Page 507 - Politics
NPF to take call on withdrawing support from BJP-led coalition
The Naga People's Front (NPF) is yet to take a call on pulling out of the BJP-led coalition government in Manipur, saying the decision will be taken after the entire electioneering process is complete. A meeting of senior NPF leaders was held in Kohima on Saturday evening to decide whether to stay in the coalition government, however, it remained inconclusive, senior party leaders said. The NPF contends that the BJP does not pay heed to its ideas and suggestions in running the government in the state, a charge rejected by the saffron party. "The attitude of BJP towards NPF is not understandable and therefore we have had review meetings to re-examine our alliance with the BJP in Manipur since February this year," NPF spokesperson Ahcumbemo Kikon told PTI. He said the meeting, held this evening at the party's central office here, was attended by party chief Shurhozelie Liezietsu, opposition leader in Nagaland Assembly T R Zeliang, NPF core committee members and the party MLAs in ...
Seeking votes, Malawi president vows to transform country
Malawian President Peter Mutharika made a final plea to voters on Saturday, promising to develop the country "beyond recognition" if he wins next week's election. Mutharika, who came to power in 2014, could face a tough battle to hold onto office in Tuesday's election, after his presidency was damaged by corruption allegations. "We have set Malawi on the path of progress. The opposition have nothing to criticise me on," he told several thousand cheering supporters in Blantyre at his final campaign rally. "My priorities for this country are development and building skills. When you give me a chance for another five years, I will develop this country beyond recognition. "I can assure you that we will get to the level of Singapore and Malaysia." Mutharika, who said he was taking only 40 per cent of his salary to help the economy, pledged to construct more schools and factories in Malawi -- a largely agricultural country that is one of the poorest in the world. "We will continue to build .
Merkel urges Europe to stand up to politicians 'for sale'
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Saturday that European politicians "must stand up to" far-right politicians "for sale", after a hidden-camera sting brought down nationalist Austrian Vice-Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache over allegations he was open to corruption. "We are confronted with currents... who want to destroy the Europe of our values, and we must stand up to that decisively," Merkel told a press conference in the Croatian capital Zagreb before heading to a gathering of the country's ruling conservative HDZ party ahead of European Parliament elections. While far-right parties rejected values like protecting minorities and basic human rights, Merkel said, "politicians being for sale plays a role, and we must act decisively against all of that". Germany's Der Spiegel and Sueddeutsche Zeitung late Friday published video recordings, allegedly showing Freedom Party (FPOe) leader Strache promising public contracts in return for campaign help from a fake Russian ...
Thousands of Poles, including Tusk, hold pro-EU rally before vote
European Council chief Donald Tusk on Saturday joined thousands at a pro-Europe opposition rally in Warsaw, calling on his fellow Poles to vote against the eurosceptic governing conservatives in this month's EU elections. "You have no choice.... You can't leave the future of our children and grandchildren in their hands," Tusk said, referring to the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party. "Our children and grandchildren would never forgive us.... Go forth towards victory," he added to cheers and applause at the rally organised by the opposition European Coalition. A former Polish premier, Tusk is widely believed to be eyeing a political comeback at home once his EU term ends in November. Without referring to him by name, Tusk compared his arch-rival and PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski to an ayatollah during the rally attended by Poles from across the country. Kaczynski for his part used an election campaign event in the southern city of Krakow on Saturday to claim Tusk's political party
BJP leader Mukul Roy to stay away in the last phase
With Trinamool Congress pointing out that Bharatiya Janata Party leader Mukul Roy being an 'outsider' should stay away from the areas where elections were taking place on Sunday, an Election Commission official on Saturday said that he will abide by the rules.
Polling party replaced in Bilaspur as EVM opened for testing before schedule
The state election office has replaced a team of officials in Bilaspur district after they opened an electronic voting machine (EVM) for testing earlier than scheduled. Strict action is being taken against the polling party responsible for opening the EVM early, state additional chief electoral officer Daleep Negi said Saturday. A new polling party has been deployed and the EVM has been changed for the voting being held from 7 am to 6 pm on Sunday, he added. Bilaspur district falls under much talked Hamirpur Lok Sabha seat from where three-time MP Anurag Thakur is retrying his luck on BJP ticket against Sri Naina Deviji MLA Ram Lal Thakur of Congress.
Gehlot mocks Modi for meditating in Kedarnath
Congress leader and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for meditating in Kedarnath, wondering what message he wants to give now. After Modi offered prayers at the Himalayan shrine in Uttarakhand, he went inside a cave nearby to meditate. Television channels showed his photographs in which he was wearing a saffron shawl. "Today he is sitting in a cave wearing 'bhagwa' (saffron). God knows, what message he wants to deliver. Everybody has been watching him," said Gehlot, who also accused the prime minister of doing "nothing but polarisation". On Sunday, Modi is expected in Badrinath, another temple in Uttarakhand's 'char dham' religious circuit. Gehlot criticised Modi for his "silence" on employment, farmers problems, economy and foreign policy and instead raising issues like religion and nationalism. Commenting on the press conference by Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah Friday, Gehlot told reporters here they did not address the media in ...
BJP: Kejriwal should clear dues of civic bodies' employees
The Delhi BJP on Saturday lashed out at the Delhi government for withholding Rs 5,282 crore meant for the North Delhi Municipal Corporation.
Trinamool, BJP have common hidden agenda to crush Congress: Mannan
Describing Trinamool Congress as the B team of the Bharatiya Janata Party, senior Congress functionary and leader of opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Abdul Mannan says both Trinamool and BJP have the "common hidden agenda" of crushing his party.
Owaisi says reports of war within EC worrying
AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi Saturday said reports of a war within the Election Commission were worrying and emphasised on unanimity of views in the poll panel. ECI is one of the more trusted public institutions in the country, a 'war within' is extremely worrying. The SC, in TN Seshan case had made it clear that CEC doesnt enjoy a higher status than other ECs & must strive towards unanimity. Basic Constitutional norms must be respected, he tweeted. Owaisi tagged a media report on Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa recusing himself from model code violation cases till his dissents are recorded on orders.
Cong asks EC to not allow PM to travel with motorcade on Sunday in Varanasi
The Congress Saturday asked the EC not to grant Prime Minister Narendra Modi permission to travel with his motorcade here on polling day as this would amount to a roadshow, a "violation" of the poll code. In a letter to the Election Commission and the local poll authority, the party's district unit said in such a situation its own candidate would also be forced to move about in a cavalcade which could lead to "unnecessary confrontation". Modi, who is seeking reelection from Varanasi constituency, is expected to spend at least a part of the day in Badrinath. The Congress said it had learnt that the prime minister would stay in Varanasi on Sunday and his movement might even affect traffic, which would cause hindrance to voters trying to reach polling booths. It said that even if his cavalcade moved without affecting or halting traffic, it would still seem like he was holding a roadshow and asked the poll body not to grant him permission for it. Congress district unit president Prajanath
After Rahul meet, Naidu talks to Mayawati, Akhilesh in UP (2nd Lead, Changing Dateline)
Continuing his campaign to meet various leaders and sew up a non-BJP front before the announcement of Lok Sabha results on May 23, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu met Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party President Mayawati here on Saturday.
Key assembly bypolls in Karnataka Sunday
In key byelections, two assembly constituencies in Karnataka would go to polls Sunday with the outcome likely to have a bearing on the stability of the JDS-Congress government in the state. A fierce campaign was witnessed in the two constituencies -- Kundgol and Chincholi, both held by Congress. The bypolls are crucial for both the ruling Congress-JD(S) alliance and the opposition BJP with the latter maintaining that a victory for it would boost its numbers in the assembly and have political implications. By-poll to Chincholi has been necessitated by resignation ofUmesh Jadhav, who quit Congress and joined BJP to contest the recent Lok Sabha polls from Gulbarga, while Kundgol seat fell vacant following the death of Minister C S Shivalli. There are a total of 17 candidates in the fray in Chincholi and eight in Kundgol segments. The main contest will be between the nominees of the Congress, supported by JDS, and the BJP. The Congress candidates are Subash Rathod in ...
Sudan army rulers say talks to resume as Islamists stage demo
Talks between Sudan's ruling military council and protesters are set to resume, army rulers announced Saturday, as Islamic movements rallied for the inclusion of sharia in the country's roadmap. The resumption of talks with the Alliance for Freedom and Change, the umbrella protest movement that brought down longtime leader Omar al-Bashir last month, comes following pressure from key world powers to get back to the table. The ruling military council announced "the resumption of negotiations with the Alliance for Freedom and Change on Sunday". The generals and protest leaders had been expected to come to an agreement on Wednesday on the thorniest issue -- the make-up of a new body to govern Sudan for three years that would replace the existing military council that took power after ousting Bashir. But that meeting never took place and on Thursday the head of the military council, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, confirmed talks were suspended for 72 hours. Demonstrators subsequently ...
Sonia Gandhi strategizing for Congress, holds meeting with top party leaders
The Congress leadership Saturday got its act together with Sonia Gandhi stepping in and formulating the party's strategy for government formation. Sources said Congress leaders led by Sonia Gandhi, party chief Rahul Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh, held deliberations with Ahmed Patel, A K Antony and others as they geared up for a possible hung Parliament. The Congress is leaving nothing to chance and is sniffing at government formation, as it has stepped up activity to stake its claim for forming the next government. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi has convened another meeting of senior party leaders on May 22, a day before the counting of votes, the sources said. Top party leaders also started deliberations with other non-NDA parties in a bid to bring them all together as part of a joint alliance, in a bid to form UPA-3. With Sonia Gandhi holding a meeting of top party leaders at her residence today, the Congress hopes to keep the BJP and Narendra Modi at bay from power ..
JDS state chief leader slams Siddaramaiah
Renewing his attack on Karnataka's ruling coalition's coordination committee Chairman Siddaramaiah, JD(S) state President A H Vishwanath Saturday hit out at the former Chief Minister for not inducting him and the Pradesh Congress chief Dinesh Gundu Rao to the committee. He also raised questions on Siddaramaiahs performance as coordination committee chief, alleging that he has not yet been able to "draw" the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) for the coalition government. Speaking to reporters here, he said the Coordination Committee chief's responsibility was to coordinate between the two ruling partner parties "...I don't know why Siddaramaiah does not want Vishwanath, Dinesh Gundu Rao or anyone else... Be alone (if you want), we won't object to it, but why are you not fulfilling your responsibilities?," Vishwanath asked. Pointing out that Sonia Gandhi was chairperson during UPA 1 and II, coordinating 23 political parties, he said in Karnataka, the Coordination Committee ...
Shah's road show in Kolkata was a criminal conspiracy, Mamata tells EC
Alleging that the BJP President Amit Shah's recent road show in Kolkata was a "criminal conspiracy" to defame the state government, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday wrote a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora, requesting him to complete the final phase polls peacefully.
Will Jadavpur choose political novice or seasoned player?
The talk of the town is whether the Jadavpur Lok Sabha constituency in West Bengal -- which had earlier sent stalwarts like Somnath Chatterjee and a greenhorn Mamata Banerjee to the Lower House -- would choose a political novice and film-star as its parliamentary representative, or will go with a seasoned lawyer with years of administrative experience.
Top Maoist leader in Odisha sentenced to life term
Top Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda was sentenced to life imprisonment by a court in Odisha's Berhampur on Saturday for waging war against the Indian government.
BJP Tumkur dist youth wing prez expelled for post lauding
Karnataka BJP has expelled its Tumkur district youth wing President from the party's primary membership for a post praising Nathuram Godse on the social media. "For your post on social media praising Nathuram Godse, you have not only been removed from the post of Yuva Morcha district President, but also expelled from the primary membership of the party," the expulsion order signed by state BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa, addressed to T H Hanumantharaju read. The social media post of Hanumantharaju shared by BJP to the media shows the picture of Godse and a vessel that supposedly contains his ashes decorated with flowers next to it. The message with the picture calling Godse a "great patriot" says his ashes have still not been immersed in the Sindhu river. Hanumantharaju is not the first in the saffron party to face the ire of the party leadership for praising Godse. Earlier, BJP candidate Pragya Singh Thakur too had stirred a controversy by calling Godse, the assassin of ...