Page 2216 - Politics
India, Russia discuss defence cooperation
The 18th meeting of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC) was on Thursday co-chaired by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Russian counterpart General Sergei Shoigu.
Congress to boycott Delhi Assembly Silver Jubilee programme
The Congress on Thursday announced that his party will boycott the Silver Jubilee celebration of the Delhi Legislative Assembly on December 15.
Cong names Kamal Nath MP CM; Parleys continue for Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh
Congress on Thursday night named veteran leader Kamal Nath as Madhya Pradesh's next Chief Minister after marathon consultations by the party chief Rahul Gandhi with senior leaders including Sonia Gandhi, even as hectic parleys continued for the other two newly-won states Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. While 72-year-old Nath reached Bhopal to get formally elected as leader of the Congress Legislative Party by the newly-elected MLAs in the night itself at a meeting also attended by another contender Jyotiraditya Scindia, the tussle between the old and the young guard continued to stymie the selection process for the chief ministerial face in Rajasthan. Sachin Pilot, 41, reached Gandhi's official residence in Lutyens Delhi for a second time late in night. Soon after Pilot left, 67-year-old Ashok Gehlot also reached the Gandhi residence again, as the party leadership continued to discuss the claims by the two leaders for the top post in Rajasthan. Gandhi also held discussions with party ...
SAD, AAP slam Cong for 'curtailing' three-day Assembly session
Opposition parties SAD and AAP Thursday attacked the Congress for "curtailing" the three-day winter session of the Punjab Assembly, alleging the ruling party had made a mockery of democracy. Both parties claimed that the Business Advisory Committee had recommended curtailing the session by one day, which meant the session would now be wrapped on December 14 instead of December 15. "The Congress has played a cruel joke on the people and made a mockery of democracy by recommending the Winter Session be reduced to a single sitting, something which has happened for the first time in the history of the state," SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal claimed in a statement here. Punjab Assembly session had started Thursday with obituary references. "This is unprecedented and has taken democratic norms to a new low. It amounts to cheating the people as well as muzzling their voice. Congress legislators should tell the people why they became party to this anti -people decision," Badal asked. "As only ..
BJP leaders meet Bengal government officials, stick to 'Rath Yatra' route
The BJP on Thursday held a meeting with senior officials of the West Bengal administration and said it will stick to its planned route for the Rath Yatra programme but launch it only after getting the nod from the government.
BJP-led Centre thinks it owns RBI: Chidambaram
Former Union finance minister P Chidambaram Thursday alleged the BJP-led Centre thinks that it "owns" the Reserve Bank of India and does not understand the independence of the central bank, while asserting that the Union government is only after "hoard of cash" and "pot of gold". Addressing the Lokmat National Conclave, he hit out at the Union government over the appointment of Shaktikanta Das as the RBI governor, saying it "worries" him that an official who was a "vocal supporter" of demonetisation has been given the key post at the country's central bank. He also hoped that Das stands up to the autonomy and rights of the RBI. "Anyone who vocally supported demonetisation was wrong. It does not mean that if you are wrong on one issue, you cannot be right on other issues. But you must have the humility and honesty to accept that you made a mistake. Whether Shaktikanta Das has the freedom to acknowledge that demonetisation was a mistake, I doubt that. "It worries me that they have ...
Man committed suicide due to depression, not over Sabarimala issue: Kerala Police
The Kerala Police said late Thursday night that a 55-year-old man, who died after setting himself afire near the venue of the BJP's protest here, had committed suicide due to personal reasons and do not have any relation to the ongoing agitation over Sabarimala issue. Calling a statewide strike on Friday over the death, the Bharatiya Janata Party claimed that the man immolated himself protesting the "adamant" stand of the state government, led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, over the issue of continuing prohibitory orders and restrictions at the Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala. "The deceased, in his dying declaration given to the Magistrate, said he resorted to the act due to depression and ran frantic towards the protest venue after setting himself afire," the police said in a release. Police said the man, who used to work as a plumbing and electrician assistant, do not have any political connections. "This matter is not connected with any ongoing protest over Sabarimala," the ...
Congress congratulates Kamal Nath, welcomes 'era of change' in MP
The Congress Party on Thursday congratulated Kamal Nath on being elected as the new chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, saying an 'era of change' is upon the state under his leadership."Our best wishes to Shri @OfficeOfKNath for being elected CM of Madhya Pradesh. An era of change is upon MP with him at the helm," read a tweet posted by the party from its official Twitter handle.The 72-year-old leader will assume the office of chief minister for the first time in a distinguished career in politics.A nine-time Member of Parliament (MP) from Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara constituency, Nath served as the pro-tem Speaker of the 16th Lok Sabha (elected in 2014). He also served as the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry in former prime minister Manmohan Singh's first term and the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways from May 2009 to January 2011 in the second term of the UPA government.Nath was elected as Congress' Madhya Pradesh president in May this year. Having been elected as ..
Kamal Nath chosen leader of Congress legislature party in MP
Madhya Pradesh Congress President Kamal Nath was on Thursday chosen as the leader of Congress Legislature Party by the newly elected party MLAs in the state.
Maharashtra govt to commemorate raising of Mahar regiment
The Maharashtra government will mark 77th raising day of the first Mahar Regiment here on December 15, two weeks ahead of the anniversary of 1818 Battle of Bhima Koregaon in Pune district. According to a government source, the aim behind observing the raising day in December is to defuse tension ahead of January 1. Dalits visiting the war memorial at Bhima Koregaon on 200th anniversary of the decisive battle between forces of the Peshwa and the British East India Company came under attack on January 1 this year, leading to protests across the state. Dalits commemorate the 1818 battle as the victorious British forces included a large number of Mahar soldiers. Mahars are a prominent Dalit community in Maharashtra. Some right-wing organisations had opposed the commemoration of the East India Company's victory as it ended the Peshwa rule in Pune. As per the records, the first battalion of the Mahar regiment was established in Belgaum on October 1, 1941. But a source in the ...
Kamal Nath, Man of the Match, in MP
New Delhi [India] Dec 13 (ANI): For Kamal Nath, appointment as Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister on Thursday is a reward for his sharp political maneuvering skills which are credited with the Congress victory in a state where BJP was ruling for three consecutive terms.The 72-year-old leader is known as a master strategist and Gandhi family loyalist, with a distinction of representing the Chhindwara Lok Sabha constituency in Madhya Pradesh for several terms.He led the party from the front in the just-concluded Assembly elections and underlined the importance of unity for changing the fortunes of a divided Congress."United we stand and divided we fall," was the message he underlined while asking the rank and file to give their best collectively.Nath became the game changer as he recognised that timing was important. Others simply followed his lead, realising the necessity of putting their differences at the back burner.Currently one of the longest servicing members of the Lok Sabha from ...
Pak Army pledges to support stakeholders to bring Afghan war to peaceful conclusion
Pakistan's Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and other top military officers on Thursday pledged to support all stakeholders for bringing Afghan war to a logical and peaceful conclusion. The 216th Corps Commanders' Conference, which was presided over by Gen Bajwa, also reviewed geo-strategic environment with special focus on regional security and situation on Pakistan's eastern and western borders, including the Line of Control (LoC), the army said in a statement. The commanders also highlighted importance of regional approach to eliminate roots of terrorism, they said. The forum hoped "for success of ongoing Afghan reconciliation process while supporting all stakeholders to bring Afghan war to a peaceful logical conclusion", the statement said. The military brass also pledged to safeguard against all external threats while consolidating gains of counter-terrorism military operations, which have put security situation of the country on positive trajectory for socio-economic ...
Kamal Nath named Madhya Pradesh's new CM
The Congress on Thursday night named veteran leader Kamal Nath as Madhya Pradesh's next chief minister, after hours of hectic parleys held by the party chief Rahul Gandhi with senior party leaders. Nath, 72, reached Bhopal late in night to be greeted with chants of 'Jai Jai Kamal Nath' by his supporters at the airport and headed straight for the party office for a meeting of the newly-elected MLAs to select their leader. Nath, who served as union minister in the previous Congress-led governments, has been a top contender for the chief minister post ever since his party won against the ruling BJP, which was in power in this central Indian state for 15 years. Another senior party leader and former union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia was also in the race. "Our best wishes to Shri @OfficeOfKNath for being elected CM of Madhya Pradesh. An era of change is upon MP with him at the helm," the Congress tweeted.
MP gets its new 'Kamal' as Congress opts for experience in run-up to 2019
'Jai Jai Kamal Nath' was the slogan his supporters were chanting when the Congress stalwart, once described by the late Indira Gandhi as her "third son" for helping her take on the post-emergency Morarji Desai-led regime in 1979, reached Bhopal Thursday night armed with the mandate from the party high-command to become the new chief minister of Madhya Pradesh. This new responsibility has been given to Nath by Indira Gandhi's grandson and Congress president Rahul Gandhi after hectic parleys spread over two days ever since the party managed to secure the numbers to form the government in his vast state after a gap of 15 long years. His supporters credit 72-year-old Nath for steering the Congress win this important central Indian state, where Shivraj Singh Chouhan was the longest-serving chief minister of Madhya Pradesh and at the helm since 2003. But Nath's claim for the top job did not go unchallenged as much younger Scindia, 47, put up a strong challenge and the party president Rahul .
Pilot meets Rahul again, party keen to give message of unity
Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot, an aspirant to the post of Chief Minister, met party President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday night for the second time in a day amid indications that party leader Ashok Gehlot would be leader of the legislature party in the state.
Congress to collect funds for welfare of Mumbaikars: Nirupam
The Mumbai Congress will launch a mass contact campaign to collect funds which will be used for the people of the metropolis, party's city unit president Sanjay Nirupam said Thursday. He said an aggressive election campaign mounted by Congress president Rahul Gandhi had propelled the party to power in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Speaking about 'Jan Sampark Abhiyaan', Nirupam said, "Every booth across the city has been given 22,000 coupons in the form of Rs 100, Rs 500 and Rs 1,000. "Congress workers will undertakedoor-to-door campaign to raise funds for the party. We request Mumbaikars to help the party raise maximum funds which will be in turn used for the people of the city in the long run." Nirupam credited Gandhi's leadership for the party's victory in the just held assembly polls in three Hindi heartland states. "The Congress has been elected in Rajasthan, MP and Chhattisgarh because Rahul Gandhi campaigned aggressively in these states. Only the ...
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian to arrive in India tomorrow
The French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Yves Le Drian, will arrive in India for a two-day visit on Friday, during which, he will call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to discuss various aspects of the Indo-French strategic partnership.He will also meet Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.On Friday, the first day of his visit, Minister Le Drian will be in Mumbai to boost Indo-French cooperation in the motion pictures and tourism industries. He will preside over the closing ceremony of the Second Indo-French Professional Meetings for the Film and Television Industry.On this occasion, he will confer the French honour of Knight of the National Order of Merit on renowned producer Ashok Amritraj, Chairman and CEO of the Hyde Park Entertainment Group. The event will be attended by Indian and French celebrities.On Saturday, the French Minister will start his Delhi programme with the signing ceremony of a three-year contract ..
India, Russia mark 18th IRIGC-MTC meeting
India's Minister of Defense Nirmala Sitharaman met with Russian Federation General Sergei Shoigu here on Thursday, marking the 18th meeting of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC).The Defence Ministry took to its official Twitter account saying, "Raksha Mantri Smt @nsitharaman with Minister of Defence of Russian Federation Gen @SShoiguRussia signing protocol of 18th meeting and agreement on establishing Indian-Russian Intergovernmental Commission on Military and Military-Technical Cooperation (IRIGC- MTC) on 13 Dec 2018."In the framework of the bilateral Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership, the IRIGC-MTC meeting discussed a wide range of issues relating to defense equipment, industry and technological engagement between India and Russia as well as after sales support/upgradation of military equipment of Russian origin.The Ministers expressed satisfaction at the dynamism and progress in bilateral defense cooperation. ...
No discussion over border wall with US: Mexico President
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Thursday that he had not discussed the US plans to build a wall on border with Mexico in phone talks with his US counterpart Donald Trump."We did not touch this topic, in any of the conversations, this issue has not been discussed ... the conversation was held in a respectful and friendly manner," Lopez Obrador said at a press conference, referring to the border wall.The Mexican leader noted that during the talks he has proposed joint investment projects aimed at eliminating the reasons for the migration inflow from the Central American countries."The idea is that people do not need to leave the country, so that emigration is an optional solution and not necessary. I told him that for this plan we have allocated USD five billion from the budget, and we have decided to support further negotiations on this topic, " Lopez Obrador added.The sides have also discussed plans to meet in Washington, according to the president.In January ...
Kamal Nath new Madhya Pradesh chief minister
Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) chief Kamal Nath was late on Thursday announced as the chief minister of the newly-elected Congress government in the state.There will not be a deputy chief minister in Madhya Pradesh.The announcement comes after a prolonged delay following the nail-biting drama which saw the Congress dethroning the former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led three-term BJP government in the state.With 114 Congress candidates elected to power, the party fell two seats short of a total majority. However, after roping in elected legislators from the BSP (2), SP (1) and four independent candidates, the Congress inflicted one of the three major losses in the Hindi heartland of the country where the BJP registered resounding wins in 2013.72-year-old Kamal will take the office of chief minister for the first time in a distinguished career in politics. A nine-time MP from Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara constituency, Kamal served as the pro-tem Speaker of the 16th Lok