Page 1220 - Politics
NDA announces candidates for 39 of 40 seats in Bihar, three women in fray
The NDA in Bihar, comprising the BJP, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) and Ram Vilas Paswan's LJP, on Saturday announced its candidates for all but one of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state. As per the list announced at a press meet here by BJP national general secretary in-charge for the state, Bhupendra Yadav, Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will be contesting from Patna Sahib seat - a party stronghold represented by Shatrughan Sinha in the outgoing Lok Sabha. According to media reports, Sinha is expected to join the Congress soon and seek re-election on the grand old party's ticket. While Union minister Giriraj Singh, whose Nawada seat has gone to the LJP, has been shifted to Begusarai, his colleagues in the council of ministers Radha Mohan Singh, R K Singh, Ashwini Kumar Choubey and Ram Kripal Yadav will be fielded from their respective sitting seats of Motihari, Ara, Buxar and Pataliputra. Begusarai, won by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2014, fell vacant upon the ...
Rahul Gandhi should consume poision: BJP MLA
In a bizarre statement, a BJP MLA in Madhya Pradesh has said that Congress president Rahul Gandhi should consume poison to prove that he is worth worshipping like Lord Shiva.BJP MLA Kamal Patel made this statement in response to the posters that have come up in the streets of Madhya Pradesh portraying the Congress chief as the Hindu deity."Congress always demands proofs. Now, we also want. If Congress thinks Rahul Gandhi is Shiva avatar then they should give him poison. If he will survive like Shiva then he would also worship him," Patel said.
SP sells tickets for crores : Shivpal Yadav
Shivpal Yadav, chief of Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) (PSPL) on Saturday alleged that Samajwadi Party (SP) has compromised with its principles and is now selling party tickets for huge amounts of money to "big people" who can afford it."Whom are they compromising with today? With those who have no knowledge about Samajwad. The ones who take in return for party tickets money Rs 10 crore, Rs 15 crore, Rs 20 crore, Rs 25 crore from the big persons who can afford it," said Shivpal Yadav.The former cabinet minister also alleged that those who truly follow the principle of 'samajwad' are gradually being alienated."Those who are Samajwadi cannot have such huge amount of money, so how can they contest elections and become public representatives. The Samajwadi's are gradually being alienated from the party," said Yadav.He said that his party PSPL's attempts to forge an alliance with the Congress party was foiled by leaders within the Congress party itself."People wanted an alliance ...
Vice Admiral Karambir Singh appointed new Navy chief
The government on Saturday appointed Vice Admiral Karambir Singh as the new Chief of the Naval Staff after incumbent Admiral Sunil Lanba's term ends on May 31.
Modi to address BJP's Kolkata rally on April 3
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to address seven public rallies in West Bengal ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, including a rally at Kolkata's Brigade Parade Ground on April 3, a source close to the state BJP leadership said on Saturday.
3 former BJP leaders in Uttarakhand rejoin party
Three state leaders, who were expelled by the BJP in Uttarakhand, rejoined the party on Saturday.
Unruly scenes at Rahul Gandhi's rally at Malda
Unruly scenes were witnessed at AICC president Rahul Gandhi's rally venue at Malda on Saturday when restive party supporters threw chairs and broke the barricade of the VIP enclousure. Gandhi was not present at the venue at Chanchal at the time as he is scheduled to reach there at 3pm from Purnea in Bihar. The incident took place when Congress activits who had arrived at the venue from the nearby districts tried to barge into the inner ring of the rally ground, leading to commotion. They shouted slogans against the party's state leadership for not making proper arrangements for the supporters to sit at the venue. The state Congress leaders and police personnel posted at the spot tried to pacify the crowd but their pleas fell on deaf ears as supporters started throwing chairs at the VIP sitting zone in front of the stage, which was earmarked for senior party leaders and MLAs. The situation was brought under control after the police and party leaders pacified the crowd, ...
Rahul mocks PM Modi's 'chowkidar' campaign
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday took potshots at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Main Bhi Chowkidar" campaign, calling him a gatekeeper who stood guard for the wealth of the rich. Modi and his partymen have launched the 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' (I too am a watchman) campaign to blunt the Opposition's, especially the Congress's, 'chowkidar chor hai (watchman is a thief) slogan. "What type of people employ chowkidars outside their homes? Have you seen a chowkidar deployed at the gates of a common man's house?" Gandhi asked the gathering here. Addressing his maiden rally in Bihar upon the announcement of the Lok Sabha polls, Gandhi said Modi treated and addressed Anil Ambani, Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi "and others like them as bhai" while "he calls common people like you as only mitron (friends)". "He made promises of Rs 15 lakh into the accounts of all the poor, two crore jobs in five years and waiver of loans to the farmers. Did he ever tell you why he failed to deliver on these?
Congress names 34 more candidates for LS polls
The Congress on Saturday declared 34 more candidates for the Lok Sabha polls, fielding Uttar Pradesh unit chief Raj Babbar from Fatehpur Sikri, whose candidature was earlier announced from Moradabad.
Congress reshuffles candidates to accommodate Raj Babbar
In a bid to ensure a smooth sailing for Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Raj Babbar, the party reshuffled its candidates to accommodate the actor-turned politician. In the seventh list of candidates for the Lok Sabha polls announced by the Central Election Committee of the Congress Friday, the party declared candidates for nine Lok Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh. These include Naseemuddin Siddiqui from Bijnor in place of Indira Bhatti. A close aide of BSP chief Mayawati and earlier considered to be the Muslim face of the BSP, Nassemuddin parted ways with the Bahujan Samaj Party in 2018 and joined the Congress. Another prominent name in the list announced by the Congress is Praveen Aron from Bareilly. He had won the 2009 Lok Sabha elections from the same constituency. Imran Pratapgarhiya will be the party's candidate from Moradabad in place of UPCC chief Babbar. The Uttar Pradesh state unit chief has been made the party candidate from Fatehpur Sikri. Babbar was elected from Agra as its Lok
LS polls: National People's Party Assam releases first list
National People's Party Assam on Saturday announced the first list of candidates for the ensuing Lok Sabha polls.The party has fielded Nazia Yasmin Mazumdar from Silchar seat, Ram Bahadur Sunar from Tezpur, Abdul Aziz from Kaliabor, Kamala Rajkonwar from Jorhat and Bhaben Baruah from Dibrugarh constituency.Assam goes to polls in three phases for its 14 Lok Sabha seats. Five constituencies each will go to polls on first two phases on April 11 and 18 and four seats on the third phase on April 23.Lok Sabha elections will be held in seven phases between April 11 and May 19. Results will be declared on May 23.
Rahul pays tribute to Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdevon 'Shaheed Diwas'
Congress president Rahul Gandhi Saturday paid tribute to freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru on their death anniversary observed as 'Shaheed Diwas' (Martyr's Day), saying the spirit of revolution espoused by them is running in our veins. Gandhi said we will continue to fight the battle for their thoughts and ideals. "Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru are not mere names, they are the spirit of revolution running in our veins," he tweeted in Hindi. "Their lives make us strong even today and make us free and human. On Martyrs Day, we bow our heads to our bravehearts. We will continue to fight the battle for their thoughts and ideals," Gandhi wrote.
Cong demands 'unconditional apology' from Tripura CM for using 'unparliamentary' words
The Congress' Tripura unit has demanded an "unconditional" public apology from Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb for calling the party "sly fox, thief and satan", and said the use of "unparliamentary" words was unbecoming of a leader of his stature. Addressing a gathering here a few days ago, the chief minister had called Congress leaders "traitors" and a "band of Satan", and claimed they have come to eat the fruits of success in a Communist-free state. "Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb used objectionable words such as 'broker', 'sly fox' and 'thief' while speaking against the Congress and return of former BJP Tripura vice-president Subal Bhowmik to the party," a statement quoted Congress vice-president Tapas Dey as saying. The use of "indecent" words by the chief minister was "unbecoming of a leader of his stature", Dey said. The Congress has asked Deb to prove his allegations or offer an "unconditional" public apology to the party and Subal Bhowmik. Subal Bhowmik had joined the ...
This election is a battle between hope and opportunism: Ravi Shankar Prasad
Union Minister and Rajya Sabha MP Ravi Shankar Prasad on Saturday expressed gratitude to the BJP for fielding him from Bihar's Patna Sahib Lok Sabha constituency, while refusing to comment on Shatrughan Sinha, the sitting MP, who has apparently been dropped for his critical views on the top leadership."Patna is my city. I was born and brought up there. I was a member of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh there and I have emotional connections with Patna," Prasad told ANI after he got Lok Sabha ticket from Patna Sahib seat.The actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha had won 2014 general elections from the constituency on BJP ticket. However, he was dropped from the list. Sinha has been vocal against the top leadership of the party on various occasions in the past.Refusing to comment on him, Prasad said: "I have not commented on him before and I will not do it now." However, he added, "This fight will be on issues of development; this would be between hope and opportunism."He added, "This ...
BJP suppressed Dalits, backward communities: Akhilesh
Launching a blistering attack on the BJP here on Saturday, Samajwadi Party chief and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said the party suppressed the Dalits and the backward communities and the people are ready to give their reply in the elections.
It would be 'mistake' for India to view Pakistan with a pre-partition eye: Prez Alvi
It would be a "mistake" for India to view Pakistan with the eye of pre-partition and its desire for peace should not be misconstrued as a sign of weakness, President Arif Alvi said on Saturday as Islamabad displayed its military might on the National Day. Alvi was addressing the annual Pakistan Day Parade here to commemorate the resolution passed by the All-India Muslim League on the day in 1940 in Lahore demanding a separate country for Muslims. The National Day featured a joint parade by the army, air force and navy, display of military hardware, along with open and veiled anti-India rhetoric. "It was the duty and responsibility of Pakistan to respond to the Indian aggression... We responded with better strategy," Alvi said, apparently referring to the downing of an Indian Air Force jet. Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after a suicide bomber of Pakistan-based terror group JeM killed 40 CRPF personnel in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district in February 14. India ...
BJP seems to be schizophrenic: Akhilesh Yadav on PM's blog
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav Saturday termed the BJP "schizophrenic" and alleged that the party tries to co-opt icons like Mahatma Gandhi, B R Ambedkar and Ram Manohar Lohia but follows people who these leaders disagreed with. The remarks by the SP chief came in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's blog in which he dubbed the efforts of regional parties to form a grand alliance with the Congress as "reprehensible", saying socialist ideologue Ram Manohar Lohia would be "horrified" as most of these parties claim to be his followers. Accusing the BJP of practising double standards, Yadav wrote on Twitter, "I wonder which principles are being spoken of. The BJP seems to be schizophrenic." "On the one hand they try to co-opt Gandhi Ji, Bhagat Singh, Sardar Patel, Dr Ambedkar and Dr Lohia and on the other hand they follow people who these leaders opposed and disagreed with.
Rahul should apologise for Pitroda's remarks: Shah
BJP chief Amit Shah on Saturday said that Congress President Rahul Gandhi should apologise for his chief advisor Sam Pitroda's statement on the February 14 Pulwama attack.
Trinamool removes 'Congress' from its logo
West Bengal's ruling All India Trinamool Congress has dropped the 'Congress' from its new logo earlier this month and added dollops of blue, white and green colour to it besides giving it a catchy slogan in a bid to make the party one with the people of the eastern state.
111 TN farmers to contest against PM Modi in Varanasi
After taking their protests to the National capital to highlight their demands, Tamil Nadu farmers are gearing up for an electoral battle and will file 111 nominations from the Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is contesting. Tamil Nadu farmers leader P Ayyakannu said Saturday that 111 farmers from the State will contest against Modi from Varanasi. Ayyakannu, who is also president of the National South Indian Rivers Inter-Linking Farmers Association, said the decision to contest the polls from Uttar Pradesh was to urge the BJP to include in their manifesto that their demands, including "profitable prices for farm produce," would be fulfilled. Speaking to PTI, the farmers leader, who spearheaded agitations in Delhi in 2017 for over 100 days, said the "moment they assure in their manifesto that our demands will be fulfilled, we will drop our decision to contest against Modi." In the event of that not happening, he said they would go .