Page 652 - Politics
LS polls: Polling for fifth phase begins in 51 constituencies, spread across 7 states
Polling for 51 constituencies, spread across seven states, began on Monday to test the fate of some political heavyweights like Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Union Minister Smriti Irani.The polling for the fifth phase began at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm, amid elaborate security arrangements.Appealing to voters to turn out in large numbers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on his Twitter handle: "Requesting all those voting in today's fifth phase of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections to do so in large numbers. A vote is the most effective way to enrich our democracy and contribute to India's better future. I hope my young friends turn out in record numbers."Fourteen seats in Uttar Pradesh, 12 in Rajasthan, seven each in West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh, five in Bihar and four in Jharkhand will go to polls in addition to Ladakh and Anantnag constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir.This is an important phase for BJP in Uttar ...
Voting begins for phase five LS polls in Bengal
Amid heightened security with central forces guarding all polling stations, voting began for seven parliamentary constituencies of West Bengal in phase five of general elections 2019 on Monday.
Fifth phase Lok Sabha polls: Voting begins in 51 seats; Rajnath, Rahul, Sonia in fray
Voting began Monday for the fifth phase of Lok Sabha election in 51 constituencies spread across seven states with many political bigwigs, including Rajnath Singh, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Smriti Irani, being in the fray. About 8.75 crore people will decide the fate of 674 candidates in the fifth of the seven-phase elections. The Election Commission has set up 94,000 polling stations/booths and made elaborate security arrangements. Polling will be held in 14 seats in Uttar Pradesh, 12 in Rajasthan, seven seats each in West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh, five in Bihar and four in Jharkhand. In Jammu and Kashmir, polling will take place in Ladakh constituency and Pulwama and Shopian districts of Anantnag seat. The stakes are high for the ruling BJP and its allies as it had swept 40 of these seats in 2014, leaving just two for the Congress and the rest for other opposition parties such as the Trinamool Congress (seven). With this phase, election will be over in 424 seats and polling in
Venezuela: Guaido considers asking US to intervene
Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido has said he is considering asking the US to launch a military intervention in the embattled country.
Israel-Gaza conflict: Death toll surges on both sides
At least four Israelis and 24 Palestinians have been killed and several others injured on both sides in one of the most intense flare-ups in the region since the last full-blown war between Gaza and Israel in 2014.The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has struck more than 320 "terror targets" in Gaza, targeting a Hamas weapons depot, attack tunnel shafts, rocket launchers, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and Hamas weapons manufacturing factories, and a PIJ training compound and command centre located inside a mosque.This has come after Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday ordered "massive strike" on the Gaza Strip after the latter fired more than 600 rockets in a span of 36 hours, reported Al Jazeera."This morning I instructed the IDF [the Israeli Army] to continue with massive strikes against terrorists in the Gaza Strip," said Netanyahu, who is also the Defense Minister of the country. "Hamas is responsible not only for its attacks against Israel, but also for the Islamic ...
LS polls: Chattisgarh CM exudes confidence over Congress' victory, says country in mood of change
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel exuded confidence over Congress' victory in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections claiming that the country is in the mood of change, hence, certainly the Congress' government will be formed after May 23.On being asked that how confident he is over Congress' victory in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, Baghel told reporters, "The atmosphere in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and other states is good towards the Congress. The BJP is very behind. The country is in the mood of change, certainly, the Congress government will be formed."On being asked to respond on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent remarks on late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi during a public rally, he said, "Look at the statement given by Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur (BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Bhopal), Prime Minister's remark about Rajiv ji, it is clear to everyone that such statements are in support of terrorism. The Prime Minister should take care of his dignity and post ..
Congress will decide new PM after LS polls results: Harish Rawat
While a few 'mahagathbandhan' leaders are projecting Congress President Rahul Gandhi as a prime ministerial candidate, senior party leader and former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat said that they would decide after Lok Sabha election results on May 23 who the Prime Minister would be.In Ludhiana to campaign for Congress Member of Parliament (MP) Ravneet Singh Bittu, Rawat on Sunday said, "Our leader has said it clearly we'll decide after election results that who will be the Prime Minister.""But like Sharad Pawar Ji has said it again and again, 'coalition Government has always been successful', an example of which is 2004-2014, when Singh was king," he added.DMK president MK Stalin and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav had batted for Gandhi as a prime ministerial candidate.Seven phased Lok Sabha elections which started on April 11, will conclude on May 19. Results will be announced on May 23.
KCR to meet Pinarayi Vijayan today in Kerala
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao will meet Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday.The meet has been scheduled in Trivandram at 6 pm.In view of ongoing Lok Sabha elections, both the Chief Ministers will hold discussions on contemporary politics.Later, Rao will visit Rameswaram and Srirangam temples and return to Hyderabad.
Congress writes to EC, demands action against PM Modi over ' Bhrashtachari no.1' remark
Congress has written to Election Commission of India (ECI) demanding action against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for violating Model Code of Conduct (MCC) over his "Bhrashtachari number 1" statement on former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.On Saturday, Modi while addressing an election rally in Uttar Pradesh had said, the life of Congress president Rahul Gandhi's father Rajiv Gandhi ended as 'Bhrashtachari number 1.'"Your father was termed 'Mr Clean' by his courtiers, but his life ended as 'Bhrashtachari No 1,' Modi had said."The statement by Prime Minister is not only the violation of Model Code of Conduct but also an insult of Bharat Ratna awardee martyr. Hence, we appeal the EC to take action against Prime Minister Narendra Modi by barring him from speaking at public rallies," Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee said in a letter dated May 05.Modi was apparently referring to Bofors scam, in which Rajiv Gandhi was accused of receiving kickbacks from Swedish defence manufacturer, Bofors, ...
Mueller 'should not testify' before Congress, says Donald Trump
Hours after a democratic lawmaker confirmed that the US House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hear Special Counsel Robert Mueller on May 15, President Donald Trump on Sunday said that Mueller "should not testify" before Congress on his investigation's findings."After spending more than $35,000,000 over a two year period, interviewing 500 people, using 18 Trump Hating Angry Democrats & 49 FBI Agents - all culminating in a more than 400 page 'Report' showing NO COLLUSION - why would the Democrats in Congress now need Robert Mueller to testify," Trump wrote on his official Twitter handle.The US President went on to say, "Are they looking for a redo because they hated seeing the strong NO COLLUSION conclusion? There was no crime, except on the other side (incredibly not covered in the Report), and NO OBSTRUCTION. Bob Mueller should not testify. No redos for the Dems!"The House Judiciary Committee has proposed a date of May 15 for Mueller to testify on his investigation into ...
BJP slams Rahul, Priyanka over remarks against Modi
Senior BJP leaders Arun Jaitley and Prakash Javadekar on Sunday hit back at Congress President Rahul Gandhi over his remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Congress leader slammed Modi after he targeted former premier Rajiv Gandhi over corruption.
Air raids shut two hospitals in Syria's Idlib: Monitor
Air strikes by Syrian regime ally Russia on Sunday forced the closure of two hospitals in the jihadist-held Syrian province of Idlib, a war monitor said. It came on a day that eight civilians were killed in bombardment by the regime and Russia across the northwestern province, said the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Idlib and other adjacent territories of Syria held by jihadists have faced intensifying bombardment in the past month. On Sunday air strikes hit a hospital in Kafranbel and another located underground on the outskirts of Hass. The raids were blamed on Russia by the Observatory. An AFP cameraman filmed the two facilities hit by strikes. "The hospital in Kafranbel is out of order. The patients were transferred to other facilities in the region," Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP, adding one civilian was killed. In Hass, air strikes blamed on Russia halted services at an underground hospital, said Syria Relief and Development, a ...
Brother of Algeria's Bouteflika, ex-spy bosses in custody
An Algerian military judge on Sunday remanded the powerful brother of deposed president Abdelaziz Bouteflika and two former intelligence chiefs in custody on charges including "conspiring" against the state, prosecutors said. The arrests of Said Bouteflika, General Mohamed Mediene and Athmane Tartag on Saturday were the highest-profile legal moves against loyalists of the ex-leader since he resigned last month in the face of mass protests and pressure from the army. Military prosecutors in the southern town of Blida said in a statement the men had been placed under provisionary detention Sunday on accusations of "undermining the authority of the army" and "conspiring against the authority of the state". Said Bouteflika, 61, was widely seen as the real power behind the presidency after his brother suffered a debilitating stroke in 2013. Mediene, known as Toufik, headed the all-powerful secret service for 25 years and Tartag served as intelligence coordinator. Over a month after the ...
KCR to meet Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekar Rao will meet his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday. "Rao will meet Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday at 6 pm. In view of the parliament elections, both the CMs will discuss contemporary politics," an official release said. Rao will also visit Rameshwaram and Srirangam temples, and return to Hyderabad, it said. The TRS chief has been proposing a non-BJP, non-Congress federal front at the Centre.
North Macedonia ruling party says presidential candidate 'leading'
North Macedonia's ruling party said it expected its pro-West candidate to beat his nationalist-backed rival in a presidential run-off on Sunday, as official ballot counting was underway. The vote pitted the ruling Social Democrats' pick Stevo Pendarovski against right-wing favoured candidate Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova. "Stevo Pendarovski is leading and we expect him to win," ruling party official Aleksandar Kiracovski said after the polls closed, citing intial results from the party's own polling. Official electoral commission figures showed 44.5 percent of the electorate had voted 30 minutes before polls closed, ending fears that the election could fail to clear a required turnout threshold of 40 per cent. Now all eyes are on who will clinch the lead. The contenders finished in a near dead-heat in the first round last month, reflecting the split over the government's decision to change the country's name to North Macedonia and thus end a long-running row with Greece. While the ...
Pro-govt Libya lawmakers name 'speaker'
Dozens of Libyan lawmakers supporting the internationally recognised government in Tripoli on Sunday elected a "provisional speaker" as they vied with loyalists of commander Khalifa Haftar for control. Libya has been mired in chaos since the 2011 ouster of Moamer Kadhafi, with Haftar backing a rival administration in the east that includes the country's parliament. The military strongman's forces last month launched an offensive to capture the seat of the Government of National Accord in the capital. Forty-two deputies have convened in Tripoli as part of a boycott of the parliament in the east to protest Haftar's assault on Tripoli. Lawmaker Soleiman al-Faqih said the group had elected senior member Sadeq al-Keheli as speaker for a period of 45 days in the hope that other legislators would join their side. Weeks of clashes around Tripoli between Haftar's forces and those supporting the unity government have left some 400 people dead and more than 1,900 wounded, the World Health ...
Bhopal: Shivraj holds 'lalten' march to protest against Kamal Nath govt over shortage of electricity
Former Madhya Pradesh CM and BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday held a 'lantern march' in Bhopal along with other party leaders and supporters.Chouhan held a rally to target the ruling Kamal Nath government and Congress leader Digvijaya Singh over the issue of shortage of electricity in the state. "Ever since Congress has come, electricity has become a major issue. Digvijaya Singh had turned Madhya Pradesh into a state of darkness and that era is coming back. 'Lalten' is the symbol of the era of darkness, that is why we are doing this march to raise awareness among the public," Chouhan said while speaking to ANI.Digvijaya Singh is contesting against BJP candidate Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur from Bhopal Parliamentary constituency in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls.On Saturday, Chouhan had accused Congress of blatantly lying on farm loan waiver in the state stating that both Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath have given contradictory ...
Mueller agrees to testify before House Judiciary Committee on May 15
Representative David N. Cicilline on Sunday said that Special Counsel Robert Mueller will testify before the House Judiciary Committee on May 15."A tentative date has been set for May 15 and we hope the Special Counsel will appear," Cicilline, a Rhode Island Democrat, said on Fox News Sunday."We think the American people have a right to hear directly from him," he added."The White House has so far indicated they would not interfere with Mr. Mueller's attempts to testify," he added.Cicilline said the agreement is still uncertain because "the representative for the Special Counsel has" signed off, but "until the day comes, we never have an absolute guarantee."Democrats have been working to hear directly from Mueller after Attorney General William Barr came under fire for mischaracterising parts of the Mueller investigation into Russia's alleged interference in the 2016 Presidential elections.In late March, Mueller wrote a letter to Barr voicing dissatisfaction that a four-page memo to ..
EC refuses to reschedule polls due to Ramazan, heat wave; all geared up for 5th phase polling on Monday
The Election Commission of India (EC) on Sunday rejected a plea seeking rescheduling of voting time on account of Ramazan, and the heat wave. The 5th phase of Lok Sabha polling will take place on Monday on 51 seats in seven states, for which all preparations are in place."The Commission does not find it feasible to alter the existing hours of the poll for the 5th, 6th and 7th phase of general elections to the Lok Sabha, 2019," the EC said, citing logistical and administrative problems.The Supreme Court on May 2 had asked the Election Commission to decide on a plea seeking re-scheduling of voting time from 7 am to 5 am in the General Election to the Lok Sabha during the month of Ramzan coinciding with the rest of the phases and also due to heat-wave conditions in Rajasthan and other areas.The plea had been filed by Mohammad Nizamuddin Pasha, an advocate.Advocate Meenakshi Arora, appearing for Pasha, had submitted to the bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Rajan Gogoi that ..
Bengal to vote in 5th phase tomorrow, Howrah candidates bat for free and fair polls
Howrah (West Bengal) May 5 (ANI): West Bengal is set to vote under the fifth phase of general elections on Monday.The Howrah Lok Sabha constituency, which is expected to see a crucial electoral battle, will see BJP's Rantidev Sengupta, TMC's Prasun Banerjee, Congress's Suvra Ghosh and CPM's Sumitro Adhikary contesting against each other.The Election Commission (EC) has ordered for deployment of 578 units of central forces, which will be covering 100 per cent polling booths in West Bengal for ensuring free and fair elections.The order was issued following incidents of violence reported in the last four phases of polling in the state.Also, Barrackpore Lok Sabha constituency has been listed as the most sensitive area by the West Bengal Election Commission.Sengupta said, "I went to Sakrail and Panchla for campaigning a few days ago. Villagers, especially women, asked me whether they can vote as per their choice. I am confident of winning."He said that BJP will fight for the cause of free .