Page 508 - Politics
I could be assassinated like Indira Gandhi, BJP after my life: Kejriwal
Alleging that the BJP was after his life, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said that he could be assassinated like former prime minister Indira Gandhi by police personnel deployed for his security. "My own security officers report to the BJP," the Aam Aadmi Party chief alleged, drawing sharp reaction from the BJP which accused him of playing politics over the "serious" matter of security and making false allegations against it for "cheap popularity". Rejecting Kejriwal's charge, the Delhi Police said the personnel belonging to its unit which provides protection to several high dignitaries of all political parties in the national capital, including Kejriwal, "are thoroughly committed to their job and perform duties with a high level of dedication and professionalism". Kejriwal, who has the highest Z plus security cover, alleged, "The BJP would get me murdered by my own PSO (Personal Security Officer) one day like Indira Gandhi. My own security officers report to ...
US: Iran military could misidentify airliners amid tension
Commercial airliners flying over the Persian Gulf risk being targeted by "miscalculation or misidentification" from the Iranian military amid heightened tensions between the Islamic Republic and the US, American diplomats warned Saturday, even as both Washington and Tehran say they don't seek war. The warning relayed by US diplomatic posts from the Federal Aviation Administration underscored the risks the current tensions pose to a region critical to both global air travel and trade. Oil tankers allegedly have faced sabotage and Yemen rebel drones attacked a crucial Saudi oil pipeline over the last week. Meanwhile on Saturday, Iraqi officials said ExxonMobil Corporation began evacuating staff from Basra, and the island nation of Bahrain ordered its citizens out of Iraq and Iran over "the recent escalations and threats". However, US officials have yet to publicly explain the threats they perceive coming from Iran, some two weeks after the White House ordered an aircraft carrier and ...
No govt possible at Centre sans regional parties' support:Deve
Dismissing BJP's assertion it will get more than 300 seats in the Lok Sabha elections, JDS supremo H D Deve Gowda Saturday said no national party can form the government without the support of regional parties. Gowda, a former prime minister, also expressed confidence his son and Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy would complete his five-year term. Yesterday also he (BJP president Amit Shah just like that said they may get more than 300 seatsno; so will Congress come to power? both are national parties they (Congress) too have difficulty. Without the cooperation of regional parties, no national party can administer, he said. Speaking to reporters here, he said, in the same way without (the support of) national parties no regional party can govern." JDS, an ally of Congress in Karnataka, has already pledged its support to Congress President Rahul Gandhi in forming a government at the Centre. Addressing a press conference Friday, Shah had said BJP will have enough ..
Excise inspector suspended in Punjab for poll code violation
An excise and taxation inspector, posted at Bathinda in Punjab, has been suspended over the alleged violation of the model code of conduct. Punjab's Chief Electoral Officer S Karuna Raju Saturday said Gursewak Singh has been suspended for participating in an election-related programme of the Shiromani Akali Dal where party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal was also present. The action came after poll officials took cognisance of the media reports which carried pictures of the excise inspector participating in the SAD's election-related event. Polling to the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab will be held on Sunday. The Election Commission has announced holiday for the polling staff on Monday.
German leaders use Austria scandal to blast own far-right
A scandal that brought down Austrian Vice-Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache was on Saturday enlisted into European Parliament electioneering in neighbouring Germany, with top politicians warning against his far-right allies. Germany's Der Spiegel and Sueddeutsche Zeitung published hidden-camera recordings, allegedly showing Freedom Party (FPOe) leader Strache promising public contracts in return for campaign help from a fake Russian backer. After Strache resigned in a press conference Saturday, the head of Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative CDU party Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said the affair showed "people like this mustn't be allowed to take any responsibility in Europe". "Far right populists are the enemies of freedom," said foreign minister Heiko Maas from the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD). Austria's conservative Chancellor Sebastian Kurz had been "irresponsible" to invite them into his government, Maas added. Other parties used the opportunity to warn the CDU ...
Congress to hold commemorative programmes on Rajiv's death anniversary
The Congress party will hold commemorative programmes on May 21 to mark the death anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to highlight his contribution to the country.
Bengal LS polls: Mamata's nephew, Netaji's kin, actresses contest in final phase
A number of high-voltage battles are on the cards in the seventh and final phase of Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal as two popular Bengali actresses set their feet on the political turf for the first time, while a number of hopefuls, including West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew and freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's grand-nephew, will be vying to enter Parliament.
SAD seeks additional central forces in Ferozepur, Bathinda
The SAD Saturday urged the Election Commission to deploy additional paramilitary forces in Ferozepur and Bathinda constituencies, from where senior party leaders Sukhbir Singh Badal and Harsimrat Kaur Badal are contesting the general election, respectively. In a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner just a day ahead of the election, Akali Dal's senior vice president and spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema said additional paramilitary forces were required in these two constituencies to ensure free and fair elections. Cheema said there were 1,729 polling booths in Bathinda and central forces were deployed only on 700 booths. "Similarly, paramilitary forces are deployed on few selective booths in Ferozepur parliamentary constituency while some hyper-sensitive areas such as Abohar city and Ferozepur city were left without paramilitary forces," he claimed. Cheema expressed fear that the Congress party might adopt "unfair means to intimidate" voters in these two constituencies as ruling ...
Congress regimes destroyed Netaji files: Chandra K Bose
Chandra Kumar Bose, grand nephew of revolutionary leader Subhas Chandra Bose and BJP candidate from the Kolkata South Lok Sabha constituency, blames successive Congress regimes for suppressing and destroying files on his grand uncle Netaji's disappearance and wants the formation of a special investigative team for unravelling the mystery.
Aus elections: Defying exit polls, PM Morrison-led coalition heads toward majority
Australia's ruling conservative coalition led by Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Saturday made a "miraculous" comeback and is set to form the next government after winning most number of seats in the elections, defying exit polls which predicted a victory for the opposition Labor Party. Australians Saturday voted to elect their next parliament and prime minister, in what has been widely referred to as the climate-change election. After five weeks long election campaigning across the country, around 16 million Australians swarmed to the polling booths across the country to elect the nation's 31st prime minister. A Nine-Galaxy poll released shortly before the voting stations closed in the east of the country showed a victory for the centre-left Labor party and Liberal Party-led coalition losing its bid for a third three-year term. The poll showed the Labor winning as many as 82 seats in the 151-member House of Representatives, beating the governing Liberal coalition. On Friday, media ..
Stakes high for key rivals in by-polls for four assembly seats in TN
The stage is for the May 19 crucial by-elections to four assembly constituencies and the repolling in 13 booths in Erode, Dharmapuri, Tiruvallur and Cuddalore Lok Sabha consituencies in Tamil Nadu.
Woman official to verify Kerala nikab wearing voters
Kerala Chief Electoral Officer Teeka Ram Meena on Saturday said a woman poll official would verify women voters, coming to polling booths with faces covered.
'Kingmaker' Mayawati faces probe in sugar mill case
Even as UPA's special envoy N. Chandrababu Naidu met Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav to cement an anti-BJP front, the CBI is zeroing in on the role of top BSP politicians involved in the multi-crore sugar mill scam. Just a fortnight ago, CBI's Lucknow branch of Anti-Corruption Unit launched a probe into the controversial sale of state-owned sugar mills which were sold to private entrepreneurs for peanuts during Mayawati's tenure as UP Chief Minister.
Oppn leaders step up coalition talks, TDP chief Naidu meets Rahul, others
TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu held a flurry of meetings with opposition leaders, including Congress president Rahul Gandhi, BSP's Mayawati and SP leader Akhilesh Yadav, in an apparent bid to rally support for a non-BJP government at the Centre. Naidu, who arrived in the national capital on Friday, also met Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, Loktantrik Janata Dal leader Sharad Yadav and leaders of the Communist Party of India. He then flew to Lucknow and met Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party chiefs. "It is a pleasure to welcome Hon'ble Chief Minister Shri N Chandrababu Naidu Ji to Lucknow," Akhilesh Yadav tweeted. The Andhra Pradesh chief minister did not speak to the media after any of his meetings. Sources, however, said Naidu and Gandhi discussed the possibility of forming a joint alliance of all opposition parties. He told Gandhi to have a strategy ready, in case the NDA falls short of a majority and still stakes claim to form the government, the sources ...
Stalin in role to rope in KCR, Jagan
UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi is said to be in close touch with DMK leader M.K. Stalin on building the numbers for the UPA, if push comes to shove following the counting of votes on May 23.
Working to form 'Federal Front' for a say in policy-making at Centre: TRS
With just one round of polling remaining, Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) on Saturday expressed confidence that the regional political parties would garner a major chunk of Lok Sabha seats and would bind in the form of a 'Federal Front' for governance at the Centre.
Mamata writes to EC hours before the final phase of polling
Hours before the final phase of Lok Sabha polling, Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister wrote to the Election Commission Saturday in to ensure "peaceful and impartial" elections in the state without the interference of the BJP. The EC should ensure that Sunday's polling is held without the "undue interference of the central government" and any "intervention by the ruling party at the Centre", Banerjee, West Bengal chief minister said in the letter written on her official letterhead. Polling will be held in nine Lok Sabha constituencies in and around the city, including at Diamond Harbour where her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, considered to be the number two in Trinamool Congress, is seeking reelection. "In the final phase of the election tomorrow, I would request your good office to kindly ensure that election is completed peacefully, impartially and without any undue interference of the Central government and any intervention by the ruling party at ...
Australian Opposition leader Bill Shorten concedes defeat
Australia's opposition Labour Party leader Bill Shorten on Saturday conceded defeat to Prime Minister Scott Morrison in country's general election.
Religion, riots, dynasty dominate Punjab poll battle
In agrarian Punjab, where Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes make 55 per cent of the population, religion and riots more than concerns of farmers and poor are likely to play a decisive role in the Lok Sabha elections going to the polls on Sunday.
CPI(M) leader stokes controversy with remark on purdah
CPI-M leader M V Jayarajan kicked up a controversy in Kerala saying 'purdah' clad women should remove their veil in polling booths, drawing sharp reaction from Congress which Saturday termed the demand as unjustified. Jayarajan, the Kannur district secretary of the Marxist party, made the remark Friday while campaigning at Pilathara in Kannur parliamentary constituency, where re-polling is being held in a booth Sunday in the backdrop of allegations of bogus voting during the April 23 Lok Sabha elections. He has said those who come to vote have to remove face veil the moment they stand in the queue. "This is to enable CCTV cameras and web cameras capture the voter's face," Jayarajan had said. Opposition Congress condemned the remark and said none can interfere in the rights of an individual. "The remarks made by the Left leaders are to be condemned. It's one's freedom to chose which dress to wear. No one can interfere in their rights. The CPI(M) leaders have lost their ..