Page 1133 - Politics
Vote for double-engine BJP govt to usher in devp: PM in Odisha
Accusing the ruling BJD in Odisha of being "insensitive" to the plight of the poor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday asserted that a "double- engine" government of the BJP at the Centre and the state will ensure speedy development in the state. Kicking off his campaign for simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly polls in Odisha from here, Modi said the subsequent governments in the state have betrayed its people. In a scathing attack on the Naveen Patnaik government, a departure from the usual practice of going soft on the ruling party in the state, Modi said: "Both the Congress and the BJD have betrayed the people of Odisha. Now it's the time to punish them and bring in a double-engine government of the BJP at the Centre and the state to build of a 'new Odisha'." The PM, who began his speech in Odia to strike an emotional chord with the people here, said the state government has not been "cooperative" with the Centre, as a result of which the poor were deprived of ...
Modi taunts Chandrababu Naidu, calls him U-Turn Babu
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday launched a blistering attack on Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and erstwhile ally N Chandrababu Naidu, calling him 'u-turn Babu', whose "intent" was not on state's development. Addressing a well-attended election rally here, he sought to reject Naidu's repeated attacks that his government neglected the state. Andhra Pradesh goes to siumultaneous elections to the 175-member assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in the first phase on April 11 with the BJP contesting them alone. Listing various initiatives taken by the NDA government for Andhra Pradesh, Modi said it was during his regime that the Vizag-Chennai industrial corridor was flagged off and approval for the first National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) given. It was also the 'chowkidar' who cleared the first Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP) besides approving the greenfield petrochemical complex for the state, he said. "Five years ago, your one vote made me PM. Your Pradhan ...
Andhra govt transfers DG (Intelligence) after HC refuses
: The Andhra Pradesh government Friday transferred the Director General of Intelligence A B Venkateswara Rao shortly after the High Court rejected its plea challenging the Election Commission's order. Chief Secretary Anil Chandra Punetha issued a G.O transferring Rao and directing him to report to the police headquarters. The high court rejected the state government's contentions, particularly that the DG had nothing to do with the conduct of elections and that the EC had no jurisdiction over him and ruled there was "no case for interim relief." The high court refused to stall EC's order, transferring two IPS officers, including the Director General of Intelligence and a non-cadre officer in the state government, and keeping them away from election duties. The Chief Secretary directed the Director General of Police (Head of Police Force) to not assign any election-related work to Rao till the completion of current elections. The Election Commission on Tuesday night ...
PM's address over anti-satellite missile test violated poll
The NCP claimed Friday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation about a successful test of an anti-satellite missile violated the Model Code of Conduct for Lok Sabha polls. Maharashtra NCP chief Jayant Patil, in a statement here, also ridiculed state minister Chandrakant Patil for reportedly saying that India had shot down an enemy country's satellite. Modi Wednesday announced that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite. The Election Commission has already set up a committee to examine the issue in the light of the poll code. "Earlier, scientists of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) would make announcement about its missions. But this time the prime minister declared shooting down of satellite. This is violation of Model Code of Conduct," Patil said in a statement here. Referring to Chandrakant Patil's reported statement, he said the BJP minister had made a "strange discovery", ...
Turkey reaffirms commitment to Russian S-400 defence system
Turkey's foreign minister said Friday his country is committed to a deal to purchase advanced Russian surface-to-air missile defence system, despite warnings from Washington that the deal could put the NATO member country's participation in the US F-35 fighter aircraft program at risk. Turkey's decision to purchase the S-400 air defence systems from Russia has increased already tense ties between the two NATO allies, including over the war in Syria. The US has issued repeated warnings to Turkey over the planned purchase, arguing that the Russian system may pose a security threat to the high-tech F-35s. Speaking at a joint news conference with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, in the Mediterranean coastal city of Antalya, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu ruled out the possibility of Turkey selling the S-400s to another country as suggested by some analysts as a compromise solution. Cavusoglu also insisted Turkey had met all of its obligations concerning the F-35 program. "As a ..
Why am I being asked about my religion, asks Urmila Matondkar
Actress turned politician Urmila Matondkar, who recently joined the Congress party, on Friday questioned why she is being asked about her religion. She said she wants to do "politics above this"."Why am I being asked about my religion? I don't think I have given this right to anyone because that right only belongs to me. I know it, my family knows it and my in-laws know it. I think this is just the beginning. I want to do politics above all this," Urmila told ANI here.The Congress has fielded her from Mumbai North Parliamentary constituency of Maharashtra in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections. In the 2014 General elections, BJP's Gopal Chinayya Shetty won the seat.Matondkar was inducted into Congress on Wednesday in the presence of Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala and newly-appointed Mumbai Congress chief Milind Deora.The seven-phased Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to be held from April 11 and will go on till May 19.Maharashtra will go to polls in the first four phases, ...
BJP candidate quits party, joins BJD
The BJP's Anandpur Assembly constituency candidate Bhagirathi Sethi resigned from the party on Friday and joined the ruling Biju Janata Dal. Sethi along with his supporters joined the regional party in the presence of Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik. "I am glad that Bhagirathi Sethi has returned to the Biju Janata Dal. His rejoining will strengthen the party," Patnaik said. "I decided to quit BJP due to infighting in the party and conspiracy against him. This is my home coming," Sethi told reporters here. Sethi in 2014 had resigned from the BJD after being denying party ticket and joined BJP. Sethi had won the seat in the 2009 elections on BJD ticket. Anandapur Assembly constituency is in Keonjhar district. Assembly election and Lok Sabha polls in Odisha will be he held simultaneously in four phases on April 11, 18, 23 and 29.
Seven candidates in fray for Bastar LS seat in C'garh
Seven candidates are in the fray for the Naxal-hit Bastar Lok Sabha seat, which is the only constituency in Chhattisgarh where polling will be held in the first phase on April 11. Congress' young and firebrand leader Dipak Baij will take on senior BJP leader Baiduram Kashyap in Bastar, which the saffron party has never lost since 1998. "Seven candidates have remained in the race for Bastar constituency after the withdrawal of nominations ended on Thursday," an official of the state's chief electoral officer here said. Total eight candidates had filed their nominations for the seat. After the scrutiny of papers, nomination of a candidate Jaisingh Kavde of Rashtriya Jansabha Party, was rejected that left seven nominees in the fray. Later, no candidate withdrew from the contest nominations, he added. All the contestants have been allotted elections symbols, the official said. The BJP denied ticket to its sitting MP Dinesh Kashyap in Bastar and fielded its Bastar district ...
Modi government created rural distress: Congress
The Congress on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of quietly squeezing funds meant for the MGNREGA scheme, and said pro-rich and anti-poor policies of his government created "rampant and unimaginable rural distress" in the past five years.
Congress smeared Hindu community for political benefits: Jaitley on Samjhauta verdict
The BJP Friday cited the Samjhauta train blast case judgment to assert that the probe focussed on establishing the Congress's "political theory of Hindu terror", as it accused the opposition party of "smearing" Hindus on the basis of "forged" evidence for political benefits. Senior BJP leader and Union minister Arun Jaitley also took a swipe Congress leaders, including its president Rahul Gandhi and general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, over their temple visits, saying those who believed Hindus to be terrorists are now busy showing their dedication to the religion. It is good that they visit temples and also acknowledge that it is the birthplace of Lord Ram, he said in an apparent reference to Priyanka's visit to Ayodhya. Attacking the Congress over the Samjhauta blast verdict, Jaitley said people cannot tolerate an entire community being labelled as terrorists. Reading parts of the judgment slamming the National Investigation Agency for miserably failing to prove allegations ...
LS Polls: TDP suspends nine party members
TDP on Friday suspended nine of its party members after they allegedly filed nominations for the ensuing polls without getting a ticket from the party.Members who have been suspended include KPRK Phaneeswari, K Srinivasa Rao, Kantamaneni Ravi Shankar, M Madhava Reddy, Bommanacheruvu Sriramulu, N Vijaya Jyothi, A Raja Gopal Reddy, Sarva Srinivasarao, and N Viswanadha Reddy.Elections to the 175-member Andhra Pradesh Assembly is scheduled to be held on April 11 simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.
BJP releases 12th list, denies tickets to three MPs
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday released its 12th list of candidates for 11 Lok Sabha seats, spanning Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan.
Manpal Verma resigns from SP
Former Uttar Pradesh minister Manpal Singh Verma Friday resigned from the Samajwadi Party after he was denied a ticket from the Etah Lok Sabha seat. Verma, who was in the list of the Samajwadi Party's star campaigners, accused the party leadership of humiliating him. He announced his resignation from the party at a press conference. He, however, refused to divulge details on his future course of action. SP candidate Devendra Singh Yadav will fight against Rajvir Singh, son of Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh, from the Etah Lok Sabha constituency. Etah will head for voting in the third pase on April 23.
Egyptian pro-democracy activist free after 5 years in prison
A leading Egyptian pro-democracy activist was freed from prison early Friday after serving a five-year sentence for inciting and taking part in protests, his family and lawyer said. The terms of his release, however, require that he report to a police station every day for the next five years. Alaa Abdel-Fattah rose to prominence with the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings that swept the Middle East and in Egypt, toppled long-time President Hosni Mubarak. To many, his imprisonment three years later at a time when authorities imposed draconian laws banning public gatherings and unauthorized demonstrations was another sign of Egypt's return to autocratic rule. Abdel-Fattah's sisters, Mona and Sanaa Seif, posted on Facebook that "Alaa is out," along with a video of him at home, playing with a dog. His lawyer, Khaled Ali, confirmed the release by posting: "Thanks God, Alaa Abdel-Fattah at home." Facebook pages set up in support of Abdel-Fattah, including "Free Alaa," posted videos for him ...
BJP still mum on candidate from Indore, Speaker Mahajan's seat
With the BJP not announcing its candidate from Indore in Madhya Pradesh yet, suspense remains as to whether sitting MP and Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan would be renominated. The party declared three candidates Friday. So far, it has announced candidates for 18 out of 29 seats in the state. The BJP has denied tickets to senior leaders L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi this time, giving rise to speculation that 75-year-old Mahajan, an eight-time MP from Indore, may not be nominated either. When asked whether she had refused ticket, Mahajan, popularly known as 'Tai' (elder sister in Marathi), told PTI, "This is a party matter, not to be discussed outside. The party will take a call. I have said neither 'yes' nor 'no'. Nobody has spoken to me yet, so I am not in the position to tell you anything. "I am a senior party worker and as of now the responsible local MP, so when elections are around the corner, I have to work for the party. We are holding meetings in ...
BJP, Cong still to name candidates on some LS seats in Gujarat
The BJP and the Congress are still grappling with selection of candidates on some Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat, where the process of filing of nomination papers is underway. Gujarat has 26 Lok Sabha seats and the ruling party has declared 19 candidates so far, while the main opposition Congress has come with out with just 12 nominees. Friday was the second day of filing of nomination papers by candidates in Gujarat and the process will continue till April 4. The state will vote in a single phase on April 23. It seems both the parties are waiting for the other side to declare candidates on crucial seats when stakes are high in the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah. On late Thursday night, the Congress declared six more candidates, four of whom are sitting MLAs. However, the name of its young MLA Alpesh Thakor is missing from the list. The Congress has fielded former MP Jagdish Thakor from Patan. The sixth Congress candidate is an OBC ...
Iran to 'resist' Trump decision on Israel's hold over Golan
Iran's president says his country will resist the Trump administration's acceptance of Israel's control over the Golan Heights. Hassan Rouhani said on Friday that President Donald Trump's decision this week is "trampling on international regulations about the Golan." Rouhani says Iranians too "should resist and that way gain victory" over the US and Israel. Israel seized the Golan in the 1967 Mideast war after Syria had for years used the strategic plateau to shell northern Israel. Syria and many Arab states have denounced Trump's move. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Thursday the US decision is a reminder to Arab and Muslim countries that US and Israel "will steal your lands." Iran doesn't recognise Israel and supports Syria and anti-Israeli militant groups like Hamas and Lebanese's Hezbollah.
Bihar's Grand Alliance declares seat allocation
The Grand Alliance in Bihar on Friday announced the formal allocation of 31 of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state. It also announced the names of the candidates for most of the seats.
Fight between spokespersons on Puri Lok Sabha seat
The Puri Lok Sabha Constituency is all set to witness an interesting poll battle between spokespersons of three parties--BJP, Congress and the BJD. Congress Friday fielded its Odisha unit media cell chairman Satyaprakash Nayak against spokespersons of the BJP and the BJD. The journalist-turned-politician Nayak will take on BJP's national spokesperson Sambit Patra besides sitting BJD MP Pinaki Mishra, a spokesman of the regional party. Nayak's name was among the seven Lok Sabha candidates and 20 assembly candidates announced by AICC's Central Election Committee (CEC) Friday. Of the seven names, the Congress has brought back its old war horse like K P Singhdeo to contest from Dhenkanal Lok Sabha seat. Singhdeo had been a six time MP and was first elected to Lok Sabha in 1967 on Swatantra Party ticket. The Congress also named Navajyoti Patnaik, son of OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik as its candidate to fight from Balasore Lok Sabha seat while PCC vice president Ananta ...
PM using fearmongering in campaign instead of his governance record: Omar Abdullah
It is unfortunate that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has resorted to fearmongering in his election campaign rather than focusing on his five-year track record in governance, says National Conference leader Omar Abdullah. The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister, who believes the Congress is the only pan-India opposition party and should have formed regional alliances with various outfits in states, said he is surprised by the prime minister's campaign tack. "I am surprised that a prime minister who has supposedly a five-year track record to fight these elections on is fighting them on the fear mongering that it is only Pakistan and terrorists who want him to lose," Abdullah told PTI in an interview. Abdullah used Modi's speeches in Meerut, Rudrapur and Akhnoor on Thursday to substantiate his point. Launching his party's Lok Sabha poll campaign in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir, Modi kept the focus on national security, terrorism and how his "decisive" government ...