Page 336 - Politics
HP Cong urges Rahul Gandhi to continue as party chief
The Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) Wednesday passed a resolution urging Rahul Gandhi to continue as the party president. The HPCC executive committee urged Rahul Gandhi to stay as the Congress chief in the interest of the nation and the party, a Congress leader said. The executive committee also urged him to start rebuilding the party and restore the confidence of the people in it. The resolution was sent to the Congress Working Committee (CWC), which had earlier rejected Rahul Gandhi's offer to quit as the party president following the drubbing in the Lok Sabha elections. Presenting the resolution before the executive committee, HPCC president Kuldeep Singh Rathore said, "There is no need to get demoralised by the defeat in the recent Lok Sabha elections. There was no shortcoming in the electioneering by Rahul Gandhi." The state Congress chief said it was not the time to level allegations but to work unitedly to strengthen the party. Former chief minister Virbhadra Singh .
Modi to meet Jaitley
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who has opted out of the new government.The meeting at Jaitley's residence tonight comes hours after Jaitley wrote a letter to the Prime Minister saying he would like to keep out of the new cabinet, citing his health condition.According to sources, Modi is likely to ask Jaitley to reconsider his earlier decision and remain in government."I am writing to you to formally request you that I should be allowed a reasonable time for myself, my treatment and my health and, therefore, not be a part of any responsibility, for the present, in the new government," Jaitley wrote in a letter to the Prime Minister, who is working on his new cabinet to be sworn-in tomorrow.The 66-year-old BJP leader, who was absent from Friday's Union Cabinet meeting, said he would "undertake any work informally to support the government or the party".Jaitley, owing to his health, was not seen at the victory celebrations at the BJP headquarters ...
Rahul, Sonia to attend Modi's swearing-in
Congress President Rahul Gandhi and United Progressive Alliance chairperson and senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi will attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi on Thursday, party leaders said.
India's secular visage reeling under threat from surge of communalism: Farooq Abdullah
National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday said the secular visage of the country was reeling under the threat from the surge of communalism. Abdullah, who won the just-concluded Lok Sabha election from the Srinagar constituency, said the need of the hour was collective efforts for the protection of religious freedom and rule of law in the country. "The spur in the targeted attacks on Muslims at various places across north India is just painful. The rise of communalism in India has to be countered by all the right-thinking secular parties of the country," the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said while interacting with various delegations here. He said if the fascist syndrome of communal strife was allowed to grow unchecked, it would eventually munch the secular fabric of our society, which was otherwise known for tolerance. "The strife of communal hatred is one of the biggest challenges for our society. It is for the new government to decide if they want ..
Now, BJP MLA frm MP praises Godse
After all clamour for discipline, the BJP seems to have decided to soft-pedal action against Pragya Thakur over her remarks about Godses patriotism. Even before the issue was put to rest, another Thakur has raised her voice in favour of Godse. The party MLA from Mhow in Indore, Usha Thakur, reiterated at a press conference on Wednesday what Pragya had said nearly two weeks ago. The message is clear: the partys threat to act against the offenders was just eyewash.
Pompeo likely to visit India to explore growing ties
As Narendra Modi gets into his second innings as Prime Minister, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is likely to visit India in June to discuss the path ahead for India-US relations.
Another Trinamool MLA joins BJP, Mamata's party says not concerned
West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress on Wednesday suffered another jolt as one of its prominent Muslim faces, MLA Monirul Islam, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Terror attacks in India, excluding J&K and N-E, killed 884 civilians, 29 security men from 2004 to 2018
A total of 864 civilians and 29 personnel of security forces were killed in 47 terror attacks witnessed from 2004 till last year in the country, excluding Jammu and Kashmir and North East, as also the incidents of Left Wing extremism.
Modi to address Maldivian Parliament
The Maldives Parliament has unanimously passed a resolution to invite Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the House during his expected visit to the atoll nation on June 7-8.
Congress Parliamentary Party meeting on June 1
The Congress Parliamentary Party will meet on June 1, possibly to elect its leader ahead of the start of the first session of Parliament after the general elections.Sources said the meeting of the newly-elected MPs along with Rajya Sabha members of the party may elect Sonia Gandhi as chairperson of the Parliamentary Party.Though Rahul Gandhi has offered to resign from the post of party president, sources said he is not averse to leading the party in the Lok Sabha and may be elected leader of the group in the lower house.Congress won 52 seats in the Lok Sabha elections and may not qualify for getting the post of Leader of Opposition.
Sheila Dikshit meets Rahul, urges him to not resign, says it will cause huge pain
Delhi Congress chief Sheila Dikshit on Wednesday met Rahul Gandhi here at his residence and urged him to continue as the party chief as his resignation will cause huge pain to members."I have given him the message that he should not resign. We want him to continue on his post, otherwise, it will cause us huge pain. We have conveyed our wishes to him," Sheila Dikshit told media persons after meeting Gandhi.She was part of a gathering of party supporters outside Rahul's residence. The workers held placards in support of the Gandhi scion, dubbing him as "hope of the nation" and appealing him to not resign from the Congress' top post.1984 anti-Sikh riots accused Jagdish Tytler was also present at the demonstration."Many delegations are coming here to request Rahul Ji. But in the end, it is his decision. We can only request him to continue as the president and show the path to us. We are here to talk to him... let's see if we will be able to convince him or not," Congress leader Rajesh ...
Congress leaders, workers and allies urge Rahul not to resign
Ally JD(S) on Wednesday joined Congress leaders in urging Rahul Gandhi not to insist on his resignation as party chief, as state units passed resolutions and workers held demonstrations to press a similar demand.Delhi Congress Chief Shiela Dikshit met Gandhi, who is said to be firm on giving up the post and has been telling leaders to look for his replacement from outside the Gandhi family.There was no official word on what Gandhi said but Dikshit said, "I have given him the message that he should not resign. We want him to continue on his post, otherwise, it will cause us pain. We have conveyed that to him."Jagdish Tytler, along with other Congress leaders and supporters gathered outside Gandhi's residence holding placards and banners urging him not to resign.In Bengaluru, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy said that Gandhi should not resign from his post while asserting that he will meet him tomorrow to convey the same.Speaking to media after a meeting with Congress and JD(S) ..
It's time Seemanchal region in Bihar had its own voice: Owaisi
AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi Wednesday alleged Seemanchal region in Bihar, where his party unsuccessfully contested a Lok Sabha seat in the recent elections, has been "criminally neglected" and it was time it "had its own voice." AIMIM's candidate Akhtarul Iman finished third in Kishanganj (in Seemanchal region) of Bihar in the Lok Sabha polls, by securing about three lakh votes. Owaisi said his party would continue its struggle for provision of education, healthcare and infrastructure in Seemanchal. In a series of tweets, he said, "Our journey has been one of many successes & setbacks: but the struggle will go on. In Seemanchal, we'll continue our constitutional struggle for education, healthcare & infrastructure." "Seemanchal's been criminally neglected, it's time it had its own voice." AIMIM bagged two of the three seats it contested in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls. While Owaisi was re-elected from Hyderabad, party nominee Imtiaz Jaleel emerged ...
Rajasthan Cong endorses CWC resolution, asks Rahul to continue as party president
The Rajasthan Congress Wednesday passed a resolution asking Rahul Gandhi to continue as the party president and carry out radical organisational changes following the Lok Sabha election debacle. The state unit's executive committee endorsed the resolution by the Congress Working Committee (CWC) in New Delhi, rejecting Gandhi's offer to step down as president. Gandhi's insistence on quitting the post has thrown the Congress into turmoil and the Rajasthan meeting was among the attempts made by the party to make him change its mind. The unanimous resolution by the executive committee of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC)was addressed to Rahul Gandhi. It said the party had full confidence in Gandhi, urging him to continue with his effective leadership. "The pradesh Congress executive committee accepts all those challenges, failures and shortcomings which led to this mandate," AICC general secretary in-charge of Rajasthan Avinash Pande told reporters, reading out the resolution. He said .
Shiv Sena's Arvind Sawant to be inducted in Modi ministry
Arvind Sawant, Shiv Sena MP from Mumbai South, will be sworn in as Union minister Thursday, a senior party leader said. He will replace Anant Geete, the lone Sena minister in the previous Narendra Modi-led government, who lost from the Raigad Lok Sabha seat in last month's election, the leader said Wednesday. Sawant, 68, who retained his seat by defeating Congress' Milind Deora by 1,00,067 votes, has been associated with the Shiv Sena since the party's early years. He worked as an engineer with Mahanagar Telephone Network Ltd (MTNL) till 1995 and took voluntary retirement after he was nominated to the Maharashtra Legislative Council from governor's quota when Shiv Sena-BJP government came to power in 1995. He was elected as MLC from the Mumbai Local bodies constituency. He contested the Lok Sabha election for the first time in 2014, defeating Deora, then an MP, from the Mumbai South seat by 1,28,564 votes. Sawant is a deputy leader of the Shiv Sena, and also president ..
Odisha govt releases list of newly inducted Council of Ministers
The Odisha government on Wednesday released a list of newly appointed Cabinet ministers, Ministers of State (Independent charge) and a Minister of State and their portfolios.This comes on a day when Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Naveen Patnaik took oath for the fifth consecutive term as the Chief Minister of the state.20 members of the new Council of Ministers, who have been allotted portfolios in the ministry, also took oath along with Patnaik at the swearing-in ceremony held in Raj Bhavan.Patnaik will handle the General Administration and Public Grievance.Those who took oath as the Cabinet Ministers include, Niranjan Pujari, Bikram Keshari Arukha, Prafulla Kumar Mallik, Padmanabha Behera, Pratap Jena, Arun Kumar Sahoo, Sudam Marndi, Susanta Singh, Naba Kishore Das, Takuni Sahu.While Niranjan Pujari has been given the portfolio of finance and Excise, Naba Kishore Das has been given Health and Family Welfare. Sudam Marndi will handle the Revenue and Disaster Management.Those who were ..
Another Trinamool Congress MLA joins BJP
In another jolt to the Trinamool Congress, its MLA Monirul Islam on Wednesday joined the BJP, the third legislator to desert the ruling party in West Bengal after the reverses it suffered in the Lok Sabha polls. Two TMC legislators and over 50 councillors had joined the BJP on Tuesday. The BJP projected the decision of TMC's Muslim MLA to join the party as a vindication of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's slogan of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwash" (together with all, development for all, trust of all). Modi gave the slogan in his first address to MPs of BJP-led NDA after the Lok Sabha poll results were declared. He had asked them to win over the trust of minorities with their work. Besides Islam, who represents Labpur in Birbhum, a few other TMC leaders, including former MLA Gadhadhar Hazra, also joined the saffron party in the presence of BJP leaders Mukul Roy and Kailash Vijayvargiya. Roy, a former TMC leader, termed the development as "very significant" and said it ...
'India for partnership with African countries that creates jobs, opportunities'
India wants to build a genuine partnership with African countries that creates jobs and opportunities and New Delhi is looking at ways to cooperate with various groupings in the Indo-Pacific region, a top official of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Wednesday. Speaking at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses Africa Day Round Table on "India-Africa Partnership in Changing World", Secretary of Economic Affairs in the MEA T S Tirumurti said the India-Africa partnership would be a defining one in addressing the challenges in the changing world. India and Africa will also look at ways to cooperate in the Indian-Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and other groupings in the Indo-Pacific region, he added. "India wants to build a genuine partnership with African countries that creates jobs and opportunities. It is with this in mind that we decided to offer 50,000 scholarships under the i-tech scholarships programme," Tirumurti said. "African priorities are our priorities and .
In new beginning, Modi to take oath as PM for second consecutive term on Friday
Capping a landslide election victory, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take oath along with a new council of ministers on Thursday for a second term, as suspense mounted on who will get the Big Four berths--Home, Finance, Defence and External Affairs. Top opposition leaders including Congress President Rahul Gandhi and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, corporate honchos, film stars, chief ministers and a galaxy of leaders from BIMSTEC countries will be on hand to watch President Ram Nath Kovind administer the oath of office and secrecy to 68-year-old Modi and his ministerial colleagues at the forecourt of majestic Rashtrapati Bhavan. Modi and BJP president Amit Shah held a marathon meeting for the second consecutive day on Wednesday during which they are learnt to have finalised the broad contours the new ministry that is expected to have some new faces besides retaining most of the senior ministers. Though there is an intense buzz that Shah, credited for crafting the political strategy
NPP extends unconditional outside support to Khandu govt in Arunachal Pradesh
The National Peoples Party (NPP) Wednesday extended unconditional outside support to the new BJP government in Arunachal Pradesh headed by Chief Minister Pema Khandu, a senior party leader said. NPP Legislature Party leader Mutchu Mithi told reporters after the swearing-in that Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, who is also the party president, had conveyed NPP's support to Khandu government in writing as the party is an ally of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre. Khandu along with 11 MLAs took oath as the tenth chief minister of the Himalayan state. The NPP and the BJP would work collectively now to translate their promises into reality, Mithi said, congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Khandu for their victories. He said as BJP and NPP candidates contested the elections in the country and in the state, respectively, with almost similar manifestoes, the regional party would work in tandem with the Khandu government for all round development of ...