Page 1222 - Politics
Pak President Alvi calls for dialogue with India, says desire for peace should not be considered as weakness
Pakistan's President Arif Alvi on Saturday said that his country wants to "resolve all issues" with India through a comprehensive dialogue, but added that this "desire for peace should not be considered as weakness."Addressing a gathering during the National Day parade in Islamabad, President Alvi said: "We will ensure Pakistan's prosperity. Instead of war, we should focus on providing health, education and employment.""We are a responsible nation and want to sow the seeds of peace in the region. We do not believe in war and want to resolve all issues through dialogue. India's attitude has been irresponsible and we were accused of Pulwama attack without any evidence. Our desire for peace should not be mistaken as weakness," the President said.The President went on to add that over the years Pakistan has become a strong and peaceful nuclear power and India needs to accept this reality.Diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan have of late deteriorated after the Pulwama terror ...
BJP party CEC will take final, says Raman Singh on contesting LS polls
Amid speculations of Raman Singh contesting the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, the former Chief Minister and BJP national Vice President on Saturday said a final call will be taken by the party's Central Election Committee (CEC)."I have not expressed my wish to fight the Lok Sabha elections. The final decision will be taken by the party CEC," he told media persons at the airport here before heading to New Delhi for a BJP party meeting.There are some speculations of Singh contesting from Rajnandgaon constituency which is currently being represented by his son Abhishek Singh.Singh further said, "A meeting of the BJP Central Election Committee will be held today, I think final decision on six Lok Sabha seats (in Chhattisgarh) will be taken and candidates for these seats will be declared."The BJP has replaced all sitting MPs with fresh candidates. The party had bagged 10 seats out of 11 in Chhattisgarh in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls."The new candidates who are replacing previous Lok Sabha .
PM invokes Ram Manohar Lohia to hit out at Opposition
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday invoked socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia to launch an attack on the Opposition including the Rahul Gandhi-led Congress which are making efforts to form a united front against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls.In his blog titled "Remembering Dr. Lohia", Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote, "Dr Lohia would be horrified at the political developments taking place...Those parties that falsely claim to be Dr Lohia's followers are desperate to form an opportunistic Maha Milawat or adulteration alliances with the same Congress. It is both ironical and reprehensible.""Whenever Dr Lohia spoke, inside or outside Parliament, the Congress trembled with fear," he added recalling Lohia on his birth anniversary.Dubbing the main Opposition "disastrous", the Prime Minister quoted Lohi as saying, "During the Congress regime neither agriculture and industry nor the army has improved."The Prime Minister stated his ...
I am withdrawing from race for LS : Abhishek Gopal Bhargava
Abhishek Gopal Bhargava, son of senior BJP leader and leader of opposition in Madhya Pradesh Assembly, Gopal Bhargava, has withdrawn from contesting the ensuing Lok Sabha polls claiming he does not want to promote 'dynasty' politics.The junior Bhargava claimed that his name was sent to the election committee by the party for considering his candidature from three Lok Sabha constituencies - Sagar, Damoh and Khajuraho but he said he doesn't want to do politics with "blot of dynasty" politics over him.The decision came after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday released a list of 36 candidates for Lok Sabha candidates in Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Maharashtra and Odisha ahead of the general elections."I am feeling guilty after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and L K Advani gave statements against the dynasty politics. When the party is fighting for such a big cause then my conscious doesn't allow me to become a roadblock," Abhishek Gopal Bhargava wrote on his Facebook post."I don't want to .
Advani BJP's tallest leader: Shiv Sena
The Shiv Sena Saturday said L K Advani would remain the "tallest leader" of the BJP irrespective of his poll presence, two days after the party nominated its chief Amit Shah from Gandhinagar, a seat represented by the BJP patriarch. In an editorial in the party mouthpiece "Saamana", the Sena said Shah contesting in place of Advani is politically translated as the 'Bhishmacharya' of Indian politics being "forced" to retire. "Lal Krishna Advani is known as the 'Bhishmacharya' of Indian politics, but his name does not feature in the list of BJP's candidates for Lok Sabha polls, which is not surprising," the edit said. The Sena said the development underlined that the BJP's Advani era has come to an end. "Advani has been elected from Gujarat's Gandhinagar constituency six times. Now, Amit Shah will be contesting from that seat. This simply means Advani has been forced to retire," the editorial said. Marking a generational shift in the BJP, the party recently announced candidature of Shah,
Inter-American Development Bank leaves China in Venezuela row
The Inter-American Development Bank said Friday its annual meeting would exit China after the United States led objections to Beijing's refusal to grant a visa to the Venezuelan representative backed by Washington. The bank, which provides development funding for Latin America and in which Washington holds 30 percent of voting power, said it would no longer gather in the southwestern city of Chengdu from March 28 to 31 in what would have been its first annual meeting in China. The Washington-based institution said its board would decide within 30 days where to hold the meeting instead. The decision marks a two-front victory for the United States which is trying to oust Venezuela's leftist President Nicolas Maduro and to reduce Chinese influence in Latin America. A State Department official said that the United States objected to China holding the meeting so long as it did not issue a visa to Ricardo Hausmann, who is considered the Venezuelan representative to the bank by Juan Guaido, .
BJP names candidates for 5 LS constituencies, 22 Assembly
Ending speculations over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's candidature from Puri, the BJP has fielded its national spokesperson Sambit Patra from the Lok Sabha seat. Senior leaders of the saffron party in Odisha, including MLA Pradip Purohit, had earlier hinted that Modi might contest the election from the temple town. The ruling BJD and the opposition Congress are yet to announce the names of candidates from the constituency. Releasing a fresh list of candidates Friday for five parliamentary seats and 22 Assembly segments in Odisha, the BJP announced that its state unit president Basant Kumar Panda would contest the polls from Kalahandi Lok Sabha constituency and national secretary Suresh Pujari from Bargarh Lok Sabha constituency. Sitting MLA Nitesh Ganga Deb has been fielded from Sambalpur Lok Sabha seat, while Jayaram Pangi is the BJP candidate for Koraput (ST) parliamentary seat. While Panda happens to represent Nuapada assembly segment, Ganga Dev is the legislator ...
What'll happen if BJP can't get a majority of its own (Column: Political Circus)
Although it is now almost certain that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) - the group of parties led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) - will attain a majority in the Lok Sabha in the forthcoming general elections, the question will nevertheless arise whether Narendra Modi will be the Prime Minister since the BJP itself is expected to fall short of a majority of its own.
Jagan is an anarchist, says Chandrababu Naidu
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Friday said that there will be no law and order situation in the state if YSR Congress (YSRC) chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy is voted to power."Jagan is an anarchist. If he comes to power, state development will be hampered. He is an expert in crimes. If he comes to power, there will be no law and order in the state," the chief minister said while addressing a public rally at Pendurthi in Visakhapatnam.Naidu accused Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) supremo and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao of helping YSR party chief in the Andhra Pradesh assembly elections."Jagan has become a slave of KCR. The TRS leader is sending Rs 1000 crores to Andhra Pradesh, to support Jagan in the elections. We do not need such sin money. Jagan knelt before KCR like a slave. Andhraites should him teach them a lesson," he said.Naidu, who is the chief of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) claimed that Reddy is colluding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ...
Russia, China await 'immediate success' of US talks with Taliban on Afghan peace process
China and Russia are awaiting the 'immediate success' of the talks between the United States and Taliban, which are aimed at achieving peace in war-torn Afghanistan."Both we and the Chinese are certainly interested in the immediate success of the US talks with the Taliban movement, five rounds of which were held in Doha. That's why this is a key moment for further progress towards a stable peace in Afghanistan," Russia's Presidential Envoy for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov was quoted TASS news agency.As soon as the US agrees with the Taliban over withdrawing half of its troops from Afghanistan, "we can start making next and more particular steps, leading to establishing peace in Afghanistan: this is ceasefire and a whole number of other steps, and the most important of them will be direct talks of a broad spectrum of Afghans with the Taliban movement," he added.A statement issued by the US Department State said that representatives of the US, China, and Russia met in Washington, on March .
Congress announces eight LS candidates from TN
Maintaining silence over its candidate for Tamil Nadu's Sivaganga Lok Sabha constituency, the Congress on Saturday declared eight names for the April 18 polls.
PM pays tribute to Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev on their martyrdom day
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday paid tribute to Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru on their death anniversary and said there story of supreme sacrifice will continue to inspire generations."I bow to Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev on their martyrdom day. The tale of their courage and valour will continue to inspire generations," Prime Minister Tweeted.On March 23, 1931, the three revolutionary freedom fighters were hanged to death, a few hours ahead of schedule, in the Lahore conspiracy case.Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley also paid tributes to the three freedom fighters and wrote on the micro-blogging site, "On Martyrdom day of Shaeed-E-Azam Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev, we, remember their supreme sacrifice for the motherland and pay them our respectful tributes. The great martyrs have always been the inspiration for every Indian.
Mueller concludes Russia probe, submits report to US Attorney General
Special counsel Robert Mueller has submitted the much-awaited probe report on alleged collusion between Russia and US President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign, ending an investigation that has cast a shadow over the Trump presidency for nearly two years. A justice department official said that Mueller's report did not recommend any further indictments. During his 22 months of investigation, Mueller, a former FBI director, criminally charged three companies and 34 individuals, of which seven pleaded guilty and one was convicted. He had also posed question to President Trump which were responded to in writing. US Attorney General William Barr, to whom the report was delivered on Friday, told Congressional leaders that he may submit to them its summary "as soon as this weekend". Trump has repeatedly claimed that he was a victim of "witch hunt", while asserting that there was no collusion between his campaign and the Russians. Reacting to the development, White House Press Secretary Sarah ..
BJP declares 36 names, to field Patra from Puri
The BJP on Saturday declared the names of 36 candidates for the coming Lok Sabha polls with the party deciding to field its spokesman Sambit Patra from the Puri parliamentary constituency in Odisha.
Mueller's Russia report will shape US politics' future (2nd Lead)
Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who delved into the murky depths of the 2016 election looking for links between President Donald Trump's campaign and Russia, has completed his probe and a tense nation awaits his findings that will profoundly affect the future of US politics.
BJP declares 36 candidates, Patra to contest from Puri
The BJP on Saturday declared names of 36 candidates for the ensuing Lok Sabha polls with the party deciding to field its spokesperson Sambit Patra from Puri parliamentary constituency in Odisha.
Robert Mueller completes Russia probe
Special counsel Robert Mueller has submitted a confidential report to Attorney General William Barr, signalling an end to the nearly two-year Russia investigation, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Friday.
As fighting continues, USA claims defeat of ISIS
The United States, on Friday (local time), claimed to have completely defeated ISIS in Syria.Soon after the announcement, reports of US-backed forces still working on clearing terrorists holed up in tunnels along the village of Baghouz in Syria started emerging, raising questions regarding the United States' claim.US Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters that acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan had briefed President Donald Trump regarding the alleged defeat, and additional information would "soon" follow. There has been no further announcement yet.Quoting their team currently on field in Syria, CNN refuted the Press Secretary's claims."There has been gunfire coming out of the ISIS positions, which are, admittedly, a very small piece of territory on the edge of a hill outside the eastern end of this town of Baghouz. If you were to look at the amount of territory, it is very small indeed, but the fighting goes on," CNN quoted one of its correspondents from the field as ...
Barr must not give Trump a 'preview' of Mueller's findings, says Pelosi
Attorney General William Barr must not give US President Donald Trump any 'sneak preview' of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's findings or evidence, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Friday (local time).Pelosi, along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, made the comments in a statement released shortly after Mueller submitted his findings to Barr at the end of his 22-month long investigation into possible Russian collusion in the 2016 Presidential elections which were won by Donald Trump."Now that Special Counsel Mueller has submitted his report to the Attorney General, it is imperative for Mr Barr to make the full report public and provide its underlying documentation and findings to Congress," the statement released by the two Democratic leaders highlighted."Attorney General Barr must not give President Trump, his lawyers or his staff any 'sneak preview' of Special Counsel Mueller's findings or evidence, and the White House must not be allowed to interfere in decisions about
BJP releases 2nd candidate list for Odisha polls
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has released second list of candidates for five Lok Sabha and 22 Assembly seats in Odisha.