Page 852 - Politics

Bengal polling fair, peaceful so far: Spl Observer

The elections in West Bengal have so far been fair and peaceful, said Ajay V Nayak, special observer appointed by the Election Commission of India here on Thursday.

Over 65% turnout in Bengal amid sporadic violence (4th Lead)

Over 65 per cent of the electorate cast their votes in the three northern West Bengal constituencies in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Thursday, amid several incidents of violence including an attack on a CPI-M candidate and the smashing of an EVM.

If Cong voted to power, indebted farmers will not be sent to jails: Rahul

In a veiled attack on the BJP, Congress president Rahul Gandhi Thursday said if his party is voted to power, indebted farmers will not be sent to jails. Addressing an election rally at Dataganj under Aonla parliamentary constituency here, he said, "Businessmen who took loans amounting to thousands of crores were allowed to flee the country instead of sending them to jail. While the farmers who took loans of Rs 20,000 and were unable to pay, were sent to jail. "Now, this will not happen, until and unless the big defaulters are sent to jail, not a single farmer will be sent to jail. As soon as our government is formed, the farmers will not be sent to jail for non-payment of loans," Gandhi asserted. He said the Congress after forming government in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan fulfilled its promise of farm loan waivers. "We will not allow two 'Hindustans' to come up in the country," he said. Attacking the SP and BSP, the Congress leader said, "Did the SP and BSP ever say 'chowkidar chor ..

Only PM Modi can uplift the poor, says Rajnath

Union Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said India would be freed from poverty, the day it got rid of the Congress.

BJP attacks Tejashwi over his tweets against Modi

The BJP Thursday accused RJD leadership of promoting dynasty and using politics for personal "enjoyment", as it hit out at Tejashwi Yadav after he questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's OBC credentials. BJP general secretary Bhupendra Yadav accused Tejashwi Yadav, son of Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad, of posting "arrogant, graceless and childish" tweets on the "advice" of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, whom he dubbed as the Bihar leader's "friend, philosopher and guide". The sharp attack from the BJP leader, who is also the party's in-charge for Bihar affairs, came after the state's former deputy chief minister posted tweets, alleging that Modi's OBC's credentials are "fake" and he had done nothing for backward castes. Modi's caste is categorised under the Other Backward Class (OBC) category. Attacking the RJD, which draws its support from sections of OBC, especially Yadavs, Bhupendra Yadav said it had "betrayed" the cause of social justice ideologue Ram Manohar ...

Modi asks people to choose strong govt

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday made a pitch for a strong government at the Centre and mocked the "helpless" dispensation of Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, who is heading the Congress-JDS coalition. "....if you want to see a strong government, look at Delhi; if you want to see a helpless government, see Karnataka," Modi told a rally here in north Karnataka. Modi said the Congress wanted a "helpless" government and told the voters to look at the "helpless" Kumaraswamy. He also mocked the frequent emotional outbursts of Kumaraswamy, saying it was "natak" (drama). Modi said the Congress was not ready to accept surgical strikes and the Balakot air strike on terror camps in Pakistan as our victory. The Congress and its allies think about self and not national interest, he said. "....Opponents Googled to find out where Balakot was and went to prove that it was within India. They could not believe that India could attack going inside Pakistan territory...," Modi ...

AIADMK alleges violation of model code by Stalin, Dayanidhi

The ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu Thursday alleged violation of the model code of conduct by DMK leaders M K Stalin and Dayanidhi Maran, and urged the Election Commission of India to act against them. AIADMK spokesperson and advocate R M Babu Murugavel filed separate complaints with the ECI against the two DMK leaders. In his complaint against Stalin, Murugavel said that while addressing the media after casting his vote here, the DMK chief with an intention to "divert the mindset of the voters" had made "false and frivolous allegations" against the BJP government at the Centre and the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu. Murugavel alleged that Stalin wanted them to "vote against central and state governments." "It is a clear indication to the voters to cast their votes in his alliance's favour. It is clear violation of the model code of conduct (MCC)," he added. In a separate complaint, Murugavel alleged that Maran addressed the press after casting his vote and said "he voted for change of ...

Congress questions suspension over PM chopper check

Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Ahmed Patel on Thursday asked the Election Commission (EC) why did it suspend a General Observer for allegedly checking Prime Minister Narendra Modi's helicopter in Odisha's Sambalpur on Tuesday.

EC lets off Union minister Naqvi with warning for 'Modiji ki sena' remark

The Election Commission Thursday let off Minority Affairs Minister and BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi with a light rap for his 'Modiji ki sena' remark and "warned" him against using the armed forces for political propaganda. It also asked him to be "careful in the future" with his utterances. Addressing an election rally in Rampur on April 3, Naqvi had used the phrase 'Modiji ki sena' or Modi's army. State election authorities had issued him a show cause notice. In his response, the minister had agreed that he had used the phrase. "The Commission ... hereby warns Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi to desist from using the references to defence forces for political propaganda and to be careful in future," the order read. It reminded the BJP leader of its March 19 instruction asking politicians "to desist from using any reference to defence forces in their political campaign/propaganda". A similar remark by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had earned him the ire of the poll panel on April .

Pak should review its India-centric policies before seeking Afghan peace, says former Pak ambassador

Former ambassador of Pakistan to Afghanistan, Rustam Shah Mohmand has said that Pakistan should review its India-centric policies in order to seek peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan.Speaking at a seminar on 'The Afghanistan conflict: emerging dynamics and impact on Pakistan', at the Pakistan Institute of International Affairs (PIIA) on Wednesday evening, Mohmand said that only the foreign forces are to be blamed for the ongoing 18 years of war in Afghanistan, The Dawn reported.Mohmand asked: "What has the war delivered? No country in the world would suffer as much from Afghanistan's instability as Pakistan. And no country in the world would gain as much from Afghanistan's stability as Pakistan," the former ambassador said.Mohmand's remarks came amid reports whereby Pakistan had rejected Afghanistan's request of using its territory for trade with India.The ex-ambassador added that if Pakistan had allowed the trade to happen then both India and Afghanistan would have depended on ...

Maharashtra: Specially-abled staff solely manages polling booth, girls welcome senior citizens at booth by touching their feet

A specially-abled staff solely managed the polling booth number 193 at Buldhana Lok Sabha constituency on Thursday during the second phase of the General elections in the state.Speaking to ANI, the booth's presiding officer Sanjay Pawar said: "This booth is being managed by specially-abled staff only. I appeal to all specially-abled persons to cast their votes to strengthen democracy."At a polling booth in Nanded Lok Sabha constituency, girls wore traditional Maharashtrian attire and welcomed senior citizens by touching their feet. Maharashtra Congress chief and sitting Member of Parliament from the constituency Ashok Chavan cast his vote in the polling station here.Congress leader Sushilkumar Shinde also cast his vote at a polling station in Solapur.Earlier today, an EVM had malfunctioned at a polling booth in Shastri Nagar of Solapur.Voting for 10 Lok Sabha seats which fall under Maharashtra's Vidarbha and Marathwada regions is underway in the second phase of polling.

Rahul must clarify stand on separate PM for J-K demand: Amit Shah

While slamming Omar Abdullah for advocating a separate prime minister for the Jammu and Kashmir, BJP national president Amit Shah on Thursday asked Congress president Rahul Gandhi to clarify his stand on the same."One of the allies of the Mahagathbandhan had talked about a separate prime minister for Jammu and Kashmir. Rahul baba is not clarifying his stand on this. I want to say that till BJP workers are alive, no one can separate Kashmir from India," he said while addressing a public meeting here.He further criticised Congress leaders and the party's Indian Overseas chief Sam Pitroda for questioning the death toll in Balakot air strike conducted by Indian Air Force in response to the February 14 Pulwama terror attack."There were only two places which were mourning after the air strike in Balakot- one is Pakistan and another in Congress. Rahul baba's mentor Sam Pitroda had stated it was not right to punish Pakistan because some of their children made mistakes."The BJP national ...

Senior citizens as enthusiastic as first-time voters in Lok Sabha elections

Polling began on Thursday in 95 parliamentary constituencies in the second phase of ongoing elections. Senior citizens and first-time voters stole the show with their enthusiasm as they arrived at different polling stations to cast their valuable votes.In Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir, 80-year-old Jogindero Devi came directly from Kathua district hospital to cast her vote at her designated polling booth, following which she was taken back to the hospital.Two 90-year-old women, Usha and Urmila, cast their votes at polling booth number 39 in Bhagalpur, Bihar.Meanwhile, in Udhampur district, a newly-married couple arrived directly from their wedding venue, at the polling station to cast their votes.On being asked what issues concern them, Manisha Sharma and Saurav Sharma told ANI that they are voting for development."We decided to vote although they were getting married. It is equally important to vote and that's why we took time from marriage and came to the polling booth to cast

Fake voting being conducted via burqa clad voters: BJP MLA Kanwar Singh Tanwar

BJP candidate and sitting Member of Parliament from Amroha constituency in Uttar Pradesh Kanwar Singh Tanwar on Thursday alleged that identities of burka-clad women are not being verified properly at various polling booths in his constituency.Speaking to media, Tanwar said: "I came to know that in seven villages votes are been cast fraudulently by the burka-clad women. Their identities are not been identified properly at the polling booths".He, however, contradicted himself when he said that one man has been put behind the bars for hiding his identity by wearing burkha.Despite all this, the MLA from Amroha exuded confidence that he would emerge victorious.The voting to elect the 17th Lok Sabha across India is taking place between April and May 19. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.

Replace Pompeo from nuclear talks: N Korea tells US

North Korea on Thursday called on the US to replace Secretary of State Mike Pompeo as head of its team negotiating for the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, state-media said.

Over 51% vote in Bengal amid violence (3rd Lead)

Over 51 per cent of the electorate cast their votes in the three northern West Bengal constituencies in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Thursday, amid several incidents of violence including an attack on a CPI-M candidate and the smashing of an EVM.

Indian-American PAC endorses Harris for President

An Indian-American political action committee (PAC) has endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Senator Kamala Harris of Indian and Jamaican descent for the US presidential race.

Akhilesh Yadav files nomination from Azamgarh

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav Thursday filed his nomination papers for the Azamgarh Lok Sabha seat. The SP chief, accompanied by BSP national general secretary Satish Chandra Misra, arrived here this morning to a rousing reception by party workers who had gathered in large numbers. He later drove to the Collectorate to file his nomination papers as party supporters raised slogans outside. Coming out after filing his papers, Yadav said people will vote for the development works undertaken by his government here. The SP chief said Azamgarh is the 'karambhoomi' of 'samajwadis' and exuded confidence that the people will continue to repose their faith in him by giving him blessings and support. Akhilesh Yadav is seeking election from the seat won by his father Mulayam Singh Yadav in the 2014 elections and is pitted against Bhojpuri superstar Nirahua or Dinesh Lal Yadav of BJP. Mulayam Singh had won from Azamgarh Lok Sabha seat in the 2014 elections along with the Mainpuri seat, .

BJP's Pradhan throws tantrums over chopper checking

In the backdrop of the poll body suspending an IAS officer for allegedly checking Prime Minister Narendra Modi's helicopter, a video of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan losing cool during a similar scanning of his chopper has gone viral on social media.

GFP leader Monserratte joins Cong, to contest Panaji bypoll

A day after resigning from the Goa Foward Party, former state minister Atanasio Monserratte joined the Congress on Thursday, nearly four years after he was expelled from it for alleged anti-party activities. Soon after joining the Congress in the presence of Goa party chief Girish Chodankar and others, Monserratte told reporters that he would contest the upcoming Panaji Assembly seat bypoll on the opposition party's ticket. The by-election, necessitated following the death of sitting MLA and then chief minister Manohar Parrikar last month, is scheduled on May 19. "I have joined the Congress for the development of the Panaji constituency. Parrikar, during his tenure, could not do much for the constituency on development and employment fronts," Monserratte claimed. In the 2017 state Assembly elections, Monserratte lost to BJP's Siddharat Kuncolienkar by 1,069 votes from Panaji seat, which was Parrikar's bastion since 1992 when he got elected as an MLA for the first ...