Page 1192 - Politics
Pakistan gives nod to Sharda Temple Corridor
Pakistan government has given its nod to the opening of a corridor for Indian pilgrims to visit the ancient Sharda Peeth temple in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, meeting a long-standing demand of Kashmiri Pandits, according to media reports here.Express Tribune and Express News quoted ministry of foreign affairs sources to report this.Government sources in New Delhi said India had made this request several times as part of the Composite Dialogue between India and Pakistan. The proposal was made keeping in mind the wishes and the religious sentiments of the people.This report comes close on the heels of Pakistan agreeing to open a corridor for the Sikh pilgrimage centre Kartarpur Gurdwara in Pakistan's Narowal district that connects with Dera Baba Nanak in India's Gurdaspur district."After Kartarpur, a piece of big news is in the offing for Hindus. Some of the government officials will visit the area and will later submit a report to the prime minister," said sources at the ministry of ...
Inaugural edition of Africa-India Joint Field Training Exercise underway
The inaugural edition of Africa-India Joint Field Training Exercise (AFINDEX-19) between 17 African nations and Indian Army is being conducted in Pune under the overall supervision of Headquarters Southern Command.The exercise commenced on March 18 and will conclude on March 27. The training of the participating nations is being conducted at two locations.The Humanitarian Mine Action training is being conducted at the College of Military Engineering (CME), Pune and Peace Keeping Operations being conducted at Foreign Training Node, Aundh Military Station.The Humanitarian Mine Actions (HMA) leg of AFINDEX-19 has been conducted at College of Military Engineering (CME) in four phases.According to a press release of the Ministry of Defence, the first phase included the 'Training of the trainers' from the participating nations. The second phase involved detailed training of the entire contingent of around 180 trainees on various aspects of the HMA training. The training was structured ...
Congress replaces Rashid Alvi with Sachin Chaudhary to contest LS poll from Amroha
Congress party on Monday approved the candidature of Sachin Choudhary replacing Rashid Alvi from Amroha Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh."The Central Election Committee has approved the name of Sachin Choudhary (in place of Rashid Alvi) as Congress candidate to contest ensuing general elections from Amroha," a Congress release said.Earlier, Congress had named Rashid Alvi as its candidate from Amroha in its eight list released on Saturday.In 2014 Lok Sabha polls, BJP's Kanwar Singh Tanwar had won from Amroha seat, one of 80 Lok Sabha constituencies at stake in Uttar Pradesh.The 17th Lok Sabha elections will be held in seven phases beginning April 11 in Uttar Pradesh. The final phase of voting will take place on May 19. The counting of votes will be done on May 23.
60 file papers for Ist phase in Bihar
As many as 60 candidates, including Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) chief and former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, filed their nomination papers on Monday, the last day for nominations for the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections to be held on April 11.
BJP would support MNF candidate in Assembly bypoll: Hluna
The Mizoram BJP unit president John V Hluna Monday said the party would contest the lone Lok Sabha seat in the state but would support the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) nominee in the byelection to the Aizawl West I Assembly constituency. Hluna, however, said that there was no electoral alliance or talks with the Mizo National Front but the BJP decided to support the MNF nominee in the Assembly byelection as the MNF is a constituent of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). BJP nominee Nirupam Chakma and People's Representation for Identity and Status of Mizoram (PRISM) candidate TBC Lalvenchhunga filed nominations for the Lok Sabha seat on Monday. Ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) nominee C Lalrosanga, Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) and Congress party combine sponsored Independent nominee Lalnghinglova Hmar and two other Independent candidates - Lalhriatrenga Chhangte and Lalthlamuani had filed nominations for the Lok Sabha seat last week.
Nearly 700 nominations filed for LS polls in Telangana
Filing of nominations for the April 11 Lok Sabha elections in Telangana came to a close Monday. State Chief Electoral Officer Rajat Kumar said as per initial figures, a total of 699 nominations had been filed for the 17 constituencies in the state as of Monday evening. The final tally may go up as the process of compilation was on, he told reporters here. The scrutiny would take place Tuesday and the last date for withdrawal is March 28. The process of filing nominations began on March 18. State Congress chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy (from Nalgonda), AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi (Hyderabad), former union minister Renuka Choudhary (Khammam), TRS MP K Kavitha (Nizamabad), daughter of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, are among the prominent candidates who have filed their nominations. The ruling TRS is going it alone in the Lok Sabha polls and it has fielded candidates in all the 17 constituencies. Though TRS is contesting the Hyderabad seat, it has been publicly ...
Both NDA, UPA will be short by huge numbers: KTR (IANS Interview) (Dangal 2019)
Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) Working President K.T. Rama Rao believes that with 150-170 Lok Sabha seats, non-BJP and non-Congress parties will emerge as the biggest block in Parliament and decide who the next Prime Minister should be.
Milind Deora replaces Sanjay Nirupam as Mumbai Congress chief
The Congress Monday appointed former union minister Milind Deora as Mumbai Regional Congress Committee chief, replacing Sanjay Nirupam. Nirupam had been at loggerheads with senior party leaders in the state and the move has come as a bid to quell the intense infighting within the Mumbai Congress. "Congress president Rahul Gandhi has appointed Milind Deora as the new president of the Mumbai Regional Congress Committee. The party appreciates the contribution of outgoing president Sanjay Nirupam," a statement from the party said. Nirupam, meanwhile, was nominated as the party candidate from the Mumbai North West Lok Sabha constituency. Deora, the son of former oil minister Murli Deora, is considered close to the Congress chief. Nirupam, a former two-time Rajya Sabha member and was earlier with the Shiv Sena, was appointed the president of the Mumbai Regional Congress Committee in March 2017. During his two-year stint as the MRCC chief, the party witnessed bickerings and increased ...
Prominent Cong, BJP leaders file nominations in U'khand
Five candidates from the Congress, three from the BJP and one from the Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party filed their nominations on Monday for the five Lok Sabha seats of Uttarakhand going to polls in the first phase on April 11. BJP heavyweights who filed their nominations Monday included former chief minister and sitting MP Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank from Haridwar, Pradesh party president Ajay Bhatt from Nainital and sitting MP Ajay Tamta from Almora reserved seat. BJP candidates Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah and Tirath Singh Rawat have already filed their nominations on March 22 from Tehri and Pauri Garhwal seat, respectively. All Congress candidates filed their nominations on Monday, including former chief minister Harish Rawat from Nainital, Manish Khanduri from Pauri Garhwal, Pritam Singh from Tehri, Ambarish Kumar from Haridwar and Pradeep Tamta from Almora. Congress rebel Furkan Ali also filed his nomination from Haridwar on Monday as the candidate of Shivpal Yadav's Pragtishil Samajwadi ...
BJP ally AJSU fields Jharkhand Minister from Giridih
The BJP alliance partner All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) on Monday fielded Water Resources Minister Chandra Prakash Chaudhary from the Giridih Lok Sabha seat.
Amid defections, INLD looks for 'crisis' management
Stung by desertions following a vertical split and a heavy bypoll defeat, nothing seems to be going right for the Indian National Lok Dal in Haryana. At a time the Lok Sabha election is around the corner, the INLD on Monday admitted that the party was going through a crisis and would hold a meeting on Wednesday to get out of the rough patch. INLD state president Ashok Arora said the meeting of the party's political affairs committee had been convened in Rohtak to decide the future course of action. "Yes, we are going through a crisis," Arora told PTI. His comments come after Hathin MLA Kehar Singh switched over to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in New Delhi on Monday. Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala and general secretary Anil Jain, the party's incharge of the state, were also present at the occasion. Arora, however, said during election time, "people come and go". The INLD leader added that they would write to the Assembly Speaker and seek disqualification of Kehar Singh. Earlier .
NC's LS candidates will protect J&K's special status: Omar Abdullah
National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah Monday asserted that the principal task ahead of the people of Jammu and Kashmir is to protect the state's special status. He stressed that his party has fielded suitable candidates on all the Lok Sabha seats in the valley who will ensure that the voice of people is heard in Parliament. "Keeping in view the herculean task of putting up a strong front in protecting state's special constitutional status, the party has fielded most suitable candidates from the three parliamentary constituencies of Kashmir," Abdullah said. He was addressing rallies in Beerwah and Kunzar areas of Budgam and Baramulla districts of the state. The NC candidate for Anantnag seat is a legal luminary Justice (retired) Hassnain Masudi whose pronounced judgments and articles reveal his legal acumen and dedication while Mohammad Akbar Lone, a former advocate, is candidate from Baramulla Lok Sabha seat, he said. "For Srinagar, we could not think of anybody other than .
Mukul Sangma files nomination for Tura Lok Sabha seat
Former chief minister and senior Congress leader Mukul Sangma Monday filed his papers for the Tura Lok Sabha seat on Monday, the last date for filing of nomination, officials said. Mukul Sangma is at present the Leader of Opposition in the Meghalaya Assembly. Meghalaya has two Lok Sabha seats - Shillong and Tura. Election to both the Lok Sabha seats and also the byelection to the Selsella Assembly constituency will be held on April 11. BJP candidates - MLA Sanbor Shullai and party state vice president Rikman G Momin filed their nominations for the Shillong and Tura Lok Sabha seat respectively on Monday. Tura seat will witness a triangular fight between the ruling National People's Party candidate Agatha K Sangma, Congress Leader Mukul Sangma and BJP candidate Rikman. Agatha is the common candidate supported by the regional parties who are supporting the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government in the state. Sitting Congress MP from Shillong seat, Vincent H Pala, will ...
How can people vote when BJP getting their names deleted: AAP on PM's campaign
Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's #VoteKar campaign, the AAP on Monday asked how can people vote when the BJP "gets their names deleted". Modi Sunday appealed to public to vote in record numbers in the upcoming elections and launched the #VoteKar campaign on Twitter. The prime minister also urged personalities from the fields of sports, entertainment, and media to create increased voter awareness. The AAP said while Modi wants people to vote, his party is getting names deleted from Delhi's voters' list. In a statement, the AAP alleged that the BJP has engineered a massive voter deletion scam in Delhi where more than 30 lakh voters' names have been deleted from the electoral rolls. "The deleted names mostly include traders, Purvanchalis and minorities, all of whom have serious reasons for disenchantment with the BJP," the AAP claimed. The AAP has been alleging "deletion" of names of 30 lakh voters since the 2015 Assembly election in Delhi, claiming that the BJP was behind .
Took challenge to contest from Bathinda to end feudal politics of Badal family: Khaira
Punjab legislator and Punjabi Ekta Party (PEP) chief Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Monday launched his election campaign for the Bathinda Lok Sabha seat and said he has accepted the challenge to contest from here "to end feudal politics of the Badal family". Khaira launched his campaign with a roadshow from Mansa to Bathinda and said he was confident of winning the Bathinda seat with a huge vote margin. The polling for 13 Lok Sabha seats from Punjab will be held on May 19. "I accepted the challenge to contest the Bathinda Lok Sabha seat to defeat sitting MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, who is a symbol of feudal politics of the Badal family. My aim was to build a fight against feudalism and family politics and end feudal politics of the Badal family," Khaira told reporters. He blamed the previous Akali Dal-led regime in Punjab of "nepotism and rampant corruption". "Former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and incumbent Capt Amarinder Singh, both represent the same feudal mindset. Both are helping .
LS polls: Multi-cornered contest in Baramulla
It will be multi-cornered contest for election to Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency as 10 candidates filed nomination papers on Monday, taking the total number of candidates in the north Kashmir seat to 14 as the process of filing papers for the first phase ended. "We have received 14 nomination papers from candidates, put up by various political parties or individuals as independents, till the end of nomination filing process today (Monday)," an election official told PTI. BJP candidate Mohammad Maqbool War, Congress nominee Farooq Ahmad Mir and former MLA Langate Abdul Rashid Sheikh were among the prominent persons to file their nomination papers. Congress leader Salman Soz had also obtained nomination papers from the election authorities last week but did not file as the party decided to field Mir from the north Kashmir seat. Former speaker of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Mohammad Akbar Lone (National Conference), former employees' union leader Abdul Qayoom Wani (PDP), and
Tawde slams Pawar over remarks against BJP, Modi government
Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Vinod Tawde Monday said the Congress is in a shambles in the state and also hit out at NCP chief Sharad Pawar over his statements against the party and the Modi government. He said instead of pointing fingers at the BJP, Pawar should ask the Congress why its government did not act in the aftermath of the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai. "The state Congress is in a shambles. The party is pressing its leaders to contest the Lok Sabha election, but many of them are reluctant," he said while talking to reporters here. Tawde slammed Pawar over his statements against the BJP and the Modi government. Pawar, a former defence minister, had Sunday said the BJP was trying to seek political gains from jawans' sacrifices. The former Union minister had also sought to know if IAF pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman can be brought back from Pakistan, then why can't Kulbhushan Jadhav, who is facing espionage charges in the neighbouring ...
EC special observers meet CRPF brass on holding J&K Assembly polls
The three special observers appointed by the Election Commission (EC) to help it decide on holding assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir Monday met top officials of the CRPF and state police here. Sources aware of the meeting said since the CRPF is the principal security agency in the state, the observers wanted a feedback on how early the assembly polls can be held in the state. The CRPF, the sources said, is of the view that elections should first be held in the "most difficult" parts of the state so that the force gets adequate time to dominate the area. But, the state administration is learnt to be of the view that areas which have previously witnessed high voter turn-out should go to polls first to avoid a "drag down" effect on other constituencies. The security forces, especially the Central Reserve Police Force, wants the state government to fast track repair of major roads and highways in the state so that the movement of troop convoys takes place at a faster pace. The ...
EC working like a BJP ally in Tamil Nadu: Stalin
DMK President M.K.Stalin on Monday slammed the Election Commission (EC) saying that it was behaving like another alliance partner of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre.
Australia, India to hold major naval exercise focussing on anti-submarine warfare
With an eye on China, Australia and India will hold a major naval exercise next month, focussing on anti-submarine warfare, as part of efforts to ramp up bilateral naval cooperation in the strategic Indian Ocean region. The third instalment of the 'AUSINDEX' exercise will be held off the coast of Vishakhapatnam from April 2 to 16 and will see the largest Australian defence forces group deployment in India, an Australian diplomatic source said. The exercise will be a complex one and will be focussed on anti-submarine warfare. An Indian submarine will be involved in the exercise, the source said. Over 1,000 Australian defence personnel, HMAS Canberra (landing helicopter dock), Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment vessel, and two frigates -- HMAS Newcastle and HMAS Parramatta -- will take part in the exercise. Another interesting feature of the exercise will be the deployment of Australian personnel on Indian ships and vice versa. Also, P8I and P8 maritime patrol aircraft will be involved in ...