Page 958 - Politics
Modi assures to find solution to Goa mining crisis
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday assured to find a solution to the ongoing mining crisis in Goa, and said the Centre will toe the state government's line for resumption of the industry. He was speaking at 'Vijay Sankalp Sabha' near Panaji as part of the BJP's campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha election. "I am well aware about the situation of mining industry in Goa and concerns of the state related to it. Some time back, I had invited stakeholders of this industry in Delhi and held a detailed discussion with them," Modi said. "We discussed the issue in detail on how to work out a solution for the problem. While there is a Supreme Court on one side, there are also old laws (which we need to deal with) on the other and then there is corruption. The entire issue is entangled in this," he said. "I have tried to understand the problem in detail. I am well aware that livelihood of several people is dependent on this industry," he said. The PM added that the Centre would
Modi wave sweeping across the country: Suresh Prabhu
Union Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu Wednesday claimed that a 'Modi wave' is "sweeping" across the country as the people want continuation of developmental work that they saw in the last five years. "Electioneering has gathered momentum. I am travelling across the country, and I can claim that Modi wave is sweeping from east to west and north to south. The people themselves are eager to retain Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a second term to carry on the developmental work seen in every sector in the last five years," Prabhu told a press conference here. Prabhu, who visited Hazaribagh to address a poll meeting after BJP candidate and Union Minister of state for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha filed nomination from Hazaribagh seat, said that the Modi government is focused on developmental works through "saab ka saath, saab ka vikas" (together with all and development for all) mantra. "You have seen Rs 2.75 lakh crore was earmarked for railways in the first three years. ...
Israeli PM poised for record 5th term (2nd Lead)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was set to secure a record fifth term in office on Wednesday after more than 95 per cent of the votes gave the right-wing bloc a lead over the left in the general election, the media reported.
Alpesh Thakor quits Congress, rules out joining BJP
In a setback to the Congress in Gujarat days before the Lok Sabha elections, OBC leader Alpesh Thakor Wednesday quit the party. Thakor, appointed national secretary after joining the party in 2017, said in a letter to Gujarat Congress chief Amit Chavda that he was resigning from all the posts in the party due to insults and betrayal. "I should not stay in a party where I am being insulted, ignored and betrayed," he said. "Poor youth of my community were angry and upset as they were ignored and insulted. For me, Thakor Sena is supreme....My Sena had asked me to leave a party if we are ignored, insulted and cheated there," he added in the letter. Amit Chavda said he will speak with Thakor before saying anything to the media. Addressing a press conference later, Thakor said he was not joining the ruling BJP. "Thakor Sena helped Congress win almost 43 seats during the 2017 Assembly polls. But our youth were sidelined and even humiliated after the elections got over. I had ...
Cong welcomes EC order on Modi biopic, says 'promising step' towards level-playing field
The Congress Wednesday said the Election Commission order staying the screening of a biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi will ensure a level-playing field for all political parties during elections. The EC banned the screening of the Vivek Oberoi-starrer biopic "PM Narendra Modi" during poll period, saying any such film that subserves the purpose of any political entity or individual should not be displayed in the electronic media. Welcoming the EC order, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said the NaMo TV and the biopic were nothing but "misuse" of power by an "arrogant ruler facing defeat". "The Election Commission's decision staying the Modi biopic is an affirmation that none less than the Prime Minister of India was complicit in violating the Model Code of Conduct," he said. The Election Commission's order staying the "crass publicity gimmick" through 'Modi biopic' is a "promising step" in upholding and ensuring a 'level-playing field' in the ongoing elections,
Will Bengal's Baharampur continue to bless Congress? (Constituency Profile)
The Baharampur Lok Sabha constituency in West Bengal is set to witness a triangular battle between Congress' Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Trinamool's Apurba Sarkar and BJP's Krishna Juardar Arya in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
Erdogan calls S-400 deal 'national security decision'
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey's procurement of the Russian S-400 air defence systems is a national security deal and is in the delivery stage, the media reported on Wednesday.
Mamata RSS core-committee member, compromised with BJP: Adhir
Senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury Wednesday mocked West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee saying she is a core committee member of the RSS and has compromised with the BJP in the state. Chowdhury, a former Union minister who hails from Murshidabad district of the state, made this comment following Banerjee's statement that the RSS is supporting Congress candidates in that district. "How did she know who is being supported by the RSS? It seems she is a core-committee member of the RSS. Everybody knows who had compromised with the BJP in the state," Chowdhury, a former state Congress president, said. He is contesting from Beharampore Lok Sabha seat of Murshidabad district. Banerjee is saying she would not support Prime Minister Narendra Modi but she has to come clean on whether or not she would support the BJP if someone else is selected as the prime ministerial candidate by the BJP, Chowdhury said. Earlier in the day, Banerjee alleged that the RSS is ...
Trump says he has not seen full Russia collusion report
President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he had yet to see the full report drawn up by special prosecutor Robert Mueller into his election campaign's allegedly suspicious links to Russia. "I have not seen the Mueller report, I have not read the Mueller report," he said at the White House. "As far as I'm concerned I don't care about the Mueller report. I've been totally exonerated," Trump said. The two-year probe into Trump and his team's interactions with Russians caused huge controversy. According to a brief summary released by Trump's attorney general, Bill Barr, Mueller found no evidence of deliberate collusion between Trump and Russia. However, Mueller did not come down on whether Trump obstructed justice during his continuous and fierce opposition to the probe. Barr said that in his judgement there was no obstruction -- a finding that opposition Democrats quickly questioned. The full report -- barring sections blacked out for legal or security reasons -- is expected to be ...
Veteran Communist leader Drupad Borgohain dies
Veteran communist leader and former parliamentarian Drupad Borgohain died Wednesday at a private hospital in Dibrugarh, family sources said. He was 78. The lifetime member of Communist Party of India (CPI) was suffering from cancer and was admitted to hospital a few days ago when his condition deteriorated, they said. The former Rajya Sabha MP and an MLA from Nazira constituency is survived by wife Amiyo Borgohain. Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia and others condoled the demise of the CPI leader. "Saddened to know the death of Drupad Borgohain, a veteran mass leader who championed the cause of politics with an undertone of peoples development. His death will definitely create void in socio-political spectrum of the state which will be hard to be filled," Mukhi said. The Congress, AASU, AJYCP, KMSS and many other social ...
Assam Congress lodges complaint with EC
The opposition Congress on Wednesday filed a complaint with the Election Commission alleging distribution of cash and liquor in the five Lok Sabha constituencies in Assam going to polls in the first phase on Thursday. The five constituencies are Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Kaliabor, Tezpur and Lakhimpur. The complaint was filed by Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) general secretary Diganta Chaudhury. "On behalf of the APCC, I am directed by the president, Assam PCC to bring to your kind notice the blatant misuse of Model Code of Conduct by BJP leaders during the first phase of elections in the state of Assam and therefore seek your kind intervention into the same," Chaudhury said in his complaint to the Election Commission of India. A copy of the complaint was also sent to the Chief Electoral Officer of Assam Chaudhury in his complaint alleged that many BJP leaders, including ministers, MLAs, MPs and other party workers are openly distributing huge amount of cash and liquor
Polling in seven Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra in first phase
All arrangements have been made for the first phase of polling Thursday in seven Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, election officials said Wednesday. Union ministers Nitin Gadkari and Hansraj Ahir are among those in fray in these seats in Vidarbha region, which will see a direct fight between the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance and the Congress-NCP-led combine. Polling will begin at 7 AM amid tight security and end at 6 PM, said officials Wednesday. Security has been beefed up after an IED blast Wednesday in the Naxal-affected Gadchiroli district, where polling will be held Thursday. A CRPF jawan, who was escorting a polling party, was injured in the blast, police said. Nitin Gadkari (Nagpur) and his Cabinet colleague Hansraj Ahir (Chandrapur) -- both from the BJP -- are among prominent candidates in the fray in the first phase that covers seven out of the 10 Lok Sabha seats in the Vidarbha region in Eastern Maharashtra. The constituencies going to the polls Thursday are Nagpur, ...
Congress past masters at 'haath ki safai': Modi
Accusing the Congress-led governments of promoting middlemen in defence deals and allowing them to get away, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday it was becoming clear how much wealth AP (Ahmed Patel) and the family made in defence deals.
Rahul's Rafale remarks near-contempt of court: Sitharaman
Hitting out at Rahul Gandhi, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said the Supreme Court's ruling on the Rafale issue is not a setback for the government and alleged that the Congress President has not only misinterpreted the court's verdict but also indulged in contempt of court by attributing words to the apex court which were not in the judgement.
Nainital: Rawat, Bhatt locked in tough vote battle
After losing from two Assembly seats in 2017, Congress General Secretary Harish Rawat's clout is at stake as he is locked in an intense electoral battle with Uttarakhand BJP President Ajay Bhatt in the prestigious Nainital seat, which will go to polls on Thursday.
Rahul hits out at Mamata's claim of not fighting BJP
Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday attacked West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for claiming that his party is not fighting against the BJP and pointed out that her Trinamool Congress had once formed an alliance with the saffron outfit.
3-way contest in NE as local parties gain strength
The northeastern states are likely to see a tripartite battle in these elections, with the local parties gaining strength in the erstwhile Congress bastion on local issues and sentiments, even as the BJP makes inroads there, say political experts.
LS polls crucial for ruling TDP in AP
The first phase of Lok Sabha elections on Thursday is crucial for Andhra Pradeshs ruling Telugu Desam Party, for, the outcome will determine its standing on the national political scene. TDP president and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is desperately seeking to regain lost glory in New Delhi, having taking an active role in the anti-Modi grouping of various parties, including the Congress. "Help the TDP win all 25 Lok Sabha seats in the State so that we can dictate terms to New Delhi...," Naidu repeatedly said during campaigning. In 2014, the TDP won 16 of 25 seats in the State but with the BJP securing a majority on its own in the Lok Sabha, the party could not resort to any arm-twisting. Naidu quit the NDA last year on the issue of special category status for AP and forged friendship with the Congress to take on the BJP. He also revived ties with opposition leaders like Mamata Banerjee, Mulayam Singh Yadav, H D Deve Gowda and M K Stalin and mounted an attack on ...
Centre, EC take contrary stands in SC on electoral bonds scheme
The Centre and the EC took contrary stands in the Supreme Court on Wednesday over political funding with the government wanting to maintain anonymity of the donors of electoral bonds and the poll panel batting for revealing the names of donors for transparency. The top court was hearing the plea of NGO, Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR)', which has sought interim reliefs that either the issuance of electoral bonds be stayed or the names of the donors be made public to ensure transparency in the poll process. The Centre told a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi that the electoral bond scheme was meant to "eradicate black money in political funding" and the anonymity of donors is to be maintained for various reasons such as fear of repercussions on a firm if the other political party or group wins. "We have no policy of state funding of elections. Funds are received from supporters, affluent persons and companies. They all want their political party to win. If their party .
Terrorism like cancer, we will fully cure India of it: PM Modi
Accusing the Congress of toying with the security of the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the opposition party wanted to fulfil the demands of Pakistan by repealing sedition law and reducing troops in Kashmir.He also said that if the Congress had continued working on the path shown by Sardar Patel post-independence India would have been at an altogether different position today."Congress wants to remove armed forces from Kashmir. They are attempting to fulfil the demands of Pakistan. Sardar Patel spent his life to protect the unity of the nation. The party also sides with the 'tukde-tukde' gang which wants to break India. Had Sardar Patel been alive today, he would have never accepted the Congress 'dhakosla patra' (manifesto)," the Prime Minister said while addressing an election rally in Songadh.The Prime Minister said that in order to bring peace and harmony in the nation it is necessary to wipe out terrorism from India using whatever measures needed."It is ...