Page 1854 - Politics
Priyanka's appointment is dynastic politics: Sitharaman
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Wednesday took potshots at the Congress appointing Priyanka Gandhi as AICC general secretary for Uttar Pradesh East, saying it was a step that took forward dynastic politics. "It was an appointment based on family," which showed that dynastic politics has gone two steps forward," she told reporters here when asked about the matter. Although there were a multitude of party workers, the appointment of Priyanka Gandhi demonstrated that Congress party gave importance to one family, she said.
Legislator objects to Amarinder's largesse to Congress MLAs
Terming it "discriminatory and arbitrary", Punjab Ekta Party president and legislator Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Wednesday objected to a move by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to release development funds of Rs. 5 crore each to the ruling Congress legislators in Punjab.
Those dividing country into pieces not national leaders: Mamata
A day after BJP president Amit Shah ridiculed the opposition's bid to forge a grand alliance, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday said those who want to divide the country into pieces cannot be called national leaders. Speaking at an event here to celebrate the 122nd birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Banerjee said "we will be successful only when we are together". "Such persons are leaders of only a section of people of the country," Banerjee said in an apparent dig at the BJP, without naming the saffron party or any of its leaders. "Those who want to divide the country into pieces cannot be national leaders," she added. Kickstarting the party's Lok Sabha poll campaign in West Bengal from a rally at Malda, Shah Tuesday scoffed at the efforts by opposition parties to forge a grand alliance, saying it is driven by the "greed for power" and with nine potential prime ministerial candidates in their ranks. Taking a swipe at the opposition rally convened by the Trinamool
Leaders in Bihar come up with varied responses to Priyankas
JD(U) national vice president Prashant Kishor on Wednesday congratulated Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on her appointment as the Congress national general secretary and called the development one of the most awaited entries in Indian politics. Congratulations to Priyanka Vadra also came from leaders of state Congress, RJD and RLSP. One of the most awaited entries in Indian politics is finally here. While people may debate the timing, exact role and position, to me, the real news is that she finally decided to take the plunge. Congratulations and best wishes to Priyanka Gandhi, Kishor tweeted. The poll strategist-turned-politician had joined the JD(U) headed by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in September last year and was elevated to the post of national vice-president weeks later. He had played an instrumental role in ensuring proper coordination between JD(U), RJD and Congress when the three parties joined hands to form the short-lived Grand Alliance which won the 2015 ...
Her persona merited wider role: BJPon Priyanka's entry in politics
The BJP on Wednesday raised doubts over the formal entry of Priyanka Gandhi in active politics, saying why she was not given a bigger role with greater responsibility to commensurate with her persona. While addressing the media here after Priyanka's appointment as General Secretary, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, "Priyanka Ji has become the General Secretary, my good-luck to her. Since the party is a family concern, these kinds of postings are nothing unusual, except to say with a caveat, why has she been given a limited role of only Eastern UP? Perhaps her persona merited a wider role for her".Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal too hit out at the Rahul Gandhi led Congress alleging that the move is a confirmation that the party has failed and no political party is willing to join hands with them in any state.She told ANI, "It is a stamp by Congress and Rahul Gandhi on their utter failure. No 'gathbandhan' wants to shake hands with Congress in any state. They were becoming .
Faesal seeks funds for 'clean politics'
Shah Faesal, the 2009 batch IAS topper who resigned to join politics, on Wednesday started a crowd funding campaign to launch a political party for "clean politics and corruption free administration".
Trinamool does not want Rahul Gandhi to be PM : Congress' Gaurav Gogoi
Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi has criticised the Trinamool Congress for trying to undermine the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and said Mamata Banerjee's party does not want him as the next prime minister of the country. His comments came just days after the mega opposition rally convened by TMC in Kolkata, which was attended by senior Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Abhishek Manu Singhvi, apart from top leaders of various other parties. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi had deputed Kharge and Singhvi and had wished the opposition rally a success. Congress president Rahul Gandhi will be the prime minister of the country after 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Gogoi asserted at a rally in Rampurhat in West Bengal's Birbhum district on Tuesday. "Recently, TMC organised an opposition rally. But they have a problem with Rahul Gandhi. They don't want him as next prime minister of the country. But I want to say it loud and clear that Rahul Gandhi will be the next prime minister of the ...
Wickremesinghe govt lacks political moral to introduce new Constitution: Rajapaksa
Sri Lanka's Opposition leader Mahinda Rajapaksa on Wednesday slammed the efforts being made to formulate a new Constitution, saying Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's government does not have political moral to introduce it and should therefore hold fresh polls. Rajapaksa was speaking in parliament on the report of the experts panel presented in the Constitutional assembly by Wickremesinghe two weeks ago. Sri Lanka's former strongman, who attempted to overthrow Wickremesinghe with the help of President Maithripala Sirisena last year, critised the prime minister's statements that the country will remain indivisible and united even after the new Constitution is enacted. Rajapaksa said the new Constitution would weaken the parliament and "immeasurably strengthen provincial legislatures". Since the presentation of the report, Rajapaksa has been alleging that the government is drafting a new Constitution to appease the main Tamil political party - Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and that .
Russia presents info on missile US says violates pact
The Russian military on Wednesday rolled out its new missile and spelled out its specifications, seeking to dispel the U.S. claim that the weapon violates a key nuclear arms pact. The military insisted that the 9M729 land-based cruise missile conforms to the limits of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. The U.S. has announced its intention to abandon the INF, charging that the new Russian missile violates provisions of the pact that ban production, testing and deployment of land-based cruise and ballistic missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometres. Washington said it will suspend its treaty obligations if Russian does not come into compliance by February 2. Lt. Gen. Mikhail Matveevsky, the chief of the military's missile and artillery forces, said at a meeting with foreign military attaches that the new missile has a maximum range of 480 kilometres. He said that the 9M729 missile differs from the previous 9M728 model by having a modified warhead and guidance ...
Cabinet clears creation of GST Appellate Tribunal's national bench
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved creation of a national bench of the Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT) to ensure better resolution of GST-related disputes.
Erdogan to meet Putin on Syria
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday departed for Moscow to meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin over Syria, amid the US troops' withdrawal from the war-torn country.
Encounter breaks out in J-K's Baramullah
An encounter erupted between security forces and terrorists in Binnar top area of Jammu and Kashmir's Baramullah district.Two or three terrorists are reported to be trapped in the vicinity.This comes a day after security forces gunned down six terrorists, including brother of an IPS officer in two separate encounters in Shopian and Budgam districts of the state.
Posters hailing Rahul Gandhi as next PM come up in Amethi
Congress president Rahul Gandhi was Wednesday greeted with posters hailing him as the next prime minister during the leader's two-day visit to his parliamentary constituency here. Posters stating "Amethi Ka MP, 2019 Ka PM", "Mission 2019 - Vidhan Sabha Tiloi Welcomes soon-to-be Prime Minister Rahul Gandhi", "Abhi to Jeete Teen Pradesh, 2019 Mein Jeetengey Pura Desh" dotted the skyline of the constituency. It was Gandhi's fist visit to his constituency after the party's stupendous victory in the assembly polls in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The posters hailing the Congress chief as the next PM came up in most parts of the constituency like Jais and Gauriganj. Gandhi was scheduled to visit Amethi on January 4 but it was cancelled in view of the Winter session of Parliament. On his arrival here, the Congress leader participated in the foundation laying of 18 roads which will come up at a cost of Rs 2 crore. The Gandhi scion is scheduled to meet people in his home ...
Will soon take decision on implementation of 10% quota to economically weaker sections: Gehlot
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday informed the House that the state government will soon take a decision to implement 10 per cent reservation for the economically weaker sections. "The government of Rajasthan is going to take a decision very soon. We will implement 10 per cent reservation in the state," Gehlot said in his reply to the debate on the governor's address in the assembly. He was referring to the Constitution 124th (Amendment) Bill passed in Parliament. It provides 10 per cent reservation in government jobs and educational institutions to the economically weaker sections.
North Korea names new interlocutor for talks with US
North Korea's former Ambassador to Spain Kim Hyok-chol has been named the new interlocutor to lead negotiations with Washington ahead of the second summit between US President Donald Trump and Pyongyang leader Kim Jong-un, the media reported.
Britain must pay EU bill even in 'no deal': Barnier
The British government will face a multibillion euro divorce settlement with the European Union even if it leaves the bloc without a deal, Brussels negotiator Michel Barnier warned Wednesday. Some anti-Europeans, opposed to a negotiated settlement with Brussels, balk at the idea of settling a bill that their own government estimates at ?39 billion (44 billion euros) to cover outstanding obligations. But Barnier, in interviews with several European newspapers, said the bill would still be settled at some point, even if London rejects the withdrawal agreement Britain signed in November and crashes out on March 29. "For the EU budget, we've always said one simple thing: the totality of the commitments made by the United Kingdom while still an EU member will be respected," the senior EU official said, according to Le Monde. "It will be more difficult to make them respect them in the case of a 'no deal', but we will continue to insist: These commitments are legally binding under ...
Telangana: Not having full cabinet unconstitutional says
The Congress Wednesday slammed Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao for not appointing minimum number of ministers in his cabinet, terming it a "violation of the Constitution". The All India Congress Committee (AICC) Spokesperson Sravan Dasoju said he wrote to Governor ESL Narasimhan seeking his immediate intervention on the absence of a full-fledged cabinet even after five weeks of formation of the new government in the state. "The Article 164 (1A) says that the total number of Ministers, including the Chief Minister, in the Council of Ministers in a State shall not exceed fifteen per cent of the total number of members of the Legislative Assembly of that State, provided that the number of Ministers, including the Chief Minister in a State shall not be less than twelve. However, violating the constitutional mandate, the present government as of now consists of only the Chief Minister and Home Minister," he told PTI. Further, quoting Article 163 (1) of the ...
India focusing on promoting domestic defence production;
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Wednesday said the Government was focusing on promoting domestic defence production to build capacities for catering to the need of the armed forces. In this direction, Prime Minister Narendra Modi came up with the idea of two defence corridors--one each in Tamil Nadu and the other in Uttar Pradesh, she said. Sitharaman said at present there are several manufacturers who send their components to various big vectors and platforms manufactured outside "Why is it that we won't be able to produce those very vectors and platforms in India? And that is one of the reasons-- that by announcing the corridor, we have invited quite a lot of manufacturers from abroad to come, choose the location where they want to establish their unit and start producing defence equipment," she added. Sitharaman,who was addressing the Tamil Nadu government's second Global Investors' Meet (GIM) here, recalled that holding of the Defence Expo last year in Tamil Nadu
Thailand to hold first election since coup on March 24
Thailand will hold a general election on March 24, authorities said Wednesday, the first national poll since a 2014 coup knocked out the civilian government of Yingluck Shinawatra. The military has since rewritten the constitution, muzzled all dissent and appointed junta allies across the bureaucracy in a bid to scratch the Shinawatra clan from the Thai political scene and embed its own influence in the country's future. "March 24 will be the election day," an Election Commission official told reporters, hours after the publication of a decree signed by King Maha Vajiralongkorn empowered the EC to give a date. Thailand's history is pockmarked by coups, short-lived civilian governments and political crises. The poll date is set to ignite campaign season in a country where colourful and boisterous political rallies have often tipped into deadly violence. The office of Prayut, who is also prime minister, called for an "environment of orderliness, civility and unity" -- although violence .
Priyanka's appointment no surprise in family-oriented Congress: Ravi Shankar
Accusing the Congress of doing dynasty politics, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday said that Priyanka Gandhi's appointment as General Secretary in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh is no surprise since for the Congress, "the party is a family concern".