Page 2558 - Politics
Cong-JDS trounces BJP 4-1 in K'taka bypolls; BJP loses Ballari LS seat
Karnataka's ruling JD(S)-Congress alliance Tuesday won a crucial endorsement trouncing the BJP 4-1 in by-elections for three Lok Sabha and two assembly seats with the victory in Ballari ending the saffron rival's 14-year vice-like grip on this parliamentary constituency. The victories with huge margins came as a Diwali gift and a shot in the arm for the nearly six-month-old alliance ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls after facing frequent questions about its longevity. The alliance led by JD(S) leader and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy won Ballari and Mandya Lok Sabha seats as well as both the Assembly seats--Ramanagara and Jamkhandi. Kumaraswamy's wife Anitha won from Ramanagara, near Bangalore. It was a sort for consolation win for the BJP when it managed to hold on to the Shivamogga Lok Sabha seat. BJP had held the Shivamogga and Ballari Lok Sabha seats and JDS Mandya while Congress won Jamkhandi and JDS Ramanagara in the May 12 assembly polls. The BJP suffered an embarrassing ...
Naidu congratulates Karnataka CM on JD(S)-Cong win in by-polls
Ahead of their meeting scheduled for November 9, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu Tuesday spoke to his Karnataka counterpart H D Kumaraswamy over phone and congratulated the latter on the JD(S)-Congress combine's "spectacular victory" in the by-elections. The results clearly reflected the growing people's anger against the Narendra Modi government, a TDP release quoted Naidu as telling Kumaraswamy. That the JD(S) and Congress candidates won with margins of one lakh votes indicated the 'strong disenchantment' with the BJP, he added. Kumaraswamy thanked Naidu for the greetings, it added. During his visit to Bengaluru on November 9, the TDP chief would confer with Kumaraswamy and his father H D Deve Gowda as part of the efforts to forge an anti-BJP coalition. Later, addressing the coordination committee of the TDP, Naidu noted that there was a significant change in the voting trend in the by-polls in Karnataka compared to the Assembly elections in May. "The
Country's constitutional institutions facing grave threat from present govt: Gehlot
Congress veteran Ashok Gehlot Tuesday claimed that various constitutional institutions of the country were facing "grave threat" from the present government. The country is passing through a difficult time today. The top level institutions of the country like the Election Commission, NITI Ayog, CBI, judiciary are under threat today and being weakened, said Gehlot. Gehlot ,who reached his home town Jodhpur Tuesday to celebrate Diwali with his family ahead of the December 7 state assembly elections, will also be holding extensive consultations with the party workers and seeking their opinion on selection of various candidates for the upcoming poll. Attacking the Modi government, Gehlot said the democracy of the country was in danger and exhorted youths to support the Congress both in the assembly and the Lok Sabha elections and save democracy. Democracy of the country is in danger today and I call upon the youths of the country to come forward and bring back the Congress to power for ...
Security forces gunned down 200 terrorists this year, 30 in October
Security forces have gunned down as many as 200 terrorists in 2018 in Jammu and Kashmir, with 30 neutralised in October alone.Security forces touched the 200-mark with the elimination of two terrorists, Amir Hussain and Idris Mir, on the eve of Diwali.The two terrorists who were gunned down by security forces in Shopian earlier today are members of the proscribed terror outfit Hizb-ul Mujahideen, the Jammu and Kashmir Police said.Eight terrorists were killed in January, seven in February, 22 in March, 20 in April, 19 in May, 22 in June, 11 in July, 28 in August, 29 in September, 30 in October and four in November.In 2017, 217 terrorists were killed by the security forces.
India re-elected as member of ITU council till 2022
India has been elected as a member of the International Telecommunications Union Council (ITU) for another 4-year term - from 2019 to 2022, the government said Tuesday. "We are delighted to see India as a member of the ITU Council once again. This is a recognition of the role our country plays in the area of Telecom and ICT on the global stage," Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha said in a statement. The elections to the council were held during the ongoing ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2018 at Dubai, UAE. India secured 165 votes and ranked third among the 13 countries elected to the council from the Asia-Australasia region, and eighth among the 48 countries elected to the council globally. The ITU has 193 member states who elect representatives to the council. The presence of India in the council of global body will help the country have its say at a time when global standards for technology will be freezed and currently work is going on around 5G standards. India has been an active ...
Govt seeking to demolish RBI, Rs 3.6-lakh crore demand is for doling out pre-poll freebies: Cong
The Congress Tuesday accused the Modi government of seeking to "demolish" the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and said if the Centre's reported demand for Rs 3.6 lakh crore from the central bank fructifies, it would amount to "the great Indian robbery". The party also said the government wanted the money to dole out freebies aheaf of the 2019 parliamentary election. Congress president Rahul Gandhi attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the report, alleging that he needs the amount to fix the "mess his genius economic theories" have created. He also urged Reserve Bank Governor Urjit Patel to "stand up" to the prime minister and "protect the nation". There was no immediate reaction on the charge made by Gandhi. "Rs 36,00,00,00,00,000. That's how much the PM needs from the RBI to fix the mess his genius economic theories have created. Stand up to him Mr Patel. Protect the nation," the Congress chief tweeted and also posted the media report. He cited the media report claiming that at the .
Over 120 lakh MT paddy procured in Punjab
Over 120 lakh metric tonne (MT) paddy has been procured in Punjab during the ongoing Kharif marketing season. The government agencies and private millers have procured120.90 lakh MT of paddy in the state so far, said an official spokesman. Out of the total procurement, the government agencies procured 120.08 lakh MT while 81,341 MT has been procured by private millers. Among agencies which purchased paddy, Pungrain procured 41.49 lakh MT, followed by Markfed at 27.62 lakh MT and FCI at 2.02 lakh MT, spokesman added.
Pak Army pays tribute to people killed in Jammu region in 1947
The Pakistan Army on Tuesday took to Twitter to pay tribute to the people who, according to it, were killed in different parts of Jammu region while migrating to Pakistan during the first week of November in 1947. Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor, the director general of Army's media wing, hailed the Kashmiri victims of November 6, 1947 and said "their great sacrifices shall accrue result." He said the political struggle of the Kashmiri people for the legitimate right of self determination can never be suppressed. Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) 'President' Sardar Muhammad Masood Khan and 'Prime Minister' Raja Farooq Haider Khan called the first week of November "the bleakest chapter" of the Kashmir struggle.
Cong storms BJP LS citadel in Ballari, regains erstwhile
The Congress has finally managed to regain its erstwhile stronghold of Ballari Lok Sabhaconstituency after nearly 15 years, signalling the diminishing clout of the Reddy brothers in the mine rich district. Storming BJP's Ballari bastion, Congress' V S Ugrappa scored a resounding victory defeating his rival J Shantha by amargin of 2,43,161 votes. Shanta is the sister of B Sriramulu, who had given up the seat after being elected to the state assembly in the May polls. The mine rich Ballari, over which mining barons Reddy brothers once had a vice-like grip, had remained a BJP stronghold since 2004. Sriramulu is considered a close confidant of Janardhana Reddy, but the BJP had distanced itself from the mining baron in the May assembly polls. TheCongress' decision to field Ugrappa to take on Shanthahad sparked the "outsider versus insider" debate, as thethree-time party MLC, though belonging to the Nayaka (Valmiki)community which is dominant in Ballari, originally belongs ..
BJP delegation meets J-K Guv over party leader's killing
A delegation of the Jammu and Kashmir (J-K) BJP Tuesday met Governor Satya Pal Malik and sought the immediate arrest of those behind the killing of party leader Anil Parihar and his brother. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) delegation impressed upon the Governor that the minorities of the state were being compelled to abandon their homes as part of a "planned conspiracy". This is a very serious matter and the government must restore and maintain the faith of the people in the rule of law, National vice president and J-K in-charge of the BJP Avinash Rai Khanna told reporters here. The delegation urged the Governor to direct the state administration, especially the police, to nab those responsible for the killings soon, while ensuring that such incidents do not repeat in future. They also pressed for providing adequate compensation to the victim's family. Malik was further informed that several key party leaders in Kishtwar should be provided security so that they can serve the people ..
Deserving kin of politicians have right to seek poll ticket:
BJP general secretary Kailash Vijaywargiya Tuesday dismissed allegations of nepotism in his party even as he asserted the "right" of the deserving kin of politicians to demand ticket for contesting elections. Vijaywargiya's remarks came against the backdrop of reports that his son Akash is staking claim for a ticket from Indore for the November 28 assembly elections. The senior BJP leader is an MLA from Mhow assembly constituency in Indore district. "Is it a crime to be born in a political family? Kin of politicians can also enter politics. If a member of a political family proves himself and demands ticket on the basis of his credentials, it is his right to do so," he told reporters. Responding to a query, Vijaywargiya said he had not sought ticket for his son Akash. However, he claimed that an internal survey conducted by the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has found Akash eligible as a prospective nominee from four constituencies in Indore. "If my party finds it is right, .
JD(S)-Congress jolt to BJP in Karnataka (Roundup)
In a stunning blow to the BJP ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the JD-S-Congress coalition on Tuesday worsted the saffron party 4-1 in the Karnataka by-elections, winning two Lok Sabha and two Assembly constituencies, while conceding only the Shimoga parliamentary seat.
Iran oil minister calls on OPEC to scrap monitoring committees: Shana
LONDON (Reuters) - Iran's oil minister wrote to OPEC's secretary general calling for two committees tasked with monitoring a deal between OPEC and other countries led by Russia to be scrapped, Iran's Shana news agency said on Tuesday.
Several TERI employees seek Chairman's removal after CBI chargesheet
Several employees of TERI have demanded the removal of Ashok Chawla as Chairman of its Governing Council after he was named in a CBI chargesheet in the Aircel-Maxis case.
TDP allying with Congress is 'mortgaging' party: NTR's widow
The move of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) to ally with Congress was nothing but "mortgaging" the party, N Lakshmi Parvati, widow of its founder N T Rama Rao, alleged Tuesday. Lakshmi Parvati, who is now with the YSR Congress, held a protest last Saturday at the 'Samadhi' of NTR, here. She placed a letter addressed to NTR there. She recalled a media interview given by NTR at the time of formation of TDP in 1982 in which he had reportedly said that he will never ever compromise with the Congress. "He (NTR) said, my neck (head) will never bow before any leader. I will not bow my head. I will not be after alliances. Especially Congress, there will never be any compromise. It will only be a fight," she told PTI quoting from the letter. Parvati said late NTR had told her about this. Her response comes in the wake of TDP allying with Congress for the December 7 Legislative Assembly elections in Telangana and TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu meeting Rahul Gandhi as part of efforts to ...
Cong-JDS coalition defeats BJP 4-1 in K'taka bypolls
Karnataka's JD(S)-Congress coalition Tuesday won two of the three Lok Sabha seats and both the assembly constituencies in the fiercely fought bypolls Saturday, giving a shot in the arm to the ruling combine that faces frequent questions about its longevity. The BJP suffered an embarrassing reverse in Ballari, a seat it had been winning since 2004 with a vice-like grip of the mine-rich district by the controversial Reddy brothers, but it managed to hold on to the Shivamogga Lok Sabha seat. Buoyed by the victory in the bypolls, Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and Congress state president Dinesh Gundu Rao Tuesday asserted that they would contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections together against the BJP. The JDS-Congress victory is seen as emphatic endorsement of the coalition by voters. The electoral performance comes as a booster to the combine as the bypolls were seen as a barometer of the public mood ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. Both the coalition partners had put up joint ...
US Iran sanctions aimed at 'upsetting global balance': Erdogan
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday hit out at new sanctions on Iran imposed by the administration of President Donald Trump, saying they were aimed at upsetting the global balance and against international law. Washington on Monday announced the sanctions on the Islamic Republic that aim to isolate the country's banking sector and slash its oil exports. Turkey was one of eight countries exempted from the demand to stop buying Iranian oil. "We don't find the (Iran) sanctions appropriate," Erdogan was quoted as saying by the state-run Anadolu news agency. "Because to us, they are aimed at upsetting the global balance," he added. "They are against international law and diplomacy. We don't want to live in an imperial world." Erdogan's comments came after his Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu warned that isolating Iran was "dangerous." "While we were asking (for) an exemption from the United States, we have also been very frank with them that cornering Iran is not wise. ...
Iran oil minister calls on OPEC to scrap monitoring committees -Shana
LONDON (Reuters) - Iran's oil minister wrote to OPEC's secretary general calling for two committees tasked with monitoring a deal between OPEC and other countries led by Russia to be scrapped, Iran's Shana news agency said on Tuesday.
Iran oil exports to plummet in November, then rebound as buyers use waivers
SINGAPORE/LONDON (Reuters) - Iran's oil exports have fallen sharply since U.S. President Donald Trump said at mid-year he would reimpose sanctions on Tehran, but with waivers in hand the Islamic Republic's major buyers are already planning to scale up orders again.
EU extends sanctions against Venezuela
The European Union on Tuesday extended sanctions against Venezuela by a year to keep up pressure on President Nicolas Maduro's government as the oil-rich country lurches deeper into crisis. An embargo on arms and equipment that can be used for political repression was extended to November 14 next year, along with asset freezes and travel bans on 18 senior members of the Maduro regime blamed for rights abuses. The European move comes less than a week after Washington slapped tough new sanctions on Venezuela targeting particularly the gold sector and denounced Caracas as being part of a "troika of tyranny" with Cuba and Nicaragua. The European Council, which groups the 28 member states, said the decision to extend the sanctions was taken "in view of the continuing deterioration of the situation in Venezuela". "These measures are intended to help encourage democratic shared solutions in order to bring political stability to the country and allow it to address the pressing needs of the ...