Page 505 - Politics

Australian PM Scott Morrison declares victory; Bill Shorten steps down as Labor leader

Australia's ruling Conservative Coalition led by Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Sunday made a "miraculous" comeback in the general election, defying exit polls and devastating the opposition Labor Party, forcing its leader Bill Shorten to step down. Around 16 million Australians swarmed to the polling booths across the country on Saturday to elect the nation's 31st prime minister, in what was widely referred to as the climate-change election. The latest results showed that the Conservative Coalition has won 74 seats while labour secured 66. A party needs 76 seats for a simple majority in the 151-member House of Representatives. It was not clear if 51-year-old Morrison will require the support of independent MPs to govern. But an independent, Helen Haines, who won from the seat of Indi, said that she would be working with the Coalition in the scenario of a hung parliament. Haines said she was very determined to work with the government on addressing climate change. Morrison along his

Adityanath among early voters to exercise franchise in UP

As voting got underway for the last phase of Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was among the first voters to exercise his franchise on Sunday. Adityanath cast his vote at the Prathmik Vidyalaya near Jhoolelal Temple in Gorakhpur at 7 am. Speaking to reporters after voting, he said, "People are fighting this election for nation's interest and if someone cannot understand this thing, his IQ is questionable. The entire election revolved around Modiji. With big achievements of his government during the last five years, the BJP will win the election. Ram Bhuwal Nishad, the SP-BSP alliance candidate also voted at Daunadih Prathmik Vidyalaya booth number 295 at 7.30 am. Union minister of state for Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla also exercised his franchise in Gorakhpur. He said BJP candidate Ravi Kishan will win with more than 3 lakh votes and the BJP will form government at the Centre.

Republican Congressman calls for Trump's impeachment

US Congressman Justin Amash became the first Republican to call for Donald Trump's impeachment, saying that the President committed "impeachable conduct" and accused Attorney General William Barr of intentionally misleading the public.

Campaign spirited, yet dignified: BJP candidate Puri

Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development and BJP's candidate from Punjab's Amritsar Lok Sabha seat Hardeep Singh Puri on Sunday said that the election campaign was spirited and yet dignified.

Rahul held 150 rallies during Lok Sabha polls

In an effort to oust the Narendra Modi government, Congress President Rahul Gandhi ran a concerted campaign over the past three and a half months, holding nearly 150 rallies and road shows besides press conferences to spell out his partys vision and counter BJP attacks.

Do vote to make country liberal, progressive: Cong

The Congress on Sunday urged the people to cast their vote in the last phase of general elections to make the country "liberal" and "progressive". The appeal came as polling began for the final phase of Lok Sabha polls in 59 seats to decide the fate of 918 candidates including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is seeking to retain the Varanasi seat in Uttar Pradesh. "Do vote in the last phase of general elections to make the country liberal and progressive," Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted. "One vote, will make the future of the youth empowered. One vote, will take farmers towards loan waiver. One vote, will take small traders towards profit. One vote, will get the deprived 'Nyay' (justice)," he said.

Walls of dynastic politics have shown cracks: Yogi

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath cast his ballot here on Sunday and said the walls of casteism, regionalism and dynastic politics were now showing cracks.

Nitish, Manjhi cast votes

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi cast their votes in Patna on Sunday.

Voting underway for 13 seats in Punjab, lone Chandigarh seat

Amid reports of EVM snags, polling was underway Sunday in all 13 Lok Sabha constituencies of Punjab and the lone Chandigarh constituency, with SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and Union ministers Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Hardeep Puri among those in the fray. Polling began at 7 am and is scheduled to go on till 6 pm, officials said. Among early voters were cricketer Harbhajan Singh, Congress candidate from Anandpur Sahib Manish Tewari, sitting MP from Patiala Dharamvira Gandhi, BJP national secretary Tarun Chugh, Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal and Congress candidate from Amritsar Gurjeet Singh Aujla. Voters, including elders, women and youth, queued up early morning at several polling stations to exercise their franchise. There were reports of technical glitches in EVMs at several places including Ludhiana, Samana and Moga. Over 2.07 crore voters in Punjab are eligible to exercise their franchise in the election in which 278 candidates, including 24 women, are in the ...

One vote will shape India's development trajectory: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday appealed to voters to exercise their right in record numbers and said that one vote will shape India's development trajectory.

Voting underway for 8 Lok Sabha seats in MP

Voting was underway on Sunday for the eight Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh in the seventh and last phase of voting in the ongoing general elections.

Voting underway for Agra North Assembly bypoll

Voting began on a brisk note for the Agra North Assembly bye-election on Sunday, an official said.

LS polls: Polling underway in 8 seats of MP

Polling for eight seats in the fourth and final phase of Lok Sabha elections in Madhya Pradesh began at 7 am on Sunday. Prominent candidates in the fray are former Union ministers Kantilal Bhuria and Arun Yadav of the Congress, who are contesting from Ratlam and Khandwa seats, respectively. Polling was going on peacefully in the eight seats of Dewas, Ujjain, Mandsaur, Ratlam, Dhar, Indore, Khargone and Khandwa, MP's Chief Electoral Officer V L Kantha Rao told PTI. "So far, there was no report of any problem in the polling process," he said. Long queues were seen at several booths in these eight constituencies, all currently held by the BJP. Some state leaders from Malwa Nimar region of the Indore constituency were also seen standing in queues to cast their votes. Altogether 82 candidates, including Bhuria and Yadav, are in the fray in the eight constituencies where there are 1.49 crore eligible voters. Of these total nominees, 20 are contesting in Indore, 13 in Mandsaur, .

TN bypolls: Voting underway in four constituencies

Polling was underway in four constituencies of Tamil Nadu Sunday, with people turning up in good numbers to cast their ballot in the by-elections Polling was brisk and peaceful, police said. The bypolls are being held in Sulur, Ottapidaram, Thirupparankundram and Aravakurichi. Repolling in 13 constituencies was also underway. A total of 137 candidates including those from the AIADMK, DMK, TTV Dhinakran led AMMK and Kamal Hassan's MNM are in the fray in the four seats. There were reports of EVM glitches in Sulur and officials were attending to it. While bypolls to 18 of the total 22 vacant assembly seats were held on April 18, the rest go to hustings Sunday. The outcome of the bypolls will decide the future of the K Palaniswamii government as the ruling AIADMK would require a significant number of seats to remain in power. It has a strength of 113 minus the Speaker in the 234-member house with 22 vacancies and the simple majority in the full house is 117.

Voting underway on 13 LS seats in UP

Voting was underway on Sunday for the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh amid tight security.

Bypoll underway in Panaji; BJP, GSM nominees cast vote

Polling for theby-election to Panaji Assembly seat in Goa began at 7 am on Sunday with BJP candidate Siddharth Kunkolienkar and Goa Suraksha Manch nominee Subhash Velingkar being among the early voters. Kunkolienkar and Velingkar reach their respective polling booths soon after the voting began and exercised their democratic right. Total 30 polling stations have been set up in the constituency, which covers areas including the state capital, where there are 22,482 eligible voters. The bypoll was necessitated due to the demise of sitting BJP MLA and former chief minister Manohar Parrikar. Parrikar, who died on March 17 due to a pancreatic related ailment, represented the constituency for nearly two- and-a-half decades since 1994. Total six candidates, including two Independents, are contesting the bypoll. Kunkolienkar, who earlier won twice from Panaji, is fighting to retain the BJP's hold over the seat, which is considered as its bastion. The Congress has fielded former ..

Re-polling in Chandni Chowk booth underway

Re-polling at a booth in Chandni Chowk parliamentary constituency began on Sunday amid tight security.The Election Commission of India (ECI) declared re-polling at polling station number 32 of Chandni Chowk Assembly Segment after the presiding officer forgets to delete the test votes before the actual polling on May 12.In Chandni Chowk, sitting BJP MP and Union Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan is contesting against four-time Lok Sabha MP and Congress leader Jai Prakash Agarwal and Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) leader Pankaj Gupta.The counting of votes will take place on May 23.

Harbhajan Singh casts vote in Jalandhar

Cricketer Harbhajan Singh was among the first to cast his vote on Sunday at a polling booth in this Punjab's town.

Demonstrators celebrate Austria government collapse

After hours of chanting and whistling, thousands of demonstrators on Saturday cheered the collapse of Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz's government over a corruption scandal -- and the prospect of fresh elections. "Kurz must go" cried the crowd that had built up in Vienna's historic first district from late morning. As the news of fresh elections came through on demonstrators' smartphones later, loud cheers erupted. Expressing a widespread view that Kurz had too often excused the scandals of his coalition partner, the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe) led by Heinz-Christian Strache, social education worker Andreas Hallas said the vote was "an absolute necessity". "Anything else would have been an absolute catastrophe, politically," said Hallas, adding he hoped for a new government without the FPOe and Kurz's centre-right People's Party (OeVP). Hallas is among those who has been turning up for anti-govermnent demonstrations held -- come rain or shine -- every Thursday for more than six .

Voting begins for Panaji Assembly bye-election

Voting began Sunday morning for the bypoll to the Panaji assembly constituency, which was necessitated due to the death of former Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar in March. Polling began at 7 am, officials said. As many as 22,482 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the constituency which covers areas including the state capital and has 30 polling stations. Parrikar, who passed away on March 17 battling pancreatic ailment, had represented the constituency for nearly two-and-a-half decades since 1994. Six candidates, including two Independents, are in the fray for the bye-election. The BJP, which has dominated the constituency, has nominated Siddharth Kunkolienkar as its candidate. The saffron party is fighting to retain its hold over the constituency considered as its fiefdom. Kunkolienkar had won twice from this assembly seat when Parrikar was elevated to Central cabinet as the Defence Minister between 2014 and 2017. The Congress has fielded its former Minister ...