Page 2246 - Politics
Will impose total prohibition in Mizoram: Zoranthanga
After leading the Mizo National Front (MNF) to power in Mizoram, chief minister-designate Zoramthanga Tuesday said he would impose total prohibition in the state as promised by his party. Total prohibition was imposed in this highly-literate and Christian-majority state since February 20, 1997 by the then Congress government. However, it was lifted in early 2015 by enforcing the Mizoram Liquor Prohibition and Control Act, 2014. Following this, wine shops were opened in the state from March 16, 2015. Speaking to reporters after his party won a landslide victory in the election to the 40-member state legislature by bagging 26 seats, Zoramthanga said his government would also ensure better roads and implement the Socio-Economic Development Programme (SEDP) the flagship programme of the party, to lift the state's economy. In the run up to the polls, liquor was a major political issue. While the Congress was against total prohibition, the MNF wanted a complete ban. The BJP had taken a ...
Shaktikanta Das named new RBI Governor
Former bureaucrat Shaktikanta Das, who spearheaded the post-demonetisation normalisation of the economy, was Tuesday named the new governor of the Reserve Bank of India. Das, 61, replaces Urjit Patel, who shocked the establishment and markets by announcing his exit from the central bank Monday. Das will have a three-year term, an official order said. He will be the first bureaucrat to head the central bank in almost five years. While it was widely expected that the government will name an interim RBI head during its search for Patel's replacement, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose Das within a day. In a tweet, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the government has "accepted the resignation of Dr Urijit Patel who resigned yesterday from the said post." Meanwhile, Finance Secretary A N Jha said Das has wide experience in state government as well as the union government. Das, a 1980-batch Tamil Nadu cadre IAS officer, who retired as ...
'US President worried about getting impeached'
United Stated President Donald Trump is worried about the "real possibility" of impeachment when the Democrats take over the House, revealed a source close to President, reported CNN.The source further disclosed that the US President is, however, unsure about the possibility of it happening but does view impeachment as a real threat.The article written by CNN Chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta stated that the aides inside the West Wing believe the only plausible issue in the impeachment process is the illegal hush-hush payouts to Trump's mistresses during 2016 presidential campaign. Several Democrats see this financial violation as an impeachable offence.Earlier, Democrat Senator Chris Coons stated that Trump could be indicted after he demits office if allegations against Trump of directing his former lawyer Michael Cohen to make illegal payments during the presidential campaign are true.In August, Cohen had pleaded guilty to paying adult-film star Stormy Daniels as part of a .
It is victory of democracy: Chhattisgarh Congress president
As Congress inches closer to victory in the Chhattisgarh Assembly election, state Congress president Bhupesh Baghel at a press conference on Tuesday stated that the mandate reflects the victory of democracy."This is a victory of democracy. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had a lot of money and a team of corrupt officers, they also had conspirators in their pocket. Despite all of this, the mandate given by the people in Chhattisgarh is historic," Baghel added.Accepting the mandate, Congress in-charge of the state PL Punia said, "They have not given us the right, they have given us a responsibility. They believed the promises we made in our manifesto. People trusted the words of Rahul Gandhi and gave us an agenda, we accept it."Punia further said that the people of the state are smart as they did not fall for BJP's ploy of using Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) of eating into the Congress vote bank. Voters wanted a change, he added.He assured that all the promises made in the manifesto will ..
With multiple CM claimants, Congress' problem of plenty
Even as it celebrates winning the Assembly polls in the BJP-ruled Hindi heartland of Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and possibly Madhya Pradesh, the Congress is faced with the problem of plenty with multiple claimants to the chief ministerial chair in all the three states.
Poll results have set alarm bells ringing for BJP: Hooda
Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Tuesday hailed the Congress' performance in three Hindi heartland states and said the poll results had set the alarm bells ringing for the Narendra Modi-led NDA government. He said the Congress' performance showed that the party was on an upswing in the country. "These polls were being treated as the semi-final to 2019 (general election). The Congress' performance has been quite impressive in the Hindi heartland states. The results have set the alarm bells ringing for the BJP-led government at the Centre," Hooda said, reacting to the assembly poll results in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. He congratulated Congress president Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi for the party's impressive show in the three states where Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was in power. "Under the able leadership of Rahul Gandhi, the party is definitely on an upswing across the country. The credit goes to him and Congress ...
People rejected Mandir-Masjid politics: Mehbooba Mufti on poll results
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Tuesday said the results in the assembly polls to five states have shown that political awakening is on the rise in the country as people have rejected the communal politics. The Congress was on Tuesday set to wrest Rajasthan and Chattisgarh from the BJP which was trailing marginally in Madhya Pradesh in a cliffhanger while the TRS stormed back to power in Telangana and the MNF dislodged the Congress in Mizoram. "People rejected Mandir-Masjid politics, results show political awakening on rise in India," the PDP quoted its president Mehbooba Mufti as saying on its Twitter handle. She was referring to the loss of BJP, which was an ally of the PDP in Jammu and Kashmir government till June this year, in the assembly polls in five states. "Clearly the mood of the nation rejects the brazen attempts of polarising the society, rejects those who promise in words but plot in action, rejects those furthering their politics by pitting the people of one community
Cong's fine performance a forerunner to LS polls: Pondy CM
Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy Tuesday said the Congress' fine showing in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh assembly elections was a forerunner to next year's Lok Sabha polls. Narayanasamy and PWD Minister A Namassivayam, who is also the Congress Puducherry chief, and other legislators distributed sweets to people as news of the election results in the three Hindi heartland states, trickled in. The Congress appeared set to wrest Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh from the BJP, which was trailing marginally in Madhya Pradesh in a cliffhanger. The defeat of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the three states was a blow to the 'vanity and reckless' administration of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, he told reporters. The chief minister alleged that the NDA government at the Centre had failed the people as it had not implemented any of the promises it had made during the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. He alleged farmers were committing suicide because
Maha Cong leaders hail Rahul Gandhi for Assembly poll wins
Maharashtra Congress leaders Tuesday hailed party chief Rahul Gandhi's leadership for its stellar performance in the Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls. They added that the results were a clear indicator that the Congress was all set to regain lost ground and return to the centre stage of national politics. Congress president Sanjay Nirupam called the results a "trailer" with the "picture" set for release in 2019 when the Narendra Modi government would be shown the door. "Today's mandate is only a trailer and full picture will be released in 2019 when people of the country will oust (PM) Modi. People will elect Rahul Gandhi as Prime Minister. People are so angry with Modi's arrogance that Congress will form government on its own in 2019," Nirupam said. Former Mumbai Congress chief Kripashankar Singh said the success achieved by the party under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi was "resounding", adding that the winning streak would continue in the Lok .
J&K Guv grieves killing of policemen in terror attack
Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik Tuesday expressed grief over the killing of four police personnel in a terror attack in Shopian district. In a message, Malik prayed for the departed souls and conveyed his sympathies to the bereaved families. Four policemen were killed Tuesday afternoon when Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists attacked a guard post outside a minority pocket in the south Kashmir district. Meanwhile, state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also condemned the "cowardly attack" and said the continued "jihadi terror and violence" against the security personnel was part of a "sinister design" to subvert the morale of the police force. "J&K Police is the finest and one of the most professional police force. It will respond effectively and ensure that the sinister design of the terrorists does not succeed, BJP state spokesperson Anil Gupta said.
Congress Legislature Party to meet on Wednesday
The Congress said on Tuesday after winning the Rajasthan Assembly election that it has called a meeting of its newly elected legislators on Wednesday to decide who the new Chief Minister should be.
Amarinder hails Congress victory; says it's beginning of end of NDA-rule
Haling the victory of the Congress in the Assembly elections in three states, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday said it was a mandate for the leadership of party President Rahul Gandhi and added that it marked the beginning of the end of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA government in the country.
Russian fighter jets in Venezuela raise tensions between Kremlin, US
Tensions between Kremlin and the US on Tuesday continued to rise as two Russian bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons landed in Venezuela in a show of support for the government of socialist President Nicolás Maduro.
UPSC seeks fresh applications from pvt sector specialists applying for JS posts
The UPSC has sought fresh applications from over 6,000 private sector specialists who have applied for 10 posts of joint secretaries in the central government through 'lateral entry' mode, the DoPT said Tuesday. In a statement, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) said the task of selection of suitable candidates from amongst those who had applied for the posts in select government departments through 'lateral entry' mode was entrusted to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) by the competent authority on October 29. "All candidates who have already submitted their applications online to the DoPT are now requested to fill up a Detailed Application Form (DAF) which seeks to obtain additional specific information from the candidates regarding qualifications and experience so as to facilitate the selection process," it said. The term lateral entry refers to the appointment of specialists, mainly those from private sector, in government organisations. An email is also ...
MP polls: CM Chouhan leads by over 43,000 votes in Budhni
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan of BJP has established a decisive lead of 43,690 votes over his nearest rival Arun Yadav of Congress in Budhni Assembly seat, as per the latest vote count. Chouhan is seeking a fifth term as an MLA from the seat in Sehore district. Simultaneously, the battle between the Congress and the ruling BJP to claim the Madhya Pradesh crown has gone down to the wire. The Congress, which is keen to end its political wilderness since 2003, has taken an edge over the BJP as it is leading on 105 seats against the BJP's 98-seat lead. So far, results for 20 seats have been declared. The magic figure to form government in Madhya Pradesh, which has 230 assembly seats, is 116 seats. Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the outgoing Assembly, Ajay Singh of the Congress, is trailing Shardendu Tiwari of the BJP by a margin of 5,816 votes from his traditional Churhat seat. Chouhan's brother-in-law Sanjay Singh Masani, who had joined the Congress
BJP's poor performance in assembly polls indicates people's anger: Akhilesh
SP president Akhilesh Yadav said Tuesday the BJP's poor electoral performance in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh were indicative of the people's anger against the Narendra Modi-led government. He said the results will have an impact on the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. "People have voted against the policies and programmes of the BJP...They have expressed their anger towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP-led states," Yadav was quoted as saying in a party release. Earlier in the day, Yadav tweeted, "Jab ek aur ek milkar bante hai gyaarah, tab badey bado ki satta ho jaati hai nau do gyaarah (when one and one come together, it makes 11, and the power of the bigwigs eventually fade away).
Rahul's high-octane campaign the clincher in Hindi heartland, says party
While political analysts will debate in the coming days the reasons for the BJP's setbacks in three Hindi heartland states, the Congress brain trust has an unambiguous answer -- Rahul Gandhi's newfound campaign energy. Congress president Gandhi, once dubbed by critics as a "reluctant politician", addressed 82 public rallies and seven road shows since October 6, crisscrossing Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Telanagana and Mizoram on an almost daily basis. Gandhi, during his spirited campaign, raised several issues such as farmers distress, Rafale deal, corruption, and women's security in all these states. He also raised state-specific issues such as the Vyapam scam in Madhya Pradesh and farmers' suicides in Rajasthan. His promise of a loan waiver to farmers in the Hindi heartland states seems to have struck a chord with the people in villages. "With sheer grit and determination, against all odds, defying state coercion and intimidation, Rahul Gandhi has scripted an amazing ...
Assembly poll results beginning of BJP's end: Mamata Banerjee
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said the results of Assembly polls in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana have indicated the 'beginning of the BJP's end' in the country."This is the semi-final of the final match as 2019 General Elections will be held in next 2-3 months. For the 2019 final match, the game is clear. Now we are just waiting for the elections. The countdown for 2019 has begun. This is the beginning of the end (of the BJP," she said while talking to media persons.Banerjee said the BJP has tasted defeat for misusing democratic institutions and for proudly displaying its power. "There are many reasons behind the BJP's defeat. A few of these are being proud of being in power and misuse of democratic institutions. People from all strata of the society are against the BJP. This is a disaster for them," she said.As per the figures published by the Election Commission of India (ECI), the Congress has swept polls in Rajasthan and ...
Sachin Pilot wins in Tonk, Gehlot leading in Sardarpura
Rajasthan Congress unit chief Sachin Pilot registered a resounding victory in Tonk constituency by bagging 1,09,040 votes. He defeated Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Yoonus Khan, who managed to bag only 54,861 votes.Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot is leading in Sardarpura constituency with 92,934 votes as compared to 48,880 votes polled by his nearest rival BJP's Shambhu Singh. The counting is underway.In Jhalrapatan, outgoing Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje is leading with 1,12,391 votes, while her nearest rival Congress' Manvendra Singh has got 77,974 votes.Earlier in the day, Pilot, while addressing the media, had stated that the Congress party is confident of a majority but is still in touch with the 'like-minded and anti-BJP parties.' Gehlot too has urged independents to join hands with the Congress in forming the government.According to the Election Commission, the Congress has won 26 seats in Rajasthan and is leading on 75 seats, while the BJP has won 15 seats and is leading
AAP legislator Phoolka meets Punjab Speaker over resignation
Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and legislator H.S. Phoolka on Tuesday met Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana K.P. Singh regarding his resignation from the state Assembly.