Page 658 - Politics
Akhikesh says Grand Alliance to decide new prime minister, calls Modi '180-degree PM'
Describing Narendra Modi as a "180-degree prime minister", Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday said the country is set to have a new PM who could be from the grand alliance his party has forged in UP with Mayawati's BSP and Ajit Singh's RLD. He also dismissed as a "wrong statement" the reported comments made by Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi that her party has fielded candidates to cut BJP's votes to provide benefit to the SP-BSP alliance. He said the Congress leaders are saying so because "they know the alliance is winning and people are with them." Some other Congress leaders have also said that the party has fielded its own candidates in some seats where the grand alliance is strong in such a way that the BJP's vote share gets split. In an interview to PTI during his election campaign, Yadav said, "SP-BSP-RLD alliance is working on the ground and it is the people who are fighting the election for success of the alliance. It will win maximum seats." Yadav said the ...
9 attacks in 5 years: Kejriwal blames BJP
A day after being slapped during a roadshow, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, here on Sunday, blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the attack saying the party was trying to silence voices raised against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and establish dictatorship.
BJP responsible for attack on me, we will not be silenced: Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Sunday alleged that the BJP was responsible for the attack on him during a roadshow and claimed he was targeted because he had been lately questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "relationship" with Pakistan. The AAP supremo, at a press conference held at the party headquarters, said this was not just an attack on him but an assault on the people of Delhi and the mandate they had given. The BJP rubbished the claim as Kejriwal's "propaganda". Kejriwal said, "This is the ninth attack on me and fifth one since I took charge as the chief minister of Delhi. And, for any attack on me in future, BJP will be responsible." "They (BJP) do not want common man to enter politics so we are being targeted. Our only fault is that we have tried to bring development in Delhi, in education, health and other sectors. They are feeling insecure that people in other states, might start asking questions to the party, on such real issues," he said. Kejriwal was slapped .
Modi levelling baseless allegations against Congress leaders: Gehlot
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot Sunday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of defaming Congress leaders by levelling "baseless" allegations against them. He asked does it behove Modi to "insult" former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi who sacrificed his life for unity and integrity of the country. At a rally in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday, Modi targeted the former prime minister while attacking Rahul Gandhi. "Your father was termed Mr Clean by his courtiers, but his life ended as bhrashtachari no 1," Modi had said. Accusing the prime minister of lowering the dignity of his office, Gehlot said, "Using such words reflects his (Modi's) weird mentality and hatred." He alleged that the prime minister was an "expert in speaking lies" and was shying away to talk about "real issues". Claiming that Modi was "jolted" by the corruption allegations in the Rafale deal, he said the Congress will continue to rake up the issue till the prime minister is held accountable. Gehlot said Modi has been ...
Congress bypoll candidate pleaded with us for ticket: Goa BJP
The Congress candidate for the May 19 Panaji bypoll, Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate, had first come to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office pleading for a ticket, days after the by-election was announced, state BJP President Vinay Tendulkar said on Sunday.
Congress daydreaming about forming govt in Goa: BJP
The ruling BJP in Goa Sunday said the opposition Congress was daydreaming about forming the government in the state after May 23, when results of the bypolls to four Assembly seats will be declared along with the Lok Sabha elections. By-election to three Assembly constituencies- Shiroda, Mapusa, Mandrem - and election to two parliamentary seats in the state were held on April 23, while bypoll to Panaji seat will be held on May 19. Atanasio Monserratte, who is Congress' Panaji bypoll candidate, had last week told reporters that his party would form the government in Goa after the results. However, BJP's Goa unit chief Vinay Tendulkar Sunday said the Congress was daydreaming and trying to sell to the people their dream of forming the government in Goa after the poll results. He expressed confidence that the BJP would win all the four bypolls. "The Congress is lying to the people, as after May 23, the BJP, which currently has 14 MLAs, will have its strength increased to ...
PM makes blistering attack on opposition, seeks to divide UP alliance
Armed with new terminology, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a blistering attack on the opposition on Sunday and also sought to drive a wedge among the partners of the "mahagathbandhan" (the SP-BSP-RLD alliance) in Uttar Pradesh. Addressing a poll rally here in eastern Uttar Pradesh, Modi said, "After Independence, there have been four types of governance, parties and political culture -- 'naampanthi', 'vaampanthi', 'daam aur damanpathi' and the fourth one that has been brought by us, the 'vikaspanthi'." He explained that "naampanthi are those who only indulge in chanting the names of the members of a family. Vaampanthi are those who try to foist foreign policies on India. 'Daam' and 'damanpathi' are those who rule using money and muscle power and for the 'vikaspanthi', the priority is the welfare and development of the 130 crore people of the country". Referring to Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar, who has been declared as a global terrorist by the United Nations (UN), .
North Korea denounces South Korea, US joint military exercises
North Korea on Sunday denounced South Korea and the United States joint military exercises, saying it "destroys peace and stability in the Korean peninsula".Uriminzokkiri, state-owned propaganda website, in an article, said, "The US and South Korea's warmongers are continuing to carry out hostile military activities against us under all sorts of pretexts. It is an act of betrayal."US and South Korea had conducted week-long exercises last month involving Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery near Seoul. During the exercises, it had flown a spy plane over areas around Seoul, reported Yonhap News Agency.North Korean condemnation has come a day after it fired an unidentified short-range missile from its east coast town of Wonsan, said the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).However, United States President Donald Trump has reaffirmed his confidence in North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, saying that "he won't break his promise".
Pocket boroughs of Lalu & Paswan, 3 other seats go to polls in
Altogether 82 candidates are in the fray for five Lok Sabha seats in Bihar where polling will be held on Monday in the fifth phase of elections. Of the five seats, Hajipur and Saran are considered pocket boroughs of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) of Ram Vilas Paswan and the RJD of Lalu Prasad respectively. The other three constituencies are Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi and Madhubani. A total of 87.50 lakh voters, including 40.87 lakh women and 225 "third gender", will decide the electoral fate of the candiates. Hajipur, a reserved seat, has for long remained synonymous with Paswan, who had first won it in 1977 riding the anti-Emergency wave and registering a record margin. Now, he has announced his retirement from direct elections while making it clear that he was not bidding adieu to politics. The Union minister is serving his ninth term as the Hajipur MP and although he had won it in 2014 by more than two lakh votes, he had lost the seat by around 40,000 votes five years ...
PM Modi rightly said Rajiv Gandhiji supported the 1984 riots: Prakash Javadekar
Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Sunday justified Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement on former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi by stating that the late PM had supported the killing of Sikhs in the 1984 riots."What Prime Minister Modi said is correct, after the 1984 riots in which Sikhs were massacred had not Rajiv Gandhi supported it? He had said, 'when big trees fall the earth shakes'," Javadekar said at a press conference here.On Saturday, PM Modi while addressing an election rally in Uttar Pradesh 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 Number 1,' Modi had said.Javadekar also accused Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra of abusing PM Modi after he spoke the truth about the former PM."Yesterday as soon as the Prime Minister told the truth about Gandhi family and especially Rajiv Gandhiji, the brother-sister duo started abusing ...
Bhopal: Pragya Thakur resumes poll campaign, blames Congress for EC ban
BJP candidate from Bhopal, Pragya Singh Thakur on Sunday resumed campaigning for ongoing Lok Sabha elections after facing a 72-hour ban from Election Commission of India.ECI had banned her from campaigning for 72 hours for her remarks on Babri Masjid.Thakur blamed Congress for getting the prohibition imposed on her."They got a 72-hour ban imposed on me. There was no reason behind it and it was only because I spoke about patriotism which they did not like. They got afraid and had the ban imposed of 72 hours," said Thakur while campaigning in Bhopal parliamentary constituency.She also lambasted Congress governments of past and said, "Before Uma Bharti's rule there was such a government in the state that there weren't potholes in road but road in potholes. There was no arrangement of water, electricity in their rule. These people who took away employment are now promising jobs"Referring to state assembly polls, Thakur also urged the people for not repeating the mistake that they made ...
Centre responsible for Delhi CM's security, PM should resign: Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday tore into BJP led Central government in the wake of Saturday's assault on him and sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's resignation alleging that Centre was responsible for the security lapse.Kejriwal who was assaulted during a roadshow in Delhi on Saturday said, "This was ninth attack on me in last five years and fifth attack after becoming CM. I don't think in India's history there have been such attacks on any CM. Responsibility of my security is with BJP. Delhi is the only place in the country where the chief minister's security is with the opposition party. Hence the responsibility lay with BJP."Demanding resignation from the Prime Minister, he said, "A Chief Minister was attacked and the Central government says that they didn't receive the complaint, unable to move ahead with further proceedings, the Prime Minister should resign over it. It is not an attack on Arvind Kejriwal, it is an attack on Delhi's mandate.""They (BJP) are not .
It's criminal versus Digvijaya in Bhopal: Baghel
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, here on Sunday, dubbed the election to the Bhopal Lok Sabha seat in Madhya Pradesh as a contest between "a criminal and Digvijaya Singh".
Kim oversees missile firing drills, tells troops to be alert
North Korean state media on Sunday showed leader Kim Jong Un observing live-fire drills of long-range multiple rocket launchers and what appeared to be a new short-range ballistic missile, a day after South Korea expressed concern that the launches were a violation of an inter-Korean agreement to cease all hostile acts. Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency said Kim expressed "great satisfaction" over Saturday's drills and stressed that his front-line troops should keep a "high alert posture" and enhance combat ability to "defend the political sovereignty and economic self-sustenance of the country." The weapons launches were a likely sign of Pyongyang's growing frustration at stalled diplomatic talks with Washington meant to provide coveted sanctions relief in return for nuclear disarmament. They also highlighted the fragility of the detente between the Koreas, which in a military agreement reached last September vowed to completely cease "all hostile acts" against each ...
Modi targets Rahul over association with UK firm
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday targeted Rahul Gandhi for his alleged association with UK firm Backops, saying the Congress president's "scams" were being "unearthed from land, air and water". Referring to Gandhi, Modi while speaking at rally in Madhya Pradesh's Sagar said the "naamdar" gets exposed every time he tries to malign him and the more he is targeted, the more 'lotus' will bloom. The Home Ministry recently served a notice on Gandhi, saying it received a representation from BJP MP Subramanian Swamy, claiming that a company named Backops Limited was registered in the United Kingdom in 2003 with the Congress leader as one of its directors. The Home Ministry said Swamy's letter also mentioned that in the British company's annual returns filed on October 10, 2005 and October 31, 2006, Gandhi's date of birth has been given as June 19, 1970 and had declared his nationality as British. Referring to Gandhi's alleged association with the company, Modi said, "His scams are being ...
Raebareli: BJP misusing govt vehicles for campaigning, accuses Congress
The Congress party on Sunday approached the Election Commission to register a complaint against alleged misuse of government vehicles in the district.Raebareli Congress in-charge KL Sharma said, "A government vehicle was caught in Bachhrawan police station area in which there was publicity material of BJP candidate Rita Bahuguna. The vehicle is now stationed at the police station now but no case has been registered in this regard. We have this doubt that they (BJP) are using ambulances, dial 100 vehicles and police bikes. We have given a written complaint in this regard to the election commission."Cabinet minister in Uttar Pradesh government, Rita Bahuguna Joshi is BJP candidate from Allahabad parliamentary constituency.Sharma also accused the district administration of not taking adequate action against the accused and said, "Whatever violation of the model code is coming to our notice, we are making complaints regarding them to the election commission. However, it is very ...
'Mahamilawati' people have used power to multiply wealth: PM
Firing a fresh salvo at the opposition alliance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday said unlike the BJP, the 'mahamilawati' (grand adulteration) people have treated power as a means to multiply wealth. Addressing an election rally here, Modi said the mahamilawati people, referring to the Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party-Rashtriya Lok Sal alliance, have always indulged in scams and encouraged corruption while for the BJP, power is a medium to serve the people. The prime minister said that when the opposition parties were in power, they "gave the ambulance scam and NRHM scam to the people of Uttar Pradesh". On the other hand, when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) got an opportunity to serve the people, "we gave them welfare schemes like Ayushman Bharat and opened Jan Aushadhi stores". Modi also accused the opposition parties of discriminating in the supply of electricity on the basis of religion, while the ruling BJP has made all efforts to provide 24-hour power supply to the people
When you are sick, you need 'khichdi': Tharoor on BJP's 'khichdi govt' jibe
When you are sick, you need 'khichdi', says senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders repeated 'khichdi government' barb at the opposition. The country will "resoundingly cure" the nation's "political sickness" by showing the door to the BJP, the author-politician said, referencing the 'khichdi', a dal-rice-vegetable mix viewed as a recipe to counter all kinds of ailments that has become an oft-used metaphor in political discourse. In an interview to PTI, he said there will be a new coalition government at the Centre with the Congress as its fulcrum come May 23 when the Lok Sabha poll results will be out. On Modi's 'mahamilawat' (adulterated) jibe, Tharoor said the BJP has resorted to similar messaging every time it is pushed to the back foot, whether it is speaking of a "tukde-tukde gang", labelling people "anti-national" or asking those who don't agree with their worldview to go to Pakistan. "Narendra Modi and his party ..
Rahul Gandhi is not 'pappu', says Sam Pitroda
Indian Overseas Congress (IOC) chief Sam Pitroda on Sunday said that Congress president Rahul Gandhi is not a "pappu", asserting that he is "highly educated" and India needs young leadership."I have spent a fair amount of time with Rahul to talk about how we will take the country forward. I have great confidence in him contrary to what BJP has been saying about him for the last ten years. He is not a 'pappu'. He is a highly educated, intelligent young man. India needs young leaders," Pitroda said at a press conference here."India needs modern mind, it needs mind which is induced with technology, not jumlas (false promises). The country needs a man with character; it needs a leader who feels for the people and who believes in democracy and talks about we, not me. I can assure Rahul brings a lot of good qualities," he said.Since 2014, trolls on social media have often referred to Rahul Gandhi as a "pappu" (greenhorn).Pitroda said, "I had a chance to work with his grandmother (Indira ...
BJP 'misleading' people over Rahul's citizenship issue: TNCC
The Congress in Tamil Nadu Sunday alleged the BJP was trying to mislead people by raising the citizenship issue of its party president Rahul Gandhi, as it anticipated defeat in the Lok Sabha elecitons. Talking to reporters at the airport here, TNCC president K S Azhagiri said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was changing his political stance, sensing fear and unnecessarily raising the issue about Rahul Gandhi and his citizenship. The saffron party has nothing to highlight as achievements of the NDA government in the last five years and was forced to seek votes in the name of jawans, who died in the Pulwama attack, and the surgical strike, he said. The TNCC chief exuded confidence that the Congress would win substantial number of seats and form the government at the Centre. Joining issue with BJP Tamil Nadu president Tamilisai Soundararajan over her reported remarks that no Congressman visited the state during Thane cyclone, Azhagiri reminded her that the then union minister .