Page 474 - Politics
BJP will go to any extent to win LS polls, says former Union Minister Kushwaha
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will go to any extent to win the Lok Sabha polls, said former Union Minister and RLSP president here on Tuesday and accused the ruling party of indulging in "result-capturing" through allegedly fixed exit polls."BJP is willing to go to any extent to win this election and take any kind of step - moral or immoral, legal or illegal -- to achieve this goal. This is a big conspiracy. The exit polls are part of this conspiracy. Through this, they want to demoralise the 'mahagathbandhan' workers," he told reporters here.Talking about exit polls, he said: "These exit polls have got nothing to do with the ground realities. We haven't met a single person who has said that he has been surveyed for the exit polls. The BJP is using this to start a psychological tool. Earlier there was booth-capturing. Now there is result-capturing through the exit polls."Kushwaha, who was a Minister of State for Human Resource Development in Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA ...
Anticipating BJP win, workers at Mumbai sweet house prepare 'laddoos', donning Modi masks
With a majority of exit polls predicting a huge victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Lok Sabha polls, the party has now begun preparations in grand style, for May 23 when the results will be announced.A sweet shop in Mumbai is gearing up for celebrations by making laddoos. What is more, all the workers involved in rolling out the sweets are doing so wearing paper masks of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.The BJP candidate from Mumbai North Gopal Shetty has given an order of 3000 kilograms of laddus for celebrating the party's victory on the result day.Ambika foods products located in Borivali, Mumbai has got the order for preparing 1500-3000 kgs of laddus for May 23.The workers of the company too are enthusiastic about the prospect of PM Narendra Modi coming back to power again and have themselves donned Modi masks while preparing the laddus according to Bharat, the manager of the establishment."We had received an order for 2000 kilograms from Gopal Shetty the BJP MP ...
China concerned over rising US-Iran tensions
China on Tuesday said it was concerned over rising tensions between the US and Iran and asked them to exercise restraint.
2019 LS polls saw dip in number of candidates
The just-held Lok Sabha elections saw a dip in the number of contestants as 8,040 people entered the poll fray, 211 less compared to 2014.
Oppn leaders meet EC officials, demand verification of VVPAT slips before counting of votes
Leaders of as many as 22 opposition parties met the Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday and demanded verification of VVPAT slips of randomly-selected polling stations before the counting of the votes polled in the just-concluded Lok Sabha election begins on May 23. They also demanded that if any discrepancy is found during VVPAT verification, 100 per cent counting of the paper slips of VVPATs of all polling stations of that particular Assembly segment should be done and compared with the electronic voting machine (EVM) results. "We told the EC that the VVPAT machines should be counted first and if there is any discrepancy, then all of them in that segment should be counted," Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad told reporters here after meeting EC officials. Azad's party colleague Abhishek Singhvi said despite requests to the EC since months, the poll body has now said it will meet on Wednesday to discuss the issue. "We are asking the EC to respect the mandate of people. It cannot be ...
UK's May tweaks Brexit deal in last-ditch bid to win support
The British government is discussing how to tweak its proposed European Union divorce terms in a last-ditch attempt to get Parliament's backing for Prime Minister Theresa May's deal with the bloc. The Cabinet is meeting Tuesday to work out details of what May has called a "bold offer" to win support for her Brexit agreement. But ministers are divided and look unlikely to support the kind of sweeping changes that could change lawmakers' minds. The divorce deal has been rejected three times by Parliament. May says she will try again in early June by asking lawmakers to vote on a withdrawal agreement bill implementing the departure terms. Labour foreign affairs spokeswoman, Emily Thornberry, said the attempt was doomed and was May's "own political version of the last rites.
Scope for improvement in Indo-China trade ties: Chinese envoy
China and India have made a lot of progress in building trade ties in the last 14 years but there is still scope for improvement, Chinese envoy Luo Zhaohui said on Tuesday. Speaking at a seminar on 'Civilisation Perspective: China-India Relations', the outgoing envoy said Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have established high-level people-to-people exchange mechanism between the two countries. Luo noted that China and India have made a lot of progress in building trade ties in the last 14 years but there is still scope for improvement. "Even though the boundary between the two countries has not been demarcated, there are several border trade points between the two countries," he said. Both the nations have achieved comprehensive connectivity and it can be seen through the Mansarovar yatra, wherein Indians can undertake pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet in China through Nathula Pass and Qiang La (Lipulekh) Pass, he said. Luo will be returning to ...
9 relatives slain in Nepal mountain village, girl injured
Nine people in two families were slain by masked assailants in their homes at night in a remote mountain village in Nepal, government official said Tuesday. Government administrator Murari Wasti said the bodies were found Tuesday morning by neighbours. A 12-year-old girl survived with injuries. The two families were related but lived in separate houses that were near each other. Wasti said police had reached the scene and were investigating while government officials were also trying to reach the area. Miklajung village is 400 kilometers (250 miles) east of the capital, Kathmandu. Only a dirt trail connects the village with other towns. It takes at least five hours on the mountainous dirt trail to reach the village from the district headquarters, he said.
India must have permanent seat in UN Security Council: German envoy
India must have a permanent seat in the UN Security Council as its absence hurts the credibility of the UN system, Germany's new Ambassador to India Walter J Lindner said Tuesday. Lindner presented his credentials to President Ram Nath Kovind in Hindi on Tuesday. Speaking to reporters after presenting his credentials, Lindner said the G4 grouping -- India, Germany, Japan and Brazil -- is fighting for the enlargement of the Security Council permanent membership. "India must have a permanent seat in the UN Security Council...India with 1.4 billion people is not yet a permanent member, this is unheard of. This can't go on like this because it hurts the credibility of the United Nations system," he said. At present, there are five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council -- China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the US. The German envoy also said that his country was supportive of the listing of JeM chief Masood Azhar at the UN as a global terrorist. "We were in ...
Hindi heartland states hold key to BJP's tally
With exit polls varying wildly in their projection of seats for the BJP, much will depend on the party's show in Hindi heartland states, especially Uttar Pradesh, to determine if its final tally comes near its current numbers or falls much short. Riding on its superlative win in five key Hindi-speaking states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, the BJP had notched up its maiden majority in the Lok Sabha in the 2014 polls by bagging 165 of the 185 seats at stake there, a strike rate of nearly 90 per cent. Most of the exit polls have forecast the BJP to be much ahead of the opposition in states like Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, while the Congress is seen to be running it close in Chhattisgarh. However, they have projected diametrically opposite numbers for the BJP and its rival SP-BSP alliance in Uttar Pradesh, with the saffron party being given anywhere between 33 to 65 seats of the state's 80 seats. Different exit polls suggest that the BJP ...
Onus on ensuring institutional integrity lies with ECI: Pranab Mukherjee
A day after praising the Election Commission for conducting "perfect" polls, former President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday expressed concern over reports of alleged tampering of EVMs and asked the poll body to put all speculations to rest.Issuing a statement on Twitter, he said, "I am concerned at reports of alleged tampering of voters' verdict. The safety and security of EVMs which are in the custody of ECI is the responsibility of the Commission.""There can be no room for speculations that challenge the very basis of our democracy. People's mandate is sacrosanct and has to be above any iota of reasonable doubt," Mukherjee said.He said the onus on ensuring institutional integrity in this case (security of EVMs) lay with the Election Commission of India (ECI). "They must do so and put all speculations to rest."The former President said as a firm believer in the country's institutions, it was his considered opinion that it is the workmen who decide how the institutional tools ...
Thackeray to attend dinner meet of NDA leaders in Delhi
Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray will be attending the dinner to be hosted by BJP president Amit Shah in New Delhi on Tuesday evening, senior Sena leader Sanjay Raut said. With exit polls forecasting NDA's return to power, top leaders of the BJP-led alliance are slated to meet over dinner where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to be present. Raut told PTI that Shah extended the dinner invitation to Thackeray. The Sena chief will be accompanied by his son Aaditya Thackeray and party veteran Subhash Desai, he added. Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar and Lok Janshakti Party head Ram Vilas Paswan are also likely to attend the meeting. A meeting of key BJP leaders, including Union Ministers and Modi, is also scheduled to be held at the party headquarters before the dinner meeting with allies. Elections to 542 seats of 543-member Lok Sabha ended on Sunday and counting of votes is scheduled for Thursday. Most exit polls have forecast another term ..
Twitter records 5.6 lakh tweets on exit polls in 24 hours
As majority of exit polls predicted victory for the BJP-led NDA at the Centre, Twitter recorded nearly 5.6 lakh tweets related to exit polls in 24 hours, the company said on Tuesday.
10 Congress MLAs being lured by money, posts: Chief Minister Kamal Nath
Amid BJP's demand for a floor test, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Tuesday claimed that at least 10 Congress legislators were being lured by money and posts."At least 10 MLAs told me that they are getting phone calls and are being lured by money and posts," Chief Minister Kamal Nath said after meeting his party's Lok Sabha candidates here.The Chief Minister, however, maintained that his legislators will not desert the Congress. "I have full faith in my MLAs," he said.Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister said that he was ready for the floor test as demanded by the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party."We have had the floor test for four times. If the BJP wants it again, we have no problem," he said.Asked whether there could be horse-trading in the event of any floor test, he said: "I have full confidence in Congress MLAs and parties supporting us. BJP is doing it to boost the morale of its workers. I have no problem."Kamal Nath's allegation holds significance as it comes a .
Swaraj arrives in Kyrgyzstan to attend SCO foreign ministers meet
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj arrived here in the Kyrgyz capital on Tuesday to attend a two-day meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) during which several pressing issues including the threat of terrorism are expected to be discussed. Swaraj was given a traditional welcome on her arrival here. The External Affairs Ministry in New Delhi said Monday that the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) will exchange views on topical issues of international and regional importance, besides reviewing the preparation for the SCO Summit in Bishkek from June 13-14. "External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will be representing India in the meeting of Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation to be held in Bishkek on May 21-22," it said. India became a full member of the the China-dominated grouping in 2017 and New Delhi's entry has increased the bloc's heft in regional geo-politics, besides giving it a pan-Asian hue. India is also keen on ...
Thackeray to skip NDA dinner, Desai to represent Shiv Sena
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will skip the dinner meeting hosted by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah in Delhi on Tuesday evening, which will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Australia government says it won't break election tax pledge
Australia's newly reelected administration says its promise to slash income taxes might be delivered late but won't be broken as the government hopes to stimulate consumer spending and revive a flagging economy. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said Tuesday passing the legislation that would reduce the annual tax bill of 10 million Australians by 1,080 Australian dollars (USD 740) is the government's first priority when Parliament resumes once the vote counting from Saturday's election is finished. Prime Minister Scott Morrison chose the latest possible date to call an election that delivered his conservative coalition a surprise victory. But the timing means he probably won't be able to recall Parliament to pass the tax cuts before July 1 when Morrison promised during the election campaign that the lower tax rate would take effect.
Azhar's sanction showed good cooperation at global level: New German envoy
Listing of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist by the UN reflected a "good collaboration" among many international actors, said Germany's new Ambassador to India Walter J. Lindner, whose country played a major role in the effort.
Pak's federal narcotics minister dies
Pakistan's federal minister for narcotics control and former Sindh Chief Minister Sardar Ali Mohammad Mahar died Tuesday after suffering cardiac arrest, according to media reports. Mahar, 52, died at at his village Khangarh in Muzaffargarh district of the Punjab province, Radio Pakistan reported. Mahar, who served as the 25th Chief Minister of Sindh from 2002 to 2004, was injured in a suspected dacoity at his residence in Gizri neighbourhood in Karachi in April. President Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Imran Khan have expressed grief and deep sorrow over the demise of Mahar, the report said. In 2018 general election, Mahar was elected to the National Assembly as an independent candidate from Constituency NA-205 Ghotki. He announced to join Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf following his victory and became part of the Cabinet in September 2018.
Sitaram Yechury discusses agenda for Oppn party meet
The Election Commission should order recount of all the electronic voting machines (EVMs) in an assembly constituency if a discrepancy is found in the counting of even one of the five EVMs which will be checked with VVPAT, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury on Tuesday."The issue today (at the opposition meeting) is that the EC has ordered 5 EVMs will be checked by VVPAT. But what will they do if the counting turns out faulty? What we are suggesting is that if the counting in even one machine turns out to be faulty, then checking for every EVM in that assembly constituency should be carried out," Yechury said talking to reporters here.He also dismissed the possibility that a discussion for strategies on the post-results period will be discussed in the meeting of 21 opposition parties today"We are not here to debate the strategy for post-result today, That discussion will be held later," he said.The meeting in the Constitution Club is expected to be centred around issues ...