Page 2290 - Politics
Former Maha minister & ex-MLC quit BJP & return to NCP
Ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, a former Maharashtra minister and an ex-MLC from Nashik Friday returned to the NCP, deserting the ruling BJP. Former minister Prashant Hiray and ex-MLC Apurva Hiray switched to the NCP along with several of their followers in the presence of NCP president Sharad Pawar here. Maharashtra NCP chief Jayant Patil, senior leader of the party Chhagan Bhujbal also attended the event. "Nothing happened in Nashik after the 2014 polls. Hence, (we are) returning to the NCP to serve the people," Prashant Hiray said. According to the party sources, the Hirays enjoy some influence in parts of Nashik, including Malegaon and Nandgaon. "This will benefit the party in the coming Parliamentary and Assembly polls," the source said.
Drabu makes veiled attack on Mehbooba, says PDP's vision has changed under her
A day after quitting PDP, former Jammu and Kashmir Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu on Friday made a veiled attack on party chief Mehbooba Mufti as he said the "vision" of the party had changed "due to the party's new leadership".Drabu, who had played a key role in forging of an alliance between the PDP and the BJP which ran a coalition government in the state for about three years, resigned on Thursday.The 57-year-old professional economist was associated with the PDP for four and a half years."The vision of PDP has changed specifically after the demise of (former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister) Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. This change came due to the party's new leadership," he told ANI here.Although he did not take any names, his criticism was clearly targeted at Mehbooba Mufti, the daughter of Mufti Sayeed who took the party's reins after her father's demise on January 7, 2016.In March this year, Mehbooba, then Chief Minister, had sacked Drabu as her Finance Minister after his ...
J&K administration sets up district, divisional-level panels for housing scheme
The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Thursday sanctioned the constitution of divisional and district-level committees for monitoring and implementation of "housing for all scheme" in the state, an official said. According to an order issued by the General Administration Department (GAD), the divisional-level committee, under the chairmanship of divisional commissioner, shall monitor and review the implementation of the scheme fortnightly. The order reads that the district committee should ensure proper utilisation of funds, expedite land-title verification and undertake demand survey to ensure that no eligible beneficiary was left out of the scheme. The team shall also ensure completion of work as per the schedule and examine the annual action plan to be placed before State Level Sanctioning & Monitoring Committee (SLMC) for approval, the order said. Led by the district development commissioner, the committee at the district level should review the progress of the scheme on a ..
SC refuses to stay CBI probe against cops for firing at anti-Sterlite protesters
The Supreme Court Friday refused to stay the Madras High Court order for a CBI probe against police officials for firing at anti-Sterlite protesters in Tamil Nadu in May this year. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi issued notice to the CBI on the petition filed by the Tamil Nadu government challenging the High Court order. "We have to see the other side," said the bench, also comprising Justice S K Kaul, when senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi sought the stay. The police firing had taken place in Tuticorin district during the anti-Sterlite protests claiming 13 lives on May 22 and 23. The high court ordered that FIRs be registered against top police officials and officials of the civil administration. The High Court on May 14 had transferred to the CBI the probe into the police firing and directed the agency to conclude the investigation in four months. It had also quashed an order detaining six members of the 'Makkal Adhikaram,' a Left outfit accused of inciting violence in the
Duterte seeks martial law extension in southern Philippines
President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday asked legislators to extend martial law across the southern Philippines until the end of 2019 in order to quell continuing violence in the restive region, officials said. Duterte's request, which could be approved as early as next week, comes despite critics voicing concerns the move threatens human rights and places too much power in the leader's hands. However, the president's spokesman Salvador Panelo said a third extension was needed in the southern region of Mindanao to "protect the nation and its people". "A halt may only frustrate the progress we are witnessing in Mindanao and may even strengthen the rebellion and propel it to other parts of the country," Panelo said in a statement. Duterte initially put the Mindanao region under military rule after gunmen flying the black Islamic State flag attacked the mainly Muslim city of Marawi in May 2017, sparking a five-month battle that killed 1,200 people. Martial law allows the military to ...
T'gana polls: 56.17 per cent polling recorded till 3 pm
Over 56 per cent of 2.80 crore voters of Telangana exercised their franchise till 3 pm Friday, officials said. "Polling commenced at 7 am, though at some polling centres there was a delay of 10 to 15 minutes. In one or two cases EVMs needed to be replaced. We have replaced 22 ballot units, 19 control units and 42 VVPATS," Chief Electoral Officer Rajat Kumar told reporters here. He also said so far, 30 complaints relating to violation of Model Code of Conduct has been received. According to officials, voting was progressing by and large peacefully in all the 119 constituencies of the state and as of 3 pm the voter turnout was 56.17 per cent. Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Governor E S L Narasimhan, caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, caretaker ministers K T Rama Rao and T Harish Rao, BJP's Telangana president K Laxman, state Congress chief Uttam Kumar Reddy and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi were among the leaders who cast their vote. Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that his party ...
Stay alert, EVMs have mysterious powers in Modi's India: Rahul to party workers
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday asked party workers to be vigilant after polls close in Rajasthan and Telangana, saying in "Modi's India, the EVMs have mysterious powers". Gandhi on Thursday had urged party workers in two states to put all their efforts at their respective polling booths to ensure the party's win in both the states. Taking to Twitter on Friday, Gandhi asked party workers to be vigilant after polls close. "In MP, EVM's behaved strangely after polling: Some stole a bus and vanished for 2 days! Others slipped away & were found drinking in a hotel. In Modi's India, the EVMs have mysterious powers," he said, in an apparent reference to media reports that Electronic Voting Machines or EVMs reached a collection centre in Madhya Pradesh 48 hours after voting ended on November 28.
Mamata 'scared' of BJP, is throttling democracy in West Bengal: Amit Shah
Declaring that the BJP's growth in West Bengal has scared Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, BJP president Amit Shah Friday accused her of "throttling" democracy in the state by denying permission to three 'yatras' of his party. Shah's scathing attack came after the BJP had to postpone three 'rath yatras' in the state due to the Mamata Banerjee government refusing permission and the party failing to get any relief from the court so far. "We will definitely carry out all 'yatras', nobody can stop us. The BJP is committed to change in West Bengal. The 'yatras' have not been cancelled, just postponed," Shah said at a press conference. His party will follow the judicial process to get permission for them, he said. Shah's comments came a day after the Calcutta High Court refused the BJP permission to hold a 'rath yatra' in Coochbehar, following the state government expressing apprehensions of violence. Shah was scheduled to flag off the 'rath yatra' on Friday. The BJP has moved an appeal ...
Mekedatu: Pondy Assembly convened on Dec 14
: The Puducherry Assembly has been re-convened to meet on December 14 to discuss the Mekedatu issue. Speaker V Vaithilingam has re-convened the session to meet at 10 AM, according to a communication from the Assembly secretary A Vincent Rayar. Though it did not mention the agenda of the session, the House is likely to adopt a resolution against the Centre's approval to the Karnataka government to prepare a detailed project report for the construction of a dam across the Cauvery river at Mekedatu. DMK and AIADMK legislators had staged protests at the Assembly Speaker's chamber recently to urge the territorial government to convene a special session to discuss the issue. Puducherry is among the riparian states of Cauvery and it is feared that if the dam comes up, availability of water for Karaikal farmers would be curtailed. The announcement comes a day after the Tamil Nadu Assembly adopted a resolution urging the Centre to withdraw permission given to Karnataka to prepare
TRS would retain power in Telangana: KCR
Telangana caretaker Chief Minister and TRS chief K Chandrashekar Rao, who exercised his franchise in the Assembly elections here, on Friday said that his party would retain power in the state with a huge majority.Speaking on the performance of the TRS in this Assembly elections, KCR said, "Pro-government incumbency is there in Telangana. Huge voter turnout will be recorded. Even old people are coming out and voting. You will see our victory in exit polls in the evening."KCR was accompanied by his wife Sobha and TRS candidate from Siddipet seat T Harish Rao.Polling in Telangana is being held across 119 assembly constituencies. While in 13 "trouble-prone" constituencies the polling is scheduled to end at 4 pm, voting in the rest of the constituencies will end at 5 pm this evening.A total of 1,821 candidates are in the fray in the state. Rao-led TRS is contesting in all 119 seats while the Bharatiya Janata Party is battling for 118 seats. The Congress party led by its president Rahul ...
Mamata fears BJP will dig its heels in Bengal by holding Rath Yatras: Amit Shah
Hours after the Calcutta High Court on Friday accepted Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) plea for organising Rath Yatras in Cooch Behar and other regions of West Bengal, party president Amit Shah tore into the Trinamool Congress and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for creating obstructions for the party.The court on Thursday had refused to give permission to the BJP to hold the Yatra. The judicature had upheld the concerns cited by the West Bengal government that the programme may stoke communal tensions and cause violence in the region.Shah said at a press conference here today, "We (BJP) will do everything legally and we will conduct three rallies. The rallies have not been cancelled but postponed. Yatra, as scheduled, will go to every part of West Bengal. I will go to West Bengal tomorrow."Venting anger over the state government, Shah alleged complete lawlessness in the state and since the TMC is afraid of the BJP it is not allowing the Yatra. "Mamata Banerjee is scared that if BJP ...
Protests in Seoul against Kim's possible visit
Members of a conservative South Korean group held a rally here on Friday to protest against the possible visit of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to the country.
Govt appoints Krishnamurthy Subramanian as CEA
The government Friday appointed ISB Hyderabad professor Krishnamurthy Subramanian as Chief Economic Adviser for a period of three years. The post of CEA had been lying vacant since Arvind Subramanaian left the finance ministry after a four-year stint earlier this year. "The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved for the appointment of Dr Krishnamurthy Subramanian, Associate Prof. and ED (CAF), ISB, Hyderabad, to the post of Chief Economic Adviser," said a government notification. His appointment will be for a period of three years, it said. Subramanian holds a PhD degree from Chicago Booth.
Calcutta HC accepts BJP's plea on Rath Yatra ban
The Calcutta High Court on Friday accepted Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) plea challenging the ban on party's Rath Yatra in the state of West Bengal.On Thursday, the High Court refused to give permission to the BJP to hold Rath Yatra in West Bengal's Cooch Behar and subsequent rallies in other districts. The Yatra was scheduled to be flagged off by party chief Amit Shah today. The judicature upheld the concerns cited by the West Bengal government led by Mamata Banerjee that the programme may stoke communal tensions and cause violence in the region.Following the denial, the BJP hit out at the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government saying that it is trying to "kill the democracy". Slamming the West Bengal Chief Minister, Union Minister Babul Supriyo said that "Mamata Banerjee is killing the democracy" in the state.West Bengal BJP vice president Jay Prakash Majumdar had told media, "Any peaceful democratic movement is permissible under the Indian Constitution. We believe in Sanvidhaan ...
Change in PDP's outlook made me leave party: Drabu
Former PDP leader Haseeb Drabu on Friday asserted that a "change in party's vision" had made him leave it after a long association.Speaking to ANI, Drabu said, "The vision of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has changed specifically after the demise of (former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister) Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. This change came due to the party's new leadership. I still wish well for the party. I do not have any personal problem with the party but its new outlook."Talking about his association with Mufti, he stated, "I came into politics because of him (Mufti). I worked with him as his economic advisor in 2003. He appreciated my work and brought me into the party. He is my mentor in this sphere. He started a party with different vision and ideology. We got to learn a lot from him. He had a vision and he aligned with BJP. I drafted the agenda of an alliance for the same. He had an agenda on which we were working but it has changed now."On being asked about his political future, he .
BJP chief vows to take out Bengal Rath Yatra 'democratically'
Hours after the Kolkata High Court declined permission to the BJP from holding a 'Rath Yatra' in West Bengal, party chief Amit Shah on Friday vowed to hold the procession democratically after the court permits it.
Japan to ban government use of Huawei, ZTE products: reports
Japan is to ban government use of telecoms products made by Chinese tech giants Huawei and ZTE on concerns about cybersecurity, reports said Friday. The government plans to revise internal procurement rules to exclude products made by Huawei and ZTE as early as Monday, the mass circulation Yomiuri Shimbun reported. Jiji Press agency also reported the expected move. The ban comes after a US request to allies to avoid products made by the two companies over fears they contain viruses used for cyberattacks, the Yomiuri said, citing unnamed government sources. Domestic products that use parts made by the two Chinese firms will also be excluded from government use, it said. The Yomiuri said the government was not expected to name the companies directly, so as to avoid angering China. Asked about the report, top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga declined to comment, adding Japan was "closely cooperating with the United States" on cybersecurity issues. China said it was "seriously ...
Brisk polling in Rajasthan, nearly 60 per cent turnout till 3 pm
Nearly 60 per cent of the 4.74 crore registered voters cast their vote by the 3 pm in Rajasthan as the state witnessed brisk polling in the assembly elections Friday. With two hours still to go before the end of polling, 59.14 percentage of the votes had been cast, according to the Election Commission website. Polling for 199 seats out of the total 200 in the assembly began at 8 am with voters lining up at 51,687 booths. A senior police officer said polling was going on peacefully and elaborate security arrangements are in place. Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, Pradesh Congress Committee chief Sachin Pilot and other leaders were among those who exercised their franchise. Raje (Jhalrapatan), Pilot (Tonk), former chief minister Ashok Gehlot (Sardarpura) are among the 2,274 candidates in the fray. The election in Ramgarh constituency of Alwar district was put off following the death of Bahujan Samaj Party candidate Laxman Singh. The results will be out on December 11, along with those ...
Ral polls: Selfies with inked fingers swamp social media
Selfies of people proudly showing off inked fingers flooded social media as Rajasthan went to polls Friday in 199 out of the 200 Assembly constituencies. Voters, particularly youngsters, took to platforms like WhatsApp, Twitter and Facebook to post their pictures after exercising their franchise. "Having voted is also a source of pride in the democracy. Therefore, I put a status (on social media about having voted) as soon as I came out of the polling station," a voter Girish Sharma said. "Have chosen my future, you too show up," read the status of Deepesh Goyal, who voted in Ajmer. CA students Nikita Sharma and Ankita Sharma also showed excitement after casting their votes in Malvia Nagar constituency in Jaipur. "Yes we are flaunting this mark of using our democratic right and we are happy after voting," they told PTI. Engineering student Avi Srivatava only posted a picture of his finger and said the focus was on the ink mark and it was a sign that he had voted.
Over 41% polling reported in Rajasthan (Third Lead)
More than 41 per cent of the over four crore electorate cast their votes in the first five hours of the Rajasthan Assembly elections, a poll official said.