Page 372 - Politics
Mehbooba welcomes Pak PM's call to Modi, says dialogue only way forward
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti Sunday welcomed Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's call to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, saying dialogue is the only way forward to resolve issues between the two countries. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Khan had called up Modi to congratulate him on his re-election. "Welcome step. For what it's worth, dialogue is the only way forward to resolve longstanding issues between India & Pak," Mehbooba wrote on Twitter. In their first telephonic conversation after the Balakot air strike, Modi told Khan that creating trust and an environment free of violence and terrorism was essential for fostering cooperation for peace, progress and prosperity in the region, the MEA said.
Kamal Nath downplays claims on resigning as MP Cong chief
A day after Congress general secretary Deepak Babaria claimed that Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath offered to step down as the state's Congress chief, the latter on Sunday said the offer was made during the Assembly elections held last year, and not now.Speaking to reporters here, Nath said, "He (Babaria) was talking about my proposal to resign after the Assembly election results a few months ago. I had told him to appoint someone else as I had too much of responsibility on my shoulders."On Saturday, Babaria had said "Kamal Nath has offered to resign from the post of Madhya Pradesh Congress committee president," after the party's dismal performance in the recently-concluded general elections.Decimated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which won 28 out of the 29 seats in the state, the Congress could only open its account by winning Chhindwara Parliamentary constituency. The Congress government enjoys a slim majority in the state assembly.
EC announces lifting of MCC following culmination of elections
Following the culmination of the seven-phase electoral exercise in the country, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday announced the lifting of 'model code of conduct' with immediate effect."Model code of conduct has ceased to be in operation with immediate effect after results of Lok Sabha elections and Legislative assemblies in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim," the notification by ECI read.ECI has conveyed the information to the cabinet secretary, chief secretaries of all states and union territories as well as their Chief Electoral Officers.Model Code of Conduct came into effect on April 10 after the announcement of the election schedule.Polls were held from April 11 to May 19, and results were declared on May 23.Narendra Modi-led BJP swept the 17th Lok Sabha elections, garnering 303 seats. Along with its allies, BJP secured 352 seats out of 542. Congress, on the other hand, managed to garner only 52 seats..
Sons and daughters of leaders shine in 16th LS polls in TN
Amid a raging nationwide debate over dynastic politics, five kin of noted politicians in Tamil Nadu emerged victorious in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls. What makes their victories more noteworthy is that many scions of politicians in the North and one in Karnataka bit the dust, chief among them being former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's son and Congress President Rahul Gandhi, who lost from the party's bastion of Amethi. Jyotiraditya Scindia, son of former Union minister Madhav Rao Scindia lost from Guna, while Manvendra Singh, son of Jaswant Singh, founding member of BJP lost in Barmer. Karnataka saw Nikhil Kumaraswamy, son of Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy losing from Mandya. Notable among winners in Tamil Nadu was Raveendranath Kumar, son of Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, who won from Theni, defeating senior Congress leader EVKS Elangovan. Other prominent winners were Karti Chidambaram, son of former Finance Minister P Chidambaram, who ...
Modi arrives in Ahmedabad, to be felicitated at BJP office
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here Sunday evening. After garlanding the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel near the airport, Modi drove to the city in a car with BJP president Amit Shah and Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani. Thousands of people lined the roads to greet him. The prime minister is on his first visit to his home state after the Bharatiya Janata Party's massive victory in the Lok Sabha polls. Modi and Shah will be felicitated at the BJP office here in the evening and also address party workers. Modi will then visit his mother Hiraba Modi.
Chinese Vice President arrives in Pak on 3-day official visit
Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan arrived here Sunday on an official visit during which he will hold talks with Pakistan President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan and sign several agreements under the USD 60 billion CPEC to further cement the bilateral all-weather ties. Wang, 70, is a member of the ruling Communist Party of China's (CPC) powerful Politburo Standing Committee. He is also a member of China's Parliament, National People's Congress and the Central Foreign Affairs Commission, a key foreign affairs body of the CPC. He was received at the airport by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and other high officials. During the three-day visit, Vice President Wang will call on President Alvi and have a separate meeting with Prime Minister Khan. Pakistan and China will sign five MoUs and agreements and inaugurate projects to enhance bilateral cooperation in a broad range of areas, state-run Radio Pakistan reported on Sunday. His visit underscores the vitality of the ...
Surat fire tragedy: Hardik threatens of hunger strike if no action taken against Mayor, fire officials within 12 hours
Congress leader Hardik Patel on Sunday threatened to go on hunger strike if the state government did not act against Mayor and the Fire Department officials within 12 hours."I have said that if action is not taken against Mayor and officials of the Fire Department, then I will sit on hunger strike," he said while talking to reporters after visiting the Takshashila Arcade in Surat where a fire incident on Friday claimed the lives of 20 students.Hardik also accused the state government of being in collusion with the accused and trying to "wrap up the issue under the carpet.""Why have you arrested the tuition manager? Why have not you arrested the people who constructed this building illegally? The government is trying that people in collusion with it should not be arrested and this issue is pushed under the carpet by arresting anyone," said Hardik.Mocking the Union Government's claim of making Surat a smart-city, the Congress leader said: "The incident is a 'glowing' example of the ...
Post Lok Sabha polls, Bihar Mahagathbandhan faces uphill task
A detailed analysis of the Lok Sabha election results in Bihar suggests that the NDA, which obliterated the opposition in the state winning all but one out of the 40 seats, is poised to retain power in the assembly polls due next year. Out of the 243 assembly segments in the state, the RJD led in eight, the Congress in four, the RLSP in one and the HAM in two. Besides these constituents of the Mahagathbandhan, Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM and the CPI(ML) established lead in two and one assembly segments respectively. In 2015 assembly polls, the RJD had won 80 seats and its old ally the Congress had 28 MLAs. The two parties had then sought to broaden the social base of the combine by forging an alliance with the RLSP headed by Koeri leader Upendra Kushwaha, HAM led by Jitan Ram Manjhi who is a Musahar (SC) and Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) founded by Mukesh Sahni who belongs to the sizeable Nishad community. Facing an election for the first time without its charismatic ...
Pak MPs-led group attacks army check post; 3 killed, 15 injured
At least three persons were killed and 15 others, including five soldiers, injured as members from the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement, led by two MPs, allegedly attacked an army check post in Pakistan's restive North Waziristan region on Sunday. MPs Ali Wazir and Mohsin Javed attacked the Kharqamar check post in North Waziristan tribal district. Due to firing of the group, five army soldiers got injured. In exchange of fire, three individuals who attacked the post lost their lives and 10 others got injured, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistani military's media wing, said. The army said that they wanted to exert pressure for release of suspected terrorists' facilitator who was recently arrested. It said that the troops at the check post exercised maximum restraint in the face of provocation and direct firing on the post. "All injured were taken to the army hospital for treatment. Ali Wazir along with 8 individuals have been arrested while Mohsin Javed is at large after ...
BJP for early abrogation of Articles 370, 35A of the Constitution: Raina
Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina Sunday said his party is for early abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A of the Constitution. He also exhorted confidence that the BJP will form the next government in the state on its own. Raina said his party will work for defreezing of the eight assembly seats reserved for refugees from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and revoking of the cumbersome M-Form exercise for Kashmiri migrant pandits before the next assembly polls. "Article 370, a temporary transititional provision, is the biggest injustice with the people of Jammu and Kashmir, while the Article 35A is a constitutional blunder which was included through back door without the consent of Parliament and the president...We wish the early abrogation of both these constitutional provisions," Raina told reporters here. Article 370 grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir and limits Parliament's power to make laws concerning the state. Article 35A empowers the state assembly to define .
Industrialist Vasanthakumar to quit MLA post
Sitting Congress MLA H Vasanthakumar Sunday announced his decision to quit from the post following his victory in the Lok Sabha election in Kanyakumari parliamentary constituency. Vasanthakumar, who is the proprietor of Vasanth & Co brand of consumer retail outlets is a sitting MLA from the Nanguneri assembly constituency. In the Lok Sabha polls held on April 18, he defeated BJP leader Pon Radhakrishnan by a huge margin of 2.59 lakh votes. After calling on DMK Chief M K Stalin at Anna Arivalayam the DMK headquarters, Sunday, Vasanthakumar said he decided to quit from the post of legislator. "I held discussions with DMK Chief M K Stalin here and with Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President K S Azhagiri over telephone.. Based on their directive, I have decided to quit from the post of legislator. I am willing to tender my resignation tomorrow itself based on the availability of Assembly Speaker," he said. Vasanthakumar was one of the Congress candidates under the ...
Record 7 women in Australian PM Morrison's new Cabinet
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Sunday announced his new 22-member Cabinet which includes a record seven women. The new Cabinet will be sworn in on Wednesday. The ruling conservative coalition, led by Prime Minister Morrison, defied exit polls to deliver a shock defeat to the opposition Labor Party, forcing its leader Bill Shorten to resign. Morrison announced Linda Reynolds to be the Defence Minister while Bridget McKenzie will become Australia's first-ever female Agriculture Minister. "I have high expectations of my ministry and clear goals for each of their roles," Morrison was qouted as saying by media reports from Canberra. "This will include congestion-busting on regulatory and bureaucratic roadblocks, making better use of technology and better integrating service delivery across portfolios," he said. Peter Dutton will remain in Home Affairs and Senator Arthur Sinodinos will be the new Ambassador to the United States, succeeding Joe Hockey when his finishes his ...
Reports of deteriorating health of Jaitley false, baseless: Govt
The government Sunday said reports on the deteriorating health of outgoing Finance Minister Arun Jaitley are false and baseless, and media should stay clear of rumour mongering. Amid speculations on the state of Jaitley's health, government spokesperson Sitanshu Kar took to Twitter to clear the air. "Reports in a section of media regarding Union Minister Shri Arun Jaitley's health condition are false and baseless. Media is advised to stay clear of rumour mongering," he tweeted. While Jaitley remained unreachable despite several attempts, his office said he is resting at home. Sources aware of his condition had on Friday stated that Jaitley is unlikely to be part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Cabinet in the BJP government's second term due to his ill health, which may require him to travel to either the UK or the US for treatment. Jaitley, 66, has become "very weak", they had said. He was admitted to AIIMS last week to undergo tests and treatment for an undisclosed illness and was .
Modi to be sworn in as PM for 2nd term on May 30
Narendra Modi will be sworn in as country's Prime Minister for the second term on May 30, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said here on Sunday. A communqiue from the President's House said the oath taking ceremony will be held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday. "The President (Ram Nath Kovind) will administer the Oath of Office and Secrecy to the Prime Minister and other members of Union Council of Ministers on 30.05.2019 at 07.00 p.m. at Rashtrapati Bhavan," the communiuqe issued by President's press secretary Ashok Malik said. Modi was elected unanimously as the leader of the National Democratic Alliance on Saturday. Later, he called on the President in his capacity as leader of the BJP Parliamentary Party, which has majority support in the House of the People following the general election to the 17th Lok Sabha. The President, exercising powers under the Constitution, appointed Modi to the office of Prime Minister of India and sought his advise about the names of others to be appointed ..
AP govt to probe Amaravati, Polavaram projects, schemes launched by Naidu: Jagan Reddy
Promising a corruption-free government in Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister-designate Jagan Mohan Reddy on Sunday said he would initiate a probe into the alleged financial irregularities in the construction of new state capital Amaravati, the Polavaram project and other schemes launched by former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu. Reddy, who is set to take oath as the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh on May 30 in Vijayawada, said a white paper in this regard would be released after reviewing the works of each department in the state. The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president also said he would take oath alone and his cabinet would be in place in a week or 10 days. He further said his priority would be implementing his party's poll promise of "nine large-scale welfare programmes". "I have promised to my people and I have a big responsibility to fulfil those. So, I cannot take any chance. With the blessings of the god, I will work towards that direction. In 50 days after taking oath as ...
Gujarat: Modi, Shah to get low-key welcome due to Surat mishap
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party President Amit Shah will not receive a grand welcome on Sunday owing to the Surat fire tragedy which claimed the lives of 20 people."The Surat incident is very unfortunate. The government is taking all precautions so that no such incidents take place in future. Both Gujaratis (Modi, Shah) are coming to the state after a massive victory. But the BJP team in Gujarat has decided to welcome Prime Minister Modi and party president Amit Shah with simplicity keeping the Surat fire tragedy in mind," BJP's Gujarat unit president Jitu Vaghani told ANI.Modi, who will be sworn in for the second term as Prime Minister on May 30, is scheduled to visit the state today to seek the blessings of his mother Heeraben Modi.A blaze ripped through the coaching centre located in Takshashila Arcade in Surat's Sarthana area on Friday, killing as many as 20 people, mostly students, and injuring many others.Several students were seen jumping off the building to escape the ..
I will meet PM Modi even for 50 times for special status to Andhra Pradesh: Jaganmohan
YSRCP president and Chief Minister-designate YS Jaganmohan Reddy on Sunday said that he would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi even for "50 times" in the next five years to get special status to Andhra Pradesh.Talking to media persons after meeting Modi here, Reddy said: "Today was my first meeting with Prime Minister Modi. God willing I will probably meet him, maybe, 30, 40 or even 50 times over these five years. I told him how important the special status is for us."In reply to a question, Reddy said: "Will not just let go off the special status. I will keep on reminding Prime Minister Modi and hope things change."He added: "The situation would have been different had the BJP won just 250 seats in the Lok Sabha elections...We would have then supported the BJP only after they signed the Special Category Status document."Reddy also said that he met BJP president Amit Shah and discussed with him the issue of special category status.Talking about Pollavaram project, Reddy said: "This ..
Surveys showed anti-incumbency against some Maha MPs: BJP
The BJP-Shiv Sena combine, which had set a target of winning 45 out of 48 Maharashtra Lok Sabha seats in the just concluded general polls, was looking at severe anti-incumbency against at least 7-8 MPs of the former and a few from the Sena, a senior BJP functionary said Sunday. The combine won 41 seats, comprising 23 to the BJP and 18 to the Sena, but saw some major setbacks, including the defeat of Union minister of state for home and senior BJP leader Hansraj Ahir in Chandrapur. The Shiv Sena's Anant Geete, a minister of state in the Narendra Modi government, too lost the polls from Raigad. "Ahir (from Chandrapur) and Ashok Nete from Gadchiroli-Chimur were two MPs from Vidarbha against whom internal surveys found strong anti-incumbency," he said. "But a Union minister opposed the change and their names were finalised for the Lok Sabha polls," the functionary went on to claim. "It is evident that despite division of votes (with the VBA cornering a large number of votes),
Khan phones, Modi says terror has to end for peace
Prime Minister Narendra Modi told his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan on Sunday that creating trust and an environment free of terrorism were a must to foster peace and prosperity in the region.
BJP, Cong hope to consolidate position in T'gana; TRS "ready" for challenge
The impressive gains made by the BJP and the Congress in the Lok Sabha polls in Telangana have reinvigorated the parties after their dismal showing in last year's state assembly polls. The ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) party swept the December 2018 assembly polls by winning 88 of 119 seats. Many exit polls had predicted that it would also do well in the Lok Sabha polls and could win 13-16 seats. However, the party led by Chief Minister Chandrasekhar Rao, which had set a target of winning 16 of the 17 Lok Sabha seats in the state, only managed to bag nine. The BJP won four seats and the Congress bagged three. The BJP, which had managed to bag only one seat in the 2014 general elections in Telangana, now plans to consolidate its position and emerge as a viable alternative to the TRS. "This is the beginning of the BJP era in Telangana. Now, the downfall of the TRS has begun. The BJP alone can take on the TRS, that is the public mandate in Telangana," state BJP president K Laxman