Page 531 - Politics
BJP objects painting resembling symbol of a party at some
Bihar BJP on Thursday objected to a painting resembling symbol of a national party at three polling stations under Patna Sahib constituency and demanded reinspection of all booths in the district in view of this. A party delegation led by Bihar BJP vice-president Devesh Kumar met Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) H R Srinivasa and submitted a memorandum objecting painting resembling the symbol of a political party (Congress' hand). Other members of the delegation were Prashant Kumar Verma, Radhika Raman, Nikhil Anand, Pankaj Singh, Rakesh Kumar Singh and Rajiv Ranjan, all Bihar BJP functionaries. Expressing the hope that the Election Commission would maintain its objectivity and neutrality, the BJP team drew the CEOs attention towards the painting at polling stations 149, 150 and 167 under Bankipore assembly segment of Patna Sahib Parliamentary constituency which the party workers found during a visit. The party (BJP) demands the Commission that it should take suo motu ...
Diamond Harbour: Where LS poll result may impact TMC's internal dynamics, state politics
The stakes are high for the Trinamool Congress in its decade-long bastion of Diamond Harbour, the parliamentary seat from where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew Abhishek is seeking a re-election, as the result here is likely to have a bearing on the party's internal dynamics and on West Bengal politics. The state's opposition parties claim the result in this seat will be seen as "people's verdict" in favour of or against the TMC supremo herself. Situated on the banks of the Hooghly river in the South 24 Parganas district, the constituency was a Left pocket borough since the late sixties until the TMC, riding on winds of change, breached it in 2009 with then TMC leader Somen Mitra snatching the seat from four-time MP Samik Lahiri. But Mitra left the TMC and returned to the Congress in early 2014 and is now its state unit chief. In 2014, just three years after his baptism in politics as a leader of the Trinamool Youth Congress, Abhishek Banerjee was given ticket from this seat ...
'Scary' Opposition scenario will be routed in LS polls: Jaitley
The "frightening and scary scenario" that the Opposition promises as an alternative will be responsible for its rout in this year's Lok Sabha elections, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Thursday."The positive reasons for the Prime Minister's acceptability has been his decisiveness, integrity and performance, his delivery of resources to the poor, and his security doctrine which has been a game changer. The NDA's strength has been a complete absence of any confusion about leadership or programme. There is an absolute consensus," he said in a blog post.Jaitley said that the groundswell in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become consolidated as the seventh and last phase of Lok Sabha elections approaches to a closure."The not-so-positive reason for the Prime Minister's high acceptability levels is the absence of any cogent or coherent alternative. Conventionally, it used to be referred to as the 'TINA' factor. This effectively means that 'There is no alternative.' If the ..
Stalin calls PM 'liar' for not honouring 2014 poll promises
Describing Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a 'liar', DMK president M K Stalin Thursday said Modi has failed to implement the election promises he'd made during th 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Modi has assured to provide two crore jobs annually which means a total of 10 crore jobs in five years, but he has failed on that count, he said. Many educated youth in Tamil Nadu have been jobless while some youth from North have got placements in the railways and other government departments, he said. This only shows the Prime Minister has neglected Tamil Nadu, he alleged. Addressing a meeting of handloom weavers in Sulur where the by-poll is scheduled on May 19 and seeking votes for party candidate Pongalur N Palanisamy, Stalin said Modi has also failed to bring black money from abroad. Stating that the people of the country have already decided to oust Modi government at the Centre, the DMK president said the people of Tamil Nadu have also decided to remove the 'puppet' government
Iran top diplomat to visit China on Friday: state media
Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is set to visit China on Friday for talks on "regional and international issues", state news agency IRNA reported. Coming amid soaring tensions between Washington and Tehran, the visit would be an opportunity to discuss the 2015 nuclear deal from which the United States unilaterally withdrew a year ago, IRNA said. The China trip comes after Zarif visited Turkmenistan, India and Japan in the past week. China is one of the five remaining signatories to the Iran nuclear deal, in addition to Britain, France, Germany and Russia. It is also a major importer of Iranian crude oil. In Tokyo, Zarif accused the United States of an "unacceptable" escalation of tensions and said Tehran was showing "maximum restraint" despite Washington's withdrawal from the nuclear deal. Tensions were already high after President Donald Trump walked away from the accord in May 2018, but they have ratcheted up recently with the US deploying an aircraft carrier group and .
Case against 'Computer Baba' for holding 'yagna' for Digvijay
A case of violating the model code of conduct has been registered against Namdeo Das Tyagi, also known as 'Computer Baba', over a 'yagna' he held and a roadshow of 'sadhus' he organised to back Congress candidate from Bhopal Digvijaya Singh.
Azad equates Modi with Mohammad Bin Tughlaq
Congress leader Gulam Nabi Azad on Thursday likened Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decisions to that of the controversial 14 century Delhi ruler Mohammad Bin Tughlaq. Criticising the 2016 demonetisation move, the leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha alleged that Modi gave many 'Tughlaqi farman' (diktats) during his rule due to which common people suffered. "Modi changed the currency notes of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 with new currency notes as Tughlaq had done by issuing currency of brass and copper during his rule," Azad told reporters. Tughlaq, who ruled the Delhi Sultanate for a short period of time in the 14th century, was known for his controversial decisions like shifting the capital of the Sultanate from Delhi to Daulatabad and introducing non-precious metal currency. "Modi withdrew Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes during demonetisation claiming that it will check black money but later he circulated Rs 2,000 currency notes, which was contradictory in itself," Azad said. The ...
Cong will form govt and Rahul will be next PM: AICC secretary
The Congress party led by Rahul Gandhi would get more than 170 Lok Sabha seats and form the next government with the support of like-minded opposition parties, AICC secretary C D Meyyappan claimed Thursday. Rahul Gandhi would become the Prime Minister with the backing of a large number of political parties which vehemently opposed the Narendra Modi-led BJP government that "failed" to deliver on its promises made to the people, he told PTI. Meyyappan, also in-charge of party affairs in Andhra Pradesh, said former union minister A Sai Pratap, a six-time MP from Rajampet in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh who quit the Congress five years ago, returned to the party-fold Thursday. Sai Prataps homecoming took place in his presence and AP State Congress President Raghuveera Reddy in Kadapa, Meyyappan added.
Pragya Thakur stirs a row, says Godse a 'true patriot'
Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur on Thursday stoked a huge controversy and left the BJP red faced with her comment that Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse was a 'true patriot', a statement her party condemned and asked her to apologise for it immediately.The Opposition parties attacked her saying what she said reflected the mindset of the people nurtured in RSS ideology.Earlier in the day, when questioned about actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan's remark that India's first terrorist was a Hindu (in reference to Godse), Thakur said, "Nathuram Godse was a 'deshbhakt', is a 'deshbhakt' and will remain a 'deshbhakt'."Responding to this, the BJP candidate from Bhopal Lok Sabha seat claimed that such comments by Haasan would dent his electoral prospects. "People calling him a terrorist should instead look within, such people will be given a befitting reply in these elections," she had said.As her comments caused a huge embarrassment to her party, BJP, which has strongly backed her ...
Where your heart lies, Priyanka asks PM
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Thursday had a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claim of a 56-inch chest, asking where his heart lies. Addressing an election rally here in support of Congress candidate Supriya Shrinate, Priyanka Gandhi asked, "You boasted about your 56-inch chest, but where is your heart?" The Congress leader also questioned claims of nationalism. "The PM talks about Pakistan while speaking on nationalism. For him, nationalism is all about speaking on the work done to counter Pakistan. Employment and farmer issues are not nationalism to him, she said. Priyanka Gandhi accused the prime minister of solely concentrating on marketing strategies and dubbed him arrogant. In the past five years, Modi was seen going to every place across the world, but he never bothered to meet farmers of his own country," she said terming the PM anti-farmer. She lambasted the government over an initiative it took for farmers. "They have announced Rs 6,000 per year for ..
Police trying to erase evidence of statue desecration: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday claimed that the West Bengal Police, in connivance with the state government, was trying to wipe out evidence of the desecration of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar's statue. Addressing a rally here, Modi said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, "frustrated over her imminent defeat", has threatened to put him behind bars after the general elections. "TMC goons are spreading violence, and they vandalised the statue of Vidyasagar. The way the state government erased proof of the Narada and Sarada scams, in the same manner, it is trying to remove evidence in this incident," he said. Those involved in the act of vandalising the statue should be given exemplary punishment, the PM insisted. Police officers are trying to wipe out the evidence of the incident in order to save the TMC goons, Modi alleged. "The TMC and their goons have made Bengal a hell. Those involved in this act, in this sin should be given strong punishment," he said. Kolkata ...
Will set up JPC to probe demonetisation 'scam': Manish Tewari
A Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) will be set up to probe demonetisation if the Congress is voted to power at the Centre, former Union minister and Congress candidate from the Anandpur Sahib seat Manish Tewari said Thursday. Demonetisation was a "scam" that ran into hundreds and thousands of crores and responsibilities needed to be fixed for it, Tewari said here. The Anandpur Sahib Lok Sabha constituency in Punjab goes to polls on May 19 in the last leg of the seven-phase parliamentary elections. "Demonetisation was not only a huge financial scam, it was like brutal murder of the economy and responsibility needs to be fixed for it and those guilty brought to book," he said. "The Congress party's government at the Centre will set up a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe the demonetisation scam," Tewari said. Congress president Rahul Gandhi, in his poll rallies, have been targeting the Modi government over demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax, claiming that these ..
Cong announces support to mahagathbandhan candidate in UP's Ballia
The Congress has announced its support to the SP-BSP-RLD alliance candidate Sanatan Pandey on this seat. "We will support SP candidate Pandey as we did not have our candidate here. Our objective is to ensure defeat of the BJP candidate," Congress District president Sachidanand Tiwari told reporters here. This Lok Sabha constituency goes to polls in the seventh and last phase of elections on Sunday.
Sunny Deol holds roadshow in Amritsar
Actor-turned-politician Sunny Deol, the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) candidate from Gurdaspur, conducted a road show in Amritsar on Thursday ahead of the Lok Sabha polls on May 19.Deol is contesting against Congress leader and sitting MP Sunil Jakhar from Gurdaspur.During the roadshow, Deol was accompanied by Union minister and Shiromani Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal.Thousands of people gathered on the streets to catch a glimpse of the actor-turned-politician as he waved out to the crowd.Last week, Deol had conducted a roadshow in Gurdaspur where he met people and assured them that he will not leave the city after polls as he wants to serve people.All 13 constituencies of Punjab will go for polls in the last phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Sunday. Results will be declared on May 23.
End of campaign in WB: Opposition meets EC
A delegation of the Opposition parties on Thursday met the Election Commission (EC) and registered its strong opposition to its decision to end the campaigning early in West Bengal after violence erupted during BJP president Amit Shah's roadshow in Kolkata on Tuesday.However, the delegation didn't receive any satisfactory answer from the electoral body, said Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who led the delegation."Without any quasi-judicial procedure, the Election Commission had cut short campaigning in West Bengal. They didn't decide who was behind the violence (at BJP president Amit Shah's roadshow in Kolkata). We and most of the non-NDA parties have alleged that BJP is behind the vandalisation of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar's statue and violence at the roadshow," Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said."If the Election Commission does this, then the result that comes out of it is that the person, who is the culprit, gets the benefit for his wrongdoing and the one, who is ...
Re-polling at 4 LS booths in north Kerala on May 19
: The Kerala state election commission Thursday decided to conduct re-pollingon May 19 in four booths in north Kerala, where allegations of bogus voting had surfaced in the April 23 Lok Sabha elections. The re-polling would be held in three booths in Kalliasseri in Kasaragod constituency and a booth in Taliparamba in Kannur, the commission said here in a release. The polls would be held from 7 am to 6 pm on the day, the release said. The election commission nullified the April 23 Lok Sabha polls held in the constituencies. The decision was taken based on the reports of the returning officers, the chief electoral officer and general observers, it said. The opposition Congress and BJP, who had raised allegations of bogus voting against the workers of ruling CPI(M), welcomed the election commission's decision. KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran and opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said the Congress party would extend support to the efforts of the EC to cleanse the .
Pragya calls Godse 'deshbhakt', BJP seeks public apology as Congress attacks (2nd lead)
BJP's Lok Sabha candidate from Bhopal Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur on Thursday kicked up a major row by describing Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse as a "deshbhakt" (patriot), a comment which her party immediately condemned and asked her to apologise for her remark.
Sonia kicks off Project 272 with May 23 invite to political heavyweights
Gathbandhan partners Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav could be the most prominent faces of Sonia Gandhi's much talked- about May 23 meeting. Neutral players Naveen Patnaik and K Chandrashekhar Rao are also being approached.
Rahul kept mum when PM called 'neech': Shah
BJP president Amit Shah Thursday accused Congress chief Rahul Gandhi of remaining silent after his party leader Mani Shankar Aiyar hurled abuses at Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Addressing a rally in Maharajganj, he termed Aiyar "guru ghantal" (shrewd). "Mani Shankar Aiyar used abusive words against PM Modi but Rahul baba remained silent," Shah said. Aiyar had stirred a controversy recently through an article in a newspaper, reminding readers of his "neech aadmi" comment made against Modi in 2017. He was suspended from the party for his statement. "Can anyone tolerate abusive words against the prime minister," Shah asked voters. Referring to the Balakot airstrike, the BJP president claimed that while there was excitement in the country and people were distributing sweets, there was "mourning" at the offices of Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav. "The glow on their faces had vanished as if their own had died," he alleged. Referring to Zakir Naik, Shah said the ...
WB statue vandalism: PM Modi demands strict action, questions Mamata govt
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday demanded strict action against those who vandalised Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar's bust in Kolkata and accused the Mamata Banerjee government of removing CCTV footage of the incident."Vidyasagar ji was a son of not only Bengal but of entire India. By vandalising his statue, the perpetrators have committed an act of sin. I demand strict action against those responsible," he said at an election rally here."Great reformer Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar's statue was vandalised which was locked in a room. A CCTV camera is installed in that college. Why the government is removing the evidence from there like it did in Narda, Sharada (chit fund scam) case. It clearly shows how low Didi (Mamata Banerjee) can stoop to for vote bank," Modi said.The bust of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, the 19th-century social reformer, was vandalised in clashes between BJP and Trinamool Congress workers at Vidyasagar College during BJP president Amit Shah's roadshow here on ...