Page 1319 - Politics
Rahul Gandhi to visit Odisha on Friday
Congress president Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to visit Odisha on Friday to address a public meeting at Bargarh district, party sources said. Odisha Congress chief and Chhattisgarh minister T S Singh Deo visited the venue of Gandhi's meeting earlier in the day and oversaw the preparedness, they said. Gandhi had last visited Bargarh in 2015. The Congress president is likely to raise issues related to agriculture, the sources said. Gandhi had visited Odisha's Koraput on March 8, where he promised to ensure passage of the Women's Reservation Bill in Parliament if Congress returned to power.
Include farmers' demands in poll manifestos: ICCFM
Asserting that the much-touted PM-Kisan scheme will not help ease the agrarian distress, the All India Coordination Committee of Farmers' Movement (ICCFM) on Thursday asked political parties to include farmers' demands in their election manifestos.
Ex-BJD leader Damodar Rout joins BJP
Former Odisha Minister Damodar Rout, who was expelled from BJD last year, joined BJP here on Thursday.Rout joined BJP in the presence of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, BJP vice-president Baijayant Panda among others.Pradhan said that his joining will strengthen the party in Odisha.Rout was expelled from BJD for repeatedly making allegations of financial irregularities in some of state government departments in September last year.
International donors pledge USD 7 billion aid for Syria in 2019: EU
International donors pledged nearly USD 7 billion in aid for 2019 for civilians caught up in Syria's bloody civil war, the EU said Thursday, but the total fell short of what the UN says is needed. EU Humanitarian Commissioner Christos Stylianides announced the total at the end of a three-day conference in Brussels, on the eve of the eighth anniversary of the start of the conflict. The European Union led the pledges with two billion euros, but the conference failed to drum up the USD 9 billion the United Nations said was needed to help the millions of Syrians forced to flee the country as well as those facing a humanitarian crisis at home. Despite the shortfall, UN aid chief Mark Lowcock said he was "very pleased with the outcome" but stressed that only a political solution could end the misery endured by Syrians as a result of the war. Before the conference the UN estimated that USD 5.5 billion (4.4 billion euros) are needed to help the approximately 5.6 million Syrians forced to flee
All American diplomats have left Venezuela: Pompeo
The United States has withdrawn all remaining diplomatic personnel from its embassy in Caracas as the crisis in Venezuela deepens, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday. "Today, all US diplomats remaining in Venezuela departed the country. I know it is a difficult moment for them," he said in a statement. "They are fully dedicated to our mission of supporting the Venezuelan people's aspirations to live in a democracy and build a better future for their families." Venezuela is gripped by an acute economic crisis that has fueled the rise of opposition leader Juan Guaido, the national assembly speaker who in late January declared himself to be the interim leader. The embassy closure is set to worsen already tattered relations with US President Donald Trump, who has not ruled out military intervention to oust President Nicolas Maduro as Washington monitors rapidly unfolding events in the oil-rich but crippled South American nation. The US has already imposed sanctions designed to ..
Bihar Grand Alliance to announce candidates on Sunday: Cong
The opposition "Mahagathbandhan" (Grand Alliance) in Bihar will announce its candidates for the 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state on Sunday, a senior Congress leader said here on Thursday. Bihar Congress campaign committee chairman Akhilesh Prasad Singh, however, did not reveal how many seats the respective constituents of the grouping are going to get. "Our talks were held in New Delhi. Top leaders of the Congress and alliance partners were present. RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha and HAM president Jitan Ram Manjhi were there. Things are falling in place well. We will announce our candidates on March 17," Singh told reporters. Singh dismissed reports that the HAM chief was sore over not getting a "respectable" share of seats and that was why he returned to the city a day ahead of schedule. The Congress leader and Manjhi were in the same flight to reach here from Delhi. It was speculated that Singh was rushed to Patna by the Congress high command to assuage Manjhi who has been
Ex-BJD minister D Rout joins BJP (Dangal 2019)
Former Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Damodar Rout joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, here on Thursday.
Italy sets up task-force for a no-deal Brexit
Rome, March 14 (IANS/AKI) Italy's populist government has set up a task-force as part of its preparations for the UK's possible exit from the European Union on March 29 without a deal, Foreign Minister Enzo Moaovero Milanesi said on Thursday.
Kartarpur pilgrims won't be subjected to Khalistani propaganda, Pak assures India
India Thursday asked Pakistan to ensure that the Kartarpur Sahib pilgrims are not subjected to the Khalistani separatist propaganda with the neighbouring country promising that it will not allow any such activity, an MEA official said. The Pakistan gave the assurance Thursday during a meeting of officials from the two countries on the proposed Kartarpur Sahib corridor. India also said this meeting should not be seen as resumption of dialogue between the two countries. "The matter (pro-Khalistan propaganda) has been part of discussions in which our concerns were shared with Pakistani side and we have asked them to ensure that no such activity should take place which goes against the faith of pilgrims," MEA Joint Secretary Deepak Mittal told reporters. "The Pakistani side told us that they would not allow their land for any such activity. We have, however, expressed our concern," he said The Ministry of External Affairs official was replying to a question on the promotion of ...
Fadnavis & Uddhav to begin joint poll meetings from Friday
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will begin joint poll meetings of some select partymen from Friday. The first meeting will be held at Amravati at 12.30 pm and the second joint meeting will be held at 3 pm at Nagpur on Friday. The BJP and the Shiv Sena had last month decided to join hands for the elections. Fadnavis had called on Thackeray at 'Matoshree', the latter's residence on Sunday to discuss the poll strategy. "It was decided to hold joint meetings of key party workers of both the parties to give a message that they have to work together for the alliance candidates," a Sena source said. The joint meetings will be held at different places, including Nagpur, Amravati, Kolhapur, Pune, Nashik, Aurangabad and Konkan. "On March 17 and 18, four more joint meetings will be held. Six hundred workers of each party will be invited to attend the meeting. It is different from party rallies. The campaign rally will begin after ...
3 Gujarat Assembly by-polls on April 23
By-elections to Gujarat's three Assembly seats, including Jamnagar Rural, will be held on April 23 along with voting for state's 26 parliamentary seats, the Election Commission announced here on Thursday.
UK MPs reject amendment calling for second Brexit referendum
The UK Parliament on Thursday rejected an amendment calling for second Brexit referendum by a huge margin, in a blow to campaigners for a so-called People's Vote. The lawmakers rejected the referendum by 334 votes to 85. Most lawmakers from the main opposition Labour Party abstained from the vote. The vote on the amendment was indicative and would not have been legally binding if it had passed. It also doesn't rule out the possibility of parliament revisiting the idea down the line.
Gandhi family loyalist Tom Vadakkan joins BJP
In a jolt to the Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Tom Vadakkan, its spokesperson and until now a Nehru-Gandhi family loyalist, on Thursday joined the BJP complaining about "dynastic politics reaching its zenith".
Prafulla Mahanta says conspiracy on to remove him from Assam
AGP founder president Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, who is opposed to the alliance of his party with the BJP, Thursday alleged that a conspiracy was on to remove him from the state so that a section of party leaders can continue to work against Assam's interests. Rumours are being spread that he would be appointed as governor while his wife Jaishree Goswami Mahanta will be elected to the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha, the former two-time chief minister claimed at a press conference here. "No party leader has discussed these issues either with me or my wife. This is a political conspiracy to remove me from the scene. This is an attempt to malign me and present me as an opportunist," he said. Mahanta asserted that his opposition to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was not aimed at getting the posts of the party president, chief minister or governor. "I only wanted to protect the interest of the people, to ensure the implementation of the Assam Accord and keep the regional ...
EC holds central observers' meet
The Election Commission on Thursday held a meeting with over 1,800 observers to be deployed for the upcoming polls to the Lok Sabha as well as the four state assemblies to brief them about their responsibilities.
DRDO anti-tank missile test-fired successfully
A man-portable anti-tank guided missile (MPATGM) was successfully test-fired in Rajasthan desert on Thursday. The missile has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
Trump warns of 'severe' consequences if EU won't hold trade talks
US President Donald Trump warned the European Union on Thursday of consequences that will be "severe economically" if Brussels fails to enter trade talks. The comments came after the European Parliament on Thursday failed to back the launch of trade talks with Washington, dealing an unexpected blow to efforts to avert a trade war. Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on auto imports, which would hit German carmakers especially hard. Pursuing a trade deal was the central part of a truce agreed in July when Trump and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker pledged no new tariffs following the US tariffs on steel and aluminum. "The European Union treats us very, very unfairly," Trump told reporters at the White House. "They're willing to talk to us. If they don't talk to us we'll do something that will be severe economically. We'll tariff a lot of their products coming in." But he added, "It will probably work out. They're negotiating." Juncker is working with the European ...
Traders body threatens boycott of Chinese goods on JeM chief stance
Traders' body CAIT Thursday said it will launch a national campaign to boycott Chinese goods "to teach a lesson to China" after Beijing once again blocked a bid in the UN Security Council to designate Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed's (JeM) chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist. The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), which claims to represent seven crore traders, said that trade associations across the country will burn a "Holi of Chinese goods" on March 19, ahead of the festival. The bilateral trade between India and China rose by 18.63 per cent year-on-year and reached USD 84.44 billion in 2017. But the trade deficit with China continued to remain high at USD 51.75 billion during the year. The bilateral trade hit the historic high, notwithstanding bilateral tensions over a host of issues, including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, China blocking India's efforts at UN to designate JeM leader Azhar a global terrorist, Beijing blocking India's entry into ...
Cong MLAs contesting on TMC tickets resign from Assembly
Three Congress MLAs who had switched over to the ruling Trinamool Congress last year, resigned from the West Bengal Assembly Thursday, as they will contest Lok Sabha elections on TMC tickets. Abu Taher, Apurba Sarkar and Kanailal Agarwal of the Congress did not resign as MLAs after joining the TMC. The TMC has nominated them as it's candidates from Murshidabad, Baharampur and Raiganj Lok Sabha seats respectively. The three MLAs submitted their resignation letters to West Bengal Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee. "As we will be contesting Lok Sabha elections on TMC tickets, we decided to resign as MLAs," Taher told reporters. The Trinamool Congress Tuesday released the list of candidates for all the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state, dropping 10 sitting MPs and bringing in 18 new faces. Since 2016 Assembly polls, around 17 of the 44 Congress MLAs had switched sides to the TMC.
LS polls: SP-BSP to hold joint rallies in UP
The Samajwadi Party and the BSP will hold a series of joint rallies for the Lok Sabha polls, with the first being on April 7 in Uttar Pradesh's Deoband town. The general election is going to start on April 11 and will continue till May 19. Polling on the 80 seats in the state will be held in seven phases. There will be several joint rallies in the state and besides the SP and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) will be also part of these public meeting, Samajwadi Party chief spokesman Rajendra Chowdhury said. The first of these joint rallies will be held in Saharanpur district's Deoband town on April 7 and will be addressed by SP president Akhilesh Yadav, BSP chief Mayawati and RLD president Ajit Singh, he said here. The dates for the other rallies will be declared later, Chowdhury said On Wednesday, Yadav had met Mayawati and discussed about their campaign with joint rallies during Navratra, which begins on April 6, the spokesperson said. Speaking to reporters at ..