Page 2466 - Politics
Fiji's ruling party wins general elections
Fiji's ruling FijiFirst party led by incumbent Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, has won this year's general elections.
Telangana polls hustings to hit top gear during next fortnight; Modi, Shah, Rahul, Sonia to campaign
Campaigning for the December 7 Telangana Assembly polls would hit top gear during the next fortnight with top leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, set to address public meetings in the state. With the the process of filing nominations coming to a close on Monday, all major parties, the ruling TRS, the BJP, and the Congress along with its "grand alliance" constituents -- the TDP and others -- have drawn up plans for intense hustings. The Congress has announced that Sonia Gandhi, on her first visit to Telangana after the state's formation, will address a public meeting on November 23 at Medchal on the periphery of Hyderabad. Party president Rahul Gandhi is expected to visit the the state for campaigning on November 28, 29 and December 3, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) treasurer Gudur Narayana Reddy told PTI. State BJP chief K Laxman has said that while Shah would campaign in Telangana during a ...
Locals clash with cops to stop felling of trees for brewery plant, CM orders probe
A scuffle broke between the police and local people at Odisha's Dhenakanal district over felling of trees by the administration to facilitate construction of a brewery, prompting Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to halt the project and order a probe. On Saturday, local people came out in large numbers to protest against the administration's move to cut down over 950 trees for the brewery project of a private firm, even as the administration promised to plant twice as much saplings to compensate for the loss, an official said. The agitators, mostly women, had clung to tree trunks in their attempt to stop the felling of trees, leading to a tussle between them and the police officials who were deployed in the area to ensure smooth operations, the official said. The locals claimed that they have been nurturing the trees for decades to create a community-developed forest, the official added. As many as 13 protesters, including three women, were taken into custody as a "preventive measure" ...
Rajasthan: Congress releases third candidates list
The Congress on Sunday released its third list of candidates for 13 constituencies, leaving five seats to its allies in the December 7 Rajasthan Assembly polls.
Youth Cong's Facebook Live series an attempt to connect with young voters ahead of LS polls
In the run up to the Lok Sabha polls next year, the Congress' youth wing is holding a series of online interactions between senior party leaders and young voters through Facebook Live. The initiative, 'Young India Facebook Live Series', launched last month, has so far featured Ghulam Nabi Azad, Manish Tewari, Jairam Ramesh, Ajay Maken, Sam Pitroda among others, and efforts are on to bring Rahul Gandhi to the platform, Indian Youth Congress (IYC) spokesperson Amrish Pandey said. The online interaction takes place on IYC's official Facebook page every Thursday at 6 pm. Sam Pitroda was the first guest of the series launched on October 18. Guests to the programme pick questions sent by the users in form of comments of the Facebook page and respond to it accordingly. So far, six episodes of the online interaction have been conducted covering topics like aspirations of young India, freedom of press, demonetisation and youth and politics, Pandey said. The next guest in the series will be ...
President departs for Vietnam, Australia
President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday embarked on a week-long visit to Vietnam and Australia, saying he was looking forward to a "busy and business-like" events.
Imran Khan's govt to refer 4 new cases against Sharifs to NAB
Prime Minister Imran Khan-led government has decided to send four new cases to Pakistan's top anti-graft agency to investigate into the misuse of authority by the Sharif family in the previous government, according to a media report. Khan's Adviser Shehzad Akbar and Special Assistant Iftikhar Durrani detailed the alleged misuse of government resources by former Punjab chief minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz chief Shehbaz Sharif and ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawaz at a press conference here, the Express Tribune newspaper reported. The officials said that the Assets Recovery Unit was referring a case of the new London property belonging to the Sharif family to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for investigation, adding that the government had requested Britain for the ownership documents of the property. Durrani said that the cases related to the misuse of funds in erecting a security fence around the Sharif family's Raiwind Palace, plunder of ..
Ex-Goa RSS chief formally joins political outfit
Former RSS Goa chief Subhash Velingkar Sunday formally joined Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM) being mentored by him. Velingkar will now head the outfit. Addressing GSM workers here, Velingkar expressed possibility of mid-term polls in Goa. The GSM was formed in 2016 after Velingkar developed serious differences with the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) over the issue of the medium of instruction in elementary education. Velingkar had opposed grants given to English medium schools in the coastal state and backed promotion of local languages. The GSM had contested the 2017 assembly elections on five seats in alliance with the Shiv Sena and the Maharashtravadi Gomantak Party (MGP), but drew a blank. "Considering the political situation in Goa, mid-term polls are imminent. Elections for Goa assembly are likely to be held with Lok Sabha polls next year," he said. Velingkar said the GSM would form its own government in the next five years. He alleged the BJP-headed coalition ...
Don't blame Facebook alone for Russian trolls: Ex-security chief
Without absolving Facebook's "mistakes" in the way it handled Russian trolls ahead of the 2016 US presidential election, a former security chief of the social network has said that others -- US spy agencies, lawmakers and the media -- also made mistakes.
CG polls: BJP, Cong repose faith in royal scions in Surguja
Scions of erstwhile royal families are being wooed by political parties in tribal-dominated Surguja region in poll-bound Chhattisgarh, with both the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress fielding royal descendants in at least four of the total 14 seats in the region. Polls in the Surguja region spanning five districts will be held in the second and final phase of polls in the state on November 20. While the region comprising Surguja, Jashpur, Koriya, Balrampur and Surajpur districts has more or less remained loyal to the BJP since the formation of Chhattisgarh in 2000, the Congress has been steadily improving its tally. The region comprises 14 of the total 90 seats in the state. Of these 14 constituencies, nine segments are reserved for the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category. While 18 seats in the state voted on November 12, the polling for remaining 72 seats would be held on November 20. Located in the northern part of the state, Surguja region is known for dense forest and significant ..
Delay in bringing ordinance for Ram temple construction indicates BJP not interested: Sena MP Raut
Pressing for an ordinance to facilitate the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya, NDA constituent Shiv Sena has said the delay in exercising the option is an indication that the ruling BJP at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh was not keen on building it. Senior Shiv Sena leader and party MP Sanjay Raut said if the NDA government can bring an ordinance on banning instant triple talaq then why not take the same route to remove hurdles for the construction of the Ram temple, which is a "matter of pride" for the nation. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which helped the BJP come to power in 2014, should pull down the NDA government if it fails to bring an ordinance for construction of the temple, he said. Raut's remarks comes ahead of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray's visit to Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh on November 25, during which the party is likely to declare its next course of action on the issue. "We never use the issue of Ram Mandir for elections. But those who wish to do it, ..
Creation of small states only way to solve political, economic disparities: NFNS
Creation of small states is the only way to solve political, social and economic disparities, a body of organisations spearheading separate state movements has claimed. The National Federation of New States (NFNS), a conglomerate eight separate state movement bodies, has been demanding regions of Vidarbha in Maharashtra, Bodoland and Karbi in Assam, Gorkhaland in West Bengal, Kukiland in Manipur, Tripraland in Tripura, Poorvanchal in Uttar Pradesh and Bundelkhand in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh be given statehood. Political regimes have been neglecting demands for creation of separate states and only before an election, political parties try to pacify people demanding separate statehood with assurances to fulfil their demand, NFNS general secretary Munish Tamang alleged. To put more pressure on the Centre to create states on the basis of language, ethnicity and economy, the organisation in a meeting on Wednesday here has also decided to launch an movement. "The fulfilment of the ..
Khashoggi killing: Trump says intel report to come in 'next 2 days'
United States President Donald Trump said that an intelligence report on the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi would be out "over the next two days."Speaking to reporters after overseeing rescue operations in California, which was recently ravaged by massive wildfires, Trump said, "It's a horrible thing that took place, the killing of a journalist. We'll be having a very full report over the next two days, probably Monday or Tuesday."The Washington Post on Friday first reported that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) had concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the murder of Khashoggi at the Turkish consulate in Istanbul.Reacting to the above reports, the US State Department on Saturday said that Washington did not reach a final conclusion over Khashoggi's killing, terming it as "inaccurate"."Recent reports indicating that the US government has made a final conclusion are inaccurate," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert was quoted by Al-Jazeera
CPI(M)-led Kerala govt creating terror-like atmosphere in name of security of temple: Cong
Amid mounting tension in Kerala over the issue of women's entry into Sabarimala temple, the Congress on Sunday accused the CPI(M)-led state government of creating a 'terror-like atmosphere' in the name of security of the hill shrine. The Congress levelled the allegation as a three-member party delegation comprising former state ministers Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, Adoor Prakash and V S Sivakumar left for Sabarimala to study the situation there. "The Sabarimala Sannidhanam has virtually turned into a fortress, where the entry of devotees of Lord Ayyappa are being restricted," Radhakrishnan, who is also a legislator, told reporters here. Prakash, representing the Konni Assembly constituency, claimed that heavy police deployment at Sabarimala was disrupting the normal flow of devotees. "The government, using the police force, is creating a terror-like atmosphere in the name of ensuring security of the Lord Ayyappa shrine," he alleged. Sivakumar, a former Devaswom minister, alleged that
RSS claims Nehru ordered his birthday to be marked as Children's Day
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) have claimed that Congress party stalwart and the nation's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, celebrated his birthday as Children's Day almost a decade before he died in 1964. In its mouthpiece 'Organiser', the RSS claims that Nehru issued the orders for the same as he wanted to make the whole generation his follower and admirer.In an editorial published in 'Organiser', the RSS claims that Nehru emulated the German dictator Adolf Hitler by doing so. It cited an article published in it in 1955, written by veteran journalist R. K. Malani, claiming that it is a widely held misconception that November 14 is celebrated as Children's Day after the death of Nehru. It substantiated its claim by saying that reports and documents suggest that Nehru's birthday was celebrated as Children's day in the year 1955 i.e. nine years before his death.It further claims that Nehru's step was allegedly his bid to please the leaders of erstwhile Soviet Union. "It ...
Police called on diplomats as APEC summit tensions boil over
The police were called when Chinese officials attempted to "barge" into the office of Papua New Guinea's foreign minister, it emerged Sunday, as APEC summit tensions boiled over. The Chinese delegates "tried to barge in" to Rimbink Pato's Port Moresby office Saturday, in an eleventh-hour bid to influence a summit draft communique, but were denied entry, three sources with knowledge of the situation told AFP. "Police were posted outside the minister's office after they tried to barge in," one source privy to summit negotiations told AFP, requesting anonymity. The diplomatic incident came with tensions already high at a summit of Asian-Pacific leaders that has been overshadowed by a spat between the United States and China. Pato had refused to meet with the delegates, according to a source, who said: "It's not appropriate for the minister to negotiate solo with the Chinese. The Chinese negotiating officials know this." The minister himself sought to downplay the incident, telling AFP: ..
Congress sits pretty as AAP, Akali Dal grapple with infighting (News Analysis)
Infighting in Punjab's main opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the politically-active Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is giving the ruling Congress in the state a happy-hours' feeling.
Haryana CM is justifying rape: Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday slammed his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar for "justifying rape" after the latter claimed that most of the rape cases filed were "fake".
No solution to Kashmir issue, India-Pak relations accident prone: Natwar Singh (IANS Interview)
India-Pakistan relations are "chronically accident-prone", says former External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh, who feels that the future lies in the past as the two countries carry too much baggage. He says Pakistans one-point programme is Kashmir but there is "Kashmir fatigue" in the world.
Trump says there will be 'a report' by Tuesday on Khashoggi's murder
US President Donald Trump has said he had spoken with the CIA chief on the agency's assessment of the killing of Jamal Khashoggi and that there will be a "very full report" by Tuesday, amid reports that the CIA had held powerful the Saudi crown prince responsible for the murder of the dissident journalist. The death of 59-year-old Khashoggi, a onetime insider turned critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and a resident of the US, has spurred a wave of international anger against Saudi Arabia and its ruler. In an interaction with reporters in California on Saturday, Trump said that he spoke with Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director Gina Haspel, who has been studying this case very closely. "It's a horrible thing that took place, the killing of a journalist...It should never have happened," Trump said. Asked about reports that the CIA had assessed involvement by the crown prince, the president said, "they haven't assessed anything yet. It's too early. That was a very a ...