Page 1263 - Politics
Will Kejriwal withdraw corruption charges against Dikshit if unholy alliance is formed: Goel
With the Congress again mulling a tie up with the AAP in Delhi, Union Minister Vijay Goel Tuesday sought to corner both the parties asking if Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will withdraw charges of corruption against Sheila Dikshit or will the Delhi Congress chief resign from her position. Goel said in case an alliance is formed between the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party, Dikshit should either tender her resignation or accept the serious charges of corruption levelled by Kejriwal against her. The Union Minister said in 2013, Kejriwal vowed that he will put Sheila Dikshit behind bars within 24 hours of getting elected alleging she is "smeared with colours of corruption" related to commonwealth games, water tankers scam among others. "It is ironical that Sheila Dikshit herself is the Delhi Pradesh Congress President and under her leadership this unholy alliance is getting formed. "I wanted to ask whether Kejriwal will withdraw his serious charges of corruption against her or will she ...
Goa floor test on Wednesday, Governor summons Assembly
Goa Governor Mridula Sinha has summoned the Assembly to meet on Wednesday morning, making way for newly-appointed Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to prove his legislative majority in a floor test.
Kazakh president says resigning after three decades in office
Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev announced his shock resignation on Tuesday, 29 years after taking office. "I have taken the decision to refuse the mandate of the presidency," he said in a speech broadcast on state television. Nazarbayev came to power in oil-rich Kazakhstan when it was still a Soviet republic and has never indicated a successor. The move comes on the back of growing social discontent and an economy still recovering from an oil price plunge in 2014. The announcement also comes just weeks after the ageing strongman dismissed the country's government. Nazarbayev will enjoy significant policy-making powers following his resignation thanks to his constitutional status as "Leader of the Nation". He also became lifelong head of the country's security council last year.
Jaitley dubs '108 purported economists' as compulsive contrarians
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Tuesday dubbed the "108 purported economists" alleging government interference in statistical data as a "fake campaign", saying these compulsive contrarians have repeatedly signed memorandums of manufactured political issues against the present regime. He was referring to a appeal made by 108 economists and social scientists including Jean Dreze (Allahabad University), Emily Breza (Harvard University), Satish Deshpande (Delhi University), Esther Duflo (MIT, US) and Jayati Ghosh (JNU) last week, expressing concerns over "political interference" in influencing statistical data in India. They had called for restoration of "institutional independence" and integrity to the statistical organisations in the backdrop of controversy over revision of gross domestic product (GDP) numbers and withholding employment data by the NSSO. Rejecting the contention of economists, as many as 131 chartered accountants had stressed that India is poised to move on a higher ...
LS polls:CPI(M) announces 13 more candidates,to wait for
The CPI(M)-led Left Front Tuesday announced candidates for 13 more Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal, taking the total number of its contestants to 38. The grouping, however, kept its door for seat sharing talks with the Congress open till Wednesday evening by not declaring nominees in four seats, which the national party had won in the 2014 general elections. Even the list of 38 candidates could be altered if the Left Front gets a positive response from the Congress by tomorrow evening on an alliance, the front's chairman Biman Bose said. The development came a day after the Congress announced candidates for 11 seats including Raiganj and Murshidabad, which the CPI(M) had won in 2014. "We announced a list of 38 candidates. We are not announcing the names of four seats which the Congress had won the last time. We will wait till Wednesday evening for a response from the Congress," Bose told reporters here. "If there is no response, we will go ahead with the remaining four seats. But if we
Notice to Centre on YSRCP's plea alleging phone-tapping
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the Central and Andhra Pradesh governments to respond to the plea by the YSR Congress Party leaders alleging that their phones were being tapped.
Congress refuses LF's Bengal seat adjustment offer
In a last ditch attempt to forge a seat adjustment formula with the Congress in West Bengal in the 2019 polls, the Left Front on Tuesday announced the second list of its Lok Sabha candidates, leaving four seats won by the Congress in the last General Elections.
Will back party respecting temple customs: Ayappa devotees
In more trouble for the Pinarayi Vijayan government in Kerala, an Ayyappa devotees body on Tuesday said it will throw its weight behind the party which agrees to its demands, including protecting the age-old rituals of the Sabarimala temple.
Fate of Patidar quota stir uncertain after Hardik joins Cong
The fate of the Patidar quota agitation hangs in balance with its leader Hardik Patel and his supporters saying that the issue is over and they now want to focus on problems of farmers and jobs for youth. However, many from the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), headed by Patel, want to continue their fight for quota for the Patidar community in government jobs and education. Patel, who first came into the limelight with the Patidar quota stir in 2015, joined the Congress here last week in the presence of party president Rahul Gandhi. The 25-year-old firebrand leader claims "the issue of reservation is over now". "How can you talk about reservation when you have already been granted 10 per cent quota benefits. Now my focus is on raising issues concerning farmers and youth. I will make people aware of the BJP's wrong policies and of the Congress's vision," he said. Patel admitted that at the beginning of his agitation, he had demanded reservation for the Patidar community under the .
Cong-JDS to campaign jointly, vow to reduce BJP to single
The ruling Congress-JD(S) coalition in Karnataka Tuesday said they would jointly campaign for the Lok Sabha polls and vowed to reduce the BJP to a "single digit" in the state. Leaders of both parties said they would resolve all the issues and fight the polls unitedly, amid tension between them at the local level. The alliance partners also gagged their partymen from airing any differences to the media. TheCongress and JD(S) have decided to launch their joint campaign on March 31 by organising a mammoth rally near Bengaluru, likely to be attended by Congress president Rahul Gandhi. "Our relentless fight is for keeping our (Congress and JDS) 12 seats with ourselves, and win majority of the 16 seats that is with the BJP, as we are going together in this polls," JD(S) chief and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda said. Addressing a joint press conference along with Congress leaders, he said, "I'm not saying this with pride, we will not allow them (BJP) to see two ...
BJP-led govt in Goa to face floor test Wednesday
The BJP-led government in Goa will face the floor test Wednesay, a day after it was formed. Governor Mridula Sinha has convened a special session of the Assembly at 11.30 am Wednesday to enable Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to prove his majority in the House, an official said. Sawant Tuesday said his government had sought a floor test on Wednesday to prove its strength in the Assembly. The BJP-led government in the coastal state claims support of 21 MLAs - 12 from the BJP, three each of allies Goa Forward Party (GFP) and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and three Independents. The strength of the 40-member House has been reduced to 36 due to the death of chief minister Manohar Parrikar, BJP MLA Francis D'Souza and resignations of two Congress MLAs Subhash Shirodkar and Dayanand Sopte. The Congress is the single largest party in the state with 14 MLAs. There is also an NCP legislator in the House. Sawant, 45, who was sworn in along with 11 other ministers in a ceremony .
Traders burn Chinese goods on issue of JeM chief
Traders burnt Chinese goods across India on Tuesday after China blocked a bid in the UN Security Council to designate Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed's chief Masood Azhar as a "global terrorist", Confederation of All India Traders said. CAIT also urged the government to put restrictions on trade with China. Traders "put to fire Chinese goods at more than 1,500 places all over the country, including Delhi," CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said. In the national capital, the traders' body protested against China by burning Chinese goods at Sadar Bazar. The government should encourage small industries and give them a special package so that they can compete with Chinese goods, Khandelwal said. He said the body is launching a national campaign urging traders to boycott purchasing or selling Chinese goods. The bilateral trade between India and China rose by 18.63 per cent year-on-year to USD 84.44 billion in 2017. The trade deficit with China continued to remain high .
NC fields retired HC judge Hasnain Masoodi from Anantnag
The National Conference (NC) has fielded former Jammu and Kashmir High Court judge Justice (retd) Hasnain Masoodi, known for his landmark judgement on Article 370, from the Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency. The 65-year-old former judge, who retired from the Jammu and Kashmir High Court in January 2016, is currently serving as the chairman of Selection-cum-Oversight Committee under the Juvenile Justice Act. "The party has decided to field Justice (retd) Hasnain Masoodi from the Anantnag-Pulwama parliamentary constituency," NC general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar told reporters at party's head office at Nawai-Subha here. In Oct 2015, Justice Masoodi had ruled that Article 370, granting special status to the state, is permanent. "Article 370 though titled as 'Temporary Provision' and included in Para XXI titled 'Temporary, Transitional and Special Provisions' has assumed place of permanence in the Constitution," a division bench of justices Hasnain Masoodi and Janak Raj Kotwal had ...
BJP to hold Vijay Sankalp rallies in all 25 LS seats in Rajasthan
The BJP will hold Vijay Sankalp rallies in all 25 parliamentary constituencies in Rajasthan on March 24 and 26, a party leader said on Tuesday. Public meetings will be organised by national and state leaders in 10 Lok Sabha seats on March 24 and the remaining constituencies will be covered on March 26, BJP leader Omkar Singh Lakhawat said. He said BJP national vice president and former chief minister Vasundhara Raje, Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Vijay Goel, C R Chaudhary, Haryana minister O P Dhankad and deputy leader of Opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly Rajendra Rathore are among those who will address the rallies.
Goa CEO informs ECI about vacancy in Parrikar's assembly seat
Poll authorities in Goa have formally notified the Election Commission of India (ECI) about the vacancy created in the Panaji assembly seat following the death of its sitting MLA and former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar. With this, four assembly seats have fallen vacant in the state, which has a 40-member House, and three of them will have bypolls next month. Parrikar, 63, died Sunday after fighting a pancreatic ailment for over a year. He was cremated Monday at Miramar beach. "We have communicated to ECI about the vacancy created due to death of Parrikar. Panaji will go for by-election, but ECI will have to decide the date," Goa Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Kunal said Tuesday. By-elections in three assembly constituencies Shiroda, Mandrem and Mapusa - will be held on April 23, the day when votes will also be cast in the two Lok Sabha seats in the coastal state. The seat of Mapusa fell vacant after the death of BJP MLA Francis D'Souza, while Congress MLAs Subhash ...
Traders burn Chinese goods to protest move on Azhar
Protesting against China for blocking India's bid to have Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) Chief Masood Azhar designated as a global terrorist by the UN, traders on Tuesday set fire to Chinese goods at more than 1,500 places across the country.
Goa govt to face floor test Wednesday
The new BJP-led government in Goa will face a floor test in the Assembly Wednesday, officials said. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant Tuesday said his government had sought a floor test on Wednesday to prove its strength in the Assembly. "Governor Mridula Sinha has convened a special session of the Assembly at 11.30 am for holding the floor test," an official said. The BJP-led government in the coastal state claims support of 21 MLAs - 12 from the BJP, three each of allies Goa Forward Party (GFP) and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and three Independents. The strength of the 40-member House has been reduced to 36 due to the death of chief minister Manohar Parrikar, BJP MLA Francis D'Souza and resignations of two Congress MLAs Subhash Shirodkar and Dayanand Sopte. The Congress is the single largest party in the state with 14 MLAs. There is also an NCP legislator in the House.
For BJP, Gadkari emerges key trouble-shooter in Goa
Senior BJP leader and Union minister Nitin Gadkari has once again emerged as the party's chief trouble-shooter in Goa, where he moved quickly to select a new chief minister after the death of Manohar Parrikar and kept allies on his side to avoid a break-up in coalition. Gadkari played a similar role in March 2017 when he sewed up a coalition led by the BJP, which had won 13 seats as against 17 by the Congress, by deftly bringing together regional outfits -- which fought polls on an anti-BJP platform -- and also three Independents. The BJP stalwart had then flown to Goa at midnight to spearhead the coalition talks, which saw the BJP retaining power in the politically volatile state. The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and the Goa Forward Party (GFP), with three MLAs each, had then agreed to be part of the BJP-led coalition only if Parrikar, then defence minister, was made the chief minister. Two years later, after the death of Parrikar Sunday, Gadkari, the BJP's Goa ...
ED attaches 13 assets in J-K in terror funding probe against Pak-based terrorist Salahuddin
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) Tuesday said it has attached over a dozen assets in Jammu and Kashmir in a terror financing case against Pakistan-based terrorist and chief of the globally banned Hizbul Mujahideen, Syed Salahuddin. The central probe agency issued a provisional order under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to attach 13 properties, worth Rs 1.22 crore, in the state. The ED said the properties belonged to Mohammad Shafi Shah, a resident of Bandipora, and six other residents of Jammu and Kashmir, who allegedly worked for the terror outfit. The agency said it filed a criminal case of money laundering in this instance after taking cognisance of a National Investigating Agency (NIA) charge sheet filed against Salahuddin, Shah and others under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Action (UAPA) and other sections of the Indian Penal Code. "Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, the most active terror outfit in Kashmir, has been responsible for funding terrorist and secessionist ...
'Press SL to take steps for devolution of powers to Tamil
The ruling AIADMK Tuesday assured that it would demand that the centre press upon Sri Lanka to take steps for devolution of administrative powers to Tamil speaking areas in the island nation. The party, in its election manifesto for the April 18 Lok Sabha polls, said the 'decimation' of lakhs of Tamils in the final stages of the civil war, particularly in Mullivaikal, "remains a burden in the conscience of Tamils all over the world." It recalled former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa having revealed 'information' about India's help to his country's army during the Congress-led UPA rule at the peak of hostilities with the rebel LTTE, which saw many civilian casualties. DMK was a key constituent in UPA then, and was the ruling party in Tamil Nadu. The 'admission' by the former Sri Lankan president vindicated the stance of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on the 'massacre' of several innocent Tamil civilians,it alleged. "AIADMK will urge the the Government of India