Page 1190 - Politics
Rajiv, Sonia proposer's son to contest against Rahul
In a major jolt to Congress in Amethi, the son of the local party leader who was the proposer for former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, will challenge party President Rahul Gandhi in the election.
AAP violating poll code by printing 'letters' for DJB consumers: BJP to EC
The BJP's Delhi unit Monday sought action against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for allegedly violating the model code of conduct by getting letters addressing DJB consumers printed for distribution. The Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, Vijender Gupta, and MP Ramesh Bidhuri called on the Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi and submitted a memorandum to him, accusing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of "throwing the model code of conduct into the dustbin". "The chief minister, who is also the water minister and the chairperson of the Delhi Jal Board, has got printed lakhs of copies of a letter addressed by him on the official letterhead to DJB consumers. "These letters are ready to be distributed along with the bills to the consumers in costly large-sized envelopes," their complaint read. They alleged the letter outlines Kejriwal's achievements during the last four years. The letter, in violation of the poll code, assures consumers of the implementation of a scheme under which they ..
Rs 72k/year scheme a path-breaking initiative: Amarinder
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday hailed Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's proposal of Rs 72,000 each annually as minimum income to India's poorest families as a "path-breaking" initiative. "The Congress is completely focused on constructive policies in sharp contrast to the BJP's destructive and disruptive game-plan for the Lok Sabha elections," Singh said in a statement. Instead of finding faults in the scheme, the Congress leader suggested, the Bharatiya Janata Party should concentrate on answering what they had done in the past five years. "With one stroke, Rahul has brought hope into the lives of the country's poorest of the poor and exposed the Narendra Modi government's failure to reach out to the 250 million (25 crore) people who would benefit from the Congress president's proposed minimum income guarantee scheme, which is a path-breaking initiative," he said. Earlier in the day, Gandhi said 20-per cent families in the 'poorest of the poor' category would be given Rs
Delhi Cong leaves decision regarding alliance with AAP on Rahul Gandhi
Delhi Congress president Sheila Dikshit and other leaders of the unit Monday discussed the possibility of an alliance with the AAP for the Lok Sabha polls in the city at a meeting with party chief Rahul Gandhi. The opinion remained divided on the issue and everyone in the meeting was unanimous that Gandhi should take the final call on it in the larger interest of the party, a participant of the meeting said. Sources said four former Delhi Congress presidents -- Ajay Maken, Subhash Chopra, Tajdar Babar and Arvinder Singh Lovely -- favoured an alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi. "AICC in-charge of Delhi Congress P C Chacko also handed over signed letters of 12 district Congress presidents, leaders of the party and councillors in three municipal corporation, in favour of the alliance, to Gandhi," they said. Delhi Congress president Sheila Dikshit and three working presidents, Devender Yadav, Rajesh Lilothia, and Haroon Yusuf, maintained their stand against the alliance, ...
Mumbai Congress chief Nirupam out, Deora in
In a surprise reshuffle ahead of parliamentary elections, Mumbai Congress President Sanjay Nirupam was on Monday suddenly removed and replaced with former Union Minister Milind Deora.
Nearly 700 nominations, including 245 in Nizamabad, filed for
Nearly 700 nominations have been filed for the April 11 Lok Sabha elections in Telangana with Nizambad constituency alone accounting for around one-third of them as the process for filing of papers came to a close Monday. Over 200 tumeric and 'jowar' (sorghum) farmers in Nizamabad filed the nominations in the constituency protesting the "failure" of the Centre and the state government to ensure remunerative prices for their produce. Ruling TRS nominee and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's daughter K Kavitha is among the contestants in the constituency. The farmers have entered the poll fray in large numbers to highlight their plight, a farmers' leader said. They had earlier said their target was to file 1,000 nominations. P Praveen Kumar, one of the farmers who filed his paper Monday, said around 230 ryots have entered the fray. State Chief Electoral Officer Rajat Kumar said as per initial figures, a total of 699 nominations, including 245 in Nizambad, had been filed .
Parrikar's sons asked about entry into politics: Goa BJP chief
A senior BJP leader has urged late Manohar Parrikar's two sons to enter politics, Goa party unit chief Vinay Tendulkar disclosed Monday. Parrikar, a hugely popular leader, died on March 17 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer and there has been speculation since that his elder son Utpal may be fielded for the Panaji bypoll necessitated due to the former's death. Parrikar has one more son, Abhijat. Utpal had lighted his father's pyre on March 18. Tendulkar Monday told reporters that BJP national vice president Avinash Rai Khanna had broached the topic with Parrikar's sons and urged them to join politics, when he made a condolence visit to the departed leader's family. "He (Khanna) just mentioned it casually during the conversation," Tendulkar said, adding that the sons did not respond as "the occasion was not right". Tendulkar, a Rajya Sabha MP from the coastal state, said the local party unit would follow-up on Khanna's request to Parrikar's sons. A date for the ...
19 nominees file papers in Meghalaya, Manipur
Ninteen candidates on Monday filed their nominations in the two states of Meghalaya and Manipur for the first phase of seven-phased Lok Sabha elections on April 11.
Rahul's minimum income promise 'bluff announcement', another Cong bid to 'cheat' poor: Jaitley
BJP leader Arun Jaitley Monday slammed Rahul Gandhi's promise of giving Rs 72,000 per year to the poorest families as a "bluff announcement" and yet another Congress bid to "cheat" the poor, and asserted the Modi government was already giving one-and-a-half times more money to them. The Finance Minister told reporters here that the Congress has a history of cheating the poor and misleading the country in the name of removing poverty as it only gave them slogans but not the tools and resources. "Merely slogans and statements will not remove poverty. It will go by providing resources which the Modi government has by giving the poor houses, gas connections, roads... You (Congress) have cheated the poor many times and are trying to do so again. But people will not fall in trap this time," he said. Earlier in the day, Congress president Gandhi promised that the 20 per cent poorest families will be given Rs 72,000 annually as a minimum income if his party is voted to power in the Lok Sabha .
Paralympian Deepa Malik, INLD MLA Kehar Singh join BJP
Paralympian Deepa Malik and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) MLA Kehar Singh Rawat joined BJP on Monday."Prime Minister and his government has been supportive towards disabled section, their attention is commendable. They framed policies for Divyangs which also impacted the sports policies. I prepared for Olympics without any discrimination. I have not seen such empowerment of Divyangs before," Malik said speaking at a BJP press conference here."I feel that this is the right ideology for the nation. I can contribute in nation building keeping this ideology," she added.Sitting INLD MLA from Haryana, Rawat said, "I have been in politics for the last 27 years. For the betterment of Haryana, I have given many suggestions to the government for the last four years related to issues in my constituency.""The government acted on it and carried out development work in my region. I really got inspired by this and quit INLD," he added.Both Malik and Rawat joined the BJp in the presence of the ...
Congress leaders requested me to contest from Tumkur, says HD Deve Gowda
Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) president HD Deve Gowda said that he doesn't want to hurt SP Muddahanumegowda, but his decision to contest Lok Sabha election from Tumkur is all because of the request of alliance leaders."The Congress leaders have conveyed everything to Muddahanumegowda," said Gowda while addressing media persons here on Monday. Congress-JDS are allies in Karnataka, and are contesting the ensuing Lok Sabha elections together."I have worked as Lok Sabha MP for 29 years. That is why I had said that I will not contest elections. I had decided to make sure Prajwal Revanna contests from Hassan. Farooq Abdullah, Mamata Banerjee, Ghulam Nabi Azad and many leaders including my friends suggested me to contest," he said."I know when we took this decision, it might have hurt the sitting MP from Tumkur SP Muddahanumegowda. I do not want to hurt him. Congress leaders conveyed everything to him...I chose to contest from Tumkur on the demand of many Congress and JDS leaders," he ...
Kremlin denies meddling in US vote after Mueller probe
The Kremlin on Monday reiterated denials that Moscow interfered in the 2016 US presidential election after Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report found conclusive evidence of Russian meddling. Moscow called reports of Russian interference "malicious slander", while analysts said the conclusions of the probe were unlikely to improve bilateral ties. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists he had not seen the report but Russia's "principled position on this matter is well known: our country has not interfered in the domestic affairs of other countries, including the United States." Peskov insisted "the accusations of interference... that are still being made against Russia, we as before consider to be baseless." Mueller's nearly two-year investigation found Russia carried out a coordinated campaign of disinformation and hacked emails from Hillary Clinton's election team. The report however did not find that Donald Trump's campaign team colluded with Moscow. In a statement, the .
Karti Chidambaram files nomination from Sivaganga seat
Congress leader Karti Chidambaram, son of former Union Minister P Chidambaram, on Monday filed nomination for the ensuing Lok Sabha polls from Sivaganga parliamentary seat."The 'formidable' Secular Progressive Alliance, crafted under the leadership of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president MK Stalin will win all the seats in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry," Chidambaram said, who had unsuccessfully contested from Sivaganga in 2014 Lok Sabha polls.On cases against him and his father Chidambaram, Karti said: "My father is a vehement critic of this 'fascist' government. Since the BJP government at the Centre can't answer his questions and charges, they have slapped false cases against our family.""I face no proceedings in any court of law and I have no cases against me," he told ANI.Congress will contest on 9 out of 39 parliamentary seats in Tamil Nadu along with the sole seat in Puducherry, while its ally DMK will contest 20 seats. Tamil Nadu goes to polls on April 18.
Kashmir terror financing: Multiple properties in JK, Islamabad identified for attachment
At least 10 properties of a Jammu and Kashmir-based businessman, an Islamabad house of Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin and a host of immovable assets of separatists have been identified by security agencies for attachment in multiple terror financing cases, officials said Monday. The 10 properties of Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali, currently in Delhi's Tihar jail in a terror funding case probed by the NIA, and Salahuddin's house in a prime location in the Pakistan's capital city are under the scanner of the agencies. The federal probe agencies like the Enforcement Directorate, the National Investigation Agency and the Income Tax Department will soon initiate steps for attaching them under various criminal laws by approaching the international bodies concerned, a security official said. Watali's properties include a single storyed house at Chhanpora in Srinagar, land at Trison City, Narbal in Srinagar, a single storyed house at Handwara, eight kanal land at Nagrota in Jammu and an ...
BJP leaves it to Sukhram son to decide whether to continue in state govt
With former Union Telecom Minister Sukhram joining the Congress along with his grand-son and leaving his son Anil Sharma's political career as a minister in Himachal's BJP government in quandary, the saffron party Monday left it to Sharma to decide whether to continue in the state Cabinet. "It is for Anil Sharma to decide whether to remain as Himachal Pradesh minister or quit. He should make his stand clear," BJP's state unit president Satpal Singh Satti told PTI. He was asked if Sukhram's son Anil Sharma, the state power minister, would continue in the Jai Ram Thakur government. Satti, however, added, "One member of a family may remain in one party, while another may join other party." Sukhram's decision to join the Congress along with his grand-son Ashray Sharma has turned Anil Sharma's continuance as a state minister unpredictable. He may soon face the dilemma whether to leave the Cabinet and campaign for his son Ashray Sharma, who is likely to get a Congress ticket for Mandi Lok ..
Parrikar's urns to be taken across Goa;CM predicts BJP victory
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant Monday distributed the urns containing the ashes of his predecessor Manohar Parrikar among BJP workers. Addressing a gathering, he said that the urns to be taken across all the 40 assembly segments in the state would ensure victory of the BJP with a huge margin in elections. The bypolls to three assembly constituencies and both the Lok Sabha seats--North Goa and South Goa--will be held on April 23. "We have to fulfill his (Parrikar's) dream of seeing Narendra Modi becoming Prime Minister once again. Parrikar is not with us to address the election campaign. "But I am confident that the urns containing his ashes that would be taken around will give us victory with a huge margin, and you will make it possible," the chief minister said. Parrikar, 63, died of pancreatic cancer on March 17. He was cremated with state and military honours at the Miramar Beach. Sawant also appealed to people to share their experiences with Parrikar over years, ...
Former Union minister Sukh Ram returns to Congress along with grandson, calls it homecoming
Former Union minister Sukh Ram Monday rejoined the Congress along with his grandson Aashray Sharma ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, with the party's saying his entry would boost its poll prospects in Himachal Pradesh. "For me, it is like home-coming," said 93-year-old Sukh Ram who returned for the second time to the Congress which he had last left ahead of the 2017 assembly elections to join the BJP. The Congress had sacked him in 1997 following his conviction in the telecom scam which occurred when he was a Union minister in the P V Narasimha Rao government, but he returned in 2004. The development has led to speculation on the fate of Sukh Ram's son Anil Sharma, who is a cabinet minister in the BJP-led government in Himachal Pradesh. S tate BJP president Satpal Singh Satti told PTI: "It is up to Anil Sharma whether to remain as HP minister or quit. He should make his stand clear." Sources said Anil Sharma's son Aashray could be the party's choice for the Mandi Lok Sabha seat. Sukh Ram .
19 candidates file nominations in Meghalaya, Manipur
Ninteen candidates on Monday filed their nominations in the two states of Meghalaya and Manipur for the first phase of seven-phased Lok Sabha elections on April 11.
PM Oli says CPN led by Biplav'' would be brought into political mainstream
Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli on Monday said that the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) led by Netra Bikram Chand 'Biplav' would be brought into the political mainstream by April 13, amid intensifying crackdown on the outlawed party. "The group would be brought into political mainstream politically if possible and if not even by putting 'the phony comrade' behind bars," Oli said while addressing the Parliamentary Party Meeting of the ruling Nepal Communist Party in Kathmandu. He said there is no other option available for the Biplav-led group other than to join peaceful politics. "Come to the political mainstream or face action," Oli said as he warned that all the leaders and the cadres of the outlawed party will be in jail before April 14. His warning comes ahead of the Nepal Investment Forum that is taking place in Kathmandu from March 29-30. The government has stepped up measures to contain the activities of the outlawed CPN-Biplav ahead of the upcoming investment meet. Police have ...
US will not 'stand idly' on Russian role in Venezuela: Pompeo
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned Russia Monday the United States will not "stand idly by" as Moscow inserts military personnel into Venezuela to support the regime of President Nicolas Maduro. In a phone call with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Pompeo denounced the growing Russian military reinforcements as prolonging the political crisis in the South American country. Pompeo told Lavrov "the United States and regional countries will not stand idly by as Russia exacerbates tensions in Venezuela," the State Department said in a statement. "The continued insertion of Russian military personnel to support the illegitimate regime of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela risks prolonging the suffering of the Venezuelan people who overwhelmingly support interim President Juan Guaido," he said. Guaido is supported by the United States and most Latin American and European nations but he retains the support of Russia and China, US rivals who have offered political and economic support to ...