike. You are questioning China fleeing from Doklam. You are questioning the statue of Sardar (Patel). You are questioning the Supreme Court. If you have lost elections, then you are raising questions on EVMs. When the world is lauding India, you are questioning the World Bank. Questions after questions. When anything good happens in our country then people will not forgive those raise fingers," the woman could be heard saying in the advertisement..
Thiruvananthapuram to witness a do-or-die battle of bigwigs
If the coming Lok Sabha poll is a do-or-die battle anywhere in Kerala forall three fronts-- ruling LDF, opposition UDF andthe BJP-NDA, it is at the prestigious Thiruvananthapuram constituency, which is expected towitness a fierce tri-cornered fight between heavyweight candidates. Withthe Congress-led UDF's incumbent MP, Shashi Tharoor confidently seeking a third stint from the segment and the BJP veteran Kummanam Rajasekharan and CPI(M)-headed LDF nominee and sitting MLA, C Divakaran making all possible efforts to thwart his hat-trick dreams, the result is beyond any prediction there. Located in the state's southern-most tip, Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency, which stretches from the shores of the Arabian sea to the slopes of Western Ghats, has a total of 13,34,665 voters. The vast segment,covering urban, rural and coastal areas, comprises seven Legislative Assembly segments- Kazhakoottam, Vattiyoorkkavu, Nemom, Parassala, Kovalam and Neyyattinkara besides ...
Pune: BJP banks on development, Congress looks for revival
With main rivals Congress and the BJP changing their 2014 candidates in Pune, a keen tussle is on the cards in the Lok Sabha constituency where local issues are dominating the campaign discourse. Once a Congress stronghold, this seat in western Maharashtra got a saffron touch in 2014 when BJP's Anil Shirole, riding on the 'Modi wave', routed Congress opponent Vishwajeet Kadam by a margin of over three lakh votes. But, five years later, the urban constituency is set for a different contest as Shirole has been replaced by BJP veteran and state minister Girish Bapat, while the Congress, too, has changed its candidate and fielded Mohan Joshi. Bapat, 68, is a five-term MLA from Kasba Peth, one of the six constituencies that make up the Pune Lok Sabha seat. After victory in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP went on to win all the six Assembly seats (Kasba Peth, Shivajinagar, Kothrud, Pune Cantonment, Parvati and Wadgaon Sheri) in the state elections held later that year. The ...
Jharkhand shifts ADG Police on EC's direction
The Jharkhand government on Tuesday shifted the Additional Director General of Police (ADG) Special Branch to New Delhi at the direction of the Election Commission of India (EC).
Cong fields candidates for 25 LS seats in Rajasthan
The Congress has fielded candidates for all the 25 Lok Sabha constituencies in Rajasthan ahead of the filing of nominations beginning Tuesday. The party announced the names of six candidates in its list on Monday night, which includes the name of sitting MLA and discus thrower Krishna Poonia on Jaipur rural seat. Poonia will be contesting againstOlympian and BJP candidate Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, also the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, on the Jaipur rural seat. The party also announced names of industrialist Riju Jhunjhunwala on Ajmer, Bharatram Meghwal on Sriganganagar, Devkinandan Gurjar on Rajsamand and Rampal Sharma on Bhilwara seat in its list last night. With this, the party has announced candidates for all the seats in the state where Lok Sabha elections will be held in two phases, on April 29 and May 6. Filing of nomination papers for the 13 constituencies going to poll in first phase is beginning Tuesday.
Educational institutions closed in Poonch district
Authorities on Tuesday closed all educational institutions in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district where a child, a woman and a Border Security Force (BSF) officer were killed on Monday in Pakistan shelling.