Page 2497 - Politics
BJP's Dausa MP Harish Meena, Nagaur MLA Rahman join Congress
In a setback to Rajasthan's ruling BJP ahead of next month's assembly elections, the party's Dausa MP Harish Chandra Meena and Nagaur MLA Habibur Rahman joined the Congress on Wednesday. Meena, a former director general of police, joined the Congress in the presence of former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee chief Sachin Pilot and AICC's state in-charge Avinash Pande in New Delhi. In Jaipur, BJP's Nagaur MLA Rahman returned to the Congress after a decade in the presence Ajmer MP Raghu Sharma and other leaders at the party office. "I am happy that Harish Meena has decided to join the Congress in such times. I welcome him in the Congress fold," Gehlot said at a press conference about the new entrant who had served as DGP when he was chief minister. Pilot and Gehlot said they will contest the December 7 polls for the 200-member assembly along with other senior leaders of the state. "We are all united. It is BJP's conspiracy to spread false news .
Telangana poll: KCR files nomination from Gajwel
Telangana Chief Minister and Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TSR) chief K Chandrashekhar Rao on Wednesday filed his nomination from Gajwel Assembly constituency.Rao, commonly known as KCR, offered prayers at Konayipalli Venkanna Temple in Siddipet district before filing his nomination papers before the returning officer.TRS supremo is contesting from Gajwel Assembly seat for the second consecutive time. In the 2014 assembly elections, Rao had defeated then Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Vanteru Pratap Reddy with a majority of 19,391 votes.Reddy, who has now joined the Congress party, is once again contesting against KCR from Gajwel seat in the ensuing assembly elections.The elections in the state are slated to be held on December 7 and the counting of votes will take place on December 11. The 119-member state assembly was dissolved prematurely on September 6 on the recommendation of Rao-led Telangana government.
No change in govt stand on Tipu Jayanti: Karna CM
Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy Wednesday said there was no change in the state government's stand on Tipu Jayanti and defended his absence at this year's celebration of birth anniversary of controversial 18th century Mysore kingdom ruler Tipu Sultan. It was not necessary for the Chief Minister to attend every programme, he told reporters here when asked about his absence at the celebration on November 10 held amid protests by the BJP. "There is no agenda before our government to bring inany change with respect to celebration of Tipu Jayanti... there is no confusion,"he said amid reports that the government might drop the celebrations in view of 'differences' over it in the Congress-JDS coalition. He hit out at BJP, without naming it, for creating "confusion" about Tipu Jayanti for the sake of politics. Kumaraswamy said BJP leaders' had participated in Tipu Jayanti when the party was in power. Tipu Jayanti has been celebrated"smoothly" by this government, ...
BJP will indulge in horse-trading in Mizoram to 'grab power at all costs', alleges Congress
The ruling Congress in Mizoram on Wednesday alleged that the BJP would indulge in horse-trading after the Assembly polls to "grab power at all costs" and Independent MLAs would be the most vulnerable in that scenario. The state BJP, however, vehemently denied the charge, saying the party had never indulged in horse-trading and does not have any intention to do so. Elections to the 40-member Mizoram Assembly would be held on November 28. It is the only state in the northeastern region of the country where the Congress is in power. The ruling party in the state also attacked the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM), a conglomerate of seven organisations, as its 35 candidates are contesting the polls as Independents. "With the BJP intending to grab power at all costs, the Independent candidates would be most vulnerable during horse-trading," state Congress spokesperson Lallianchhunga said during a press conference here. He also alleged that if the BJP managed to win even two or three seats it ..
Ex-Lanka cricket star Dilshan joins Rajapaksa's party
Former Sri Lankan cricketer Tillakaratne Dilshan on Wednesday joined the party of Mahinda Rajapaksa, on a day when the premier's controversial government lost a no-confidence motion in Parliament. Dilshan, 42, became a member of Rajapaksa's newly-formed Sri Lanka People's Party (SLPP). The former Sri Lankan captain has obtained the SLPP membership, party secretary Sagara Kariyawasam announced. Dilshan is to run for a seat in Parliament from the southwestern Kalutara district, SLPP sources said. Rajapaksa was named by President Maithripala Sirisena as prime minister in October following the shock sacking of Ranil Wickremesinghe as premier. After weeks of political turmoil in which Wickremesinghe refused to quit, Rajapaksa lost the trust vote earlier on Wednesday. A parliamentary election scheduled for January is now in doubt due to the supreme court's temporary order which overturned Sirisena's dissolution of the current parliament. Rajapaksa himself joined the SLPP two days ago, ...
India, US to increase engagement in oil, energy sector
India and the US Wednesday pledged to further strengthen economic cooperation and increase engagement in the oil and energy sector with a view to boost bilateral trade. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US Vice President Mike Pence had "productive discussions on all aspects of global strategic partnership based on growing convergence of interests on regional and global issues" on the sidelines of East Asia Summit here, Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Raveesh Kumar said. Later briefing reporters, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said it was a "very good" meeting. The two sides had brief discussion on trade-related matters. In a statement, Pence's office said he encouraged "free, fair, and reciprocal trade with India." "We agreed that in a new relationship we are building with the US where trade is expanding, we need to find ways in which we can help that process to take place," Gokhale said. The prime minister said that in the last 2 years - since President Donald Trump has ...
PM Modi discusses trade, security ties with premiers of Singapore, Australia, Thailand
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday held separate bilateral meetings with the premiers of Singapore, Australia and Thailand and discussed ways to further strengthen ties, including in areas of trade, defence and security. Prime Minister Modi began his two-day visit to Singapore Wednesday by delivering his keynote address at the prestigious Fintech Festival. He became the first head of government to address the world's largest event on financial technology. Prime Minister Modi first met his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong, who is also the host of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit. "PM @narendramodi met with Prime Minister of Singapore @leehsienloong on the sidelines of #EastAsiaSummit. Good exchange of views on cooperation in financial technology, enhanced connectivity and regional economic integration," Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Raveesh Kumar tweeted. Modi then held bilateral meetings with his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison and ...
SC reserves verdict on petitions seeking court-monitored probe in Rafale deal
The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved its verdict after hearing the petitions seeking court-monitored investigation into the Rafale deal.The three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi, Justice S. K. Kaul and K. M. Joseph of the apex court heard petitioners and the government lawyers on Wednesday in this case.One of the petitioners, Advocate M.L. Sharma asserted that reports filed by the government in the court revealed "serious fraud" in the decision making process after May 2015. He also urged that the matter should be heard by a five-judge bench.Advocate Prashant Bhushan, who is one of the petitioners, argued that there are various anomalies in the deal. Bhushan submitted to the court that the government's argument of Secrecy Clause in the Rafale deal is a "bogus" one."There was no sovereign guarantee from the side of the France Government in the deal. On pricing, there can't be any secrecy issue when the government itself disclosed the price in ...
Ajay Singh Chautala expelled from INLD
Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) president and former chief minister Om Prakash Chautala on Wednesday removed his son and former Member of Parliament Ajay Singh Chautala from the post of the party's state unit secretary general and also expelled him from the party's primary membership for allegedly "vitiating the party discipline."Reading out a statement at a press conference here, the INLD's state unit president Ashok Arora said: "Chaudhary Om Prakash Chautala, national president of Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) has not only removed Ajay Singh Chautala from the office of the Secretary General of the state unit of the INLD but also expelled him from the primary membership of the party.""The national president of INLD accused Ajay Singh Chautala of activities that vitiated the party discipline and weakened the cohesiveness, unity and integrity of the party. He also reminded that he continues to adhere to the principle where no individual or member of his family is above the discipline ..
Rafale deal not govt-to-govt pact: Sibal
Training guns at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the Rafale row, the Congress party on Wednesday said that the deal was not a government-to-government pact with France, and claimed that there was no such procedure in the country."The French government has never done a government-to-government contract on defence and such a deal has only been done in the United States under the Foreign Military Sales route," senior party leader Kapil Sibal said on Wednesday.Sibal's remarks came a day after Dassault Aviation Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Eric Trappier, in an exclusive interview to ANI, dismissed allegations made by Congress president Rahul Gandhi that the former lied about the details of the Dassault- Reliance Joint Venture (JV) for offset contracts in the Rafale Jet deal."I don't lie. The truth I declared before and the statements I made are true. I don't have a reputation of lying. In my position as CEO, you don't lie," Trappier said yesterday when asked to respond to Rahul ...
Leads in all terror probes point to one source, Modi tells Pence
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday raked up with US Vice President Mike Pence the issue of terrorism sponsored from Pakistan pointing out that "all the traces or all the leads in global terror attacks ultimately lead to a single source".
Amarinder deplores attempts to politicise defence forces
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh Wednesday deplored attempts to "politicise" the defence forces, asserting that the personnel were meant to report only to their regimental heads and not work at the behest of the political dispensation. He said there was an immediate end to the "current cult of political interference" in the functioning of defence services, to enable the officers and soldiers to discharge their duties efficaciously. The Congress leader said it was necessary in the larger interest of the nation to secure its unity, integrity and security. Singh condemned the attempts to politicise" the defence forces, asserting the personnel were meant to report only to their regimental heads and not work at the behest of the political dispensation. He was addressing a gathering at the Remembrance Day ceremony here which paid homage to commonwealth nations' armed forces personnel who sacrificed their lives during World War I. A two-minute silence was observed in memory of the ...
Family feud escalates, O P Chautala expels son Ajay from party
The ongoing feud within the Chautala family escalated with jailed INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala expelling his elder son Ajay Singh from the primary membership of the party for alleged anti-party activities. The decision was taken on Monday and announced at a press conference here on Wednesday called by Ajay's younger brother and Leader of Opposition in the Haryana Assembly Abhay Singh Chautala. Ajay Singh (57), who is serving a 10-year jail term along with his father and former chief minister O P Chautala in a teachers' recruitment scam in the state, is currently out on a two-week parole. He was also removed as the secretary general of the party's state unit. Two weeks ago, the INLD chief had expelled from the party Ajay Singh Chautala's two sons, Hisar MP Dushyant and his brother Digvijay, exposing the feud to public view. Though Ajay Singh's wife and INLD MLA Naina Chautala too has been vocal against her detractors within the party after action against her sons, she has been spared
Lanka cricket star joins Rajapaksa's party
Sri Lanka's former cricket captain Tillakaratne Dilshan on Wednesday joined the political party of former leader Mahinda Rajapaksa, soon after his controversial government was voted out by the legislature. Rajapaksa was named by the president as prime minister in October following the shock sacking of Ranil Wickremesinghe. After several weeks of political wrangling in which Wickremesinghe refused to stand down, Rajapaksa was voted out in a no-confidence action. Dilshan, 42, took membership in Rajapaksa's newly-formed Sri Lanka People's Front (SLPP) on the same day the national parliament defeated the former president in a landmark vote. There was no immediate comment from Dilshan -- who quit international cricket in 2016 -- but the party posted a photo of him obtaining his membership from a senior politician. Dilshan played 87 Tests, scored 5,492 runs and has taken 39 wickets giving away 1,711 runs. Several top Sri Lankan cricket stars have gone on to enter politics. Sri Lanka's World
NIA files charge sheet against Kashmiri separatist Aasiya Andrabi, 2 others
The NIA Wednesday filed a charge sheet against pro-Pakistani separatist and Dukhtaran-e-Millat head Aasiya Andrabi and two of her associates for allegedly "waging war" against the country using social media and other Internet platforms, officials said. In a statement, the NIA's spokesman said Andrabi, Sofi Fehmeeda and Naheeda Nasreen were using various media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and TV channels including some in Pakistan to spread "insurrectionary imputations and hateful messages and speeches against India. The Dukhtaran-E-Millat, which has been banned as a terrorist organisation, through Andrabi and others, openly advocates secession of Jammu and Kashmir from the Union of India and its merger with Pakistan through violent means.
Trupti Desai says will visit Sabarimala temple on Nov 17; confrontation looms
Social activist Trupti Desai Wednesday said she would visit the Sabarimala shrine in Kerala along with six other women in the previously banned 10-50 age group on November 17 but it was stoutly opposed by a right wing activist, sparking fears of a fresh confrontation. Desai, who spearheaded the campaign to allow entry of women to various religious places, including Shani Shingnapur temple, the Haji Ali Dargah, the Mahalakshmi Temple and the Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple, announced the decision even as the Supreme Court once again refused to stay its verdict which allowed entry of women of all age groups to the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala. Union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma, meanwhile, called for a "holistic approach" on the Sabarimala issue so that the sentiments of the people were not hurt, observing the Centre would intervene in the matter at the "right time" if required. Asked by reporters if an ordinance was required to deal with the situation, Sharma said the Kerala ...
PM Modi calls for early conclusion of RCEP
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday called for an early conclusion of the multi-nation Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement that should be modern, comprehensive, balanced and mutually beneficial to the people of all countries. He also called on fellow RCEP leaders to give mandate to trade ministers and negotiators to take the economic grouping forward, said Sudhanshu Pandey, additional secretary, the commerce ministry, during a media briefing here. The RCEP, involving 10 ASEAN members (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Laos and Vietnam) as well as China, Japan, Australia, India, New Zealand and South Korea, would cover about half the world's population and a third of its GDP. The RCEP has concluded seven chapters of the total 16. Prime Minister Modi noted that significant progress has been made in market access of negotiation for goods and called on similar efforts on services sectors. "We need to make ..
Bangladesh opposition supporters clash with police
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) supporters clashed with the police here on Wednesday, demanding a level playing field in the upcoming national elections and release of their leader and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia from jail.
North Korean delegation visits South to attend history forum
A five-member North Korean delegation came to South Korea on Wednesday to attend an academic forum on Japan's wartime actions, as the rivals continue reconciliation efforts despite stalemated U.S.-led nuclear diplomacy. The North Koreans are among 300 people from nine countries who are taking part in Friday's forum near Seoul. The meeting with discuss Japan's forced mobilization of laborers in the region during World War II and how to boost exchanges now among Asia-Pacific countries. The North Koreans are led by Ri Jong Hyok, vice chairman of the Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee. Participants from other countries including South Korea, Japan and China, are mostly civilian scholars and former officials. Ex-Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, who has been apologetic about Japan's past wrongdoing, will represent the Japanese side, according to organizers. The forum is organized by Gyeonggi province, which surrounds Seoul, and a South Korean civic organization. The South Korean ...
Sri Lankan Parliament passes no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Rajapaksa
Sri Lanka's Parliament on Wednesday passed a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa who was installed by President Maithripala Sirisena in a controversial move, a day after the Supreme Court overturned the presidential decree to dissolve the House and hold snap polls on January 5. Amid raucous scenes, Parliament on Wednesday met for the first time since October 26, when President Sirisena sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, installed Rajapaksa in his place and suspended the House, plunging the island nation into an unprecedented constitutional crisis. Speaker Karu Jayasuriya announced that a majority of the 225-member Parliament supported the no-confidence motion against Rajapaksa, the 72-year-old former strongman, who ruled the country for a decade from 2005. "According to the voice, I recognise that the government has no majority," Jayasuriya announced in the House as Rajapaksa supporters protested. He gave the ruling after the no-confidence motion was