Page 903 - Politics
Will not contest again from Chamundeshwari: Siddaramaiah
Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddarmaiah Sunday said he will not contest again from Chamundeshwari assembly constituency in Mysuru, where he had tasted defeat during the May 2018 assembly polls. "I appeal to you with folded hands...I will not contest from this constituency once again, I'm making it clear. You all should work together for the development of this constituency," he said. Speaking at the joint election campaign in Jayapaura of Chamundeshwari assembly segment in Mysore, he said "this constituency should develop. I have won here five times; this constituency gave me political birth." Siddarmaiah, the then sitting Chief Minister, had lost the 2018 assembly polls in Chamundeshwari to JD(S) G T Deve Gowda by a margin of over 36,042 votes. He however won Badami, the other constituency in North Karnataka from where he had contested. Making his debut in the Assembly in 1983, Siddaramaiahgot elected from Chamundeshwari on a Lok Dal Party ticket, He has won five ...
Sudan protesters set demands as military rulers urge global support
Sudanese protesters demanded new military rulers set up a civilian government as the foreign ministry called Sunday for backing from the international community to help the country's "democratic transition". Thousands remained encamped outside Khartoum's army headquarters overnight to keep up pressure on a military council that took power after ousting veteran leader Omar al-Bashir on Thursday. A 10-member delegation representing the protesters delivered their demands during talks with the council late Saturday, according to a statement by the Alliance for Freedom and Change umbrella group spearheading the rallies. "We will continue... our sit-in until all our demands are met," including the formation of a fully civilian government, said one of the alliance's leaders, Omar al-Degier. Later the military council met with political parties and urged them to agree on an "independent figure" to be the country's prime minister, an AFP correspondent present at the meeting said. "We want to ..
Ivanka Trump promotes women's empowerment in Ethiopia
Far from the din of Washington, Ivanka Trump toured businesses run by women in Ethiopia on Sunday while promoting a White House global economic program for women. President Donald Trump's daughter and senior adviser visited a coffee shop and textile company in Addis Ababa. It was her first stop in Africa on a four-day trip to Ethiopia and Ivory Coast on behalf of a White House project intended to boost 50 million women in developing countries by 2025. Aiming to offer assistance and learn about the struggles of women in business, she took part in a traditional coffee ceremony, visited with weavers and announced new financial support for businesses. "Investing in women is smart development policy and it's smart business," Trump said, sitting in Dumerso Coffee, a dimly lighted space with a woven ceiling, tile floor and colorful paintings. Alongside were women who work in the industry. This is Ivanka Trump's first visit to Africa since the president launched the Women's Global Development
Loot of natural resources, misery for poor pillars of Modi
Slamming the BJP-led government, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Sunday said it stands on the twin pillars of loot of natural resources and more misery for the poor. Yechury also accused the Narendra Modi-led NDA government of trying to use the armed forces to polarise the elections in the face of its imminent defeat. He said it is "quite evident" from the anger against the present dispensation at the grassroots that a secular democratic government will come to power after the elections. "Recently, a report came out where it stated that bank loans of corporates worth Rs 5.5 lakh crore were waived off in the last five years. This only sums up from where the BJP is getting so much money in terms of electoral bonds. "This Modi government rests on twin pillars of loot of natural resources, cronyism and more misery for poor and common masses," Yechury told reporters here. Asking the Centre to reveal names of the corporate leaders whose loans have been written off, .
Nehru, Indira built Army when Modi didn't even learn to wear pants: Kamal Nath
Taking on the prime minister over his nationalistic poll pitch, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath Sunday said even when Narendra Modi "didn't learn to wear pyjamas and pants", Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi had built the country's defence forces. The veteran Congress leader's stinging attack on Modi came days after the prime minister referred to him as 'bhrasht' Nath, meaning corrupt. Addressing an election rally at Harsud in Khandwa district, Nath said the "highest" number of terror attacks happen whenever the BJP is in power at the Centre. "Modi talks about security of the country. Was the country not in safe hands five years ago? "Modi, when you had not even learned to wear pyjamas and pants, Jawaharlal Nehru (the first prime minister of India) and (former PM) Indira Gandhi had created the Army, the Air Force and the Navy for this country. And, you say that the country is safe under you," he said. Modi has been invoking the Pulwama terror attack and Balakot air strike in
Congress, AAP misinterpret Shah's remarks: BJP to EC
In two separate complaints to the Election Commission, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday accused leaders of the Congress as well as the Aam Adami Party (AAP) of "misinterpreting" parts of a speech, delivered earlier this week by its President Amit Shah, to create a communal rift for electoral gain.
Need for an objective narrative about Pakistan in India: Pak envoy
Pakistan is hoping for "re-engagement" with India after the Lok Sabha polls as structured dialogue will help the two countries understand mutual concerns, resolve disputes and build the edifice of durable peace and security, Pakistani High Commissioner Sohail Mahmood has said. In an interview to PTI, Mahmood, who has been appointed Pakistan's next Foreign Secretary, also said there was a need for an "objective" narrative about Pakistan in India which could facilitate peaceful, cooperative and good neighbourly ties. "We hope for re-engagement after the elections in India. Diplomacy and dialogue are indispensable," he said. The comments came nearly six weeks after India's military planes struck a terrorist training camp in Pakistan's Balakot and Pakistan's subsequent counter-offensive. The flare up triggered fears of a war and countries like the US and China played a role in de-escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. Mahmood said diplomacy and dialogue are ...
Iran summons French ambassador over colleague's tweet
Iran's semi-official ISNA news agency reports the foreign ministry has summoned France's ambassador to Tehran over remarks made on Twitter by his colleague in Washington. Ambassador Philippe Thiebaud was being asked Sunday to explain why the French ambassador to the US, Gerard Araud, had tweeted that "sanctions could be reimposed" on Iran once the 2015 nuclear deal expires after 10 years. Araud said Saturday that because "Russia is providing enriched uranium" to Iran, Tehran shouldn't need to be "massively enriching uranium after the JCPOA," using the acronym for the nuclear deal signed with world powers, including France. ISNA says Iran's foreign ministry has called Araud's remarks "unacceptable" and in "open violation" of the nuclear deal. Under the nuclear deal, Iran capped its uranium enrichment activities in return to ending sanctions.
Cong will win all four LS seats in HP, says former CM Virbhadra Singh
Former Himachal Pradesh chief minister and senior Congress leader Virbhadra Singh Sunday exuded confidence that his party would win all the four Lok Sabha seats in the state. He claimed that the people were upset with the "failure" of both central and state governments and would oust the BJP from power. Virbhadra Singh was speaking during a meeting with party workers held here to finalise strategy for the Hamirpur Lok sabha seat. Besides Virbhadra Singh, HP Congress chief Kuldeep Singh Rathore, its former chief Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, CLP leader Mukesh Agnihotri, Hamirpur Congress candidate Ram Lal Thakur and other MLAs of the area were present in the meeting. The former chief minister thanked the party high command for giving a ticket to one of his old friends Ram Lal Thakur. Virbhadra Singh said he would appeal to people to vote for Ram Lal Thakur as he was the right choice to become an MP from Hamirpur. During the meeting, Ram Lal Thakur also hit out at BJP candidate Anurag Thakur .
BJP govt weakening democratic, constitutional institutions: Azad
AICC general secretary and leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad Sunday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government of weakening the democratic and constitutional institutions in the country. He also alleged that the BJP-led government has started issuing certificate of nationalism and question the patriotism of any one on the basis of religion and caste and said "the politics of polarization is suicidal for the strength of our nation". "Modi Government has weakened the democratic and constitutional institutions established and strengthened in the country for the pastseven decades by the successive governments right down from Jawaharlal Nehru regime," the former chief minister said addressing series of election rallies in Ramban and Doda district. Remembering the architect of Indian constitution B R Ambedkar, Azad said that mandate in the constitution was carried out by establishing strong constitutional and democratic institutions in the country which are the ..
Oppn to move SC again to seek verification of 50 pc of VVAPT votes
Persisting with their doubts over the credibility of EVMs, several opposition parties Sunday said they will move the Supreme Court again to seek verification of at least 50 per cent of the polled votes against VVAPT slips. Opposition parties, including the Congress, Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Samajwadi Party, CPI and CPI(M), jointly addressed a press conference to highlight the issue of transparency in the election process and protection of voter rights and gave a call to "save democracy". Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of "programming" the electronic voting machines to win the Lok Sabha polls, while his Andhra Pradesh counterpart Chandrababu Naidu said 21 political parties have demanded matching of the VVPAT slips with at least 50 per cent of the votes cast through the EVMs. Naidu had met Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora Saturday to raise the issue of alleged malfunctioning of EVMs. The demand by the parties comes days before the ..
Committed to resettle Kashmiri Pandits in valley: PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday said he is committed to resettle Kashmiri Pandits in the valley and to provide citizenship rights to PoK and West Pakistani refugees who settled in Jammu and Kashmir after migrating from across the border decades ago. He blamed the Congress for the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the valley and said it would never be able to provide justice to the community and the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. "It is due to Congress's policies that my Kashmiri Pandit brothers and sisters had to leave their homes. The party and its allies witnessed the atrocities committed against Pandits but they paid no heed," the prime minister said. He was addressing an election rally here in support of Union minister Jitendra Singh who is seeking re-election from Udhampur parliamentary constituency. Modi said that even today, the Congress is reluctant to speak on the issue of Pandits but "this chowkidar is promise-bound to resettle them on their land. This process has ...
NDA will win 350 seats in Lok Sabha polls: RPI leader Ramdas Athawale
Republican Party of India (RPI) leader Ramdas Athawale on Sunday claimed that the NDA will win 350 seats in the Lok Sabha elections. He also said the BJP alone will win more than 65 seats in Uttar Pradesh."NDA will win 350 seats in this election. In UP, BJP will get more than 65 seats," he said while talking to ANI here.He also announced that the RPI will field 76 candidates in different states, but insisted that this will not hurt his ally BJP."RPI is fielding 76 candidates in different states. My candidates will not cut the BJP's vote share. Like in Uttar Pradesh, SP-BSP has an alliance. So my candidate in UP will eat into the BSP's vote bank, which will ultimately benefit the NDA," he said.Ramdas also invited Prakash Ambedkar to join the RPI and lead the party. "If he unites with the RPI, I am ready to give up my ministerial post for him," Athawale said.Reacting to AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owais 'Laila-Majnu' comment for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish ...
Priyanka will win from whenever she contests, says Raj Babbar
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will get elected from any seat she chooses to contest the Lok Sabha polls, said UP Congress unit chief Raj Babbar on Sunday."People are enthusiastic about Priyanka Gandhi. The day she enters electoral politics, people will welcome her. She will win from wherever she contests the poll," Babbar told ANI here.Babbar also praised Priyanka, general secretary and in-charge for east UP's party affairs, for actively campaigning in the state and said the party will happily bring her husband and businessman Robert Vadra into its fold if he wishes.Claiming the party had fielded him from Moradabad earlier, he said: "I asked my leadership that I want to fight election from my constituency Fatehpur Sikri. They gave a green signal to my proposition."Lok Sabha elections are being held from April 11 and will go on till May 19 in seven phases. The polls in Uttar Pradesh will be held in all seven phases. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.
Julian Assange's father requests Australian govt to help his son
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's father has requested the Australian government to bring back his son, who was arrested at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London earlier this week, state media reported.Speaking to Australian newspaper 'Herald Sun' on Sunday, John Shipton, the father of Julian Assange, urged Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT) to step in his son's arrest, who is facing rape allegations in Sweden and extradition charges by the United States government, Sputnik reported."DFAT and the prime minister should in a nuanced way do something. It can be resolved simply to the satisfaction of all. There has been some talk in a meeting between a senator and a senior DFAT official to extradite Julian to Australia," the father was quoted, as saying.According to Sputnik, Shipton, in his interview, expressed that he was shocked to see the manner in which his son was carried out of the Ecuadorian Embassy by British police on Thursday."I saw
Congress govt lamented after terror attacks, we killed terrorists in their home: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched a scathing attack on Congress alleging that the previous government led by it used to only lament after a terrorist attack but the BJP-led dispensation "killed terrorists inside their home".Addressing an election rally, the Prime Minister said, "What used to happen earlier was terrorists would come from Pakistan, attack us and the Congress government would only lament before the world that we have been attacked. But in this new India when terrorists attacked Uri, our brave soldiers conducted a surgical strike.""The second big mistake the terrorists made was in Pulwama after which we killed them in their home through air strikes,' Modi said.He said, "Only those who have strength are heard in this world. The one who always keeps crying does not get anyone's attention. Be it the United Nation, Russia, Saudi Arabia, the UAE or Afghanistan, India is being given importance."Modi said that the capacity to shoot down a satellite was with India ..
Every political party other than BJP wants verification of 50 per cent of votes through VVPAT: Kejriwal
Every political party other than Modi-led BJP are pressing for verification of 50 per cent of the votes through paper trails, said Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal."If BJP does not want Voter Verifies Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) to be counted, then why did they spend 9,000 crores on the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs)? They do not want VVPAT to be counted since they are benefiting from the laxity," CM Kejriwal told media persons here on Sunday.He also alleged that in the last five years, whenever an EVM had become dysfunctional, it was found that each of its buttons directed votes to the BJP. "How is this possible? BJP puts a programme into the machine and when it is caught, they put off the blame by claiming that it has become dysfunctional," he alleged.The Delhi chief minister also alleged that the Election Commission (EC) only listens to concerns of the BJP. "It is sad that EC, whose work is to conduct free and fair elections, is not paying heed to such a critical issue," ...
Will do anything to save country from Modi-Shah duo, says Kejriwal
Efforts are on to save the nation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah duo, said Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday."The country is in danger and to save it from Modi Ji and Amit Shah Ji 'jodi', we are ready to do whatever is needed. Our efforts will continue till the end," he said, in an apparent reference to AAP-Congress alliance, which has not yet taken any shape.On Saturday, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had said that the primary objective of the Aam Aadmi Party was to ensure the removal of the "dictatorial" and "anti-federal" Narendra Modi-led government."It is for the Congress to decide its priorities," he had added.The AAP has offered to join hands with Congress to defeat the BJP and its allies in 33 Lok Sabha seats -- 13 in Punjab, 10 in Haryana, seven in Delhi, two in Goa and one in Chandigarh, Sisodia had said.The senior Congress leader PC Chacko is in favour of the alliance, while Delhi Congress unit chief Sheila Dikshit has ...
SP-BSP failed to understand UP, here govts are formed, toppled at tea stalls: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party have "misunderstood" the people of Uttar Pradesh who had sent out a clear message in 2014 and in 2017 that they don't want caste-based politics but that of development."They are completely cut-off from the ground and they didn't know that the people of western Uttar Pradesh have understood their selfishness. In 2014 people of Uttar Pradesh have told them that they don't need the politics of caste but rather of development. the situation was the same in 2017," said PM Modi.The prime minister said that in Uttar Pradesh, governments were "made" and "made to fall" at tea-stalls."BSP and SP have misunderstood Uttar Pradesh where governments are made and made to fall at tea-stalls," he said.Recalling B.R. Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution PM Modi said that it was his vision that enabled even a man belonging to the "deprived-oppressed" class to become the President of India while a 'chaiwala' could .
Finland leftists tipped to win anti-austerity vote
Finns voted on Sunday in a general election where anti-austerity sentiment looked set to propel the opposition Social Democratic Party back to the head of government for the first time in 16 years. The left-wing party leads Finland's two main opinion polls with about 19 percent of the vote, having campaigned against the steep cost-cutting of Centre Party Prime Minister Juha Sipila and his Finance Minister Petteri Orpo -- leader of the conservative National Coalition Party. But the far-right Finns Party, led by hardline MEP Jussi Halla-aho, has seen a surge in support in recent months during an anti-immigration dominated campaign, urging people to "Vote for some borders". Polls show the Finns Party ending up in second or third place, meaning it could hold significant influence in the talks to form the next government, which in Finland is typically a coalition of three or four parties. The current government's cuts to Finland's prized education system, and a tightening of unemployment ..