Page 2478 - Politics
Prefer opposition than alliance with Congress or BJP: Mayawati
Asserting that her alliance with Ajit Jogi's party will get a majority in Chhattisgarh, Bahujan Samaj Party Chief Mayawati on Friday said she will prefer sitting in the opposition to supporting the Congress or BJP in an adverse situation.
Kejriwal 'a big example of urban Naxal': BJP leader Tiwari
Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari Friday termed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as "a big example of an urban Naxal" and said the AAP and the Congress are chips of the same block. Tiwari, a Lok Sabha MP, asked the Congress to clarify its stand on controversial statements made recently by party leaders Raj Babbar and Navjot Singh Sidhu. "Some urban Naxals are plotting to kill Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Arvind Kejriwal is a big example of an urban Naxal," he said at a press conference here this evening. "Being a chief minister, he (Kejriwal) sat on a dharna to stop the Republic Day parade," the actor-politician said. Tiwari targeted UP Congress chief Raj Babbar for his reported statement describing Naxals as "revolutionaries" and also Punjab Cabinet Minister Navjot Sidhu for hugging the Pakistan Army chief during his visit to the neighbouring country. "Raj Babbar ji says Naxals are revolutionaries. On the other hand Navjot Singh Sidhu praised Pakistan and hugged Army
Rajasthan polls: BJP says Sachin Pilot a 'fugitive' for contesting from Tonk
BJP vice president Avinash Rai Khanna on Friday said Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot is a "fugitive" for leaving Ajmer constituency and choosing to contest the upcoming assembly elections from Tonk. The Congress released its first list of 152 candidates for the December 7 Rajasthan Assembly polls late Thursday night. "Those who leave their home for any other place, people call them fugitives. Now people of Rajasthan will call Sachin Pilot a fugitive," said Khanna, who is also state BJP in-charge. He said Pilot should have selected a seat considering his stature and position. Contesting election from Tonk reflects the fear in Pilot's mind, he added. Khanna expressed confidence that the BJP will defeat Pilot with a huge margin. Pilot would be contesting the assembly elections for the first time. He had earlier fought the Lok Sabha polls from Ajmer. The state Congress chief is pitted against the BJP's sitting MLA Ajit Mehta.
Modi, Shah to address poll rallies in Rajasthan
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah will be touring Rajasthan to address poll rallies in the state. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and veteran film actress and MP Hema Malini will also visit the state for poll campaigning, according to a statement issued by the BJP here. Other leaders whose names have figured in a list released by the party are Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union Ministers Sushma Swaraj, Rajnath Singh, Prakash Javadekar, Nitin Gadkari, Piyush Goyal, Smriti Irani and V K Singh, among others. The BJP has released two lists so far of 162 candidates for the polls to be held on December 7 for 200 assembly constituencies. In 2013, the saffron party under Vasundhara Raje had won a whopping 163 assembly seats in the state, giving the Congress its worst ever drubbing.
Minor reshuffle in Bengal ministry
West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra has been entrusted with additional charge of e-governance department, a notification issued by the state government said. A minor reshuffle in the ministry took place late last night. Mitra, who was looking after industry, commerce and enterprises, micro, small and medium enterprises and textiles as well as information technology. Asima Patra, backward classes welfare department along with departments of agriculture and fisheries, was given additional charge of the department of programme monitoring (independent charge), it said. Chandrima Bhattacharya, minister of state departments of health and family welfare, land and land reforms and refugee relief and rehabilitation and department of tribal development, was given additional responsibilities of planning and statistics (independent charges), the motification said.
Karna people will not support BJP in LS polls: Siddaramaiah
Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah Friday said people of Karnataka would not supportthe BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, even if Prime Minister NarendraModi and party national President Amit Shah resideD in thestate. The Congress legislature party leader also hit out at the BJP by alleging that the saffron party wants the Ayodhya dispute to be alive and not Ram Mandir construction. "BJP has made coastal Karnataka as its laboratory forcommunalism, so BJP's national leaders are frequenting the coastal region. Even if Amit Shah and Narendra Modi cometo Karnataka and make their residence here, this time during Lok Sabha polls people of the state will not support BJP," Siddaramaiah tweeted in Kannada. Shah was in the coastal city of Mangaluru Wednesdayand Thursday to attend the meeting of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Siddaramaiah alleged that the saffron party wanted the Ayodhya disputeto be alive and not Ram mMandir construction. "The Ram janmabhoomi issue getting
RLSP meeting in Patna on Saturday, speculation about 'big announcement'
RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha said Friday the "impasse" over the seat-sharing arrangement among the ruling NDA constituents in Bihar and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's "insult" of him will be discussed in his party's meeting in Patna on Saturday. In a sign that the Bharatiya Janata Party was growing increasingly wary of the Union minister as he escalates his attack on Nitish Kumar, there was no word from the saffron party on the appointment Kushwaha had sought with BJP chief Amit Shah. The Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) leader will leave for Patna Saturday morning to attend his party's state executive meeting, and BJP sources said any meeting between the two leaders before that is unlikely. Kushwaha had left for Delhi from Patna Thursday, tweeting that he had sought an appointment with Shah to discuss the issue of seat-sharing and also his alleged humiliation by Kumar. Speaking to reporters in the national capital, Kushwaha claimed that his party wanted its share of seats in the Lok ...
Rajnath promises better roads, infrastructure in Mizoram
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said the condition of roads in the northeastern states has worsened under the Congress rule and promised development of Mizoram if BJP comes to power in the state in the November 28 polls.
Cong constitutes Jharkhand Pradesh Election Committee
The Congress on Friday constituted the election committee for Jharkhand, which includes state unit president Ajoy Kumar and legislature party leader Alamgir Alam. Congress president Rahul Gandhi has approved the formation of Jharkhand Pradesh Election Committee, according to a statement issued by party general secretary Ashok Gehlot. A total of 30 leaders have been given included in the committee along with all former Union ministers from the state.
Andhra Pradesh withdraws 'general consent' to CBI to conduct raids, probe in state
In a significant decision, the Chandrababu Naidu government in Andhra Pradesh has withdrawn the "general consent" accorded to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct raids and carry out investigations in the state. The reason to withdraw the consent was recent allegations against the top officials of country's premier investigation agency, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister (Home) N China Rajappa told reporters. "In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946, the government hereby withdraws the general consent accorded (in GO Ms 109) to all the members of the Delhi Special Police Establishment to exercise the powers and jurisdiction under the said Act in the state of Andhra Pradesh," a latest Government Order (GO) said. The 'confidential' GO, issued by Principal Secretary (Home) A R Anuradha on November 8, was "leaked" late Thursday night. "We have trust in the CBI but the recent allegations against its top ...
Congress ignored Bundelkhand: Shah
BJP president Amit Shah alleged Friday that Congress governments ignored Bundelkhand, an impoverished region which is spread over Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Shah addressed campaign rallies at Tikamgarh, Damoh and Sagar in Bundelkhand ahead of the November 28 Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh. Speaking in Tikamgarh, Shah said, "There was a time when funds received for the development of Bundelkhand disappeared. Neither roads were constructed, nor were the schemes for hospitals and water supply implemented." Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan utilised the funds well to convert Bundelkhand into a developed region, he claimed. In Uttar Pradesh, chief minister Yogi Adityanath has also kicked off development of Bundelkhand since the BJP came to power in that state, he said. At the behest of Union minister Uma Bharti, Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved Ken-Betwa river-linking project for Bundelkhand, he said. Crediting Bharti for ousting the Congress from power in ..
Analysis: Technocrat with a deft touch, Petrobras' placeholder CEO may cling on
RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Brazil's right-wing President-elect Jair Bolsonaro has thrilled investors with pledges to transform the state's role in Latin America's largest country.
Blocking CBI a precautionary measure: Andhra Home Minister
N Chinarajappa, the Home Minister of Andhra Pradesh, has termed his government's decision of blocking Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the state as a precautionary measure because they feel the premier investigation agency is being misused."If you see the developments in last 2-3 months, CBI is being misused for political purposes. There is a change in even the CBI. People, intellectuals and advocates of Andhra Pradesh are suggesting that the state government should be careful. In that wake, this GO is issued with the thought to stand individual," said Chinarajappa.Chandrababu Naidu-led Andhra Pradesh government on Friday withdrew the 'general consent' to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct raids and carry out investigations on central establishments in Andhra Pradesh."The CBI can enquire on central government agencies or central government employees but it has no jurisdiction on Andhra Pradesh government," Chinarajappa added.The state home minister denied that ...
Kovind to visit Vietnam, Australia from Nov 18 to 24
President Ram Nath Kovind will visit Vietnam and Australia from November 18 to 24 with an aim to strengthen ties with the Indo-Pacific nations, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday. Kovind will be in Vietnam in the first leg of his trip. This will also be his first visit to an ASEAN country, said Vijay Thakur Singh, Secretary (east) in the Ministry of External Affairs. In Vietnam, the president will first visit Da Nang, a region which has rich and historical civilisational connect. It is also the location of world heritage site Me Son. Kovind will then visit Hanoi where he will lay a wreath at the monument of National Heroes and Martyrs and at the mausoleum of Ho Chi Min. He will hold talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Phu Trong, besides meeting Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and other leaders. Kovind will also be addressing the National Assembly of Vietnam. He will become the second foreign leader to achieve the rare honour after Chinese President Xi ...
Let Congress declare its CM candidate in MP: Modi
Taking potshots at the faction-ridden Congress in Madhya Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday challenged the party to declare its chief ministerial candidate. Addressing a campaign rally here, Modi said that how can a party chief, who is unable to decide the CM face, take decisions about the future of the people. The Congress, which is in opposition in Madhya Pradesh since 2003, has not declared its chief ministerial face to take on BJP's Shivraj Singh Chouhan in the state which is going to the polls on November 28. "The Congress party in the state speaks in eight different languages in eight regions of the state. Every area has its own leader. You go to one area, they say the leader from there will be the chief minister. They are having eight CM faces....I challenge the party to declare its chief ministerial candidate," Modi said. "How can a party chief, who cannot even decide who will be the chief minister, decide your future," the prime minister asked. During the ...
Israel to hold early elections
Israel will hold early elections, it was announced here on Friday after a meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Education Minister Naftali Bennett.
Chaos prevails in Lankan Parliament as leaders hurl chilli power, furniture
Sri Lanka's Parliament witnessed complete chaos on Friday as rival lawmakers threw chilli powder and furniture at each other, disrupting the proceedings for the second day, forcing the Speaker to summon police inside the House and adjourn the session until Monday. The brawl occurred a day after Speaker Karu Jayasuriya announced there is no prime minister or government following a no-confidence motion against disputed prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. Friday's proceedings were to repeat the floor test which was disrupted on Thursday. Ousted prime minister and United National Party (UNP) leader Ranil Wickremesinghe warned of anarchy if the situation in the country was not resolved. The status quo must return to what it was before October 26, he was quoted as saying by Colombo Gazette. President Maithripala Sirisena, who installed Rajapaksa as prime minister last month in a controversial move, had agreed to a floor test with the leaders of ousted prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's ...
Relative decline in trend of youth joining militancy in Kashmir: Army
The Army's northern command chief Lt Gen Ranbir Singh on Friday said there is a relative decline in the number of youths joining militancy in Kashmir for the past some time. However, he said there have been a large number of reports of radicalisation of youths in the Valley. "As far as recruitment is concerned, it is a matter of satisfaction that for the past some time there has been a relative decline in the number of youths joining militancy," Singh told reporters here. He did not specify the time period. The trend should continue for some time, he said, replying to a question posed by PTI about the current trend of youths joining militancy. "There have been a large number of reports of radicalisation of youths," he added. Singh said the Army's Goodwill Schools were helping check the radicalisation. There have been no reports of any student of these schools being radicalised, he added. The Goodwill Schools are a part of the Army's civil action programme 'Operation Sadhbhavana' to ...
J-K: Panchayat polls kickstart tomorrow
As many as 47 blocks will kickstart the first phase of the panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday. The polls are staggered in nine phases, ending on December 17.In order to have smooth polling, heavy security arrangements have been made with huge number of security personnel deployed at every polling booth. Out of the 47 blocks, 21 are in Jammu region, 16 in Kashmir valley and 10 blocks in Ladakh region.In total, 58.54 lakh voters will be casting their votes in 316 blocks. There are 4,483 panchayat halqas and 35,029 panch constituencies.Last time panchayat polls were held in 2011 and it was due in 2016. However, during the five-year term several panchayat members were killed.
President Kovind to visit Vietnam, Australia from 18th-24th Nov
President Ram Nath Kovind will be traveling to Vietnam and Australia from 18th to 24th of November. He will be accompanied by a high-level delegation of ministers and parliamentarians.The Ministry of External Affairs in a statement said that this visit is going to be the first visit of the President of India to Vietnam, an ASEAN country. President Kovind will therefore also focus on enhancing the bilateral relationship between the two countries.There he will meet the President and PM of Vietnam.President Kovind will visit Danang, one of the most important ports in Vietnam. Danang and India connect with each other in rich history. This visit looks forward to the leadership between the countries. It will enhance the India- ASEAN relationship.India will look forward to boosting India- Vietnam trade relations while sharing a vision on the Indo-Pacific region and ONGC, which is operating there since the last 25 years.President Kovind will then visit Australia from 21st to 24th November. ...