Page 671 - Politics
Bypolls: Premalatha to begin campaign on May 13
DMDK treasurer Premalatha Vijayakanth would begin on May 13, a four-day campaign to garner support for the ruling AIADMK candidates in bypolls to four Assembly constituencies in the state, the party said Saturday. The campaign to seek votes for the ruling AIADMK candidates would cover all the four Assembly segments of Ottapidaram (Reserved), Aravakkurichi, Tirupparankundram and Sulur, a DMDK headquarters release said. While the DMDK top leader would canvass support for ally AIADMK between 13 and 16 May, Chief Minister K Palaniswami, his deputy O Panneerselvam, Ministers and DMK chief M K Stalin have already hit the campaign trail. Bypolls to the four Assembly seats would be held on May 19 and counting of votes on May 23, when ballots cast for 18 other Assembly constituencies and 38 Lok Sabha segments would be taken up for counting.
New equations on old turfs in Bihar's fifth phase
It is new equations that are playing out on old turfs in Bihar, including the battles in the family strongholds of the Paswans and Yadavs in the 5th phase of polling on May 6.
'Bua-babua' partnership will end on May 23: Adityanath
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday targeted the Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party alliance, saying that the 'bua-babua' partnership will last only till May 23 when the vote count will happen.
PM Modi Chowkidar only of Ambani and Choksi, failed farmers and youth: Rahul Gandhi
Launching a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday accused him of being a 'Chowkidar' only for a few businessmen while ignoring the welfare of farmers and youths.Addressing a poll rally in Sultanpur parliamentary constituency, Rahul Gandhi lambasted the Prime Minister and said, "The whole country has understood this now that this 56-inch-chest man or chowkidar has done chowkidari of only Ambani, Mehul Choksi and Nirav Modi and not of farmers or youth. This chowkidar has no strength and he couldn't stand in front of Choksi and Vijay Mallya and sold off complete country".He also said that the ongoing Lok Sabha elections are a fight between NYAY and injustice and said, "I had asked Prime Minister four questions in Lok Sabha but he couldn't answer. He gave a speech of one and half hours in the Parliament but was very comfortable while making that address.""There have been many promises made by him one after the other but during these ..
'Vote cutter' Congress faces extinction, BJP hits back at Rahul Gandhi
Hours after Congress president Rahul Gandhi claimed that the Modi government will crumble soon, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday hit back at the party saying it is "desperate" and staring at its extinction."Comments made at the press conference (by Gandhi) are only an attempt to show a false bravado at a time when the Congress Party is facing extinction. The Congress is literally on the death bed and is fighting for its existence in this election," BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao told a press conference here."We see complete desperation because Congress is seeing not only its fortunes crumbling all over India but they also see their so-called bastion Amethi crumbling in the elections," he said.Earlier in the day, Gandhi, at a press conference, said: "Five years ago, it was said that Modi ji is invincible and it will rule for 10-15 years. The Congress has demolished Narendra Modi ji, it is a hollow structure and in 10- 20 days, it will come crumbling down. We have done .
Congress-SP betraying Mayawati: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the Congress and Samajwadi Party were playing games with Mayawatis confidence.
Manoj Tiwari 'dances very well': Arvind Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Friday stirred a controversy by making a remark against Delhi BJP chief and North East Delhi Lok Sabha candidate Manoj Tiwari, saying the latter "dances very well".While campaigning for his party candidate Dilip Pandey in the constituency, Kejriwal said, "Manoj Tiwari dances very well. Pandy ji does not know how to dance, but he knows how to work. This time, vote for who works. Do not vote for the person who dances."Irked over Kejriwal's remark, the Delhi BJP chief on Saturday said people belonging to Purvanchal (eastern region) will teach him a lesson in the May 12 elections."By abusing me, he has directly insulted the people of 'Purvanchal' and the same people will now show him what are the consequences of it," Tiwari, the singer-actor-turned-leader said.Tiwari is seeking re-election from the parliamentary seat. Former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit is up against him as a Congress candidate. The elections for .
Samajwadi Party has betrayed Mayawati: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the Samajwadi Party (SP) has betrayed Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati.
Prakash Raj to campaign for AAP in Delhi, says people should come together to 'reclaim the republic'
People need to come together to "reclaim the republic" of the country which is on the verge of losing with the onslaught of communal and hatred politics, actor-politician Prakash Raj said Saturday as he announced plans to campaign for the Aam Aadmi Party. Raj, who fought the Lok Sabha polls as an independent candidate from the Bengaluru Central seat, said he will campaign for the AAP in Delhi for a week. "The Aam Aadmi Party is fighting the elections on the issues of health, education, their vision and based on their work," he said. "This is what we need, this is my gesture, and my belief, that different people with different thought processes but love for the country come together to make this democracy, to reclaim our republic which is on the verge and that we may lose with the onslaught of communal and hatred politics of the government, which is in place," Raj said. Addressing media along with the AAP Delhi convenor Gopal Rai at the party headquarters, Raj said he is is one of ...
I-T dept continues raid at 70 premises of 'lottery king' Martin Santiago
A team of Income Tax (I-T) department officers on Saturday continued their raid at premises of 'Lottery King' Martin Santiago.I-T department had initiated searches at 70 premises of Santiago on April 30 and has by far found unaccounted money trail of Rs 595 crores.Raids were conducted at various places in Coimbatore, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai and Delhi.More details are awaited.
If opposition wins, there will be different PM every day: Shah
BJP president Amit Shah said Saturday that if an alliance of opposition parties came to power, there will be a different prime minister every day. The Opposition is leaderless, Shah said, addressing an election rally at Govindgarh in Rewa district, Madhya Pradesh. "Friends, tell me who will be the leader of the alliance....I am asking who will be their leader, but there is no reply," he said. Quoting a WhatsApp message sent by a BJP worker, he said, "...if an alliance government is formed at the Center, on Monday, Mayawati will be PM, Tuesday Akhilesh (Yadav), Wednesday Sharad Pawar, Thursday (H D) Devegowda, Friday Chandra Babu (Naidu), Saturday Mamata Didi (Mamata Banerjee) and on Sunday the country will go on holiday!" "Can a country be run like this? The country needs a strong leader and a strong government at the Center. Congress government will not help the poor. It will not fight terrorism and give a befitting reply to Pakistan. Only Prime Minister Narendra Modi ..
Dissent in EC shows fear of Modi-Shah finally weakening: Chidambaram
The dissenting view given by one of the two election commissioners in the clean chit given to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over two of his campaign speeches in Maharashtra means that "the fear of Modi-Shah" is finally weakening, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said on Saturday. One of the election commissioners, according to sources, gave a dissenting view in the Election Commission's (EC) decision to give a clean chit to Modi as regards his speech at Wardha on April 1, where he attacked Congress chief Rahul Gandhi for contesting from the minority-dominated Wayanad seat in Kerala, and his appeal to first-time voters by invoking the Balakot airstrike and the CRPF jawans killed in the Pulwama terror attack in Latur on April 9. "With one member of the EC finding fault with Modi-Shah speeches and dissenting from the other two, the Election Commission is finally showing some signs of life!," Chidambaram said in a series of tweets. "Closer to May 6, 12 and 19, the Election Commission ..
RSS should merge with BJP, instead of giving it 'backhand' support: Gehlot
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday said that RSS should merge with BJP and enter into active politics, instead of giving its "backhand" support to the saffron party, as "behind the curtain" politics is not good for the country."When Mahatma Gandhi ji was assassinated, RSS wrote to Sardar Patel ji that we will not have any connection with politics as soon as it was banned. But 70 years later, they (RSS) are taking part in every election and supporting BJP. RSS is giving backhand support to BJP. Why are you indulging in hidden politics?" Gehlot told ANI in an interview."They (RSS) work for the BJP and should be merged into that party. They are indulging in politics and enjoying its benefits while staying behind the scenes. Why don't they declare themselves as a political party? They should do so. Such behind the curtain politics is not good for the country," he added.Alleging that RSS had a say from appointments of governor to ministers, the Congress leader said that ...
60 Trinamool MLAs in touch with me: Arjun Singh
BJP candidate from West Bengal's Barrackpore parliamentary constituency Arjun Singh has said that close to 60 lawmakers from the state's ruling Trinamool Congress are in touch with him and may defect to the saffron outfit once the results of the Lok Sabha elections are announced on May 23.
BJP 'imported' Hans as it thinks no one in North West Delhi is 'eligible' to contest polls: Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal Saturday said the BJP has "imported" singer Hans Raj Hans from Punjab as it thought that no backward class member from North West Delhi is "eligible" to contest the Lok Sabha polls. Addressing his supporters during a roadshow in Bawana, he asked if the people will go to Punjab for redressal of their problems. "By importing the singer Hans Raj Hans from Punjab, the BJP is telling the people of North West Delhi that no backward class member is eligible to contest the elections from this area." Kejriwal said. The Aam Aadmi Party has fielded Gugan Singh from North West Delhi, the Lok Sabha seat reserved for Scheduled Castes. The Congress' candidate from the seat is Rajesh Lilothia. "He (Gugan Singh) is fighting for the people of North West Delhi. Elect him to make him stronger," Kejriwal told the people as his caravan passed through the sea of supporters in Bawana. This was Kejriwal's fourth roadshow in the national capital. On ...
Gaza hits back after Israeli forces kill 4 Palestinians
Escalating the tensions in the region, Gaza on Saturday launched rockets towards Israel after the latter's forces killed four Palestinians in southern Gaza Strip on Friday, reported Al Jazeera.Reportedly, Israeli defence forces are intercepting rockets through its Iron Dome missile.According to Gaza health ministry, while two civilians were killed in the firing by Israeli forces, two others died in air strikes. Besides this, 51 others have suffered bullet injuries.Israeli forces struck the Gaza strip after two of its soldiers got injured while battling with Palestinian protestors.Meanwhile, Israel Defence Forces spokesperson said, "Some roads and sites along the Gaza border, including the Zikim beach, would be closed off after Friday's incident, which comes as Hamas and Islamic Jihad officials are in Egypt in an attempt to bring about calm in the border."Military activities have increased at the Israel-Gaza border in the past few days as nearly 5,000 Palestinians hit the streets for a
EC completely biased on matters related to opposition: Rahul
In a scathing criticism of the Election Commission (EC), Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said when it comes to matters related to the opposition, the poll watchdog is "completely biased". His remarks come in the wake of clean chits given by the EC to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah on various complaints of Model Code of Conduct violations. Asked about questions being raised over the EC's impartiality, Gandhi, at a press conference here, said, "When it comes to issues of the BJP, the EC is absolutely on the straight line, when it comes to the opposition's issues, it is completely biased." The working style of Modi, the ruling BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is to put pressure on institutions, he alleged. "This is evident everywhere -- SC, EC, Planning Commission, RBI. That is their approach. We do not expect that the EC will not be affected by that pressure," Gandhi said. However, he asserted that the EC has to ...
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accuses BJP of sending bribes to village headmen in Amethi
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday accused Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of sending bribes of Rs 20,000 to village headmen of Amethi parliamentary constituency.Addressing a public gathering Priyanka levied these strong acquisitions against her political rivals and said: "Wrong kind of campaign is happening here as money is being distributed. I am sending our election manifesto to village headman but BJP is sending letters with Rs 20,000 in the envelope. They are thinking that Amethi headmen will sell themselves for Rs 20,000. They think that generations of love, generations of development can be purchased in Rs 20,000."Priyanka, who is also Congress's general secretary in-charge for Uttar Pradesh East, said the BJP government is halting development work in Amethi."BJP government has been there in the country for five years. People voted in large number to bring their government in power in the state and Centre. Now there is BJP government in State and Centre and the ...
Fate of 2 ex-CMs to be decided in Jharkhand phase II
The fate of two former Chief Ministers and a central Minister will be decided in Jharkhand's second phase of polling in the Lok Sabha elections slated for May 6, as campaigning ends on Saturday evening.
VK Singh mocks Congress for claiming 6 surgical strikes, says party has a habit of lying
Union Minister V K Singh, a former army chief, on Saturday denied knowledge of a surgical strike during his tenure and accused the rival Congress of lying about it.Taking to Twitter, he said, "Congress has a habit of lying. Will you please let me know which 'So-called Surgical Strike' are you attributing to my tenure as COAS (chief of army staff). Am sure you must have hired some Coupta to invent another story."The statement from the Union Minister came days after Congress leader Rajiv Shukla told reporters at the AICC briefing that six surgical strikes were conducted during Manmohan Singh government.Shukla had further stated that two surgical strikes were carried out when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister--one on January 21, 2000, in Nadala Enclave across the Neelam River and second on September 18, 2003, in Baroh Sector in Poonch.Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Friday mocked the Congress party for its claim of having conducted surgical strikes during the UPA regime ..