Page 1163 - Politics

Cabinet approves pact between India and South Korea on startup cooperation

The government Wednesday cleared an agreement on startup cooperation between India and South Korea signed in February, which will facilitate and promote collaboration between startups from both the nations. The ex-post facto approval to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was accorded at a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi here. "The MoU would facilitate and promote bilateral cooperation between the startups of both countries, subject to their national laws and regulations and any applicable international treaties, conventions and agreements to which the two countries are party," an official statement said. Prime Minister Modi visited South Korea in February with an objective to strengthen India's strategic ties with the country.

Transfer of IPS officers by EC 'sends a wrong signal': Chandrababu Naidu

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu Wednesday said his government has moved court against the Election Commission's decision to transfers three IPS officers in the state based on a "frivolous" complaint by the opposition YSR Congress Party. Naidu said the transfer of the officials, who did not come under the purview of the poll body, was against the principle of natural justice and "sends a wrong signal". Director General of Police (Intelligence) A B Venkateswara Rao, Kadapa Superintendent of Police (SP) Rahul Dev Sharma and Srikakulam SP Venkata Ratnam were sent to the police headquarters Tuesday after the YSR Congress Party approached the EC, accusing the officers of "favouring" the TDP. Naidu said the DGP, Intelligence, "looks after the security of chief minister and does not come under the EC's purview", suggesting the poll panel's decision has jeopardized his security. "The YSR Congress Party is terrorising officials in the state...The Andhra Pradesh government has ...

APMCC demands reservation of 3 assembly seats for Kashmiri pandits in J-K

The All Parties Migrants Coordination Committee (APMCC), an organisation of Kashmiri migrant pandits, Wednesday demanded reservation of three assembly seats for the community in Jammu and Kashmir. The pandits are living in exile for the last three decades and reservation of three seats would be an appropriate move to allow the community to rake up their issues at the appropriate forum, APMCC chairman Vinod Pandit said in a statement here. He appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Election Commission of India to consider the demand of the community living in Jammu and other parts of the country. "The community has suffered a lot in the exile and their essence is in danger, and for their upliftment and uniformity as per the Constitution, Kashmiri pandits should be involved in assembly of Jammu and Kashmir and a provision of three seats be announced," he said.

India's A-SAT based on indigenous technology

India on Wednesday demonstrated its capability to interdict and intercept a satellite in outer space based on indigenous technology, the government said.

All will work for Tejasvi Surya's victory in Bangalore South:

Amid resentment within the Karnataka BJP on selection of candidate for the Bangalore South Lok Sabha seat, state unit chief B S Yeddyurappa Wednesday said party nominee Tejasvi Surya would win and every one will work towards it. In a surprise move, the BJP has fielded party's youth wing leader Surya from its bastion of Bangalore South from where the widow of union minister Ananth Kumar, a six-time MP from the constituency, was denied the ticket. However, V Somanna, a party MLA from Govindraj Nagar that falls under Bangalore South, has demanded clarity on how Tejaswini missed the ticket, from Basavanagudi MLA Ravi Subramanya, who is Tejasvi Surya's uncle. "Lot of discussion has happened on this already, it is Delhi's (party high command) decision, every one has accepted it and have begun their work. Tejasvi will hundred per cent win. Tejaswini has also expressed her support, there is no need to discuss about it again," Yeddyurappa told reporters when questioned about ...

Thai parties join hands to form coalition government

Leaders of six of the seven Thai parties met, here on Wednesday, to sign a joint declaration on common plan to form a coalition government following Sunday's election.

Sarabjit Singh's sister wants BJP ticket from Haryana

Sister of Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh, who died in a Lahore hospital after a brutal attack on him in 2013, has sought a BJP ticket for contesting Lok Sabha elections from Haryana, party leaders said on Wednesday.

NYAY: Mayawati launches double-edged attack on Cong and BJP

Terming the Congress' minimum income scheme "Garibi Hatao 2.0", BSP president Mayawati Wednesday backed the BJP's assessment that it was a "bluff". But while taking the dig at the Congress' pre-poll promise, she also mocked at the BJP, asking it if the ruling party has the sole right to poll bluffs and promises. "The ruling BJP calling the Congress slogan of Garibi Hatao 2.0 as bluff is true. But is poll bluff and reneging on poll promises the sole domain of the BJP?" Mayawati asked in a tweet. "In fact the BJP & Congress party are both birds of the same feather in betraying the interests of the poor, labourers, farmers & others," she added. Mayawati's comment comes days after the Congress promised a minimum annual wage of Rs 72,000 to 20 percent of the poorest in the country if it is voted to power. She called Congress' Nyuntam Aay Yojna (NYAY) "Garibi Hatao 2.0" on the lines of late Indira Gandhi's slogan of Garibi Hatao during the Emergency in the mid-1970s.

Three-time legislator and ex-PDP leader Javed Mustafa Mir joins Faesal's JKPM

Former IAS officer Shah Faesal's newly-floated Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Movement (JKPM) received a shot in the arm on Wednesday as three-time legislator and former PDP leader Javed Mustafa Mir joined the party. Mir joined the JKPM along with dozens of his workers at a function here and was welcomed into the party fold by Faesal. A former revenue minister, Mir, who represented the Chadoora assembly constituency in central Kashmir's Budgam district for three successive terms from 2002, had resigned from the PDP in January this year. Faesal described Mir as a "famous political personality" who has been active in public life for over 20 years. "We all know how he would go to any extent for the benefit his constituency, but no one has so far questioned his integrity, his honesty and his character even as after remaining active in public life for over 20 years and was an MLA and a minister. This is what motivated us to approach him," he said. The bureaucrat-turned-politician said the JKPM .

Raj CM congratulates scientists on successful demonstration of anti-satellite missile capability

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot Wednesday congratulated scientists for successfully demonstrating anti-satellite missile capability. "Congratulations to scientists of DRDO for the success of Mission Shakti and making India an elite space power," Gehlot tweeted. "We are so proud of the achievements and efforts of DRDO towards strengthening the country's security since its inception in 1958. Jai Hind...," he said. Addressing the nation Wednesday on the demonstration of India's anti-satellite missile capability, the prime minister said India had joined an exclusive club of space super powers by shooting down a live satellite and described it as a rare achievement.

In first polls sans Karunanidhi and Jayalalithaa, battle of legacy in Tamil Nadu

It's election time again in Tamil Nadu with traditional rivals DMK and AIADMK taking on each other, as they have for decades, but missing from their high decibel campaign this time are two powerful voices -- M Karunanidhi and J Jayalalithaa. Election 2019 is the first in the state without the two Dravidian stalwarts and both the parties are slugging it out to continue their legacy, even as the likes of Kamal Haasan and T T V Dhinakaran plan to play spoilsport. AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa passed away in December 2016 after 75 days in hospital. Her long-time rival, DMK supremo Karunanidhi, died on August 7, 2018. As election clouds gather, the AIADMK led by O Panneerselvam and K Palaniswami is going all out to dedicate a "massive victory" to their 'Amma' and the DMK steered by M K Stalin is determined to take forward the "Kalaignar legacy". The stakes for the three leaders are high, as their parties grapple with the loss of the lodestars who guided their electoral fortunes. Result 2019 ...

China to prosecute former Interpol chief

China will prosecute former head of Interpol Meng Hongwei for allegedly taking bribes, China's Communist Party said on Wednesday.

Modi diverting attention from real issues: SP, BSP

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Wednesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of diverting people's attention from real issues and urged the Election Commission to take note of it.

Giriraj Singh to contest from Begusarai: Shah

BJP chief Amit Shah said on Wednesday that Union Minister Giriraj Singh would contest the parliamentary election from Bihar's Begusarai constituency and all his problems would be resolved by the party. Singh had on Monday accused the party's state leadership of letting him down by "violating" his self-respect after denying him a ticket from Nawada, a seat which he won in 2014. The BJP has announced Singh as its candidate from Begusarai this year. Extending best wishes to Singh, Shah in a tweet said he has heard all the issues raised by the Union Minister and "all his problems will be resolved by the party." "Giriraj Singh will contest from Beghusarai only," Shah tweeted. BJP is contesting on 17 out of 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar. An equal number number of seats are being contested by its ally JD(U). Its another partner LJP is contesting on the remaining seats. As per the seats arrangement between the three parties, the Nawada seat has been given to the JD(U).

Former BJP leader Subash Chauhan joins BJD

Senior BJP leader Subash Chauhan, who quit the saffron party on Tuesday after being denied a party ticket, joined Odisha's ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Wednesday.

Venezuelan opposition leader's wife emerges as potent force

With her youthful energy and globe-trotting, the 26-year-old wife of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido is emerging as a prominent figure in his campaign to bring change to the crisis-wracked country. Fabiana Rosales' age and informal dress, often jeans, while touring Latin America belie an inner toughness and maturity cultivated with her activist husband during violent street protests in Venezuela's capital. Her husband has since claimed Venezuela's interim presidency with the support of dozens of nations including the United States, setting up a standoff with President Nicolas Maduro, who refuses to step down amid what he calls an attempted coup. "Look, I am the wife of President Juan Guaido and I will accompany him on whatever route he takes and we will overcome whatever obstacles we face as we have done through all our years together," Rosales said during an interview in Peru's capital of Lima. "But I got involved in politics because I want to change my country." "I don't ...

Mission Shakti announcement flouts EC code: Mamata

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced that India became the fourth country to acquire anti-satellite capability, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused him of violating the model code of conduct.

BJP will be remembered for broken promises: Chidambaram

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram Wednesday hit out at the ruling BJP, saying the party will be remembered for broken promises made to the people. Addressing a press conference to explain the salient features of the Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY), he hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and accused the ruling party of lying on growth statistics. "By implementing the Goods and Services Tax, he (Narendra Modi) destroyed the micro, small and medium enterprises in the country. When people think of BJP, what comes to mind is that they shook statistics to show that they have produced growth," he alleged. Continuing his tirade against the BJP, the former Union minister said, "The BJP will be remembered for its broken promises. The promise of depositing Rs 15 lakh into bank accounts, doubling of farmers income, demonetisation and a flawed GST. If we say BJP, these four come to the mind of people." He also took a dig at Modi and said there was no Modi government at the Centre and only ..

LJP's choice of candidates shows party stands for secularism, social justice: Paswan

Lok Janshakti Party president and BJP ally Ram Vilas Paswan Wednesday cited the list of party's candidates to assert that it stands for secularism, social justice and power for the poor. Speaking to reporters, he said his party has fielded two candidates from upper castes and one Muslim besides three Dalits in line with its social ideology. On Tuesday, the LJP had renominated its Khagaria MP Mehboob Ali Kaiser from the seat for the Lok Sabha election. He will be the only second Muslim candidate the BJP-led NDA has fielded in Bihar, with another from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led JD(U). "My party has always stood for secularism, equality, social justice and power for the poor. Out list of candidates shows it," Paswan said. Paswan's son Chirag and two brothers are in the fray from reserved constituencies. The Dalit leader also exuded confidence that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will come back to power, claiming that only "formalities are left". Paswan also hailed India's successful ...

Maha LS poll: Uddhav, Aaditya among star campaigners for Sena

The Shiv Sena on Wednesday released its list of 20 star campaigners for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, prominent among them being party president Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aaditya. Others on the list are state cabinet ministers Subhash Desai, Diwakar Raote, Ramdas Kadam and Eknath Shinde. The list also contains the name of Sena MPs Sanjay Raut, Anant Geete, Anandrao Adsul and Chandrakant Khaire. Sena leaders Aadesh Bandekar, Gulabrao Patil, Vijay Shivtare, Suryakant Mahadik, Vinod Ghosalkar, Neelam Gorhe, Laxman Vadle, Nitin Bangude Patil, Varun Sardesai and Rahul Londhe will also be star campaigners. Earlier, the Congress and the BJP had announced the names of their respective star campaigners. Maharashtra leaders Ashok Chavan, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Sushilkumar Shinde, Prithviraj Chavan, Balasaheb Thorat were some of the names on the Congress' list. The BJP's list included names of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Union ministers Nitin Gadkari, Prakash