Page 1350 - Politics
No sacrifice too great to defeat RSS-BJP ideology of hatred: Rahul
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said no sacrifice was too great to defeat the RSS and BJP ideology of "fascism, hatred, anger and divisiveness". Speaking at the crucial Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting at the Sardar Patel National Memorial here, he underlined the Congress party's resolve to fight the forces of hatred. "On the anniversary of Gandhi Ji's historic Dandi March, the Congress Working Committee in Ahmedabad, resolved to defeat the RSS/ BJP ideology of fascism, hatred, anger & divisiveness. No sacrifice is too great in this endeavour; no effort too little; this battle will be won," Gandhi tweeted on the occasion. Led by president Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, the party's top leadership started discussions on key poll issues at the CWC meeting. The party started the day by paying rich tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at the Sabarmati Ashram here. The day also marks the anniversary of the historic Dandi March, started by Mahatma Gandhi from ...
USA will withdraw remaining personnel from embassy in Venezuela: Pompeo
The United States will be withdrawing its remaining personnel from its embassy in Venezuela this week, according to US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo."The US will withdraw all remaining personnel from @usembassyve this week. This decision reflects the deteriorating situation in #Venezuela as well as the conclusion that the presence of US diplomatic staff at the embassy has become a constraint on US policy," Pompeo tweeted on Tuesday.The United States had, in January, ordered all of its non-emergency government employees to leave Venezuela, following Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's decision to sever diplomatic ties with the nation due to the ongoing political crisis. Maduro has accused the United States of plotting a coup to overthrow him by supporting National Assembly President Juan Guaido as the interim President of Venezuela.On January 23, Guaido declared himself as the President of Venezuela amidst major protests calling for Maduro to step down from his post. The United ..
Ahead of LS polls, Odisha gets 24-hr control room to monitor unaccounted cash flow
The Odisha government on Tuesday set up a 24-hour control room at the Income Tax department in Bhubaneswar to facilitate quick inflow of information regarding the movement of cash during the Lok Sabha elections. A toll-free number - 1800 345 7160 has been issued to file complaints related to unaccounted cash flow during the elections.All district collectors have been directed to publicise the newly implemented facility in the IT department.In a bid to ensure peaceful elections, an inter-state coordination meeting of senior police officials of six states was held in Bhubaneswar on Friday.DG and ADGs from Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Telangana, West Bengal, and Odisha attended the meeting, in addition to Odisha DGP RP Sharma, Additional Chief Secretary of Home Department - Government of Odisha, CRPF IGP (Odisha), BSF IGP (Odisha) and DIG intelligence (Odisha).Police officials of the six neighbouring states discussed several law and order issues including the flow of illegal .
Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil's son Sujay joins BJP
In an embarrassment for the Congress, Sujay Vikhe Patil, son of the party's senior leader in Maharashtra Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil on Tuesday joined the BJP, saying he took the decision by going against the wishes of his father as he was impressed by the ruling party's work.Sujay joined the BJP in presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis here."I have taken this decision against my father's wishes ... I don't know how much my parents will support this decision but I will try my best to make my family proud by working under the guidance of BJP... I think the Chief Minister and other BJP MLAs have been supportive and helped me take this decision... BJP MLA Sunil Kardile has supported me and guided me during the last five years and I am thankful to him for helping me reach here," Sujay told media here."The way BJP has worked in Ahmednagar in the last five years has impressed me and I have decided that it's best to work and help in the development of Ahmednagar and that's ...
LS polls: Pawan Bansal, Manish Tiwari, Navjot Kaur Sidhu battle it out for Chandigarh constituency
Congress leader Pawan Bansal, who lost to BJP's Kirron Kher in the 2014 Lok Sabha election from Chandigarh constituency, is facing a tough competition from Manish Tiwari and Navjot Kaur Sidhu to retain the ticket for 2019 general election, according to sources.Sources within the party said that Tiwari is eyeing this seat since last many elections, but in 2009 he was sent to contest from Ludhiana constituency where he won.In 2014, he didn't contest elections because of health issues. However, Congress managed to win Ludhiana in that election.Before 2014, Bansal won from Chandigarh Lok Sabha constituency a couple of times in past elections.According to sources, Bansal is keen to contest this time too, but Tiwari is backed by many in Congress including Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh.Navjot Kaur Sidhu, the wife of Navjot Singh Sidhu, also wants to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls from this seat, sources added.
Lok Sabha polls: Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi to contest 48 seats in Maharashtra, no alliance with Congress
Prakash Ambedkar, grandson of Dr B.R. Ambedkar, on Monday said that Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) will contest on all 48 seats in Maharashtra in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.This comes after VBA, which is an alliance of Prakash's Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh, Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM and Janata Dal(S) in Maharashtra, failed to forge an alliance with the Congress party. Prakash Ambedkar is the leader of VBA.Prakash confirmed to ANI that VBA will soon announce 26 candidates by March 15. It had earlier announced 22 candidates of the 48 constituencies in Maharashtra. On the issue of the unsuccessful attempt to forge an alliance with the Congress in the state, Prakash said that VBA had offered a formula to Congress but the party turned it down and the negotiations fell through.The Election Commission of India on Sunday announced the schedule for the 17th Lok Sabha election, which will be held in seven phases, beginning April 11. The final phase of voting will take place on May 19. The ...
Infighting breaks out in Kerala Congress (M)
: Intensive infighting has erupted in Kerala Congress (M) over party chairman K M Mani's decision to field his loyalist and former MLA Thomas Chazhikadan from Kottayam parliamentary constituency, turning down senior leader P J Joseph's wish to contest from the lone seat allotted for the party by the Congress-led UDF. A powerful faction led by KC(M) working chairman and former minister Joseph, who represents Thodupuzha in Kerala assembly, opposed Mani's decision to field Chazhikadan from the seat, saying it was taken undermining the general sentiments of the Kerala Congress (M) workers. Joseph had publicly expressed his desire to contest the elections as the UDF candidate from Kottayam. "We all are pained by this decision," Mons Joseph MLA, a loyalist of Joseph, said here Tuesday. Supporters of Joseph have started resigning from the party posts in protest against the denial of ticket for their leader. Loyalists of Joseph including party state committee member P M George .
AIADMK accuses Puducherry CM of violating Model Code of Conduct
The Puducherry unit of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) accused Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy of violating the model code of conduct by 'extending freebies to the public in form of pre-dated cheques from Chief Minister's relief fund'.In a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner, AIADMK's whip in Puducherry Vaiyapuri Manikandan alleged that Narayanasamy had been disbursing cash payments from Chief Minister's relief fund to his own party members."The Chief Minister had been disbursing cash payments to from Chief Minister's relief fund to his own party members. The payments were issued in the form of pre-dated cheques to the public of patronising INC party in selected areas of Puducherry region with instruction to realize the cheques immediately," Manikandan wrote in his letter to CEC.He further alleged that the banks have been instructed not to bounce the cheques. "The Bank authorities release payments as and when the account is refilled. So the pending
110 hardened shelters for IAF fighter jets to be built close to Pakistan, China borders
Seeking to provide protection to fighter aircraft from enemy bombing or missile strikes on air bases, the government has cleared the construction of around 110 hardened shelters for the Indian Air Force (IAF) at locations close to the borders with both China and Pakistan."The central government has cleared a project for the construction of around 110 hardened shelters also known as blast pens which protect the fighter planes from enemy missile or bomb attacks," government sources told ANI."The cost of the project would be more than Rs 5,000 crore and the blast pens would be built in a phased manner at the air bases. This would allow the force to keep its frontline planes such as the heavyweight Su-30MKI at forward bases without the worry of getting damaged on ground," the sources said.Due to the lack of such facilities, the Air Force has to keep its frontline aircraft in rear locations during operations near the Pakistan border.Pakistan had launched an attack on Indian positions on ...
Citing disparity, poll Phase II schedule revision sought (IANS Exclusive) (Dangal 2019)
Contending disparity and inequality in the dates announced for Phase II of Lok Sabha elections, two Maharashtra lawyer-activists have shot off a representation to the Election Commission (EC) contending there is an inodrinate gap of 21 days between the last date for withdrawal of nominations and the polling on April 18, and that this should be corrected.
Akhilesh slams BJP over 'failed promises'
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for "failing to keep its promises and playing with the emotions of people".
AAP will fight Lok Sabha polls on its own: Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday announced that the AAP will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls on its own, ruling out any alliance with the Congress. Addressing the media here, he stated that the party plans to go full throttle on the issue of full statehood for Delhi. "We will be fighting the Lok Sabha elections on the issue of full statehood for Delhi as it (national capital) has been suffering because of it," Kejriwal said. On being asked its alliance partners, the chief minister said, "We are not in talks with the Congress over alliance. We will be fighting the elections on our own." The ruling AAP has declared names of candidates on six of the seven seats in Delhi. The candidate on West Delhi seat is likely to be announced soon. The party launched its mega poll campaign, centred around full statehood for Delhi, on Sunday. The party volunteers will also distribute Kejriwal's letter to doorsteps of the voters during the campaign. The letter will elaborate the ...
Pompeo hopes India won't buy oil from Venezuela's Maduro govt
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday hoped that India will not be the "economic lifeline" to the "authoritarian" regime of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by purchasing oil from the Latin American country. Pompep's comments came as Washington ramps up actions on Maduro's regime, which is battling to hold onto power in the face of heavy domestic and international pressure. Venezuela is the third largest supplier of oil to India which is the world's third-biggest oil consumer. The issue was discussed in a meeting with the visiting Indian Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale, Pompeo told reporters at a news conference here, without providing insight into it. "We are asking the same thing of India as we are of every country: Do not be the economic lifeline for the Maduro regime. So we talked about (Venezuela) I certainly won't characterise the conversations; they're private conversations," Pompeo said in response to a question. "In the same way that India has been incredibly ...
Red faces as Congress leader's son joins BJP
In an embarrassment to the Congress, Sujay Vikhe-Patil, son of the Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly, Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, on Tuesday joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Pak elected OIC body's deputy chairman
Pakistan has been elected as the deputy chairman of the general body of the Parliamentary Union of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), an influential grouping of 57 countries, majority of which are Muslim-dominated. According to an official announcement, Pakistan was elected deputy chairman of the general body of the Parliamentary Union of the OIC member States (PUIC) on Monday in Rabat, Morocco, the Dawn newspaper reported. The PUIC is composed of parliaments of member states of the OIC and was established in Iran on June 17, 1999, with its head office situated in Tehran. The PUIC conference also adopted two resolutions presented by Pakistan related to Kashmir. The election of Pakistan to the forum comes after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj attended the inaugural plenary of the 46th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of the OIC in Abu Dhabi on March 1. She was the first Indian minister to address the OIC meeting. India's participation came despite ...
Congress slams BJP for freeing Masood Azhar
A day after the BJP attacked Congress President Rahul Gandhi for calling Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief "Masood Azharji", the Congress on Tuesday denounced the BJP for releasing the terrorist a decade ago.
Pakistan assures US to deal 'firmly' with all terrorists, says NSA Bolton
Pakistan has assured the US that it will deal "firmly" with all terrorists operating from the country and take steps to de-escalate tensions with India, according to National Security Adviser John Bolton. Such an assurance was given by Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi during a phone call on Monday, Bolton said in a tweet on a day when Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale called on US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo here. "Spoke with Pakistani FM Qureshi to encourage meaningful steps against JeM and other terrorist groups operating from Pakistan," Bolton said. "The FM assured me that Pakistan would deal firmly with all terrorists and will continue steps to de-escalate tensions with India," he tweeted. Tensions flared up between India and Pakistan after a suicide bomber of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Muhammed (JeM) killed 40 CRPF personnel in Kashmir's Pulwama district on February 14. In Islamabad, Pakistan's Foreign Office said the purpose of Qureshi's call was to provide Bolton ...
Ram Madhav to hold talks with Tripura BJP leaders, INPT
BJP general secretary Ram Madhav will hold talks with Tripura party leaders to discuss the selection of candidates for the two Lok Sabha seats in the state, a senior party leader said . Madhav will also hold talks with Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (INPT), the coalition partner of the BJP in the state, which has recently announced that it would contest the Lok Sabha election in the state alone, he said. The BJP general secretary accompanied by party prabhari Avinash Khanna Rai would be arriving here Wednesday. "Ram Madhav who is looking after the party affairs of the state will be arriving here tomorrow (Wednesday) to check partys preparedness for the Lok Sabha elections. Strategy for election campaign and selection of candidates for two Lok Sabha seats will be on the table when he meets the party leaders," the senior party leader said. The BJP has decided to contest two Lok Sabha seats - West Tripura and East Tripura, he said The Central Executive Committee (CEC) ..
UK MPs to vote on May's Brexit deal
UK MPs will vote on Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal on Tuesday after she secured "legally binding" changes to the agreement following last-minute talks with the EU in Strasbourg.
Opposition using Ramazan as alibi to justify 'imminent defeat': UP deputy CM
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma on Tuesday accused the Opposition parties of using the Ramazan as an alibi to justify their imminent defeat in the Lok Sabha polls. "Most of the Hindus observe fast on Tuesdays, while the Muslims hold special 'jumma' (prayer) on Friday. Does that mean there should be no voting on Tuesdays and Fridays? Sharma asked. "Elections are also a type of 'ibadat' (worship). It is a type of puja. And it is the 'ibaadat' and 'aradhana' (worship) of the 'rashtra' (nation). If the elections are held in the period of Ramazan, then people will go out to vote with a pure mind and heart," the Bharatiya Janata Party leader (BJP) told PTI. Sharma's statement comes in the backdrop of the Trinamool Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party claiming that holding elections during Ramazan would inconvenience Muslims and help the BJP as the community is largely seen to be backing the Opposition parties against the ruling alliance. "This is a political stunt of some ...