Page 2409 - Politics
Supporting TRS to ensure it emerges as alternative to BJP,
AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi, has said his party was supporting the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) to ensure that it emerges as an alternative force to the Congress and BJP in the coming elections. Addressing multiple election rallies here on Friday, he sought to know if there were only two parties, Congress and BJP, and said, "We will fight it out against both Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Not just two, there should be three or four (parties). If one (party) throws attitude then we will not hesitate to place our hand on the other," he said in an apparent reference to the TRS. Akbaruddin, seeking re-election from Chandrayangutta segment, further said (previous) Chief Ministers have always sought the support of AIMIM and the party would be the kingmaker again in the upcoming elections. Slamming the Congress for questioning development works by his party in Old Hyderabad, Akbaruddin said, "According to them if we support Congress we are secular and ...
Keep your Ali, Bajrangbali is enough for us: Adityanath to Congress
In a scathing attack on senior Congress leader Kamal Nath, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said that "Congress can keep Ali, while Bajrangbali is enough for us (Bharatiya Janata Party)".Taking a jibe at Nath over a viral video purportedly showing him asking Muslim leaders to ensure as much as 90 per cent voting for his party from the community, Adityanath said, "I recently read a statement by Kamal Nath ji where he said that the Congress does not want SC/ST votes. The Congress only wants Muslim votes. I just want to tell him that Kamal Nath ji can keep Ali, Bajrangbali will be enough for us (BJP)."Adityanath also criticised Congress president Rahul Gandhi over his promise of waiving loans of farmers in Madhya Pradesh within 10 days if his party comes to power."Rahul Gandhi, in his speech, repeatedly says that he will waive off the debt of farmers in Madhya Pradesh. If that is the case, then the Congress is in power in Punjab and the state has a majority of ...
HAL-made planes dropped bombs in Kargil, yet govt sidelined it: Rahul Gandhi
Upping his ante against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with regards to the controversial Rafale fighter jets deal, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said that even though Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)-made aircraft were used effectively by the Indian Air Force (IAF) to drop bombs during the 1999 Kargil War, the government did not find it competent enough to be part of the Rafale deal."During the Kargil War, HAL aircraft dropped bombs on the Pakistan Army. HAL knows how to make aircraft. The talks were confirmed. HAL discussed with France's Dassault to buy one aircraft for Rs 526 crore. After that, 'Chowkidar' became the Prime Minister. Soon after that, Prime Minister Modi visited France along with Anil Ambani. What happens next is that the Rs 526 crore aircraft now gets sold for Rs 1,600 crore. HAL is sidelined and Anil Ambani is made the offset partner. Anil Ambani never made an aircraft. HAL has been making aircraft for the last 70 years," Rahul said while addressing .
MP Polls: Who is Rahul Gandhi's 'Senapati,' asks Amit Shah
With only four days left for Madhya Pradesh assembly polls scheduled for November 28, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah on Friday launched a full-voltage attack on the Congress, saying the country's grand old party does not have "a Senapati" to win the elections in the state.Addressing a poll rally, Shah said: "We are contesting this election with Shivraj Singh Chouhan as our chief ministerial candidate under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. Who is Rahul Gandhi's 'Senapati' (chief ministerial candidate)? Can one win the election on the basis of a king, an emperor and a tired businessman?"Sharpening his attack on the Congress, Shah further asserted, "The Congress party ruled the state for 55 years and yet they left it with a 'Bimaru' tag. It is the BJP which has worked to bring Madhya Pradesh in the category of developed states. How will Rahul Gandhi, who does not know whether potatoes are grown under the ground or in a factory, do good for farmers?"'Bimaru' is
Cong lodges complaint with EC against BJP chief Shah, Rajasthan minister and MLA
The Congress in Rajasthan Saturday lodged a complaint with the Election Commission against BJP president Amit Shah alleging that he had provoked his party's workers against leaders of the opposition party during his recent visit to Bikaner. It also filed complaints with the poll panel against Rajasthan Urban Development and Housing Minister Srichand Kriplani and BJP MLA Ramhet Yadav. The Congress alleged that BJP chief Shah, the minister and the legislator had violated the model code of conduct in the state, where elections are due on December 7. "Shah during his recent visit to Bikaner had provoked his party workers against Congress leaders. "Minister and BJP candidate from Nimbahera (Kriplani) had invoked sentiments of the public by telling people that he will commit suicide if they did not vote him to power," Rajasthan Congress spokesperson Sushil Sharma said here. In an apparent reference to the illegal sand mining in Rajasthan, he said BJP MLA Ramhet Singh Yadav, that party's ...
PM Modi tears into Congress for 'dragging' his mother in politics
Days after Congress leader Raj Babbar compared the falling of rupee's value with Prime Minister Narendra Modi mother's age, the Prime Minister on Saturday slammed the Congress, saying that "one who does not have any agenda for elections, abuses someone else's mother."Prime Minister Modi further stated that Congress could neither compete with him nor discuss the development work and hence was dragging his mother into petty politics. "When a person does not have issues to discuss and has a lot of egos, then he abuses someone's mother," he said while addressing an election rally here on Saturday."The party which ruled the country for so many years cannot compete with me and hence is abusing my mother. Such a low level of politics is unacceptable," the Prime Minister said. "They abused my mother; she does not even know the ABC of politics. Still, they dragging her in it," he added.Stepping up his attack on the Congress party, the Prime Minister further asserted that the party has a ...
Congress leaders are bereft of issues and confused, attacking my mother: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday hit back at the Congress saying that since it was bereft of issues and confused in its political discourse, it was dragging his mother into the poll debate and "abusing" her.
Mehbooba alleges decision on J-K bank an attempt to fiddle with state's special status
Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday criticised the decision to treat Jammu and Kashmir Bank as a pubic sector undertaking, saying it "smacks of attempts to fiddle with the basic character of the state's special status". The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president called for immediate rollback of the decision taken by Governor S P Malik-led state administrative council (SAC). She alleged that assaults on multiple fronts were being launched against Jammu and Kashmir's special status and the administration is taking away autonomy of institutions that the state enjoyed. The J-K Bank is part of this game plan and this was the reason PDP came together with the National Conference and the Congress to form a government and prevent such interventions, she said in a statement. "The Governor administration is taking such decisions which smack of attempts to fiddle with the basic character of the state's special status, she said. Mehbooba said the Governor's rule in the state is not
Taiwan awaits results of key election test and gay marriage vote
Taiwan voted Saturday in key elections for its embattled government and a divisive gay rights referendum which activists fear could turn back the clock on the island's reputation as a trailblazer for marriage equality. The local elections were seen as a mid-term test for President Tsai Ing-wen, as she faces a backlash over domestic reforms and concerns about deteriorating ties with China. Tsai and officials from her ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) have repeatedly said they believe China has meddled in the lead-up to the elections through a "fake news" campaign, which Beijing has denied. Voters faced lengthy queues as they dealt with complex ballots which featured 10 referendums including pro and anti-gay marriage votes and a bid to change the name under which Taiwan competes at international sports events that has already angered China. "I feel that this is a democratic society and people can express their views on many issues," Tsai told reporters. College student Kwan ...
Yeddyurappa dubs Kumaraswamy govt's performance as 'poor'
Karnataka BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa on Saturday termed the Congress-JD(S) government's performance in the first six months since coming to power as "poor". He said the BJP will demand answers from Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy during the winter session of the state assembly in Belagavi. The session will be held from December 10 to 21. "I have been demanding that the chief minister releases a white paper about the financial condition of the state. He did not do it and spoke lightly about it," Yeddyurappa told reporters here. He claimed that the data collected by him about the government's development works showed that the state's total budget grant was Rs 1,87,996 crore, out of which 39 per cent, Rs 73,440 crore, has been spent. For the corresponding period in 2017, it was 42.40 per cent, he said, adding that most of it was used for government employees' salary and travel. "The (government's) performance is poor," the BJP leader said. The chief minister, who also holds the finance ...
Amit Shah to take part in poll campaign on Sunday
BJP president Amit Shah would participate in the party's campaign for December seven Assembly elections in Telangana Sunday. Shah will address rallies at Parkal, Nirmal, Narayankhed and Dubbak, BJP sources said. Shah had kicked off the party campaign with a public meeting at Mahabubnagar in September and subsequently addressed two more rallies in the state. BJP general secretary P Muralidhar Rao had said on Friday that for the BJP, the Assembly elections in Telangana were very important in the context of the south. He had accused the Telangana Rashtra Samithi of failing to fulfil its promises and said anti-TRS campaigns would be taken up extensively by the party's national leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah. BJP is going it alone in the Assembly polls. The party had five MLAs in the state assembly dissolved on September six and it hopes to substantially increase its strength in the coming elections.
Rafale deal: French NGO files complaint against Dassault
French non-governmental organisation (NGO) Sherpa has filed a complaint against aviation giant Dassault to clarify the conditions under which the Rafale deal was made with India in 2016.The complaint, which has been lodged with the National Financial Prosecutor's Office, further sought details over Dassault's choice to have Reliance group as a partner.The complaint was lodged on October 26 this year and it "follows the complaint lodged on the 4th of October 2018 by a former Indian Minister and an anti-corruption lawyer with the Central Bureau of Investigation in New Delhi, against the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "abuse of authority" and "grant of undue advantages" in connection with the sale of Rafale, and the facts revealed by Mediapart and Sherpa's investigation," according to an official press release of Sherpa."Anil Ambani, Narendra Modi's close associate, Eric Trappier, CEO of Dassault Aviation, and the former Indian Minister of Defense Manohar Parrikar have also been
Mehbooba, Omar demand probe into J&K civilian's killing
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Ministers Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah on Saturday demanded a probe into the killing of a civilian during a firing incident in Badgam district.
Congress doing divisive politics: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday accused the Congress of doing divisive politics and said the Congress is not fighting to come to power but to save face.
ED raids TDP MP's residence, offices in Hyderabad
Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials on Saturday conducted searches at the residence and offices of former Union Minister and TDP MP Y.S. Chowdary here for alleged financial irregularities.
Romania's Foreign Minister to visit India today
Romania's Minister of Foreign Affairs Teodor Melescanu is arriving in India this evening on a four-day official visit.Melescanu will be meeting External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj at Jawaharlal Nehru Bhawan on November 26. Prior to the meeting, he will deliver a lecture on 'Going Global vs. staying local: Romania's agenda as a connector between Europe and Asia' at the Observer Research Foundation.He will be returning on November 27, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).Melescanu assumed office on January 4, 2017, and is a member of the Romanian Parliament as the representative of the Prahova constituency in the Senate.
Khashoggi killing: Democrats indicate probe into Trump's knowledge of CIA report
A day after US President Donald Trump refused to implicate Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) in journalist Jamal Khashoggi's death case, California Representative Adam Schiff has stated that the Democrats want a probe into Trump's knowledge of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) report before he publicly supported the Crown Prince.Trump threw his weight behind the Crown Prince despite a CIA report pointed to the pivotal role of the Saudi leader in Khashoggi's murder. "Certainly we will be delving further into the murder of Khashoggi, and I want to make sure that the committee is fully debriefed on it," Schiff told reporters."We will certainly want to examine what the intelligence community knows about the murder," Schiff, the future head of the US House Intelligence Committee, further added. Referring to the release of CIA report to the Congress, he stated, "It will be quite clear whether the president is relying on the intelligence community and our best source .
Nigeria's military acknowledges major attack by extremists
Nigeria's military is acknowledging a major attack against it by Islamic extremists after opposition lawmakers said 44 soldiers were killed. The statement issued overnight doesn't say how many are dead after the Nov. 18 attack in Metele in the northeast. Nigeria is often reluctant to expose the toll of such attacks by Boko Haram extremists and fighters linked to the Islamic State group. As pressure over insecurity builds on President Muhammadu Buhari ahead of next year's election, an aide on Saturday says Buhari has summoned military chiefs and sent the defense minister to neighboring Chad for an "urgent meeting" with President Idriss Deby. A multinational force combating Boko Haram is based in Chad. Aide Bashir Ahmad says Nigeria's leader is "worried by Boko Haram's renewed attacks on military bases.
BJP orchestrating Ram Mandir movement via allies to divert people's attention from governance failures: Mayawati
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Saturday attacked Bharatiya Janata Party by saying that its leaders are orchestrating the present action on Ram Temple in Ayodhya through its allies (Shiv Sena) and affiliates (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) in order to divert people's attention from failure in governance ahead of the Assembly and general elections. She added that the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are well aware of the fact that they are losing elections in States and Centre which is why they are resorting to Mandir issue through 'proxies and allies like Shive Sena, RSS and VHP' as a strategy."Out of the promises that the Bharatiya Janata Party, especially Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made to the people of this country during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, I personally feel not even even 50 per cent of that have been fulfilled. In fact, 50 per cent is also too much to say. Both BJP and Prime Minister Modi are fully well aware of this. They are also aware of the fact that ..
Stop 'police raj' in Sabarimala: Congress
The Kerala unit of the Congress on Saturday asked the Pinarayi Vijayan government to end the prevailing "police raj" in Sabarimala for more pilgrims to visit the Lord Ayyappa shrine.