Page 1276 - Politics
Pramod Sawant to be new Goa CM
Goa Assembly Speaker Pramod Pandurang Sawant will be sworn in as the new Chief Minister of a BJP-led coalition government on Monday evening by Governor Mridula Sinha, a senior BJP leader said.
Pak, China should not create hurdles in designating Azhar as global terrorist: Pak daily
Pakistan and China should not create hurdles in designating JeM chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist, a leading Pakistani daily said Monday, emphasising the need to crackdown hard on terror groups in the country as it will help Islamabad regain the respect of the international community. The Dawn newspaper in an editorial said that there are no "good" or "bad" militants groups and all have either caused or are capable of wreaking havoc in the country. "That outlook is hopefully a thing of the past now, as the prime minister (Imran Khan) has promised that no groups will be allowed to use Pakistani territory for militant activities. "He must make good on that pledge. This is the only way Pakistan will regain the respect of the international community, and counter India's constant campaign to isolate it," it said. "Most (of the terror groups) have been banned but much more is required to ensure that they are eliminated and never come back to life. If the world wants to blacklist ...
BJP man to be Goa CM; allies manage to get 2 Dy CM's posts
BJP's Pramod Sawant willl be the new chief minister of Goa, party sources said Monday. Two MLAs from the BJP alliance partners will be made deputy chief ministers as part of the compromise reached with allies, they said. The BJP managed to break the deadlock in Goa, offering key allies their pound of flesh, by accepting their demand for deputy CM's posts. Sawant is now Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly. He will succeed Manohar Parrikar who died Sunday. The two would-be Dy CMs are Goa Forward Party chief Vijai Sardesai and MGP MLA Sudin Dhavalikar. "We have managed to convince the alliance partners and finalised the formula of two deputy chief ministers for the state, a senior BJP functionary said. The swearing in ceremony is likely to be held at 9 pm Monday, he said.
Bihar Grand Alliance deadlock over seats continues
The deadlock over seat sharing in the "Mahagathbandhan" (Grand Alliance) in Bihar continued on Monday and it is unlikely to resolve in the next 24 hours.
India-Pak tensions to figure in Qureshi-Wang talks: China
China on Monday said that it would like to see the easing of tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pulwama terror attack and the issue would figure in the first strategic dialogue between Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Tuesday. Qureshi who arrived here on Monday is visiting China, days after Beijing for the fourth time blocked a bid in the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday to designate Pakistan-based chief of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror group Masood Azhar as a "global terrorist" by putting a technical hold on the proposal, a move India termed as disappointing. The JeM has claimed responsibility for the February 14 Pulwama attack that left 40 CRPF personnel dead and escalated tensions between India and Pakistan. The proposal to designate Azhar under the 1267 al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council was moved by France, the UK and the US on February 27. "As neighbour, China would like to see easing ..
Pak Air Force fighter jets carry out off-runway operations on highways
Pakistan Air Force's fighter jets on Monday carried out take-off and landing sorties from highways as part of its operational readiness, an official statement said. Pakistan has maintained high-level of alertness since the Indian Air Force carried out a counter-terror operation, hitting the biggest JeM training camp in Balakot, deep inside Pakistan on February 26 following the Pulwama attack. The PAF used multiple locations along different motorways and highways to perform off-runway operations. The exercise was conducted to demonstrate the capability of PAF in being able to sustain high tempo air operations, according to the statement. The jets were also refuelled and re-armed after the landing on motorways. The PAF also shared a video clip showing jets landing at some undisclosed locations. Minister for Communications Murad Saeed and senior civil and military officials were also present during the exercise. A day after the Indian Air Force targetted the JeM training camp in Balakot,
UP Dy CM Sharma accuses Congress of politicising Parrikar's death
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma on Monday accused the Congress party of "politicising" the demise of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar."The way they have come forward to stake claim to form the government in the state shows that they had been waiting for him to die. It is highly insensitive on their part to play politics even in such situations," said Sharma while talking to ANI.Parrikar, a senior BJP leader died on March 17 evening after a prolonged battle against cancer at the age of 63."I was very close to him. He has done a lot not only for the state of Goa, but for India, too. He lived his life as an honest politician and served the nation till his last breath," he said.Sharma also took a jibe at Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, calling her boat yatra "a boat yatra for the votes."Priyanka, Congress' newly appointed general secretary and in-charge for eastern Uttar Pradesh, has started her three-day long Ganga Yatra from Manaiya Ghat at Prayagraj on Monday."The boat ...
Indian Army holds military exercise with 17 African nations
The Indian Army Monday began a 10-day military exercise with armed forces of 17 African nations at Aundh in Maharashtra, reflecting the growing strategic ties between India and the Africa continent. The countries participating in the inaugural edition of the Africa-India Field Training Exercise (AFINDEX) include Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Benin and Botswana, the Army said here. The inaugural ceremony of the exercise held at the Aundh military station was attended by defence attaches and other senior officials of the participating nations. "The exercise will focus on exchange of best practices between the participating nations, team building and tactical level operations in conduct of the UN mandated tasks," the Army said. In the last few years, India has been gradually enhancing military and defence cooperation with a number of African countries.
Parrikar star performer at CM conferences: Sudheendra Kulkarni
Manohar Parrikar was a star performer at the "chief ministers' conferences" held at the national level, said socio-political activist Sudheendra Kulkarni Monday. Parrikar (63) Sunday died of pancreatic cancer and was cremated with full state honours Monday. Kulkarni, who served in the Prime Minister's Office as Director during the earlier NDA government and worked along side BJP stalwarts Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani, was a batch junior to Parrikar at the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay. Speaking to a regional channel, he said, "When I was working in the PMO, there used to be chief minsters' conferences at the national level. Parrikar used to be a star performer in such meetings. He was representing a small state, but it was his charisma and deep understanding of issues that used to draw attention towards him." "We both came from different schools of thought but it never came in between us when it came to the tasks we agreed to complete during ...
8 new faces in BJD's first list for 9 LS seats
The ruling BJD dropped seven sitting MPs as it released list of candidates for nine Lok Sabha seats that will go to polls in first two phases. The Lok Sabha and Assembly polls will be held simultaneously in the state in four phases beginning April 11. Party president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Monday fielded eight new faces, including two Rajya Sabha MPs and two Congress turncoats who joined the BJD recently. Former Congress chief minister Hemananda Biswal's daughter Sunita, who joined the BJD recently, has been fielded from Sundergarh (ST), the lone Lok Sabha seat the BJP won in the state in 2014. BJP leader Jual Oram had defeated former India hockey team captain Dilip Tirkey (BJD) from Sundergarh. The BJD denied ticket to Kandhamal MP Pratyusha Rajeswari Singh. She has been replaced by Rajya Sabha MP Achyuta Samanta. For Koraput (ST) Lok Sabha seat, Patnaik replaced sitting MP Jhinna Hikaka with his wife Kausalya. The BJD nominated Dharmagarh MLA Pushpendra Singh ...
No vandalism at Kashmiri students' accommodations: Students' body
A Kashmiri organisation Monday refuted reports of accommodations of students from Jammu and Kashmir being vandalised in the city. Jammu and Kashmir Students Association spokesperson Nasir Khuehami termed such reports as baseless and concocted. In a statement issued here, the spokesperson said he had personally visited the spots which were reportedly vandalised but found nothing of the sort on ground. "There is no threat to the lives of Kashmiri students in Uttarakhand anymore. They have no reason to feel unsafe," Khuehami said. "The reports carried by a section of the media in Kashmir Valley in this regard are baseless and concocted. Well visited the spot, but we found no such incident had taken place," he said. Asking students to not pay heed to the rumours, he said they had no reason to feel unsafe and appealed to them to return to their institutions and resume their studies. Khuehami appealed to them not to issue provocative statements.
Turkey, Iran launch joint raid against Kurdish rebels: Minister
Turkey and Iran on Monday started a joint military operation against Kurdish rebels on Turkey's eastern border, state-run Anadolu news agency quoted the interior minister as saying. Turkey has recently talked about a possible joint operation with neighbour Iran to counter outlawed militants from the the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), but this is the first time Turkish authorities have confirmed a raid. "We started staging a joint operation with Iran against the PKK on our eastern border as of 0800 (0500 GMT) this morning," Suleyman Soylu said of the operation against the PKK, listed as a terror group by Ankara and its Western allies. "We will announce the result later," he said. Soylu did not specify precisely which PKK bases the planned operation targeted but President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has in the past said it would be against militant hideouts in Iraq. The Turkish military has often bombed PKK bases in Iraq's mountainous northern regions as part of its decades-long operations ...
15 polling stations in Mizoram for Bru refugees living in
A total of 15 temporary polling stations are being set up in Mamit district of Mizoram exclusively for Bru community voters living in relief camps in Tripura. Of the 15 temporary polling stations, nine would be for Bru voters of Mamit district and three each for Lunglei and Kolasib districts of Mizoram, state Chief Electoral Officer Ashish Kundra said Monday. A little over 12,000 Bru voters who originally hail from the three districts but now stay in six relief camps in the neighbouring state would exercise their franchise for the lone Lok Sabha seat in Mizoram on April 11. Thousands of Bru community people had been lodged in the six relief camps in North Tripura district since late 1997 after they fled from Mizoram in the wake of a communal tension. They would vote in the temporary polling stations being erected at Kanhmun village near Tripura border, Kundra said. The Bru voters had cast their votes at the temporary polling stations at Kanhmun village during the ...
Oppn's grand alliance turning out to be illusion: Chirag Paswan
LJP leader Chirag Paswan Monday said all NDA allies in Bihar may name their Lok Sabha poll candidates together and also took a dig at the opposition, saying its "so-called grand alliance has turned out to be an illusion". He told reporters after a meeting of his party's parliamentary board that the Lok Janshakti Party has finalised its candidates for the six seats it will contest in Bihar, but withheld announcing their names due Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's death. Asserting that a joint announcement by all the National Democratic Alliance parties - the BJP, Janata Dal (United) and the LJP - on the seats they will fight in alliance have sent out a positive message, Paswan said they may also name their candidates together, but added that a final call on this is yet to be taken. While Paswan is set to contest from Jamui, the seat he represents in the Lok Sabha, Ram Chandra Paswan will be fielded from Samastipur, which he had won in 2014. With the party supremo and Union minister
Shah to meet allies in Goa to decide on next chief minister
BJP president Amit Shah will meet alliance partners in the Goa government Monday evening to decide the next coastal state's chief minister amid stalemate over the issue, a party leader said. The BJP has not been able to convince its alliance partners the Goa Forward Party (GFP), the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and Independents on naming the successor of Manohar Parrikar, who died Sunday, the leader said. "Shah will meet alliance partners - the GFP, MGP and independents - and try to convince them to arrive at a consensus on the candidate for the chief ministerial post," the BJP functionary said. The meeting is scheduled at a star hotel at Dona Paula near here. Shah is in Goa to pay tributes to Parrikar, who was holding the top post since March 2017. The BJP chief also attended the funeral of the late leader at the Miramar beach here. Union minister and senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari, who is in Goa since Sunday, has also been holding parleys with the party's ...
Rahul takes dig at Modi in Karnataka (Dangal 2019)
Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying the "chowkidar" (watchman) was protecting the interests of tycoons Anil Ambani and Gautam Adani.
New Goa government delayed as allies yet to agree on CM
The swearing-in of a new BJP-led government in Goa has been delayed as potential allies appear to have, for now, baulked at its attempts to nominate Assembly Speaker Pramod Sawant for the Chief Minister's post.
AAP will file corruption complaints against PM in soon to be constituted Lokpal: Gopal Rai
The AAP will file complaints of corruption on the Rafale fighter jet deal and Sahara-Birla papers case against Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the soon to be constituted Lokpal, senior party leader Gopal Rai said on Monday. Rai noted that Lokpal's appointment marks the culmination of the most intense peoples' struggle in India and said Prime Minister Modi was scared of putting himself under its scrutiny. "The Aam Aadmi Party will file complaints of corruption against the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Rafale fighter jets case and Sahara Birla diaries with the soon to be appointed India's first Lokpal. "There are questions that why it took five years for the 'chowkidaar' to appoint a Lokpal. It is a matter of shame for the prime minister that it took him this long for its appointment," Rai said. The name of former Supreme Court judge Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose is said to be in active consideration for appointment as the chief of country's first Lokpal, the anti-corruption ...
Owaisi, Vinod Kumar file LS nominations in Telangana
AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi and TRS leader B Vinod Kumar were among those who filed nomination papers Monday for the April 11 Lok Sabha elections in Telangana. Owaisi is seeking a fourth straight term in the lower house of Parliament, from Hyderabad constituency. Vinod Kumar, who was Deputy Floor Leader of TRS (Telangana Rashtra Samiti) in Lok Sabha, entered the fray from Karimnagar, where he is the sitting MP. The TRS is yet to name the candidates for the elections but Vinod Kumar was among the contenders who were given the go-ahead to file nominations by the party president and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, TRS sources said. With the ruling TRS making it clear that it would back his candidature, Owaisi seems to be on a strong wicket in this Muslim-dominated segment, a stronghold of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen. The Congress and the BJP are yet to name their candidates for this constituency, represented by Owaisi since 2004. The Telangana ...
Lanka Prez Sirisena unhappy with Singapore over its "inaction" to cooperate in bond scam
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena Monday expressed disappointment at Singapore for not responding to a request to hand over its national who is wanted in the alleged 'bond scam' of the country's central bank. Former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran has been accused in a probe appointed by Sirisena of passing inside information to his son in law Arjuna Aloysius, whose firm purchased more than 50 per cent of the bonds auctioned in 2015. The transaction is popularly known as the 'bond scam'. Addressing the launch of his new 5-year plan to eradicate bribery and corruption, Sirisena said he was disappointed over Singapore's "inaction". The president said during his last visit to Singapore he had asked Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on the need for Mahendran to be brought back to Sri Lanka to face justice. "Nothing has happened and I am disappointed at the inaction," Sirisena said. "At least the government of Singapore should clarify as to whether this individual is living in .