Page 1254 - Politics
DMK now says it would waive crop loans of "all farmers"
A day after assuring waiver of crop loans of small and marginal farmers in its manifesto, the DMK on Wednesday said that it would extend the benefit to all sections of ryots. In deference to the wishes of farmers and leaders of alliance parties, the DMK headquarters said it would "fully waive the crop loans of all the farmers," not only the small and marginal sections. In a release, the party made the announcement amending the manifesto released on March 19. Besides assuring waiver of crop loans of small farmers, party chief M K Stalin had also promised supply of farm inputs, including seeds and fertilisers in subsidy. The AIADMK's manifesto too said it would urge the Centre to come up with a firm policy to waive the loans obtained by small and medium farmers in the country.
Kazakhstan senate names ex-president Nazarbayev's daughter as speaker
Kazakhstan's senate on Wednesday named ex-president Nursultan Nazarbayev's daughter Dariga as its new speaker, setting her up as a potential contender for the presidency following her father's shock resignation. State news agency Kazinform said senators had voted to elect Dariga Nazarbayeva, 55, as their new chief, the day after her father stepped down following nearly three decades as ruler of the Central Asian nation. Nazarbayeva is the eldest and most politically prominent of Nazarbayev's three children and has long been mooted as a potential successor to her father. Former senate leader Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was sworn in as Kazakhstan's interim president Wednesday. The senate position is second in line to the presidency according to the country's constitution. Tokayev's presidential mandate will last until the end of the term Nazarbayev would have served, which finishes in April 2020, but could end sooner if an early election is called. Nazarbayeva served as the country's deputy ..
Yet another BJD MP an MLA resign from BJD
A BJD MP and an MLA have resigned from the ruling party in Odisha after being denied party tickets for the upcoming simultaneous polls in the state taking the number of departees to six so far - three MPs and an equal number of MLAs. Kandhamal MP Pratyusha Rajeswari Singh and Dasapalla MLA Purna Chandra Nayak Wednesday resigned from the primary membership of BJD alleging "neglect", party sources said. The two leaders separately sent their resignation letters to Biju Janata Dal president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik stating that they were ignored and neglected in the party, the sources said. The three MPs and three MLAs have resigned from the regional party, which is in power in the state since 2000, either prior to or after announcement of the candidates list for the upcoming Lok Sabha and state Assembly polls. Singh was the third BJD MP who have so far resigned from the BJD. The first to quit the party was Nabarangpur MP Balabhadra Majhi, who did so prior to ...
Report on past work of politicians to help voters make informed choice: Vice prez to media
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu Wednesday asked the media to devote space and time to report on antecedents of politicians and their participation in debates in state legislatures and Parliament to help people make an informed choice in the Lok Sabha elections. Speaking at the first Atal Bihari Vajpayee Memorial Lecture, organised by the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Naidu said during elections, political parties tend to make "popularistic promises" and the media should play the role of questioning the basis of these promises. Terming voting a "national call of duty", he said voting in every election needs to be made a habit. "The media has an important role in promoting participatory democracy through enhanced voter turn out which in turn broad bases the foundation of democratic governance," the vice president said. "One of the fundamental aims of democratic elections is to provide the electorate with an opportunity to exercise their political rights and vote for candidates
Dynastic politics destroyed institutions: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday attacked the Congress for its "dynastic politics" and said its biggest casualty are the institutions.
Another Telangana Cong MLA to join ruling TRS
: In a fresh jolt to the Telangana Congress, party MLA Beeram Harshavardhan Reddy from Kollapur Assembly constituency Wednesday announced his decision to join the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS). Reddy, who met TRS working president K T Rama Rao, is the ninth Congress MLA to announce the decision to join the TRS ahead of Lok Sabha elections. Reddy said if need be, he is ready to quit his (Congress) MLA seat and again contest from TRS, if needed. In a statement, Reddy said he took the decision following assurances from TRS president and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao that compensation would be provided to evacuees of different irrigation projects in his constituency, for (positively responding) to address other issues and for overall development of his constituency. He said he also consulted his followers and party workers before deciding to join TRS. The desertion of the MLAs is seen as a setback to the Congress in the run-up to the Lok Sabha ...
Pawan Kalyan's brother Naga Babu to fight LS polls
Actor and Jana Sena leader Pawan Kalyan's brother Naga Babu on Wednesday joined the party and was immediately named the party candidate for the Narsapuram Lok Sabha constituency in Andhra Pradesh.
Cong, NC finalise alliance in Jammu and Kashmir for LS poll
The Congress and the National Conference Wednesday announced an alliance in Jammu and Kashmir for the Lok Sabha polls, saying it is in national interest and will help strengthen secular forces. Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and NC patron Farooq Abdullah jointly told the media while the Congress will contest the Jammu and Udhampur Lok Sabha seats, National Conference will fight from Srinagar. There will be a "friendly contest" between the two parties on the Anantnag and Baramulla seats, they said. Abdullah said the two parties are also discussing an arrangement for the Ladakh Lok Sabha seat. The state sends six MPs to Lok Sabha. "The alliance has been finalised in national interest and will strengthen the secular forces in J&K as the state faces threat from Pakistan," Azad told reporters. "Live and let live. This is the best decision taken in national interest. If either the Congress or National Conference wins, it is a win-win situation for both," he said. Azad said the tie-up .
Mayawati not to contest LS polls
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati Wednesday announced that she will not contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. "In view of the present circumstances and need of the country and the interests of the party, movement and public, it is the need of the hour that I do not contest the Lok Sabha polls. And this is the reason that I have decided not to contest the Lok Sabha polls," Mayawati said here. "If it so happens that I have to get elected to the Lok Sabha later, I can contest from any seat by getting it vacated and become an MP. I will not face any problem," she said. The BSP chief also said she does not want to see any damage to the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh. "Hence, winning each and every Lok Sabha seat is more important than my personal victory," Mayawati said. She claimed that all she has to do is to go and file nomination papers and her party workers will discharge their responsibilities to ensure her victory.
Congress alone can protect Northeast people: Rahul
Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said it is his party alone which can protect the culture, language and history of the people of the Northeast, and claimed to have blocked the passing of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 in the Rajya Sabha.
NCP jolted as ex-Maharashtra Dy CM's son joins BJP
Ranjitsinh V. Mohite-Patil, son of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Vijaysinh Mohite-Patil, was formally welcomed into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis here on Wednesday.
CPI-M issues second list of candidates for LS polls
The CPI-M on Wednesday named 20 more candidates for the Lok Sabha elections.
LS polls: PM Modi to hold rally in Rudrapur, U'Khand on Mar 28
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a rally at Rudrapur city in Udham Singh Nagar district on March 28 to add steam to the BJP's election campaign in Uttarakhand which goes to polls on April 11. Preparations for the prime minister's rally have begun, state BJP media chief Devendra Bhasin said Wednesday. Modi was scheduled to address a Vijay Shankhnad rally in Rudrapur on February 14 but could not make it to the venue due to inclement weather which held him up at the Corbett National Park. However, he did address the rally on phone apologising for not being able to be present at the venue in person. The BJP has decided to hold 500 rallies throughout the country on March 24 and 26 during which rallies will also be held in the five Lok Sabha constituencies of Uttarakhand, Bhasin said. Rallies to be held on these two dates will be addressed by chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, Union minister and election in-charge for Uttarakhand Thawar Chand Gehlot, state BJP in-charge Shyam ...
NC, Congress announce pre-poll pact
The Congress and the National Conference on Wednesday announced a seat-sharing pact for the Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir but will have "friendly fights" in two places -- Baramulla and Anantnag.
Turkish, Australian ministers speak amid Gallipoli spat
Turkish officials say Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has held a telephone conversation with his Australian counterpart, Marise Payne. Foreign Ministry officials did not provide further details about the telephone call on Wednesday, which came after recent comments by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan about the World War I Gallipoli campaign drew ire from Australia. On his election campaign trail, Erdogan has suggested that opposition to Islam motivated Australia and New Zealand to send troops to fight against Turkey during WWI. He also said anyone coming to Turkey with anti-Muslim sentiments would be sent back in coffins. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison called in Turkey's ambassador and demanded that Erdogan's comments be withdrawn. His government issued a travel advisory warning people visiting Turkey for the Gallipoli remembrance ceremonies to exercise caution.
New Kazakh president sworn in after longtime leader resigns
The speaker of Kazakhstan's parliament was sworn in as interim president on Wednesday, a day after longtime leader Nursultan Nazarbayev abruptly resigned. Nazarbayev surprised many by announcing in a televised address Tuesday that he would step down after nearly 30 years in office that has included the whole of Kazakhstan's time as an independent nation. The 78-year-old Nazarbayev attended Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's inauguration Wednesday, entering to lengthy applause from assembled dignitaries before taking a seat on a podium behind the lectern where Tokayev gave an address. Minutes after Tokayev was sworn in, he suggested that the Kazakh capital Astana be renamed Nursultan to honour the outgoing president. Tokayev in his speech praised Nazarbayev as "an outstanding reformer" who is widely expected to continue to wield influence as chairman of the security council and head of the ruling party. "Nazarbayev is not stepping down; he is stepping up," Dmitri Trenin, director of the Carnegie .
BJP's CEC to again meet Wednesday evening, first list expected
The BJP's central election committee (CEC), which is scheduled to meet Wednesday evening as part of its deliberations to finalise candidates for the Lok Sabha polls, is expected to release the first set of nominees after the meeting, party sources said. This will be the third meeting of the CEC, BJP's highest decision making body, on selection of candidates. On Tuesday evening, it had held a seven-hour-long discussion to deliberate upon the names of party's candidates in various states. The meeting, besides Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was attended by top brass of the BJP, including party chief Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley. The sources said the party is expected to release its first list of candidates Wednesday evening. The CEC has already held wide-ranging discussions on selection of its candidates for Bihar, Maharashtra, Anadhra Pradesh, Telangana, Chattisgarh and all eight north-eastern states. Though the Congress has announced candidates for 146 Lok ...
Political campaign spends on social media a mystery (IANS Special)
Despite all the efforts put in place by social media companies to show who is paying for the political advertisements on their platforms, the users may not know the actual amount spent to run political campaigns on these websites.
Former BJP MP joins Congress, may contest LS polls
Former BJP MP from Bihar's Purnea district, Uday Singh, on Wednesday joined the Congress and is likely to contest the Lok Sabha polls from the Purnea seat.
Chidambaram hits back at Jaitley for his 'compulsive contrarian' remark
If a person disagreeing with the government is a "compulsive contrarian", can someone who always agrees with it be called "his master's voice", senior Congress leader P Chidambaram asked Wednesday, hitting back at Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. The finance minister has slammed 108 economists and social scientists as "compulsive contrarians" for raising concern over "political interference" to influence statistical data. In his blog published on Tuesday, Jaitley had said these "compulsive contrarians" have repeatedly signed memorandums of what he said was manufactured political issues against the present government. Responding to Jaitley, Chidambaram tweeted: "According to Mr Jaitley, one who disagrees with the government is a 'compulsive contrarian'. Can we then say that anyone who always agrees with the government is 'His Master's Voice'?" As many as 108 economists and social scientists, including Jean Dreze (Allahabad University), Emily Breza (Harvard University), Satish Deshpande ..