Page 744 - Politics

Putin raises possibility of meeting Ukraine leader

Russian President Vladimir Putin has raised the possibility of meeting Ukraine's president-elect in a sign Moscow might want to improve relations that soured after its 2014 annexation of Crimea. Putin said Saturday if they meet, he and Volodymyr Zelenskiy should discuss how to end Ukraine's conflict with Russian-backed separatists in its southeast. The Russian leader was in Beijing for a forum on China's Belt and Road infrastructure-building initiative. Putin told reporters, "If we have a meeting sometime, begin some negotiations, which I do not rule out, then we will first of all have to talk about how to end the conflict in the southeast of Ukraine.

Amarinder concerned over Canada's support to separatists

Expressing concern over the Canadian government's "covert and overt" support to the hardliners operating from its soil to create disturbances in India, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday urged the Central government to ask the global community to join India in cracking down on this grave threat to its peace and security.

SP-BSP-RLD alliance of opportunists: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday termed the SP-BSP-RLD alliance as an "alliance of opportunists".

Amit Shah slams Shatrughan Sinha over Jinnah remark

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah on Saturday slammed actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha for praising Pakistan founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah, days after quitting the saffron party and joining the Congress.

Rahul suggested that Sujay contest from NCP,claims Vikhe Patil

Amidst a raging controversy over the contest for Ahmednagar Lok Sabha seat in Maharashtra, senior Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil Saturday disclosed that party chief Rahul Gandhi had suggested that his son Sujay could fight on NCP ticket. He also said that accepting Gandhi's suggestion would have been like committing a "political suicide" for him. After the Sharad Pawar-led NCP refused to leave the seat for Sujay Vikhe Patil, the latter joined the BJP and contested as the saffron nominee. The development prompted the Vikhe Patil senior to quit his position as the Leader of Opposition in the state Legislative Assembly. Vikhe Patil also said that he had requested Pawar for exchanging the Ahmednagar seat with either Shirdi or any other constituency, but the NCP chief remained adamant. Ahmednagar voted during the third phase on April 23. "I worked hard as Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly and did every bit to expose the BJP-led government. But when I ...

'MNS working as third party for Congress, Raj Thackeray speaking half truth about PM'

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ashish Shelar on Saturday said Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) is working as a "third party" for Congress to criticise the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.Thackeray, whose party is not contesting in the Lok Sabha elections, has reportedly been addressing rallies across Maharashtra against the BJP and its ally Shiv Sena. He has even criticised Prime Minister Modi by showcasing video clips of his speeches and interviews."BJP won't step back from criticism. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier said that we welcome criticism, but since last 20 days, the kind of publicity MNS and Raj Thackeray are doing, it is not based on complete truth," Shelar told ANI here."Secondly, the place from which they are picking up these videos, it's not like they are taken from any verified account of BJP or through an RTI. Lifting such things from uncertified accounts and putting allegations on the Prime Minister on the basis of that is ...

Mehbooba accuses Congress, NC of weakening Art 370

Former Chief Minister and President of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday accused the Congress and the National Conference (NC) of weakening article 370 that gives special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

N Korea calls for strengthened ties with S Korea despite US pressure

Marking the first anniversary of the Panmunjom summit, North Korea on Saturday appealed to South Korea to strengthen inter-Korean ties while ignoring pressure from the United States.The statement was part of a special message by the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Country (CPRC), which is a North Korean organisation aimed at promoting Korean reunification, according to Yonhap News Agency.The organisation added that Washington is "plainly putting pressure on South Korea while demanding that inter-Korean ties do not outpace the US' relations with North Korea." It further claimed that Washington is attempting to force inter-Korean relations "to be subordinate to its policy of sanctions.""A grave security condition is being created that may return to the past when a catastrophe was looming amid the thickening danger of war," the committee said.In order to realize the sustainable development of inter-Korean ties and peaceful reunification, the CPRC appealed to Seoul to ...

Case against Gambhir for rallying without permission

Following the directives of the Election Commission (EC), the Delhi Police on Saturday registered a case against cricketer-turned-politician Gautam Gambhir for holding an election rally without taking permission, a police officer said on Saturday.

Putin says US jailing of Russian agent Maria Butina 'arbitrary'

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday slammed the jailing of agent Maria Butina in the United States as "arbitrary", adding that he did not understand why she had been incarcerated. "There is nothing we could accuse her of, but to make this case not look completely ridiculous, she was sentenced to 18 months in prison," he told journalists on the sidelines of a summit in Beijing. Butina pleaded guilty in a Washington court on Friday to one count of conspiracy to act as an agent of a foreign government without registering. "It is in fact arbitrary," Putin said. "We don't understand why she was sentenced." It made her the only Russian arrested and convicted in the three-year investigation of Moscow's interference in US politics. The leader of a small Russian gun rights group, the 30-year-old used her ties to the National Rifle Association to build a network of powerful Republican contacts. US prosecutors said she was sending back reports to a high-level Russian government ...

Amit Shah slams Omar Abdullah over his 'separate PM for J&K'

Slamming National Conference leader Omar Abdullah for his statement seeking a separate prime minister for Jammu and Kashmir, BJP president Amit Shah Saturday said J&K is an inseparable part of the country. As long as the BJP exists, Jammu and Kashmir will continue to be an integral part of India, the BJP president said while addressing an election rally here. "Kashmir is Maa Bharats 'Mukut' (crown of India) and nobody can snatch it," he said. The BJP president also said, "We will remove Article 370 from J&K, if you make Narendra Modi the prime minister again." Article 370 of the Constitution grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Shah's question, "Should there be two prime ministers for one country?", evoked a deafening 'no' from the crowd. The BJP has given the nation Modi as prime minister and the security of the country has been strengthened ever since, he said. During the UPA government's 10-year rule, terror groups from Pakistan used to target India ...

Russia won't immediately raise oil output after Iran waivers end

Russia will not immediately raise oil output after the United States ends sanctions waivers for buyers of Iranian crude in May, President Vladimir Putin said Saturday. The United States announced this week that, in a bid to reduce Iran's oil exports to zero, it would from May 2 end US waivers that countries such as India, China, South Korea and Turkey currently have on buying Iranian crude. "We have an agreement with OPEC to maintain production at a certain level and this agreement is in force until July," Putin told reporters on the sidelines of a summit in Beijing. "I can't imagine how the world energy market will react" after the waivers end in May, Putin said. But, he added, "none of our partners, including Saudi Arabia, is withdrawing from our agreements within OPEC." Saudi Arabia, the world's top crude exporter, has also said it had no immediate plans to raise oil output after the sanctions waivers end. There had been speculation that Riyadh could step in to plug the gap left by

BJD alleges distribution of cash among voters by Baijayant Panda's aides

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Saturday wrote a letter to Odisha's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Surendra Kumar, alleging "distribution of cash among voters" by four associates of Baijayant Panda, BJP's Lok Sabha candidate from Kendrapada."This is an extremely serious matter and requires the highest level of urgency and action. With two days remaining for the polling to commence in Kendrapada Lok Sabha constituency, four associates of BJP MP candidate for Kendrapada, Baijayant Panda, have been found distributing cash to the voters in Kendrapada and desecrating the electoral sanctity of the election," the letter alleged.The BJD demanded the state CEO and Election Commission to take "strict and immediate" steps such as placing their mobile phones on strict surveillance, placing the four associates under video surveillance and their removal from Kendrapara Lok Sabha seat."We demand that strict and immediate steps are taken in this regard or BJP MP candidate for Kendrapada Baijayant Panda .

Modi slams BSP over alliance with Samajwadi Party

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday took a pot shot at Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) over its alliance with the Samajwadi Party, saying it has forgotten the insult to Dalit icon Babasaheb Ambedkar by the Akhilesh Yadav-led party.

Odisha CEO recommends re-polling in 12 booths

The State Election Commission in Odisha has recommended re-polling in 12 booths including booth number 62 of Brahmagiri assembly constituency.In a letter written to the Election Commission of India (ECI), the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Odisha Surendra Kumar said, "We admit that an EVM control unit of Booth number 62 of Brahmagiri assembly constituency was misplaced because of the lapses on the part of the polling officials who received the EVM at strong room.""We have apprised the Election Commission about the incident and recommended repolling in 12 booths including booth number 62 of Brahmagiri assembly segments, because of the errors during the voting in the third phase" he added.The voter turnout in the third phase of elections for both assembly and parliamentary constituencies in Odisha stood at an impressive 71.61 per cent.The fourth and final phase of polling in Odisha will be held on April 29. The counting of votes will begin on May 23.

Indian-American to challenge Democrat Senator in 2020

Indian-American Hirsh Singh has announced that will seek the Republican nomination for US Senate in 2020 against Democratic New Jersey Senator Cory Booker.

Foolishness of demonetisation, 'Gabbar Singh Tax' was not done by anyone

Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his strident criticism of the Congress, party president Rahul Gandhi Saturday said in the last 70 years, the "foolishness of demonetisation and Gabbar Singh Tax" was not done by anybody. "In the past 70 years, the foolishness of demonetisation and Gabbar Singh Tax (Gandhi's coinage for the Goods and Services Tax or GST) was not done by anyone," Rahul Gandhi said at an election meeting in Unchahar in Rabeareli from where UPA chairperson and his mother Sonia Gandhi is seeking reelection to the Lok Sabha. His remarks come against the backdrop of repeated attacks by the prime minister on the Congress, holding it responsible for all ills since the country got Independence. "Chowkidar (watchman) has done 'chori' (theft) of factories and employment of people of Raebareli and Amethi (the Lok Sabha seat represented by the Congress chief)," he said. Rahul Gandhi also accused Modi of not wanting to fill 22 lakh vacant posts in the government. The ..

CM's 'warning' stirs up Punjab Congress leaders (Poll Trivia)

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's latest diktat to the party leadership to perform or perish has not gone down too well with the Congress leaders in the state.

Ex-Goa RSS chief says not in fray to split votes

Former Goa RSS president Subhash Velingkar, who is contesting the byelection to Panaji Assembly constituency, Saturday dismissed reports that his presence in the poll fray would divide votes, apparently of the BJP. The battle for the seat which fell vacant due to death of former chief minister Manohar Parrikar is hotting up with Congress fielding former minister Atanasio Monserratte. The BJP is reportedly weighing the options between late Parrikar's son Utpal and former MLA Siddharth Kuncolienkar for the May 19 contest. "The GSM is contesting the Panaji bypoll to win and not to eat into votes of anybody, as being projected by some leaders," he told PTI. Velingkar said he would not join either the Congress or the BJP after elections. "Rather than getting associated with the corrupt and unprincipled political parties like Congress and BJP, I would prefer to sit in the opposition," he said. Velingkar, a known Parrikar-baiter, also said that he has the "ability to fill in the

SP-BSP-RLD alliance's mantra in UP is 'Jaat, paat japna, janta ka maal apna': PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday claimed that the 'mantra' of the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh is "Jaat, paat japna; janta ka maal apna".Modi, while addressing a poll rally here, categorised the alliance as one of "opportunists" who want a helpless government. He went on to say that BSP chief Mayawati is seeking votes in the name of someone who opposes BR Ambedkar, in an apparent reference to SP chief Akhilesh Yadav."Those who ask for votes in the name of Babasaheb Ambedkar have never learnt anything from his life. Behenji (reference to Mayawati) is seeking votes for those who oppose Babasaheb Ambedkar. This happens when your only goal is to get the chair. This happens when your politics is based on caste, and when you do not care about the country. The tie-up of opportunists wants a helpless government because its mantra is - Jaat, paat japna; janta ka maal apna."Attacking the previous UPA government, Modi said that the country has nowadays become digitalised as ...