Page 2731 - Politics
Previous govt leaves burden of 46,500 cr on state exchequer: HP CM
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur Sunday alleged that the previous Congress government in the state had left a burden of over Rs 46,500 crore on the exchequer due to its financial mismanagement. The current state government has succeeded in getting financial assistance of about Rs 9,000 crore from the Centre for various development projects, he said at the closing ceremony of a Kabaddi and Volleyball tournament in Kumarsain here. In its nine months tenure, the BJP government in the state has been dedicated toward the overall development of Himachal Pradesh, Thakur said. The Virbhadra Singh-led government opened educational and health institutions without adequate budget provisions, he said. "The previous dispensation's financial mismanagement had led to a burden of Rs 46,500 crore on the state exchequer," the chief minister said. On the occasion, Thakur announced that the Senior Secondary School Baragaon after Kargil martyr Satish Kumar. He also declared Rs 33 lakh for ...
Tribal leader C K Janu quits NDA
In a minor setback to BJP led NDA in Kerala, Janadhipathya Rashtriya Sabha (JRS) led by tribal leader C K Janu Sunday decided to quit the alliance following differences with the lead partner. The decision to snap ties with National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was taken at a meeting of the party here, Janu told reporters. None of the promises made to JRS were fulfilled even after two and a half years, she said adding the NDA has not even called a meeting for the past few months to discuss them. Janu also said her party was ready to hold political discussions with the Congress led UDF and ruling CPI-M headed LDF. On the Sabarimala issue, she said the party welcomed the Supreme Court order allowing the entry of women of all ages to the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa. She also disapproved with the protests over the issue. Kerala has been witnessing a series of agitations by various devotee groups and Hindu outfits against the SC verdict and the state government's decision to ...
AAP names Lok Sabha in-charge for last two Delhi seats
Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday announced its candidates for the last two Lok Sabha seats in the capital, completing the process for all the seven constituencies.
Split CM tenure equally between Sena and BJP, says Athawale
Union minister Ramdas Athawale Sunday said that he had devised a formula to satisfy bickering allies BJP and Shiv Sena which involved splitting the tenure of chief ministership in Maharashtra equally between the two parties. He said that he would discuss this proposal with leaders of the Sena and the BJP, allies in the Maharashtra and Union governments. "The formula of the party with the maximum number of seats getting the Chief Minister's post is already there but I am going to discuss this new formula (splitting the CM's tenure) with leaders of both the parties," Athawale said. The two parties have been at loggerheads over several issues and Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has said that his party would fight all future polls alone. The BJP, on the other hand, has said that it wanted an alliance with the Sena but was willing to fight on its own if an agreement was not reached. The Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment also staked claim to the Mumbai ...
15 civilians dead in strikes on minibuses in Yemen's Hodeida: UN
At least 15 civilians were killed in attacks on minibuses in Yemen's embattled Hodeida province, a UN agency said Sunday, as Huthi rebels blamed air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs did not specify the type of strikes Saturday in the Jabal Ras district, but Yemeni rebels said they were air raids by the coalition fighting alongside the government. The coalition's spokesman, contacted by AFP, had no immediate comment. The UN agency said at least 20 more civilians were injured, in what Lisa Grande, the world body's humanitarian coordinator for Yemen, termed "a horrific incident". The Norwegian Refugee Council condemned "an unacceptable pattern of attacks on civilian women, men and children by parties to the conflict who profess concern for the interests and welfare of Yemeni people". Saudi Arabia and its allies intervened in Yemen in 2015 to support President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi's government after the Iran-aligned Huthis ...
Rahul to address public meetings in T'gana on Oct 20
Congress President Rahul Gandhi will address two public meetings in Telangana on October 20 in the run-up to the December 7 assembly elections, party sources said Sunday. Rahul will hoist the Congress flag near Charminar here and address the gathering on the occasion of Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Yatra commemoration day, they said. Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah will be conferred theRajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Yatra commemoration award. Later, the Congress leader would visit Bhainsa town of Adilabad district and address a public meetingand another one in Kamareddy, they added. AICC Telangana Incharge R C Khuntia along with Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president N Uttam Kumar Reddy would review the arrangements made for Rahul's visit. The party has formed an alliance with the TDP, CPI and Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS)and been holding talks on seat-sharing for the polls.
Taliban confirms talks with US special envoy for Afghan peace
The Taliban has confirmed that its leaders had held talks with the US Special Envoy for Afghan peace Zalmay Khalilzad in Qatar's capital on Friday, said a statement from the group posted on its website on Sunday.
2015 Sacrilege incidents: Gathering in Bargari to mark 3rd anniv of 2 killed in firing incidents
A large crowd converged in Bargari Sunday to mark the third anniversary of alleged police firings which led to death of two people during protests against a spate of sacrilege incidents in Punjab in 2015 . The sacrilege incidents had led to massive protests in different parts of the state three years ago and two people were killed in the firings at Behbal Kalan. Police had also allegedly fired at protesters to disperse them in Kotkapura. Several state leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party, Punjab's main opposition party, also converged at Bargari. Punjab ministers Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa and Sukhbinder Sarkaria, and other state Congress leaders attended separate programmes in memory of the deceased in their native villages, Sarawan and Niamiwala. Anti-sacrilege protesters, who were staging a sit-in at Bargari since June 1, had organised a function to observe the third death anniversary of the victims. They had given the government a 15-day ultimatum on October 7 to take action against ...
Saudis reject threats as stocks plunge after Trump comments
Saudi Arabia warned Sunday it will respond to any "threats" against it as its stock market plunged following President Donald Trump's warning of "severe punishment" over the disappearance of Washington Post contributor Jamal Khashoggi. Trump made a point of visiting the kingdom on his first overseas trip as president and has touted arms sales to Saudi Arabia. But both the White House and the kingdom are under mounting pressure as concern grows over the fate of the veteran journalist, who hasn't been seen since he entered the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on October 2. Already, international business leaders are pulling out of the kingdom's upcoming investment forum, a high-profile event known as "Davos in the Desert." "The kingdom affirms its total rejection of any threats and attempts to undermine it, whether by threatening to impose economic sanctions, using political pressures or repeating false accusations," the statement published by the state-run Saudi Press Agency read. "The ...
Unlike BJP, Cong won't make false promises in poll manifesto: Pilot
Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot Sunday said that unlike the BJP, the Congress will not make false promises in its manifesto for the upcoming assembly election in the state. He said that the party will take feedback of all stakeholders across the state and the suggestions would be given to the election manifesto committee to incorporate them. Congress will not make false promises, tell lies and create confusion of statistics in the election manifesto, Pilot said at a press conference after a marathon meeting of party's election coordination committee here. Promises that can be fulfilled right after coming to power will be announced in the manifesto, he added. The meeting was attended by senior Congress leaders, including Ashok Gehlot, Avinash Pandey, Rameshwar Dudi and others. Elaborating on the election campaign plan of the party, Pilot said the work of the campaign committee will be decentralised in all seven divisions and it will take into account the views of the ...
DVAC to decide whether to go on appeal against HC order in TN CM graft case: Ponnaiyan
AIADMK senior leader C Ponnaiyan Sunday asserted that the state DVAC was an independent body and it had to decide whether to go on appeal against the Madras High Court order which had directed a CBI probe against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami. Seeking to clarify his comments on Friday, the former minister said he had only stated that the government might go in for an appeal, which was "misconstrued" as a definitive statement. Ponnaiyan's clarification came a day after the DMK seized on his comment that the government would go for an appeal against the high court order and "unbundle the lies" of the opposition party. "I did not say the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) would go for an appeal, I said it might go. There is a difference between may and will. "It (DVAC) is an autonomous body .... and to decide whether to go for an appeal totally rests with them. Neither the government, the party nor the chief minister has any connection in this," the AIADMK ...
'Tamil support for Lanka govt budget must be conditional to release of political prisoners'
The hardline chief minister of Sri Lanka's Tamil-dominated Northern Province has said that the TNA party must make its support to the government's 2019 budget conditional to the release of all Tamil political prisoners. Chief Minister C V Wigneswaran stated this at a political meeting held in Jaffna yesterday. Wigneswaran said some Tamil youth have been imprisoned over the last 20 years for being aligned with the former LTTE militant group. But many LTTE leaders such as its former deputy leader Karuna are free, he said. "We have to consider this and ask the party to take action," he said. The next government budget is to be presented in parliament on November 5 with the final vote scheduled for December. The Tamil National Alliance's (TNA) vote would be key to the current unity government in passing the budget. The TNA support would be important in the midst of reported attempts by loyalists of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa to defeat the budget in order to force the government to
All Israeli airlines to stop flying from 2019: media
Israel's leading airline El Al warns that all Israeli airlines will stop flying from January 1, 2019 because of security concerns abroad, a newspaper reported on Sunday.
CPI allies with Jogi's outfit for Chhattisgarh Assembly polls
The Communist Party of India Sunday announced that it had entered into an alliance with Ajit Jogi's outfit Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) for the Assembly polls in the state. The Chhattisgarh Assembly polls will be held in two phases -- on November 12 and 20 -- and the counting of votes will be taken up on December 11. Earlier, Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party had forged an alliance with Jogi's outfit, as part of which the BSP will fight 35 seats while the Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) will contest the remaining 55 seats in the 90-member Assembly. CPI state secretary RDCP Rao and Jogi announced the alliance between the two parties Sunday at a press conference here. Jogi said the addition of CPI to the JCC (J)-BSP alliance had made it a "mahagatbandhan" (grand alliance) and added strength to its poll prospects in the Bastar region and in places with a high number of labourers. The aim of the alliance is to form a government which will work in the interest of Dalits, .
UK, US may boycott Saudi conference over journalist's killing
Britain and the US are considering boycotting a major international conference in Saudi Arabia after the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the BBC reported on Sunday.
Maldives, India need to rebuild mutual trust: Ex-Maldivian FM
The Maldives and India need to regain mutual trust, former Maldivian foreign minister Dunya Maumoon said after meeting External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj here. Maumoon met Swaraj Saturday during an unofficial visit to India "on behalf of" former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. "It was such a pleasure to call on my friend Sushma Swaraj to pass on greetings from my father. Maumoon A Gayoom built a warm friendship between our countries while he was in office. We need to regain the trust between our countries," she said on Twitter after meeting Swaraj. "Visiting Delhi, India for some unofficial meetings on behalf of my father Maumoon Abdul Gayoom," she said on Twitter earlier. Her meeting with Swaraj comes as the Maldives is set to witness the formation of a new government under President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. Solih recently won the Maldives' presidential election, defeating strongman Abdulla Yameen, who was known to be close to China. India had congratulated Solih on his ...
Sidhu should join Pakistan's Cabinet: Sambit Patra
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra Sunday took a dig at Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, saying he should get himself inducted in Pakistan's Cabinet as he repeatedly exudes his love for the country. Quoting media reports according to which Sidhu at a festival in Kasauli recently said he can relate to Pakistan more than South India, Patra said this is the "conspiracy" of the Congress government to divide the nation of the lines of north and south parts of the country. "The kind of love he (Sidhu) exudes for Pakistan, the only advice which we can give is Sidhu please proceed to become a part of Imran Khan's cabinet," Patra told reporters. "Repeatedly engaging with Pakistan shows a conspiracy. It depicts his mentality to divide north and south India and that is a strategy being followed by the whole of Congress," he added.
No govt caused more harm than BJP-led coalition: Sharad Yadav
In a scathing attack on the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) patron Sharad Yadav said Sunday no other ruling dispensation has caused more harm to the people of this country since independence. At a press meet here, he alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi could not fulfill any of the promises he made to the people during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. "Narendra Modi made one false promise after another... People are witnessing skyrocketing prices (of almost every commodity). Petrol-diesel prices are rising on a daily basis. The central government has collected Rs 11 lakh crore on account of petroleum products alone," Yadav told reporters. Stating that both central and state governments have lost credibility, the former Union minister claimed that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who was voted to power as the grand alliance leader, ditched 11 crore people when he switched sides. Yadav, who was an integral part of the ruling JD(U), ...
Karnataka CM's wife to contest Ramanagara bypoll on JD(S) ticket
Ending uncertainty over her candidature, the JD(S) Sunday announced fielding Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's wife Anitha Kumaraswamy in the bypoll to the Ramanagara Assembly constituency. The ruling party in the state also said Madhu Bangarappa, son of former chief minister S Bangarappa, would be the candidate from the Shivamogga parliamentary seat. Earlier, there was speculation that Anitha would contest either from Ramanagara or Mandya. The Janata Dal (Secular) has still not finalised the candidate for the Mandya Lok Sabha bypoll. The party has said the candidature will be announced later. The coalition partner of the JD(S), Congress, has announced that Anand Nyamgouda, son of Sidhu Nyamagouda who was killed in a road accident on May 28, will be its candidate from the Jamakhandi Assembly seat. The party is yet to decide its candidate for the Ballari Lok Sabha seat. The bypolls to three Lok Sabha seats -- Shivamogga, Mandya and Ballari -- and the two assembly seats of Ramanagara and
Uttarakhand: Complaint registered over Gautam Adani's viral video
The Uttarakhand State Information Department has registered a complaint with the Police in connection with a viral video purportedly showing industrialist Gautam Adani criticising government officials in the presence of Chief Minister TS Rawat at the latter's residence.Officials from the state department further said that the video has been sent to a top forensic lab in Chandigarh.The video, which is said to have been shot on September 26, the day on which Adani met Rawat at his residence to discuss investment possibilities in the state.In the video, Adani was reportedly seen criticising government officials saying they should be aware of poor infrastructure of the state, which might hamper further investments in the long run.