Page 236 - Politics
BJP gains majority in Darjeeling municipality
With 17 GJM councillors crossing over to the BJP, the saffron party on Saturday gained a majority in Darjeeling municipality, dealing a jolt to the Trinamool Congress and its ally Binoy Tamang - leader of a faction of the Gorkha Janmuti Morcha - which were in control of the board so long.
Thackeray's Ayodhya visit won't help Ram temple's cause: Athawale
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Saturday took a potshot at NDA ally and Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray on the latter's plans to visit Ayodhya next week.
Stop travel agents from defrauding people wanting to go abroad: SAD to Pb govt
The SAD Saturday demanded that the Congress government in Punjab take immediate steps to stop unscrupulous travel agents from defrauding people who want to go abroad. At a press conference here attended by family members of seven youths from Punjab stranded in Iraq after being duped by their travel agents, Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia said a delegation of the party's youth wing would meet the external affairs minister in this regard. He said the Youth Akali Dal (YAD) would meet all expenses, including that of return tickets, to bring the seven stranded Punjabi youth back from Iraq. Claiming that no representative of the Congress government or any MLA visited the affected families or offered any help, Majithia announced the YAD would provide legal aid to the stranded youth to ensure their safe and hassle-free return. The former minister demanded comprehensive action against all unscrupulous travel agents who had duped the parents of the seven youth. "This has become
Shah to meet key party leaders next week
As the BJP prepares for organisational polls, its president Amit Shah has convened a meeting of key organisation leaders from states and Union Territories on June 13 and 14, party sources said Saturday. The meeting will be attended by leaders in-charge of organisational affairs, they said. The organisational polls will be held in the party's units in all states and UTs, with the likely exception of Assembly poll-bound states like Haryana and Maharashtra, before it elects a national president. Shah's three-year term had ended earlier this year but the party had asked him to continue as it postponed organisational polls to focus on the Lok Sabha elections. As he has been inducted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Cabinet, many party leaders are of the view that he will step down as the party president. The BJP has made no official comment on the matter. The party will also launch a nationwide membership drive, which will be followed by election of its heads in states and Union ...
No plans for further talks in Norway with Nicolas Maduro regime: Venezuela's opposition leader Guaido
Juan Guaido has said that the opposition does not plan to join the third round of negotiations with representatives of embattled President Nicolas Maduro after latest mediation efforts between the two sides failed to reach an agreement."Anything that does not move us toward (Maduro's resignation) is useless," Sputnik quoted Guaido as saying, a remark in tune with the opposition's demand during the May 29 talks for the resignation of the interim Venezuelan President, reports Xinhua.The two round of talks in Norway's capital city of Oslo were aimed at resolving the ongoing crisis in Venezuela, which began in January, this year when Maduro was sworn in for the second term as President. The January elections have since been termed as "rigged" by most of the international communities.The country plunged into deep political crisis after Guaido proclaimed himself as the President amid throngs of cheering supporters who called for Maduro to step down.The US immediately extended its support to
Karnataka cabinet expansion on June 12
The year-old Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) and the Congress coalition government in Karnataka would be expanded for second time on June 12, said Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Saturday.
Mortal remain of Prakash Pant consigned to flames with full state honours
The mortal remains of Uttarakhand minister Prakash Pant who lost his battle to cancer were consigned to flames here on Saturday with full state honours in the presence of Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Ramesh Pokhriyal. The funeral pyre was lit by his 21-year-old son Saurabh. Pant was cremated at the Rameshwar Ghat located at the confluence of Ramganga (east) and Saryu rivers. Besides Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal, a host of others leaders such as BJP's Shyam Jaju and former MP Bhagat Singh Koshiyari were present at the DS Bisht ground to pay their last respect. The leaders laid wreath on Pant's body which was brought in the town two hours behind schedule. People waited patiently in the scorching sun to pay their tribute to Pant, whose untimely demise left people across the state in shock. All commercial establishments, government offices and private institutions in Pithoragarh town remained closed as a mark of respect to the departed ...
After LS poll debacle, AIADMK MLA raises demand for 'single
AIADMK MLA V V Rajan Chellappa on Saturday strongly pitched for a single "charismatic" leadership to steer the party, saying the present arrangement of dual power centres impeded quick decisions. The leader's remarks come in the backdrop of the party's dismal performance in Lok Sabha polls. The AIADMK currently has two top posts of co-cordinator and coordiantor held by Chief Minister K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam. Palaniswami, when asked if there was factional fued in the AIADMK (in the backdrop of Chellappa's single leadership pitch), he said it was "disinformation," disseminated by Opposition parties and sections of the media. "If quarrel was true, how come so many cadres are joining the AIADMK from rival outfit AMMK," the Chief Minsiter shot back. "This is unnecessary, the AIADMK is a robust party," he told reporters in Salem. "This is a party of cadres and it is led by workers. All cadres are leaders here," he said when asked if "dual leadership" was ..
CLP leader launches indefinite fast against merger of party
A Congress leader in Telangana Saturday began an indefinite fast in protest against the "illegal" merger of 12 party MLAs with the ruling TRS, even as AIMIM announced it would seek opposition status in Assembly as it now has more number of MLAs than Congress. Congress Legislature Party leader M Bhatti Vikramarka launched his fast for 36 hours at the Dharna Chowk here, but state Congress president N Uttam Kumar Reddy said in the evening that it has been converted into an indefinite one. "When a disqualification petition is pending, it means we have announced that the concerned person does not belong to Congress party. Then his Assembly membership should be cancelled," Uttam Kumar Reddy said at the protest venue. "But, how did Speaker accept letter (seeking merger with TRS) on 6th (of June) by considering them as Congress MLAs. We seek an explanation to people of Telangana," he said. The breakaway MLAs themselves have announced that they are leaving Congress, Reddy ...
All is well between Congress and NCP, says Ashok Chavan
Everything is fine between the Congress party and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and we will contest the upcoming Assembly elections together, said state unit Congress chief Ashok Chavan here on Saturday."All is well between the Congress party and the NCP. We will fight the Assembly elections together. Some leaders have expressed their displeasure (against NCP). We will short it out. But this is clear that we will contest the polls in an alliance," Chavan told media persons here after a meeting of the state party leaders.Chavan also invited Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi to contest the Assembly elections in alliance with the Congress.The former Chief Minister's comments come after reports appeared in a section of media suggesting that some leaders had advocated scrapping ties with their ally NCP.These leaders had reportedly blamed Sharad Pawar-led NCP of not supporting the Congress candidates in the Lok Sabha elections leading to a humiliating defeat of
Coastal radar system inaugurated in Maldives
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maldives Ibrahim Mohammad Solih on Saturday jointly inaugurated composite training centre and coastal surveillance radar system here.
India, Maldives ink 6 pacts as PM Modi, Prez Solih hold talks
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih held wide-ranging talks on Saturday as the two countries signed six agreements to strengthen bilateral ties in a number of key areas including defence and maritime. Modi arrived in the Indian Ocean archipelago on Saturday on his first foreign visit after re-election as Prime Minister to strengthen the bilateral ties, reflecting the importance India attaches to its 'Neighbourhood First' policy. The first Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was for cooperation in the fields of hydrography. Another was on health. The other agreements included on the establishment of passenger and cargo services by sea, cooperation in customs capacity building between the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs of India and the Maldives Customs Service. An MoU was also signed between the National Centre for Good Governance, Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances and Maldives Civil Service Commission on ...
Maha Cong wants govt to observe late Chavan's birth centenary
The Congress in Maharashtra has demanded that the state government observe the birth centenary year of former chief minister Shankarrao Chavan at the official level. In a letter addressed to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, senior Congress leader Sushilkumar Shinde stated that Chavan's contribution in various fields was immense. "Chavan had also served as Union minister of finance, home and defence in his political career. He was an able administrator. He had participated in the struggle for liberation of Marathwada. His contribution in the fields of politics, education, cooperation, agriculture and irrigation was significant. His role in construction of Jaikwadi dam to end the water woes of Marathwada was also important," Shinde said. He urged Fadnavis to make an announcement in this regard in the upcoming session of the state legislature beginning June 17. Chavan's 100th birth anniversary falls on July 14, 2020.
BJP chief Amit Shah principal of college in which Prashant Kishor is still student: Party
Taking a dig at TMC chief Mamata Banerjee for engaging election strategist Prashant Kishor for the 2021 West Bengal assembly polls, the BJP said he is not a "bigger" strategist than its president Amit Shah. BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya said the people of Bengal have lost confidence in Chief Minister Banerjee and no poll strategist can turn the tide. Shah is a bigger poll strategist than Kishor and as far as election strategy is concerned, the BJP chief "is the principal of the college in which Kishor is still a student", Vijayvargiya, who is a BJP general secretary and the party's in-charge for West Bengal, told PTI. Kishor met Banerjee here on Thursday, raising speculation about working with her in the near future to help her foil the BJP's growing influence in the state and maintain her grip on Bengal for the 2021 state polls. "The people of Bengal have lost their confidence in Mamata Banerjee. They have made up their mind to oust Banerjee and the TMC. Now, no poll ...
Nitish Kumar launches JD-U membership drive
Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal-United chief Nitish Kumar on Saturday launched the party's membership drive here, aiming to enlist thousands of new members from the state and across the country.
PM Modi holds wide-ranging talks with Maldivian Prez Solih
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih held wide-ranging talks on Saturday as the two countries signed a slew of agreements to strengthen bilateral ties in a number of key areas including defence and maritime. Modi arrived in the Indian Ocean archipelago on Saturday on his first foreign visit after re-election as Prime Minister to strengthen the bilateral ties, reflecting the importance India attaches to its 'Neighbourhood First' policy. Prime Minister Modi and President Solih held warm discussions, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said. "Mutually beneficial partnership. Warm discussions marked the meeting between PM @narendramodi & President of Maldives @ibusolih. Focus on further deepening our special relationship by expanding cooperation across sectors," he said on Twitter. A coastal surveillance radar system and a composite training centre for the Maldives defence forces were jointly inaugurated by the two leaders. After
Iran has no plans to leave OPEC, says oil minister
Iran "has no plans" of leaving the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), according to its Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh."Iran has no plans to leave OPEC...and regrets that some members of OPEC have turned this organisation into a political forum for confronting two founding members of OPEC, meaning Iran and Venezuela," Zanganeh told Iranian state news agency ICANA, according to Sputnik.This comes after the oil-rich country threatened to take retaliatory measures if its interests in the organisation were harmed. Iran's officials further alleged that the grouping was flawed due to "the unilateralism of some of its members and that it's possible that the organisation may collapse."The Iranian minister has previously accused a few OPEC members of "exaggerating their capacities" to fill in for any shortfall in oil supply globally due to US sanctions on Iran.In fact, the United States refused to provide any waiver extensions to countries like India for them to continue ...
JDU has nothing to do with Prashant Kishor's work, says Nitish Kumar
As his key strategist and the party's vice president Prashant Kishor is said to be working for the TMC in the coming Assembly polls in West Bengal, Bihar Chief Minister and JDU president Nitish Kumar on Saturday tried to downplay the issue.Chief Minister Kumar, who was talking to media persons, said: "Prashant Kishor will himself speak about all this tomorrow during the party's national executive meeting. He joined our party only last year.""Kishor is associated with an election strategy organisation too. Whomsoever he works for under the banner of his organisation, it has nothing to do with our party. JDU has no relation with his work," Chief Minister Kumar said."We have not received any complaint against Prashant Kishor. If we get a complaint, we will take a decision accordingly," he said.Talking about his party not joining Prime Minister Narendra Modi led government at the Centre, he said: "We do not want a symbolic representation. Still, we are with Prime Minister Modi led NDA ...
17 Gorkha Janmukti Morcha councillors join BJP
Seventeen Councillors of Darjeeling Municipality, all from Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday.The leaders were inducted into BJP at the party headquarter in New Delhi in the presence of general secretary Kailash Vijayavargiya and senior leader Mukul Roy.Speaking on the occasion, Kailash Vijayavargiya said, "They are all Councillors of Darjeeling Municipality."BJP leader Mukul Roy said that with 17 of the Councillors joining the party, BJP has become the majority party in Darjeeling Municipality."There are 32 seats in the Darjeeling Municipal Corporation. One has died while another has resigned. Today, 17 Councillors joined BJP. From today, BJP has become the majority party in the municipality," Mukul Roy said while addressing a press conference.Asserting that "fight for democracy in West Bengal" was still on, the former Trinamool Congress leader said, "The police is after them on the orders of Mamata Banerjee. We are going to protest against ...
Modi in Maldives: PM accorded ceremonial welcome at Republic Square
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday received a ceremonial welcome at Republic Square in Male on his arrival to the island nation as part of his first bilateral visit following his re-election.Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was also present during the ceremony.The delegation-level talks between the two countries are currently underway. The two leaders are expected to exchange agreements and remote inaugurate projects following the bilateral.Modi is also scheduled to meet with Maldivian Vice President Faisal Naseem at around 6:00 (local time) and speaker of the Majlis (Maldivian Parliament) Mohamed Nasheed at around 6:30 pm (local time).The key highlight of the visit will be Modi's address to the Majlis at around 6:45 pm (local time)."PM Modi's official visit to the Maldives, especially his address at the Parliament signifies the importance that the Maldives attaches with India. It reflects the good relationship between the two countries," said Hassan Ziyau, the media ...