Page 668 - Politics
'Assisting expansion of Iran's nuclear power plant may invite US sanctions'
The United States on Friday (local time) warned that assisting Iran in expanding its Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant could invite sanctions, according to the US State Department Spokesperson.The latest announcement is part of United States' "unprecedented maximum pressure campaign" on Iran, as per an official press release. Washington also targetted Iran's enriched uranium exports through its statement on May 3."Starting May 4, assistance to expand Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant beyond the existing reactor unit could be sanctionable. In addition, activities to transfer enriched uranium out of Iran in exchange for natural uranium could be sanctionable," Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said in the statement."Iran must stop all proliferation-sensitive activities, including uranium enrichment, and we will not accept actions that support the continuation of such enrichment. We will also no longer permit the storage for Iran of heavy water it has produced in excess of current limits;
Electioneering ends for last round of polling in Rajasthan
Electioneering ended Saturday evening in 12 Rajasthan constituencies, which saw hectic campaigning by the BJP and the Congress over the past week. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah and Congress president Rahul Gandhi were among the leaders who addressed public meetings ahead of the final round of voting in the state on Monday. Polling will take place in Ganganagar, Bikaner, Churu, Jhunjhunu, Sikar, Jaipur rural, Jaipur, Alwar, Bharatpur, Karauli-Dholpur, Dausa and Nagaur Lok Sabha constituencies on May 6, the fifth phase of voting nationwide. Union ministers Rajyavardhan Rathore (Jaipur rural) and Arjun Ram Meghwal (Bikaner), Congress MLA and Olympian Krishna Poonia (Jaipur rural), Bhanwar Jitendra Singh (Alwar) are some of the contestants in this last phase of polling in the state. As many as 134 candidates, including 12 from the Congress and 11 from the Bharatiya Janata Party, are in the fray. Just 16 candidates are women. Polling was held on April 29 in the ...
Delhi CM Kejriwal slapped during poll campaigning
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday was slapped by an unidentified man in Moti Nagar in west Delhi while campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections.The chief minister had stepped on to an open jeep and shook hands with supporters and waved at the gathering when a man wearing a reddish maroon shirt climbed on to the vehicle and landed a slap on his face.AAP supporters immediately pulled him down and thrashed him.This is not the first time that the Aam Aadmi Party convener was assaulted.Kejriwal was also slapped while campaigning for Delhi assembly elections in 2015 and again during the same year when an autorickshaw driver slapped him during a roadshow in Delhi.He was targetted with ink during a press conference earlier..
Campaigning ends for 5th phase of LS polls
Campaigning came to an end on Saturday in 51 constituencies spread over seven states which will go to the polls on Monday in the fifth phase of the mega seven-phase electoral exercise.
BJP will try to 'destabilise' Karnataka govt if it replicates 2014 LS feat: Minister
Karnataka Forest Minister Satish Jarkiholi Saturday alleged the BJP would try to destabilise the Congress-JDS coalition government in the state if it repeats its 2014 Lok Sabha polls performance. Noting that everything will depend on the performance of the BJP, he said it might indulge in "Operation Kamala" if the performance is better than last time. "...let's wait for the results on May 23, after that we will get to know who is where, who will hold what position...Every thing is dependent on what will happen at the Centre," Jarkiholi said. Speaking to reporters in Belagavi, he said, "If they (BJP) get more seats, they will try (to dislodge the government)... If they get similar to 2014, they will try. As of now it looks like they will get less, in such a case they will not indulge in Operation Kamala." "Operation Kamala" (Operation Lotus) refers to the successful attempt of the BJP to engineer the defection of opposition legislators to ensure the stability of the B S Yeddyurappa ...
Campaign ends for 14 seats in UP, clash of titans on cards
Electioneering ended Saturday evening in the 14 Uttar Pradesh Lok Sabha constituencies figuring in the fifth phase of polling that will see a clash of titans including Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi. The BJP had bagged 12 of these seats in 2014 with the Congress winning Sonia Gandhi's Rae Bareli and Rahul Gandhi's Amethi -- the only two constituencies where the Congress succeeded out of the 80 in the entire state. The other seats are Dhaurahra, Sitapur, Mohanlalganj (SC), Lucknow, Banda, Fatehpur, Kaushambi (SC), Barabanki (SC), Faizabad, Bahraich (SC), Kaiserganj and Gonda. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is seeking re-election from Lucknow, while his colleague at the Centre Smriti Irani is again taking on Rahul Gandhi in Amethi. The Bahujan Samaj Party is contesting on five seats - Dhaurahra, Sitapur, Mohanlalganj, Fatehpur and Kaisarganj. Its ally Samajwadi Party is fighting for seven seats -- ...
Modi tom-toms UN action against Azhar to seek vote
Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Saturday said India achieved an unprecedented success in its fight against terror and got Masood Azhar designated as an "international terrorist" by the UN security Council.
Children's photo with poll slogans costs Kirron Kher
Posting a picture of children on Twitter with slogans "Vote for Kirron Kher" and "Ab ki baar Modi sarkar" has led to trouble for the actor-turned-politician, who is seeking re-election from here.
Appalled to see Cong speaking the language of Pakistan: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday tore into the Congress for promising in its manifesto the withdrawal of special powers given to armed forces involved in security operations in Jammu and Kashmir and doing away with the sedition law. Addressing an election meeting in this remote parliamentary constituency situated on the Indo-Nepal border, Modi said he was appalled to see the Congress speaking the same language as Pakistan despite being the party which has been in power for long and urged the people to give a befitting reply to the opposition parties in the elections. First, the Mahamilavatis (the grand alliance of opposition parties) began with abusing Modi. When they saw it was not paying electoral dividends, they trained their guns at the EVMs. After four phases of polls, they have become frustrated and started attacking the Election Commission. They are behaving like a batsman who blames the umpire after being clean bowled, like a student who comes up with ...
Centre would be responsible if anything bad happens to Yasin Malik: Former MLA
Former legislator from Langate constituency in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district Sheikh Abdul Rashid Saturday said the Centre would be responsible if anything bad happens to JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik who is in Tihar Jail. "Malik is not a criminal. He is a leader, a soldier of the people who respect him. Whether we like his ideology or not, we warn New Delhi not to play with fire... If anything bad happens to Malik, the responsibility will be on the Government of India," Rashid told reporters here. A Delhi court last week sent Malik to judicial custody till May 24. He was arrested in a case related to alleged funding of separatists and militant groups in Jammu and Kashmir. Rashid, who heads the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), said the low poll percentage in parliamentary polls should make New Delhi understand that the separatist leadership "has its routes deep in masses and their voice cannot be muzzled by force". "Be it banning Jamaat-e-Islami or JKLF, nothing will change on ...
BJP's manifesto a cut and paste job of old documents: P Chidambaram
Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday hit out at BJP calling its manifesto for the ensuing Lok Sabha polls -- 'a cut and paste job of old documents'. "Who is discussing BJP Manifesto? I have not seen or heard anyone talking about BJP's manifesto. It is a "cut and paste job" of old documents, he said addressing a press conference here. "The only manifesto which is being discussed across the country is Congress manifesto. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not discuss his party's manifesto. I have not seen any BJP minister who speaks about its manifesto. They are only speaking against the Congress manifesto. The only manifesto, which is before the people, is the Congress manifesto," he said. Claiming that the Congress and its declared allies are ahead of BJP and their declared allies in the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections, the Congress leader said"The government will not let NSSO publish the data. Where are the jobs? We have learnt 4 lakh government posts are lying ...
Rouhani vows to defeat US through 'unity, resistance'
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday said that Tehran will "defeat" Washington through unity of the nation following the end of the 180-day US waivers for major importers of Iran's oil, announced by the White House, which aggravates the impact of tough measures against the Middle Eastern nation.
All-weather railway line, biggest solar energy park in pipeline for Ladakh: Defence minister
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Saturday lambasted the Congress for allegedly neglecting Ladakh over the past six decades and said various initiatives like railway line and biggest solar park are in the pipeline for the region for its overall development. She assured all the pending defence issues, including rent for the land which is under the army's use, would be resolved as she listed out various steps taken by the Prime Minister Narendra Mod-led government for the region. The Ladakh region usually remains cut-off from the rest of the country for nearly six months annually due to closure of the 434-km long Srinagar-Leh national highway during winter. "I am not making any promises because it is a violation of the model code of conduct in view of the ongoing Lok Sabha polls. I am speaking about the initiatives taken by the Modi government for the welfare of the people of the Ladakh region," she said addressing an election rally in support of party candidate Jamyang Tsering ...
Will perform better this time, turncoats will repent: AAP's Bhagwant Mann
AAP's Punjab chief and Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann Saturday rejected the claims that there was no AAP wave this time and said the party would perform better than the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. He said those who left the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) would repent their decision on May 23 when the election results would be out. His remarks came a few days after Mansa MLA Nazar Singh Manshahia joined the Congress. About his chances of re-election from Sangrur, Mann said he was confident of winning by a huge margin this time. Addressing people at a village in Lehra, he reminded them of his efforts in securing the return of Punjabi youths stuck in foreign countries and issues raised by him in Parliament. "Everyday, parents approached me for securing the return of their children stuck abroad. I helped them in securing their return," said Mann, drawing applause from the voters. Mann asked them to press the EVM button against the symbol of "jhadoo" to keep the Congress and the SAD-BJP away from power. He ...
Amethi in focus of election activity as campaign ends
Amethi, on Saturday, was the focus of election activity in Uttar Pradesh. With barely a few hours left for polling in the constituency, leaders of both the Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress were seen campaigning here fiercely.
RSS devises strategy for higher, pro-BJP turnout in Rajasthan
With its 3,500 to 4,000 shakhas across Rajasthan, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is trying to play an active role in the state during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
Lavrov to meet Venezuelan counterpart
Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov will meet his Venezuelan counterpart Jorge Arreaza for talks on Sunday.
Amethi is focus of election activity as campaign ends
Amethi, on Saturday, was the focus of election activity in Uttar Pradesh. With barely a few hours left for polling in the constituency, leaders of both the Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress were seen campaigning here fiercely.
PM Modi to address two rallies in MP on Sunday
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address two public rallies on Sunday in Madhya Pradesh. In a statement, the BJP said the PM's first rally would be in Sagar at around 1:30pm and the second one will be at Gwalior at 4:30pm. The BJP has fielded Rajbahadur Singh from Sagar while the Congress is banking on former minister Prabhu Singh Thakur to win the seat. From Gwalior parliamentary seat, the BJP has fielded city mayor Vivek Shejwalkar against Ashok Singh of the Congress. Both seats will go to polls on May 12.
Lucknow will be 'cakewalk' for Rajnath: BJP
Winning this Lok Sabha seat, which the BJP has held since 1991, will be a "cakewalk" for Union minister Rajnath Singh, Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma claimed, even as SP's Poonam Sinha seeks to give a tough fight to the saffron party. The seat was won by late prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee five consecutive times between 1991 and 2004, and Sharma believes that Singh will win as he has carried forward the BJP stalwart's "vision for development". Lucknow is one of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in the politically crucial state of Uttar Pradesh and will go to polls on Monday, the fifth phase of the general elections. While the SP-BSP-RLD alliance's Poonam Sinha, who is backed by her actor husband and former BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha, is making her political debut, the Congress has fielded self-styled spiritual guru Pramod Krishnam, who had unsuccessfully contested Sambhal in 2014 and got just 1.52 per cent of the votes. Krishnam is seeking votes invoking Vajpayee's legacy and has ...