Page 438 - Politics
LS results: Scores of celebrities wish PM Modi and BJP party
As the counting trends show BJP securing a comfortable majority, several B-town celebrities extended their wishes to the BJP party and the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.South Indian Superstar Rajinikanth took to his Twitter account to wish the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and blessed him as well. "Respected dear Narendra M0odi ji hearty congratulations. You made it !!! God bless," he tweeted.Wishing Modi, Amit Shah and all the BJP workers, filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar posted a picture of himself with the PM Modi and wrote, "Heartiest Congratulations to PM Narendra Modi ji, AmitShah ji and all the BJP4India Karyakartas for the monumental and historic mandate. Keep continuing ur commitment for development, welfare and territorial integrity of India. #JaiHind #VandeMataram."Praising the PM, Rangoli Chandel, sister of Kangana Ranaut, posted a congratulatory message and wrote, "Today no party, no individual won, today is that historic day when India won. We are very fortunate to have a ...
An advice and a whitewash in Vivek Oberoi's jibe at opposition
With the BJP and its allies looking at a historic mandate in the Lok Sabha polls, actor Vivek Oberoi took a swipe at the opposition leaders.The actor tweeted a meme in which "Modi" brand detergent literally whitewashes leaders of the opposition who joined hands to oust Prime Minister Narendra Modi out of power but failed to do so.He also advised the politicians, writing, "A humble request to you all - please spend less time hating #Modi and more time loving #Bharat."The 'Prince' actor told leaders that "India needs a sensible opposition for a healthy democracy".In the photo, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, his mother Sonia Gandhi, JD(S)'s HD Kumaraswamy, BSP's Mayawati, NCP's Sharad Pawar, and other leaders are seen hand-in-hand. Modi brand detergent swipes by leaving a white-washed patch- a parallel to the mammoth victory of the BJP."To all the politicians who were united by their hate against @narendramodi. A humble request to you all - please spend less time hating #Modi and more .
Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulates Modi
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) appeared headed to retain power for the second term, saying he looked forward to working with the Indian leader again.
We accept public mandate with utmost humility: Gehlot
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday said that he accepts the public mandate with humility and thanked the people for maintaining peace in the state during the Lok Sabha elections as well as counting.
SDF ahead in 4, SKM in 3 Sikkim Assembly seats (2nd Lead)
Putting up a spectacular performance, the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) has taken a substantial lead over the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) in three of the 32 Assembly seats, as per the latest vote count on Thursday.
Modi has won, Congress has lost: Virbhadra Singh
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has won the parliamentary elections while the Congress has lost, six-time Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and Congress leader Virbhadra Singh said on Thursday.
Rahul Gandhi's lead crosses 3.63 lakh mark, Cong-UDF maintains
The Opposition Congress led-UDF in Kerala appears to be heading for a landslide in the state by continuing its lead in 19 of the total 20 Lok Sabha seats, with AICC President Rahul Gandhi so far garnering over 3.63 lakh lakh votes from Wayanad. Gandhi, who contested from the hilly constituency, besides his traditional stronghold of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, got 3,63,202 votes till 3.40 PM, as per the Election Commission website. Besides Gandhi, eight UDF candidtates-Ramya Haridas (Alathur), Hibi Eden (Ernakulam), Dean Kuriyakose (Idukki), Benny Behnan (Chalakkudy)(all Congress), IUML leaders E T Mohammed Basheer (Ponnani) and P K Kunhalikutty (Malappuram), Thomas Chazhikadan of KC(M)(Kottayam) and N K Premachandran of RSP (Kollam) have crossed the one lakh mark. For the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF, which appears to have suffered a massive loss, the only consolation was its performance in Alappuzha constituency, where MLA A M Ariff is ahead of his Congress rival Shanimol Osman .
Libya committing suicide, squandering oil riches: UN envoy
UN envoy Ghassan Salame has bitterly denounced the conflict in Libya saying it is "committing suicide" and plundering its oil wealth to pay for the war. The north African country was "a textbook example of foreign interference today in local conflicts," Salame told a New York-based think tank late Wednesday. Between "six and 10 countries (are) permanently interfering in Libya's problem" funnelling arms, cash and military advice to the country, he warned. But the Libyans do not need outside help to fuel the conflict, which has ravaged the country since dictator Moamer Kadhafi was ousted in 2011, he said. "The truth is that Libya can pay for its own suicide," Salame lamented. "I always considered my compatriots in Lebanon as stupid enough to commit suicide with somebody else's money. The Libyans are even worse. They are committing suicide with their own money," he told the International Peace Institute (IPI). Lebanon was devastated by a civil war between 1975 and 1990, fuelled by ...
Modi congratulates Naveen Patnaik for retaining Odisha
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday congratulated Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for his Biju Janata Dal's performance in the state Assembly elections. The BJD Thursday looked set to form its government for a fifth straight term negating a Modi wave that is sweeping the country, with its candidates leading in 112 of the state's 146 seats. Patnaik, who is contesting the Assembly polls from Bijepur and his home turf Hinjili, is leading on both the seats. "Congratulations to Naveen Babu for yet another victory in Odisha. Wishing him the very best for the next term," Modi tweeted.
Nobody can counter Modi for next 25 years: Sena
The Shiv Sena Thursday lavished praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the BJP-led NDA appeared to be retaining power comfortably, saying nobody would be able to pose a challenge before him for the next 25 years. The Uddhav Thackeray-led party had often criticized the BJP in the last five years but eventually sealed a fresh alliance with it ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. Sena MP Sanjay Raut said that people had given a befitting reply to opposition parties who created "an atmosphere of illusion" against Modi over issues such as the Rafale fighter jet deal. "The entire country is 'Modi-may' (in thrall of Modi)," Raut, who edits the Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana', told reporters here. "The truth has to be accepted that no one could counter Modi. Today's mandate is such that no one can counter (Modi) for the next 25 years," Raut added. The Rajya Sabha member observed that the BJP-led NDA is doing well also in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, where the Congress had .
BJP wins Daman and Diu Lok Sabha seat
The BJP Thursday won the Daman and Diu Lok Sabha seat, poll officials said. BJP candidate from the Union Territory, Lalubhai Patel, won the seat by defeating his nearest Congress rival Ketan Patel by a margin of 9,942 votes on Thursday, an official said. The BJP nominee polled 37,586 votes and the Congress candidate got 27,643 votes, he said. Independent candidate Babubhai Patel secured 19,938 votes, he added.
BJP's Gopal Jee Thakur trounces RJD's Siddiqui in Darbhanga
BJP candidate Gopal Jee Thakur has defeated RJD nominee Abdul Bari Siddiqui from Darbhanga seat by a margin of over 2.67 lakh votes, in the first Lok Sabha election result declared in the state. Siddiqui is a former president of the state RJD. He was also a minister in the RJD governments headed by Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi. BJP's Kirti Azad had won the seat in the 2014 LS polls. He later joined the Congress and is contesting from Dhanbad in neighbouring Jharkhand.
British government postpones Brexit vote
The British government on Thursday postponed a crucial Brexit vote scheduled for the first week of June, following an outcry from hardline Brexiteers over concessions made by Prime Minister Theresa May. The beleaguered premier is in the last throes of a tumultuous period in power focused all-but exclusively on guiding her fractured country out of the European Union. "We will update the house on the publication and introduction of the Withdrawal Agreement Bill on our return from the Whitsun recess" on June 4, government official Mark Spencer told MPs. Spencer said the government had planned to hold the vote on a landmark piece of legislation to implement Brexit on June 7 but had not been able to fix this date. May is under intense pressure to resign after holding out the prospect of a parliamentary vote on a second referendum to try and persuade MPs to support the divorce deal she has struck with EU leaders. The deal has already been rejected three times in parliament, forcing a delay .
Salute to PM for poll results: Ravi Shankar Prasad
As the counting trends showed BJP securing a comfortable majority, Union Minister and Patna Sahib candidate Ravi Shankar Prasad on Thursday gave full credit and sent salutations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi."I send salutations to our leader PM Narendra Modi and greet him. After 21 years, the NDA is getting a majority. Moreover, BJP is getting a majority on its own and as per the trends it is more than what we got in 2014," Prasad said here.On trends showing him leading over sitting MP and actor Shatrughan Sinha, he said, "I have always said that the people of Patna Sahib want to make Narendra Modi ji Prime Minister."Terming the opposition alliance as "opportunist", he said that it is the people belief in BJP's development policies that helped BJP put up a spectacular show.He said, "I had put my agenda -- hope vs opportunism. One one side there was an opportunist alliance, on the other hand, there was a desire to develop the country in Narendra Modi's leadership."The BJP leader said
BJP office soaked in saffron hue amid chants of 'Har Har Modi'
Saffron hue dominated the state BJP headquarters here with jubilant party workers wearing saffron stoles, adorning 'genda' flowers around their necks and holding lotus cut outs celebrated the trends indicating a thumping victory for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The BJP workers also burst crackers and danced to drum beats as women supporters wore saffron attire and painted their nails in the same hue. In a stark contrast, Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Samajwadi Party (SP) offices wore a forlorn look with no party workers or supporters in sight. Inside the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office, women workers led the celebration by shouting slogans and distributing sweets. They held cut outs of Modi and banners reading 'Har Har Modi' and 'Bachcha surakshit Godi mein, Desh surakshit Modi mein'. On the other hand, road before the BSP office wore a deserted look. A couple of OB vans deployed by the media were the only vehicles seen outside the party office. A stone's throw away is .
Owaisi, 2 TRS nominees head towards victory line in Telangana
: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi was leading by over two lakh votes and two TRS candidates by over three lakh votes in their respective constituencies as the Telangana Rashtra Samithi headed towards victory in Telangana Lok Sabha polls. Owaisi, seeking re-election from Hyderabad segment, is leading by 2.53 lakh votes, establishing a clear edge over his BJP rival Bhagavanth Rao. AIMIM had an electoral understanding with the TRS in the April 11 election. Kotha Prabhakar Reddy (Medak) and Dayakar Pusunoori (Warangal) of TRS are leading in their respective constituencies by 3.11 lakh and 3.45 lakh votes, respectively, as per the latest trends. The Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao-led party is ahead in eight constituencies, BJP in four and Congress in four. The Chief Minister's daughter K Kavitha was trailing in Nizamabad by over 40,000 votes to BJP's D Arvind. Nizamabad had hit the headlines after 185 candidates, including 178 farmers, demanding remunerative price for ...
Syria officials: Power station bombed by insurgents repaired
Syrian government officials say a power station close to the rebels' last stronghold in the country's northwest has been repaired after insurgents bombed the facility the night before, kicking it off line. Electricity Minister Mohammad Zuhair Kharboutly said on Thursday that al-Zara power station was back on and linked up to the national grid. Station manager Mostafa Shantout says a drone operated by insurgents dropped a number of bombs late on Wednesday on the station, causing huge damage. He didn't elaborate. The comments by both officials were carried by the official state news agency SANA. Fighting has raged in the last 48 hours in northwestern Syria where insurgents launched a counteroffensive, trying to regain areas they lost to government forces in earlier this month.
BJP set for clean sweep in Himachal Pradesh again
The ruling BJP is set to make a clean sweep in Himachal Pradesh, as its candidates are leading with over 3.23 lakh votes on each of the four Lok Sabha seats - Mandi, Kangra, Hamirpur and Shimla, a state election officer said. In Kangra, BJP candidate Kishan Kapoor is leading by 4.66 lakh votes over Congress' Pawan Kajal. In 2014, former chief minister Shanta Kumar had won the seat. But this time BJP dropped the veteran leader and gave ticket to its state Cabinet minister Kishan Kapoor. Sitting BJP MP Anurag Thakur is leading by 3.84 lakh votes in Hamirpur over his nearest rival Ram Lal Thakur of the Congress. In Shimla, BJP's Suresh Kashyap is leading by 3.23 lakh votes over Col Dr Dhani Ram Shandil of the Congress. In 2014, Virender Kashyap of the BJP had won the seat, but this time the party fielded Pachhad MLA Suresh Kashyap in his place. In Mandi, sitting BJP MP Ram Swaroop Sharma is leading by over 3.96 lakh votes over his nearest rival Aashray Sharma of the Congress. In 2014 too
Theresa May hunkers down as premiership enters its end stage
British Prime Minister Theresa May was hunkered down with close allies on Thursday as she considered whether to give in to relentless pressure to resign, or fight on to save her Brexit plan and her premiership. May's fate looked sealed after the resignation late Wednesday of Cabinet minister Andrea Leadsom, who quit saying she could not support the EU withdrawal bill that May plans to introduce to Parliament. Leadsom, as leader of the House of Commons, had been due to announce Thursday when a vote on the bill would be held. But Leadsom said she could not support May's Brexit plan because it did not "deliver on the referendum result" that saw voters in 2016 opt to leave the EU. "No one has wanted you to succeed more than I have, but I do now urge you to make the right decisions in the interests of the country, this government and our party," Leadsom wrote in a resignation letter to May. A growing number of Conservative lawmakers is calling on May to resign. The party's legislators want
BJP leads on 300 LS seats, looks set to retain power
As BJP led in 300 Lok Sabha seats and was set to form the government at the Centre for the second time along with its NDA allies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday termed it as a win for India."Sabka Saath + Sabka Vikas + Sabka Vishwas = Vijayi Bharat. Together we grow. Together we prosper. Together we will build a strong and inclusive India. India wins yet again! #Vijayi Bharat," he tweeted as counting of votes brought good tidings for the ruling party.The BJP and NDA campaign was spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on muscular nationalism and a strident anti-Congress plank.On the other side, the main challenger Congress was way behind BJP, leading in only 51 seats.Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Board of BJP will meet today in the evening while Modi is likely to address the party workers here at 5.30 pm.Modi is leading comfortably in Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency where he is seeking a second term.The counting of votes in 542 Lok Sabha constituencies began at 8 am ...