Page 2254 - Politics
North Korea hits back at US for sanctions against officials
Following the imposition of sanctions on three of its officials, the North Korean state media here on Tuesday hit back at the United States for pressuring the South-Asian nation.The US sanctions blacklisted top aides to North Korean leader, including Choe Ryong-hae, Vice Chairman of the ruling Workers' Party, for their alleged involvement in human right violation.Terming the sanctions as "hostile act", the communist nation stated that the US is countering the goodwill partnership forged during the historic meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore in June this year, reported Yonhap.North Korean newspaper Rodong Sinmun also called the US allegations against North Korea an "intolerable political provocation."Furthermore, the US also froze the properties and interests of the North-Korean within the US and banned them from processing any transactions with the US citizens.The sanctions imposed are the latest effort by the US to mount ...
Centre will have to consider legal aspects in appointment of new RBI guv: AN Jha
The central government will have to take stock of the current legal position in the fresh appointment of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor, said Finance Secretary AN Jha on Tuesday.His statement comes following the abrupt resignation of Urjit Patel as Governor yesterday, 10 months before the end of his tenure.Whether the central bank will have a full-time or an interim Governor will be decided today, informed Jha.Speculations about everything not being fine between Centre and RBI started pouring in after Centre had invoked Section 7 of the RBI Act, which allows it to issue directions to the central bank governor on matters of public interest.On October 31, some media reports suggested Urjit Patel may consider resigning following an alleged rift with Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. Later, the Finance Ministry clarified that the government holds "extensive consultations with the RBI from time to time".The Government in August 2016 had appointed Urjit Patel as the new Reserve ...
MP polls: Cong, BJP neck-and-neck
The Congress and the BJP is going neck-and-neck in Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, with both parties leading at 109 seats, as per the latest trends by the ECI.BSP was leading at five seats, while independents were leading at three and others at five in the state which has 230 seats in the Assembly, with the majority mark being 116.The Congress, which has been trying to dislodge the three-term BJP government in the state, expressed confidence that the party would cross the majority mark."As I said, the Congress is winning. We are going to get full majority," Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee chief Kamal Nath told ANI.However, there was no clarity on who would be the chief minister in case the Congress is able to form the government.Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, who is seen as a contender for the chief ministership, was evasive when asked by reporters as to who would be occupying the top post.""Let the result come first," he said."We will create an environment of peace, ...
Telangana Polls: Congress alleges rigging, TRS rubbishes claim
Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee's Uttam Kumar Reddy has alleged discrepancies in counting of votes for Assembly elections in the state.Reddy on Tuesday stated that his party has doubts on ballot paper counting and also hinted at tampering in EVM and suggested that VVPAT slips should be counted to ensure transparency."I am having doubts on results we're getting in Telangana ballot paper counting. We doubt that tampering could have been done in EVMs. Slips should be counted in VVPATs," he said.The Congress leader added that leaders of his party will complain to Election Commission over the issue."All the Congress leaders will complain to returning officers. We will also complain to ECI on this matter. How can TRS leaders say before counting who will lose in elections?" Reddy stated.According to latest figures, the ruling TRS is maintaining a lead of 90 seats, way ahead of the magic mark of 60. Congress and BJP are ahead on 16 and 1 seat, respectively.TRS MP from Nizamabad, K. ...
Mizoram CM Lal Thanhawla defeated in both constituencies
Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla was on Tuesday defeated in both the constituencies -- Champai South and Serchhip -- where he contested.
Results a clear message to BJP, it's time to introspect: Shiv Sena
As votes were counted, Shiv Sena Tuesday said the outcome of the elections in the five states is a clear message to the BJP and there is a need for the ruling coalition to introspect. Shiv Sena spokesperson and the party's Rajya Sabha lawmaker Sanjay Raut said the trends reflect that the BJP's victory chariot has been halted. "This is a clear message and it is the time for us to introspect," Raut told reporters in Parliament Complex. Despite being in alliance at the Centre and in Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena shares an uneasy relationship with the BJP. The two parties contested the 2014 Maharashtra polls separately but later joined hands to form government in the state. As per latest trends, the BJP is trailing in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh to the Congress. Madhya Pradesh is witnessing a very close contest between the two parties. In Telangana, TRS is heading to form the government for the second time and in Mizoram, MNF has left the ruling Congress far behind in its tally of seats.
It's victory of Telangana's self-respect: KCR's nephew
Telangana Rashtra Samithi leader T. Harish Rao on Tuesday described the party's landslide victory as the victory of Telangana's self-respect.
India pledges support to Myanmar's national peace process
Acknowledging that Myanmar is going through a "challenging time", India on Tuesday pledged full support to its national peace process and the country's quest for better connectivity during President Ram Nath Kovind's wide ranging talks with his counterpart U Win Myint and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. Kovind, who arrived here on Monday on a five-day visit, received a military guard of honour at the Presidential Palace. He held wide ranging discussions with his counterpart. "President Kovind led delegation-level talks with President U Win Myint of Myanmar. The President said that India attaches special priority to its relations with Myanmar. Myanmar is a key partner for India's 'Act East' and 'Neighbourhood First' policies," the president's office tweeted. The two leaders witnessed signing of two MoU/Programme of Cooperation between two countries in the area of judicial training and science and technology. India also handed over 50 housing units to Myanmar. India is building 250 ..
100 American children abducted to India says US Congressman
A top US Congressman has alleged that nearly 100 American children have been abducted to India and sought "real action" from the Trump administration to bring them back to the country. During a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee hearing to examine international child abduction, parents told the stories of their children's abductions and detailed the steps they had taken in the hopes their children would be returned to them. "We have 100 American children abducted to India, with almost no hope of return home without the United States choosing to take real action, such as lowering the number of visas available to Indian citizens until abducted American children are returned," Congressman Chris Smith said. He said that the Trump administration can and must use current law more aggressively to bring American children home to their families. Smith said the 'Goldman Act' empowers the Secretary of State with significant sanctions that must be utilised, including the authority to: withdraw, ..
Congress looks set to end Raman reign in Chhattisgarh
The Congress appeared all set to shatter BJP leader Raman Singh's dream of a consecutive fourth term as Chhattisgarh chief minister, as per early trends for the state Assembly elections. Congress was leading in 58 seats, while the ruling BJP was a distant second at 17. Trends for 82 of the 90 seats where polling was held in two phases, are available so far, a poll official said. Congress, which has 39 legislators in the outgoing House BJP has 10 more - appeared to have gotten its act together in the tribal-dominated state. The Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) of former chief minister Ajit Jogi was ahead in five seats while the CPI and the Gondwana Gantantra Party and the CPI (M) were leading in one seat each, the official said. Five ministers in the BJP government - Brijmohan Agrawal (Raipur City South), Kedar Kashyap (Narayanpur constituency), Mahesh Gagda (Bijapur), Dayaldas Baghel (Nawagarh) and Amar Agrawal (Bilaspur) - were trailing. However, state presidents of the .
Trump's White House turnover highest in decades: expert
Donald Trump's White House turnover has been the highest in decades, a top historian has said, days after the US President announced that his Chief of Staff John Kelly would be leaving the administration soon. Trump's White House had the "highest 73 per cent turnover" of top-ranked staff experienced by any recent president, Martha Joynt Kumar, who is director of the White House Transition Project, told PTI. "Among the Assistants to the President group, President Trump's White House had the highest turnover of top-ranked staff experienced by any recent president," she said. An emeritus professor of political science at Towson University, Kumar said the group of approximately two dozen White House staff titled assistant to the president form a president's core leadership team. The turnover at this level is particularly important for the stability and direction of the presidential decision-making process. President Trump is now in the process of appointing his third Chief of Staff after .
Congress in Telangana raises suspicion of EVM manipulation
Congress, appeared heading for a big loss in Telangana assembly elections, Tuesday raised suspicion of EVM manipulation and demanded 100 per cent counting of the VVPAT slips. As the Congress was leading in only 22 of the 99 seats it contested in the December 7 polls, its state unit President Uttam Kumar Reddy said there was a 'strong' suspicion that the Electronic Voting machines had been manipulated. The ruling TRS appeared to be on course to return to power, taking the lead in 87 seats as per latest counting trends available. Going by the distorted trends, there is a strong suspicion that EVM machines have been manipulated. We demand that 100 per cent counting of Voter-verifiable paper audit (VVPAT) paper trails must be taken up in all constituencies. All Congress candidates should submit letters to their returning officers demanding counting of VVPAT paper trails, a communication from the Congress quoted Reddy as saying. The Congress had forged an opposition alliance ..
TRS set to form government in Telangana with huge majority
The TRS on Tuesday looked set to form its second successive government in Telangana with a thumping majority, with party candidates winning two assembly seats and leading in 90 others, in a body blow to the Congress-led opposition alliance. The state has a 119-member assembly. The first two results have gone in favour of the TRS with its candidates M Sanjay Kumar and Sunke Ravishankar winning the Jagtial and Choppadandi seats. Despite allegations of perpetuating "family rule", TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao (Gajwel), his son K T Rama Rao (Sircilla) and nephew T Harish Rao (Siddipet) have established comfortable lead over their rivals, as the party's gamble to go in for early elections seems to be paying off. If the current trend continues, the TRS may end up with at least a two-thirds majority in the 119-member House. Congress candidates were leading in 16 seats and its ally TDP in two. BJP nominees were ahead of their rivals in two seats. The party had five members in the
Assembly poll results indication of 2019 elections: Mamata
Terming the BJP's poor performance in the Assembly elections held in five states the "people's verdict", Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Tuesday the poll results were a real democratic indication of the 2019 general elections.
Congress suspects EVM manipulation in Telangana
With the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) headed for a landslide victory in the state's Assembly elections, the Congress on Tuesday voiced the suspicion that the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) were manipulated.
Results in Telangana unexpected, says CPI
The Communist Party of India Tuesday alleged that the TRS resorted to "huge distribution of money and liquor" to influence voters, and described the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led party's performance in the assembly polls as a "technical victory and not a moral one". "It's not expected", CPI General Secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy told PTI on the Congress-led alliance of which his party, TDP and the Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS) were a part, coming a cropper in the December 7 polls. "Huge distribution of money, particularly on the last day (before the election)...purchasing votes..this must have resulted in this victory for TRS," Reddy alleged. "He (TRS chief Chandrasekhar Rao) played the Telangana sentiment card once again," he said. "Most important: this election was not free and fair. Distribution of money and liquor... I don't think it's a moral victory for him (Rao), it's only a technical victory for TRS," Reddy said. He said the opposition alliance should have arrived at the ...
Gehlot confident of Congress win in Rajasthan, woos independents
Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday expressed confidence that the Congress would take power in the state and said it was ready to ally with independents.
Congress leads in close fight with BJP in Madhya Pradesh
A resurgent Congress in Madhya Pradesh was Tuesday leading over the ruling BJP by a slender margin, as per trends available in all the 230 Assembly seats. The Opposition Congress was leading in 110 seats, a far improved performance over the 58 seats it has in the outgoing House, while BJP was ahead in 108 constituencies. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was leading in Budhni seat over his nearest Congress rival by a margin of 19,293 votes. State Sports Minister Yashodhara Raje Scindia was leading in Shivpuri seat by a margin of 10,780 votes. Women and Child Development Minister Archana Chitnis was leading in Burhanpur, while Agriculture Minister Gaurishankar Chaturbhuj Bisen was ahead in Balaghat. Revenue Minister Umashankar Gupta was leading in Bhopal South West seat by a slender margin of 249 votes. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) was leading in five seats while the Gondvana Gantantra Party was ahead in two seats. Independents were leading in three seats while the ...
MNF likely to win poll in Mizoram, CM loses in one of the two seats he is contesting
The Mizo National Front (MNF) is likely to bounce back to power after 10 years in Mizoram winning 7 seats and establishing leads in 15 other constituencies in the 40-member assembly, according to results and trends available at 12.30 pm. The ruling Congress is leading in 5 constituencies, Election Commission sources said. Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla has been defeated by T J Lalnuntluanga of the MNF by 856 votes from Champhai South seat. He is also trailing in Serchhip constituency. The Congress had captured 34 seats in 2013 assembly poll while the MNF bagged 5. The MNF had lost power in the state in 2008. The Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) is leading in 9 seats and the BJP is ahead in two seats. Dr F Lalnunmawia of the MNF defeated the Agriculture minister K S Thanga by a margin of 2,037 votes in Aizawl South-III seat. Former assembly speaker Lalchamliana of the MNF defeated the lone woman MLA, Cooperation Minister Vanlalawmpuii Chawngthu, in Hrangturzo seat, while Lalrinawma of the .
Utilise Winter Session for public interest: PM to political parties
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday said all political parties who have to face the electorate in May next year will utilize the Winter Session of Parliament for public interest and not political benefit. In his brief address to the media outside the Parliament House on the first day of the session, the PM also said the government has always strived to discuss all issues. "There should be an open discussion. There should be a debate, there should be a sharp debate. But at least there should be one," he said. Referring to the Lok Sabha elections due next year, he said he is confident that all political parties "who have to face the electoral test in May (next year), while keeping in mind the people, will utilise the session for public interest and not political interest." Modi hoped that the session would be constructive and members would participate in debates on key issues concerning the public. He hoped that members would sit for longer duration to resolve key issues concerning the