Page 738 - Politics
AAP's Punjab MLAs offered crores to defect: Bhagwant Mann
Alleging that AAP legislators were being offered crores of rupees and plum posts by Punjab's ruling Congress to make them defect, state AAP President Bhagwant Mann on Saturday evening said that the matter would be brought to the notice of the Election Commission.
Now 'unemployed' Bengal youth seek poll observer's job
Amid questions raised by Trinamool Congress on appointment of retired officers as special polling observers in West Bengal, some youths on Saturday submitted applications to the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), seeking appointment as election observers or some other posts.
Congress complains EC over 'wrong' BJP symbol in Bengal
The Congress on Saturday complained to the Election Commission that during commissioning of EVMs at West Bengal's Barrackpore parliamentary constituency on Friday, the Bharatiya Janata Party's symbol was different from the one notified with the poll panel.
BJP lodges complaints with EC against Kejriwal
The BJPSaturday lodged complaints with the Election Commission against AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal for "misguiding" voters through FM radio advertisement, and distorting party chief Amit Shah's statement on illegal infiltrators. Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kaoor in a complaint letter to the Election Commission objected the content of the AAP's FM radio advertisement. "In the radio advertisement, the Delhi Chief Minister can be heard provoking people of Delhi that the central government collects thousands of crores rupees in revenue from Delhi but gives back around partly Rs 325 crore to Delhi, he said in his complaint. He requested the EC to review the contents of the AAP advertisement and block it as it was "misleading" for the voters. The central government which maintains Delhi Police spends Rs 7,881 crore annually on it for maintaining law and order in the city and spends around Rs 40,000 crore annually on Delhi Metro, road infrastructure, Yamuna cleaning, hospitals, ...
Congress, AAP create issues, Modi resolves: Manoj Tiwari
Delhi BJP President Manoj Tiwari on Saturday said that while the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are only good at making issues out of problems, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is focussed to providing solutions.
Oppn parties complain to EC against BJP's name under its symbol on EVMs; EC says in use since 2013
Opposition parties on Saturday approached the Election Commission alleging display of party name only under the BJP symbol on EVMs during a mock poll in West Bengal's Barrackpore constituency, but the poll panel said the same insignia has been under use since 2013. A delegation of opposition parties comprising senior Congress leaders Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Ahmed Patel and Trinamool Congress' Dinesh Trivedi and Derek O'Brien met Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora over the issue and demanded that either all such EVMs be removed from the remaining phases of elections or names of other parties be added too. The EVMs display the party symbols, name of the candidates and their photographs. "On EVMs, letters 'BJP' are visible under the party's symbol. No other party's name is there. Either remove all machines which mention BJP clearly or all other parties' name should be added in all such machines. Till then the use of these machines has to be totally stopped in the elections," ...
Cong, BJP name candidates for Chincholi, Kundgol
Congress and BJP tonight named their candidates for the May 19 by elections to Chincholi and Kundgol. Congress has fielded Subhash Rathod from Chincholi and Kusumavathi Shivalli from Kundgol. Rathod and Shivalli will be pitted against BJP candidates Avinash Jadhav and Chikkanagouda Patil. Their candidature was announced by Congress general secretary Mukul Wasnik in a press note Saturday night. Subhash Rathod from Banjara community is close to Congress heavyweight Mallikarjun Kharge, whereas Shivalli is the widow of Kundgol Congress MLA C S Shivalli, whose demise about a month ago warranted the bypoll. Meanwhile, BJP too announced the name of the two candidates from the two constituencies. The BJP has decided to field Dr Umesh Jadhavs son Avinash Jadhav from Chincholi and Chikkanagouda Patil from Kundgol," BJP spokesperson S Prakash told PTI. Jadhav is the son of Congress MLA Dr Umesh Jadhav, who resigned from the assembly and joined BJP to take on Congress heavyweight ...
Bashir's Islamist allies pelted with rocks in Khartoum
Assailants hurled rocks at leading members of Sudan's top Islamist party on Saturday at a meeting in Khartoum, injuring 32 of them, a party official told AFP. The Popular Congress Party (PCP), an ally of ousted president Omar al-Bashir's regime, was holding a session of its shura council when it came under "attack", said Suheir Salah, its deputy undersecretary. "When the participants in the meeting took a break, they came under attack from a group of people who threw rocks at them," she said, without identifying the assailants. "Thirty-two members of the shura council have been injured. Ten cars of our party were also destroyed." Months of demonstrations across Sudan led to Bashir's ouster by the army on April 11. Activists leading the protests are now demonstrating against a military council that took power after Bashir was deposed. On Saturday, Amjad Farid, a spokesman for the Alliance for Freedom and Change, said the attack on the PCP was "an isolated and individual incident". "The
Dikshit exhorts Cong workers to ensure party returns to power at Centre
Delhi Congress president and the party's candidate from North East Delhi in the Lok Sabha polls Sheila Dikshit asked party workers on Saturday to ensure the grand old party's victory in the ongoing election in order to save the country. Campaigning in the North East Delhi constituency, Dikshit exuded confidence that she will defeat her opponents and the Congress will win all the seven Lok Sabha seats in the national capital. "I have not come here to seek votes for myself. I want the party workers to take the message of Congress president Rahul Gandhi to the people and ensure the victory of the party to save the country," the former Delhi chief minister said after inaugurating her election office at Burari. All the good things in the country like good healthcare and education facilities, increased air connectivity and automobiles happened due to the policies and programmes of the previous Congress governments, she said. At Rohtash Nagar, Dikshit asserted that the Congress would win all
Cooperative banks directed to not grant loans to farmers: Javadekar
Union minister Prakash Javadekar Saturday alleged that cooperative banks in Rajasthan have been directed not to grant loans to farmers. He said the cooperative banks have not been compensated for farm loan waiver so they have no money to grant further loans to the farmers. Replying to allegations levelled by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot that the central government has not provided money to the state, he said no letter has so far been written to the Centre by the Congress government seeking funds to compensate the nationalised banks for farm loan waivers. He said many BJP-ruled states have arranged funds on their own for loan waiver. The BJP's Rajasthan election in-charge alleged that all the development projects initiated by former chief minister Vasundhara Raje in the state have been stalled by the Congress government.
Run for votes to prompt voters held in Leh
A run for vote mini-marathon was held on Saturday to prompt voters to exercise their democratic rights in Jammu and Kashmir's Leh district.
Grand alliance is on, though process stumbles at times: Trinamool
Admitting that the rhythm of forming the "grand alliance" of opposition parties against the BJP is lost at times in some places, Trinamool Congress senior leader and West Bengal Minister Partha Chatterjee on Saturday said the process of creating the front is on.
Raghav Chadha files petition in Delhi HC seeking disqualification of Ramesh Bidhuri
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and party candidate from South Delhi Lok Sabha constituency, Raghav Chadha, filed a writ petition in Delhi High Court on Saturday seeking disqualification of BJP candidate Ramesh Bidhuri.Confirming the development, Chadha tweeted, "Have moved Delhi High Court today seeking disqualification of @rameshbidhuri as a candidate. He has concealed FIR pending against him. Concealment of a criminal case is a serious offence and I am sure his nomination will be rejected as soon as Court looks into the matter."The AAP leader alleged that Ramesh Bidhuri has lied to the people and the Election Commission."Only a matter of 30 days I'd say till High Court cancels his candidature. Urge the people of South Delhi Lok Sabha to not waste their vote on a candidate who will be disqualified anyway," Chadha claimed in the tweet.Reacting to the news, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted: "Charges against Ramesh Bidhuri are very serious. He is sure to be disqualified. South
Manoj Tiwari demands EC action against Gopal Rai
Soon after the Election Commission (EC) officials on Saturday caught Delhi Minister and AAP leader Gopal Rai for campaigning near Rajiv Chowk metro station here, the Delhi BJP accused him of violating the model code of conduct and demanded action against him.
Opposition demands fresh polls in Tripura West seat
The CPI-M and the Congress on Saturday threatened to launch an agitation and move the Supreme Court if the Election Commission did not order fresh voting in the Tripura West parliamentary seat, which went to the polls on April 11.
Mohalla clinics no substitute for Ayushman Bharat: Harsh Vardhan
Union Minister and BJP candidate from Chandani Chowk Lok Sabha seat in Delhi Harsh Vardhan on Saturday said Mohalla clinics, part of the favourite healthcare scheme of the Kejriwal government in Delhi, are no susbitute for the Centre's ambitious Ayushman Bharat programme, which the Delhi government has not implemented.
Mumbai LS poll: Fadnavis, Pawar, Chavan address rallies
The campaign for Mumbai's six Lok Sabha seats ended Saturday evening with senior leaders like chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and Maharashtra Congress president Ashok Chavan addressing poll gatherings. While Fadnavis participated in a roadshow for BJP's Mumbai North Central candidate and sitting MP Poonam Mahajan, Pawar and Chavan addressed a public meeting for the Congress' Urmila Matondkar in Mumbai North. Actor-turned-politician Matondkar is pitted against BJP's Gopal Shetty who won the seat in 2014 with a margin of over 4.40 lakh votes. Fadnavis said the BJP-Sena alliance would win all six seats in the metropolis since citizens cutting across regional, caste and religious lines want Narendra Modi to be prime minister again. "If there was a Modi wave in 2014, in 2019 it will be a Modi tsunami," he claimed. Pawar, meanwhile, took a swipe at Modi for his speech at Bandra Kurla Complex on Friday. The NCP chief said Modi tried to please all ...
Nothing for central govt employees in BJP manifesto: Maken
Senior Congress leader Ajay Maken Saturday alleged the BJP has not mentioned anything for central government employees in its manifesto, clearly indicating its "apathy" towards them. According to a statement stated, Maken, who is contesting the parliamentary election from New Delhi, said government employees would teach the BJP a lesson and vote its out. Rejecting the charge, Delhi BJP spokesperson Harish Khurana said several steps have been taken by the BJP government for every section of society, including government employees, and Maken should rather tell the people what the UPA dispensation had done for them. According to the Congress statement, Maken, during his tenure as MP, had met then prime minister Manmohan Singh to demand the appointment of the 7th Pay Commission and it was acceded to. "The central government employees did not even have to protest for their demand of instituting the 7th Pay commission... "Delhi chapter ofAll India Professional Congress (AIPC) would campaign
'Not as much threat from Pak as from those hell-bent on destroying J-K's special status' : Omar
National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah Saturday said Jammu and Kashmir does not face as much threat from Pakistan or the muzzle of the gun as from the forces who were "hell-bent on destroying the special status of the state". Addressing a public meet in Kund valley area of Devsar in Kulgam district of Anantnag parliamentary constituency, in south Kashmir, Abdullah said keeping in view the challenges the state is facing, the people have to make a right choice in the ensuing elections while choosing their representative for the Lok Sabha. "J-K does not face as much threat from neighbouring country or the muzzle of gun as it faces from the forces who are hell-bent on destroying the special status of the state, the NC vice-president said. He said any one holding a public post whether a governor or a chief minister in the state has to take oath on the state constitution, but "anti-state forces" were not able to digest this realism. "This has become a scorn in the eyes of ...
NORTH HIGHLIGHTS 9.45 PM
These are the top stories from the northern region at 9.45 pm LUCKNOW ELX32 UP-CAMPAIGN Lucknow: Feverish campaigning came to an end Saturday evening for the 13 fourth-phase Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh with top leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, making a last-minute pitch for votes. JAIPUR ELX38 RJ-CAMPAIGN Jaipur: Campaigning ended Saturday evening for the 13 Rajasthan seats which go to the polls in the fourth phase with chief minister's son Vaibhav Gehlot, former BJP MLA and now Congressman Manvendra Singh and two Union ministers in the fray. SRINAGAR ELX33 JK-ANANTNAG-CAMPAIGN END Srinagar: The election campaign in Kulgam district, which is part of Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency going to polls in three phases, ended Saturday as nearly 3.45 lakh voters will register their choice of the representative on Monday. KANNAUJ ELN31 UP-2NDLD PM Kannauj/Hardoi/Sitapur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday slammed the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh, saying the ...