Page 2247 - Politics
Stalin greets Rahul
DMK President M.K. Stalin on Tuesday congratulated Congress President Rahul Gandhi on his party's performance in Assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
Successor of Urjit Patel will have task of restoring credibility, autonomy of RBI: Subbarao
A day after Urjit Patel resigned as RBI Governor, former central bank head D Subbaro said the successor will have a task of restoring credibility and autonomy of the institution. He also said that it seems that Governor Patel was pushed beyond a level of comfort leading to resignation. The former governor, who also had differences with the Centre, expressed confidence that the government has maturity and experience and they will introspect on Patel's resignation. "They (government) will also perhaps examine in what way they will have to push their agenda. Push is a wrong word. In what way they can push their agenda, what limit they can push it, at what point of time they have to withdraw. "The government will have to do serious introspection...the next incumbent governor, who she or he may be, will of course have task of restoring creditability of RBI and entering into working arrangement with the government which does not give the impression of being influenced beyond acceptable ...
Railways to run 4 special 'Pravasi Bharti' trains to Kumbh Mela in January
The railways will run four special trains between Allahabad and Delhi to ferry delegates of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas from the Kumbh Mela to the national capital for them to be a part of the Republic Day event. In a meeting, officials from the External Affairs and the Railway Ministry decided that 'Pravasi Bharti' trains will run on January 24 at between 7 pm to 12.50 am, sources said. The four trains will begin their journeys from Allahabad -- the first one at 19:00 hours, the next at 20:15 hours, then at 22:00 hours and the last one at 00:50 hours. The last train will reach Delhi by 13:30 pm on January 25, the source said. The railways will convert all third AC coaches of the special trains to second AC for providing more comfort to delegates, the sources said. The 15th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas will be held in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's constituency Varanasi from January 21 to 23. The Indian diaspora attending the event will get an opportunity to participate in the 'Kumbh Snan',
May tours Europe in desperate bid to save Brexit deal
Embattled British Prime Minister Theresa May embarked on a tour of European capitals on Tuesday in a desperate bid to salvage her Brexit deal, a day after delaying a parliamentary vote on the text to avoid a crushing defeat. May had breakfast with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in The Hague before heading to Berlin for lunch with Chancellor Angela Merkel, and was then to travel on to Brussels. She is seeking "reassurances" over provisions in the EU withdrawal agreement concerning Northern Ireland, which she hopes could persuade her rebellious Conservative party to support it. European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said ahead of meeting May that he was "surprised" at being asked for more talks. "I'm surprised because we had reached an agreement on November 25" at the last EU summit, he told the European Parliament in Strasbourg. "The deal we have achieved is the best deal possible, it's the only deal possible. "There is no room whatsoever for renegotiation but of course there ..
Populist schemes pay handsome dividends to KCR
: A slew of populist schemes like 'Raithu Bandhu' investment support scheme for farmers and social security pensions paid handsome dividends to TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao, who led his party to a thumping victory in Telangana. The TRS secured a two thirds majority, winning 84 seats in the 119 member assembly in a resounding endorsement of KCRs popularity. Rao's focus on agriculture, rolling out the 'Ryuthu Bandu' investment support scheme for farmers that gave tillers Rs 8,000 per annum per acre and a Rs five lakh insurance cover for farmers consolidated his support base all over the state, especially in rural areas. Ensuring 24 hour power supply for farmers and construction of double bedroom houses for the poor also proved a huge hit. Rao is also credited with ensuring peace in Hyderabad, which had been rocked by communal violence in the past. TRS leaders said the government's focus on development and welfare schemes led to the party's huge victory. "This was expected
Rahul steers Congress to a good show in three states on first anniversary as party chief
Exactly a year after he was elected Congress President, Rahul Gandhi has steered his party to election victories in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and possibly in Madhya Pradesh where the party was in neck-and-neck race with the ruling BJP throughout the day.
MNF candidate won by three votes
Mizo National Front (MNF) candidate Lalchhandama Ralte on Tuesday won the Tuivawl seat in Mizoram defeating his nearest Congress rival R.L. Pianmawia by just three votes.
Shaktikanta Das to be new RBI Governor
The government on Tuesday appointed former Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das as the new RBI Governor, a day after Urjit Patel suddenly resigned.
Verdict shows secularism won: Karnataka CM
Karnataka Chief Minister and Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy on Tuesday termed the verdict in five Assembly elections a victory for secular parties.
MNF bounces back to power in Mizoram, Cong loses last bastion in Northeast
The Mizo National Front (MNF) Tuesday scripted a spectacular victory in Mizoram, uprooting the Congress in its last bastion in the Northeast to return to power after 10 years. The MNF won 26 seats in the 40-member assembly, a gain of 21 seats since 2013. The Congress managed to bag only five seats compared to 34 seats it won in the 2013 assembly elections. No party in the state has so far been able to form government thrice in a row since 1987 when Mizoram became a full-fledged state. Outgoing chief minister Lal Thanhawla suffered defeats from both the seats he contested, including his home turf Serchip. He also lost from Champai South constituency. The MNF, previously an underground outfit, had signed the Mizo Accord in 1986 with the central government renouncing secession and violence and its leader Laldenga became the chief minister. The MNF led by Zoramthanga, a former underground, had won the assembly elections in 1998 and 2003. It is now a constituent of the North East ...
Raman Singh resigns as Chhattisgarh CM
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh resigned on Tuesday taking moral responsibility for the BJP's stunning defeat in Assembly election.
Sikkim's ruling party seeks expansion of state assembly
Sikkim's lone Lok Sabha MP P.D. Rai has presented a list of "long-pending demands" to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and pleaded for increasing the strength of the Sikkim Assembly from its present 32 to 40 seats.
AIMIM retains seven seats in Hyderabad
The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) maintained its grip on Hyderabad politics, retaining seven Assembly seats in the Telangana capital.
Rahul Gandhi to take final call Wednesday on who will be Raj CM
Congress president Rahul Gandhi will take the final call Wednesday on who will be the chief minister in Rajasthan after taking in account the opinion of the newly elected MLAs, a senior party leader said. Senior party leader Ashok Gehlot and Pradesh Congress Committee president Sachin Pilot are the contenders for the coveted post. "Congress legislature party (CLP) meeting will be held at 11 am on Wednesday in which the elected MLAs of the party will pass a resolution. The observer will seek individual opinion of the MLAs," AICC general secretary Avinash Pande said here. He said the Congress president will be apprised of the feedback and a second meeting of the CLP will be held on Wednesday evening. The decision on the chief ministerial candidate would be announced after the second meeting, he said. "Apart from the discussion on the name of CLP leader, several other issues will be discussed in the meeting" he said. When asked whether there is any other name for the post, Pande said ...
Poll results slap on BJP's face, trailer of 2019: Vaghela
Former Gujarat Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela Tuesday termed the trends suggesting Congress' victory in three states as a "big slap" on the BJP's face, and said it was a "trailer" of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Vaghela said the voters of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh have smashed the BJP's arrogance by voting in favour of opposition Congress. The former Gujarat Chief Minister was talking to reporters in Gandhinagar. Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who campaigned extensively during these Assembly polls, Vaghela said the PM spent his entire term of over four years in just campaigning for his party instead of running the country properly. "This poll result is a trailer of the 2019 general elections. This anti-BJP trend will continue in the Lok Sabha polls. BJP had an arrogance that it can win polls using money power. This defeat is a big slap on the BJP's face by the voters, who have kept alive the spirit of democracy," he said. "He (PM) only ...
Congress thanks India: You have chosen love over hate
The Congress on Tuesday hailed its good showing in assembly polls in three Hindi heartland states and thanked people for choosing "lover over hate". The Congress appeared set to wrest Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh from the BJP, which was trailing marginally in Madhya Pradesh in a cliffhanger. "Democracy has won! Thank you India, you have chosen love over hate, peace over violence & truth over lies. This victory is yours," read a tweet on the party's official Twitter handle, with the hashtag 'CongressWinsBIG'. In a shock result, a resurgent Congress ended Chief Minister Raman Singh's uninterrupted 15-year rule in Chhattisgarh and was on course to regain power in Rajasthan, where the BJP won all the 25 seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha election.
Assembly poll losses make road ahead bumpier for the BJP
A clear win for the BJP in the next General Elections appears more challenging after its worst electoral setbacks since 2014 with a resurgent Congress getting better of it in saffron strongholds. Used to scenes of jubilations and triumphant speeches from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah after almost every round of state polls, the BJP headquarters wore a subdued look as its top brass mulled over the losses in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. The Congress appeared set to form governments in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, while the contest in Madhya Pradesh remained a cliffhanger as the counting progressed. The win of Mizo National Front, which is a member of the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance, in Mizoram was of little solace for the party, as it stared at its losses in the three states, which had in 2014 elected 62 BJP MPs of the total 65 they send to Lok Sabha. The BJP had won 282 seats in the 543-member House in 2014 and its unprecedented ...
Countdown of Modi govt's fall has begun: Kejriwal
The countdown of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government's fall has begun, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Tuesday as assembly election trends showed the BJP trailing in two of the three states where it was in power. "The countdown of the Modi government's fall has begun," Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi. Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was behind its main rival Congress in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. It was locked in a close contest with the opposition party in Madhya Pradesh, according to latest trends. The Congress is likely to get an absolute majority in Chhattisgarh and is reaching the simple majority mark in Rajasthan.
Sachin: the Pilot who helped drive Cong to victory in Rajasthan
He flies planes, loves to drive and has helped steer the Congress from the depths of defeat in 2013 to the highs of victory in Rajasthan. Sachin Pilot may not become chief minister if the party chooses to appoint the older, more experienced Ashok Gehlot, but the urbane politician, equally at home in a village as in the debating room of an English news channel, has more than earned his electoral stripes, say party leaders. The 41-year-old Stephanian, as those from Delhi's elite St Stephen's College are sometimes called, and Wharton MBA graduate had made a vow in 2014 when the party lost in the Lok Sabha elections to not wear a turban he so loved till the Congress returns to power. And now it seems the saafa' might well be back on his head. With trends showing a 101-72 margin on Tuesday, the win against the BJP is not as emphatic as the Congress would have wished, but to Pilot goes the credit of ensuring that his party came back to power in Rajasthan by defeating the BJP's Vasundhara ..
BJP Assembly poll debacle 'trailer' of 2019 LS defeat: Chavda
Gujarat Congress president Amit Chavda Tuesday called the BJP's poor performance in the Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls as a "trailer" of the party's "picture of defeat" in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Chavda gave credit for the Congress' performance to party chief Rahul Gandhi's leadership and organisational skills. "This is a trailer of the BJP's defeat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The entire country will repose its trust in the Congress and will show the BJP the picture of defeat," Chavda said. "Today, Rahul ji (Gandhi) completes one year as Congress president. Under his leadership, he organised, guided and encouraged party supporters not just to seek power but to respect and fight for the rights of the people," Chavda said. "Today's results show Rahul ji's leadership got converted into result-oriented success. Whether it is Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh or Madhya Pradesh, it is clear people have accepted Rahul ji's leadership," he added. Chavda .