Page 2242 - Politics
Assembly poll results will have no bearing on Lok Sabha election: Jaitley
Government on Tuesday said the assembly election results were not on expected lines but ruled out any adverse impact of these on the next year's Lok Sabha elections.Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told ANI that BJP leadership and cadres would "pause and analyse the results and take corrective steps that may be required before the general elections due by May 2019.He rejected the contention that the outcomes of the assembly result was a reflection on any individual and said, the results depend on many factors such as anti-incumbency, fatigue-factor or state leadership among others."No one should mislead himself that victory or defeat is of one person," Jaitley said."The results are not on the expected lines...The results are certainly an opportunity of BJP leadership and cadre to pause and analyse," he said adding that the leadership and cadre will undertake an honest assessment in this regard.To a question, he said these assembly election results will have no bearing on the upcoming Lok
Raje concedes defeat in Rajasthan
Outgoing Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Tuesday congratulated the Congress party for their success in the state assembly elections while conceding defeat for the BJP.Addressing media persons, Raje said, "I congratulate the Congress party for their victory. I accept the public's decision. I am proud of the development work undertaken by the Bharatiya Janata Party in these five years. I hope the Congress party takes forward development and pro-people policies of the BJP.""I am thankful to all those people who treated us like family and supported us. I would also like to thank every worker of the BJP because they worked very hard in these elections. I would also thank the Prime Minister, our national president, our leadership at the Centre, our state chief who supported and guided us," Raje said.Raje was evasive on questions pertaining to the reasons for her party's defeat in the state, saying, "Now done. That is it!"According to the latest trends from the Election ...
Telangana Cong chief's wait to shave beard just got longer
The wait of Telangana Congress chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy, who vowed not to shave his beard till Congress comes to power in the state, just got longer with the party-led alliance slumping to a heavy defeat in the assembly elections. Reddy was declared elected from Huzurnagar constituency in Suryapet district Tuesday after he secured more than 8,200 votes against his TRS rival Saidi Reddy. Uttam Kumar Reddy's wife Padmavathy Reddy lost by a narrow margin of over 200 votes to her nearest TRS rival Mallaih Yadav in the neighbouring Kodad. A former Indian Air Force pilot, Reddy who always looked clean shaved, had in 2016 after he became Telangana Pradesh Congress Chief, said, "I will maintain the beard till Congress comes to power in Telangana." A visibly upset Reddy Tuesday said there was a strong suspicion that EVM machines could have been "manipulated" and demanded 100 percent counting of VVPAT (Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail) paper trails in all constituencies. The TPCC
Cong-led alliances comes a cropper in Telangana polls
The much touted tie-up between the Congress and Telugu Desam Party, which took on the TRS in the December 7 elections, came a cropper with the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister-led outfit winning a mere two seats. The Congress, which won 21 seats in the previous elections in 2014, secured 19 this time. The newly founded Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) and the Communist Party of India (CPI), which were also part of the 'Prajakutami' (Peoples Front), drew a blank, pushing the grouping to despair. The Congress and TDP had set aside decades-old political rivalry to join hands to dislodge the Telangana Rashtra Samithi government. The TDP had won 15 seats in 2014 in alliance with the BJP. The Congress contested in 99 seats, TDP in 13, CPI in three and TJS in four seats officially in the election. With poor performance of the alliance, questions are being asked as to whether the alliance partners have failed the "voter transfer" test. Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Andhra Pradesh
Cong appoints Kharge, AK Antony as observers for Chhattisgarh, MP
Congress leaders AK Antony and Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday were appointed as observers for Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, respectively, by the party.As per data published by the Election Commission of India (ECI), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trailing in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, where the Congress is leading at 77 and 83 seats, respectively.The Congress, till now, has won 18 seats in Chhattisgarh, while the BJP has only bagged three seats in the state.The two-phase Assembly elections in Chhattisgarh were held on November 12 and 20, while polling in Madhya Pradesh took place on November 28.
TRS all set to form government in Telangana
Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) is all set to retain power in Telangana as the party has already won 79 Assembly seats and is leading on 9 seats as per the latest poll result details shared by the Election Commission of India (ECI) at 9.10 pm.The BJP has won one seat and is leading on none. The Congress has won 18 seats and leading on one seat. Asaduddin Owaisi led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has won six seats and is leading on one seat. Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has won two seats and is leading on none.Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu said, "TDP respects the mandate of the people of Telangana. Congratulations to K Chandrasekhar Rao. Also, the best wishes to all the newly elected public representatives of five states."Caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao won from Gajewal constituency by over 50,000 votes while TRS candidate Talasani Srinivas Yadav, minister in Rao's government, has won from Sanath Nagar constituency by ...
Discussion about shortcomings will be held: Raman Singh
Outgoing chief minister Raman Singh said a proper discussion would be held regarding all shortcomings in poll preparedness after the party conceded defeat to the Congress in the recently-concluded assembly polls.Speaking to media after he tendered his resignation as the chief minister of Chhattisgarh, Singh asserted that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would make a comeback in the general elections which are slated to take place in 2019."We need the blessings of the people, discussions would be held about the shortcomings. The party will take all issues into consideration. We will definitely make a comeback in the 2019 general elections," he said.Earlier in the day, Singh resigned from his post after the BJP faced a drubbing in the Assembly elections, for which he took "moral responsibility".According to the Election Commission of India, Congress is leading in 59 seats while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is second in place with 14 seats.However, Singh, in his constituency ...
Owaisi lauds KCR, says country needs 'anti-Cong, anti-BJP' govt
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday lauded Telangana Rashtriya Samiti (TRS) chief K. Chandrashekhar Rao for retaining power in Telangana, and stressed on the need for India to have a 'non-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and a non-Congress government' in the centre.Addressing the media here, Owaisi said: "K. Chandrashekhar Rao has all the capabilities and capacities to ensure that a non-Congress government comes into existence when the next parliament election takes place. This country requires a non-Congress and a non-BJP government.""After seeing K. Chandrasekhar Rao from very close quarters, I feel that this nation deserves a leader like him and I hope that the next step which he is going to take will be successful; a lot of planning and studying has gone into it. Definitely, I'll stand shoulder to shoulder with him, ensuring that in the 2019 election, there is a non-Congress and non-BJP government," Owaisi added.Owaisi further attacked .
There is no firm grand alliance at the moment: Patnaik
Amid efforts to forge a joint front of non-BJP parties, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Tuesday said there was no such firm grand alliance at the national level now and asserted that the Biju Janata Dal maintains equidistance from both the saffron party and the Congress. "There is no firm 'maha gatbandhan' at the moment and let's see what happens in the future," Patnaik told reporters while replying to a question on such an alliance being formed against the BJP at the national level. Top leaders of 21 Opposition parties had on Monday met in New Delhi and vowed to forge a united front to fight and defeat the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, alleging "systematic denigration of democracy" and assault on the Constitution and institutions like the RBI under the BJP government. Patnaik has so far not attended any meetings of the grand alliance nor did he send any BJD representative to attend such discussions. Asked about the possibility of an alliance ahead of the 2019 general ...
Cong makes big gains in Assembly polls in Hindi heartland; TRS and MNF wins
A resurgent Congress Tuesday made significant gains in the Assembly elections, dealing a body blow to the BJP in Chattisgarh and Rajasthan and was locked in a cliffhanger in Madhya Pradesh. The reverses for the BJP in the Hindi heartland threw wide open the 2019 Lok Sabha elections which until a few months ago appeared to be in the grip of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party. The Assembly polls held for five states also saw the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) recording a landslide win for a second consecutive term and the Mizo National Front (MNF) scripting a spectacular victory dislodging the Congress in its last bastion in the Northeast to return to power after 10 years. Buoyed by Congress' good showing in the polls that was dubbed as a semi-final for the 2019 general elections, party president Rahul Gandh said the outcome is a "clear message" to the Modi government that people are not happy with it and time has come for a change. Prime Minister Narendra Modi got a massive mandate .
Govt names former bureaucrat Shaktikanta Das as new RBI Guv
Former bureaucrat Shaktikanta Das was Tuesday named the new governor of the Reserve Bank of India after Urjit Patel abruptly resigned amid a face-off with the government over issues related to governance and autonomy of the central bank. Das, 61, who was the first to field questions on the shock November 2016 decision to junk 86 per cent of the currency in circulation, will have a three-year tenure. Having often favoured a cut in interest rates by the central bank, he will be the 25th Governor of the 83-year-old institution. "The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Shaktikanta Das, former Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, as Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for a period of three years," an official order said. He replaces Urjit Patel, who surprisingly resigned from the central bank on Monday amid growing differences with the government over a range of subjects, including the central bank's autonomy. Das, a 1980-batch IAS officer ...
Irrigation sector going to be huge priority for new govt:KTR
Irrigation sector is going to be a huge priority of the incoming Telangana Rashtra Samithi government, a key party leader said Tuesday. On the focus and thrust of the new government expected to be sworn in this week, K T Rama Rao, son of caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, pointed to a lot of ongoing projects. "Irrigation has to be a huge priority because we have given the people of Telangana a categorical commitment that we will ensure one crore acres of land will be irrigated in Telangana," Rama Rao told PTI after his party coasted to a landslide victory. "That's going to be a top priority and then urban and rural infrastructure and health and education," Rama Rao, considered number two in the party, said. He said the party was very grateful to the people of Telangana for reposing faith in it, and indebted to them. "It was an overwhelming victory as we had anticipated and I am delighted the people of Telangana chose to ignore the rhetoric of unholy nexus of ..
BJP poll drubbing: For Maha tie-up, Sena could demand 50 pc
The Shiv Sena, buoyed by the BJP's dismal performance in the Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, is likely demand at least 50 per cent of seats in the event of the two bickering saffron parties opting for an alliance. A senior Sena leader, requesting anonymity, said party chief Uddhav Thackeray, with his Ram temple pitch, had already started a "parallel movement" to expand its base across the country. "Apart from the Ram temple issue, there is a lot of resentment among people against the BJP government. Bad policies, issues like demonetisation, bad implementation of GST has hurt traders and middle class citizens," the source claimed. The source added that the BJP's dismal performance in the Assembly polls had corroborated the Sena's stand on growing dissent among people. When asked for a reaction, Sena legislator Anil Parab said party chief Thackeray has already decided to go solo in all upcoming polls. "Nobody, except Uddhav ji can confirm if
Local issues determined outcome, will do better in 2019: BJP
The BJP on Thursday said the results of five Assembly elections show that local factors determined the outcome in each state and the party will come back strongly in 2019 Lok Sabha elections with a result better than in 2014 due to "Modi factor".
Raj battle: Cong rebels who won as Independents hold the trump card
Several rebel Congress candidates who won as Independents in the Rajasthan Assembly polls may help the party to form the next government in the desert state. Though the Rahul Gandhi-led party is surging ahead, it may still need support and a post-poll alliance if it fails to win the mandatory 100 seats, to form the government. As of now, Congress has won 86 seats and is leading on 13 seats, taking its probable tally to 99 out of the 199 seats which went to polls. Former food and civil supply minister in the Ashok Gehlot government, Babu Lal Nagar (Dudu), Raj Kumar Gaur (Ganganagar), Sanyam Lodha (Sirohi) and Alok Beniwal (Shahpura) are some of the Congress rebels who won as independents in the fiercely fought assembly polls. "Congress rebels who won the elections would be supporting the party in the formation of government," a party leader said. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has so far won 71 seats and is leading on two seats, while 11 independents have won and two are leading. Six
Selection of CMs to be done smoothly: Rahul Gandhi
With Congress set to form governments in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and locked in a close fight in Madhya Pradesh, party president Rahul Gandhi Tuesday said the selection of chief ministers in the three states will be done "smoothly". "We have defeated the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh... There will be no issue over (selection of) chief minister. It will be done smoothly," he said. He was replying to a question on who will be the party's chief ministers in the three Hindi heartland states. While senior party leader Ashok Gehlot and state Congress chief Sachin Pilot were in the race for the post of chief minister in Rajasthan, the contenders for the top post in Chhattisgarh are T S Singh Deo, veteran party leader Charan Das Mahant, state party president Bhupesh Baghel and OBC leader Tamradhwaj Sahu. In Madhya Pradesh, state Congress chief Kamal Nath and senior leader Jyotiraditya Scindia are vying for chief ministership. Gandhi also said that the party effectively .
Vasundhara Raje concedes defeat
Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Tuesday conceded BJP's defeat in the Assembly elections and hoped the Congress would take forward the policies her government had implemented in the last five years.
Four ministers in caretaker govt bite the dust in polls
Four ministers in the caretaker Telangana government and Speaker of the dissolved Assembly S Madhusudhan Chary were among those who lost from their constituencies Tuesday. The ministers were Tummala Nageswar Rao, Jupally Krishna Rao, P Mahender Reddy and Azmeera Chandulal. The BJP's Telangana president K Laxman and its senior leader G Kishan Reddy and NTRs grand-daughter Nandamuri Suhasini who contested on TDP ticket also lost the battle. Revanth Reddy, Jana Reddy, J Geetha Reddy and DK Aruna and TPCC President Uttam Kumar Reddys wife Padmavathi Reddy were among senior Congress leaders who were defeated. Caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, his son K T Rama Rao, nephew T Harish Rao, ministers E Rajender, T Srinivas Yadav, T Padma Rao and Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi and BJP leader Raja Singh were among those who won from their constituencies. "Grateful, indebted & Humbled.Thanks Telangana for keeping the faith in KCR garu & ...
Egypt restricts sales of yellow vests: traders
Egyptian authorities have unofficially restricted the sale of "yellow vests", traders in Cairo said Tuesday, signalling fears of possible protests inspired by those in France. The move comes over a month ahead of the eighth anniversary of the 2011 uprising that toppled Egypt's longest seated ruler Hosni Mubarak and left the country reeling from political and economic turmoil for years. "We received instructions from the police around a week ago to sell yellow vests to companies only, and not to individuals," one importer said. He said two yellow vests shipments were en route to Egypt and should enter the country as normal. No instructions have been given to halt imports, he added. Launched in early November, weekly "yellow vest" protests in France against planned increases in fuel tax price have spiralled into violence in Paris and other cities, taking a heavy financial toll. At least seven "yellow vest" sellers in a downtown Cairo street confirmed to AFP that the sale of vests is ...
Poll results show farm distress is a major factor
The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) poor performance in the rural parts of the three Hindi heartland states has indicated that rural distress, mainly over crop prices, was a major factor and could possibly continue to be so in the 2019 general elections.