Page 2780 - Politics
Failure of alliance talks in states to have no bearing on LS poll mahagathbandhan: Cong
The Congress said Sunday the collapse of its seat-sharing talks with the BSP for the upcoming state polls will not affect attempts to forge a "mahagathbandhan" (grand alliance) of opposition parties against the BJP for the Lok Sabha elections. Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera, however, asserted that the party's leadership had gone with its state units' assessment of the prevailing ground situation, and how many seats it could part with for likely allies. It is believed that the alliance talks between the two parties fell through as the Congress was unwilling to cede as many seats in states like Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan as sought by the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). Polls in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Rajasthan and Telangana will be held between November 12 and December 7 in what may be a virtual semi-final to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Counting of votes will be taken up together in all the five states on December 11. "State units are better aware of the .
India follows an independent policy, says Army Chief
Amid fears of U S sanctions over the S-400 deal with Russia, Army Chief Bipin Rawat Sunday asserted that India follows an independent policy and was also keen on getting the Kamov helicopters and other weapon systems from Moscow. India and Russia on Friday signed a multi-billion-dollar deal to procure the S-400 Trimuf S-400 air defence system, which could attract sanctions under the Countering American Activities Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). The act is primarily aimed at countering Russia, Iran and North Korea. India and Russia concluded the deal notwithstanding the US warning that it would be a "focus area" for it to implement punitive sanctions against a nation undertaking "significant" business deals with the Russians. Gen. Rawat, who returned Saturday night after a six-day visit to Russia, held talks with military officials of that country to enhance cooperation between the two countries. He said the Russians were very keen in associating with the Indian Army and defence ...
Congress faces tough challenge in Mizoram Assembly polls
After being in power for two consecutive terms, internal squabbles and anti-incumbency factor are making the situation difficult for the Congress in Mizoram which is expected to face a tough challenge from the Mizo National Front in the upcoming Assembly polls. Mizoram goes to poll on November 28. Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla on Saturday alleged that his former cabinet colleagues R Lalzirliana and Lalrinliana Sailo were "corrupt" when they were ministers. Lalzirliana, who was the state home minister, resigned on September 14 after he was served a show cause notice by the Congress' Disciplinary Action Committee (DAC). He was expelled from the party on September 17. The recent resignation of former minister Lalrinliana Sailo from the Congress is also seen as a major setback for the ruling party. Thanhawla also hit out at Aizawl Football Club president Robert Romawia Royte, who recently joined the MNF, saying proceedings would be initiated against him regarding allegations of over Rs 200
Mirwaiz under house arrest ahead of municipal polls
Ahead of the municipal polls in the Kashmir Valley, authorities placed senior separatist leader Mirwaiz Umer Farooq under house arrest here on Sunday.
Fuel price cut 'electoral lollipop': Congress after another hike
The Congress on Sunday said yet another rise in fuel prices had exposed the Modi governments "hypocrisy" and that the recent token cut on excise duty was an "electoral lollipop" for the voters in five states facing assembly elections.
No one will be spared in sacrilege cases: Punjab CM
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Sunday said that no one whose name figured in an ongoing probe into the 2015 cases of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib will be spared if they were found involved.
Dragging cabinet expansion an 'act of insult' to legislators:
Amid reports that the expansion of the coalition cabinet in Karnataka would be postponed following announcement of by-polls, a voice of dissent has emerged from the Congress, with a party MLA terming the possible delay as an "act of insult" to legislators. "Dragging the expansion of cabinet in Karnataka is an act of insult to legislators, killing democracy, upholding the dictatorship in the name of the party," Hirekerur MLA B C Patil has said in a tweet. The actor-turned politician has also tagged Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Karnataka Congress, its President Dinesh Gundu Rao, legislature party leader and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara in his tweet. Earlier too Patil had openly expressed his displeasure against the party on him not making it in the first round of cabinet expansion. According to Congress sources, several ministerial aspirants have expressed their reservation over any possible delay in the cabinet ...
Odisha: Smriti Irani hits out at CM for not slashing fuel tax
Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani on Sunday hit out at Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for not reducing taxes on fuel in the state despite the union government announcing Rs 2.50 per litre cut on petrol and diesel prices.Addressing the media here after inaugurating the BJP's state executive meeting along with Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Irani also alleged that Patnaik was intentionally not allowing the people of Odisha avail the benefits of Ayushman Bharat, the Centre's flagship healthcare scheme."Prime Minister Narendra Modi government reduced Rs 2.50 (per litre) on fuel prices. But Naveen Patnaik has not reduced the state taxes. Not only this, he is not letting people of Odisha avail benefits of the Ayushman Bharat scheme," she said.Highlighting issues of women safety, Irani said law and order in the state is deteriorating under the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government in the state.Odisha is due for polls next year.
Russia keen to associate with Indian Army: Gen Rawat
The Russian Army is "very keen" on associating with the Indian Army, said Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Sunday while stressing on the independence of Indian policymaking."Russians are very keen on associating with the Indian Army because we are a very capable Army. We are capable of standing for what is right for us," General Rawat said at the inaugural General KV Krishna Rao Memorial Lecture at Manekshaw Centre."When Russians asked about the American sanctions, my reply was, 'Yes, we do appreciate that there could be sanctions on us, but we follow an independent policy. You can be rest assured. While we may be associating with America in getting some technology, but we follow an independent policy'," he said.General Rawat continued saying, "I further told them, 'While we are talking sanctions and you are questioning on sanctions. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at this juncture are signing the treaty on the purchase of S-400 weapon system in ...
Cong dubs fuel price cut electoral lollipop, demands oil products under GST
The Congress Sunday dismissed the Rs 2.5 a litre cut in petrol and diesel prices as "electoral lollipop" aimed at the five poll-bound states, and asked the Narendra Modi government to bring petroleum products under the GST regime. Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera told reporters that oil prices have begun rising again since the cut was effected on Thursday, adding that it showed the government's duplicity and hypocrisy. He questioned the government's claim of oil prices being deregulated, saying they depend upon the electoral calendar as they remained unchanged for 17 days during the Karnataka assembly polls, and a similar pattern was seen during the Gujarat polls. "We reiterate our demand to bring in petroleum products under the ambit of GST so as to completely demolish this sheer hypocrisy of credit seeking just before the electoral season," he said. This government believes in tokenism for short term applause, he said. After "ghar-ghar Modi" (Modi in every home) time for "bye-bye ..
BJP will suffer 'historic' defeat in Rajasthan polls: Ghanshyam Tiwari
Former BJP leader and Bharat Vahini Party (BVP) president Ghanshyam Tiwari said Sunday the saffron party is set to suffer a "historic" defeat in the Rajasthan assembly elections. Polling in the state will be held on December 7. He also claimed that the BJP's vote bank will be affected as it has "betrayed" the upper castes in Rajasthan. Prominent BJP leaders from the upper castes have quit the party. "The BJP has betrayed the people of upper castes and its base vote bank has slipped," Tiwari said. He claimed that the BVP would contest on all 200 assembly seats and emerge as the third largest party without which forming a government in Rajasthan will not be possible. The Congress is not in a position to form government and the BJP is set to face a historic defeat in the state. Forming government in Rajasthan would not be possible without the BVP, Tiwari said. On the BSP contesting the elections, Tiwari said it would not make a major difference as the vote percentage of the Mayawati-led .
Irani targets Naveen Patnaik on Ayushman Bharat, fuel price
Union minister Smriti Irani on Sunday accused Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik of depriving the people of the state from the benefits of central schemes such as Ayushman Bharat, "on political consideration". About the fuel price issue, she said even as the NDA government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has slashed fuel prices by Rs 2.50 per litre, Patnaik was not ready to reduce state tax for giving relief to the people. Addressing a BJP state executive meeting here, the Union textiles minister said, "Naveen Patnaik has deprived the people of Odisha from the benefits of Ayushman Bharat scheme on political consideration." Justifying her allegation, Irani told reporters that Patnaik "rejected" the Ayushman Bharat scheme despite the fact that over 60 per cent of Odisha's women and children suffer from anaemia and the state ranks number one in birth of stunted children. Despite of the health scenario in the state, Naveen Patnaik preferred to reject the Ayushman Bharat scheme, ...
Opinion polls predict victory for Congress in Rajasthan Assembly polls
The Congress is likely to unseat the BJP from power in Rajasthan, two opinion polls have predicted in what could be a continuation of the state's tradition of over two decades of voting out the ruling party. Surveys carried out by ABP News-CVoter and C fore have given the Congress almost 50 per cent of the vote share and 142 and 124-138 seats respectively in the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly, with its state president Sachin Pilot leading Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje as the most preferred candidate for the top post. While the C fore survey is restricted to Rajasthan, the ABP News-CVoter opinion poll has also predicted the outcome of the Assembly elections in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, giving an edge to the Congress in both the states. The BJP is in power in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh for 15 years. The pre-poll survey has, however, added that a minor swing in both the states can turn the tide in the favour of either of the two main parties due to a very small ...
Sabarimala tantri says no relevance of talks with govt; protests continue
The Kerala government's move to hold talks with 'Thazhamon tantries', the head priests of the Sabarimala Temple, on the Supreme Court verdict on entry of women into the shrine received a setback Sunday with one of the priests saying there was no relevance in holding discussions. The Pandalam royals, the erstwhile rulers associated with the Lord Ayyappa temple, also said there was no point in holding discussions now as the CPI(M)-led LDF government had already taken a decision to implement the top court order. Meanwhile, protests by devotees of Lord Ayyappa, demanding the retaining of the age-old tradition, rituals and faith of the hill shrine, continued in several parts of the state. There were reports that the government invited the tantri family and the members of Pandalam royals for a discussion with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here Monday. Kandararu Mohanaru, one of the three tantries, and Sasikumar Varma, a member of the Pandalam royal family, said there was no relevance of ..
Pompeo ends 4th NKorea trip; meets Kim to push denuke effort
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has wrapped up his fourth visit to North Korea after meeting Kim Jong Un to seek elusive progress in efforts to persuade him to give up his nuclear weapons. Pompeo tweeted on his arrival in Seoul that he had met with Kim and that they "continue to make progress on agreements made at Singapore Summit." He said, "Thanks for hosting me and my team." Pompeo had flown to Pyongyang from Tokyo after talks there with Japan's prime minister during which he pledged the Trump administration would coordinate and unify its strategy for denuclearization with allies. Japan has been wary of the initiative but South Korea has embraced it.
Japan military officer killed during US-Philippine drill
Japan's military said Sunday one of its members was killed in a car crash in the Philippines during joint exercises with US and Filipino troops. Suguru Maehara, a 38-year-old sergeant of the Ground Self-Defense Forces, was involved in the accident on Tuesday last week, according to a GSDF spokesman who confirmed his death. "It is the first time a GSDF member has died during an overseas drill," the spokesman told AFP. Maehara was delivering food supplies to members participating in the drill when the accident happened. The exercise, codenamed Kamandag (meaning 'Venom'), marked the first time Japanese armoured military vehicles were used on foreign soil since the country adopted a pacifist constitution after its 1945 defeat. But Japan is not involved in the combat component of the military exercises. The 10-day exercise is being held at a Philippine navy base facing the South China Sea, some 250 kilometres (155 miles) from the Scarborough Shoal -- a territory claimed by Manila that was .
Trump's controversial nominee Brett Kavanaugh sworn in as SC Judge amid protests
Donald Trump's controversial nominee Brett Kavanaugh was sworn in as a judge of the US Supreme Court, in a major victory for the US President ahead of key mid-term elections in November amid crackling tension, angry protests and high drama on Capitol Hill. Kavanaugh was officially sworn in Saturday evening as the 114th Justice of the Supreme Court by Chief Justice John Roberts who administered the Constitutional Oath in the Justices' Conference Room, hours after the 53-year-old judge was confirmed by a bitterly divided Senate by 50-48 votes -- the closest nomination vote since 1881. Retired Associate Justice Anthony M Kennedy administered the judicial oath. Wife Ashley Kavanaugh held the family Bible. Justice Kavanaugh's two daughters, Liza and Margaret, and his parents attended the ceremony. His appointment is for life and he will strengthen conservative control of the nine-judge court, which has the final say on US law. President Trump, who was on a November 6 mid-term election ...
Cong needs to be most accommodating for true rainbow coalition to emerge: RLD VP
The Congress will have to be "most accommodating" and give respect and support to the smaller parties for a "true rainbow coalition" to emerge, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) vice-president Jayant Chaudhary said Sunday. He, however, expressed confidence that a series of state-specific alliances, where like-minded parties would come together on an anti-BJP platform, was likely for the 2019 general election. "Farm distress will be a key issue in our campaign," Chaudhary told PTI in an interview. RLD candidate Tabassum Hasan, who was supported by the Samajwadi Party (SP), the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Congress, had triumphed over her Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rival in the Kairana bypoll earlier this year and the Ajit Singh-led party has been advocating a "grand alliance" in Uttar Pradesh to take on the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Chaudhary, the son of RLD president Ajit Singh and the grandson of former prime minister Chaudhary Charan Singh, said both he and his father will ...
Pompeo arrives in Pyongyang to meet Kim Jong-un
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Pyongyang on Sunday and is set to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to discuss the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
President Kovind leaves for Tajikistan
President Ram Nath Kovind and First Lady Savita Kovind embarked on a three-day visit to Tajikistan on Sunday.During the visit, President Kovind will meet his Tajik counterpart Emamoli Rahmon. Furthermore, the Speaker of the Parliament Shukurjon Zuhurov, Speaker (Chairman) of the Lower House of Parliament and Prime Minister of Tajikistan Qohir Rasulzoda will call on President Kovind, a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) read.Minister of State (MoS) for Defence Subhash Bhamre and Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) Shamsher Singh Manhas are also slated to be a part of the President's delegation which is a standalone visit to Tajikistan.The President will visit the Tajik National University where he will deliver an address on 'Countering Radicalisation: Challenges in Modern Societies'. He will also address the members of the Indian Diaspora in Tajikistan.In addition, President Kovind will pay his respects to Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore by visiting their ...