Page 793 - Politics
AIADMK announces candidates for 4 assembly seats
The ruling AIADMK Tuesday announced its candidates for by-polls to four Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu scheduled on May 19. Party Coordinator O Panneerselvam and Joint Coordinator K Palaniswami said in a statement that the decision to field the candidates to Sulur, Aravakurichi, Tirupprankundram and Ottapidaram (SC) was taken by the party's Parliamentary Board. Palaniswami is the Chief Minister of the state while Panneerselvam is his deputy. The two leaders named VP Kandasamy (Sulur), VV Senthilnathan (Aravakurichi), S Muniyandi (Tirupparankundram) and P Mohan to Oddapidaram as the party's nominees. Mohan is a former MLA while the others hold various party posts. Of these four seats, by-polls to Tirupparankundram and Sulur were necessitated due to the death of their sitting AIADMK legislators. Aravakurichi and Ottapidaram fell vacant following the disqualification of AIADMK MLAs representing them, V Senthil Balaji and R Sundararaj, respectively, after they were ...
Former ISI chief Durrani appeals against Pak Army's decision forfeiting his pension
Pakistani spy agency ISI's ex-chief Lt Gen (retd.) Asad Durrani has appealed to the high court here against Pakistan Army's decision of forfeiting his pension and other benefits after he was found guilty of violating the military code of conduct for co-authoring a controversial book with India's former intelligence head. Durrani, who headed the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) from August 1990 till March 1992, is not entitled to pension and other benefits after the Pakistan Army in February found him guilty following a Court of Inquiry against him over the book 'The Spy Chronicles: RAW, ISI and the Illusion of Peace' that he co-authored with former RAW chief A S Dulat. He is also barred from leaving the country as his name figures in the no-fly list. The two former spy chiefs touched upon some thorny issues including terrorism, particularly the 2008 Mumbai attack, Kashmir and the influence of intelligence agencies in the book. The former ISI chief on Monday appealed to the Islamabad .
Azam Khan's son says BJP tampering EVMs
Samajwadi Party candidate from Rampur in Uttar Pradesh Azam Khan's son Abdullah on Tuesday accused the BJP of tampering the electronic voting machines (EVMs) due to which he said voting in the region had slowed down.
UK government, opposition to resume Brexit talks
Talks between UK Prime Minister Theresa May's government and the opposition Labour Party are slated to resume on Tuesday as MPs return to Westminster following the Easter break.
LS polls: 30 pc polling till noon in Chhattisgarh
Around 30 per cent voter turnout was recorded till noon on Tuesday from seven seats of Chhattisgarh during the third phase of Lok Sabha elections. Initially, a low turnout was witnessed at the polling booths, but as the voting progressed, people came out in large numbers to exercise their franchise, despite the scorching heat, an election official said. "Around 30 per cent voting has been recorded till noon," he added. Voting was underway in Raipur, Durg, Bilaspur, Korba, Janjgir-Champa (SC), Surguja (ST) and Raigarh (ST) amid tight security. Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Ramvichar Netam, former Assembly speaker Gaurishankar Agrawal and other leaders cast their votes in the state. As many as 123 candidates are in the fray in the seven seats where the main fight is between the ruling Congress and the BJP, which lost power in last year's state Assembly polls. Altogether 1,27,13,816 voters, including 64,16,252 men, 62,96,992 women and 572 ...
20.65 per cent voting recorded till 11 AM in Karnataka
An estimated 20.65 per cent voter turnout has been registered till 11 AM in 14 Lok Sabha constituencies of Karnataka, where polls are being held in the second phase Tuesday. The highest turnout was recorded in Shimogga with 24.58 per cent and the lowest in Bidar with 17.95 per cent till 11 AM, poll officials said. Former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, UnionMinisters and BJP candidates from Bijapur and Uttara Kannada-Ramesh Jigajinagi and Ananth Kumar Hegde, respectively, and state Congress Working President and candidate from Bidar Eshwar Khandre were among those who cast their vote. Earlier in the day, BJP state President and former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa cast his vote along with familymembers at Shikaripura in Shimogga, where his son B Y Raghavendra, a sitting MP is pitted against former Chief Minister S Bangarappa's son Madhu from JD(S). Congress leader in Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, who is taking on BJP's Umesh Jadhav, also cast his vote in Gulbarga. This .
Congress hits out at Modi govt over US decision to end Iran oil waivers
The Congress Tuesday hit out at the government over the US decision of not renewing its waiver that let countries like India buy Iranian oil without facing sanctions, saying it is a "diplomatic and economic failure" of the Modi dispensation. The opposition party also alleged that Prime Minister Modi has directed oil companies not to increase the prices of petrol and diesel till May 23 so that he can "garner votes". The Trump administration Monday decided not to renew the waiver that let countries import Iranian oil without facing US sanctions. "Crude oil prices are touching the sky -- highest in six months. The Rupee has tumbled to the ground, USD 1=Rs 69.61. The US has put sanctions on import of crude oil from Iran," Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said. India had bought 230 lakh tonne crude oil from Iran in 2018. It is easy for India to import oil from Iran because it pays in rupees instead of US dollars, he said in a series of tweets. "We also have a 60-day credit ...
UP: BJP workers beat up Election Officer in Moradabad
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers on Tuesday allegedly beat up an Election Official at booth number 231 in Moradabad Lok Sabha constituency.The BJP workers alleged that the officer, Mohammad Zubair, was asking voters to press the cycle symbol of Samajwadi party.Police officers present at the spot immediately intervened in the matter and saved the official from getting beaten up by the BJP workers.Lok Sabha elections began in 39 constituencies across eight states in the north and Northeast India at 7 am today, in the third phase of the general elections 2019.Five seats in Bihar, four seats in Assam, six seats in Odisha, 10 seats in Uttar Pradesh, seven seats in Chhattisgarh, five seats in West Bengal, and one seat each in Jammu and Kashmir and Tripura are going to polls.
Villagers boycott voting in Firozabad over development
Voters in the booth number 359 of Muniya Kheda village in Firozabad district have boycotted the polls on Tuesday, saying no developments have been done in the village in the past several years.Voters said many government officials and political leaders had come with the promises in the past, but none of them was materialised on the ground. This led to the decision to boycott the polls.Only eight votes were recorded in the polling booth till 9 am, where a total of 716 voters are listed.Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) and other officials have reached to the booth, that falls under Narkhi police station. They are trying to convince the voters to change their decision of boycotting the polls.Uttar Pradesh is polling for 10 Lok Sabha seats in the third phase on April 23 and will continue to hold polls in the four remaining phases till May 19. The counting of votes will begin on May 23.
Lok Sabha 2019: Harsimrat Kaur to contest from Bathinda, Sukhbir Badal from Ferozepur
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Patron Parkash Singh Badal on Tuesday announced that Sukhbir Singh Badal will contest from Ferozepur Lok Sabha constituency and Harsimrat Kaur Badal will contest from Bathinda constituency in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.In Bathinda, Kaur will be contesting against MLA Sukhbir Singh Khaira who has recently floated a new political quarter - Punjab Ekta Party after severing ties with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).Congress has fielded Gidderbaha MLA Raja Amrinder Singh Warring from this Lok Sabha seat.Sukhbir Badal is currently MLA from Jalalabad and had last contested the Lok Sabha polls in 1999 from Faridkot. Both Bathinda and Ferozepur are traditional strongholds of SAD-BJP.
Rahul promises 22 l govt jobs in one year, says wants to do justice in next five years
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday promised to give government jobs to 22 lakh people in the next one year if he is voted to power in the Lok Sabha elections. Addressing an election rally here, the Congress president said the Narendra Modi-led government had done injustice in the last five years. "Now, I want to do justice in the next five years," Gandhi told the gathering. According to the Congress chief, Prime Minister Narendra had done the most injustice to tribals in the past five years. He did not fulfil promises and ran a government for 15-20 people, Gandhi alleged. Rajasthan goes to the polls in two phases on April 29 and May 6.
EVMs across India faulty or voting for BJP: Akhilesh
EVMs across India are either malfunctioning or voting for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Samajwadi Party leader and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said on Tuesday.
Mayawati attacks PM, says people don't want govt which asks youth to sell pakoras
Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BSP president Mayawati Tuesday said the people of the country do not want a government which asks educated youth to sell pakoras and tea and adopts "anti-people" policies. In a tweet, the BSP president said, "130 crore people, specially the educated youth and unemployed, do not want a government which has a wrong thinking and instead of providing jobs forces them to sell pakoras and tea and do chowkidari and adopts similar anti-peoples policies." In another tweet, she made an appeal to voters to take part in the ongoing polling for the third phase. "Vote is your invaluable constitutional right on the basis of which you can ensure a government of your choice which is in your interest and make your lives happy and prosperous," she said. Polling is underway in 10 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh Tuesday.
BJP fields singer Hans Raj Hans from North-West Delhi Lok Sabha seat
The BJP on Tuesday announced singer Hans Raj Hans' candidature from North-West Delhi, hours before the deadline for filing of nomination. Udit Raj, the incumbent MP from North-West, had threatened to resign and contest as an independent if his candidature was not announced from the seat. This was one of the reasons behind the delay in announcing Hans' candidature, party insiders said. Hans will take on Guggan Singh of the AAP and Rajesh Lilothia of the Congress.
Voters angry at those who force bypolls: Parsekar
After boycotting the election campaign of BJP's Mandrem candidate Dayanand Sopte, former Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Laxmikant Parsekar on Tuesday said there would be a backlash against "those candidates who force bypolls" on people.
Another Congress rebel MLA hints at quitting party
The Congress-JD(S) coalition government in Karnataka seems to be heading for another trouble with dissident Gokak Congress MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi hinting that he would resign from the party. As Jarkiholi had reportedly campaigned for the BJP candidate in Chikkodi Lok Sabha constituency, where he has substantial supporter base in Gokak segment, reporters in Belagavi Tuesday sought to know when he was resigning from the party and joining the BJP. In his response, Ramesh Jarkiholi said, "Technically I am still in Congress. I will take a decision after resigning from Congress. I haven't resigned yet." Jarkiholi expressed his anger against his younger brother and forest and environment minister Satish Jarkiholi who had asked him two days ago to come out in open, resign from the party and join BJP instead of 'hiding in the dark by covering himself and pelting stone on the party'. "I am not a coward to hit anyone from the dark. He (Satish Jarkiholi) has lost his mental balance," .
LS polls: Cong, AAP raise concern over faulty EVMs in Goa
The opposition Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday claimed that EVMs and VVPAT machines malfunctioned at some polling booths in Goa. Leader of Opposition in Goa Assembly Chandrakant Kavlekar alleged foul play by the BJP and said he will complain about this to the Election Commission. Expressing concern over faulty EVMs in Cuncolim and Quepem Assembly segments, he said, "During mock polling, all votes were getting registered in the BJP's name despite pressing buttons of other parties. I will be filing a complaint with the Election Commission. This is foul play by the BJP." AAP's South Goa Lok Sabha seat nominee Elvis Gomes also claimed that during the mock drill at a booth in Cuncolim, the votes registered were more than those polled. "Total eight votes were polled during the mock drill, but the result showed 17 in name of BJP, eight for AAP and seven for Congress. How is this possible? This seems to be trend across India," he said. A voter in St Cruz ...
Nearly 23 per cent voters exercise franchise till 11 am in UP
Braving scorching heat, an estimated 22.64 per cent of voters exercised their franchise till 11 am Tuesday in ten Lok Sabha seats of Uttar Pradesh even as EVM snags were reported at some booths. Prominent leaders in the fray in this phase are four members of SP patron Mulayam Singh Yadav's clan besides those of senior party leader Azam Khan and actor and BJP candidate Jaya Prada. There were reports of EVMs malfunctioning in some booths which have been promptly attended to it, the Chief Electoral Officer here said. A report from Sambhal said there had been reports of EVMs developing a snag in polling booths in Chandausi and Asmoli vidhan sabha segments of Aonla Lok Sabha seat. In Pilibhit, polling at the sensitive polling booth in Kukrikheda started about an hour late because of faulty EVMs. At the polling booth in Etah Zila Panchayat, voters alleged that presiding office Yogesh Kumar was forcibly getting votes polled in favour of the Samajwadi party following which he was removed. The
Will Ukrainian comedian be any match for Vladimir Putin?
Volodymyr Zelenskiy's landslide victory in Ukraine's presidential election has thrust a comedian and political novice into the middle of the most dangerous flashpoint between Moscow and the West since the end of the Cold War. Whether Zelenskiy is any match at all for Vladimir Putin, a canny and ruthless KGB veteran who has led Russia for nearly 20 years, remains to be seen. Zelenskiy, who played an accidental president in a hugely popular sitcom but has no real political background, has vowed to keep Ukraine on its pro-Western course. At the same time, he has pledged to quickly reach out to Moscow to negotiate an end to the five years of fighting in Ukraine's industrial east against Russian-backed separatists, a conflict that has killed more than 13,000 people. Arkady Moshes, an expert on Russia and Ukraine with the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, said the Kremlin may try to exploit Zelenskiy's lack of political experience. Moscow "can on the one hand offer him something ..
LS polls: 26.92 pc polling till 11 am in Goa
An average 26.92 per cent voter turnout was recorded in Goa till 11 am on Tuesday for elections to two Lok Sabha constituencies and bypolls to three Assembly seats Voting for North Goa and South Goa Lok Sabha constituencies and bypolls in Mandrem, Shiroda and Mapusa Assembly seats began at 7 am across 1,652 polling booths. Till 11 am, the North Goa recorded 26.52 per cent polling while it was 26.55 per cent in South Goa. Besides, Shiroda registered 29.16 polling, Mapusa - 26.81 per cent and Mandrem - 25.6 per cent, according to official figures. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and his wife were among the early voters. State Governor Mridula Sinha and her husband also cast their votes in the morning at a polling booth in Dona Paula area near Panaji. Congress candidate from North Goa Girish Chodankar and BJP nominee Shripad Naik also exercised their franchise early in the day. In South Goa, Congress candidate Francis Sardinha, BJP nominee Narendra Sawaikar and Shiv Sena ..