Page 2370 - Politics
Country will be better off without BJP: Mamata
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday claimed saffronisation of all important offices in the country, "from the Raj Bhavan to the Prime Minister's office". The Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo raised the slogan "BJP Bharat chhodo," (BJP, leave India), claiming that the country would be "better off without the saffron party". "From the Raj Bhavan to the PM's office, the saffron party has put up its signboard at all important offices," she said at a public rally here. Stating that the TMC will play an "important" role in the next Lok Sabha elections, Banerjee said several opposition parties have confirmed their participation in her party's scheduled rally in January. "Leaders such as Chandrababu Naidu, Hardik Patel, Tejaswi Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav, M K Stalin, Farooq Abdullah and Arvind Kejriwal have confirmed their participation at Kolkata's Brigade Parade Ground rally in January," she said. The chief minister also resolved to open new fronts in her turf war with the ...
Cong, TRS engaging in minority appeasement: Amit Shah
BJP president Amit Shah attacked Telangana's TRS government and the Congress on Monday over "minority appeasement", claiming the Congress party's poll manifesto for the state assembly polls largely focused on the welfare of Muslims. Addressing an election rally here, Shah said the TRS dispensation's decision to raise Muslim quotas in government jobs and state-run educational institutions to 12 per cent resulted in blocking of a proposal for hiking reservations for tribals. He said the K Chandrasekhar Rao government also talked about separate IT corridors for religious minorities. Quoting a national TV news channel, the BJP president said it leaked the Congress manifesto that envisaged quotas for minorities in government contracts. "And if you are not from minority community, you will not get contracts. Rs 20 lakh will be given for education of the students of minority communities. Congress will build separate hospitals for them. "Urdu teachers' quota will be decided, and
Kremlin says it still expects Putin-Trump summit to go ahead
Russia said on Wednesday it still expects a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump to go ahead as planned. Trump, in an interview with The Washington Post on Tuesday, said he may cancel the sit-down with Putin in Argentina following Russia's seizure of three Ukrainian naval ships last weekend. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday that the meeting is on and that Russia has not received "any other information from our US counterparts." The long-simmering conflict between Russia and Ukraine burst into the open on Sunday, when Russian border guards fired on three Ukrainian vessels and seized the ships and the crew. Trump said he would be receiving a "full report" from his national security team on Russia's recent actions in eastern Ukraine and the Black Sea. He said he would decide on a course afterward. "Maybe I won't have the meeting," he said. "Maybe I won't even have the meeting." Trump added: "I don't like that aggression. I don't ..
MP Polls: BJP moves EC, alleges Kamal Nath violated MCC
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has moved the Election Commission (EC) against Congress leader Kamal Nath for an alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct by showing his hand- a symbol of the Congress party- after casting his vote in Chhindwara on Wednesday.However, Nath, while speaking to ANI, said: "I had already cast my vote. When people asked me when those from media asked me whom I have voted for I showed this (palm). What else could have I done? Show a lotus?"Amid tight security, Madhya Pradesh is voting for a new assembly today. The voting is underway at 65,341 polling booths, which have been set up for the single-phase elections to 230 seats of the State Assembly.A total of 5,04,95,251 voters including 2,41,30, 90 females and 1,389 third-genders will cast their votes to decide the fortune of as many as 2, 907 candidates, who are in the fray. The State Election Commission has made elaborate security arrangements to ensure that polling takes place in a free and fair ...
US imposes sanctions on Nicaragua's First Lady, Vice President
The United States of America (USA) has imposed financial sanctions on Nicaragua's Vice President and First Lady Rosario Maria Murillo De Ortega, and Nestor Moncada Lau, who, they claim, acted as a national security advisor to both President Daniel Ortega and the Vice President.The Department of State issued an official statement, outlining that the Executive Order (EO) signed by US President Donald Trump counters the "worst abuses" of the Ortega regime, "including its dismantling of democratic institutions and serious human rights violations and abuses"."The E.O. is a new U.S. tool to expose and promote accountability of those responsible for the abuses taking place in Nicaragua, in support of the people of Nicaragua in their continued calls for democracy and rule of law. This action sends a clear signal that the United States will not tolerate the exploitation of the people and public resources of Nicaragua for private gain," the statement highlighted.The statement, issued by the ...
Using faulty EVMs a ploy to manipulate votes: Mamata on MP polls
Criticising the malfunctioning of some Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) during the ongoing Madhya Pradesh assembly elections, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday claimed that providing faulty EVMs was a ploy to manipulate people's votes.
MP poll: 50% voting till 3 pm; several EVMs, VVPATs replaced after snags
Around 50 per cent voting was recorded till 3 pm Wednesday in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections even as there were complaints of faulty Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) at some places in the state. As many as 1,146 EVMs and 1,545 Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines were replaced after complaints of technical snags, MP's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) V L Kantha Rao said. "So far, 50 per cent turnout was recorded in the state till 3 pm," he told reporters here. Three employees died due to health reasons while performing their poll duties since morning in Dhar, Indore and Guna districts, he said. Rao said that at Gadhpura in Bhind district, a person was injured in violence but it was not poll-related. Following complaints of malfunctioning of EVMs, senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia demanded that the Election Commission make up for the time wasted in replacing faulty EVMs by extending the polling time in the booths concerned. "I want that the EC should ...
Maha assembly speaker's remark at Cong triggers protests
Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Haribhau Bagde's remark on the Congress' "culture" triggered a wave of protests in the House, with the NCP also joining in in the uproar and backing the grand old party. As protests mounted, the speaker clarified that he didn't mean to disrespect anybody. The speaker passed the remark in response to certain gestures made by Congress MLA Mohammed Arif Naseem Khan who was trying to draw attention of the Chair to some issue. Objecting to the gestures, members of treasury benches said they amounted to insulting the Chair, to which Bagde remarked: "This is the culture of Congress". Joining the issue, Ajit Pawar (Nationalist Congress Party) said the speaker's remark was objectionable since the Congress' contribution to the freedom struggle and nation building cannot be ignored. "I was also associated with the party earlier," he said. To this, Bagde said he did not mean any disrespect. Unhappy with the speaker's explanation, the MLAs led .
Trinamool will contest in Jharkhand, Odisha, Assam in 2019 LS elections: Mamata
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said her party Trinamool Congress will contest a number of Lok Sabha seats in the neighbouring states of Jharkhand, Odisha and Assam in the 2019 General Elections.
Rajasthan polls: In BJP vs Cong fight, a third front takes shape
As the BJP and the Congress slug it out in the battle for Rajasthan, a third-front of seven parties is taking shape with its chief ministerial face and firebrand farmer leader Amra Ram asserting that it's time to end the state's two-party system of "divide, loot and rule". 'Comrade' Ram, as the CPM state secretary is called by his party colleagues, is confident that the mega alliance will put up a tough fight and said that it would not be surprising if they become a king-maker like the JDS in Karnataka. Talking to PTI on his campaign tour in Godiyawas village in Danta Ramgarh, the 63-year-old Left leader said there was a cycle in Rajasthan of the Congress and the BJP "looting" the state for alternate five years. This time the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will definitely lose but the Congress will not be able to win, he claimed. The seven-party alliance called the Loktantrik Morcha, whose chief ministerial face is Ram, has got Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of ...
Rahul, Chandrababu share dais at Telangana rally
Once bitter rivals, Congress President Rahul Gandhi and TDP leader and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday shared the dais at their first public meeting here to campaign for 'People's Front' candidates in Telangana's Assembly elections.
Over 50% polling in MP in 7 hours (Fourth Lead)
Over half of Madhya Pradesh's 5.04 crore voters have exercised their franchies in the Assembly elections where the ruling BJP is locked in a direct and stiff contest with the Congress.
Congress, MNF confident of winning
Both the ruling Congress and the main opposition MNF on Wednesday said they are confident of winning the Mizoram Assembly polls.
No talks, not to participate in SAARC unless Pak stops terror:
There will be no dialogue with Pakistan unless it desists from terrorist activities against India, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj declared Wednesday, in a rebuff to Pakistan a day after Islamabad said it would invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the SAARC summit. She also said the Kartarpur corridor initiative was not linked to the dialogue process with Pakistan. "That invitation has already been given. But, we are not responding to it positively. Because, as I said, that unless and until Pakistan stops terrorist activities in India, there will be no dialogue and we will not participate in SAARC," Swaraj told a press conference. Swaraj's statement came hours before Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was to lay the foundation stone for the much-awaited corridor linking Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan's Kartarpur - the final resting place of Sikh faith's founder Guru Nanak Dev - to Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India's Gurdaspur district. Noting that Pakistan ...
'Raag darbari' of 'naamdar' call Naxals, Maoists revolutionaries: PM
Courtiers around the "naamdar" believe Naxals and Maoists are revolutionaries, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here Wednesday in a sharp attack against Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Modi, who often refers to Gandhi as "naamdar" (dynast), was addressing a rally ahead of the December 7 elections in this Rajasthan town. "Raag darbari of the naamdar say Naxals and Maoists are revolutionaries," he told the gathering. Close aides of the "naamdar" refer to the Army chief as street thugs, Modi said, asking whether they could protect the nation. Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit last year triggered a row after he likened Army Chief General Bipin Rawat to a "goon on the street", prompting the BJP to demand his expulsion. The Congress distanced itself from the remarks. Dikshit withdrew his remarks and apologised. "We implemented one rank, one pension in the Army. The Congress never worked on that," Modi said, adding that the party insults martyrs. Continuing his attack against the opposition .
Vote a weapon, use carefully: Rahul
Congress president Rahul Gandhi Wednesday urged people in Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram to exercise their franchise in large numbers, saying "time for change" has come and electors should vote for prosperity and progress. In two separate tweets for voters of Mizoram and Madhya Pradesh, he said, "Vote is the biggest strength of democracy. Do cast your vote today, because it's time for change." He told voters of Mizoram that their vote is not just a constitutional right, "it is a blessing and a weapon. Use it wisely today. Vote for peace, prosperity and progress." Voting is underway in the two states. While Congress seeks to wrest power from BJP in Madhya Pradesh, it wants to retain Mizoram.
Irrigation scam: Bhujbal backs Ajit Pawar, hits out at govt
Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Chhagan Bhujbal Wednesday came out in support of party colleague Ajit Pawar, who is facing allegations of involvement in a multi-crore irrigation scam, and hit out at the BJP-led Maharashtra government over it. Bhujbal alleged that people in government first "fix" a politician in Opposition and later start taking action against him. "... The thing is that politicians (in government) first fix a person (in Opposition) and later through police machinery start action against him. They (government) first decide what would be the result of the action and later, the inquiry starts," Bhujbal said. State BJP president Raosaheb Danve had said recently that Ajit Pawar, the state's former deputy chief minister, can be arrested "anytime" in the alleged irrigation scam. Taking a dim view of it, Bhujbal said how could Danve make such comments when police were already investigating the alleged scam. "In my case also, some politicians made .
India One Of The Eight Countries On Preferred List Of Saudi Arabia
Saudi-India Business meeting was held with Council of Saudi Chambers during the visit of the Indian Infrastructure & Housing delegation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Saudi delegation was headed by Kamel S. Almunajjed, Chairman of Saudi Indian Business Council and the Indian side was led byManoj K Bharti, Additional Secretary, ED Division, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. Speaking to the Indian delegation, the Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Ahmed Javed, said that there are important changes taking place in Saudi Arabia and India is one of the 8 countries on the preferred list of Saudi Arabia. More proactive participation from Indian companies for business, trade and regional cooperation in being welcomed.
Mizoram casts 50% votes in 6 hours (Afternoon Lead)
Over 50 per cent of the 7.68 lakh Mizoram voters had their franchise in six hours to elect a new assembly on Wednesday, a poll official said.
Sikh separatists plan anti-India events at Kartarpur corridor
Much before the Kartarpur Sahib corridor could formally be opened for Sikh pilgrims, Khalistan separatist groups have already strategised and become active to use the route to push terrorism and separatist activities.A US-based separatist organisation, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), has announced that it would hold "Kartarpur Sahib Convention - 2019" in Pakistan for anti-India propaganda in November 2019 during the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev. SFJ, a pro-Khalistan group is running a secessionist campaign allegedly at the behest of Pakistan's intelligence agency's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), for the liberation of Punjab from India. The outfit is trying to brainwash the novice youth in its anti-India propaganda.SFJ's legal advisor Gurpatwant Singh Pannun said that the outfit would open a voter registration counter from Kartarpur Sahib on Pakistan side in November 2019 when several Sikhs from more than 30 countries will be visiting the gurdwara. SFJ through ...