Page 775 - Politics
Re-poll announced in a Cooch Behar booth
The Election Commission on Wednesday announced that re-polling will be held in polling station 181 located at Bhogdabari primary school in Sitakulchi, which comes under the Cooch Behar parliamentary seat in West Bengal.Re-poll will be held as there were reports that voters had been stopped from exercising their franchise.Polling in Cooch Behar constituency took place on April 11 in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections. The counting of votes will begin on May 23.
PM Modi making 'irresponsible' and 'threatening' statements: Anand Sharma
Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma on Wednesday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is making "irresponsible" and "threatening" statements, which do not suit the PM of the largest democracy in the world."The Prime Minister has been making irresponsible statements, threatening noises which do not behove the Prime Minister of the largest democracy in the world," Sharma told reporters here."The Prime Minister's statement that 18 nuclear missiles were ready and targeting Pakistan when America got to know and warned Pakistan that India was going to do something big. It is disturbing," Sharma said.Terming it 'jingoism' and 'threatening,' Sharma said that no head of the State of any nuclear-capable State had given such a statement ever and it would hurt India's position in the Nuclear Supplier Group (NSG)."No head of the State of a nuclear weapons State has ever given such a statement even in military conflict. These are military secrets. We have to be responsible. This jingoism and ...
India's might acknowleged globally because of my foreign
Often in the line of opposition fire over his foreign trips, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday said India's might was being acknowledged globally because of his numerous visits abroad. Taking on the opposition for the criticism that he was seen more abroad than in the country during his tenure as the prime minister, Modi said, hardly five years back India found it difficult to get its voice heard, but now the world stands with it. "I read somewhere that Didi (Mamata banerjee) has said this chaiwala was busy making foreign trips all these five years, but today India's might is being acknowledged everywhere because of these visits," he said while addressing an election rally here in Birbhum district. Taking a dig at the opposition, he said, anybody whose party is contesting even 20-25 seats, wants to become the prime minister. "Sab ghungroo bandhke taiyar ho gaye (everybody is decked up to take the hot seat)," he said, mocking them. He said earlier the country had to .
Delhi: Kejriwal to convene AAP meeting on Thursday
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has called for a meeting of all Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs at 5 pm on Thursday.Party sources said the meeting will also be attended by AAP's Delhi candidates.According to sources, the meeting will have on its agenda a review of the election campaign for the upcoming phases. Apart from determining the future strategy, the meeting will also focus on the situation of the party vis-a-vis other parties, specifically in Delhi.There are 7 Lok Sabha seats at stake in Delhi, polling for which will be held on May 12. Counting of votes will take place on May 23.
Oppn parties raise concern over EVMs only when they lose: Javadekar
BJP leader Prakash Javadekar on Wednesday targeted opposition leaders who have raised doubts over the functioning of EVMs, asking them how is it possible that the voting machines function well when they win and don't when they lose. The Union minister cited the results of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan assembly polls in December last year, to say that opposition parties have been selectively raising the issue of malfunctioning of EVMs. "How come EVMs were good when Opposition won election in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh? (When) other parties formed governments in Kerala, West Bengal, Telangana and Tamil Nadu?" Javadekar said at a press conference in Jaipur. "When they lose they start questioning EVMs, saying they are faulty," he said. His comments came a day after some opposition leaders, including NCP chief Sharad Pawar and TDP president Chandrababu Naidu, raised doubts that EVMs can be manipulated. The two leaders addressed a joint presser in Mumbai where .
Pakistani LeT terrorist arrested in Kashmir
Security forces on Wednesday presented a Pakistani Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist before the media, saying he had been operating in Srinagar city for two years and was now trying to resurrect militancy in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district.
China formally arrests Interpol's former chief for corruption
China has formally arrested Interpol's former chief Meng Hongwei, who previously worked as vice minister of public security, for corruption and misuse of power, prosecutors said on Wednesday. China's Supreme People's Procuratorate said prosecutors have decided to arrest Meng on suspicion of accepting bribes. His case was transferred to procurators for investigation and prosecution after a probe by the National Supervisory Commission, it added. Meng, 65, who was once a rising political star among officialdom of the Communist Party of China (CPC), held the powerful post of vice-minister of public security before being appointed as China's first official to head the Interpol -- a global organisation that facilitates worldwide police cooperation. Last month, he was sacked from all his official positions and expelled from the ruling Communist Party for serious disciplinary violations and suspected graft crimes, the Party's disciplinary watchdog and national supervisory commission ...
Patnaik invites PM Modi to attend his swearing-in ceremony
Exuding confidence that the BJD will be re-elected to power in Odisha, party supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend his swearing-in ceremony after declaration of poll results on May 23. The coastal state is holding simultaneous Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in four phases. Addressing a rally in Balasore parliamentary seat, where election is scheduled to be held on April 29, Patnaik asserted that his party has secured adequate votes in the first three phases to form the next government in the state. "Yesterday (Tuesday), the prime minister said he will visit Odisha after the exit of the BJD government. The BJD has already secured majority in the first three phases. I politely invite Modiji to attend the BJD government's oath-taking ceremony as a guest," he said. Patnaik's statement comes a day after Modi, during an election rally in Kendrapara, said, "Naveen babu aapka jana taya hain (Naveen Babu, yours ...
Spotlight on personalities in UP's fourth phase
The fourth phase of elections in Uttar Pradesh will focus more on political personalities than on parties in the 13 Lok Sabha seats where polling will be held on April 29.
LS polls: WB CEO files FIR against Union Minister Babul Supriyo for violating Model Code of Conduct
The state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Ariz Aftab on Wednesday filed an FIR against Union Minister Babul Supriyo on the complaint of Trinamool Congress (TMC) pertaining to the violation of Model Code of Conduct (MCC) amid the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.This came a few hours after the TMC moved the state Election Commission (EC) seeking action against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Babul Supriyo and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for playing party's theme song for the state, which was banned by the polling body on April 7."On 23rd April 2019, PM Narendra Modi delivered a speech in Asansol, West Bengal. A link to the said speech is produced herewith. After the first nine minutes of the video, the leaders of the BJP on the stage can be heard to announce that they will play the song. This song is the BJP theme song for the elections in WB and has been banned from being played out in public by the Election Commission," the TMC stated in the complaint letter.It further contended that ...
Bookies brace for BJP-led 'khichdi' government
After completion of polling in 303 out of the 543 Lok Sabha seats, bookies and punters in the unofficial 'Satta Bazaar (betting market) predict a BJP-led coalition government at the centre with Narendra Modi returning as Prime Minister, according to sources.
Coalition killed more Afghan civilians than rebels: UN
Afghan and foreign troops killed more civilians than insurgent groups in the war-ravaged Afghanistan in the first three months of 2019, a United Nations report said on Wednesday.
BJP obsessed with my family, says Priyanka
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Wednesday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of being obsessed with her family, saying that 50 per cent of the BJP leaders' speeches were devoted to blaming her family but they never talked about what they did in the last five years.
AFSPA will not be repealed even if another Gandhi comes after Rahul: Amit Shah
Attacking Congress president Rahul Gandhi, BJP president Amit Shah on Wednesday said that the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) will not be repealed even if another Gandhi comes after him.Congress has promised in its manifesto that it will not allow any change in Article 370 and will review the AFSPA if voted to power."Congress in its manifesto said that they will scrap AFSPA so that cases can be filed against the Army men. Should AFSPA be repealed? I have come to tell Rahul baba it will not be repealed in your whole life and after you, even if another Gandhi comes he will also not be able to repeal it," Shah said while addressing an election rally here.The AFSPA grants special powers to the Indian Armed Forces in 'disturbed areas'. According to The Disturbed Areas (Special Courts) Act, 1976, once declared 'disturbed', the area has to maintain the status quo for a minimum of three months.Shah alleged that Congress and its allies want to separate Kashmir from India."Congress is ..
If not from me, learn something from UAE: PM Modi's advice to Mamata
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday advised Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to 'learn' from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), asserting that while people in West Bengal face problems in performing pujas, the Middle East nation is facilitating the construction of a Hindu temple."The United Arab Emirates is constructing a temple there. In Bengal, people face problem in celebrating Durga Puja, Saraswati Puja, and Ram Navami. Didi, if you do not want to learn from Modi, no problem. At least learn from the UAE," he said at an election rally here.The Prime Minister attacked Opposition leaders for questioning his foreign tours and asserted that India has got benefits from his trips abroad."Didi said that chaiwala has only travelled abroad in the last five years. Some people in our country think with only half of their mind," he quipped. "Today, India is seen as a powerful country abroad. This happened because the voice of 130 crore Indians was projected to them during these foreign ...
Punjab ministers to lose cabinet berth, MLAs not to get tickets, if they fail to perform: Amarinder
Congress ministers in Punjab will be dropped from the cabinet if they fail to ensure victory of party candidates in their constituencies during the Lok Sabha election, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said on Wednesday. Besides, legislators will not be given tickets in the next assembly polls if they are unable to ensure victory of party candidates in their constituencies, he said. The warning came despite the ruling party exuding confidence that it would win all the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab. The Congress has decided to push the bar of performance for its leaders by fixing the responsibility for the victory of the candidates in Punjab on the ministers and MLAs of the ruling party, Singh said. The decision has been taken by the Congress high command, under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, to accelerate the momentum for achieving the party's 'Mission 13' in the ongoing Lok Sabha election, the chief minister said in a statement here. As per the high command's decision, incumbent ...
India to skip B&R forum, China's biggest diplomatic event (Curtain Raiser)
A total of 37 countries minus India on Thursday will gather at China's second edition of the Belt and Road forum, a three-day grand event on the world's largest connectivity project.
Iran's Khamenei says US oil sanctions won't go 'without response'
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday called the end of oil sanction waivers by the United States a "hostile measure" that "won't be left without a response". "US efforts to boycott the sale of Iran's oil won't get them anywhere. We will export our oil as much as we need and we intend," his official English-language Twitter account said, quoting from a speech he delivered to workers in Tehran. The United States announced on Monday it would halt the practice of exempting countries including India, China and Turkey from sanctions on purchases of Iranian oil. In May last year, US President Donald Trump withdrew Washington from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal with world powers, which had given the Islamic republic sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme. Washington reimposed oil sanctions on Iran in November, but initially gave eight countries, including several US allies, six-month reprieves. Five of the countries -- Greece, Italy, Japan, South ...
Northwest Delhi MP Udit Raj joins Congress, terms BJP 'anti-Dalit'
Terming the BJP "anti-Dalit", disgruntled BJP MP from northwest Delhi Udit Raj joined the Congress on Wednesday after being denied a ticket and slammed his former party saying it wants Dalit votes but not a leader from the community who speaks his mind. Raj, who joined the Congress after meeting party president Rahul Gandhi here this morning, alleged that the BJP wanted a "deaf and dumb" Dalit leader and he could never fit in as he could not stay quiet on matters related to the scheduled castes. The BJP has replaced Raj from the North West Lok Sabha constituency with Punjabi Sufi singer Hans Raj Hans. "I wanted to join the Congress since a long time and Rahul Gandhi knows this. I dont lie. If BJP would have given me a ticket from there (northwest), I would have fought from there. But because of this (not being given ticket), a big thing has come out before the people that how anti-Dalit, the BJP is," he said at a press conference Raj claimed that the BJP did not give him a ticket as ..
UK lets Huawei build 5G infra despite security issues
Despite security concerns over Chinese companies becoming part of important international projects, UK Prime Minister Theresa May has agreed to seek help from Huawei in building the 5G infrastructure for the country.