Page 2231 - Politics
NOTA percentage zooms by 47 pc to 2.25 lakh in Telangana
NOTA votes registered a whopping 47 per cent growth to about 2.25 lakh in the latest Telangana assembly elections compared to the 2014 polls. A total of 2,24,709 voters pressed the NOTA (None of the Above) option in the Electronic Voting Machines, rejecting all the candidates in their respective constituencies as against 1.52 lakh in the 2014 elections. NOTA accounted for 1.1 per cent of the around 2.05 crore votes cast in the December 7 elections. According to the Election Commission data, as many as 15 BJP candidates polled lesser votes than NOTA in their constituencies. The party contested in 118 seats out of 119 segments in Telangana and won one. The "vote share" of NOTA was more than that of the CPI and Kodandaram-led Telangana Jana Samithi put together. Both the parties which were part of the Congress-led four-party People's Front drew a blank. CPI which contested 3 seats secured 83,215 votes, a vote share of 0.4 per cent, and TJS that fielded candidates in four ...
Headstart for TRS for LS polls after thumping win in assly
Having scored a thumping win in the December 7 Assembly elections, the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) is expected to get a head start in the next year's Lok Sabha elections. On the other hand, it will be an uphill task for the Congress, TDP, BJP and other parties to get their act together as the Lok Sabha polls come close on the heels of their humiliating defeat in the the state's assembly polls. TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao's clever move to go for early assembly polls, delinking them with Lok Sabha elections to avoid the situation of 'Modi vs Rahul Gandhi', is expected to help him in a big way as he can now focus on the national elections without worrying about state polls. It is anybody's guess whether Rao would go in for the kill to win the highest number of Lok Sabha seats as he declared Tuesday that the Assembly poll results would enable the TRS to play a crucial role in national politics. Hinting at a role at the national level, Rao said he would give a "new definition" ..
Amarinder hits out at Badal over corridor-sabotage statement
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh lashed out at his predecessor, Parkash Singh Badal, on Wednesday for accusing him of sabotaging the Kartarpur Corridor. Amarinder Singh said it was not him, but the Akali veteran who was trying to sabotage the interests of the Sikh community and Punjab with his "injudicious" statement made. "Badal's statement is in line with his approach of exploiting religious issues to further his political interests," Amarinder said in a statement here, adding that the former chief minister was trying to mislead the state's people with baseless allegations. The chief minister pointed out that it was the Congress leadership, from Indira Gandhi to Manmohan Singh, that had always striven for opening the corridor, and he had been raising the issue with Pakistan and the central government. Amarinder Singh added that it was idiotic to suggest that he could try to block the corridor and sabotage the fulfilment of the aspirations of the Sikh community. Badal had said ..
People's desire for change led to BJP's loss in MP, C'garh: Athawale
People's desire to "bring about a change" led to the BJP's loss in the recently concluded assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale said on Wednesday. He claimed that though the Congress will better its tally in 2019 Lok Sabha election, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA will return to power under the leadership of Narendra Modi. "In Chhattisgarh and MP, the BJP was in power for 15 years, so there was feeling among the people to bring about a change. Rajasthan has witnessed formation of (different) governments every five years," the chief of Republican Party of India (Athawale), an NDA ally, said. Athawale said despite wins in the three states, the Congress will not gain much in 2019 elections. "The Congress will not benefit much, though its number of seats may go up to 60-70 and BJP may lose some seats in 2019," Athawale said. In 2014 parliamentary elections, the Congress had won 44 seats while the BJP bagged 282 seats. "The loss of the BJP in
Ram temple issue may not click for BJP in 2019 polls: Pawar
A day after the BJP's poll debacle in three Hindi heartland states, NCP chief Sharad Pawar Wednesday said the Ram temple issue might not work in favour of the saffron party again, unlike in the past, if it is raised ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha polls. He alleged that the BJP may try to create a communal divide on the temple issue which is a "matter of concern". The BJP is under pressure from its ideological mentor RSS, alliance partner Shiv Sena and Hindutva organisations which are demanding a parliamentary law or an ordinance for construction of Ram temple. Sena MPs on Wednesday staged a protest in the Lok Sabha demanding immediate construction of the temple. "The issue of Ram temple was used once in the past and the BJP stood benefited by it. In case they (the BJP) raise the issue again, people do not accept an issue twice... So, I don't think it (Ram temple) will benefit them (the BJP)," Pawar said. The veteran politician was speaking to reporters after meeting scores of party workers ..
Vyas resigns as advisor to JK governor; likely to be made UPSC member
The advisor to Jammu and Kashmir governor, B B Vyas, Wednesday submitted his resignation to pave the way for consideration of his name as member of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), officials said. Vyas, a 1986 batch IAS officer from Jammu and Kashmir cadre, is likely to fly to the national capital soon for completing the formalities of filing his nomination so that the process of considering his name for the post can be initiated by the government. The governor is yet to accept his resignation, they said. The UPSC has eight members, including its chairperson Arvind Saxena. The commission can have upto 11 members. The 61-year-old, originally a resident of Rajasthan, was slated to retire in November 2017 but the Personnel Ministry amended the service rules to provide extension of three months on the request of the then chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti. He was given another three month extension and was subsequently given another one-year extension in May 2018. On November 9, ...
BJP 'rath yatra' in Bengal: Party leaders to meet chief secy, DGP on Thursday
The West Bengal government Wednesday asked the state BJP leadership to meet officials led by the chief secretary and the director general of police at the Lalbazar police headquarters to discuss the party's 'rath yatra' programme, a top leader said. West Bengal BJP vice-president Jay Prakash Majumdar said the party received a letter from the government, asking it to go to the Lalbazar police headquarters here on Thursday to discuss the schedule of the programme. A division bench of the Calcutta High Court had on December 7 directed the West Bengal chief secretary, the home secretary and the director general of police to hold a meeting with three representatives of the BJP by December 12, and take a decision on the 'rath yatra' by December 14. "We have been asked to come to Lalbazar at 5.30 pm tomorrow. We will be there on time." he said. The BJP delegation will include party leaders Mukul Roy, Pratap Banerjee and Majumdar himself, he added. BJP national president Amit Shah was slated .
Delhi court allows Sanjay Singh, Ankit Bhardwaj to withdraw defamation case
A Delhi court here on Wednesday allowed a joint application filed by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and parliamentarian Sanjay Singh and Ankit Bhardwaj -- a state executive member of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the youth wing of the BJP -- seeking permission to withdraw defamation case.
BSP to support Congress in Rajasthan
The six BSP MLAs in Rajasthan on Wednesday decided to extend their legislative support to the Congress after BSP chief Mayawati announced that her party shall prop up a Congress government.
Cong, BJP failed to meet the expectations of the people: KCR
: TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao, who has proposed a non-Congress, non-BJP federal front, Wednesday alleged that both Congress and BJP had failed to meet the expectations of the people. Rao, who was elected as the leader of the TRS Legislature Party earlier, said that no name has so far been thought of for the national party he talked about. Rao Tuesday said that a national party would emerge that would form a coalition with a consortium of regional parties to take on the BJP and Congress. The TRS chief alleged that at the national level, both BJP and Congress indulged in centralisation of powers. "The psychology of both parties (BJP and Congress) is centralisation of powers...I said yesterday. At least five subjects they need to transfer urgently (from the Centre to states)," he told reporters here. There was no need for the Centre to keep agriculture, rural development and urban development with it, he said. "Mr Narendra Modi also greatly propagated cooperative ...
Sidhu meets Amarinder; says talks 'cordial'
Punjab Cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu called on Chief Minister Amarinder Singh at his residence Wednesday and held "cordial talks". The meeting follows demands for Sidhu's resignation from his cabinet colleagues after he had said Congress president Rahul Gandhi was his "captain" while Amarinder Singh was an "Army captain". He made the remarks when asked by media that why did he attend the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur Corridor in Pakistan despite the CM's disapproval. "The talks between us were cordial," Sidhu told reporters after visiting the chief minister. Without divulging much details, he said they talked on many other things and Amarinder's health is now better. The chief minister was unwell due to bout of viral fever. "The love and affection which I got from the CM after meeting him is indicative of the fact that the whole issue had been blown out of proportion," he said, adding that "the CM did not say anything to me in this respect(controversy)...many times ...
Air France names Anne Rigail as new head of airline
PARIS (Reuters) - Air France named Anne Rigail as the new head of the airline, which has been hit by strikes and trade union unrest.
KCR to take oath as Telangana CM on Thursday
K. Chandrashekhar Rao, who led the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) to a massive win in the Telangana Assembly elections, will take oath as the Chief Minister of India's youngest state for a second consecutive term on Thursday.
AAP to convene two-day special session of Delhi Assembly from Dec 20
The AAP government has decided to convene a two-day special session of the Delhi Assembly starting December 20, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said Wednesday. A Delhi government official said that the session will be convened to discuss several issues, including financial proposals and an amendment related to the Goods and Services Tax (GST). "There will be a two-day session of the Delhi Assembly on December 20-21," Sisodia told reporters here. Last month, the government had convened a special session of the Delhi Assembly to discuss the recent chilli powder attack on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other issues. During the session, legislators had discussed the alleged deletion of names in the voters list in the city.
Assembly election results: Most exit polls failed to get it right
Most exit polls failed to predict the massive mandate that the Congress got in Chhattisgarh, but got their forecast of a tight finish in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh right. In Rajasthan and Telangana, the exit polls got the winner right but failed to gauge the level of the victory margins for the assembly elections for which the votes were counted on Tuesday. They predicted a clear win for the Congress in Rajasthan, but when the results were out, the party could not achieve the magic figure on its own, getting 99 of 199 seats, just shy of the majority mark. In Telangana, it was a landslide victory for the Telangana Rashtriya Samiti, which got 88 of the 119 constituencies, leaving the Congress trailing far behind with 19. In the northeastern state of Mizoram, where the Congress was ousted from power, the regional Mizo National Front performed much better than the exit poll prediction, bagging 26 of 40 seats. In Madhya Pradesh -- where the results went down to the wire with the Congress
Winter session of Punjab Assembly to begin tomorrow
The brief three-day winter session of the Punjab Assembly will begin here on Thursday. The ruling Congress is expected to bat on a comfortable wicket, using the 'divided' opposition to its advantage. The main opposition Aam Aadmi Party's state unit is facing infighting ever since Bolath MLA Sukhpal Khaira was removed from the post of Leader of Opposition. Khaira is leading a group of eight dissident legislators who had revolted against the party after he was removed from the post. Thereafter, they set up a parallel ad hoc political affairs committee. The rebel group has been seeking autonomy for the state unit, which they say was being controlled by the Delhi leadership. The other opposition party -- Shiromani Akali Dal -- is also going through a rough patch. Several of its Taksali (old guard) leaders, including Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, Rattan Singh Ajnala and Sewa Singh Sekhwan, who had been expelled from the primary membership of the Akali Dal recently, had blamed the party's ...
People voted for Congress with 'heavy heart', says Mayawati
BSP supremo Mayawati on Wednesday said that people voted for the Congress much against their wishes because they saw it as the prime challenger to the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.
Former Canadian diplomat detained in China
A former Canadian diplomat has been detained in China and his current empolyer, non-profit organization International Crisis Group (ICG), on Wednesday said it is seeking his immediate release.
Chouhan asks Cong to fulfil Rahul's loan waiver promise in MP
Acting chief minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday asked the Congress to make good on party chief Rahul Gandhi's campaign promise of farm loan waiver. Chouhan resigned earlier in the day after the Congress emerged as the single largest party in the Assembly elections. "Rahul Gandhi has promised to waive farmers' loans within ten days of coming to power or change the chief minister. They must fulfil his promise," Chouhan said, speaking to reporters here. The BJP would play the role of constructive opposition in the state, he said. During the campaign, Gandhi had promised to write off farmers' loans within ten days of the Congress coming to power. The promise was also part of the party's manifesto. "Now it is our responsibility to play the role of chowkidar (watchman)," Chouhan said. "We are not going to sit silent," he added. The BJP would soon start preparations for the Lok Sabha elections so that it again forms government at the Centre under ...
KCR, Owaisi friendship is now "full-fledged partnership"
One of the key takeaways of the Telangana Assembly elections is the remarkable transformation of the "friendship" between the TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao and AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi into a "full-fledged partnership." AIMIM fielded eight candidates in the December 7 polls to the 119-member House and supported the TRS -- the two describe themselves as friendly parties, in the remaining segments. In fact, Owaisi, the Hyderabad Lok Sabha member, campaigned for the TRS candidates in some constituencies, bringing the two parties even closer. AIMIM won seven seats, while the TRS got 88. KCR, as Rao is popularly known, and Owaisi are on the same page as far as bringing together regional parties and promoting a non-BJP and non-Congress federal front are concerned. Both have been wholesome in praising each other. "Asaduddin Owaisi is a very good intellectual of this country," KCR has said, citing his participation in debates in the Lok Sabha and on television. "He ...