Page 370 - Politics
Netanyahu says coalition deal still possible as talk of new polls mounts
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday he believed a deal to form a new coalition government remained possible only days ahead of a deadline as speculation mounted over the possibility of fresh elections. Netanyahu has been unable to reach a deal with potential coalition partners despite results from April 9 polls giving his Likud party and its right-wing and religious allies a majority in parliament. Negotiations have broken down over legislation aimed at requiring ultra-Orthodox Jews to perform mandatory military service like other Jewish Israelis. The deadline for Netanyahu to form a coalition is Wednesday. Holding elections so close to one another would be unprecedented for Israel. "I think that the problem can be solved with good will, if that's what people want," Netanyahu said at the start of a cabinet meeting. "If there's not a desire, and things are being aimed in a certain direction, it's unfortunate. I don't think the country needs to be dragged to another ...
BJP's nationalism, Hindutva push led to Cong defeat: MP
The BJP's "hyper nationalism" and "Hindutva" planks rather than development works contributed to a crushing defeat of the Congress in the just-concluded Lok Sabha polls, a Madhya Pradesh minister said Sunday. The BJP won a massive 303 seats and the Congress tally ended at 52 seats in the Lok Sabha polls, results to which were declared on May 23. The ruling Congress also got a massive jolt in Madhya Pradesh with the BJP winning 28 of the 29 parliamentary seats in the state, the former's worst performance since the 1977 post-Emergency Lok Sabha polls. "We believe the BJP's hyper nationalism and Hindutva planks helped it win the elections. The NDA has not done anything worthwhile in the last 5 years," MP minister Jaivardhan Singh told PTI. Ministers in the Kamal Nath government met Sunday to discuss the poll outcome and all those present resolved to thwart any attempt by the BJP to destabilise it in the state. This comes against the backdrop of Leader of Opposition and ...
Nepal: 3 explosions rock Nepal, 4 killed
At least four people have been killed in three consecutive blasts in Nepal's capital Kathmandu on Sunday.The Nepal Army disposed off suspicious packets in four other places as the incident unfolded later in the day.The Nepal Police confirmed that blasts took place in Sukedhara, Ghattekulo and Naagdhunga areas of Kathmandu whereas the Army disposed off bombs in Koteshwor, Satdobato, Gwarko and Lagankhel.A total of seven people have been injured in the blasts."At first we thought it to be gas cylinder explosion but later it proved to be homemade bombs. Most of the bombs exploded while it was being made. We suspect the splinter group of former Maoist led by Netra Bikram Chand to be behind it, we have recovered bundles of pamphlets of the party from the site of the two blasts," a police official who is investigating the issue told ANI on the condition of anonymity.The Police has arrested 9 people in total from various locations in and around Kathmandu.The Government of Nepal recently ...
PM Modi visits mother Heeraben in Gandhinagar
Four days before taking oath as Prime Minister for a second term, Narendra Modi on Sunday visited his mother Heeraben Modi to seek her blessings.Modi's convoy arrived at his mother's residence here as scores of supporters lined up on the streets to catch a glimpse of their leader. He was greeted with thunderous applause and cheering. Supporters were seen raising slogans in praise of the Prime Minister while holding placards with his pictures.Security was beefed up during the Prime Minister's visit here.Earlier today Modi visited Ahmedabad where he paid tributes at the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel near the airport. He later addressed a gathering of BJP workers along with party chief Amit Shah and Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.On Monday, Modi is scheduled to visit his parliamentary constituency Varanasi to hold a five-kilometre-long roadshow till Kashi Vishwanath temple amidst heightened security.Thereafter, the Prime Minister will address BJP workers at Deendayal Hastkala Sankul.In
Mutchu Mithi elected NPP legislature party leader in Arunachal
The Arunachal Pradesh unit of National People's Party (NPP) on Sunday unanimously elected Roing MLA Mutchu Mithi as its legislature party leader in the state Assembly. The NPP has won five seats in the state Assembly election. The decision to elect Mithi as the legislature party leader was taken in a meeting held in New Delhi under the chairmanship of NPP president Conrad Sangma which was also attended by the newly elected MLAs of the party along with state unit president Gicho Kabak, a party release said. The meeting congratulated Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu for winning 41 seats in the state Assembly election. The NPP hoped that the BJP government in the state would work for the all round development of the state. Sangma assured the party leaders of the state to visit family members of party MLA Tirong Aboh and others who were killed by suspected NSCN militants at Khonsa on May 21 last. Aboh had won the Khonsa West seat as a NPP candidate this ...
Citizenship Amendment Bill political weapon for BJP, will oppose it: Gaurav Gogoi
Congress leader and MP from Assam's Koliabor Lok Sabha constituency, Gaurav Gogoi, on Sunday accused BJP of using Citizenship Amendment Bill as a 'political weapon' while asserting that his party will keep opposing it."We have already been very clear about CA bill issue. Rahul Gandhi had clearly said that if Congress forms a government then we will remove this bill. Although we are not in government still we are going to oppose it. This bill is against the constitution of India. For BJP this bill is like a political weapon to divide the country. They did not think about Assam and its growing population", Gogoi told media persons.He also blamed the central government for not being serious enough about the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and said, "This government is not serious regarding NRC. Repeatedly Supreme Court is making statements but the government is not doing anything. We want that a full and final accurate NRC must happen at the earliest and all those Indians who are not
Coming 5 years have to be years of 'Jan Bhagidari and Jan Chetna,' says PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the coming five years of his second term have to be years of 'Jan Bhagidari' (people's participation) and 'Jan Chetna' (people's awareness), and should further enhance India's position at the world stage.Addressing the party workers during his first visit to Gujarat after registering a massive victory in the just-concluded Lok Sabha elections, Modi said: "We have to utilise these five years to solve the issues of common citizens. We have to further enhance India's position at the world stage. The coming five years have to be years of Jan Bhagidari and Jan Chetna."Stating that the vote in 2019 is a pro-incumbency vote and a positive vote, he said: "This election many pundits failed. After the sixth phase of polling, I had said that we will get 300 plus seats. Many people made fun of me. During the whole election, it was noticed that people were voting to form a strong government."He also spoke about his dilemma to take part in the event in ...
Adityanath assesses preparations ahead of PM Modi's Varanasi visit
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday held a meeting with local administration officials in Varanasi to assess preparations made ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to his constituency on Monday.Modi is scheduled to hold a five-kilometre-long roadshow in the constituency to celebrate his massive victory in the Lok Sabha elections.The preparations for his welcome have been completed and the area has been decked up with BJP flags, ribbons and wall paintings of Buddha and other spiritual idols. Cleaning and maintenance work has also been completed.Speaking to ANI, Varanasi SSP Anand Kulkarni said, "We have done all the arrangements, state police along with paramilitary will be deployed for the security. More force in civil dress will also be deployed to beef up the security. We are alert."All the roads along the route which Modi's convoy is scheduled to take have been barricaded.After the 'darshan' and 'puja' at the Kashi Vishwanath temple, the Prime Minister ..
Modi meets mother, seeks blessings
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived in home state Gujarat on Sunday on a two-day visit after the BJP's landslide victory in the Lok Sabha elections, called on his mother and sought her blessings.
Arunachal CM submits resignation to Governor
Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu and his Council of Ministers Sunday submitted their resignation to Governor Brig (retd) B D Mishra and requested him to dissolve the sixth Legislative Assembly of the state, officials said. The Governor accepted the resignation and requested Khandu and the Council of Ministers to continue till a new government is sworn in, an official release said. The governor accepted the advice of the cabinet and signed the order dissolving the Assembly with immediate effect, it added. Mishra conveyed his appreciation to Khandu for successfully running the state administration during his tenure. The ruling BJP in the state has gained an absolute majority to form the next government by winning 41 seats in the 60-member Arunachal Pradesh Assembly. The Congress won four seats while Janata Dal United JD(U) bagged seven seats and National People's Party (NPP) five seats. The BJP had also won both the Lok Sabha seats in the border state.
Humbly accept people's verdict, prepare for 2020 Delhi polls: Kejriwal to AAP workers
Motivating disheartened AAP workers after the party's crushing defeat in the Lok Sabha polls, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Sunday asked them to humbly accept people's verdict and concentrate on the assembly elections slated for next year. Kejriwal, addressing party workers in west Delhi's Punjabi Bagh, said anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare told him that "when one comes into politics or public life, one should have the ability to endure humiliation". "We have to bear humiliation at times and I am proud of my workers for humbly accepting that insult," he said. "Now, you go to the people of Delhi and tell them that the big election has ended and small elections are going to come, and in these elections, cast your vote on the basis of 'kaam' (work) and not 'naam' (name)," he said. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) lost on all seven Lok Sabha seats in the national capital by huge margins of votes. Kejriwal said the party has not deviated from its principles of honesty and hard work ...
New allies, fresh conquests to find representation in Modi cabinet
BJP allies JD(U) and AIADMK are likely to be part of the new government while it will also reflect the saffron party's inroads into states like West Bengal and Telangana, sources said Sunday. A JD(U) leader said the Bihar party expects at least one Cabinet berth in the government which will be sworn in on May 30. The party may also get one more berth in the Council of Ministers. The Rashtrapati Bhavan said on Sunday that Narendra Modi will be sworn in as Prime Minister on Thursday for his second term. Though there has been no official word on likely faces in the new government, many leaders are of the view that most key members of the previous dispensation will be retained. There has been speculation that Arun Jaitley, who held the finance portfolio in he previous government, may opt out due to health reasons but people close to him have insisted that he has been doing well after undergoing treatment. The government on Sunday stepped in to insist that reports regarding his heath ...
Dhinakaran urges EC to provide info on non-registration of
AMMK Chief TTV Dhinakaran Sunday demanded that the Election Commission provide details of alleged non-registration of votes of his party workers in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu. Talking to reporters here, he said the EC should provide information about non-registration of votes in the polling booths during the April 18 elections. He also termed as "strange" non-registration of votes for his party. "How can it be possible? Even if a booth has only about four or five party cadres, what happened to their votes?" he asked. "It is strange that there is non-registration of votes. I have received information from party functionaries that there was zero registration of votes to our party," he claimed. It was EC's responsibility to reveal whether the votes of his partymen were registered or not, he said and clarified that he was not targetting anyone on the issue. Asked whether he would take legal action on the matter, the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam .
Rahul Gandhi takes back offer to resign
Rahul Gandhi on Sunday took back his offer to quit as the Congress President, a proposal he made during the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting on Saturday following the party's rout in the Lok Sabha elections, party sources said.
Ready to sacrifice everything to safeguard country's values: Sonia
UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi has said she is ready to sacrifice everything to safeguard the basic values of the country, as she thanked the people of Rae Bareli for re-electing her. In a letter addressed to the people of Rae Bareli, the Congress leader also thanked the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party, which did not field any candidate against her. "I promise you that to safeguard the basic values of the country and to uphold the tradition of the ancestors of the Congress, I will not step back from sacrificing whatever I have got," Gandhi said. "I know that the coming days are going to be very tough, but I am fully confident that with the power of your support and trust, the Congress will meet every challenge," she said. Referring to the people of her constituency, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) leader said she had always tried to look after this extended family. "Like every Lok Sabha election, this time also you have reposed your faith in me. I am thankful to each ..
BJP, allies may get majority in Rajya Sabha next year
After its overwhelming success in the Lok Sabha, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is expected to get a majority in the Rajya Sabha by the end of next year which will make it easy for the Modi government to push its legislative agenda that has often faced hurdles in the upper house during the past five years for lack of majority.
BJP, AGP to field candidates for two Rajya Sabha seats
Assam Finance Minister and convener of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said that the BJP and its partner Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) will field one candidate each for the two Rajya Sabha seats which will fall vacant on June 14.
Mamata's offer to quit as Bengal CM nothing but drama: Mukul Roy
BJP leader Mukul Roy on Sunday described Trinamool Congress (TMC) president Mamata Banerjee's offer to quit as the West Bengal chief minister following her party's drubbing in the Lok Sabha polls as nothing but a drama to stay in the news. Banerjee would never step down from the chief minister's post as she was more keen on relishing the powers of the chair, he said. "Mamata Banerjee offering to quit is nothing but a drama. She said all these only to stay in the news headlines. To whom did she submit her resignation? She herself is the party (TMC). Has anybody seen her resignation papers? "I think she submitted the resignation to herself and then rejected it on her own," the BJP leader mocked while speaking to reporters here. "She (Banerjee) is more keen on relishing the powers of chief minister and will never resign unless the people of West Bengal use their democratic rights to throw her out," Roy, who was Banerjee's right-hand man before joining the BJP, said. The TMC supremo had ..
New Lok Sabha has 475 'crorepati' MPs: ADR
A total of 475 members of the new Lok Sabha are 'crorepatis' with Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath's son Nakul Nath topping the list, the Association of Democratic Reforms said Sunday. The ADR arrived at the figure of 'crorepati' MPs after analysing the affidavits on assets and liabilities of 539 new MPs. The ADR said it was unable to access affidavits of three of the 542 new MPs -- two of the BJP and one of the Congress. The BJP won 303 seats in the 17th Lok Sabha and the Congress 52. Elections were held for 542 of the 543 Lok Sabha seats. The election for Vellore Lok Sabha seat had been cancelled by the Election Commission of India, citing abuse of money power. A fresh date is yet to be announced. Two membvers of the 545-strong House are nominated. Out of the 301 new BJP MPs, whose affidavits were examined, 265 (88 per cent) were found crorepati, while all 18 winners of its NDA partner Shiv Sena had assets exceeding Rs one crore. In the Congress, 43 out of its 51 MPs ...
BJP resorted to religious polarisation to win polls in Assam: Pradyut Bordoloi
Slamming the BJP for its "religious polarisation" across the country, newly-elected Congress MP from Assam's Nowgong Lok Sabha constituency Pradyut Bordoloi on Sunday vowed to fight against the "divisive" politics spread by the saffron party.