Page 1265 - Politics
Mulayam Yadav forged relationship with BSP, I only had to 'mend' it: Akhilesh
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav Tuesday said his father and party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav had forged the relationship with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and he only had to "mend" it. He also said it was not time yet for Mulayam Yadav to become the prime minister. "Netaji (Mulayam) had relations with the BSP and had forged an alliance earlier. I only had to mend the relationship," Akhilesh Yadav said, replying to questions during a TV programme. When asked to answer in 'yes' or 'no' whether Mulayam Yadav would become the prime minister this time, he said, "No, not as of now. But he will be given the due honour." Responding to reports on the possibility of him contesting the Lok Sabha polls from Azamgarh, the seat represented by his father, Akhilesh Yadav indicated that the option was open. "Let a proposal come from the district unit," he said. The SP chief rebuffed claims that leaving 38 seats for alliance partner BSP would weaken his party. "We have done the ground work. ...
India committed to deepen cooperation with Africa to combat terrorism: Official
India is committed towards strengthening its engagement with Africa for combating terrorism and extremism, a top official said Tuesday. The country also wants to keep oceans in the region free to ensure the world's second largest continent does not become a "theatre for rival ambitions", the official added. Addressing a conference, T S Tirumurti, Secretary (Economic Relations) in Ministry of External Affairs, said India is well on its way to opening 18 new missions in Africa. "We have a mutual interest in strengthening defence and security with the rise of terrorism being the single most important factor impacting both India and Africa," he said. Deputy Prime Minister, Kingdom of Lesotho, Monyane Moleleki said India and Africa are both affected by the terrorism and have no choice but to "join forces and fight together this monster at bilateral and multilateral level". He condemned the heinous and cowardly terrorist attacks in Pulwama. India is also looking at innovative ways to ...
Modi now 'Chowkidar', no more 'Chaiwala': Mayawati
A day after BJP leaders prefixed 'Chowkidar' (watchman) to their Twitter handles, BSP leader Mayawati on Tuesday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he has changed his profile from 'Chaiwala' to 'Chowkidar' only to get votes in the Lok Sabha elections.
Shivpal to challenge nephew Akshay in Firozabad
Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) chief Shivpal Yadav Tuesday announced his candidature from Firozabad Lok Sabha seat against his nephew Akshay Yadav, who is the sitting Samajwadi Party MP and party candidate this time as well. A list of PSP candidates announced for 31 seats, included Shivpal Yadav's name from Firozabad. The current MP from Firozabad is Akshay Yadav, son of Shivpal's estranged brother Ram Gopal Yadav, SP's Principal General Secretary. During the Yadav family feud in 2016, Ram Gopal had sided with Akhilesh Yadav. Shivpal, who is a sitting SP MLA from Jaswant Nagar seat in Etawah, is stated to have influence in Firozabad and the adjoining districts and is seen as a strong contender against nephew Akshay. The new party was floated by Shivpal last year after he quit the SP over not getting "due respect in the party". The formation of the new party just ahead of Lok Sabha elections was seen as an attempt to dent the vote share of the SP.
British press brands speaker Bercow 'Brexit destroyer'
Britain's mostly right-wing newspapers branded parliamentary Speaker John Bercow an obnoxious, despotic traitor on Tuesday after his bombshell ruling threw the Brexit process into disarray. After Bercow ruled MPs could not vote again on the EU divorce deal unless it was substantially changed, newspapers labelled him the "Brexit Destroyer" and a "preening egotist" bent on stopping Britain leaving. But editorials in the more pro-EU papers said the dramatic situation, 10 days out from Britain's scheduled departure date, was entirely Prime Minister Theresa May's fault and Bercow had been right to assert parliamentary primacy over of the 2016 referendum vote to leave the European Union. The Daily Mail's front page was a picture of Bercow grinning, with the headline: "Smirk that says: Brexit be damned." Its parliamentary sketch said: "Me, me, me... the twitchy windbag was at his despotic worst." And its editorial said Bercow, 56, was revelling in a "brazen act of sabotage... detonating this
3 Tripura BJP leaders including state vice-president join Cong
The ruling BJP in Tripura received a jolt as three of its leaders including state unit vice-president Subal Bhowmick joined the Congress here on Tuesday. Congress Tripura unit president Pradyot Kishore Debburman welcomed Bhowmick, senior leader Prakash Das and vice-president of the BJP kishan morcha Premtosh Debnath to the party and said "today is a historic day. Their joining our party is like returning of family members to their own home." Bhowmick, Das and Debnath were earlier with the Congress. Debburman claimed that many leaders who have left the party would return to the Congress at the rally to be addressed by Congress president Rahul Gandhi here on Wednesday. CPI(M) leader and member of Kailashahar Municipal council in Unakoti District, Debasish Sen also joined the Congress on Tuesday. The Tripura Congress president appealed to former Congress leaders and worker who have left the party to return to the Congress. Bhowmik had joined the BJP in 2014 and was ...
Shivpal's party ties up with Peace Party, Apna Dal faction
Shivpal Yadav's Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) Tuesday announced its alliance with Peace Party and a faction of Apna Dal for the Lok Sabha polls. "We have entered into an alliance with Peace Party. We were ready for an alliance with secular parties to defeat the BJP but some parties gave priority to their personal interests," Shivpal told reporters a press conference here. "The BJP government in the state is the worst ever which cheated farmers, youths, minorities and backwards," he added. "It's unfortunate that due to self interest of SP, BSP and Congress an alliance could not be formed against BJP. These parties have weakened the fight (against the BJP) and are doing politics instead of fighting for the common man," he added. He later announced that Apna Dal-- led by Krishna Patel-- will be supporting his party in the Lok Sabha polls. Apna Dal (Krishna Patel) had on Saturday sealed an alliance with the Congress in Uttar Pradesh. As part of the seat-sharing agreement, Apna Dal .
Delhi Congress Chief Sheila Dikshit calls urgent meeting with DPCC working presidents
Delhi Congress Chief Sheila Dikshit on Tuesday called an urgent meeting with the three working presidents of Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee amid a buzz that the party's top leadership is mulling options to align with the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi. The party leaders of the Delhi unit, however, maintained that there was no talk of an alliance during the meeting. "An urgent meeting was called and it was decided that the selection of candidates should begin. Around 70 applications have been received by the party from Delhi Congress leaders for seven seats in Delhi," a senior party leader said. He said,"A screening committee of the party including Dikshit has to shortlist names from among the applications and send a list of 2-3 names per seat to top leadership for final announcement." The meeting with the three working presidents Devender Yadav, Haroon Yusuf and Rajesh Lilothia, at Diskhit's residence, comes in the backdrop of Congress mulling its options to align with the Aam Aadmi Party
Toing and froing on alliance: AAP says no, Cong weighing options
The back and forth over an AAP-Congress alliance in the national capital continued Tuesday, with the city's ruling party saying it would fight the Lok Sabha polls alone, while the Opposition said it was mulling options for forging a partnership. AAP's national convenor Gopal Rai told reporters there would be no alliance with the Congress and that his party would contest the polls on the slogan of 'Poorna Rajya Banao Jhadu ka Button Dabao', essentially telling people the national capital will get full statehood if they vote for the AAP. However, Congress sources said they are in talks with AAP and senior members within the party and trying to convince Delhi Congress unit for an alliance with the Arvind Kejriwal-led party. AICC general secretary in-charge of Delhi Congress PC Chacko said, "I am in consultation with Congress party leaders in Delhi on the possibilities of forging an alliance with AAP. "The Congress Working Committee has decided to align with like-minded parties across the
CM takes dig at Pawar over his remarks on post-Pulwama action
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Tuesday accused Sharad Pawar of creating "confusion" over Balakot air strike issue, two days after the NCP chief said he had asked the government to give a free hand to armed forces to destroy terror camps post Pulwama attack. Indian Air Force (IAF) had conducted air strikes on a terror camp in Balakot in Pakistan on February 26, thirteen days after 40 CRPF jawans were killed in a suicide bomber attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama. Addressing NCP workers in Pune district Sunday, Pawar had said that by virtue of being a former defence minister he had suggested the government to give "all powers" to armed forces to destroy terror camps, in an all-party meeting held in Delhi on February 15. Pawar had also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of politicising the Pulwama terror attack. Speaking to reporters after inaugurating the media centre at the BJP state headquarters here, Fadnavis said Pawar himself is in a confused ...
Naidu's son Lokesh faces acid test to prove himself
At a time when Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu is facing perhaps the toughest challenge of his political career, his son Nara Lokesh is set to make his electoral debut.
Cong mulling alliance with AAP, Pawar trying to bring them together
Days after having unanimously decided to go it alone in Delhi, the Congress is again mulling options to align with the Aam Aadmi Party in the national capital, with NCP leader Sharad Pawar actively involved in getting the two parties together. In this context, AAP leader Sanjay Singh met Pawar Tuesday at the latter's residence and held discussions over seat-sharing with the Congress and in taking steps to get all parties together and fielding a common candidate in all the seats to defeat the BJP in Lok Sabha elections. Sources said the Congress leadership is also in talks with AAP leaders and senior leaders within the party are trying to convince Delhi Congress leaders for an alliance with the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP. The Congress had earlier decided to go alone in Delhi after talks with AAP failed and local leaders favoured that the party contests LS polls alone. The Delhi Congress leaders felt that "saving" the party was crucial in Delhi in view of impending assembly elections in ...
Modi to interact with people from 500 places in 'Mani Bhi Chowkidar' campaign
Intensifying his 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' (I too am a watchman) campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 31 will interact with people, who have pledged their support to the campaign, from 500 places across the country. Speaking at a press conference here, senior BJP leader and Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the campaign has become a "people's movement" as the 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' hashtag has been tweeted 20 lakh times and had 1680 crore impressions. On Saturday, Modi on Twitter had urged his supporters to take the 'main bhai chowkidar' pledge, saying he is not alone in the fight against graft and social evils. BJP leaders, including its president Amit Shah and Union ministers, followed suit and later prefixed their name on the microblogging site with 'chowkidar' as they sought people's support for the party in the Lok Sabha polls. Prasad said Modi will interact with people from different walks of life, including BJP leaders and allies, professionals and farmers, from some .
Rahul pledges to restore special status to northeastern states
The Congress will restore special category status to all states of the Northeast if voted to power at the Centre, party president Rahul Gandhi said Tuesday, reaching out to the electors of the region where it is a sensitive issue. He also accused the BJP of trying to destroy the social and cultural ethos of the people of the Northeast by imposing on them the "RSS ideology". Addressing a Congress rally in the run up to the Lok Sabha and Arunachal Pradesh assembly polls to be held simultaneously, Gandhi sought to appeal to the regional sentiments, saying his party will never "attack the language, culture, customs and traditions" of the Northeastern states. "The people of the region are close to Congress's heart. The Congress has always worked for the development of the region. My party, if voted to power, will restore the special category status to Arunachal Pradesh and other states in the Northeast," he told a well attended rally at Indira Park here. The Congress party's
Manoeuvres by Shah, Gadkari helped BJP retain power in Goa
BJP president Amit Shah and Union minister Nitin Gadkari played behind-the-scene roles in ensuring the party retained power in Goa, after the death of Manohar Parrikar, sources familiar with the developments said. The impasse over government formation, which included dealing with stubborn allies wanting to extract their pound of flesh, was resolved with deft handling of the situation by the two senior BJP leaders, party sources said Tuesday. In 2017 also, after the BJP failed to get a majority in the state Assembly polls,Gadkari had flown in here to help the BJP in cobbling up an alliance with smaller parties in the coastal state, after which a government was formed under Parrikar's leadership. The sources said the BJP expected a crisis in Parrikar's absence, as the alliance was formed (in 2017) only on the plank of supporting the late leader become the CM. When Parrikar died on Sunday after battling pancreatic cancer, the BJP swung into action even as MLAs of ally ...
SP-BSP announce alliance for 48 Maharashtra Lok Sabha seats
The Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party Tuesday announced they would contest all 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra in alliance. Announcing the alliance, SP MLA Abu Asim Azmi said the two parties together represent about "85-90 per cent" of the society and provided a third front for people let down by the BJP and Congress. "Secularism is about to end in the country. Those who call themselves chowkidars can go to any length, and peddle lies, to cling on to power," he alleged. He claimed only the SP-BSP alliance was strong enough to stop the BJP from winning over 5-7 seats in Maharashtra. Attacking the Congress, Azmi said the main opposition party had made Muslims, Dalits and the backward classes "helpless", as there was no third alternative available for people. "However, after our decision to contest all 48 seats, a third front will be available. We represent 85-90 per cent of society," he claimed. Azmi said discussions on the seat-sharing formula was yet to begin ...
In tech-era, Himachal official pens postcards to voters
In social media times, a Deputy Commissioner in Himachal Pradesh believes in sending self-signed postcards to voters to make them aware about the power of their voting rights and motivate them to exercise that right to strengthen democracy.
ED attaches 13 assets in J-K in terror funding probe against Salahuddin
The Enforcement Directorate Tuesday said it has attached 13 assets located in Jammu and Kashmir in a terror financing case against Pakistan-based terrorist Syed Salahuddin, the chief of the globally banned outfit Hizbul Mujahideen. The central probe agency issued a provisional order under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to attach the properties worth Rs 1.22 crore, which it said belonged to one Mohammad Shafi Shah, a resident of Bandipora, and six other residents of the state who allegedly worked for the terror outfit. The ED said it filed a criminal case of money laundering in this instance after taking cognisance of a charge sheet filed against Salahuddin, Shah and others under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Action (UAPA). "Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, the most active terror outfit in Kashmir, has been responsible for funding terrorist and secessionist activities in Jammu and Kashmir. Headed by Syed Salahuddin, its self-styled commander based out of Rawalpindi in Pakistan, .
Cong won't get majority, but will form govt at Centre: Chavan
Senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan on Tuesday said his party will not get a simple majority in the Lok Sabha polls, but a new government will be formed under its leadership at the Centre, dislodging the BJP-led NDA. The former Maharashtra chief minister also said that the decision of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), led by Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar, not to align with the opposition parties will eventually prove beneficial for the NDA. The Congress and NCP had been wooing the VBA to join forces with them in Maharashtra. However, the VBA, a social coalition of Dalits and Muslims jointly formed by Ambedkar and Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM), recently decided to field its own candidates for the Lok Sabha polls. "We are not going to get a clear majority. No party got 270 seats in 30 years (before 2014). Is (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi claiming so (that BJP will get majority) now?" Chavan asked. "Some of their (the BJP's) ...
HC seeks Centre's reply on allegation of YSRCP leaders' phone tapping
The Delhi High Court Tuesday sought response of the Centre on a plea by some YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leaders and their associates, who claimed that their phones were being tapped and have been placed under "illegal technical surveillance". Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal issued a notice to the Centre through Ministries of Telecommunication and Home Affairs, Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary (Home) of Andhra Pradesh on a plea by former YSRCP MP Y V Subba Reddy and five others, including party chief Jaganmohan Reddy's personal and political assistants. The court listed the matter for further hearing on April 15. Central government standing counsel Ajay Digpaul has said the petitioners had given a representation to the Centre which has been forwarded to the Andhra Pradesh government as the grievance is against the state government. In the plea, Reddy has sought the court's direction to authorities, including Ministries of Telecommunication and Home Affairs, Chief Secretary and ...