Page 1118 - Politics
CPI-M lodges model code conduct violation complaint against CM
Opposition CPI-M Saturday lodged a complaint against Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Dev with the Election Commission for violating model code of conduct by allegedly luring voters with government jobs. We were shocked to see that the Chief Minister Deb is inciting violence and luring voters by offering government jobs before the Parliament elections. We have lodged a complaint with the Election Commission today, CPI-M West Tripura secretary Pabitra Kar told reporters. The Congress and CPI (M) leaders, including the Lok Sabha candidates, are under attack from BJP goons, he alleged. Meanwhile, Congress Vice-president, Tapas Dey in a complaint to ECI on Saturday, the copy of which was made available to media, said, ever since the date to the parliamentary elections were announced a rein of terror has been let loose by the party in power to induce a fear psychosis amongst the electors and rig the election process. Our party leaders and workers are under constant threat of ...
Grandson of Vasantdada Patil to be SSS candidate in Sangli
Vishal Patil,grandson of late Maharashtra chief minister Vasantdada Patil, will be the candidate of the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS) from the Sangli Lok Sabha seat. The Congress-NCP combine has allotted the seat to the SSS. SSS chief Raju Shetti made the announcement of Patil's candidature in Sangli Saturday. "Patil will file his nomination on April 2," Shetti said. Vishal Patil had earlier announced that he will contest the Lok Sabha election either as a Congress candidate or as independent. Finally, it was decided during late-night talks between Shetti and senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan that Vishal Patil will contest as SSS candidate, sources said. Sangli, a Congress bastion up to 2014, was alloted to the SSS as part of the seat-sharing deal between the Congress, NCP and other constituents of the opposition's alliance. Congress' Pratik Patil, Vishal's elder brother and a former Union minister, was defeated by Sanjay Kaka Patil of the BJP in the last ..
Six-time SP MLA joins BJP
The BJP Saturday got a shot in the arm as six-time Samajwadi Party MLA and former minister Chaudhary Virendra Singh joined the saffron party at its headquarters here. A member of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council, Singh joined the saffron party in the presence of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and state Bharatiya Janata Party chief Mahendra Nath Pandey. Speaking on the occasion, Adityanath said, "The BJP is not at all weak. In 2014, the BJP and its allies had won 73 Lok Sabha seats in the state. In 2017, UP Assembly elections the BJP and its allies bagged 325 seats." "Following this, in the urban local bodies' polls BJP candidates won mayoral elections in 14 out of 16 seats. The BJP will proceed with this intensity in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls, and surge ahead of its target of 74-plus seats," he added. Welcoming the MLA from Kandhla assembly constituency, parts of which went to Shamli and Kairana assembly constituencies after delimitation, Pandey said: "Today the opposition is ..
JMM petitions CEO against VC's 'chowkidar' remarks
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) Saturday petitioned before the state Chief Electoral Officer L. Khiangte to probe into alleged remarks made by Ranchi University Vice-Chancellor Ramesh Pandey, alluding to chowkidar. .during his speech at the Ranchi Universitys Convocation ceremony on Friday, Vice-Chancellor Ramesh Pandeycalled upon the students to become honest chowkidar', said the JMMs complaint letter to the CEO, a copy of which was released to the press. The letter urged the CEO to look into the video of the convocation ceremony and lodge violation of Model Code of Conduct case against the vice-chancellor as referring to any words of any particular political party was improper. Chowkidar (watchman) has been widely used by both ruling BJP as well the opposition Congress to pin down each other over the issue of corruption.
Development possible only if there is peace and unity: Ram
BJP national General Secretary Ram Madhav Saturday said that no development is possible without peace and unity in Manipur as well the North East. Interacting with ethnic Kuki civil bodies at Tuibong area in Churchandpur district, he said "if we are united, we can think of development here, the state as well the North Eastern region". "With your cooperation, this region can actually transform into one of the most developed region in no more than four to five years because of the Act East Policy", Madhav said at the poll campaign of BJP Outer Manipur parliamentary constituency candidate Benjamin Mate. "I came here only to seek your support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his visions and for us to transform that vision into a reality," he said. He continued that "for a moment, you have a divided community here and quarrelling" due to which we are forced to deploy security forces like the Assam Rifles here. Asking everyone to rise above political and group divisions, ..
Pulwama attack a gift to BJP, says former RAW chief
The Pulwama terror attack was a gift to the BJP ahead of the elections and it was 'alright' to carry out surgical strikes on terror camp in Pakistan, former chief of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) A S Dulat said Saturday. "I think it is, I mentioned this before, I think it was gift from the Jaish to the BJP or to Modiji. Because of elections. It was inevitable that something would happen. Something would be done. So, the surgical strike deep inside Pakistan was alright," he told reporters here. He was asked how he assessed the present government's handling of the Pulwama terror attack and about the way ahead. Dulat said nationalism is alright if it is looked at broadly but it may not be good if it is seen narrowly. "The larger point I am making is that what is sufficient is patriotism. We need not stress on nationalism. Because, the indications worldwide are, in the past also, that nationalism can lead to war," he said. Dulat, who was speaking on the sidelines of the ...
Delhi Cong complaints to Delhi CEO against AAP chief Kejriwal
The Delhi unit of the Congress Saturday complained with the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO)against Chief Minister and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal, accusing him of misusing his office by sending letters to voters and violating the poll code. A delegation of the Legal department of the Delhi congress led by its chairman Sunil Kumar submitted its complaint with the CEO (Delhi) seeking action against Kejriwal. "Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has grossly violated the code of conduct by misusing his official position by sending letters to lakhs of voters in Delhi," the delegation complained. Response of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over the allegation was not immediately available. "The Kejriwal government is using the taxpayers' money in the election campaign of the AAP for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. It is attempting to influence the voters with the plea that the Congress can not defeat the BJP so they should cast their votes for the AAP candidates in Delhi," they alleged. "Arvind ...
2,395 & 344 candidates in fray for AP assembly, LS polls
A total of 2,395 and 344 candidates remained in the fray for 175 Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats respectively in Andhra Pradesh which goes to the polls on April 11, the Election Commission said Saturday. State Chief Electoral Officer Gopal Krishna Dwivedi announced this to leaders of various political parties at a meeting here this afternoon, two days after the deadline for withdrawal of nominations ended. Each ballot unit (electronic voting machine) would have names and pictures of 15 candidates apart from the NOTA (none of the above) button, the CEO said. A second EVM would be used in constituencies where the number of contestants was more than 15, he added. The Election Commission of India has deployed 200 observers to the state, including 75 general observers, for overseeing the Lok Sabha and Assembly election process. Political parties could get in touch with the observers in case of any problems, Dwivedi said. The CEO handed over the final list of electors, ...
TMC launches web series 'Pradhan Mantri Hisab do'
Ahead of Lok Sabha poll in the state, the Trinamool Congress Friday launched a web series christened 'Pradhan Mantri Hisab Do' comparing various welfare schemes of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre with that of the TMC government in West Bengal. The first episode of the web series began with a short film comparing two schemes Bengal governments Sabooj Sathi and the Central governments Beti Bachao Beti Padhao. Under the Sabooj Sathi scheme of West Bengal bicycles are given to girl students of class 9 to 12 studying in government run and government aided schools and madrashas of the state. The video shows two girls one living in Rewari, Haryana and the other in Hoogly district of West Bengal. A girl of Rewari in the video is seen speaking about how she had to leave her school as it is 14-15 km away his home and there is not a single school in her village. In the next scene, a housewife from Hooghly, tells how the bicycle her daughter got from the West Bengal ...
MNS leader joins in Cong candidate's walk around Shivaji Park
MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande joined Congress candidate from Mumbai South Central Eknath Gaikwad in his 'morning walk' campaign in Shivaji Park area Saturday. Though the Raj Thackeray-led MNS is not a part of opposition's alliance in Maharashtra, Thackeray has said he wants the BJP to lose. The MNS has decided not to field any candidates in the election. Deshpande was seen walking with Gaikwad as the Congress leader greeted and spoke with residents of Shivaji Park area. Deshpande, however, said he goes to Shivaji Park for his morning walk regularly, and met Gaikwad by chance. "I wished him luck. There is nothing more to it," he said. The MNS leader criticised sitting Shiv Sena MP of the constituency, Rahul Shewale. "He has built toilets, repaired gym roofs, held health camps. All these things a corporator does, an MP is not expected to do this," he said.
China says representatives of over 100 countries to attend 2nd BRF meet
Representatives from over 100 countries, including about 40 leaders of governments, will participate in the second Belt and Road Forum to be held here later next month, a top Chinese official said Saturday. China held the first Belt and Road Forum (BRF) in 2017 to showcase its trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the pet project of President Xi Jinping aimed at expanding the country's influence all over the world with a chain of infrastructure projects funded by Chinese investments. India boycotted the first BRF meet over its objections to China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). India's Ambassador to China, Vikram Misri, in a recent interview to the state-run Global Times signalled a similar boycott of the second BRF meet. "To be honest, we have made no secret of our views and our position on BRI is clear and consistent, and one that we have conveyed to the authorities concerned," Misri said. State Councilor Yang .
Despite EC's clean chit, Yechury insists PM violated model code of conduct
CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury Saturday wrote to the Election Commission insisting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to nation over the ASAT launch was "a gross violation" of the MCC because after his speech the PM claimed he was a "chowkidar not only on land and air but also in outer space". Yechury's letter to the Chief Election Commissioner comes a day after an election commission team declared that Modi's address on the successful test-firing of an anti-satellite missile did not violate provisions of the model code of conduct. The poll panel had constituted the committee to look into the PM's speech upon complaint by Yechury and other opposition parties. A copy of the EC's Friday report was also sent to Yechury. In his Saturday letter, Yechury said the EC made a "narrow interpretation" of his complaint. "Since the ECI has confined itself exclusively to the issue of 'misuse of official media' I would request the ECI to direct the official media to treat ...
UP: 7 candidates file nomination for the third phase of LS polls
As many as seven candidates Saturday filed their nomination papers for the third phase of Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh, an official said. According to UP's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) L Venkateshwarlu, one candidate each from Moradabad, Sambhal, Firozabad, Mainpuri, Etah, Badaun and Aonla parliamentary constituencies filed their papers. Some of the prominent candidates included Shivpal Singh Yadav (Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party-Lohia) from Firozabad, Rajveer Singh (Bharatiya Janata Party) from Etah and Saleem Iqbal Sherwani (Congress) from Badaun. So far, 14 candidates have filed their nominations for the third phase. The last date for filing of nomination papers is April 4 and they will be scrutinised on April 5. Last date of withdrawal of candidature is April 8. Voting will be held on April 23.
Congressman to contest on SSS ticket in Sangli
The political fire was finally doused in Sangli Lok Sabha constituency with the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS) announcing the candidature of Congress leader Vishal P. Patil, here on Saturday.
Uma Vasudev was a writer of rare immensity and sensitivity (Tribute)
Erudite and elegant, never boastful, but a demeanour of intellectual aesthetics - Uma Vasudev was more than a mere author, columnist and researcher on music. She was a perfect personification of an individual who did not need to put on an act - her work spoke for itself. Her track record as a writer was impeccable.
Another sitting BJD MP quits party, joins BJP
In a jolt to the ruling BJD ahead of the Lok Sabha and Odisha Assembly elections, party's sitting MP and former Union Minister Arjun Sethi resigned from the regional outfit Saturday and joined the BJP. Sethi an eight-time MP from Bhadrak Lok Sabha constituency resigned from the BJD after he was denied a party ticket to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls. Sethi was the fourth sitting MP who quit the BJD ahead of the polls. The three others were: Nabarangpur MP Balabhadra Majhi, Kandhamal MP Pratyusha Rajeswari Singh and Kalahandi MP Arka Keshari Deo. All of them have quit the BJD protesting denial of renomination to contest the forthcoming elections. While Mahji and Singh have already joined the BJP, BJD president Naveen Patnaik has not accepted Deo's resignation. Earlier last year, BJD's Kendrapara MP Baijayant Panda had quit the BJD and joined the BJP in March 4 this month. Former BJD MP from Jajpur Lok Sabha seat Mohan Jena, also resigned from the party and joined
BJP hits back at TRS chief over 'surgical' strikes
The BJP in Telangana Saturday hit out at Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao for allegedly questioning the surgical strikes carried out under the BJP government. State BJP president K Laxman told reporters here that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao said Friday 11 surgical strikes were made during the UPA I regime when he was a Union minister. "What strikes does he think of? Is it surgical strikes... Yes, strikes happened. Workers' strikes also happened (during the UPA regime). Rao should apologise to the people for allegedly saying that 'hollow strikes' happened during the Modi government," he said. "...If you are speaking the language of Pakistan, I am saying, are you eligible to be the chief minister? You are speaking the interpretation of Pakistan," Laxman claimed. Referring to the recent air strikes on Jaish-E-Mohammed terror camps in Balakot in Pakistan, he said that Rao quoted JeM chief Masood Azhar who had said that even an ant did not die in the air strikes. "He ...
PM Modi takes credit even for works of previous governments, claims Ashok Gehlot
Prime Minister Narendra Modi even takes credit for the works done during the regime of previous Central governments, said Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot here on Saturday."BJP has been disturbed by the NYAY scheme of Rahul Gandhi. PM Modi kept the country waited for 40 minutes, but turned out to be a damp squib," he said, taking a dig at the Prime Minister's address to the nation on 'Mission Shakti.'"It took 40 years to build ISRO what it is today. They are presenting the accomplishments to the country in a way as if their government is doing all this," he said at a press conference.Accusing the BJP of making fake promises to the people, the Chief Minister said: "Where is Rs 15 lakh which PM Modi promised. Our government will give Rs 72,000 per annum to the target groups."Referring to the way senior leaders have been sidelined in the BJP, the Chief Minister said: "They used to talk about Congress-free India but they are freeing their party from senior leaders like LK Advani and .
Putul Singh expelled from BJP for 6 years for filing nomination against NDA candidate in Banka
BJP on Saturday expelled Putul Singh, wife of former late Union Minister Digvijay Singh, from the primary membership of the party for six years for filing her nomination as an independent from Banka Lok Sabha constituency against the NDA's official candidate."Through newspapers and various others sources, it is known that you have filed nomination as an Independent candidate from Banka Lok Sabha constituency against the official NDA candidate. This comes under the indiscipline and hence the party has taken it seriously. Hence, you are expelled from the primary membership of the party for six years," reads the office order.Banka Lok Sabha constituency is currently held by the RJD's Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav who defeated Putul Singh of BJP in the last Lok Sabha elections.Putul Singh had won the seat in 2010 by-poll as an Independent candidate after the death of her husband Digvijay Singh. Digvijay Singh had won as an Independent candidate in 2009 after the JDU denied him the ...
BJP accuses Mamata govt of denying permission for venue of PM's rally
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's government has not given permission for holding a rally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a ground in Kawakhali of Darjeeling district on April 3, state BJP president Dilip Ghosh alleged on Saturday."Our first choice was a state government ground in Kawakhali. We gave an application one week back but the permission was not given. We have got permission for two railway grounds in Siliguri," Ghosh told reporters here."This led BJP to choose a railway ground," he said.Accusing the West Bengal government of being partial towards BJP, Ghosh said, "The administration is not fair. We are used to these circumstances. We always keep options."He said, "Earlier too, we had faced problems in connection with rallies of the Prime Minister and the party president (Amit Shah). No one can be stopped from holding a rally in a democracy.