Page 2457 - Politics
Confusion over seat adjustment will be resolved soon: TJS
: Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS), a partner in the "grand alliance" for the December 7 Assembly elections in Telangana, Monday expressed confidence the confusion over seat adjustments among the allies will be resolved soon. The "grand alliance" comprises the Congress, TDP, CPI and TJS. The confusion arose with parties giving tickets to candidates in constituencies alloted to their alliance partners. "About seats, it will happen. If not today, it will happen tomorrow. I don't think it is a major problem. I am confident that we will be able to resolve that by tomorrow," TJS president M Kodandaram said in a 'Meet the Press' organised by Telangana State Union of Working Journalists (TUWJ). He was asked about the confusion with regard to seat adjustment among the alliance partners though Monday is the last day for filing nominations and the lack of clarity about the proposed common agenda. Observing that firming up the alliance and reaching out to people with a common agenda ..
Meeting of opposition parties on Thursday postponed
The proposed meeting of the Congress and other opposition parties on November 22 to discuss formation of a joint front against BJP-led NDA has been postponed, sources said on Monday.
Opposition suffering from 'Modi-phobia', says Amit Shah at MP rally
'They just want to get rid of Modi from the prime minister's post, while we want to get rid of poverty, air pollution among other things,' said the BJP president
UK PM May seeks business support for EU deal as she faces day of reckoning
LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May will seek to win support from business leaders for her contentious draft European Union divorce deal on Monday as dissenters in her own party scrambled to trigger a leadership challenge.
Bengal BJP protests against attack on party president's convoy
The West Bengal BJP leadership on Monday held several rallies across the state to protest against the attack on the party's state president Dilip Ghosh's convoy allegedly by Trinamool Congress workers a day ago.
Ashok Gehlot files nomination from Sardarpura seat
Senior Congress leader and former chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday filed his nomination for the ensuing Rajasthan Assembly elections from Sardarpura seat.Gehlot will be contesting from Sardarpura assembly constituency in Jodhpur district for the fifth time. Bharatiya Janata Party has pitted Shambhu Singh Khetasar against Gehlot.Of the 11 elections held in Sardarpura seat created in 1967, the Congress has won seven times. Gehlot was elected to the assembly from Sardarpura for the first time in a by-election in 1999.The assembly elections in Rajasthan will take place in a single phase for all 200 seats on December 7. The counting of votes will take place on December 11.
Security loopholes need to be plugged: Rijiju on Amritsar blast
Condemning the Amritsar grenade blast in which three people were killed and 20 injured on Sunday, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Monday underscored the need to plug security loopholes."I condemn the blast in Amritsar. Also, I want to express my sympathy to those who have lost their loved ones. In last four-and-half years, an incident like this has not happened in any other city, leaving Pathankot and Uri. We will look forward to finding ways to stop such incidents in future," Rijiju told media here."This is not the time to blame anybody, but we must find out the loopholes and we must try to correct them. Everybody has to be vigilant in terms of security - central government, state governments and all agencies should work together," he added.Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh earlier today announced a reward of Rs 50 lakh for information leading to the arrest of suspects.Information regarding the suspects can be provided at police helpline (181) and
Rahul sends Israeli banana saplings for Amethi farmers
If the BJP is wooing the electorate in the Congress citadel of Amethi through frequent visits by its Union minister Smriti Irani, local MP Rahul Gandhi has kept his promise to local farmers, sending Israeli banana saplings for them. "The local farmers had met their MP during his last visit and talked about scope of cultivating bananas in the area after which the party president has sent 40,000 banana saplings for them," Congress spokesman Anshu Awasthi told PTI. These saplings of G-9 variety have been brought here from Israel and are said to be high yielding, Awasthi said, adding that the responsibility of their distribution among the farmers has been given to the head of 'Khetihar Mazdoor Congress' , Anil Shukla. "This is not the first time that the local MP has taken care of the needs of the electorate whom he considers as his family," Awasthi said. The distribution of these saplings, which commenced on Indira Gandhi's birth anniversary, would continue till December 9, the birthday .
India for more joint projects with China in Afghanistan after diplomats' training
India on Monday said it would like to pursue more joint projects with China in war-torn Afghanistan as the first batch of 10 Afghan diplomats being jointly trained by both countries started their training programme here after they completed their stint in New Delhi. The Afghan diplomats, who underwent training in New Delhi from October 15-26, began a 10-day training stint at the China Foreign Affairs University on Monday. This is the first joint programme being undertaken in Afghanistan by India and China. It was part of an understanding at the informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping held in April in China's Wuhan city. For China, which shares a border with Afghanistan, this is a rare initiative as it closely coordinates its Afghan policy with Pakistan. Kabul has been accusing Islamabad of backing the Taliban's frequent violent attacks destabilising the country. Addressing the inaugural session of the China training programme, India's Deputy ...
Former Assam minister Chandan Kumar Sarkar passes away
Former Assam minister and senior Congress leader Chandan Kumar Sarkar died on Monday following a cardiac arrest at Bongaigaon, family sources said. Sarkar was 65 and is survived by wife, two sons and a daughter. Sarkar suffered a cardiac arrest Monday morning and was immediately rushed to a local hospital where he passed away. Sarkar was elected to the legislative assembly thrice-1991, 2001 and 2011- from Abhayapuri South constituency and served as the irrigation minister in the third term of the Tarun Gogoi-led Congress government. Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President Ripun Bora expressed shock at Sarkar's death and offered his deepest condolences to the bereaved family. "I had held a meeting on the forthcoming panchayat elections only three days ago where he was present and had spoken to him even yesterday. It is a big loss for the Congress and during the bad times of the party, it was he along with Bhumidhar Barman who had played a pivotal role in ...
Karnataka CM to hold talks with sugarcane farmers on Tuesday
Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy will hold talks with agitating sugarcane farmers on their demands for a higher minimum support price and settling dues from state-run and private mills, said an official on Monday.
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's biography hits the shelves
A biography of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was released in bookstores across the country Monday, an official of publishers Penguin India said. The biography was penned down by journalist Shutapa Pal, keeping the national readers in mind, the official said. The book, titled "Didi: The Untold Mamata Banerjee", brings out the unique position the Trinamool Congress supremo has occupied in Indian politics and establishes her as a national figure. Describing Banerjee as one of the country's toughest women, the book explores her unique style of politics, her struggles and achievements, starting from her days in college politics to defeating the formidable over-three decades-old Left Front government in West Bengal in 2011. It also explores the role she is expected to play in the 2019 parliamentary polls.
Congress, NGOs to join rally demanding Parrikar's resignation
The Opposition Congress and NGOs will join a rally here on Tuesday to demand ailing Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's resignation, an organiser of the march said on Monday.
Russia, Iran, Turkey to hold Syria talks next week: Kazakh FM
Russia, Iran and Turkey will hold the next round of talks on Syria's conflict on November 28-29 in the Kazakh capital Astana, Kazakhstan's foreign minister said on Monday. "The participants plan to discuss the current situation in Syria, in particular in Idlib, creating conditions for the return of refugees and internally displaced people, and post-conflict reconstruction," Kairat Abdrakhmanov said in Astana. The meeting will be the 11th in the Astana peace process -- set up in early 2017 by Russia and Iran, who support President Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, and opposition backer Turkey. Abdrakhmanov said representatives of Damascus and armed opposition groups would take part, but did not specify what level of officials from Russia, Iran and Turkey would attend. The Astana process was launched after Russia's military intervention in Syria tipped the balance in the regime's favour. It has gradually eclipsed an earlier UN-sponsored negotiations framework known as the Geneva ...
Prez speaks to TN CM; inquires about Cyclone Gaja aftermath
President Ram Nath Kovind Monday spoke to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami and inquired about the situation in the state in the aftermath of cyclone 'Gaja', which has so far claimed 45 lives. In a tweet, the president said the people and the Government of India were "standing by those in distress" in Tamil Nadu. "Spoke to the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and inquired about the situation in the aftermath of Cyclone Gaja, expressed condolences to bereaved families. People and government of India are standing by those in distress in the state. #PresidentKovind," he said on his official Twitter handle. Cyclone Gaja, which crossed Tamil Nadu coast last Friday between Nagapattinam and nearby Vedaranyam, has claimed 45 lives and left a trail of destruction, uprooting 1.7 lakh trees and damaging 88,102 hectares of agricultural land. The cyclone has caused severe damage in the districts of Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Ramanathapuram, Thanjavur, Pudukottai and Tiruvarur in Tamil Nadu ..
President Kovind to embark on four-day Australia tour from Nov 21
President Ram Nath Kovind will embark on a four-day Australia tour from November 21, in the first ever state visit by an Indian president to the country, during which he will discuss ways to strengthen bilateral ties with top Australian leaders. Kovind is currently in Vietnam as part of his two-nation tour. He will arrive Sydney from Hanoi. The President will visit Sydney and Melbourne on an invitation from Governor General Peter Cosgrove, according to a statement issued by the High Commission of India, Canberra. A ceremonial welcome for the President will be held in Sydney. It will be followed by talks between Kovind and Cosgrove, the statement said. During his visit, the President will also meet Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Both the leaders will jointly unveil a statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Parramatta in New South Wales as a part of the ongoing 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Gandhiji. Kovind will also address the Australian Financial Review Business summit and ..
Sulking UP minister fires fresh salvo at Adityanath govt
Sulking UP Cabinet minister Om Prakash Rajbhar Monday fired a fresh salvo at the BJP-led Yogi Adityanath government, accusing it of denying funds to open schools for 'divyaangjan' (specially-abled people) in the state. Rajbhar's fresh attack at the BJP comes a day after he challenged the ruling party to dump him for daring "to call a spade a spade". Rajbhar, who heads the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party - an ally of the BJP in UP, said in a tweet, "In Uttar Pradesh, there are 16 'divyaang' schools in 75 districts. In the state, there are 1.5 crore 'divyaang' people. Now, how will they study in these 16 schools?" "If we speak up in this regard, it is said that we are speaking against them in revolt," he said. In another tweet, Rajbhar said, "Keeping in mind the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Ram Mandir issue is being fanned. Through Kumbh, branding of the Lok Sabha elections is being done. In Kumbh thousands of crores of rupees are being spent, but when I seek budget for Divyaangjan ...
Incomplete expressway opened for publicity during polls, govt endangering commuters' lives: Cong
The Congress Monday accused the BJP-led central government of endangering the lives of commuters by inaugurating an "incomplete" expressway in Haryana for quick publicity during elections. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should order an inquiry and get the KMP Expressway completed first. "PM Modi and CM Khattar are endangering the lives of thousands of commuters by illegally and forcibly inaugurating an incomplete KMP Expressway today. "Will Modi-Khattar duo answer - No testing of KMP by engineers, illegally called as Partial COD (Commercial Operation Day); 3rd party consultant has refused to give 'completion certificate' and even HSIIDC refused to own responsibility for any mishap. "Are you risking commuter lives only for quick publicity in the middle of elections and to benefit the private operator by Rs 26 crore a month. Modiji, you should cancel the inauguration, order an enquiry and get the KMP completed," he said in a series of ...
Key Israel minister says not quitting, reducing possibility of snap polls
A key Israeli minister said Monday he would not quit Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government for now despite sharp disagreements, making snap polls less likely. Education Minister Naftali Bennett of the far-right Jewish Home said he would give Netanyahu time to correct course on a range of issues. "If the prime minister is serious in his intentions, and I want to believe his words from last night, I am saying here to the prime minister we are removing at this moment all of our political demands and will help you in the huge mission of making Israel win again," Bennett said in a statement to journalists broadcast live on television. The announcement was a dramatic climbdown from Jewish Home's earlier threat to leave Netanyahu's coalition if Bennett was not named defence minister. Netanyahu has refused to give him the post despite a coalition crisis that has been threatening to bring down his government. In an impassioned address to the nation on Sunday night, ...
Lanka parties agree to form select committee to conduct parliamentary affairs amidst crisis
Political parties in Sri Lanka decided on Monday to form a select committee to conduct parliamentary affairs following amidst a power struggle set off by President Maithripapala Sirisena's controversial decision to remove prime minister Ranil Wickeremesinghe last month. The decision came a day after an all-party meeting called by President Sirisena to resolve the crisis ended inconclusively. The crisis erupted when President Sirisena suddenly announced on October 26 that he had sacked prime minister Wickremesinghe and installed ex-strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa in his place. Sirisena later dissolved Parliament, almost 20 months before its term was to end, and ordered snap election. The Supreme Court on Tuesday overturned President Sirisena's decision to dissolve Parliament and halted the preparations for snap polls on January 5. The House till now has passed two no-confidence motions against Rajapaksa and his government by a voice vote. The House was convened Monday morning to conduct a .