Page 991 - Politics
Chamling seeks sixth term as Sikkim Chief Minister
Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling is seeking a record sixth term in office in the upcoming assembly elections that will largely see a three-way fight between his Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) led by P.S. Golay and the Hamro Sikkim Party (HSP) of former Indian football captain Bhaichung Bhutia.
BJP chief meets Advani, Joshi
BJP President Amit Shah on Monday met party veterans L.K. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi hours after top party leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, unveiled the party's 'Sankalp Patra' for the Lok Sabha polls.
Maha CM attacks Cong on its poll promise to scrap sedition law
Launching a scathing attack on the Congress, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Monday said the Opposition party which sheds tears for the "tukde tukde gang" wanted to scrap the sedition law to strengthen the anti-national forces in the country. Canvassing for Nagpur BJP candidate and Union minister Nitin Gadkari, the chief minister slammed the Congress over its poll manifesto which has promised review of the controversial Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) and repeal of sedition law. "The Congress manifesto talks about withdrawing the Army from Kashmir and ending the special powers granted to the forces there. Why do you want to remove their special rights? That right is given to the Army to neutralise terrorists and infiltrators, and to jail stone-peltors who work at the behest of Pakistan," he said. The chief minister also punched holes in the Congress' promise of scrapping sedition law. "The section 124 A of the IPC is an instrument to jail people ...
US declares Iran's guard force a 'terrorist organisation'
The United States on Monday designated Iran's Revolutionary Guard a "foreign terrorist organization" in a move to increase pressure on the country that could also have significant military, diplomatic and economic implications throughout the Middle East and beyond. It is the first time that the US has designated a part of another government as a terrorist organization. The designation could spark Iranian retaliation as well as potentially open hundreds of foreign companies and business executives to US travel bans and possible prosecution. "This unprecedented step, led by the Department of State, recognizes the reality that Iran is not only a state sponsor of terrorism, but that the IRGC actively participates in, finances and promotes terrorism as a tool of statecraft," President Donald Trump said. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the move is part of an effort to put "maximum pressure" on Iran to end its support for terrorist plots and militant activity that destabilizes the Middle
Ahead of LS polls, CBDT detects unaccounted cash racket
On the second day of its continued searches across Madhya Pradesh, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on Monday detected a widespread and well-organised racket of collection of unaccounted cash, to the tune of Rs 281 crore, involving persons from different walks of life including business, politics and public service.
BJP MLA Anil Gote resigns; to contest LS polls from Dhule
Disgruntled BJP MLA in Maharashtra Anil Gote Monday announced resignation from the assembly and said he will contest the Lok Sabha polls from the Dhule constituency as an independent candidate. The BJP has fielded Union minister and sitting MP Subhash Bhamare from the Dhule seat in North Maharashtra which goes to the polls on April 29. Gote accused Bhamare of not doing any work in his Lok Sabha constituency of Dhule, which is also the hometown of the BJP legislator. "I have quit from the post of MLA. I have substantial proof against Bhamare. I will contest the election as an independent candidate. I am sure I will win the election," said the legislator from Dhule City. The MLA had been at loggerheads with the BJP's state leadership since the Dhule Municipal Corporation elections held last year. In November last year, Gote had alleged "criminals" were being inducted into the party in Dhule. He had opposed induction of some leaders from the Nationalist Congress Party ...
Modi, Trump campaigns similar, rely on playing with people's emotions: Pitroda
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump's campaign strategies are similar as both rely on "playing" with people's emotions, Indian Overseas Congress chief Sam Pitroda said Monday. Speaking on 'political campaigns in the digital era', Pitroda, a long-time Gandhi family adviser, said digital era is about sound bytes, gimmicks, and videos as opposed to the in depth analysis by journalists earlier. He said the real use of digital technology in campaigns started visibly during the Obama-era. Former US president Barack Obama was the first one to really use digital technology to mobilise young people, Pitroda said, delivering the second Madhavan Kutty Memorial Lecture. He said it was Trump who recently capitalised on digital media. "His (Trump's) strategy was similar to Modi's strategy. What was the strategy, the strategy was -- there is enemy at the border -- in that case it was Mexican, and enemy also as people in the country, immigrants. "Very similar, Modi says that ..
EU negotiator says 'fully behind Ireland' in any Brexit scenario
The EU will "stand fully behind Ireland" whatever happens with Brexit, chief negotiator Michel Barnier said on Monday during a visit to Dublin. Barnier also warned Britain that, in case of a no-deal Brexit, the EU would not open trade talks until the question of the Irish border had been resolved. "We would not discuss anything with the UK until there is an agreement for Ireland and Northern Ireland, as well as citizens' rights and the financial settlement," he said. All three issues are covered by the withdrawal agreement, which was struck between British and EU negotiators in November but has been rejected by the British parliament. Brexit hardliners oppose provisions in the deal which they fear could end up locking Britain into the EU's economic embrace and prevent it from striking its own trade deals with countries around the world. The EU has opposed any renegotiation of the divorce deal but Barnier on Monday said an accompanying political declaration on future trade ties could ..
Iran declares US 'state sponsor of terrorism': state media
Iran's Supreme National Security Council on Monday declared the United States a "state sponsor of terrorism" and US forces in the region "terrorist groups", state media said. In a statement carried by the official news agency IRNA, it said the move was in response to Washington's "illegal and foolish act" of designating Iran's Revolutionary Guards a terrorist organisation.
Sacrilege incidents: IPS officer Kunwar Vijay Pratap shifted
The Election Commission of India has directed the Punjab government to divest IPS officer Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh of his charge as inspector general (IG) of police, crime, and the additional charge of Organised Crime Control Unit (OCCU) for "violating" the model code of conduct. A show cause notice has also been issued to Pratap Singh to explain his position and the ECI has warned him against making comments related to the SIT probe into the 2015 sacrilege and police firing incidents, officials said. The ECI's direction comes after a complaint was lodged by the Shiromani Akali Dal against Pratap Singh. Following the directions of the ECI, the Punjab government has posted him as inspector general of Counter Intelligence (Amritsar). Pratap Singh is a member of the Special Investigation Team probing the 2015 sacrilege and police firing incidents, which remains unchanged after the ECI directive. In a communication sent to the chief secretary of Punjab, the ECI wrote that it had received
Cong, BJP copied schemes of TRS govt, claims Tgana CM
The Congress and the BJP "copied" the schemes being implemented by his government in Telangana, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao claimed Monday. "Day before yesterday Congress and today BJP announced election manifesto. I am feeling very proud. Both have copied many schemes that the Telangana government has introduced. Both have incorporated in their manifestos," he said during an election meeting at Vikarabad. Rao claimed the two parties copied 'Rythu Bandhu (investment support scheme for farmers) being implemented by the Telangana Rashtra Samithi government. Realisation was dawning on the two parties and the Congress talked about transfer of powers to States, he said. Rao, who earlier spoke about optimum utilisation of river waters, quoted the BJP as saying it would focus on efficient use of water resources. The chief minister said he has been raising issues like effective utilisation of river water and electricity for some time now. "Telangana needs to play a role at .
Post-poll scenario will decide whether we take Cong along: SP, BSP leaders
The Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party alliance will take a call on taking the Congress along based on the post-poll scenario, sources in the two parties said Monday. The reaction from these two parties came after AICC general secretary (west Uttar Pradesh) Jyotiraditya Scindia said the option to be a part of the SP-BSP alliance is open for the Congress after the Lok Sabha polls. "The SP and BSP will take a call on having the Congress in the alliance based on the circumstances post polls," senior leaders of the alliance said on condition of anonymity. Scindia Sunday said it was "unfortunate" that the SP and the BSP did not have talks with the Congress for being a part of the alliance. This, he said, does not mean that the Congress and the SP-BSP cannot come together. He had also said the doors for an alliance were open post polls. A BSP leader said the party leadership is aware of the comments made by Scindia and will take a call. SP leaders said a decision on this will be taken ...
Congress selling tickets, alleges Majithia
The Akali Dal Monday accused the Congress of selling tickets to candidates aspiring to fight the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, saying denial of tickets have caused resentment among the party's "loyal leaders". "The Congress has sold tickets for Lok Sabha seats to the highest bidders, causing a lot of resentment among its loyal workers and senior leaders," alleged Shiromani Akali Dal's core committee member and former state minister Bikram Singh Majithia. "Many senior leaders of the party have already aired their resentment against the style of functioning of Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, he said, while addressing a rally here in support of SAD candidate Darbara Singh Guru contesting for the Fatehgarh Sahib Lok Sabha seat. Majithia said the Congress leaders were "feeling suffocated" and were on the "verge of leaving" the party. Referring to the statements of former Congress MPs Santosh Chaudhary and Mohinder Singh Kaypee, Majithia said they have rightly exposed their ...
From 11 leaders in its 2014 manifesto's cover, to only Modi in 2019
The leadership transition in the BJP in last five years was reflected in its manifesto, with this year's document only displaying Prime Minister Narendra Modi on its cover, unlike in 2014 when pictures of ten other leaders, including former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and his deputy L K Advani, featured. Vajpayee's picture is now displayed on the last page along with those of party's idealogue Syama Prasad Mookerjee and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, who were on the second page of the 2014 manifesto. Besides Modi, pictures of contemporary leaders, including Home Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who figured in the 2014 manifesto, are missing in the 2019 document. Pictures of veteran leaders Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, who were not not given tickets this time, were also displayed prominently in BJP's 2014 manifesto. As far as language and tone of the manifesto is concerned, it is same in both the current and the previous ...
AAP to launch second phase campaign in Delhi
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday said it would launch its second phase of campaign in the national capital for the Lok Sabha polls from Wednesday with an aim to reach out to 35 lakh people.
IT raids on MP CM's aides, supporters continue
Income Tax Department officials on Monday continued raids at the premises of people considered close to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath.
AIADMK complains to EC on DMK ads
The ruling AIADMK on Monday lodged a complaint with the Election Commission against newspaper and television advertisements issued by rival DMK for violating the code.
Electoral bonds scheme fails on transparency: Ex-CEC
Former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) V.S. Sampath said on Monday that the electoral bonds scheme introduced by the NDA government has failed on the transparency front though it ensured that black money was not used for election funding.
What happened in Gurgaon was wrong: Delhi mayors on meat shops incident
Various meat shop owners in the national capital "shut" their businesses on their own during the Navratri festival to "respect the sentiments of the Hindu community", mayors of BJP-led north and east Delhi corporations Monday claimed. North Delhi Mayor Adesh Gupta and East Delhi Mayor Bipin Bihari Singh, however, both asserted that Delhi is a peaceful city and concurred that "shops cannot be forced to shut". "What happened in Gurgaon was wrong and not the right way to deal with the issue. In Delhi, however, people either close shops out of respect for sentiments of the Hindu community during Navratri or do so when requested," Singh said. Their remarks come two days after Hindu Sena activists were arrested for allegedly forcing meat shop owners to shut their businesses in view of the Navratri festival, police said Sunday. Over 200 Hindu Sena activists Saturday marched towards many places in Gurgaon, including Palam Vihar, Badshahpur and Om Vihar, and forcibly shut 250 meat shops, a ...
TMC would play a crucial role in new govt formation: Mamata
Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday asserted that her party would play a crucial role in forming the next government at the Centre, after the Lok Sabha polls. Banerjee also claimed that the BJP would not be able to retain power at the Centre after the elections, and many of its allies, including the Shiv Sena, would severe ties with the NDA. "There will be no government formed without the TMC. They (the BJP) have only one arrogant man in him (Prime Minister Narendra Modi). But we have so many leaders who have credibility... So, we will decide it (on the PM face of the opposition alliance) later.. Let the elections be over," she told a Bengali news channel. Terming Bengal as a "friend, philosopher and guide" to the country, the TMC chief said she is not hungry for power but wants the state to help form the next government. "I do not want power. I want Bengal to show the path and help form a new government at the Centre. When