Page 2334 - Politics
KCR, opponents engage in no-holds-barred attack
With barely three days to go for the campaigning to end for the Telangana Assembly polls, major contenders for power are engaged in a no-holds-barred attack on each other.
I never obstructed KCR from fulfilling poll promises: Andhra
: TDP President and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has said he never obstructed Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao from fulfilling poll promises. "Did I prevent you from giving three acres of land to dalits? Did I prevent you from making a dalit the chief minister (for Telangana)? Did I prevent the development of Telangana? KCR should say where I stopped (the development)?" Naidu tweeted. TRS chief Chandrasekhar Rao, in his public meetings, has been alleging that development will be muted in Telangana if Chandrababu Naidu comes to power through a coalition. The Congress, TDP, CPI and Prof Kodandaram-led Telangana Jana Samithi have formed an alliance for the December 7 Assembly polls. As part of the poll campaign, Naidu undertook roadshows in the city campaigning for TDP candidates. The Andhra chief minister made it clear that he had no intention of interfering in Telangana politics.
Stopping growth of regional parties not good for cooperative federalism: Kavitha
Senior TRS leader K Kavitha, daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, Sunday decried alleged attempts by national parties to stop the growth of regional parties, warning this is not good for cooperative federalism. Kavitha, a Lok Sabha MP from Nizamabad, also rejected criticism that Rao is "unreachable", alleging it is a myth and a "propaganda by the Opposition to hoodwink people for electoral gains. The chief minister, popularly called KCR, advanced the assembly poll by eight months hoping to retain power with a thumping majority with Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leaders saying it is an attempt to "teach" the Opposition BJP and Congress a lesson for allegedly trying to work against the interest of the state to stop the rise of the regional party. Voting for the keenly fought elections to the 119-member assembly is scheduled to be held on December 7. The ruling TRS won 63 seats in 2014 riding on the wave of the Telangana movement. Kavitha said the party is ...
JK admin contemplates simplifying procedure for grant of PRCs: BJP leader
A senior BJP leader said the Jammu and Kashmir administration was contemplating to simplify the procedure for grant of permanent resident certificates (PRCs) and a timeline should be fixed for its issuance under the Public Services Guarantee Act. Former deputy chief minister Kavinder Gupta said, "This is a good step if implemented with the clause of getting the system online for the issuance of PRCs on the pattern of birth or death certificates, marriage registration certificates along with other such certificates from the respective district magistrate's offices, online application for passports." He said the documents required for getting the certificate can be uploaded by applicants on the portal in addition to linking of the same with the revenue department and the verification can be done by the department on the pattern of process of issuance of passports. "PRC issuance can be linked to Aadhaar numbers and fingerprint sensing and registering machines be utilized for the ...
Will you vote for incoming govt or outgoing: Manvendra's poser to Jhalrapatan voters
Pitted against the BJP chief minister Vasundhara Raje in a high-stakes contest, the Congress candidate Manvendra Singh is asking voters in the Jhalrapatan constituency whether they want their vote to go in favour of an outgoing government or for the incoming one. The Congress leader, who switched over from the BJP just weeks before being fielded against the chief minister, is putting this poser in all his election meetings throughout the day while asserting that there was a "wave" in favour of the grand-old party across the state leaving no doubt about who would form the government. "Apna mat kisko doge? Avavaldhi ko ya Javavaldhi ko (You will give your vote to the incoming government or the outgoing government?), he asked the crowd in Daulatpura village during his campaign trail. Dubbed as an "outsider" and a "turncoat" by his opponents, Singh is looking to counter these charges with an extensive outreach campaign for which he sets off in the morning and till late evening goes from ..
Telangana Muslim votes may split between TRS, Congress (News Analysis)
Muslim votes in Telangana are likely to be split between the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and the opposition Congress-led People's Front as the two major contenders for power have intensified their efforts to woo the minority community.
Manvendra a 'parachute candidate', electorate will send him back: Dushyant
Calling Manvendra Singh a "turncoat", BJP'S Jhalawar MP Dushyant Singh said Sunday the Congress candidate from Jhalrapatan has been "parachuted" to the constituency and the electorate will send him back to where he belongs. Dushyant Singh is spearheading his mother and Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje's campaign in the Jhalrapatan assembly seat against Manvendra Singh as she has been travelling across the state to lead the BJP's electoral battle in Rajasthan and retain the mandate to rule the state. In an interview to PTI, Dushyant Singh said Raje has worked really hard in the constituency and the development work done by her has been "phenomenal". In the last 30 years, transformational change has taken place in Jhalawar and Baran, Dushyant Singh said. "For her (Raje), the electorate is her family and the family is actually campaigning for her, it is not Mrs Raje," he said. The Jhalawar MP said that in contrast to his mother's development works here, Manvendra Singh has come from ...
Punjab ministers, MP call for Navjot Sidhu's resignation
Punjab cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu's jibe at the Chief Minister that Congress president Rahul Gandhi is the captain of Captain Amarinder Singh has not gone down well among his colleagues pushing them to demand his resignation. It has been a double whammy for the cricketer-turned-politician since there is already an outcry over his visit to Pakistan.Minister of local bodies and tourism in Captain Amarinder Singh-led government, Sidhu at a press conference in Hyderabad on Friday, said: "Rahul Gandhi is my captain. It is he who sent me to Pakistan. Rahul Gandhi is the captain of the captain (Amarinder Singh) also."Reacting to the statement, Punjab minister TR Bajwa asserted that if Sidhu did not recognise Amarinder as his 'captain' then he should resign from his post. "If he (Sidhu) doesn't recognise Captain sahab as his 'captain' then he should resign. Of course, Rahul ji is our India captain but Punjab's captain is Amarinder Singh. Sidhu sahab is an extraordinary person and has
Leftist Lopez Obrador sworn in as Mexico's new president
Anti-establishment leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador vowed a "deep and radical" change in Mexico as he assumed the country's presidency Saturday, five months after winning a landslide election victory. The leader, widely known by his initials as "AMLO," took the oath of office and donned the presidential sash before Congress -- where the coalition led by the upstart party he founded four years ago, Morena, now has strong majorities in both houses. Ending 89 years of government by the same two parties, Lopez Obrador surged to victory in the July 1 elections promising a new approach to issues fuelling widespread outrage: crime, poverty and corruption. But not everyone is persuaded: critics say the sharp-tongued, silver-haired leader has a radical and authoritarian streak. And despite his promises of business-friendly policies, Mexican stocks and the peso have plunged in recent weeks. That did not stop Lopez Obrador, 65, from doubling down on his promise of a sweeping "transformation" .
Give us Bodoland or lose people's support in 2019: Bodo organisations to BJP
A key Bodo students' organisation and a rebel group that has joined the peace process have issued a virtual warning to the BJP that it would lose the support of the Bodo community if its governments at the Centre and in Assam fail to take concrete steps for creation of Bodoland before the 2019 elections. However, both the Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF), an alliance partner in the BJP-led coalition in Assam; and the state government sought to downplay the threat. After the 2016 assembly polls, with 60 lawmakers in the 126-member house in Assam, the BJP formed the government along with the Asom Gana Parishad that won 14 seats and the BPF-- the lone Bodo political party-- that bagged 12 seats. The BPF said it will continue to support the BJP and stressed that a separate Bodoland was not an issue for it. However, the influential All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) and the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Progressive), the first militant group to give up arms and join the peace process, ...
No 'direct evidence' between Saudi Crown Prince and Khashoggi's killing: Pompeo
United States Secretary of State Michael Pompeo has said that there is no "direct evidence" which could link Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.While reiterating Washington's support for Riyadh amid a global outcry over Saudi Crown Prince's possible involvement in Khashoggi's murder, Pompeo told CNN in an interview on the sidelines of the G20 Summit, "I have read every piece of intelligence that is in the possession of the United States government. And when it is done, when you complete that analysis, there's no direct evidence linking him to the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. That is an accurate statement, it is an important statement, and it is a statement that we are making publicly today."Replying to a question on Saturday on whether the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has a "high confidence" of the Saudi crown prince's alleged involvement, the US Secretary of State underlined, "I can't comment on intelligence ...
NITI forum for North East to meet on Tuesday
The second meeting of the 'NITI Forum for North East' will be held here on Tuesday andwillfocus on issues pertaining to five critical sectors, including tourism, bamboo and dairy. Vice Chairman, NITI AAYOG, Rajiv Kumar will chair the meeting while Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jitendra Singh will co-chair it,an official statement said. The meeting willmainly focus on issues pertaining to five critical sectors - tourism, bamboo, dairy, fisheries and tea, it said. The 'NITI Forum for North East' was constituted in February 2018 to periodically review development status in the North Eastern region. The forum is tasked to identify various constraints in the way of accelerated, inclusive and sustainable economic growth in the Northeast and to recommend suitable interventions for addressing identified constraints, the statement said. Members of the forum include secretaries of various central ministries, chief secretaries of all eight Northeastern states, senior ..
Not looking left or right for any support, will form govt in Chhattisgarh on own: Deo
Amidst speculation of probable post-poll alliance among political parties, senior Congress leader T S Singh Deo has said there was no need to "look left or right" for any support and his party will form the government in Chhattisgarh on its own. His comments assume significance as there have been reports of post-poll alliances among different political parties, even before the results are announced. While Chhattisgarh went to polls in two phases on November 12 for 18 seats and on November 20 for 72 seats, the counting of votes is scheduled for December 11 along with the same for four other states including neighbouring Madhya Pradesh. "I am confident of victory. We are getting a clear majority. There is no need to look left or right (for any support or post-poll alliance)," Singh Deo told PTI. He was asked whether his party would accept support from former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi in case it lacks numbers to form the government. "There has been a misrule in the BJP's ...
BJP not thinking of Ram Mandir ordinance as of now: Vijayvargiya
BJP National General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya has said that his party was not thinking of bringing an ordinance "as of now" for construction of the Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya. He, however, asserted that it was only the saffron party that could construct the Ram temple at Ayodhya as "no one else has the guts" to do it. According to him, the temple issue did "more harm than good" to the BJP as the matter was being used by the opposition "to terrorise minorities and polarise votes". "We would appeal to the court once again for a verdict on the issue (Ram Mandir). When a matter is in court, we should not be in a hurry and give it enough time to take a decision. "But if people's aspirations keep increasing, the government will have to take a call on it (whether to bring ordinance or not). As of now, the party is not thinking of bringing in an ordinance on construction of temple," Vijayvargiya told PTI in an interview. The Supreme Court has recently declined an early .
Trump says hopes to meet N.Korea's Kim in January or February
US President Donald Trump said Saturday he hoped to organise a second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in early 2019, perhaps as soon as January or February. Trump told reporters travelling home to Washington with him aboard Air Force One from Argentina that "three sites" were in consideration for the meeting, a follow-up to their historic summit in Singapore in June. When asked about a future meeting, Trump said: "I think we're going to do one fairly (soon) -- into January, February, I think." Trump had been in Buenos Aires for the Group of 20 summit. In June, Trump and Kim opened up dialogue on denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula after months of trading military threats and pointed barbs. The two leaders signed a vaguely worded document on denuclearisation of the peninsula, but progress since has stalled as Washington and Pyongyang spar and North Korea has taken few concrete steps to abandon its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. US Secretary of State Mike ...
America mourns George H.W. Bush, dead at 94
Flags flew at half-staff across the United States on Saturday as Americans prepared for a week of solemn tributes to George HW Bush, in his home state of Texas and in the US Capitol, a day after the former president died aged 94. Tributes poured in from world leaders in memory of the 41st US president, who guided America through the end of the Cold War and launched the international campaign to drive Iraqi strongman Saddam Hussein's forces from Kuwait. Many of those same leaders are expected to attend Bush's state funeral next week, alongside President Donald Trump and his wife Melania. Trump was notably absent from the funerals of the statesman's late wife Barbara, and of veteran fellow Republican John McCain. Although the two Republican presidents were in many ways polar opposites -- the soft-spoken, patrician Bush reportedly once dismissed the blustering New Yorker as a "blowhard" and even voted for his rival Hillary Clinton -- Trump paid the late leader a gracious tribute, saying .
Indian-Americans seek Air India service from Atlanta
Indian-Americans have urged the Union Government to start Air India service from Atlanta in the US so as to facilitate better connectivity with their motherland. Air India currently has direct flights from Newark, New York, Washington DC, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Direct flights between Atlanta and Indian cities will make it more convenient for passengers travelling to India from the Southeast US region, Georgia chapter of Federation of Indian American Associations said in a memorandum to the Minister of State for External Affairs Gen (rtd) V K Singh during his recent visit. Dr. Vasudev Patel, president of FIA Georgia, said the minister promised to assist the community in establishing direct flights through India's state carrier. "He said this is a very good suggestion and felt that the Atlanta region certainly deserves this type of service. He promised to work on it with us," he said. A direct flight between Indian cities and Atlanta will make it more affordable for ...
Mattis says Russia tried to 'muck around' US vote, again
US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Saturday that Russia tried to meddle in the US midterm elections last month -- just as it did in the 2016 vote that brought President Donald Trump to power. The already strained ties between Washington and Moscow have "no doubt" worsened over Russian's continued attempts to interfere in the US voting process, Mattis said at the Reagan National Defense Forum in California. Russian President Vladimir Putin "tried again to muck around in our elections this last month, and we are seeing a continued effort along those lines," the Pentagon chief said. Putin has "continued efforts to try to subvert democratic processes that must be defended," Mattis said, stressing he was unsure whether there were growing threats from Russia. "We'll do whatever is necessary to defend them." Mattis spoke as President Donald Trump suddenly scrapped a planned meeting with Putin at the G20 summit of world leaders in Buenos Aires, Argentina, citing a Russian military ...
U.S., China declare 90-day halt to new tariffs, White House says
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - China and the United States have agreed to halt additional tariffs as both nations engage in new trade negotiations with the goal of reaching an agreement within 90 days, the White House said on Saturday after President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping held high-stakes talks in Argentina.
Trump, Xi showed optimism about dinnertime talk on trade war
US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping sat down with cautious optimism to a working dinner here in hopes of making some progress in winding down the trade war between the two countries that affects the global economy.