Page 2222 - Politics
Assembly outcome won't affect Lok Sabha polls: Jaitley
Dealt a severe blow by the Congress in the Hindi heartland states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday said the outcome would have no bearing on the Lok Sabha elections next year.
French foreign minister begins 2-day India visit from Friday
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian will be in India on a two-day visit beginning Friday during which he will hold extensive talks with his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj to further boost bilateral ties in key areas. The External Affairs Ministry said the two sides will review the broad gamut of the "multi-faceted" bilateral ties and exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest. The French Foreign Minister will also call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Le Drian's first destination will be Mumbai where he will meet senior state government officials as well as interact with Indian and French personalities from the film, television and tourism industries. The French Foreign Minister will also call on Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis. In Delhi, he will hold delegation level talks with Swaraj on Saturday. Le Drian will also attend the signing of contract for cooperation between Atos (a European IT services corporation with its headquarters in ...
Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League to win third term: EIU
Speculations are high that Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina would win third consecutive term in Parliament in the elections on December 30 this year.London-based Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) said in a report that Awami League would return to power with majority of parliamentary seats in the upcoming parliamentary election principally due to the fact that it has overseen solid economic growth."We expect real GDP to grow at 7.7% on an annual average basis in 2019-23, propelled by robust growth in private consumption and fixed investment", said EIU in its report by adding that the country's impressive record of economic growth and socio-economic development under the Awami League administration, coupled with a lack of an effective opposition election campaign, will be enough to fend off any challenge posed by BNP or Jatiya Oikya Front more broadly.It states that Sheikh Hasina remains the most popular candidate, according to numerous local opinion polls.The report adds that a .
Kamal Nath not an accused in 1984 riots, smear campaign by BJP: Digvijaya
Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Wednesday accused BJP of a smear campaign against Kamal Nath, a contender for chief ministership in Madhya Pradesh, in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.Singh asserted that there is no FIR or case against Nath in the case. Despite Singh not being an accused, according to Singh, the campaign is being run by the rival BJP."The incident is 35 years old. There is no FIR against him, no charge sheet or a case against him; he is not an accused in the case. Whenever his name comes up, BJP people run such kind of campaign. Kamal Nath was a minister from '85 to '90 as well as between '91 and '96. He was also a minister from 2004 to 2014. At these times no one objected. Most or as much as 100 per cent Sikhs of Chhindwara are his supporters and he has also done service at the local Gurudwara. No one has a problem with him," Singh told ANI in an exclusive conversation.He, however, asserted that he has no information as to who would be announced as the chief ..
Gandhis meet CM hopefuls for Raj, MP as tussle intensifies between old and young guard
An apparent tussle between the old and the young guard in the Congress seems to have delayed the announcement of chief ministers for Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, as the party leadership carried out hours-long hectic deliberations before deciding on names. Parleys were also continuing on Thursday among top party leaders for deciding the chief minister for Chhattisgarh, where Congress has got a clearer mandate than the other two states but multiple contenders are in fray for the top post. The chief minister aspirants in Rajasthan (Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot) and Madhya Pradesh (Kamal Nath and Jyotidaridya Scindia) met Rahul Gandhi and staked their claims even as senior leaders huddled at the residence of party chief Rahul Gandhi, where UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also participated in the deliberations. While Rahul Gandhi met the party's central observers who gave him inputs on the views of newly-elected legislators in the three states, UPA chairperson ...
Bharat Bhushan Vyas joins UPSC as member
Bharat Bhushan Vyas, an IAS officer of 32 years, on Thursday joined the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) as a member. UPSC Chairman, Arvind Saxena, administered him the oath.Vyas had resigned as one of the four Advisors to the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, on Wednesday."Born in 1957, Bharat Bhushan Vyas joined Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in 1986. He served in State and Centre in various capacities and retired as Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir," the official statement of UPSC stated.During his illustrious career, Vyas held prominent positions, including Principal Secretary Finance, Srinagar Deputy Commissioner and Divisional Commissioner of Udhampur and Kashmir.
YSR Cong leader appeals for release of Andhra fishermen held by Pak
YSR Congress Party national general secretary V. Vijaysai Reddy on Thursday appealed to External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj to ensure that the Pakistan government expedites the release of 20 fishermen from Andhra Pradesh who were recently apprehended by the Pakistan coastal guard.In a letter to the EAM, Reddy said that 20 fishermen from the Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts of Andhra Pradesh were employed as crew members for fishing operations in coastal waters off the coast of Gujarat. Out of the 20 fishermen, 15 are residents of Srikakulam district and rest hail from Vizianagaram district, the YSR Congress national general secretary added."It is said that on 28.11.2018, the 20 fishermen in three boats had involuntarily and accidentally entered into the Pakistan territorial Marine waters, as a result of the non-functioning of GPS system. The Pakistan Coast Guards have seized three boats and apprehended 20 fishermen," Reddy said in the letter.He further stated that two ..
Naidu adjourns House quickly on terror attack anniversary
Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu adjourned the House for the day shortly after members from Tamil Nadu protested, waving placards and shouting slogans, on the Cauvery issue. Parliament sources said Naidu was not in favour of protracted disruptions and repeated adjournments on a day that marked the 17th anniversary of the Parliament terror attack.
Russia expels Slovak diplomat over spying spat
Russia says it has ordered the expulsion of a Slovak diplomat, responding in kind to a move by Slovakia over allegations a Russian diplomat was working as a spy under diplomatic cover. Slovakia's Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini said last week his country has expelled the Russian diplomat, saying his activities were against the interests of Slovakia and NATO. Russian Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Thursday expressed regret about Slovakia's "unfriendly move" and announced that Moscow has ordered a Slovak diplomat expelled in a quid pro quo response. Unlike many other European countries, Slovakia didn't expel Russian diplomats in March in response to the poisoning of ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the English city of Salisbury. Britain blames Russia for that attack, a claim Moscow denies.
MP polls: NOTA got more votes than victory margin in 22 seats
Votes cast in favour of NOTA (none of the above) option were more than the margin of victory in 22 assembly constituencies in Madhya Pradesh, the Election Commission data shows. NOTA even 'outperformed' some of the parties such as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Samajwadi Party (SP), getting more votes across the state than them. As many as 5,42,295 voters pressed the NOTA button on Electronic Voting Machines, which was 1.4 per cent of the total number of votes cast. But the number is less than that in the 2013 polls when 6.43 lakh (1.9 per cent) voters rejected all candidates. In 22 seats this time, NOTA tally was greater than the victory margin. Twelve of these seats were won by the Congress, nine by the BJP and one by an independent candidate. Four BJP ministers lost in such constituencies. In Damoh, Finance Minister Jayant Malaiya lost to his Congress rival by a margin of 798 votes, while NOTA got 1,299 votes. Archana Chitnis lost in Burhanpur to an independent ...
Dissolution of Parliament by President 'unconstitutional', rules Sri Lanka's Supreme Court
Sri Lanka's Supreme Court Thursday ruled that the dissolution of Parliament by Maithripala Sirisena was "unconstitutional", in a major setback to the President whose controversial decisions have plunged the island nation into a constitutional crisis. A seven-member apex court bench said that the President cannot dissolve Parliament till Parliament completes a 4 1/2 year term, the Colombo Gazette reported. Sri Lanka is going through a major political crisis since October 26 when President Sirisena, in a controversial move, sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and installed former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa in his place. He also dissolved Parliament and called for a snap election on January 5. Sirisena sacked the 225-member Parliament when it appeared that Rajapaksa would not be able to muster the support of 113 MPs. Wickremesinghe on the other hand commands a majority. As many as 13 petitions were filed against Sirisena's November 9 order sacking the Parliament, almost 20 months
CPI sees BJP plot in KCR's pitch for non-Cong, non-BJP front
The CPI Thursday said it saw a BJP plot in Telangana Chief Minister and TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao's (KCR) efforts to promote a non-Congress, non-BJP front. CPI general secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy alleged that Rao's moves to forge a coalition of regional parties were aimed at "breaking the anti-BJP united platform that is emerging in the country". "I don't think there are any takers for him (Rao)," Reddy told PTI, claiming that KCR's ploy to "equate" both the ruling BJP and the Congress was an attempt to help the saffron party break the anti-BJP front. "We certainly believe that the BJP is behind KCR's efforts," he said. Rao's actions in the last four-and-half years have always been in support of the BJP, Reddy said, pointing out that the TRS had backed demonetisation, GST, NDA candidates in presidential and vice-presidential elections, and "helped" (NDA) during no-confidence motion. "There is not a single time when he (KCR) criticised or opposed the BJP. So, we believe his .
End personal attacks on Rahul, LJP and JD-U tell BJP
The Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) have urged the BJP leadership to stop making personal attacks on Congress President Rahul Gandhi, saying this was one reason why the BJP lost Assembly elections in the Hindi heartland.
Sonia, Priyanka at Rahul's residence before decision on CMs in Raj, MP, Ch'garh
UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and her daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were in a huddle with Congress chief Rahul Gandhi at his home on Thursday as suspense escalated on who would be named the chief ministers of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi held talks with the party's central observers in the states, who gave him inputs on the views of the newly-elected legislators in the three states. Sonia Gandhi drove to Rahul Gandhi's Tughlaq Lane residence to discuss the choices for the new chief ministers, party sources said. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was also present at the discussions. Rahul Gandhi held separate meetings with Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot, the two chief ministerial aspirants for Rajasthan, besides meeting Jyotiraditya Scindia, one of the frontrunners for the post of Madhya Pradesh chief minister. The three spent around 15 minutes each with the Congress president, and left without talking to the media.
UK lawmakers due to vote on Brexit bill in January
British lawmakers will vote on Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal in January, according to a schedule published Thursday by the leader of the lower house of parliament Andrea Leadsom. The coming week has been filled by other draft legislation, with parliament then breaking for the holidays until January 7. May has promised to hold the vote by January 21. The British leader will brief lawmakers on Monday about her latest visit to Brussels, where she is meeting the other 27 EU leaders in a bid to wrest more concessions on the deal. EU leaders refuse to renegotiate the actual draft but seem willing to offer May non-binding assurances on the main dispute involving measures to prevent the return of a hard border with Ireland. May pulled a vote on the draft scheduled for last Tuesday because of its certain defeat. The decision sparked outrage among MPs across party lines, with her own Conservatives trying to oust her on Wednesday in a no-confidence vote. May won by a 200-117 margin, ..
May to join EU summit after surviving no-confidence vote
UK Prime Minister Theresa May was on Thursday heading to Brussels for an EU summit after surviving a vote of no confidence triggered by members of her own ruling Conservative Party over her handling of Brexit.
Assam panchayat polls: BJP ahead of Congress
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won 50 per cent more seats than the opposition Congress in the results declared so far in the Assam panchayat polls, State Election Commission sources said on Thursday. The BJP has won 7,768 Gaon Panchayat Member (GPM) seats, 653 seats of the Anchalik Panchayat Members (APM), and 223 Zila Parishad Members (ZPM) seats. The party has also won 605 Gaon Panchayat president (GPP) seats. The Congress, in contrast, won 3,948 GPM seats, 365 APM seats, 131 ZPM seats and 293 GPP seats, the sources said. Altogether 78,571 contestants participated in the hustings and 734 were elected uncontested. Elections were held on December 5 and 9 to elect 21,990 GPM, 2,199 APM, 420 ZPM and 2,199 GPP across the state, registering an overall 82 per cent voting. The counting is going on since Wednesday. For GPM polls, BJP's alliance partner Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) that contested alone won 1332, the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) 641 and others
Britain's top diplomat joins final day of Yemen peace talks
Britain's foreign secretary joined Yemen peace talks in Sweden on Thursday, as part of his efforts to help kick start a political process to bring an end to the country's brutal four-year civil war. Jeremy Hunt's office said he would be in the Swedish town of Rimbo along with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres for the final day of this round of the UN-sponsored talks. It says Hunt would also meet delegates from the warring sides the internationally recognized Yemeni government and the Houthi rebels. "Yemen is the world's worst humanitarian catastrophe, and these peace talks represent the best opportunity in years to move towards the political solution the people of Yemen urgently need," Hunt said ahead of his trip to Sweden, according to his office. "I applaud the historic strides the UN special envoy has already made in bringing the parties together for the first time since 2016." A day earlier, the UN raised expectations for progress in the talks held in the town of Rimbo, ...
SAD dissolves Delhi, UP, Rajasthan units
Ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal Thursday dissolved the party units in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan with immediate effect. The decision, aimed at overhauling the state units, was taken based on suggestions by party observers for the two states and the national capital MPs Balwinder Singh Bhundar and Prem Singh Chandumajra and former minister Sikandar Singh Maluka, SAD senior vice-president and spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema said. Cheema said the process of making major changes in the organisational structure of the party had been going on in the wake of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. "New organisational structure will be announced in the next two months after having extensive deliberation with the senior leadership of the party," he said.
KCR returns as Telangana chief minister for second consecutive term
K Chandrasekhar Rao, who steered his party TRS to a thumping victory in Telangana, took over the reins of India's newest state for a second straight term Thursday. KCR, as Rao is popularly called, was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor E S L Narasimhan at a low-key ceremony on the lawns of Raj Bhavan in Hyderabad. TRS MLC Mohammed Mehmood Ali, who served as deputy chief minister in the previous government, also took oath as a minister. KCR had Wednesday said that his new cabinet would be named after five to six days. In September, the 64-year-old had dissolved the assembly and decided to go for early polls in a bid to de-link it from the national elections, a gamble which paid off well. His party wrested 88 seats, a two-third of the 119-member Assembly. The Congress, which formed a mega alliance of four opposition parties, was decimated to 19 seats. Chandrababu Naidu's TDP, which was part of the alliance named 'Praja Kutami', was reduced to just two. The Telangana