Page 849 - Politics
If Sadhvi Pragya is fit to contest election, she is fit to be in jail: Omar Abdullah
If Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, the BJP candidate from Bhopal and an accused in the Malegaon blast case, is fit to contest election, she is fit to be in jail, NC vice-president Omar Abdullah said Thursday. The BJP on Wednesday announced Thakur as its candidate from Bhopal Lok Sabha seat, where she is set to have a direct contest with Congress heavyweight and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijay Singh. "We are getting to hear new things from the BJP every time. First, they tried to fight elections on Balakot and Pulwama (attacks). Then, they tried speaking about development and when people did not digest it, they tried the religion card," the National Conference leader said. Omar Abdullah, who was talking to reporters after casting his vote, along with his father Farooq Abdullah, from Srinagar parliamentary constituency, said he hoped that the court hearing the case would cancel Thakur's bail. "They know that they will not get votes with 'mandir-masjid' (Ayodhya issue), so they
TN turnout over 63% amid EVM, VVPAT glitches (4th Lead)
Curtains came down on polling in 37 of 38 Lok Sabha and 18 Assembly constituencies, where by-elections were held on Thursday, at 6 p.m. As many as 384 faulty electronic voting machines and 692 faulty Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines were replaced across the state.
No alliance with Congress in Haryana: AAP
The Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday said there will be no alliance with the Congress in Haryana after the grand old party refused to have a tie-up in any other state apart from Delhi. Uncertainty prevails over the alliance in Delhi, with sources saying that an internal meeting was held at the residence of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to discuss the 4:3 seat sharing arrangement, with four seats for the ruling party, but no conclusion was reached. The AAP has proposed 5:2 seat sharing with five seats for the ruling party and two for the Congress. Haryana state party incharge Naveen Jaihind said talks over alliance in Haryana in a seat-sharing formula of 6:3:1 were held between senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh and Congress general secretary incharge of Haryana Ghulam Nabi Azad. "Six seats for Congress, three seats for the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) and one for the AAP but the Congress abruptly called off the talks," Jaihind said, adding that a meeting was also held between former ...
Mueller found 'no evidence' of collusion between Trump campaign and Russia: AG
US Attorney General William Barr Thursday said that the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller found "no evidence" of collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government during the 2016 US presidential elections. Addressing the media at the Department of Justice here, Barr said Mueller investigated a number of links or contacts between Trump Campaign officials and individuals connected with the Russian government. "After reviewing those contacts, the special counsel did not find any conspiracy to violate US law involving Russia-linked persons and any persons associated with the Trump campaign," Barr said. He, however, said the Russian government sought to interfere in US election process. Barr was speaking on Special Counsel Mueller's final 400-page report on Russian meddling in the 2016 election. Earlier Thursday, President Donald Trump said the probe was "Greatest Political Hoax of all time!" "Crimes were committed by Crooked, Dirty Cops and DNC/The Democrats,"
Pragya Thakur is apt challenger for Digvijay who promoted dubious 'saffron terror' idea : Ram Madhav
BJP general secretary Ram Madhav on Thursday said Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, is the apt challenger for her opponent and senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, who promoted the "mischevious and dubious idea of saffron terror" in the country.The BJP on Wednesday announced fielding Thakur, facing trial in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, from the Bhopal Lok Sabha seat. Congress has fielded Digvijaya Singh from the constituency.Madhav, speaking to ANI, asserted that the accusation of "saffron or Hindu terror" was a creation of the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government."The very accusation of saffron terror, Hindu terror was itself a creation of the UPA government. There was no such thing existing at that time and not even now. Some people were wrongfully jailed and false cases set up against them. The courts are looking into these. Nobody can question us on the constitutional validity of fielding a candidate who has allegations against her," Madhav said.The BJP leader said .
Indonesian leader points to reelection victory as rival rejects results
Indonesia's Joko Widodo said Thursday his reelection as head of the world's third-biggest democracy was all but assured, calling for calm as his firebrand ex-general rival insisted he had in fact won the nation's top job. Widodo, 57, said he had received phone calls from world leaders to congratulate him on his country's biggest-ever election, but added he would await the final results before formally declaring victory. He cited a series of so-called "quick counts" by pollsters, which are based on samples, that showed him as much as 11 percentage points ahead of Subianto. Quick counts have been reliable indicators in past elections. But "we still have to wait for the numbers from the KPU (General Elections Commission)", Widodo told a crush of reporters. "Let's continue to work and maintain our unity and harmony as a nation," he added. However, Subianto insisted that he and running mate Sandiaga Uno, a wealthy financier, had prevailed, citing voter fraud but without supplying concrete
US State Department still 'ready to engage' N.Korea
The US State Department said Thursday it remained ready to negotiate with North Korea after the regime called for Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to be excluded from future nuclear talks. "The United States remains ready to engage North Korea in a constructive negotiation," a State Department spokesman said. The spokesman said the United States was aware of the North Korean foreign ministry's demand regarding Pompeo but did not comment directly on it. In a statement carried by state media, North Korean officials called Pompeo "reckless" and warned that future talks would be "lousy" if he returns to the table. Pompeo, one of Trump's most trusted aides, was instrumental in encouraging him to walk away from a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in February in Hanoi. Pompeo, who traveled four times to North Korea last year, has voiced hope for a deal with North Korea but has stood firm on full denuclearization before the United States eases sanctions.
Barring minor incidents, voting ends peacefully in J&K
Except for some incidents of clashes between stone pelters and security forces, the Lok Sabha election ended peacefully in the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat on Thursday while eliciting overwhelming voter turnout in the Udhampur constituency.
Poll officials face FIRs over lapses in Tripura vote
The Election Commission (EC) will file FIRs against presiding officers and political activists who indulged in malpractices during the first phase of polling in Tripura West Lok Sabha constituency on April 11, according to officials on Thursday.
India suspends LoC trade, says being used for fuel terror
India on Thursday suspended, with immediate effect, trade across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, saying it was being used by unscrupulous and anti-national elements for sneaking in hawala money and weapons from the territory under Pakistani occupation to fuel terrorism and separatism in the country.
Congress says chances of tie-up with AAP in Delhi almost finished; may announce LS candidates soon
Amid the continuing "flip-flop" over the tie-up for the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress Thursday said the prospects of its alliance with the AAP are almost finished. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has "refused" to form an alliance with the Congress in Delhi alone, said P C Chacko, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of Delhi. Sources, however, said that the party would wait for any fresh move by the AAP till the announcement of the list of its Lok Sabha candidates in Delhi. "They (AAP) had agreed for an alliance with us in Delhi alone on Wednesday night. On Thursday morning, they raised the full statehood issue. I told them we are ready, full statehood was in our manifesto for 2015(Assembly) election. "But, later I received Sanjay Singh's message that Kejriwal had said the alliance was not possible unless it covers Haryana also," Chacko said. Singh, the AAP's Rajya Sabha MP, was authorised by AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal to take the alliance talks with the Congress ...
Indonesian President declares victory in polls
Indonesian President Joko Widodo declared victory on Thursday in the national election amid opposition allegations of electoral fraud.
People will vote on basis of work done by leaders, says Poonam Sinha
Just a day after joining the Samajwadi Party (SP), Poonam Sinha on Thursday said that in the Lok Sabha elections, people will vote on the basis of work done by the leaders, and not on the basis of their popularity.Speaking to ANI, after filing her nomination for Lok Sabha polls from Lucknow, Sinha said: "I am very happy to receive the affection from people of Lucknow. My confidence has increased with the roadshow conducted earlier on Thursday...This election is not taking place based on any names, instead, it is taking place on the basis of what work has been done.""Leaders will be judged on the basis of whether they have fulfilled promises. People are smart, they will ask about promises made by BJP in 2014," she added.Her husband Congress leader Shatrughan Sinha also spoke about her candidature against the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.He said, "At present, we are not thinking of Rajnath Singh. Right now I have come here to encourage Poonam Sinha to work for the people.""We were .
Dar's journey: From 'human shield' to poll duty
Farooq Ahmad Dar, who was tied to the bonnet of an Army jeep during the 2017 by-elections in Jammu and Kashmir, on Thursday, in a curious turn of events, did election duty in the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency.
UN voices alarm at Bahrain decision to strip 138 of nationality
The UN human rights chief expressed alarm Thursday at Bahrain's decision this week to revoke the of 138 people convicted in a mass trial of planning an Iran-linked "terror" group. A Bahraini court on Tuesday handed 139 men -- many of them tried in absentia -- to prison terms of three years to life for having tried to build a Bahrain Hezbollah, similar to the Shiite militia active in Lebanon. It stripped all but one of them of their nationality. The UN human rights office said it had received information that 17 of those convicted were minors between the ages of 15 and 17. "Tuesday's convictions give rise to serious concerns about the application of the law, particularly through a mass trial that reportedly lacked the procedural safeguards necessary to ensure a fair trial," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said in a statement. "Deprevation of nationality must not be arbitrary, especially on discriminatory grounds," she said, stressing that "arbitrary deprivation
Attack attempt on Cong candidate; ruling IPFT supporter held
Police arrested a supporter of the ruling IPFT on the charge of trying to attack the convoy of Congress' Lok Sabha candidate Pragya Dev Burman in Khowai district of Tripura on Thursday. The accused supporter of the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) allegedly tried to throw brickbats at the convoy of the candidate but he was captured by the security guards escorting her car, Deputy Inspector General of Police Arindam Nath said. The incident took place while Pragya Dev Burman, sister of state Congress president Pradyot Dev Burman, was on her way back from a rally at Tulashikhar, a tribal hamlet in Khowai district, around 65 km from here. Pragya Dev Burman is the Congress candidate for East Tripura (ST) constituency which will go to polls on April 23. "We were returning after attending a public meeting at Tulashikhar area. An IPFT supporter tried to hurl a stone at my car. It seems there were more people with him," Pragya told reporters. She claimed that the ...
India suspends cross LoC trade with Pakistan
The Indian Government has decided to suspend all cross LoC trade with Pakistan from Thursday as the routes were being used by elements in Pakistan to push weapons, narcotics and counterfeit currency into India."Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued orders to suspend the LoC trade in Jammu-Kashmir with effect from 19-04-2019. This action has been taken as the Government of India has been receiving reports that the cross LoC trade routes are being misused by the Pakistan based elements for funnelling illegal weapons, narcotics, and fake currency, etc," said an official statement.It may be recalled that the LoC trade is meant to facilitate exchange of goods of common use between local populations across the LoC in Jammu & Kashmir. The trade is allowed through two Trade Facilitation Centres located at Salamabad, Uri, District Baramulla and Chakkan-da-Bagh, District Poonch. The trade takes place four days a week. The Trade is based on Barter system and zero duty basis.However, ...
Kim-Putin to meet in Russia in late April
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will travel to Russia for a meeting with President Vladimir Putin later this month."Vladimir Putin will meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Kim Jong-un will make a visit to Russia in the second half of April at Vladimir Putin's invitation," TASS news agency quoted the Kremlin saying in a statement.The meeting is speculated to take place in Russia's Far East city of Vladivostok next week, when Putin will travel there on his way to China for an international conference, reported Yonhap news agency.This will be the first-ever meeting between the leaders of the two countries in eight years, after the former leader of North Korea Kim Jong-il met the then-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in 2011.Earlier in February, United States President Donald Trump met Kim at Hanoi in Singapore. The meeting ended without reaching a deal as the two leaders failed to achieve a ...
Azad helps unite Haryana Congress leaders
An initiative by the Congress party in-charge for Haryana, Ghulam Nabi Azad, backed by a firm message from the high command to the highly factionalised party leadership in Haryana, has brought the warring Congress leaders together - at least for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
India suspends cross-LoC trade with Pakistan
India has suspended the trade across the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan from Friday after probe agencies found the route was being "misused" by elements from the neighbouring country to smuggle illegal weapons, drugs and fake currency, a government order said Thursday. It said a stricter regulatory and enforcement mechanism is being worked and the issue of the reopening the trade routes will be revisited once they are implemented. The Union Home Ministry order stated that it has been "decided by the Government of India to suspend the LoC trade at Salamabad and Chakkan-da-Bagh in Jammu and Kashmir". It said the action was taken on the basis of reports that the trade routes were being "misused by the Pakistan-based elements for funnelling illegal weapons, narcotics and fake currency, among others." The LoC trade, at present, is conducted through two trade facilitation centres located at Salamabad in Uri of Baramulla district, and Chakkan-da-Bagh in Poonch district. This trade ...