Page 942 - Politics

Heavy turnout in Nagaland Lok Sabha polls

Voting in the lone Lok Sabha parliamentary seat ended peacefully on Thursday, with an estimated 78 per cent voter turnout.

Sudan's Bashir brought down by people he ruled with iron fist

Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir, long wanted on genocide and war crimes charges, was finally brought down in a popular uprising by the very people he ruled with an iron fist for 30 years. One of Africa's longest-serving presidents, the 75-year-old had remained defiant in the face of months-long protests that left dozens of demonstrators dead in clashes with security forces. But his fate was sealed when the army bowed to the demands on the street and intervened on Thursday to oust Bashir, who swept to power in a coup backed by Islamists in 1989. In what was clearly a last ditch effort to quell the protests, Bashir had imposed a state of emergency on February 22 after an initial crackdown failed to rein in the demonstrators. At first the emergency rule curbed the scale and intensity of the protests, but before long demonstrators staged a massive rally outside the military headquarters that reverberated with chants of "overthrow, overthrow". Bashir's last minute overtures offering to hold

Rahul & Priyanka to hold rallies in Gujarat next week

Congress president Rahul Gandhi and party general secretary in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, will hold separate rallies in Gujarat next week, a party functionary said on Thursday. While Rahul Gandhi will address rallies at different places in the state on April 15 and 19, Priyanka will hold a public meeting at Ambaji town under Banaskantha Lok Sabha seat on April 17. She is expected to offer prayers at the famous Ambaji temple before starting her campaign in Gujarat. "Rahul Gandhi would address a rally at Rajula, which is part of Amreli Lok Sabha constituency, on April 15. On April 19, he would again visit Gujarat to address three rallies in Bardoli, Dahod and Patan constituencies," Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said. "Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is scheduled to address a rally in Ambaji, which falls in Banaskantha seat on April 17. She will offer prayers at Ambaji temple ahead of the rally," he said. Besides them, Punjab minister Navjot .

Transfer of SIT IG by EC isolates SAD in Punjab

It took a complaint from the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to get Punjab Police Inspector General (IG) Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh shifted out by the Election Commission from the high-profile special investigation team (SIT) probing the Behbal Kalan firing incident and linked sacrilege cases.

7,780 polling booths 'sensitive' in TN

As many as 7,780 polling booths are categorised as sensitive in the 39 Lok Sabha constituencies in Tamil Nadu, said a senior Election Commission Official.

Sudan army topples Bashir: Defence minister

The Sudanese army has removed veteran president Omar al-Bashir from power and detained him, Defence Minister Awad Ibnouf announced on state television on Thursday. "I announce as minister of defence the toppling of the regime and detaining its chief in a secure place," Ibnouf said. Bashir, who ruled with an iron fist since he took power in an Islamist-backed coup in 1989, was ousted after deadly force failed to end four months of nationwide protests for his ouster. "We have replaced him by a transitional military council for two years and have suspended Sudan's 2005 constitution," Ibnouf said, reading from a statement. "We announce a state of emergency across the country for three months, and we have ordered the closing of the country's borders and airspace until a new announcement is made." Ibnouf said the military council had also declared a nationwide ceasefire, that includes the war-torn regions of Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan where Bashir's government had long been ...

BJP ally Mete to support NCP candidate in Beed against Munde

Maratha leader and NDA ally Vinayak Mete would support the NCP's Bajrang Sonawane against BJP MP Pritam Munde in Beed Lok Sabha constituency in Maharashtra, a source close to him said. Mete was elected to the Legislative Council with BJP's support. The BJP-led government also appointed him as chairman of a committee formed to oversee construction of a memorial of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj off Mumbai coast. Mete, who hails from Beed district, has often criticised Pritam Munde and her elder sister Pankaja, a cabinet minister in the state government. "The BJP MP meted out humiliating treatment to us in the last four-five years. My workers asked me if we should tolerate it. I said they should not, and take appropriate decision," Mete told PTI. One of Mete's aides said he will continue to support the BJP in all the other constituencies.

Sudan: Three decades under Bashir

Here are key dates in Sudan since Omar al-Bashir seized power three decades ago, after he was ousted on Thursday by the military following months of protests against his iron-fisted rule. 1989: In June 1989 army brigadier Bashir and a group of officers seize power in a coup backed by Islamists, toppling the elected government. Sudan then hosts radical Islamists, including Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden who remains until 1996. 2003: A rebellion erupts in 2003 in the western region of Darfur, which complains of economic and political marginalisation. The conflict goes on to kill 300,000 people and displace nearly 2.5 million, according to UN figures, before diminishing. The International Criminal Court in 2009 indicts Bashir for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur, and a year later for genocide. He denies the charges. 2005: Khartoum signs a peace treaty in 2005 with rebels in the south of the country, ending a 21-year civil war that left two million people dead. The ...

BJP, Congress in direct fight in Jalna Lok Sabha seat

Sitting Jalna MP Raosaheb Danve of the BJP will look to continue his winning spree in this Lok Sabha constituency in Maharashtra where the Congress is hoping to make an impact by raising water scarcity and farm issues. Danve, who is also Maharashtra BJP president, has been winning the Jalna parliamentary constituency since 1999. However, the BJP leader faced nervous moments when his local political rival Arjun Khotkar of the Shiv Sena announced a few weeks ago that he will contest against the sitting MP despite the two saffron parties having a pre-poll alliance. The fued between Danve and Khotkar, a state minister, had threatened to derail the BJP's campaign and dent its prospects in this central Maharashtra constituency, which goes to the polls in the third phase on April 23. It took several rounds of meetings between senior BJP and Shiv Sena leaders to resolve the fued between the two warring politicians. Finally, Khotkar was pacified and he agreed to support the ...

Gambhir campaigns for Jitendra Singh in J-K, attacks Omar, Mehbooba

Cricketer-turned-politician Gautam Gambhir Thursday kept up his attack on former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti over their statements in defence of Article 370, saying "this type of politics will no longer be entertained in the country". Gambhir, who recently joined the BJP, addressed election rallies in support of Union minister Jitendra Singh at Ram Nagar in Udhampur district and Nagri in Kathua district. "From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, India is one and the dream of having separate prime minister (for Jammu and Kashmir) will never be fulfilled. We will not allow it to happen," Gambhir told reporters in Kathua district. Singh is seeking re-election from the Udhampur Lok Sabha seat, spread over six districts of Udhampur, Kathua, Reasi, Ramban, Kishtwar and Doda districts. Gambhir and Abdullah exchanged sharp words after the National Conference leader stated that his party would strive to restore Jammu and Kashmir's autonomy that could include having a 'Wazir-e-Azam' ...

Punjab assures timely payments for wheat to farmers

Dispelling the apprehensions of arthiyas (foodgrain commission agents), Punjab Chief Secretary Karan Avtar Singh on Thursday assured them that the prevalent system of payments to farmers for their produce would continue during the ongoing Rabi Marketing Season (RMS) and timely payments would be made through the arthiyas.

Will make Ghaziabad safe for women: Dolly Sharma

Congress Lok Sabha candidate from Ghaziabad Dolly Sharma says she will ensure women security in this Uttar Pradesh city if elected to power. Her focus will also be on education, health and cleanliness.

Polling ends in 16 LS constituencies of Telangana

Barring Nizamabad, polling for the Lok Sabha seats in Telangana ended peacefully at 5 p.m on Thursday.

Raj CM busy campaigning for son, forgetting his duties: Rathore

Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly Rajendra Rathore Thursday alleged that Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has "forgotten" his duties and is busy campaigning for his son, who is contesting the Lok Sabha polls from Jodhpur seat. He alleged that criminals were roaming scot-free in the state under the Congress' rule. "The chief minister has forgotten his duties and is busy in election campaign of his son in Jodhpur. He is giving uncalled statements to appease his party president and making unnecessary comments on the Election Commission," Rathore told reporters here. "Criminals are opening fire at police which shows that they are being patronised by the ruling party. A chowkidar was burnt alive at a place barely 2 km from the chief minister's residence two months ago, custodial death in Churu, a girl was raped in Alwar's Ramgarh but there was no action against criminals," he alleged. The former minister also targeted the Congress government over inadequate water supply in ..

What makes 2019 polls in western UP different for BJP

As polling for eight Lok Sabha seats in western Uttar Pradesh concluded on Thursday, the advantage to the ruling BJP does not seem as enhanced as it was five years ago. Despite the battle over 'Ali and Bajrangbali', the BJP failed to ensure a religious polarization in western UP.

Congress encouraged infiltration for votes: Modi

Launching a scathing attack on the Congress over the issue of infiltration in Assam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the opposition party encouraged infiltration from across the border for their vote bank politics.

'Modi haunted by Rafale files at Parrikar's house'

The Goa Congress on Thursday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was still haunted by the Rafale files allegedly stashed at Late Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's residence and it was the reason why Modi was repeatedly taking Parrikar's name in his poll speech near Panaji on Wednesday.

Syria Kurds say deal made for 31,000 displaced Iraqis to go home

Syria's Kurds on Thursday announced a deal with Baghdad for 31,000 displaced Iraqis, mostly women and children, in camps in northeastern Syria to return home to Iraq. Tens of thousands of people live in the camps, which swelled enormously during the months-long battle that culminated in the defeat of the last vestige of the Islamic State group's "caliphate" by a Kurdish-led alliance. "A delegation from the Iraqi cabinet visited the autonomous administration to discuss the return to Iraq of displaced Iraqis, estimated to number 31,000, and an agreement was reached," Kurdish official Mahmud Kero told AFP. "So far 4,000 people have signed up and we are waiting for the Iraqi government to open up the Iraqi border to start," he said. Kero said many of the displaced did not have Iraqi identity papers, including children born on Syrian soil. "We have asked the Iraqi government to find a solution," he said. An Iraqi official said on Tuesday that Baghdad was making preparations for the return .

'Frustrated' BJP raking up nationalism issue as it 'miserably failed' on development agenda: Bansal

Congress leader Pawan Kumar Bansal Thursday accused the BJP of raising the issue of nationalism and politicising armed forces during election time and said the "frustrated" saffron party had "miserably failed" on their development agenda in the last five years. The former Union minister slammed sitting MP Kirron Kher, saying the BJP should be apologetic as it "failed" to carry out any development work in the Union territory. "The graph of the BJP came down tremendously in the last five years because they failed miserably on their development agenda. They are now resorting to old tactics by whipping up the viciously communal feelings and the issue of what they say is 'Rashtravad' (nationalism) as if they are the only repository of patriotism and nobody else is," Bansal said. He said for the first time Indian armed forces were being politicised. "Never before did you hear that important functionary of a ruling party like the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh calling the Army as 'Modiji ki

Rahul Gandhi has no time for Amethi: Adityanath

Hitting out at Rahul Gandhi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Thursday alleged that the Congress president had "no time" for his parliamentary constituency Amethi. Addressing an election meeting here, Adityanath said, Union minister Smriti Irani, who filed nomination papers from Amethi on Thursday, will ensure "all-round" progress of the constituency. "Rahul Gandhi does not have time for Amethi. I had sought proposals for development from him a number of times, but he did not give (any proposal). Whenever Smriti Irani used to meet me, she talked about the development of Amethi and facilities being given to its people," he said. "I am confident that if 'behen' (sister) Smriti Irani is elected as the Lok Sabha MP from here, there will be all-round development of Amethi," he added. Irani has pitted herself against Congress chief who has won thrice from the Lok Sabha constituency regarded as Gandhi family pocket borough. She filed the nomination after a road show, which ...