Page 1176 - Politics
Jaitley terms Opposition's sting video on demonetisation as 'fake, humorous'
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday slammed opposition parties for releasing a sting video on demonetisation which he termed as 'fake' and 'humorous'.In a series of tweets, the senior BJP leader said that the Congress was relying on 'fakery' as it has no real issues. "The 'Fakery Caravan' of the UPA continues to move. After a fake BSY diary, a fake sting. When there are no real issues, rely on fakery," he said."Were the creators of the London fiasco on the EVMs and the fake UPA sting today the same," he tweeted in an apparent reference to a claim made at a press conference in London in January this year that the electronic voting machines can be hacked.Jaitley also said that the sting video was humorous. "Every election needs a few humorous breaks. After the London EVM fiasco, the UPA provided another one today," he said.Opposition parties led by the Congress on Tuesday accused the Central government of siphoning public money through demonetization and released a sting ...
BJP replaces Murli Manohar Joshi with Pachauri in Kanpur, Maneka-Varun swap their seats
BJP on Tuesday announced to field Satyadev Pachauri from Kanpur Lok Sabha seat, currently held by the party veteran and former Union Human Resource Development Minister Prof Murli Manohar Joshi.Rita Bahuguna Joshi has been fielded from Allahabad. Joshi and Pachauri are ministers in BJP's UP government. Actor-turned-politician Jaya Prada will contest from Rampur. She joined the BJP only on Tuesday afternoon.Union Minister Maneka Gandhi has swapped her seat with son Varun Gandhi, who will now contest the ensuing Lok Sabha poll from Pilibhit, currently held by her, while Maneka will try her luck from Sultanpur. Varun had won the last Lok Sabha poll from Sultanpur.The BJP on Tuesday declared 29 candidates for Uttar Pradesh, where 80 seats are at stake. The party has fielded Virendra Singh Mast from Ballia, the home turf of former Prime Minister Chandrashekhar.The list was released by Arun Singh at a press conference here.Uttar Pradesh BJP unit chief Mahendra Nath Pandey will contest from .
Nomination of 8 candidates cancelled for Gautam Buddh Nagar LS seat
A total of 13 candidates are now in the fray for the Gautam Buddh Nagar parliamentary constituency after nomination papers of eight leaders aspiring to contest Lok Sabha elections were cancelled on Tuesday.The leaders whose nominations have been cancelled include Aam Adami Party candidate Riya Sharma. Her nomination was rejected due to insufficient proposers.The list comprises Rashtriya Ulama Council candidate Ikhlaque, Bharatiya Bhaichara Party candidate Surendra and Swatantra Janata Party's Brijesh Kori.The candidature of four independents has also been denied for different reasons. These independent candidates are - Sunil Gautam, Shubhash Chandra Goyal, Jagdish, and Aadesh Tyagi.The Gautam Buddh Nagar seat will go to polls in the first phase of the elections on April 11.
LS polls: Jitin Prasada to contest against Rajnath Singh from Lucknow
Congress leader Jitin Prasada will contest in the upcoming Lok Sabha election from Lucknow seat against Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, a source close to Prasada said.Prasada will kick off his campaign on March 30 in Lucknow. He will initially address booth workers' meet and later hold public meetings.Interestingly, Lucknow is a stronghold of BJP. Rajnath Singh is the sitting MP from the seat. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee used to contest from this seat earlier.Lok Sabha's seven-phased elections will be held between April 11 and May 19. Results will be declared on May 23.
Modi 'only' PM to respond to Pak like US: Shah
BJP president Amit Shah claimed that Narendra Modi was the "only" prime minister who had responded to terror activities in Pakistan like the United States. "We attacked on Pakistan without any delay after the Pulwama attack, while the Opposition leaders were insisting for negotiation, Shah said at a rally in Uttar Pradesh's Moradabad district. The Bharatiya Janata Party chief alleged that the Opposition was insulting the soldiers who died in the Pulwama attack by asking questions on the number of casualties in the Balakot airstrike. Pointing out that Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati were "enemies" earlier, Shah said they had come together now due to "fear" of Modi. He predicted that the SP-BSP-RLD alliance would fail because "our government is very much popular by our positive works". Shah hit out at Yadav, alleging that all miscreants were in the former chief minister's government and crime was on the rise. But during the present BJP ...
12 independent MLAs extend support to Cong govt in Rajasthan
Twelve out of the total 13 independent MLAs in Rajasthan have extended their support to the Congress government in the state. The MLAs, including Babulal Nagar, Rajkumar Gaur, Mahadev Khandela, Alok Beniwal, were present in a meeting of Congress president Rahul Gandhi at the Ramlila ground here on Tuesday and announced to give their support to the Congress government led by Ashok Gehlot. Besides, Jaipur mayor Vishnu Lata, former BJP leaders Ghanshyam Tiwari, Surendra Goyal, Janardan Gehlot and two others joined the party. The Congress has 100 MLAs in the House of 200 and its ally the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) has one MLA. The BJPhas73MLAswhile the BSP has six, RLTP has three, CPI(M) and BTP two each and 13 are independent MLAs.
Mamata to campaign for TDP in Andhra Pradesh
West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee will visit Andhra Pradesh on March 31 to campaign for the ruling Telugu Desam Party in the state as a mark of opposition unity. Several other opposition leaders will also be going to Andhra Pradesh to campaign for Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and the TDP, sources said. "By the end of this month she will visit Andhra Pradesh for a day or two to campaign for N Chandrababu Naidu. It is part of of opposition unity that we all have worked for in the last few months," said a senior TMC leader. Banerjee will be campaigning for Naidu in some constituencies of Andhra Pradesh, he said. Naidu and Banerjee share a cordial relationship and the Andhra Pradesh chief minister had taken part in the January 19 mega opposition rally organized by TMC at the Brigade parade grounds. Naidu had come to Kolkata again in February to express solidarity with Banerjee when she was on a dharna to protest against CBI's ...
'Beware of jumlas': AAP compares BJP's Rs 15 lakh promise to Cong's income plan
Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party Tuesday drew a comparison between the BJP's Rs 15 Lakh promise ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls to Congress's minimum income plan, asking voters to beware of such rhetoric. The AAP posted a picture on Twitter showing a man getting kicked out of an ATM with BJP written on it and another ATM with Congress on it, with a caption of "beware of jumlas (rhetoric)". A senior AAP leader said if the Congress could fulfil its promise it is good but it might be difficult to get out of the shadow of the BJP which promised to give Rs 15 lakh if elected to power. In a big-bang poll promise, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday announced that Rs 72,000 per year will be given as minimum income to poor families, benefiting around 25 crore people, if his party is voted to power in Lok Sabha polls, and asserted it will be the "final assault" on poverty.
Joshi dropped; Maneka, Varun, Jaya Prada fielded by BJP in LS polls
The BJP Tuesday dropped its former president Murli Manohar Joshi as its candidate from Kanpur for the Lok Sabha polls and swapped constituencies of Maneka Gandhi and her son Varun Gandhi as the party announced candidates for 39 more seats. The BJP repeated Union minister Manoj Sinha from Ghazipur, his ministerial colleague Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti from Fatehpur and its Uttar Pradesh president Mahendra Nath Pandey from Chandauli. UP government ministers Rita Bahuguna Joshi and Satyadev Pachauri have been fielded from prestigious from Allahabad and Kanpur seats respectively. Its general secretary Arun Singh told reporters that the party has announced 29 candidates from UP and 10 from West Bengal. The BJP has so far announced its 349 nominees for the elections to the 543-member Lok Sabha. Actor-turned-politician Jaya Prada was fielded from Rampur only hours after she joined the party and will take on her bitter rival Azam Khan, the Samajwadi Party candidate, in the general elections. Joshi .
Pact in Jammu, fighting in Valley: BJP on NC, Congress
National General Secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Ram Madhav on Tuesday said the alliance between the Congress and the National Conference (NC) is a dichotomy everyone fails to understand.
People angry with PM due to demonetisation: Udhayanidhi Stalin
: DMK President M K Stalin's son Udhayanidhi Tuesday hit out at the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that the Centre failed to implement people-friendly policies in its five year rule. Seeking votes for the alliance party candidate CPI(M) P R Natarajan here, the actor-producer said people were very "angry with (Narendra) Modi due to demonetisation". "They (people) will teach him (Modi) a good lesson on April 18 (election date). Five years ago, BJP announced slew of initiatives for the people. Did he (Modi) implement them", he said. Claiming there was an anti-Modi wave wherever he went for campaigning, Udhayanidhi criticised Chief Minister K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam for supporting the BJP. "He (Palaniswami) has been saying that he has done many things for the welfare of people. But what he has done is that he has been holding the chief minister's post for the last two years", he said. Referring to the DMK manifesto, Udhayanidhi ...
Good ties with neighbours must for growth: Farooq
National Conference leader and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday called for good relations with neighbouring countries, saying this alone could ensure development and prosperity of both the countries.
Kanniyakumari: Southern tip to see clash of crorepatis
The southern-tip Lok Sabha constituency Kanniyakumari will see a battle of crorepatis in the ensuing general elections slated for April 18 in Tamil Nadu.
Cong using abusive language against PM in poll desperation:BJP
Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar Tuesday said the Congress started using "abusive language" against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP out of its desperation as it's losing the political ground. He also accused the Congress of distorting facts and making tall promises about granting loan waivers to farmers in Rajasthan, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Chhatisgarhand Karnataka. "Today's press conference by the Congress reflects their exasperation, their desperation...as if they know certainly that they are not winning the Lok Sabha elections and therefore they are showing this nervousness. "In that nervousness, they have decided to use abusive language about the prime minister and BJP. They also decided to falsify facts," said Javadekar while referring to Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala's press conference. In the presser held in Delhi earlier in the day, Surjewala had asked the prime minister and the BJP to clearly spell out whether they support its proposal to ..
Happy that women will benefit under NYAY scheme: Priyanka Gandhi
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday said she's happy that women will receive Rs 72,000 per year directly into their bank accounts under the minimum income guarantee scheme announced by party chief Rahul Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi on Monday announced that Rs 72,000 per year will be given as minimum income to poor families, benefiting around 25 crore people, if his party is voted to power in Lok Sabha polls, and asserted it will be the final assault on poverty. "So happy that under the NYAY scheme, women will be the ones who receive the annual amount of Rs. 72,000 directly into their accounts. 'Empower a woman, empower a family'," Priyanka Gandhi wrote on Twitter. She said 20 per cent or 5 crore families belonging to the poorest category with monthly income less than Rs 12,000 will benefit under the scheme.
Shiv Sena 'inducts' BJP candidate in Palghar
Ending all speculation, the Shiv Sena on Tuesday gave the Palghar Lok Sabha seat to outgoing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Rajendra Gavit in a 'partner exchange' formula.
Priyanka to begin UP campaign's second phase from Amethi
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi will kick off the second leg of her three-day Lok Sabha election campaign in Uttar Pradesh from Amethi on Wednesday.
BJP attacks Omar for praising Pakistan's decision to open Sharda Peeth
The BJP Tuesday criticised National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah for praising Pakistan's decision to open the Sharda Peeth, situated in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, to pilgrims and said the region is under illegal occupation of the neighbouring country and India will take it back. It also condemned human rights violations of minorities in Pakistan and said the United Nations should take note of the forcible conversion of two minor Hindu girls and take strong action against the country. "Omar is lavishing praises on Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for his decision to open Sharda Peeth which is located in PoK. The PoK is not a part of Pakistan but an integral part of India like the entire Jammu and Kashmir. "PoK is under illegal occupation of Pakistan and we will take it back and will construct a temple and a mutt there. The leaders dancing on the tune of Pakistan should be ashamed," BJP state president Ravinder Raina told reporters here. Earlier in the day, Abdullah ...
Over 1,000 persons file papers for April 18 LS polls in TN
Nominations for the April 18 Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu came to a close Tuesday, with over 1,000 persons, including two members from the third gender filing their papers in the four cornered contest. The candidates who have filed their nominations include BJP senior leader and Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan, DMK's Kanimozhi and Dayanidhi Maran, besides political greenhorn P Raveendranath Kumar, son of AIADMK Coordinator and state Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam. Maran, the former union telecom minister, filed his nominations on the last day Tuesday. According to latest available Election Commission data, a total of 1,046 persons have filed their nominations, the process for which started on March 19. As many as 920 male candidates, 124 women and two members from the third gender filed their nominations during the near week-long process. The aspiring MPs include Congress' Karti Chidambaram and H Raja, both from Sivaganga, and senior DMK leader T R Baalu, Baalu,
Chwokidar is pure and the only cure for country's problem: Rajnath
Responding to Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's jibe 'chowkidar chor hai' against Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajanth Singh Tuesday said the prime minister was "pure and the only cure" for all problems of the country. Addressing an election rally in northeast Delhi's Yamuna Vihar, Singh said he's sure that Modi would become prime minister again. Congress President Rahul Gandhi has often used the slogan 'chowkidar chor hai' to hit out at Modi over alleged corruption in the Rafale jet deal. "Chowkidar is not a thief, but pure. He is the only cure for all problems of country. He will become prime minister again for sure," Rajnath said. He also attacked the Congress for levelling false allegations of corruption on the prime minister regarding the Rafale deal. "For whom will our prime minister take money?" Singh asked. Targeting the previous Congress governments for stalling defence modernisation, he said the Indian Air Force did not get any new aircraft for 30 years despite repeated ...