Page 2237 - Politics
Congress workers beam with joy
After party's stellar performance in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, Congress workers beamed with joy and danced to the tune of drum beats in the national capital on Wednesday morning.Not only the party workers but senior leader like Anand Sharma also played the drum during the celebrations at Delhi's Lodhi Garden today. The veteran Congress leader also cut the cake brought by the party workers to mark the victory.Sharma told ANI, "I congratulate everyone for the support. We accept this victory with humility. People were suffering under the BJP governance. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been criticising his predecessors and the Congress party. Hence, I appeal the Prime Minister to change his mindset towards this".The results of assembly elections in five states are crucial for the BJP-led NDA government as it opens the gate for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.Yesterday, a large number of party workers gathered in front of Congress headquarters at Akbar Road to celebrate the ...
Poll results mark 'beginning of change': Pawar
The Assembly poll results in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh mark the "beginning of a change", NCP chief Sharad Pawar said Wednesday, dubbing the outcome as "rejection" of the BJP-led government's policies. Pawar, who turned 78 on Wednesday, said his party would support the Congress and also suggested the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) to throw their weight behind the Rahul Gandhi-led party. Referring to the constant criticism of Rahul Gandhi by the BJP, the former Union minister said people did not like the Congress president being "ridiculed". The Congress dislodged the BJP from power in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh and emerged as the single largest party in Madhya Pradesh. "People have expressed disappointment against the Modi government... the Assembly poll results mark the beginning of a change... people rejected the anti-farmers, anti-traders policies of Modi," Pawar told reporters here. On the Shiv Sena's frequent criticism of the Bharatiya ...
Assembly poll results: Sonia says Cong's victory over BJP's negative politics
Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday described the party's good showing in the assembly poll in three Hindi heartland states as a victory over the BJP's "negative politics". Gandhi's reaction came after the Congress ousted BJP governments in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Expressing happiness over the polls outcome, the UPA chairperson said it was a "Congress victory over the BJP's negative politics". A resurgent Congress Tuesday made significant gains in the Assembly elections, dealing a body blow to the BJP in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, while emerging as the single largest party in Madhya Pradesh.
Two new LS members take oath
Two newly-elected Lok Sabha members took oath on Wednesday ahead of a brief adjournment of the House after the Congress and Telugu Desam Party raised various issues which the Speaker refused to entertain.
Poll results: Rahul Gandhi passed all 'leadership tests', says Moily
Congress President Rahul Gandhi has passed all "leadership tests", and would emerge as the Prime Minister after the next Lok Sabha elections, senior party leader M Veerappa Moily claimed Wednesday. A resurgent Congress Tuesday made significant gains in the Assembly elections, dealing a body blow to the BJP in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and emerged as the single largest party in Madhya Pradesh. BSP chief Mayawati Wednesday said her party will extend support to the Congress to form the government in Madhya Pradesh and keep the BJP out of power. She also said that if the need arises, the BSP will also support the Congress in Rajasthan to form the next government. "People have tolerated too long the misgovernance and the misrule of (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi and his NDA government. And this (results of elections to state assemblies) is an indication that they are totally unhappy with him," the former union minister told PTI. "And the manner in which they (BJP) have carried on certain .
UN reports more suspected Iranian missiles found in Yemen
More suspected Iranian-made weapons have been found in Yemen, the UN says in a report that will be discussed Wednesday by the Security Council. The Gulf monarchies and United States accuse Iran of supporting Huthi rebels in Yemen -- and see this as justification for the military campaign they have been waging in Yemen since 2015. Iran supports the rebels politically but denies supplying them with arms. The report from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' office says his staff examined two container launch units for anti-tank guided missiles recovered by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. "The Secretariat found that they had characteristics of Iranian manufacture," the report said. "The Secretariat also examined a partly disassembled surface-to-air missile seized by the Saudi-led coalition and observed that its features appeared to be consistent with those of an Iranian missile," it added. A probe into the origin of the weapons continues, it said. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was
Four states are now 'BJP-mukt', says Shiv Sena
The Bharatiya Janata Party's dreams of making India "Congress-mukt" (free of Congress) have bit the dust in three crucial states where it was in power, and has been decimated in the other two states, the Shiv Sena said here on Wednesday.
Pakistan will try for peace despite India's negative attitude: Official
Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua has said that Islamabad would continue with its efforts for peace in its neighbourhood despite New Delhis negative attitude.
Pakistan rejects listing as violator of religious freedom by US
As Washington announced that Pakistan had been added to a list of violators of religious freedoms, Islamabad on Wednesday rejected the "unilateral and politically motivated pronouncement".
Two MPs from Karnataka take oath
Two newly elected MPs -- V S Ugrappa and L R Shivarame Gowda -- Wednesday took oath as members of the Lok Sabha. While Ugrappa was elected from Karnataka's Bellary, Gowda was elected from Mandya parliamentary constituency in the state. Both members took oath in their mother tongue, Kannada. Ugrappa is a Congress member while Gowda is a JD(S) member. Soon after the oath taking of the two MPs, the House paid tributes to 11 former members who passed away recently. The departed leaders include N D Tiwari, Madan Lal Khurana, C K Jaffer Sharief and Gurudas Kamat.
MP Governor calls Congress leaders for talks
Madhya Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel Wednesday called senior Congress leaders at the Raj Bhawan here at noon for talks, after the party sought an appointment with her on the issue of formation of government in the state. Raj Bhawan sources confirmed that Patel has called the Congress leaders after they sought the appointment with her. Senior Congress leaders Kamal Nath, Digvijay Singh and Jyotiraditya Scindia, among others, will meet Patel. The Congress had on Tuesday night submitted a letter to the governor seeking an appointment, after results were announced and was almost clear that it will emerge as the single largest party. In the final results declared Wednesday early morning, the party got 114 seats, two short of simple majority mark of 116 in the 230-member Assembly. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was close behind with 109 seats. The Bahujan Samaj Party won two seats, the Samajwadi Party got one while Independents bagged four seats.
Congress to stake claim on government in Rajasthan: Pilot
Congress will stake claim to form the government in Rajasthan on Wednesday evening after the party president decides on the new chief minister, PCC president Sachin Pilot said. "We have full majority and will stake claim to form government in the evening. We will take along all non-BJP parties and elected members who are against BJP and are willing to support us," Pilot told reporters at the Pradesh Congress Committee before the Congress Legislative Party meeting. Asked about the choice of the chief minister, Pilot said the party's newly elected MLAs will debate the question, and the party president will take a decision after that. The chief minister would be declared in the second CLP meeting in the evening and thereafter the party leaders will meet Governor Kalyan Singh to stake claim on the government. The Congress emerged as the single-largest party in Rajasthan in Tuesday's vote count, winning 99 seats. It's ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) won one seat for a total of 100 seats -- ...
US Commerce Secretary to visit India in February for commercial dialogue
US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross has said that he will visit India in February to co-chair the bilateral commercial dialogue with his Indian counterpart Suresh Prabhu. He also said and that the Trump administration will send a major trade mission to India next year. "I'm happy to report that I'm scheduled to visit India this coming February. I'll be co-chairing the US-India Commercial Dialogue and the US- India CEO forum with my Indian counterpart, (commerce and industry) minister Prabhu," Ross said at a farewell reception organised for the outgoing Indian Ambassador to the US, Navtej Singh Sarna. Some 200 guests, including top officials of the Trump administration, diplomats, eminent Indian Americans and top corporate executives attended the farewell reception for the top Indian diplomat, who is retiring later this month. Highly appreciative of the role played by Sarna in strengthening the US-India relationship during his tenure as the Indian envoy, Ross said that Sarna has laid the
Congress legislature party meeting begins in Jaipur
Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting began at the party's state headquarters here on Wednesday to discuss the name of the next Rajasthan chief minister. AICC General Secretary Avinash Pande and party's observer K C Venugopal will seek individual opinion of the party MLAs in the meeting. The CLP will file a resolution and the observer will apprise party president Rahul Gandhi about the opinion and views of the MLAs, a party leader said. The final decision will be taken by Gandhi based on the feedback, he added. PCC president Sachin Pilot, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, both MLAs and front runners for the coveted post, are in the meeting besides other party MLAs. The name of the chief minister will be announced in the evening and a delegation of the party then meet Governor Kalyan Singh to stake claim to form the government.
MP: Chouhan announces resignation, says will not stake claim to form govt
Three-time Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhhan Wednesday announced his resignation and said the BJP will not stake claim to form government in the state. The Congress emerged as the single largest party in the state by winning 114 seats, two short of a simple majority. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which ruled the state for 15 years, got 109 seats. However, it edged ahead of the Congress in the vote share by a slender margin, bagging 41 per cent of the total votes polled, while the Congress got 40.9 per cent. "We have got more votes, but we will respect the mandate. We haven't got the required seats to form the government. We will not stake claim to form the government and I am submitting my resignation soon to the governor," Chouhan told reporters. Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav have announced their parties' support to the Congress in Madhya Pradesh. Chouhan was the state's longest serving chief minister since 2005.
Rajasthan: Decision on CM post to be taken today, says Pilot
Sachin Pilot, one of the chief ministership hopefuls of the Congress party in Rajasthan, on Wednesday, informed that the decision on the position will be taken today by party president Rahul Gandhi and other leaders of the party."Whatever the MLAs have to say they will say in the meeting and final decision is left to the Congress president and other party leaders. We will take a call today," Pilot told reporters here.Along with Pilot, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot is also a contender for the top post in the state.The Congress on Tuesday was set to dislodge BJP's Vasundhara Raje in Rajasthan and registered a comeback by winning 99 seats out of 199 in the 2018 Assembly elections. The final tally saw BJP finishing second with 73 seats, CPI-M 2, BSP 6, Independents 13 and others 6.After winning 99 seats in Rajasthan -- though short of a clear majority-- the Congress had the support of RLD with one seat in its kitty. On Wednesday, BSP supremo Mayawati also extended her support to the
Rajasthan: Congress reaches out to Independents to form govt
After missing the magic number by a whisker in Rajasthan, the Congress party headed by Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday held a meeting with six Independent candidates in an attempt to stitch an alliance to form government in the state.The meeting was chaired by the former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot at his resident situated in Civil Lines, Jaipur in the morning.Speaking to ANI Gehlot stated, "Congress will make the final announcement in the evening." He also added that "the opinions and sentiments of every MLAs will be taken into account The decision of the high command will ultinately be followed".In the 2018 Vidhan Sabha election, the Congress bagged 99 seats out of 199 while the rival BJP only managed to get 73.On the other hand, Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party also got as less as 6 seats, however, 21 Independent candidates won in their respective constituencies.Not only that, the MLAs of the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RDL) party also came to visit Gehlot at his residence at around 9 am.
Cong gives notice in Rajya Sabha to discuss Rafale deal
In a fresh turn of events, Congress Member of Parliament Anand Sharma on Wednesday gave notice in Rajya Sabha under rule 267 to immediately discuss the issue of Rafale fighter jets deal.The 65 -year-old Congress leader in his letter alleged irregularities and corruption in the multi-crore fighter jets deal.The Rule 267 of the Rajya Sabha is related to suspension of rules which says "Any member, may, with the consent of the Chairman, move that any rule may be suspended in its application to a motion related to the business listed before the Council of that day and if the motion is carried, the rule in question shall be suspended for the time being."According to Sharma, the decision of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre of buying the jets has resulted in a loss not only in national exchequer but also in a loss of technology transfer in the manufacture of 108 fighter jets by public-sector Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL)The Rafale jet deal controversy has been on ..
Next, a presidential contest between Modi and Rahul (Comment)
By setting in motion the process of undoing the pronounced pro-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) tilt in Indian politics when the party secured a majority in the Lok Sabha and ruled at one time over 19 states, the voters of the three heartland states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have sent out two unambiguous messages.
RS adjourned till noon as TN parties protest over Cauvery
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned till noon on Wednesday as the two main political parties of Tamil Nadu -- the AIADMK and DMK -- held protests on the Cauvery river issue. Soon after ministers laid listed papers on the table of the House, AIADMK members trooped into the Well carrying a banner that read 'protect the lives of Cauvery delta farmers'. DMK members too entered the Well raising issues related to Cauvery river. Chairman Venkaiah Naidu urged them to return to their seats. He said notices have been received from several parties for discussion on different issues on urgent importance. The Chairman said though he has not allowed the issues to be raised under Rule 267 (suspension of business to take up a matter) all issues would be taken up for discussion. As the two parties continued to protest, Naidu said only on Tuesday people in some states have shown their "confidence in democracy" and asked members to respect sentiments of the people. "I am not going to be dictated .