Page 1294 - Politics
Odisha MLA Prakash Chandra Behera joins BJP
Odisha MLA Prakash Chandra Behera Sunday joined the BJP after being with the Congress for 20 years, with Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan saying his presence will help the party bring about changes in Odisha under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. Behera, who represents Cuttack's Salepur constituency, quit the Congress on Saturday. Joining the BJP during a party press conference here, he said, "I have faith in Narendra Modi's leadership and the youngsters in my constituency are really impressed with the government's decision of carrying out surgical strikes." He said he quit the Congress because he was ignored by the party's state leadership. Pradhan welcomed him into the BJP fold and said his presence will help the party bring about changes in Odisha under the Modi leadership.
Chowkidar Narendra Modi, PM flaunts prefix
A day after launching the "Main Bhi Chowkidar (I am a watchman too)" campaign on social media, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday changed the title of his Twitter account to "Chowkidar Narendra Modi".
Fact checkers alone can't curb fake news (Dangal 2019)
As the proliferation of disinformation on social media platforms has given rise to a new breed of fact checkers, their efforts may not be enough to counter the impact of fake news during the course of the general election.
YSRCP announces lists for LS, Assembly seats
YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) on Sunday announced candidates for the remaining 17 Lok Sabha seats and all 175 Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh.
Goa BJP meeting on Parrikar succession plan
The Goa BJP's core committee met on Sunday to discuss a succession plan in view of ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's failing health.
NDA leaders of Bihar likely to announce seat-sharing for LS polls
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leaders of Bihar are likely to announce the seat-sharing in Bihar for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections on Sunday.The announcement will be made during a press conference at the Janata Dal (United) office in Patna later today.Bihar JD (U) chief Bashishtha Narayan Singh, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) president Pashupati Kumar Paras and Bihar BJP president Nityanand Rai are expected to be present at the presser.Rai told ANI, "All is well in NDA. We will win all 40 seats in Bihar. I do not want to comment on Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance)."According to sources, the BJP is likely to contest on Patliputra, Patna Sahib, Arrah, East Champaran, West Champaran, Sheohar, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Maharajganj, Saran, Buxar, Sasaram, Begusarai, Araria, Aurangabad and Ujiyarpur parliamentary constituencies.The JD (U), on the other hand, will test their fate while contesting from Purnia, Madhepura, Supaul, Kishanganj, Katihar, Siwan, Balmiki Nagar, ...
Ex-CBI joint director VV Lakshminarayana to join Jana Sena today
Former CBI joint director VV Lakshminarayana is expected to join Jana Sena party (JSP) on Sunday, along with his brother and former Vice-Chancellor Rajagopal.The development comes a day after Lakshminarayana met party chief Pawan Kalyan at the JSP office last night.During the meeting, the former CBI official night and held discussions on various issues.Both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh will go to polls on April 11, while counting of votes will take place on May 23..
Afghan Foreign Minister summons Pak diplomat over Pak PM's remarks
The Afghan Foreign Ministry summoned on Saturday a senior official from Pakistan's embassy here over Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's statement which has been taken as interference in internal affairs by Kabul."The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan summoned the counsellor of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in Kabul over the recent remarks by Pakistan's Prime Minister Mr Imran Khan," Sebghat Ahmadi, the spokesperson of the ministry, said."We shared our serious criticism with the Pakistani side. The Afghan government considers these remarks as clear and evident interference in Afghanistan's internal affairs," TOLOnews quoted Ahmadi as saying.This comes after Khan told a public gathering on Friday that peace was "around the corner" in Afghanistan and a "good government will be established"."Negotiations have been initiated with the Taliban. God willing, our brothers in Afghanistan would live together in peace in the coming days...A good government will be ...
'Chowkidar Narendra Modi': PM renames Twitter handle; top BJP leaders follow
A day after kick-starting the 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' campaign ahead of crucial Lok Sabha polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday renamed his Twitter account to "Chowkidar Narendra Modi".Soon after, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah also renamed his Twitter handle to "Chowkidar Amit Shah".Following the footsteps of their leaders, Union Ministers Piyush Goyal, Jagat Prakash Nadda, Harsh Vardhan and Dharmendra Pradhan added the prefix "Chowkidar" to their Twitter handles.On Saturday, the Prime Minister had tweeted a video showing how all Indians are chowkidars while flagging off the BJP's poll campaign."Your Chowkidar is standing firm & serving the nation. But, I am not alone. Everyone who is fighting corruption, dirt, social evils is a Chowkidar. Everyone working hard for the progress of India is a Chowkidar. Today, every Indian is saying-#MainBhiChowkidar," he tweeted.The origin of the word 'chowkidar' dates back to the poll campaigning ahead of the 2014 ...
BJP MLAs asked not to leave Goa: State BJP general secretary
The ruling BJP has asked all its MLAs not to leave Goa in the backdrop of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's deteriorating health and Congress staking claim to form the government in the state.Goa BJP general secretary Sadanand Tanawade told ANI that all the legislators have been asked not to leave Goa at a meeting held on Saturday.After Congress dispatched a letter to Governor Mridula Sinha, BJP called for an "emergency meeting" at the party headquarters in Panaji.A meeting of BJP MLAs is also scheduled for today at party's Panaji office, state Power Minister Nilesh Cabral on Saturday.The Goa Congress on Saturday urged the Governor to dismiss the BJP-led coalition government and invite the party to form the government in the state.In a letter to Governor, the Leader of the Opposition in the Goa Assembly, Chandrakant Kavlekar, claimed that the Congress party has the majority to form the government and that "the numbers of the BJP may further dwindle" in the Assembly."Consequent upon ...
Chowkidar Narendra Modi a hit, others follow
A day after launching the "Main Bhi Chowkidar (I am a watchman too)" campaign on social media, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday changed the title of his Twitter account to "Chowkidar Narendra Modi".
LJP faces uphill task of reasserting its political stance
The Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), founded by Ram Vilas Paswan, is facing an uphill task this time in the Lok Sabha elections of reasserting its political standing after the party chief has virtually passed on the baton to his son Chirag Paswan. Serving his eighth term as the MP from Hajipur Lok Sabha seat, which Ram Vilas Paswan has won with record margins on more than one occasion, the septuagenarian leader has made it clear that he will not be contesting the polls and seek re-entry into Parliament through the Rajya Sabha. His party, however, will be contesting six out of the 40 seats in Bihar the same number the LJP had won in 2014 in alliance with the BJP and Chief Minister Nitish Kumars Janata Dal (United). The success of his party in these six seats which include brother Ram Chandra Paswans Samastipur, as also Jamui represented by Chirag Paswan would show the esteem in which people still hold the legacy of the Union minister whose frequent change of loyalties has ...
Cong announces candidates for 5 reserved LS seats in C'garh
The Congress has announced its candidates for five out of the total 11 Lok Sabha seats in Chhattisgarh, giving a chance to three of its sitting MLAs. The names of candidates for Surguja, Bastar, Raigarh and Kanker seats, reserved for the Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Janjgir-Champa, which is allocated to a Scheduled Caste (SCs) candidate, were declared late Saturday night. Prominent tribal leader Khelsai Singh, currently an MLA from Premnagar Assembly seat, has been nominated from Surguja Lok Sabha constituency. Singh, a four-time MLA, earlier represented the Surguja Lok Sabha seat thrice in 1991, 1996 and 1999. Another tribal leader Dipak Baij, who is a legislator from Chitrakot Assembly seat, will contest from Bastar Lok Sabha constituency. Also, Dharamjaigarh seat MLA Laljeet Singh Rathiya has been fielded from Raigarh Lok Sabha constituency. His father Chanesh Ram Rathiya had been a Congress MLA from Madhya Pradesh before Chhattisgarh was carved out of it. Besides, the ...
Trinamool terrorising my supporters: Arjun Singh
New BJP joinee Arjun Singh on Sunday accused the Trinamool Congress of fomenting violence and terrorising his supporters, and claimed that despite his new avatar, workers of West Bengal's ruling party will vote for him from Barrackpore constituency.
Transfer of votes a challenge for JDS-Congress alliance in Karnataka
The Congress and JD(S), which are fighting the Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka in an "alliance of compulsion" after having contested the state elections against each other, face a key challenge of ensuring transfer of votes between the parties that would test the mettle of the ruling coalition. It is even more daunting in the old Mysuru region, where both parties are considered as arch rivals, having been at loggerheads for decades. The Congress and the JD(S), which had bitterly fought each other in the May 2018 assembly polls, had sewed up a post-election alliance after a hung verdict with the BJP emerging as the single largest party but falling short of required numbers. The Congress will contest 20 Lok Sabha seats and the JD(S) eight under a deal between the coalition partners finalised on Wednesday after weeks of haggling. For the coalition to emerge as a formidable opposition to the BJP and win more number of seats, it is crucial for the Congress to transfer its votes to the JD(S), .
AIADMK releases list of constituencies for LS polls
The ruling AIADMK on Sunday released the list of Lok Sabha constituencies that the party and its allies would contest from in the upcoming general elections.
Priyanka Gandhi in Lucknow to meet party workers
Congress General Secretary and eastern Uttar Pradesh in-charge Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday arrived here to meet party workers and office bearers ahead of her boatride from Prayagraj to Varanasi.
Thailand's early voting kicks off with crowds, long lines
Hundreds of thousands of voters crowded into schools, parking lots and temples across Thailand on Sunday, eager to cast an early ballot a week before the country's first election in eight years. Advanced voting is usually a tepid affair, but on Sunday excitement was high as voters turned up in droves to polling stations. More than 2.3 million Thais are expected to vote before the official March 24 poll date. Since a 2014 coup ousted then-premier Yingluck Shinawatra, the junta has repeatedly postponed democratic elections -- much to the chagrin of the Thai public. "I finally have a chance to cast my vote as I've waited for so long," said 48-year-old Paka Kaengkhiew as she stood in line in front of Bangkok's Phra Khanong district office. In Dusit district -- home to military offices and government buildings -- voters crowded in a school yard before a polling station there opened. People dressed in their work clothes -- military uniforms, hospital scrubs and more casual attire -- waited .
Dhinakaran's AMMK releases first list of candidates for LS elections
TTV Dhinakaran-led Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam(AMMK) on Sunday announced the first list of candidates for 24 Lok Sabha seats and nine by-election seats.Party leader Sarubala Thondaiman will contest from Trichy parliamentary constituency while former speaker K Kalimuthu's son David Annadurai will contest from Madurai Lok Sabha seat.Another party leader, P Vetrivel, will fight from Perumbavoor in the impending bypolls.The legislators who were earlier disqualified have also been nominated to contest from nine constituencies where by-elections will be held.Lok Sabha elections and assembly bypolls would be held in Tamil Nadu on April 18 in the second phase of the seven-phased elections. Counting of votes will take place on May 23.
Indian-Americans protest against Pak for 'sponsoring terrorism'
Hundreds of Indian-Americans here protested against Pakistan over the Pulwama terror attack and urged the global community to hold Islamabad accountable for "atrocities on minorities" and "sponsoring terrorism". Around 300 Indian-origin people, highlighting the plight of lakhs of Kashmiri Pandits and accusing Pakistan of providing safe havens to terrorist groups, protested at the prime locations of Houston on Saturday noon. They termed the February 14 attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama, in which 40 CRPF soldiers were killed, as an attack on India's sovereignty. Protestors carried banners like 'Global Terrorist State Pakistan', 'Pakistan - Stop using terrorism as your State Policy', 'Kashmir is Integral part of India stop meddling', 'Down with Pakistan', 'Pakistan an architect of genocide and ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Hindus and Sikhs', 'Pakistan take care of your minorities'. There was heavy sloganeering against Pakistan which protesters termed as a "terror hub". Earlier a ..