Page 824 - Politics
Bengal BJP urges Modi to contest from Bengal
Senior BJP leader Mukul Roy Saturday said that the Bengal BJP unit has approached Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to contest from a Lok Sabha seat in Bengal. "We have expressed our desire to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he should contest from any of the Lok Sabha seats from Bengal this time going to the polls in the last two phases on May 12 and May 19," he told reporters. "He (Modi) has not said anything but we hope he will keep our request," Roy added. Polling for the 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal are being held in seven phases. According to BJP sources Roy had approached the prime minister during the rally at Buniadpur in South Dinajpur district in which Modi was present during the day. The request is a part of an attempt by Bengal BJP to send out a message to the voters about the importance of the state in BJP's roadmap to Delhi. BJP president Amit Shah has set a target of 23 seats for the party in the state where the Mamata Banerjee-led ...
IAF pilot Abhinandan Varthaman shifted out of Srinagar
Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who became the face of the tense military confrontation between India and Pakistan, has been shifted out of Srinagar and posted to a frontline air base in the western sector, official sources said Saturday. It is also learnt that the IAF was going to recommend Varthaman's name for Vir Chakra, the coveted wartime gallantry medal, which is the third highest after the Paramvir Chakra and the Mahavir Chakra. Varthaman, who was captured by Pakistan on February 27 during an aerial combat with Indian Air Force, had returned to his squadron in Srinagar last month though he was on a four-week sick leave. Orders have been issued for his transfer from Srinagar to another base in the western sector, sources said, terming the transfer as "routine one". The IAF pilot went on leave in mid-March after security agencies completed a nearly two-week debriefing following his return from Pakistan. Sources said a medical board will review his fitness to help the IAF top
TMC accusses Arjun Singh of violating MCC, threatening voters
The Trinamool Congress Saturday has lodged a complaint against its former leader and BJP's Barrackpore Lok Sabha candidate Arjun Singh for taking out a bike rally in the constituency and violating the model code of conduct. Singh has termed the allegations as baseless. "We have lodged a police complaint against Arjun Singh for taking out a bike rally during a campaign rally today in the morning at Noapara. We have also sent a copy of our complaint to the CEO, West Bengal. It is a violation of MCC," Samrat Topadar, general secretary of Trinamool youth Congress, said. "We anticipate that such bike rallies are a attempt to terrorize voters in the constituency. We in our police complaint have urged police officials to take steps against Singh for his comments," Topadar said. Singh, a four time TMC MLA, had joined BJP last month after he was denied a party ticket. His joining the saffron party had given a boost to its prospects in the state for the Lok Sabha elections. TMC .
MLA Abdul Sattar expelled from party: Maha Cong chief Chavan
The Maharashtra Congress Saturday expelled MLA Abdul Sattar for indulging in anti-party activities, state unit chief Ashok Chavan announced. Sattar, who has been unhappy with Congress candidates in Jalna and Aurangabad, had announced support for Harshvardhan Jadhav, who is contesting as an Independent from Aurangabad. Jadhav is the son-in-law of state BJP chief Raosaheb Danve. "We had taken Sattar into confidence while announcing the nominee of Jalna seat. We had even offered him ticket, but he did not accept it. We gave him respect till he was in the party. But he has now been expelled and the issue is over," Chavan said in Jalna. Sattar, a legislator from Sillod in Aurangabad, was reportedly unhappy over Congress Lok Sabha nominees Subhash Zambad, sitting member of legislative council (MLC), and Vilas Autade for Aurangabad and Jalna constituencies respectively. Apparently irked by this, Sattar had resigned from his post of MLA and submitted his nomination as an ...
Odisha, Kerala govts failed in fulfilling promises, claims research body
A policy research body associated with the BJP Saturday accused the ruling BJD in Odisha and the incumbent Left front in Kerala of "betraying" the people of their respective states as they "utterly failed" in meeting the promises they made to them. The Public Policy Research Centre, whose director is BJP vice president and Rajya Sabha MP Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, released four reports-- two of which it said were reviews of manifestoes of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Left front, while the other two evaluated performance of the Narendra Modi-led central government. Releasing them, Sahasrabuddhe claimed the BJD failed to pull Odisha out of its "dlismal situation" despite uninterruptedly ruling it for 20 years and the state continues to languish on several important indicators. The report said 60 per cent of the BJD's promises were unfulfilled and the areas that registered tangible progress were helped by the central government's assistance. It added that the eastern state fared poorly on
AAP, LDF extend support to each other
The Aam Aadmi Party has extended its unconditional support to the Left Democratic Front in Kerala following which the Left front also expressed its support to the ruling party in Delhi for the general elections. "The AAP's political affairs committee (PAC) has decided to give unconditional support to the Left Democratic Front candidates in the state (Kerala)," AAP leader Somnath Bharti said. CPI(M) leader Nilotpal Basu thanked the AAP for the support and also extended his party's support to the Arvind Kejriwa-led party. "Our main aim is to remove the NDA and stop communal tension and polarisation done by them and in this direction, we are campaigning in different states. We thank the AAP for supporting us," he told reporters in a joint press conference with Bharti. Meanwhile, the AAP suspended its Kerala convener C R Neelakandan for allegedly announcing the party's support to the Congress in the southern state without any consultation with the party's political affairs ...
Why EC restrictions only on Andhra, asks Naidu
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday took exception to the Election Commission imposing restrictions on his review meetings and wondered if the Model Code of Conduct applies only to Andhra Pradesh.
Jihadist kills almost 50 regime fighters across Syria
Jihadists have killed almost 50 Syrian regime fighters in 48 hours, a monitor said Saturday, in some of the deadliest attacks on pro-Damascus forces in recent weeks. Kurdish-led forces in March announced the defeat of the Islamic State group's "caliphate" in eastern Syria, but the jihadists have retained hideouts there and in other parts of the country as well as the ability to carry out deadly assaults. Since Thursday, IS jihadists have killed 35 pro-Damascus fighters in regime-held parts of central and eastern Syria, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman described those attacks as producing "the highest death toll among regime forces since the caliphate was declared defeated" in the eastern village of Baghouz last month. Meanwhile, regime fighters also came under attack on another front of Syria's grinding eight-year war, the Britain-based monitor added. On Saturday, jihadists linked to Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate attacked loyalist ..
Karna Minister makes 'personal' remarks against Modi; BJP
Karnataka Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan has triggered a controversy by making certain alleged personal remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, prompting the state BJP to petition the Election Commission Saturday seeking necessary action. In a letter to the state Chief Electoral Officer, BJP state election committee convener Dattaguru Hegde said Khan, a Congress leader, made the remarks at a public meeting in Haveri and which were telecast by some local TV channels. "It is an attack on personal life, the statement is malicious, offending decency and morality," he said. In the letter, a copy of which was circulated to the media, Hegde urged the CEO to direct the concern authorities to take necessary action against Khan and restrict him from campaigning as early as possible.
Terrorism grew when Congress was in power: Rajnath Singh
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh Saturday attacked the Congress, saying terrorism grew when the party was in power while the Modi government had dealt with it effectively. The senior BJP leader was speaking at a Vijay Sankalp of his party here. "During Congress governments, terrorism instead of being controlled grew, while during the Narendra Modi government it has been dealt with effectively," the home minister said. "Things have changed now ...the morale of armymen is high ...Prime Minister Modi does not trouble anyone, but if any country, terrorist, separatist eyes us with wrong intention then India does not allow it to go scot free," Singh said. Claiming that the economy of the country has improved under the Modi government, he said by 2030, India will be a world leader. Attacking the SP-BSP alliance in Uttar Pradesh, he said these parties have entered into an understanding out of fear of defeat and to stop Modi from becoming prime minister again. "The SP and the BSP have come ...
Sena will continue to support farmers' agitations: Uddhav
The Shiv Sena will continue to support farmers' agitations, party chief Uddhav Thackeray said Saturday. Thackeray was addressing a rally in Hatkanangale in support of party candidate Dhairyasheel Mane, who is pitted against Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana's sitting MP Raju Shetti. The SSS is now aligned with the Congress-NCP combine in the state. The Sena chief said the ongoing Lok Sabha elections was to solve the problems of farmers and claimed they had no leader for the past several years. Thackeray added he was not a leader of farmers but a friend and that he would stand shoulder to shoulder with them till the last breath of his life. "I am sure Dhairyasheel Mane will go to the Lok Sabha. I want to see a smile on the face of farmers. Not just Maharashtra, but the whole country should be proud of the state's farmers. I am satisfied the Shiv Sena kept supporting farmers when they were committing suicide due to debts and from worries about their children's weddings," he .
BJP made someone who used word Hindu terror minister: Digvijay
Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh claimed Saturday that the BJP made the person who used the term "Hindu terror" in official parlance a Union minister. He was apparently referring to R K Singh, a Union home secretary during the UPA regime who later joined the BJP and became minister. The BJP has often targeted Digvijay Singh for 'tarnishing the Hindu community' by using the term Hindu or saffron terror. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday defended the BJP's decision to field Pragya Singh Thakur, Malegaon blast accused, from Bhopal Lok Sabha seat, saying it was a symbolic answer to all those who falsely bracketed the rich Hindu civilisation as "terrorist". Modi was apparently referring to Digvijay, who is the Congress' candidate from Bhopal. "I think they do not have the knowledge of Hindu civilisation. The person who, as home secretary, issued a statement with the word Hindu terror was given Lok Sabha ticket by the BJP and was made a Union minister," Singh told ...
Guj: PM's rally, Shah's roadshow on last day of campaigning
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a rally in Patan in north Gujarat on Sunday, the last day of campaigning before the state's 26 Lok Sabha seats go to polls on April 23. BJP chief and Gandhinagar Lok Sabha candidate Amit Shah will hold a roadshow in Sanand area in his constituency on the last day of the campaign after meeting leaders from Ghatlodia and Vejalpur Assembly constituencies. The opposition Congress has lined up Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and film actor Ameesha Patel for poll rallies in Deesa town of Banaskantha and in Vadodara city respectively on Sunday. A Gujarat BJP press release said Modi, who is registered as a voter in Ranip area of Ahmednagar, part of Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat, will come to the state on the night of April 22 and cast his vote the next morning. Modi has so far addressed poll rallies in Junagadh, Songadh, Amreli, Himmatnagar, Surendranagar and Anand, while Congress chief Rahul Gandhi has addressed public gatherings at
I'm being treated like a terrorist: Khan
Resuming campaigning after a 72-hour Election Commission ban over his derogatory remarks on BJP's Jaya Prada, Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan Friday complained that he was being treated like a terrorist or a criminal. Without taking names, Khan in a rally in Uttar Pradesh's Rampur district had said that it took "you 17 years to understand her reality" but, "I could recognise it in 17 days that she wears a khaki underwear". Khan has been pitted by the SP against Jaya Prada from the Rampur Lok Sabha seat. "I am being treated as if I am the biggest criminal, the biggest terrorist, anti-national and traitor," Khan said while addressing an election meeting here. "This kind of treatment would not have been meted out to even dacoit Sultana and dacoit Maan Singh...If left to the government or those in power, they can leave me riddled with bullets," he said. Khan had told the rally on April 14, "... you got represented (by her) for 10 years." "People of Rampur, people of Uttar Pradesh and ...
Maharashtra Congress MLA suspended
In a poll-eve embarrassment, Maharashtra Congress on Saturday suspended its Sillod legislator Abdul Sattar A. Nabi for alleged aanti-party' activities.
New IS module case: One more arrested from UP
The NIA on Saturday said that it has arrested a resident of Uttar Pradesh's Amroha in connection with its ongoing investigation into a new Islamic State module named "Harkat-ul-Harb-e-Islam", which was allegedly planning a terror attack in Delhi and adjoining areas.
BJP would have fielded Godse as well: Cong on Pragya LS ticket
The Maharashtra Congress Saturday lashed out at BJP for giving a Lok Sabha ticket to Malegaon blast accused Pragya Singh Thakur and claimed if Nathuram Godse, Mahatma Gandhi's assassin was alive, the ruling party would have fielded him as well. Thakur, an accused in the case who is out on bail, is under fire for saying then Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad chief Karkare died in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack because she had cursed him for 'torturing' her when he probed the Malegaon blast as chief of the ATS. Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said, "The BJP is shamelessly supporting the candidature of a person who is accused of terrorism and anti-national activities." "The BJP's star campaigners, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who are asking votes on the sacrifices of soldiers, did not feel the need to apologise to the nation (post her comments)," he said. He hit out at BJP for not removing Thakur despite the furore ...
Tewari may leave electoral contest from Anandpur Sahib: Chandumajra
Anandpur Sahib MP and Akali nominee Prem Singh Chandumajra Saturday alleged that Congress candidate Manish Tewari may "leave" the electoral arena because of "growing rebellion" in the party over his candidature. "There is a lot of resentment among Congress workers against the candidature of Tewari. They are asking the Congress high command why it was unable to give ticket to a local from the (Anandpur Sahib) constituency," he said addressing an election meeting at Kukkar Majra village in his constituency. "Tewari may leave the election arena anytime under pressure from growing rebellion in the Congress party," he said. Chandumajra also asked the former Union minister why he "ran away" from the electoral contest in Ludhiana in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. He has been attacking the Congress leader by calling him an "outsider". Tewari, who had opted out of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, is pitted against the SAD candidate from the Anandpur Sahib parliamentary seat in the general elections.The ..
EC to decide on repolling in some TN booths
The Election Commission will decide whether to hold a repoll in some polling booths following complaints from the DMK, said a senior official.
Himachal BJP dissident rejoins party
Himachal Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dissident Mohinder Sofat on Saturday rejoined the party he had quit ahead of the 2012 assembly elections.