Page 2472 - Politics

C'garh polls: Bilaspur division, with 24 seats, could hold key

Bilaspur division with 24 Assembly seats, the highest among the five divisions in poll-bound Chhattisgarh, is expected to play a crucial role in deciding the winner. Bilaspur division, located in the centre of the state, comprises five districts -- Bilaspur, Mungeli, Korba, Janjgir-Champa and Raigarh. While the first phase of polls in Chhattisgarh for 18 seats took place on November 12, the second phase for the remaining 72 constituencies will be held on November 20. In the 2013 polls, the 24 seats in the five districts of Bilaspur division saw a neck-to-neck contest with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) winning 12, the Congress 11 and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) winning one. The BSP, which won Jaijaipur seat in the division, however, managed to come second in two constituencies and third in seven. With the BSP tying up with former chief minister Ajit Jogi's Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J), a three-way fight between the BJP, Congress and the Jogi-led alliance is very much ..

New president replaces autocratic leader in the Maldives

Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Saturday took over as president of the Maldives following a fierce political discord caused by the autocratic rule of outgoing leader Yameen Abdul Gayoom. Thousands of people cheered Solih, from the Maldivian Democratic Party, at a swearing-in ceremony Saturday in a soccer stadium chosen to accommodate a large number of his supporters. The Maldives, an Indian Ocean archipelago known for its luxury resorts, became a multiparty democracy in 2008. Since getting elected in 2013, Yameen had cracked down on political dissent, jailing rivals and Supreme Court justices. But he suffered an unexpected defeat at the hands of Solih in September's presidential election.

Give charge of Goa CM's post to our leader: BJP ally MGP

The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), a BJP ally in Goa, gave an ultimatum on Saturday that the charge of the chief minister's post be given to its minister Sudin Dhavalikar in view of Manohar Parrikar's illness. The MGP warned that it would contest the Lok Sabha polls and Assembly by-elections in the state against the BJP candidates if the demand was not met. Parrikar, who is suffering from a pancreatic ailment, is recuperating at his residence since October 14 after being discharged from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. Two Assembly seats -- Mandrem and Shiroda -- fell vacant last month after respective MLAs, Dayanand Sopte and Subhash Shirodkar, resigned as legislators and quit the Congress to join the BJP. "Party's central committee had a detailed discussion on the leadership issue today. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar is ailing and, because of that, the administration is completely paralysed for the last eight months," MGP president Dipak ...

UK leader fights back against critics, defends Brexit deal

British Prime Minister Theresa May fought back Saturday against critics of her Brexit deal, telling her Conservative opponents that their alternative plans for Britain's departure from the European Union wouldn't work. May is battling to win over rebels in her own ranks and save her leadership after a grueling week, with two Cabinet ministers quitting and other Conservative critics plotting to oust her immediately after Britain struck a divorce deal with the EU. In a public relations offensive, May tried to win support in a Daily Mail interview that revealed how her husband supported her during what she admitted to be "a pretty heavy couple of days." She also laid into political opponents, saying the alternatives they favour to tackle a key stumbling block the issue of how to avoid a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland after Brexit wouldn't resolve the problem. "People say 'If you could only just do something slightly different, have a Norway model or a .

'Modi, Shah trying to create opposition less India'; TDP

: The TDP Saturday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah were seeking to create an opposition less India and said the party's objectives was to 'protect democracy'. "Modi and Shah are trying to eat away other parties so that no opposition is left in the country. Democracy will be that much stronger only if there is a strong opposition," TDP politburo member and Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said in a statement. He said 'protecting democracy' was TDPs objective while it was everyones responsibility to prevent BJP from retaining power (at the Centre) in 2019. He also slammed changing of names of some cities in the country, saying it was a 'Tughlaq act'. Interestingly, the Chandrababu Naidu government had also embarked on a name-changing spree. It rechristened Rajahmundry as Rajamahendravaram and Anantapur as Anantapuramu. Names of projects and many other schemes launched by Congress governments were also changed in the

MP polls: BJP promises jobs, bonus for farmers, Scooty for girls

The BJP released its manifesto for the Madhya Pradesh polls, including a separate document for women, Saturday, promising a proportionate bonus to small farmers, creation of 10 lakh jobs per year and two-wheelers to meritorious girls, among other things. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), ruling the state since 2003, is seeking to retain power against the backdrop of widespread farmers' protests last year for better support prices and a loan waiver. In the main manifesto titled "Samridh Madhya Pradesh Drishti Patra", the saffron party promised to distribute loans of Rs 40,000 crore among farmers, expand the area under irrigation to 80 lakh hectares in the next five years and a university to promote food processing. In its women's manifesto, the "Nari Shakti Sankalp Patra", the party promised to install sanitary napkin vending machines in schools, a Scooty to every girl who gets more than 75 per cent marks in the Class 12 board examination, and to double the intake capacity of the ...

Parrikar knows a lot about Rafale deal: Surjewala

Former Defence Minister and current Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is suffering from pancreatic cancer, knows a "whole lot of things" about the controversial Rafale fighter jet deal, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said on Saturday.

Speaker adjourns Odisha Assembly for about two hours

The proceedings of the Odisha Assembly on Saturday was disrupted for about two hours as opposition Congress MLAs alleged that the government was giving appointment to only BJD workers in tribal development council forcing the Speaker P K Amat to adjourn the House. The speaker adjourned the Assembly till 12 noon. The disturbance began when ST and SC Development Minister Ramesh Majhi was replying a question. The Congress members led by its chief whip Taraprasad Bahinipati alleged that the state government has been giving appointment to only ruling BJD workers in the district tribal development council. They urged the speaker to ask the minister to give a clarification for furnishing wrong information in the House. Bahinipati attempted to climb up the Speakers podium demanding the clarification from the minister. Unable to run the proceedings Amat adjourned the House till 12 noon. In a statement to the media later, the Congress chief whip said that the opposition would bring .

Rajasthan polls: Cong MLA furious after being denied ticket

Anguished after being denied a ticket in the upcoming Rajasthan Assembly elections, Congress MLA Ramesh Meena on Saturday said that the party gave tickets to the corrupt leaders.Meena said he was denied ticket even when he worked at the booth level. "I have worked at the booth level yet wasn't given the ticket. However, corrupt Nirmala Sahria was given the ticket. Rahul Ji had said corrupt and parachute candidates won't be given tickets. It all happened on instructions of ex-minister Pramod Jain," the Congress MLA from Sapotra told reporters here.The MLA's statement comes two days after the Congress released its first list of 152 candidates for the Rajasthan assembly electionsThe 200-Rajasthan Assembly will go to polls on December 7 and the counting of votes will take place on December 11. As of now the Congress has released two lists of total 184 candidates for the ensuing elections in the state.

Cong fielded Manvendra against me as it could not find any other candidate: Raje

Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Saturday said the Congress fielded former BJP leader Jaswant Singh's son Manvendra Singh from her Jhalrapatan constituency in the upcoming assembly polls as it could not find any other candidate. Her remark came a few hours after the Congress released it second list of 32 candidates, fielding Manvendra Singh against her from Jhalrapatan constituency. "The Congress could not find any candidate and he (Manvendra Singh) was to be given ticket from somewhere and therefore, he was sent here (Jhalrapatan)," Raje said addressing the public after filing her nomination papers in Jhalawar district. "But they should know that it is not a fight of one person, this is a contest fought by Jhalawar and Rajasthan, which is a family," she said. The chief minister was accompanied by party leader Shahnawaz Hussain, her son and Jhalawar MP Dushyant Singh, among others. Reacting to the Congress announcement, state BJP president Madan Lal Saini said the decision ...

Cong asks Goa governor for special session to prove majority

The Congress demanded Saturday that Goa Governor Mridula Sinha summon a special session of the legislative assembly and ask the BJP-led coalition government to prove its majority. The opposition party, which has been claiming that the state government is in disarray in the absence of ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar from office, alleged that it "is a classic case of fraud being played on the people of Goa by the Governor and the BJP at the Centre". Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala told reporters here that the party would raise this issue during the upcoming winter session of Parliament and also before President Ram Nath Kovind. The Congress had submitted representations to the President and the Goa Governor, claiming that the party had the requisite number of MLAs to prove majority in the 40-member House. "We will put pressure on the central leadership of the BJP in winter session and also before the President for our demand to summon a special session to ...

Will waive off loans of all farmers in Chhattisgarh: Rahul

Charging the ruling BJP with creating two Chhattisgarhs, one of the rich and the other of the poor and the exploited, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday pledged to waive off all farm loans within 10 days of his party coming to power in the state.

Rahul promises farm loan waiver in C'Garh, says money will come from Ambani, Mallya

Congress president Rahul Gandhi Saturday promised to waive farm loans in Chhattisgarh within 10 days of assuming power in the state and said the money for it would come from the "likes of" Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Anil Ambani. Stepping up his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over demonetisation ahead of the second and final phase of the Chhattisgarh polls, Gandhi alleged that Modi made the honest people suffer through the 2016 exercise, but spared the rich. Addressing a poll rally in Koriya district, he alleged that the prime minister had waived loans worth Rs 3.5 lakh crore of a few rich people, but not those of the poor farmers. "As soon as the Congress forms the government here, Modiji, you count 10 days. The Congress will waive the loans of each farmer in Chhattisgarh within 10 days," Gandhi said. He claimed that BJP leaders used to question the previous Congress-led UPA government about the source of money for granting loan waiver. "Modiji, the money for the loan waiver

Only states that have lot to hide fear CBI: Jaitley

A day after the Andhra Pradesh government withdrew 'general consent', which it had given to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said only states that have a lot to hide are averse to the investigation agency."Only those who have a lot to hide have taken the step of not letting CBI come to their state. There is no sovereignty of any state in the matter of corruption. Andhra move is not motivated by any particular case but in fear of what is likely to happen," the Union Minister said.As per rules under the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act of 1946, in accordance with which the CBI was formed, the investigating agency has complete jurisdiction over Delhi.But it can also enter the other states with the 'General Consent' of that state's government. In the absence of the permission now, the CBI cannot interfere with any case that takes place within the limits of Andhra Pradesh.The Chandrababu Naidu-led Andhra Pradesh government has also vested

N Korea proposes air connectivity over border with S Korea

North Korea on Friday proposed international air routes that will connect the eastern and western coasts of the Korean Peninsula, South Korea's unification ministry said.The announcement was made during the first ever inter-Korean meeting on aviation cooperation held at the joint liaison office in the North Korean border town of Kaesong.South Korea agreed to hold further deliberations over the air connectivity issue by holding meetings with the aviation authorities, Yonhap News Agency quoted the ministry as saying."The South and the North also agreed to keep having discussion on the overall cooperation in the aviation sector," the ministry said in a statement.The South Korean delegation was led by Son Myung-soo, a senior official of the transport ministry, while Ri Yong-son, deputy director-general of the General Administration of Civil Aviation led the North Korean side.Amid a reconciliatory mood in the Korean Peninsula in the last couple of months, South Korea has been keen to ...

Is PM Modi jealous of me as Imran didn't invite him for swearing-in ceremony: Sidhu

Punjab Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Saturday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was jealous of him as Imran Khan did not invite him to attend his swearing-in ceremony as Pakistan's Prime Minister."Prime Minister Modi is jealous of me for obvious reasons. PM Modi did not receive the invitation from Imran Khan to attend his swearing-in ceremony," said Sidhu here while addressing media persons.Sidhu is in Chattisgarh to campaign for the Congress candidates. The first phase of Chhattisgarh's Assembly polls took place on November 12 amid tight security when 18 seats went for polls. The remaining 72 seats will go to polls on November 20.Talking to media persons, Sidhu said, "Is the PM Modi jealous that he was not called (for Imran Khan's oath ceremony)? Is he jealous that he went to Pakistan uninvited (for Nawaz Sharif's birthday)? I'll not prove my patriotism to the people whose name cropped up in Godhra (riots case)."Further attacking the Centre, Sidhu stated that Prime ...

BJP is a puppet for the rich: Sidhu

Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu on Saturday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is a puppet for the wealthy and influential people, adding that the party's intent and policies are aimed at further enhancing the wealth of the rich.Addressing a press conference here, Sidhu said, "The BJP is a puppet for the rich. They (rich) have a key, which they turn and make them (the BJP) bend to their will. I don't have to prove anything I say, the numbers and the figures from their governance are proof enough."Sidhu then shifted the focus of his onslaught on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's demonetisation move, saying, "The Prime Minister's campaign (in 2014) was built on the promise to get all the black money abroad back to the nation and distribute it among the poor. That 90 lakh crore black money is real. But nobody stores it in gunny bags or in the trunks of their car. Black money is kept in the form of jewellery, lands, assets, foreign banks etc. In the dark of night, you made a ...

Rajasthan Polls: Manvendra Singh to fight Vasundhara Raje

The Congress party on Saturday announced that former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Manvendra Singh will contest against Rajasthan Chief Minister (CM) Vasundhara Raje from Jhalrapatan in the upcoming Rajasthan assembly elections, which are scheduled for December 7.Speaking to ANI, Singh said, "I am honoured that Rahul Gandhi Ji and Congress thought it useful for me to contest and I'm touched by responsibility shown towards me. I accept the responsibility and will run a fair campaign."This comes after Raje filed her nomination for the elections in the morning at Jhalawar secretariat for Jhalrapatan constituency, from where she has been winning since 2003.On Friday, the Congress party had announced the first list of 152 candidates in the 200-member assembly.Recently, the BJP also released its second list of 31 candidates. So far, the BJP has announced the names of 162 candidates for upcoming assembly polls.The counting of votes will begin on December 11, along with four other ...

India, UK to strengthen anti-terrorism cooperation

The 12th meeting of India-UK Joint Working Group on counter-terrorism was held in New Delhi on Friday.The Indian delegation was led by Mahaveer Singhvi, Joint Secretary (Counter-Terrorism), Ministry of External Affairs of India, while the United Kingdom's delegation was led by Jane Marriot, Director of the Joint International Counter-Terrorism Unit.According to a press statement by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), both sides condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. They exchanged views on current counter-terrorism challenges including countering radicalisation and violent extremism, combating the financing of terrorism and preventing the use of the internet for terrorist purposes. They agreed to strengthen cooperation in dealing with these challenges.The two sides shared assessment on the prevailing terrorist threats globally and in their region including cross-border terrorism in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region.The two delegations also deliberated upon measures

PM Modi arrives in Maldives to attend President-elect Solih's inauguration

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here on Saturday to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Maldives President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who surprisingly defeated strongman Abdulla Yameen in September. This is Modi's first visit to the Maldives as prime minister. The last visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the Indian Ocean island nation was by Manmohan Singh in 2011. "I will convey to the new Maldivian Government of Mr Solih the desire of the Indian Government to work closely for realisation of their developmental priorities, especially in areas of infrastructure, health care, connectivity & human resource development," Modi said in a series of tweets ahead of the visit. He said the recent elections in the Maldives represent the collective aspirations of the people for democracy, rule of law and a prosperous future. "We in India strongly desire to see a stable, democratic, prosperous and peaceful Republic of Maldives," the prime minister said. Modi also congratulated Solih on