Page 466 - Politics
Former NCP Minister likely to join Shiv Sena
Senior Nationalist Congress Party leader and former Minister Jaydatta Kshirsagar, MLA from Beed, is likely to join Shiv Sena here on Wednesday, party sources said.
Taiwan navy holds drill amid China tensions
Taiwan's navy has held a major live-firing exercise off the island's east coast in an area increasingly threatened by Chinese ships and planes. Wednesday's drills are part of the annual Han Kuang exercises that simulate an attack by China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory to be annexed by force if necessary. In addition to firing of cannons and missiles by navy craft and the release of depth charges, fighter jets launched missiles and anti-submarine warfare aircraft released buoys. Along with its vast array of ballistic missiles, submarines are considered among China's most potent weapons against Taiwan, which split from the mainland amid civil war in 1949. China has upped its military threat against Taiwan, with President Xi Jinping this year saying Beijing would not rule out using force.
Opposition alliance will bite dust in polls: UP Dy CM Dinesh Sharma
Ahead of counting of votes for Lok Sabha polls, UP Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma Wednesday claimed that May 23 will witness the "political funeral" of the anti-BJP alliance of opposition parties. The month of May, he said, will prove to be a "sad month" for SP, BSP and Congress, which are fighting for their political survival. "May 23 will witness the political funeral (rajnitik antim sanskar) of the anti-BJP 'gathbandhan' of SP, BSP, RLD and Congress. These parties will level allegations and counter-allegations against each other, Sharma told PTI here. The deputy chief minister also claimed that in the 'gathbandhan', the SP is contesting elections to decimate the BSP and vice versa. Taking a jibe at the 'gathbandhan', he said, "With mercury rising everyday, the temperature of the 'gathbandhan' is also rising as they can easily see defeat approaching. It is for this very reason that they are making preposterous remarks. He said, "Transfer of votes among gathbandhan partners ...
BJP will keep open mind: Jay Panda on BJD's possibility of joining NDA
BJP will keep an open mind if other parties want to join their coalition seeing the national mood, which the exit polls show is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's favour, said party vice president Baijayant Jay Panda who recently left BJD to join BJP."My Party president Amit Shah has said that we are confident of getting more than 300 seats. We will form the government with NDA allies. If other parties seeing the national mood want to also join in, I think, BJP will keep an open mind," BJP's Baijayant Jay Panda told ANI on being asked if BJD will support NDA."All exit polls are showing that BJP has dramatically grown in Odisha. BJP will form the government in Odisha and get a majority in Lok Sabha. In Odisha, people have seen the Modi government has been taking strong political decisions, which were not easy, whether on the economic or security front. Naveen Patnaik has been chief minister for 19 years, but last five years witnessed a dramatic departure of his party's image and reputation
Swaraj discusses ways to boost ties with Kyrgyz President
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday called on Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov ahead of the SCO Foreign Minister's Meeting here and discussed ways to enhance bilateral ties by exploring the untapped potential. Swaraj arrived here in the Kyrgyz capital on Tuesday to attend a two-day meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers. "An important partner in Central Asia. EAM @SushmaSwaraj called on Kyrgyz President Jeenbekov ahead of #SCO Foreign Minister's Meeting in #Bishkek. Visible enthusiasm to expand bilateral relations across all sectors, as both countries commit to explore the untapped potential," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said. In her first engagement in Bishkek, Swaraj on Tuesday theld a "productive discussion" with her Kyrgyz counterpart Chingiz Aidarbekov. India became a full member of the China-dominated grouping in 2017 and New Delhi's entry has increased the bloc's heft in regional ...
Duterte tightens grip on power in Philippine polls
Allies of President Rodrigo Duterte stormed to a landslide victory in midterm polls, final results showed Wednesday, dissolving a last check on his controversial rule. Loyalists won both houses of the legislature, shutting out all opposition candidates in the Senate, which had served as a buffer against Duterte's most contentious plans. The results open a path for Duterte -- who has remarkably high approval ratings -- to make good on his call to bring back the death penalty and advance his project to re-write the constitution. "It's a clear signal that the people will be behind him as he pushes bills and processes that went nowhere previously," political analyst Ramon Casiple told AFP. With nine Duterte backers and three nominally unaligned politicians taking the 12 seats at stake in the 24-member Senate, only four oppositions members will remain, results from the elections authority showed. Duterte allies kept control of the lower House of Representatives, which has approved ...
Tight security arrangements for counting of votes in Nagaland
Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the counting of votes for the lone Lok Sabha seat in Nagaland and by-election to Aonglenden Assembly constituency on Thursday, a top election official has said. Polling for the Lok Sabha seat and Aonglenden bye-poll was held simultaneously on April 11. Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Abhijit Sinha said on Tuesday that there would be three-tier security cordon on the day of counting. The first and second tier security cordon would be manned by the district executive force, state police and Indian Reserve Battalion personnel and the third and last tier close to the counting hall would be manned by Central Armed Police Force personnel, he said. The path that would be taken for transportation of EVMs from the strong rooms to the counting halls have been delineated and barricaded and it would be under CCTV coverage, the CEO said. The counting will commence at 8 am on Thursday in 19 halls in 12 centres for the Lok Sabha polls ...
Smriti Irani attacks Opposition for supporting anti-nationals
A day ahead of the Lok Sabha election results, Union Minister Smriti Irani on Wednesday launched a veiled attack at the Opposition for supporting alleged anti-nationals who demanded the division of the country."This election was about the people versus the opposition. The people stood firm against the anarchists who screamed Bharat ke tukde honge. It is to those citizens that I give my grateful thanks for they resolutely and unabashedly believed in Bharat and her future," she tweeted.This statement from Irani comes ahead of counting of votes tomorrow. Irani has contested against Rahul Gandhi in the Amethi Lok Sabha seat, which went to the polls on May 6.Meanwhile, the Union Minister also took to Twitter to post her appreciation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the manner in which he faced "humiliation" and "hateful barbs" hurled at him by the Opposition, ever since he assumed office in 2014."In the last 5 years not a day went by when Narendra Modi was not subjected to humiliation ..
NCP leader Jaydutt Kshirsagar to join Shiv Sena today
With most exit polls predicting a landslide victory for the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance in Maharashtra in the Lok Sabha elections, NCP leader and former cabinet minister Jaydutt Kshirsagar will join Uddhav Thackeray's party on Wednesday.There were whispers in political circles that Kshirsagar may soon join Shiv Sena after he expressed discontent with the NCP leadership for ignoring him and giving importance to his local rival Dhananjay Munday in Beed. Later, he decided to extend his support to BJP-Shiv Sena's Beed candidate Dr Pritam Munde and urged people to cast vote in his favour.In April, a miffed Kshirgar held a secret meeting with Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray at his residence Matoshree. However, he denied any talks regarding him joining the party and claimed that it was a "courtesy visit" to wish Thackeray a happy new year.Yuva Sena chief Aditya Thackeray, President of Beed Zila Parishad Bharatbhushan Kshirsagar, party secretary Milind Narvekar were also present in the meeting.Earlier
You seem unaware of our welfare schemes: Kamal Nath's swipe at BJP's Gopal Bhargav
After accusing BJP of trying to buy 10 Congress legislators to topple his government, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Tuesday took a swipe at Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, Gopal Bhargav, stating that he was not aware of welfare scheme implemented in the state."After coming to power on December 17, 2018, our government started working for the public and several decisions were taken in their interest. Within 73 days, we have completed 85 promises. The most important decision was to waive off farmers' loan. We waived off loans of 21 lakh farmers, despite the fact that your government left empty coffers for us. However, you seem unaware of all this," Kamal Nath said in a letter to Bhargav.This comes after Bhargav's appeal to Governor Anandiben Patel seeking to convene a special assembly session to discuss urgent issues of welfare schemes claiming they had stopped under Congress government.The BJP has also demanded a floor test in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly ...
First anniversary of anti-Sterlite protests observed in Tuticorin
The first anniversary of the police firing during the anti-Sterlite protests, which left 13 people dead last year, was observed here on Wednesday with scores of locals turning up to remember the victims. Security was beefed up in the district though there were no reports of any untoward incidents so far. The victims were remembered by their near and dear ones and others who lit up candles before their portraits at events held in different parts of the district. On May 22, 2018, an anti-Sterlite protest turned violent with the agitators fighting pitched battles with the police, prompting the latter to open fire. Thirteen people were killed in the firing on May 22-23 last year. The protesters were demanding the closure of Vedanta's Sterlite Copper unit in Tuticorin over pollution concerns. The incident had triggered widespread outrage and criticism against the Tamil Nadu government even as the ruling AIADMK later announced a "permanent" closure of the copper smelter plant here. Leaders .
Counting of votes for Lok Sabha polls Thursday, matching VVPAT slips likely to delay results
Counting of votes for the Lok Sabha elections, in which over 8,000 candidates were in the fray for 542 seats, will begin at 8.00 am Thursday and results are expected only by late evening due to tallying of voter verified paper audit trail slips with EVM count for the first time. 67.11 per cent of the 90.99 crore electors had cast their vote in the seven phase elections.This is the highest ever-voter turnout in Indian parliamentarian elections. This is for the first time in a Lok Sabha election that results of voting machines will be matched with slips generated by paper trail machines. The exercise will take place in five polling stations per assembly segment which effectively means that out of nearly 10.3 lakh polling stations, the EVM-VVPAT matching will take place in 20600 such stations. The Election Commission is yet to provide the number of counting centres being set up for Thursday, saying the data is not centrally available. As per procedure, postal ballots would be the first ..
Three MLAs from Rajbhar's party may join BJP
Troubles for dismissed Uttar Pradesh Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar are far from over. According to sources, three of the four legislators of the Rajbhars Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) are reportedly in talks with the BJP and could join the saffron party shortly.
PM Modi, President Xi share good chemistry, says outgoing Chinese envoy
New Delhi [India], May 22 (ANI): Chinese Ambassador to India, Luo Zhaohui, who will soon return to Beijing, said that his president Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi share good chemistry and that he was very touched by their informal meeting in Wuhan last year."Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President met seventeen times in the last five years. PM Modi paid official trips to China and the Chinese President paid visits to India. Prime Minister Modi went to Chinese President's home town Xian and in Wuhan last April. Despite their busy schedules, the two leaders spent their time together and it really touched me," Luo told ANI in an exclusive interview on Tuesday.Luo Zhaohui, who is said to have played a signficant role in dousing of tensions during the Doklam standoff and subsequently, will be returning to Beijing after he was promoted to the level of a vice-minister."Leaders take their time from busy schedule to pay attention to this important bilateral relationship. As a ...
Indian-American judge orders Trump accounting firm to hand over records to Congress
An Indian-American judge has rejected President Donald Trump's attempt to block House Democrats from getting his financial records, dealing an early setback to his administration in its legal battle with Congress. Judge Amit Mehta of the DC District Court on Monday decisively ruled in favour of the House Oversight Committee, whose chair, Elijah Cummings had subpoenaed 10 years' worth of Trump's financial records from accounting firm Mazars USA back in April. He told the accounting firm that it will need to turn over Trump's accounting records from before he was president to the Democratic-controlled House Oversight Committee, CNN reported. In a 41-page opinion, Mehta of the DC District Court dealt a significant blow to the White House as he rejected Trump's attempt to block the committee's subpoena, asserting that Congress is well within its authority to investigate the president. Mehta's ruling is narrow in that it only deals with the House Oversight Committee's Mazars subpoena. But .
Why blame EVMs, asks BJP candidate Puri
Union Minister and BJP candidate from Amritsar Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday expressed concerns over the Opposition questioning the credibility of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM), saying this was for the first time that a government has gone to the people on a positive agenda.
Four booked for cheating govt official in Maharashtra
Four people were booked for allegedly cheating a Maharashtra government official on the pretext of getting him transferred and facilitating clearance of a land, police said on Wednesday. Vidhyasagar Chavan, who worked in the state town planning department, said when he met the main accused in November 2017, the latter claimed to have good contacts in the Prime Minister's Office and bureaucrats in Delhi, a police spokesperson said quoting the complaint. Chavan then asked the accused to get him transferred from the state secretariat in Mumbai to Ambernath in Thane, she said. The accused allegedly sought Rs 28 lakh for it, but later the deal was settled at Rs 18 lakh. Chavan claimed that despite paying the money, he was not transferred, she said. Last year, Chavan approached the accused for securing an NOC of a land near the airport in neighbouring Mumbai for which he allegedly demanded Rs 1 crore, she said. He claimed the accused and his associates took him to a minister's
Punjab: Polling underway at 1 booth in Amritsar
Re-polling for Lok Sabha elections is currently underway at booth number 123 in Amritsar.The voters are being given 'certificate of appreciation' by the Election Commission (EC).The electoral body had earlier ordered re-polling at the polling booth of Amritsar Parliamentary constituency due to negligence during the polling process."Polling booth number 123 in Amritsar Parliamentary constituency would undergo re-polling. The concerned Returning Officer and Observer have been instructed to act accordingly. The political parties and the contesting candidates have also been intimated about the re-polling as per the directions of Election Commission of India" said Dr S Karuna Raju, Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab.Punjab went for polls in the seventh and the last phase of the Lok Sabha elections on May 19. The result will be announced on Thursday.
We've reached consensus with India breaking circle of ups and down in ties: Chinese Envoy
New Delhi [India], May 22 (ANI): Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui has said that disputes between the two neighbouring countries are as natural as issues between two brothers of a family staying under one roof.He said that India and China have reached a consensus to make bilateral ties stable and break the cycle of highs and lows in the relations between the two countries.Speaking to ANI on the sidelines of a seminar hosted by Chinese Embassy, Luo said: "India-China ties are important for both the countries. We already reached a consensus under the leadership of both sides. We now maintain that China-India relationship will continue to move in a healthy and stable direction.""Next year will mark the 70th anniversary of bilateral relations. One major feature is that such types of important bilateral relations always see ups and downs. So we have a consensus reached with the Indian government on how to make this relation stable and break the up and down circle," he added.The ...
Iran refuses talks with Trump unless US shows 'respect'
Iranian Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, has said that his country won't negotiate with US President Donald Trump unless Washington shows Tehran "respect" by honouring its commitments under the disputed nuclear deal.