Page 2464 - Politics
EC's inspection of deleted voters' names a farce: AAP
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday slammed the Election Commission for its conduct towards checking deleted names from electoral rolls by calling the inspection a "farce and a complete joke to the people of Delhi".
No post is priority for me, will go by party decision on CM: Ashok Gehlot
Congress stalwart from Rajasthan and former state Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said Sunday he did not hold any position in priority and will abide by the decision the party high command takes on the issue of CM-ship. Not ruling himself out of the race for the top post in the state should Congress win, Gehlot in an exclusive interview to PTI said he would be open to any role Congress president Rahul Gandhi assigns him in the interest of the party. "I am ready for whatever role Congress president gives me. I am against any kind of lobbying for any position. I have never lobbied even when I faced dissidence as CM. If they (the high command) send me to Rajasthan in party interest, it will be their decision," the powerful AICC general secretary said. He said he is "more than satisfied" with his long political career as a five-time Lok Sabha MP, three time Union minister and ten-year Rajasthan chief minister. "No post is a priority for me. I am more than satisfied with my political innings ..
Kashmir IGP reviews security situation in Shopian
Kashmir Inspector General of Police S P Pani reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district on Sunday after two civilians were killed by militants here. Pani, accompanied by south Kashmir DIG Amit Kumar visited Shopian and held a detailed security review meeting with the district officials, a police spokesman said. He said the IGP Kashmir chaired the meeting of officers wherein he also took a detailed review of security measures taken for Panchayat elections in the district. The IGP asked the officers to ensure that the elections are held in a conducive atmosphere. The spokesperson said the IGP patiently heard the grievances of police personnel and assured them that their genuine problems would be taken up on priority with authorities concerned.
Sri Lanka president holds all-party meeting talks to end political crisis
Sri Lanka's President Maithripala Sirisena on Sunday held an all-party meeting to end a political crisis set off by his controversial decision to remove the country's prime minister last month. The crisis erupted when President Sirisena suddenly announced he had sacked prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and installed 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 controversial decision to dissolve Parliament and halted the preparations for snap polls on January 5. The crisis talks came two days after Sri Lanka's parliament witnessed unprecedented violence as lawmakers threw furniture and chilli powder at each other. This is the first time since the crisis erupted on October 26 that Sirisena, Wickremsinghe and Rajapaksa met face to face. The JVP or the People's Liberation Front stayed away from Sunday's meeting. The party in a ...
Amritsar grenade attack kills three; DGP admits terror act (Third Lead)
In a major terrorist incident, three people were killed and 20 others injured when two motorcycle-borne masked youths threw a grenade at a Nirankari congregation in Rajasansi area in Punjab's Amritsar district on Sunday, police said.
Campaigning for Chhattisgarh 2nd phase of polls concludes
Campaigning for the second and final phase of the Assembly polls in Chhattisgarh concluded on Sunday, with political bigwigs including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Raman Singh and Congress President Rahul Gandhi raising the heat in the state where the BJP has been in power since 2003.
Mehbooba, Omar condemn killings of civilians in Kashmir
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti Sunday termed the killing of civilians in Pulwama and Shopian as "barbaric and bestial", saying the people of the state in unison must save youngsters from "such catastrophe". The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president made the remarks while interacting with her party functionaries from Wachi and Pulwama. "Words are not enough to condemn the killing of teenagers and such acts of brutality have no place in Kashmir which in the entire world for centuries is known for its generosity and kindness and has been an abode of revered Sufis and saints," Mehbooba said. Nadeem Manzoor, a resident of Safanagri area of Shopian, was abducted and killed on Thursday night, while another civilian was abducted and his throat-slit body was found Saturday. Mehbooba said the killings were "barbaric and bestial" and the people of the state, in unison, must save youngsters from such catastrophe. "No religion on earth permits any person or a group to ...
BJP has cheated, pained people: Anand Sharma
Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Anand Sharma on Sunday alleged that the BJP had only "cheated and pained" the people instead of bringing "good days" to them. "Where are those good days? People have suffered from pains and have been cheated by the BJP due to its anti-people policies," said Sharma, while addressing a press conference here.Sharma's presser was briefly disrupted after a man from the crowd of journalists created some scenes. He was not a journalist. Congress spokesperson Shobha Oza blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for causing the disturbance. "It was the BJP's handiwork," she said.Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the promises made by him and their current status, Sharma said, "The Prime Minister never hesitates in making claims, but at least he should make the claims that are concrete and correct. Where are those "good days" that the Prime Minister promised? Why shall the people of Madhya Pradesh and India place their trust in him ..
MP Polls: Govt employees cast vote through postal ballot
Government employees hailing from Madhya Pradesh on Sunday cast their vote through postal ballot, ahead of upcoming state polls.Large number of government employees who would be on the election duty on the day of voting, including those from security forces through the postal ballot facility are casting their votes.The voting is taking place at city's Lal Parade ground and voters have lined up since early morning to exercise their democratic right.The special arrangement of Postal Ballot has been made because these government employees would otherwise be bereft of voting owing to their official deployment on the day of main elections.Sharing details of the postal ballot voting Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Sanjay Sahu said, "Today this day has been completely kept for postal ballots. Personnel from the police department, special armed forces (SAF), home guards, special police officers are taking part in these postal ballots. They had already filled form 12 and based on ...
Congress has mastered skill of lying, bluffing: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday targeted the Congress party, saying that they have mastered the skill of lying and bluffing.Referring to the election manifesto of the Congress for Madhya Pradesh, the prime minister questioned the dual stand of the party on protection the cow and said that "making false promises is the very nature of the Congress.""In their election manifesto for Madhya Pradesh, the Congress talks about protecting the cows. It is a good thing. But tell the people why you did not make any such promise while contesting in Kerala? Instead what was the situation there in the name of cow protection is for everyone to see," he said while addressing an election rally here ahead of the assembly polls."Day by day the Congress is bettering itself when it comes to manufacturing lies," he added.Prime Minister Modi referred to a video surfaced on the social media in which he said a Congress leader of Madhya Pradesh is caught saying that for winning the polls, "they are ready
J&K BJP leader's killing: NIA likely to take over case
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is likely to take over investigation into the killing of senior BJP leader Anil Parihar and his brother Ajeet Parihar by suspected militants in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir earlier this month, officials said Sunday. A team of NIA experts visited Kishtwar town, 230 kms from here, last week to assist the state police in the ongoing probe. It later sought permission from the Ministry of Home Affairs for taking over the case for a thorough investigation, the officials said. The Parihar brothers were shot at point-blank range outside their house on November 1 when they were returning home after closing their shop in the town. The officials said the Home Ministry was likely to give its nod to the NIA for taking over the probe from the special investigation team (SIT) set up by the government. The SIT has arrested some people, including sister of a local militant who along with his Kashmiri associate is believed to have carried out the target
Congress is Nehru-Gandhi family's private limited company: Shah
BJP president Amit Shah Sunday dubbed the Congress as a "private limited company" of the Nehru-Gandhi family as he took aims at the opposition party after Prime Minister Narendra Modi dared it to appoint a head from outside the family. In a statement, Shah said the Congress had become more of a family enterprise aimed at dynastic service than a political party aimed at public service, and that no person outside the family had any right over it. Taking a dig at Congress leaders, including P Chidambaram who had named several party presidents hailing from outside the Gandhi family, he said Modi's challenge had ruffled several feathers with "many courtiers going out of the way to prove their loyalty". Evidently, the prime minister's point had struck a raw nerve, Shah added. At a poll rally in Chhattisgarh Friday, Modi had said if the the Congress appointed someone not from the Gandhi family as its president for at least five years, then he would believe that Jawaharlal Nehru had indeed ...
India to give all help to new Maldivian Govt: PM Modi assures President Solih
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured all possible help to new Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in fulfilling his government's pledges to the people and suggested an early meeting of officials to work out the details according to the needs of the strategically vital Indian Ocean island nation. According to a joint press statement after talks between Prime Minister Modi and President Solih here on Saturday, soon after the 54-year-old Maldivian Democratic Party leader was sworn-in as the seventh president, the two leaders expressed confidence in the "renewal" of the close bonds of cooperation and friendship between the two countries. India-Maldives ties came under strain under former president Abdulla Yameen who was perceived to be close to China. Some of his decisions, including the restrictions on work visas for Indians and signing of a new Free Trade Agreement with Beijing also did not go down well with New Delhi. In his inaugural address, President Solih made it clear ...
British PM heading for Brussels for talks on future ties
Prime Minister Theresa May said Sunday she would return to Brussels this week to hammer out Britain's future relationship with the EU -- and overthrowing her would not help negotiations. After a tumultuous week in which the draft divorce deal agreed between London and the European Union was slammed in parliament, May said the proposed withdrawal accord would only be signed off if the future relationship deal was satisfactory. May said the week ahead would be "critical" in the Brexit talks. And while hardcore Brexiteers in her centre-right Conservative Party want her replaced, she said that as things stood, they did not have the numbers to trigger a no-confidence motion. "I will be going back to Brussels," May told Sky News television, saying she would meet European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker. "The focus this week will be on the future relationship. "We won't agree the leaving part... until we've got what we want in the future relationship, because these two go ...
Macron, Merkel aim to present united stance in Trump era
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron were due to meet in Berlin Sunday in a show of unity against rising populism in the era of US President Donald Trump. At their second meeting in a week, the two are expected to once again raise the idea of establishing a European army as a symbol of a united continent, a proposal that has raised Trump's hackles. Macron's visit comes a week after world leaders met in Paris to commemorate the end of World War I a century ago and marks Germany's Day of Mourning for victims of war and dictatorship. After a wreath-laying ceremony, Macron was at 1230 GMT to address the German parliament -- housed in the glass-domed Reichstag still bearing the scars of World War II -- in the first speech by a French leader to the assembly in 18 years. Macron and Merkel, who were to meet for talks from 1400 GMT, are both committed pro-Europeans who have resisted rising populist, eurosceptic, and anti-immigration forces in Europe, as well as .
Goa government non-functional, Parrikar being self-centred: Subhash Velingkar
The Goa government has virtually become non-functional and Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar is being self-centred in not letting go of the top post despite suffering from pancreatic cancer, former state RSS chief Subhash Velingkar said on Sunday.
RJ polls: Cong announces 10 new names in third list, leaves 5 seats for allies
The Congress released its third list of candidates for the Rajasthan Assembly election on Sunday, declaring 10 new names and replacing three previously-declared nominees. It has left five seats for its allies. With this, the Congress and its allies have announced party-wise distribution on 199 seats out of the total 200 in the state for the December 7 election. The Congress had declared 152 candidates in its first list and 32 in the second list. And in the third list, it has named 10 new candidates and given five seats to allies. Congress sources said the party is likely to give the remaining one seat to the Samajwadi Party. In the third list that came out a day before the last date of filing nominations, the Congress has fielded its sitting Alwar MP Karan Singh Yadav from Kishangarh Bas Assembly constituency. The party decided to field former PCC chief B D Kalla from Bikaner West. He replaces the already-declared candidate Yashpal Gehlot, who will now contest from Bikaner East ...
Modi says Congress looted India, asks Chhattisgarh to vote for BJP
Accusing the Congress of hindering Chhattisgarh's development and defrauding India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged the people to vote the BJP to power for a fourth straight term in the state.
Congress troubleshooters meet dissidents in Telangana
A three-member committee deputed by the central leadership of the Congress party on Sunday held talks with the party's Telangana leaders who are unhappy over being denied the ticket for next month's elections to the state Assembly.
N Korea's ceremonial head of state to embark on three-nation visit
North Korea's ceremonial head of state Kim Yong-nam will undertake a three-nation visit to Cuba, Venezuela and Mexico, its state media said on Sunday.The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said that Kim, who is the head of the North Korean parliament, will lead a delegation to the three countries, in an aim to improve bilateral relations, Yonhap News Agency reported.The KCNA added that the North Korean politician is also slated to attend the oath-taking ceremony of Mexico's president-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on December 1.North Korea and Cuba have seen recent visits from both sides with top North Korean officials, Choe Ryong-hae and Ri Su-yong, who paid a visit to the island nation in July and August this year.Earlier this month, Cuban President Miguel Mario Diaz-Canel Bermudez was in North Korea for a three-day visit, where he held talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on ways of bolstering bilateral cooperation in various sectors.