Page 1349 - Politics
CWC resolves to defeat saffron ideology
The Congress on Tuesday held a meeting of its working committee here and resolved to defeat the "RSS and BJPs ideology of fascism, hatred, anger and divisiveness".
Not dependent on allies in Bihar, says Cong; RJD hits back
The opposition Grand Alliance in Bihar appeared under strain on Tuesday when a senior Congress leader asserted his party was not dependent on allies in the state, drawing sharp reactions from RJD, which questioned the national party's commitment to defeating BJP in the Lok Sabha election. Congress Legislature Party leader Sadanand Singh, also a member of the recently constituted state election committee, said, "The party has emerged stronger under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi. If seat-sharing does not work out, there will be no problem. Ham kisi ke bhi mohtaj nahin hain (we are not dependent on anybody)." Singh cited the example of Uttar Pradesh, where the Congress is gearing up to go alone after being dumped by Bahujan Samaj Party and Samajwadi Party, arch-rivals who have buried the hatchet and formed an alliance to take on the BJP. "Rahul Gandhi had said in the context of UP that the party will be playing on the front foot. We are game for that in Bihar as well," Singh ...
Iran seeks Iraq's aid on sanctions
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is seeking to boost economic links with Iraq on his first official visit to the neighbouring country at a time when the US is upping efforts to curb Tehran's regional influence.
Tibetan activists who took out a protest march detained near Chankyapuri
Hundreds of Tibetan activists, who took out a protest march as part of the 60th anniversary of their National Uprising Day were detained by the Delhi Police, officials said on Tuesday. Around 200-300 Tibetan protesters took out the march around 10 AM from Teen Murti Marg and were headed towards the Chinese Embassy. They were detained at around 11.30 from near Chanakyapuri police station, a senior police officer said. Tibetan Uprising Day is observed on March 10 to commemorate the 1959 Tibetan uprising against the presence of the People's Republic of China in Tibet. An activist said as part of the the National Uprising Day, three day protest march had been planned. Earlier on Sunday, they marched from Central district to Jantar Mantar and on Monday, they marched from Khan Market to the office of United Nations India in Lodhi Road and submitted a memorandum.
Power recovery will come 'little by little', says Maduro
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro remarked that the country would recover "little by little" from the electricity disruption. amidst widespread power outage in the nation.Maduro, in his televised address, added that the outage was an "electronic coup" carried out by "criminal minds," reported CNN.Venezuela, which is currently in the throes of a political crisis, experienced an almost total blackout last week which left 22 out of the 23 states in the country without power.The electricity disruption, that still continues, hit the country on Thursday, with the national electricity supplier Corpoelec alleging "sabotage" at the Guri hydroelectric power plant.Hospitals across Venezuela were largely affected due to the blackouts. An NGO, called Doctors for Health, claimed that 13 people lost their lives due to the blackouts alone.Maduro, in his televised address, also blamed the United States for the power outage, saying the "imperialist government of the United States ordered this ...
Cong culture anti-thesis of Gandhian thought: PM on Dandi March's anniversary
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday used the anniversary of the Dandi March to target the Congress and said the "anti-thesis" of Gandhian thought is the opposition party's culture. In a blog post to mark the 89th anniversary of the Dandi March, he said, Mahatma Gandhi "taught us to think of the plight of the poorest person" and "we have seen and thought about how our work impacts that person." "I am proud to say that in all aspects of our government's work, the guiding consideration is to see how it will alleviate poverty and bring prosperity. Sadly, the anti-thesis of Gandhian thought is the Congress culture," Modi said. The prime minister said that while Gandhi did not believe in inequality and caste divisions, "sadly, the Congress has never hesitated from dividing society." "The worst caste riots and anti-Dalit massacres happened under Congress rule," he alleged in the blog post. Continuing his attack, the prime minister said though Gandhi held that detachment and staying away ..
Surgical strikes a conspiracy by Modi to win elections: MP Minister
Surgical strikes were "conspiracies" hatched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to win elections, alleged Madhya Pradesh Cabinet Minister and Congress leader Govind Singh Kushwah on Tuesday.He further claimed that the Prime Minister is trying to use the valour of the Indian army for political gains."Manmohan Singh's government had done 25 surgical strikes but they never promoted it to win the elections. Modi ji has been trying to use Surgical strike as a conspiracy to win elections. The party is also spoiling the image of the Army", he told ANI.In the wake of the impending polls, the Election Commission had issued an advisory earlier this month asking political parties to refrain from using photographs of or referring to defence personnel for the purpose of poll campaigning.Kushwah, the state Congress vice president, also came out in defence of Congress president Rahul Gandhi while attacking Union Minister Anantkumar Hegde for questioning the party chief's roots.Hegde had asked how the ..
Tibetan Uprising: Activists march from Teen Murti to Chinese embassy
A three-day protest of Tibetan activists to mark 60th Tibetan Uprising Day, demanding freedom from the communist Chinese government, has entered its last day on Tuesday.The activists marched from Teen Murti to the Chinese embassy. "We want freedom for Tibet. We have been facing brutalities by the Chinese government. We want the Government of India to support us in our movement," they sloganed while marching.On March 10 in 1959, thousands of Tibetans gathered in Lhasa to protect their leader Dalai Lama from perceived threats of the Chinese Army. The protest was brutally suppressed, causing death of thousands of people. Following this, the then 23-year-old Dalai Lama along with thousands of Tibetans secretly fled into exile in India. The demonstration was later named as the Tibetan Uprising.Hundreds of Tibetans who participated in the march raised slogans against the Chinese government and demanded freedom for Tibet. Protesters were also holding placards stating, "Let his holiness the ..
In CWC meet, Sonia says PM Modi playing victim while compromising on national interest: Sources
UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that he was trying to play victim while compromising on national interest, sources said.She spoke at a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party's highest decision-making body, held in Prime Minister Modi's home state.Sources shared that Sonia Gandhi expressed in the meeting that the Prime Minister tries to play victim while the real victims are the people of the country.Chaired by Congress president Rahul Gandhi, the meeting was also attended by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress general secretary for eastern Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi Vadra among others.Manmohan Singh stressed in the meeting on publicising the work done by the Congress party, sources said.They further shared that Manmohan Singh claimed in the meeting that the NDA government is doing fake publicity and the GDP has declined due to bad policies of the central government.CWC meeting comes days after ...
Will officially join Congress today: Hardik Patel
Hardik Patel announced on Tuesday that he will be 'officially' joining Congress party after the Congress Working Committee meeting. "I will officially join Congress today in the rally where senior leaders of the Congress will be present," Hardik said while talking to reporters here. "We will strengthen the ideology of Congress party and take it to the villages," he added.Hardik recalled how Mahatma Gandhi started his Dandi March on March 12. "Mahatma Gandhi started Dandi March this day and said he (Mahatma Gandhi) will overthrow the British. I am joining the same Congress party which, in the past, has been led by Subhash Chandra Bose, Pandit Nehru, Sardar Patel, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, the people who worked to strengthen our country," he said.Asked from which seat he will be contesting the elections, Patel said," It is up to the party to decide."Patel emerged as the leader of the agitation demanding reservation for the Patidar community in Gujarat in 2015. The people from this .
SC to hear DMK plea seeking bypolls in three TN Assembly seats on Mar 15
The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear a plea of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), seeking a direction for the Election Commission to notify bypolls to three vacant Assembly seats, along with 18 others for which by-elections have been scheduled on April 18, on March 15.The petition filed by the DMK sought a direction for the Election Commission to notify by-elections and publish a schedule of elections in Aravakurichi, Ottapidaram and Tiruparankundram assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu, along with 18 others for which by-elections have been scheduled on April 18 alongside Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu.Last Month, DMK president MK Stalin had issued a statement which read: "In order to have an alliance with the AIADMK, BJP has given assurances for not conducting by-elections in 21 assembly constituencies along with LS elections. I would ask the Election Commission of India to use its Constitutional freedom to conduct by-elections for 21 assembly constituencies along with the ..
TRS to kick-start LS poll campaign from March 17
: Telangana chief minister and TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao would kick off the partys campaign for Lok Sabha elections from Karimnagar on March 17. The first meeting would be held at Karimangar, TRS MP B Vinod Kumar told PTI Tuesday. It would be followed by rallies at other places covering the Lok Sabha constituencies in the state. Karimnagar has been a stronghold of TRS in the partys journey since 2001. Rao himself had represented Karimnagar in the Lok Sabha earlier. TRS is ahead of its rivals in campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls as Raos son and TRS working president K T Rama Rao has been addressing party meetings in preparation for the general elections. Rama Rao has been seeking 16 seats for his party and one for ally Asaduddin Owaisi of AIMIM in the Lok Sabha elections to ensure that Telangana gets a better deal post-Lok Sabha elections. The total number of Lok Sabha constituencies in Telangana is 17. Neither NDA nor UPA is unlikely to form government at the ..
Kashmiri trader got funds from 26/11 mastermind: ED
The Enforcement Directorate has identified some 24 properties across India, including in the national capital, that belong to Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Ahmed Watali and were bought with money received from alleged 26/11 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed.
Sonia Gandhi accuses PM Modi of playing 'victim card'
UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of playing the "victim card" as she said people of the country were the victims of his "wrong policies". She was speaking at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting at the Sardar Patel National Memorial here. According to sources, the senior Congress leader in her address lashed out at the Modi government for 'politicising' issues related to national interest. She also called for highlighting the achievements of the previous UPA government along with emphasising on the need to move forward in providing a new vision for the country. Former prime minister Manmohan Singh, who also addressed the meeting, talked about the agrarian crisis, hampered industrial growth and unemployment under the present regime at the Centre. The meeting started with a two-minute silence in memory of the victims of Pulwama terror attack. The top Congress leadership paid their respects to Mahatma Gandhi at the Sabarmati Ashram ...
Sonia, Rahul say museum at Sabarmati Ashram "very inspiring"
UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday visited the museum at the Sabarmati Ashram here and termed the place as "very inspiring". After attending a prayer meet at the ashram to pay their respects to Mahatma Gandhi, both the leaders visited the museum in the premises and wrote their remarks in the visitors' book. "It is most inspiring for me to visit this museum... We are inspired by him (Mahatma Gandhi), his life, his sacrifice," Sonia Gandhi wrote in the book. Rahul Gandhi lauded the museum authorities for keeping the essence of the Father of the Nation alive at the place. "A very inspiring place. Thank you for keeping the flame of our leader alive," he wrote in the visitors' book. Senior Congress leaders were at the ashram to attend an all-religion prayer meet ahead of the party's working committee meet and a public rally. The party leaders sought to give a symbolic message to the people of the country by remembering Mahatma and his .
Lobbying in U'khand BJP for Pauri, Tehri seats
Hectic lobbying has started in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Uttarakhand for the seats where the party is likely to field new candidates, sources said. Elections to the five Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttarakhand will be held in a single phase on April 11. The two seats where speculation is on about the party changing its candidates are Pauri and Tehri, represented by former chief minister Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri and Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah respectively. The possibility of the BJP, which has all the five seats in its kitty at present, changing its candidate in Pauri emerged after Khanduri sent feelers to the central leadership about his unwillingness to enter the fray due to health reasons. Khanduri's insistence on not contesting may leave the BJP with no choice but to go for a replacement, party sources said on the condition of anonymity. Two-three names are doing the rounds as top contenders for the seat, including National Security Adviser Ajit Doval's son Shaurya Doval, ...
Differences in ruling Meghalaya alliance over LS candidates
Differences in ruling Meghalaya alliance over LS candidates
Fragmented, fractured opposition makes Congress confident in Punjab (Dangal 2019)
At the national level, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) often points out that all the opposition parties, including the Congress, are targetting it politically. In Punjab, it is the reverse.
Maharashtra Oppn leader's son joins BJP
Sujay Vikhe Patil, the son of senior Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, joined the BJP here Tuesday, ahead of next month's Lok Sabha polls. The move follows the Sharad Pawar-led NCP's refusal to leave aside the Ahmedanagar Lok Sabha seat for the neuro suregon son of the Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly. Sujay Vikhe Patil joined the BJP in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and state party chief Raosaheb Danve at an event held in south Mumbai. Welcoming him into the BJP-fold, Fadnavis said his party's parliamentary committee will recommend his name for the Ahmednagar Lok Sabha seat. "When Sujay Vikhe Patil decided to join the BJP, he did not lay down any condition. We in the BJP believe in his capacity, and would recommend his name to BJP's central parliamentary committee," he said. Dilip Gandhi is BJP's sitting MP from Ahmednagar. Sujay's grandfather late Balasaheb Vikhe Patil represented the Ahmednagar-North Lok Sabha seat but after ...
BJD will contest Lok Sabha, assembly elections on its own: Patnaik
Biju Janata Dal president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Tuesday said his party will contest the Lok Sabha and state assembly polls on its own. Patnaik's ruling out a pre-poll alliance is in line with the BJD's known policy of keeping equal distance from national parties BJP and Congress, and groups led by them. "We will fight the elections on our own," he told reporters when asked if there was any likelihood of the BJD entering into a tie-up with other political parties for the parliamentary and assembly elections in the state. On criteria for choosing candidates for the Lok Sabha elections, the BJD chief said winnability will be the yardstick."Selection of candidates will be based on winnability," he said. The chief minister has already expressed confidence that the BJD will perform "very well" in the general and state elections. On Monday, Patnaik had said the process for selection of candidates for the the Lok Sabha and state assembly polls was on and that a list of ...