Sharif promises to take forward peace process
New Delhi : Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said Tuesday that he desired to take forward the peace process he had initiated with then...
PM Modi meets Manmohan Singh
New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday met Manmohan Singh.
He called on his predecessor at the latter's 3, Motilal Nehru Marg residence in...
Jammu and Kashmir integral part of India: RSS
New Delhi : The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Wednesday hit back at Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, saying the state would remain...
BJP protests poor power supply in Uttar Pradesh
Ghaziabad : Over 200 BJP workers held a protest here Thursday against poor electricity supply in Uttar Pradesh.
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Ashu Verma accused...
Chandy to meet Modi Monday
Thiruvananthapuram : Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who had sought an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been asked to meet him Monday,...
Now Congress’ Rajasthan legislator attacks Rahul
New Delhi : In another attack on Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi following the party's debacle in the Lok Sabha election, a party legislator...
Nearly 60,000 primary schools in Bihar without headmasters
Patna : Nearly 60,000 of the 73,000 government primary schools in Bihar, mostly in rural areas, do not have a "proper" headmaster. In many...
No room for NCP in NDA: Thackeray
Mumbai : Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray Monday made it clear that before or after the general election, there is no room for the...
Munde’s daughter Pankaja to perform last rites
Beed (Maharashtra) : The village of Parali in Maharashtra's Beed district was transformed into a sea of grieving humanity as union minister Gopinath Munde's...
KCR promises super-speciality hospitals in all Telangana districts
Hyderabad : Telangana Chief Minister K.Chandrasekhara Rao Wednesday announced that a super speciality hospital will be set up in each district of the state.
Speaking...
India’s Twitter elections: Will it now become a governance tool?
By Aniket Bhavthankar,
Immediately after the results of India's general elections were announced a controversy over '@pmoindia', the twitter handle of the Prime Minister's Office...
Modi introduces council of ministers in Lok Sabha
New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday introduced his council of ministers in the Lok Sabha.
Beginning with Home Minister Rajnath Singh, the prime...
PM interacts with members after house is adjourned
New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi's proactiveness as leader of his party in the Lok Sabha was visible Friday when he spent nearly...
Chinese foreign minister, senior US official to hold talks with Modi government
New Delhi : China and the US would be establishing first contact with the new Indian government with the visit of Chinese Foreign Minister...
First session of Telangana assembly begins
Hyderabad : The first session of the Telangana state legislative assembly began here Monday.
The newly-elected legislators took oath on the first day. Chief Minister...
Infrastructure first, then online admission in Bengal: Minister
Kolkata : Despite facing flak from the opposition Left Front and the BJP for scrapping the mandatory online admission procedure in West Bengal, Education...
Rudy takes jibes at opposition in Lok Sabha
New Delhi: BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy Tuesday said Narendra Modi was the party's future and the National Democratic Alliance government will fulfill the...
Modi disbands four cabinet committees
New Delhi : In what is being seen as Narendra Modi's attempt at "minimum government, maximum governance" and a departure from the erstwhile Congress-led...
Veteran freedom fighter, ex-MP Shanti Patel dead
Mumbai : Eminent freedom-fighter, veteran trade unionist and former parliamentarian Shanti Patel died here early Friday following age related problems, family sources said. He...
Congress threatens to snap power to Sisodia’s house
New Delhi : The Congress party Sunday continued their power protest here, threatening to cut supply to the houses of former Delhi minister Manish...
UP governor Joshi resigns
Lucknow : Uttar Pradesh Governor B.L. Joshi Tuesday submitted his resignation to President Pranab Mukherjee, officials at Raj Bhawan said.
The 78-year-old retired Indian Police...
Move to remove governors ‘dictatorial’, says Congress
New Delhi : The Congress Tuesday termed as "dictatorial" the reported move by the BJP-led government to move out governors of some states, saying...
Assam governor says he is not resigning
New Delhi : Assam Governor J.B. Patnaik said Thursday he was not resigning from his post.
"How many times I have to say that I...
JD-U wins both Rajya Sabha seats from Bihar
Patna : Bihar's ruling Janata Dal-United Thursday won both the seats in the Rajya Sabha from the state in a by-election, thanks to cross-voting...
Did not seek to impose Hindi, says Modi government
New Delhi : Amid fire from various political parties and chief ministers for imposing the use of Hindi in non-Hindi speaking states, the union...
Hinduism is not just a faith, says Pranab
New Delhi : Hinduism is not just a faith, President Pranab Mukherjee said Monday, as he received a copy of the "Encyclopaedia of Hinduism"...
In Uttar Pradesh, parties in overdrive for assembly polls
By Mohit Dubey,
Lucknow : Although assembly elections are a good two years away, political players in Uttar Pradesh are already in an overdrive. Political...
Punjab BJP ministers submit resignations to party
Chandigarh : All four ministers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Punjab government submitted their resignations to the party to enable a...
Modi is visionary, work culture has changed: MSME Minister Kalraj Mishra
By Mohit Dubey,
Lucknow : As the BJP-led union government completes a month in office Thursday, senior cabinet minister Kalraj Mishra says Prime Minister Narendra Modi has unleashed a new culture in governance and his ministry's goal is to impart "unemployed youth get skill development".
Cong MLAs Asif, Mateen in talks with BJP to form Delhi Govt?
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
New Delhi: According to a TV channel Bhartiya Janta Party is trying to form government in Delhi by wooing some of the Congress MLAs. On June 25, News Express broadcast footage of four Congress MLAs, including Okhla MLA Asif Mohammad Khan and Seelampur MLA Ch. Mateen Ahmed in purported meeting with BJP’s Ramveer Singh Bidhuri in a five star hotel in the national capital.
BJP backed candidate wins Ranchi mayoral polls
Ranchi : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) backed candidate Asha Lakra was Friday declared winner in the Ranchi mayoral election, more than a year...
Trinamool MP apologises for rape comment
Kolkata : Trinamool Congress MP Tapas Paul, whose rape remarks sparked countrywide outrage, Tuesday tendered an unconditional apology to the party and the media,...
NSA spied upon BJP
Washington : The Bharatiya Janata Party was one of the six political parties across the world which a US court in 2010 authorised the...
BJP legislators create ruckus in Bihar assembly
Patna : Opposition BJP legislators Wednesday created a ruckus in the Bihar assembly over poor law and order situation, disrupting the proceedings of the...
BJP prejudiced, lacks respect for judiciary: Congress
New Delhi : The Congress Wednesday accused the BJP of "prejudice" against former solicitor general Gopal Subramaniam, and said the ruling party lacked respect...
Rail budget focusses on transparency, safety: Modi
New Delhi : Calling the railways an engine of development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the railway budget unveiled Tuesday had its focus on...
CPI-M blasts railway budget
New Delhi : The CPI-M denounced the railway budget unveiled Tuesday, calling it "a cosmetic exercise, high on rhetoric and low in substance".
"The emphasis...
Assam CM terms budget ‘most disappointing’
Guwahati : Expressing dissatisfaction over the union budget, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi Thursday said it was the "most disappointing".
"There is no indication of...
Kejriwal slams Delhi budget
New Delhi : Former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal Friday criticised the Delhi budget and said the BJP has taken a "u-turn" on almost...
Tripura CPI-M holds on to rural bastion in panchayat polls
Agartala : The ruling CPI-M in Tripura Friday retained its rural bastion by securing absolute majority in 275 of the 591 gram panchayats and...
Ram Naik sworn in as UP governor
Lucknow : Veteran BJP leader and former union minister Ram Naik Tuesday took over as the new governor of Uttar Pradesh.
Naik, the 27th governor...
Modi releases Sardar Patel’s biography in Braille
New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday released a biography of independent India's first home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in Braille, an official...
Jhinda elected Haryana Sikh panel chief
Chandigarh : Despite opposition from Punjab's ruling Shiromani Akali Dal and Amritsar-based SGPC, the newly set-up ad hoc committee of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara...
‘Akhilesh playing politics of vendetta against BJP’
By Mohit Dubey,
Lucknow : He is possibly the only one from the Bharatiya Janata Party in Uttar Pradesh to have the ears of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Accredited with the groundwork for the party's unprecedented success in the Lok Sabha elections where it won 71 of the state's 80 seats, Laxmikant Bajpayi is an angry old man. He now charges the state's ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) with engaging in the politics of vendetta against BJP workers.
Kerala BJP looks to Amit Shah’s visit to boost prospects
Thiruvananthapuram : The Kerala unit of the BJP is eagerly waiting for party national president Amit Shah's three-day state visit from Aug 30, hoping...
Vendetta politics, says Congress of Beniwal sacking
New Delhi : The Congress party and its allies Thursday slammed the Narendra Modi government for sacking Mizoram Governor Kamla Beniwal, terming it a...
The Modi Sarkar: Initial Symptoms
By Ram Puniyani,
It is already over two months that Narendra Modi has taken over as the prime minister of the country. While some may call it as a ‘honey moon period’ others will say that its actions during last few months are an indication enough of shape of things to come. It goes without saying that Modi is the Pracharak of RSS, which is aiming at converting the secular democratic India into a Hindu Rashtra. Modi came to power with many planks, many factors went into his victory, one of that was the catchy phrase’ “Acche Din Aane Wale hain” For the people, who have been restless due to rising prices and inflation, there has been no respite and many of them have started feeling the regret of being taken in by the propaganda of Acche din… As such this was a major propaganda point so a large section of people are disgruntled.
Jaswant Singh’s condition grave
New Delhi : Former union minister and expelled BJP leader Jaswant Singh continued to be in coma Wednesday, with doctors describing his condition as...
Constitutional amendment bill to end collegium in RS
New Delhi : The Rajya Sabha Wednesday took up the constitutional amendment bill which will create a judicial appointments commission.
The Constitution (99th Amendment) Bill...
Congress biggest contributor to BJP’s win: Advani
New Delhi : BJP patriarch L.K. Advani Friday said the Congress contributed the most to his party's win in the Lok Sabha polls as...
Congress committed to women’s reservation bill: Sonia
New Delhi: Congress President Sonia Gandhi Wednesday said her party was committed to the women's reservation bill that seeks to provide 33 percent reservation...
Peaceful ballotting in Bihar assembly by-polls
Patna : Voting for the by-election in 10 assembly constituencies in Bihar began Thursday on a peaceful note, officials said.
Voters were seen queuing up...
Amit Shah meets Chandrababu Naidu
Hyderabad : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah Friday met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu here.
Shah had a breakfast meeting with...
Swamy writes to Modi on Ram temple construction
New Delhi : The RSS mouthpiece "Organiser" has published a letter by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy to Prime Minster Narendra Modi in which he...
Congress asks Rajnath to specify charges he denied
New Delhi : The Congress Wednesday said Home Minister Rajnath Singh should specify the charges he has denied.
"Congress will like to know what allegation...
PM Jan Dhan Yojana launched in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana
Hyderabad/Rajahmundry : Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan YojanaA (PMJDY), the financial inclusion scheme of the Narendra Modi government, was Thursday launched in Telangana and Andhra...
Mayawati re-elected BSP president
Lucknow: Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati was Saturday unanimously re-elected Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president at the two-day national executive meeting of the...
UP gets new advocate general
Lucknow : Vijay Bahadur Singh, who was ousted from the BSP in 2013 for admiring then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, has been appointed...
Business as usual?
By Faraz Ahmad,
I have always been rather poor at arithmetic and therefore generally computation of any variety. Sadly unlike Prime Minister Narendra Modi and not hailing from Gujarat, money does not flow into my blood. I can only trace my lineage to the lazy shores of Sangam in Prayagraj and therefore if I don’t understand business and economics, for no fault of mine.
Talking to Caesar: Church and Modi government
By Jonhn Dayal,
The popular idiom in international human rights discourse is that there can never be a “boycott” of any one, be it governments, non-state actors, political parties, institutions or individuals. There must be a constant engagement. There must always be scope to explore channels of communication, leading possibly to dialogue. And dialogue can be an end in itself in the short and medium term, even if there is little hope of success, or even understanding in the beginning.
Congress-BJP spar over Modi’s Teachers’ Day address
Lucknow : The Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Wednesday sparred on the scheduled Teachers' Day address of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to...
Assam districts gear up for by-polls
Guwahati : Hectic campaigning is on in Assam's three assembly segments - Silchar, Lakhipur and Jamunamukh - that will go to by-election Sep 13.
In...
Ministry for coal price pooling to mitigate any SC deallocation
New Delhi : In a move to deal with the situation following the Supreme Court verdict holding allocation of coal blocks since 1993 as...
Politics is not a profession, but service: PM
New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday said politics should not be considered a profession but a service.
Answering a query from a student...
Punjab claims on central assistance exposed: Congress
Chandigarh : With union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley categorically rejecting higher financial assistance to Punjab and arguing that its devolution was already high, the...
Saradha scam: ED again grills Trinamool MP
Kolkata : Continuing its probe into the multi-crore-rupee Saradha scam, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) Tuesday again grilled Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Ahmed Hassan...
J.P. Nadda appointed BJP’s election secretary
New Delhi : BJP general secretary J.P. Nadda was Tuesday appointed secretary of the chief election committee, a statement said.
"Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president...
Kerala BJP leaders meet Rajnath Singh
New Delhi/Kerala : Bharatiya Janata Party leaders from Kerala, led by state party chief V. Muraleedharan, met union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and expressed...
Form internal probe panel on Saradha: Arrested MP to Trinamool
Kolkata : Arrested Trinamool Congress MP Kunal Ghosh Wednesday demanded that the party constitute an internal probe panel on the Saradha scam within 72...
Relationship with prime minister harmonious: Rajnath
New Delhi : Dismissing reports of any differences with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh Friday described his relationship with Modi as...
Xi, Modi stroll on riverfront
Ahmedabad : Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday took a stroll on the picturesque Sabarmati riverfront, sat on a swing...
Modi raises incursion issue with Xi
New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised with visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping the latest incident of incursion by Chinese troops into Indian...
Amit Shah calls Uddhav on seat sharing in Maharashtra
New Delhi : BJP president Amit Shah Monday called Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and urged him to reconsider his stand on seat sharing...
Saradha scam: CBI quizzes Congress MP Abu Hasem Khan Chowdhury
Kolkata : Senior Congress leader and former union minister Abu Hasem Khan Chowdhury Monday appeared before the CBI on being summoned in connection with...
Congress slams Gujarat for depicting Arunachal, Kashmir as disputed
New Delhi : The Congress Monday lashed out at the Gujarat government for projecting Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir as disputed regions in...
BJD fields late MP’s widow for Odisha by-poll
Bhubaneswar : Odisha's ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Tuesday decided to field Pratyusha Rajeswari, widow of late MP Hemendra Chandra Singh for the parliamentary...
Congress protests against Modi government over black money
New Delhi : Over 2,000 protesters of the Indian Youth Congress Thursday protested against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government for failing to fulfill its...
NCP ends alliance with Congress in Maharashtra
Mumbai : The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) announced Thursday it was calling off its 15-year-old alliance with the Congress in Maharashtra and pulling out...
Modi holds talks with Rajapaksa
New York : Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa here Saturday.
The meeting came on the sidelines...
Emotional support for Jayalalithaa in Bangalore
Bangalore : About 500 men and women from Tamil Nadu crossed into Karnataka Sunday to extend emotional support to jailed Tamil Nadu Chief Minister...
Tamil film exhibitors to fast in support of Jayalalitha
Chennai : Members of Tamil Film Exhibitors Association will fast Tuesday in solidarity with former Tamil Nadu chief Minister J. Jayalalitha, who was jailed...
Why no ‘captain’ for Maharashtra polls, asks Goa BJP leader
Panaji : Award winning poet and BJP legislator from Goa, Vishnu Wagh Monday used a social networking site to question his party's inability to...
Bitter battle on the cards in Maharashtra
By Amulya Ganguli ,
This month's assembly elections in Maharashtra may well prove to be one of the most acrimonious contests in recent memory.
Since the...
Triangular contest on cards in Odisha
Bhubaneswar : The Kandhamal Lok Sabha constituency in Odisha will witness a triangular contest involving the ruling BJD, the Congress and the BJP in...
BJP steps up heat for NIA probe in Bengal blast
Kolkata : Stepping up the heat on the Mamata Banerjee government over the Oct 2 blast in West Bengal's Burdwan district, the BJP Tuesday...
BJP will form government in Maharashtra, Haryana: Venkaiah Naidu
New Delhi : BJP leader M. Venkaiah Naidu Friday said that his party will form the government in both Maharashtra and Haryana on its...
BJP working against poor: Rahul
Nashik/Pune (Maharashtra) : In a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi Friday accused his government of working against...
Modi to visit Visakhapatnam Tuesday
New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit cyclone-hit Visakhapatnam Tuesday to take stock of the situation, an official tweet said Monday.
"Have been...
PM condoles Trinamool MP Thakur’s death
New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday extended condolences on the death of Trinamool Congress MP Kapil Krishna Thakur.
"PM condoles the passing...
Declare Kashmir floods national calamity: CPI-M
New Delhi : The CPI-M Tuesday urged the government to declare the unprecedented floods in Jammu and Kashmir a national calamity.
"The floods in Jammu...
BJP’s arrogance, conduct reminiscent of Emergency days: Mamata
Kolkata : Facing a severe attack from the BJP over several issues, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Tuesday hit out at the party...
Polling ends peacefully in Maharashtra
Mumbai : Polling ended peacefully in Maharashtra Wednesday evening, with a little over 55 percent of the state's 8.35 crore voters exercising their franchise...
Odisha BJP leader suspended for social media comments
Bhubaneswar : The Bharatiya Janata Party Thursday suspended one of its senior leaders in Odisha for making "anti-party" statements on social media.
"The party suspended...
Three union ministers increase assets in five months
New Delhi : The assets of at least three union ministers have increased since they assumed office five months ago, a joint statement by...
Rajnath Singh to touch up Chhattisgarh BJP manifesto
By IANS,
Raipur : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Rajnath Singh has a jam-packed schedule in Chhattisgarh Saturday to give final touches to party's manifesto for the state polls expected by year-end.
Party office-bearers said Singh will arrive here around 10 a.m. by a special plane and will chair a series of meetings. He will go through the draft manifesto prepared by a party committee headed by Revenue minister Brijmohan Agrawal.
BSP to hold Dalit convention in Lucknow
By IANS,
Lucknow : After showering sops on Muslims at a national convention organised here Monday, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) will now organise a meet here for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and Dalits ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
According to BSP officials, Chief Minister Mayawati will hold the convention for Dalits and OBCs Oct 18 in the state capital.
"The chief minister is likely to announce several schemes for the upliftment of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and OBC community members during the convention," a BSP official told IANS.
Slim, compact ID cards for Delhi voters
By IANS,
New Delhi : They look like bank credit cards and can fit snugly in your wallet. Delhiites are set to get compact voter identity cards before the Nov 29 assembly elections.
"The new voter identity cards are compact and slim compared to the earlier cards that were big and wide," Joint Chief Electoral Officer, Delhi, Uday Bakshi, told IANS.
"The change has been brought only this year and now every voter in the city will get this card," Bakshi added.
Asked for the reason behind the change, he explained: "We just wanted the voter cards to become compact and manageable."
Lok Sabha adjourned after mourning terror victims
By IANS,
New Delhi : Soon after the monsoon session of parliament resumed Friday after a long break, the Lok Sabha was adjourned after members paid tributes to those killed in terror blasts and temple stampedes in the country.
The house paid respects to the victims of the terror attacks in New Delhi, Jaipur, Ahmedababd, Malegaon, Bangalore and Dhule. They also condoled the death of people in the stampedes at the Naina Devi temple in Himachal Pradesh and Chamunda Devi temple in Jodhpur.
Special Panel recommended to screen complaints against judges
By NNN-PTI,
New Delhi : A Parliamentary Panel on Law has suggested the establishment of a special committee to screen any complaints of misconduct by judges before it is referred to the yet-to-be set up National Judicial Council for inquiry.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law and Justice is of the view that before the case goes to the NJC, it should screened by an Empowered Committee, which should have representation from Parliament, Executive and Bar Council of India.
Committee probing cash-for-vote scandal seeks time
By IANS,
New Delhi : A parliamentary committee tasked to probe the allegations of bribery levelled by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs has asked for more time to finalise its report.
"We need to examine more evidence for which we require more time. It's a serious issue and it concerns people's faith in our parliamentary system. We have to examine each and every evidence in its minute detail," Krishna Chandra Deo, chairman of the committee, told IANS Sunday.
Worried Maharashtra considers ban on MNS
By IANS,
Mumbai : The Maharashtra government may consider recommending a ban on Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), if needed, Deputy Chief Minister R.R. Patil said Tuesday evening, as violence, arson and rioting rocked most parts of the state.
In an informal chat with reporters, Patil said MNS chief Raj Thackeray, arrested in the morning and likely to spend the night in police lock-up, would not be given a 'political VIP status'.
Violence rocks Kalyan, Thackeray to spend night in police lock-up
By IANS,
Kalyan (Maharashtra): There were incidents of rioting, arson, stone pelting and clashes with police in this Thane district town Tuesday evening, as Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray prepared to spend a night in the police lock-up here.
Agitated MNS activists went on a rampage, damaging or torching at least a dozen private vehicles, and 10 shops in different parts of the town.
Chhattisgarh BJP workers protest ticket for Judeo’s son
By IANS,
Raipur : Hundreds of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers took to the streets for the second consecutive day Thursday in Chhattisgarh to protest the nomination of senior party leader Dilip Singh Judeo's son for the assembly polls next month.
Judeo's son Yudhvir Singh has managed to get the party ticket for the Chandrapur seat in Janjgir district, but BJP activists there say "the decision has been forced on them under Judeo's pressure and they would never accept him".
Congress leader’s killing sparks violence in Uttar Pradesh
Lucknow, Oct 26 (IANS) A former president of the district Congress was shot dead in Uttar Pradesh's Allahabad, sparking violence in which party activists fought a pitched battle with the police, attempted to torch a police station and set afire two State Roadways buses, a police official said Sunday.
"The former district president of the Congress, V. Tiwari, was sprayed with bullets late Saturday night at his residence," L. Shukla, senior superintendent of police of Allahabad, told IANS by telephone.
The motorcycle-borne assailants shot dead Tiwari and fled from the spot, he added.
Bardhan, Naidu discuss Third Front revival
By IANS,
Hyderabad : The prospects of reviving the Third Front at the national level and of forming a grand alliance against the ruling Congress in Andhra Pradesh were discussed at a meeting here Wednesday between Communist Party of India (CPI) general secretary A.B. Bardhan and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N. Chandrababu Naidu.
Lalu visits family of gun-toting youth shot in Mumbai
By IANS,
Patna : Railways Minister Lalu Prasad Thursday visited the family of Rahul Raj, who was shot by Mumbai Police Monday after he fired indiscriminately in a city bus and threatened to kill Raj Thackeray. Lalu called the shooting a "brutal murder" and demanded a judicial probe into it.
"I am for a judicial probe by a sitting judge of the high court into Rahul Raj's brutal murder and stern action against Maharashtra police officials guilty for it," Lalu said after visiting Raj's family in Kadamkuan locality here.
Need for law to promote research work in science: Sibal
By IANS,
Chandigarh : Union Minister of Science and Technology Kapil Sibal Thursday emphasized the need for a special bill in parliament offering special incentives and benefits for scientists pursuing research work.
"We have plenty of talent in our country and we just need to promote and channel that talent in the right direction. We are planning to draft a bill offering special benefits to individuals and scientists who are involved in research work," Sibal told reporters here.
Raj Thackeray gets another death threat
By IANS,
Mumbai : Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray has got yet another threat to his life, a party office-bearer said Friday evening.
The threat call from a mobile phone number was received at 'Rajgad', the party headquarters in Dadar. At the time, Raj was preparing to address the media at the MIG Club, Bandra, MNS secretary Nitin Sardesai told IANS.
The unknown caller, speaking in Hindu, used foul and abusive language and “threatened to eliminate Raj within four days,” Sardesai said.
Congress releases list of 38 candidates for Mizoram
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Congress party Friday released a list of 38 candidates for the Mizoram legislative assembly elections to be held on Decv 2.
The Congress has 11 legislators in the 40-member legislative assembly.
Presently, Pu Zoramthanga of the Mizo National Front is chief minister of Mizoram.
The Mizo National Front has 22 legislators in the outgoing assembly.
Mizoram goes to the polls Dec 2 and the results will be declared Dec 8.
Will BSP play the spoiler for Congress?
By Khalid Akhter, IANS,
New Delhi : The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is contesting the assembly elections from Nov 14 in a big way, with analysts warning that it could seriously undercut the Congress in four northern states.
Even political workers from other parties admit that BSP leader Mayawati will be determined to make a mark in Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, now that it already controls Uttar Pradesh, the country's most populous state.
Alva quits Congress post, meets Sonia to explain position
By IANS,
New Delhi : Congress leader Margaret Alva Tuesday resigned as general secretary of the party, the morning after she met Sonia Gandhi to explain her stance on the controversy following her allegation that party tickets were sold during the Karnataka polls.
The party's Disciplinary Action Committee (DAC) had threatened action against the 66-year-old leader.
Three convicted for Congress leader’s 2003 murder
By IANS,
New Delhi : A city court Tuesday convicted three accused for killing a Congress leader five years ago in the national capital.
Additional Sessions Judge S.K. Sarvaria held accused Sushil Pehalwan, Suresh Pehalwan and Dalip guilty under Section 302 (murder), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Surender Gupta, 40, who was also a property dealer, was shot at and stabbed near his house in South Extension in 2003. He died in a hospital later.
The court, however, acquitted another accused Lekhraj for want of evidence.
Tainted Madhya Pradesh ministers to contest on BJP ticket
By IANS,
New Delhi : Even though two ministers from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled Madhya Pradesh government are facing criminal charges, they will still contest the forthcoming assembly elections on the party ticket.
"We are not shielding anyone for any such criminal activity and if the charges are proved, we would not protect them. But as of now, they will contest on the party ticket," party vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told IANS Tuesday evening.
Tech savvy? Not Sheila Dikshit
By IANS,
New Delhi : While the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) V.K. Malhotra is using SMSes and even a website for his electioneering, his rival and Delhi Congress Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit by her own admission is not "tech savvy".
At the Congress' meet-the-candidates event for mediapersons ahead of Delhi's Nov 29 polls, Dikshit said she finds it difficult to even open a website without help.
Madhya Pradesh official canvassing for son: Congress
By IANS,
Bhopal : The Congress party in Madhya Pradesh Saturday charged the state's Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) P.P. Tiwari with misusing government resources for his son, who is contesting the assembly elections, and demanded his removal from the post.
"Tiwari is using the government phones to canvass support for his son Sarvendu Tiwari, who is contesting the assembly election on the Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP) ticket in Sidhi district's Churhat constituency," Congress spokesperson J.P. Dhanopia told IANS.
Lack of choppers prevents airlifting polling staff from Bastar
By IANS,
Raipur : About 250 polling staff who were sent to Chhattisgarh's Maoist stronghold of Bastar Nov 14 for the first phase of elections are still stranded in the thickly forested area - due to lack of helicopters to airlift them, the police said Sunday.
Chhattisgarh went to polls Nov 14 for 39 out of 90 seats in the first phase of polling for the assembly elections.
In several revolt-hit areas, Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters airlifted polling teams at booths with a strategy to bring them back either to the district headquarters or safer areas before sunset.
Very good chance of winning Delhi: Jaitley
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has a "very good chance of winning" the Delhi elections, says senior leader Arun Jaitley, who is in charge of the party's campaign in the national capital.
"Certainly, we have a very good chance of winning," Jaitley told IANS.
He said the BJP was confident of unseating the 10-year-old Sheila Dikshit government of the Congress, with slogans such as "Mehengi Padi Congress" (The Congress at what cost?).
I may be a ‘bachcha’, but so are most Indians: Rahul Gandhi
By IANS,
Amritsar : In a polite riposte to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Rajnath Singh who called him a 'bachcha' (child), Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi Tuesday said he should keep in mind that 70 percent of people in the country were young like him.
"Yes, I am still a bachcha for a senior leader like Rajnath Singh. I really respect him and agree with whatever he says as I do not have even half the experience he has,” Gandhi told a news conference here.
Implicating Purohit in Samjhauta blasts will help Pakistan: BJP
By IANS,
New Delhi : The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Wednesday hit out at what it called the government's flip-flop over an arrested army officer's alleged links to the Samjauta Express train bombing. This has given Pakistan a handle to challenge New Delhi's charge that Islamabad sponsors terrorism in India, it said.
BJP feels it has the winning slogan for Delhi election
By Ranjana Narayan,IANS,
New Delhi : "Mehengi Padi Congress" (Congress at what cost?)! With prices of food items touching a new high ahead of assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) feels the slogan will help it take power in the national capital after 10 long years. And strategists at The Hive, a communications agency that served the BJP well in Gujarat and Karnataka, says the message plays on people's insecurities.
Already, the BJP message is being spread through the print media, radio and television.
Corruption has its highest limit in Madhya Pradesh state, says PM Manmohan Singh
By NNN-PTI,
Badwani, India : Charging the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh state with not properly utilising funds sent to it by the Centre (federal govt) for various schemes, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that during the BJP rule corruption had reached the highest limit in the name of development.
Addressing an election meeting here on Sunday, the Prime Minister said that the Centre had sent money for various schemes but most of it was either not used or improperly utilised.
1984 anti-Sikh riots victims criticise Congress
By IANS,
New Delhi : Anti-Sikh riot victims Monday criticised the Congress for fielding former police officer Amod Kanth to contest the Delhi assembly election. Kanth is accused of helping the 1984 rioters.
"The Congress first helped leaders such as Jagdish Tytler, Sajjan Kumar and H.K.L. Bhagat by giving them senior positions, and to make it worse it has now given a ticket to Amod Kanth," head of 1984 anti-Sikh riots victims' welfare society Surjit Singh told reporters here.
Malegaon blast inquiry should be impartial: Advani
By IANS,
New Delhi : Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani Tuesday said he had no objection to the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) investigating the Malegaon blast but the inquiry should be impartial and professional.
Addressing an election rally in Delhi's Rithala constituency Tuesday evening, Advani said: "The affidavit by Sadhvi Pragnya Singh (arrested for the bombings that she was tortured in custody by the ATS is alarming. Anyone who reads the affidavit will be shocked."
60 percent votes polled in Delhi: official
By IANS,
New Delhi : The assembly elections in the national capital Saturday saw about 60 percent of voters exercising their franchise, an official said.
"Voting in Delhi was by and large peaceful except for a few small incidents. The voter turnout was a little over 60 percent," Delhi's Chief Electoral officer Satbir Silas Bedi told reporters.
Fate of 863 candidates, including Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, was sealed in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) by Saturday evening when the balloting closed.
Achuthanandan’s remarks invite sharp criticism
By IANS,
Thiruvananthapuram : Criticism poured in Tuesday over Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan's sharp remarks after being snubbed by the father of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, the National Security Guard (NS) commando killed in the terrorist attack in Mumbai. The Kerala assembly witnessed uproarious scenes over the issue and opposition activists brought a dog to the secretariat with the picture of Achuthanandan slung around its neck.
Tamil Nadu MLAs to meet PM on Sri Lanka
By IANS,
Chennai : After MPs from Tamil Nadu, it will be the turn of legislators from the state to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to demand a ceasefire in Sri Lanka.
Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi will lead the delegation to New Delhi Thursday to persuade India to take efforts to end the fighting between the Sri Lankan military and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Legislators belonging to the ruling DMK and its allies including the Congress will be in the delegation.
On Tuesday, a delegation of MPs from the state met the prime minister with the same agenda.
Election Commission pulls up BJP for campaign ads
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Election Commission (EC) Sunday reprimanded the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for its newspaper advertisements in the run-up to the assembly elections and stated these violated the electoral code of conduct.
In a letter to BJP president Rajnath Singh, the commission stated that some statements in the party campaign advertisements violated the letter and spirit of the model electoral code of conduct.
"The commission expects that your party would avoid recurrence of such things," it said.
BJP concedes defeat in Delhi, Jaitley accepts responsibility
By NNN-PTI,
New Delhi : BJP today conceded defeat in the Delhi assembly elections and said that the electorate had given a "clear vote in favour of the Congress".
"It is a clear victory for the Congress in Delhi," Arun Jaitley, BJP General Secretary, who is in-charge of party affairs in the capital, told reporters here.
Jaitley said he accepted moral responsibility for the party's defeat in Delhi.
There were many issues which caused the party's debacle and those would be deliberated upon at the Parliamentary Board meeting, he said.
Recount in Rajasthan seat where Congress leader lost by a vote
By IANS,
Jaipur : A recount was ordered in Nathdwara constituency where Rajasthan Congress president C.P. Joshi lost the election by a single vote.
In the initial counting, Joshi polled 62,215 votes while BJP candidate Kalyan Singh got 62,216 votes.
"I accept the decision of voters," Joshi told reporters.
"Though I have lost election, but the Congress is going to form government in the state. The leader would be elected democratically after which our central leadership would would announce our chief minister," Joshi added.
Congress wiped out from Maoist-affected Bastar in Chhattisgarh
Raipur, Dec 9 (IANS) The sprawling 40,000 sq km hilly and forested stretches of Chhattisgarh's Bastar region was the Congress's stronghold for decades, but the 2008 poll saw the party's rout there with just one seat won out of the total 12 in the area.
Iron-ore rich Bastar region comprises five districts - Dantewada, Bijapur, Narayanpur, Kanker and Bastar, and is under the sway of Maoists, who run a parallel government in the thickly-forested interiors. Since 2004, the rebels have killed over 1,100 persons including 726 civilians.
Jammu and Kashmir election factsheet
By IANS,
Jammu/Srinagar : Factsheet regarding the fifth phase of elections for 11 seats in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly on Saturday.
Number of voters: 839,982
Number of women voters: 405,289
Number of male voters: 434,693
Total candidates: 179
Women candidates: 5
Constituency with most candidates: Tral and Shopian
Constituency with least candidates: Basohli
Major parties in fray: Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party, People's Democratic Party, National Conference and Bahujan Samaj Party
Total Polling stations: 1,154
Number of electronic voting machines: 1,758
Acrimony marks debate as UPA seeks to pass anti-terror laws
By IANS,
New Delhi : The ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Wednesday appealed to all political parties to unanimously pass the two anti-terror bills introduced in parliament in the wake of the Mumbai terrorist attack even as the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused it of being soft on terror.
In a debate marked with rancour and parties' efforts to score political brownie points, the BJP accused the ruling coalition of having been "soft on terror" and said only the Nov 26 Mumbai terror attacks spurred it into action.
Gehlot cabinet formation likely to be delayed
By IANS,
Jaipur : The formation of newly elected Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's cabinet is likely to be postponed to next week since the names of the ministers are yet to be finalised, Congress party sources said here Thursday.
The chief minister has already travelled once to New Delhi to discuss cabinet formation with Congress president Sonia Gandhi. However, he is slated to meet Gandhi again to seek her approval of those chosen for the council of ministers.
Kashmir vote a setback to separatist politics: Lone
By IANS,
Srinagar : Terming the huge turnout in Jammu and Kashmir elections as a "setback", separatist leader Sajjad Lone Friday said he and his colleagues advocating secession needed to introspect.
"The verdict of the people is supreme. May I, with all humility, state that no individual, no party or intellectual is bigger than the people. We have all along advocated that we represent the sentiment. And sentiment resides in the people," Lone said in Srinagar's posh Baghaat area, where he was under house arrest for some two months as the staggered balloting took place.
CPI-M asks cadres to behave during Kerala rally
By IANS,
Kochi : The Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPI-M) has issued various directives to ensure that the massive rally to be held here Friday evening does not go the same way as an undisciplined rally held by the party in Kerala last year.
The directives were issued in a circular by the Ernakulam CPI-M district committee Thursday. It asked the cadres to see that no one enters the rally under the influence of liquor.
The circular also said that slogans to be chanted by the cadres should be typed and shouted unanimously during the rally.
Opposition demands report on power cuts in Madhya Pradesh
By IANS,
Bhopal : The opposition Congress party Sunday demanded that the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) issue a report on the power crisis in Madhya Pradesh after the ruling party failed to fulfil its promise of providing 24-hour electricity in the state.
"The state government should issue a white paper on the power crisis. Power cuts in the state are mercilessly back in the state post-Assembly elections," senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Jamuna Devi said in a statement here.
Opposition campaign helped us get more funds this year: Mayawati
By IANS,
Lucknow : Celebrating her birthday shorn of the frills normally associated with the event, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati Thursday "thanked" the opposition parties for their "malicious campaign" against her, claiming her Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) had collected twice the funds this year than it did for her birthday in previous years.
"I wish to thank all the opposition parties for the efforts made by them to malign the image of our party as it helped our workers to collect twice the donations that they collected last year on my birthday," she said.
Sonia meets, eats with Dalits in Uttar Pradesh
By IANS,
Rae Bareli (Uttar Pradesh) : Congress president Sonia Gandhi visited several Dalit families and ate with one of them in her parliamentary constituency Amethi here Wednesday, the second and last day of her Uttar Pradesh visit.
To have the first hand experience of problems and challenges faced by the Dalits, Gandhi visited their huts in various villages in Rae Bareli, a Congress leader said.
"During her interaction with Dalits, Soniaji had food provided by a Dalit family in Rohania village in Rae Bareli," the leader told IANS. "She had some flattened rice (chivda)."
BJP to announce new allies soon
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Friday said that it would soon announce new allies for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
"Besides the existing partners of the NDA (National Democratic Alliance), we are in continuous talks with some regional parties and will soon announce their names," party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar told mediapersons here.
Rahul takes on BJP while in Gujarat
By IANS,
Ahmedabad : Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi Friday took on Gujarat's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of spreading fear to earn votes.
This is what divides the politics of the BJP and that of Mahatma Gandhi, Gandhi told a mammoth rally at the Gujarat College ground here.
Without naming the BJP, the Congress MP said that "some people" indulged in "destructive politics". He added that this is what the British did when they ruled this country.
And alluding to the Congress, he said there was another "politics which wants to unite the country".
Advani argues for Chawla’s removal
By IANS,
New Delhi : Joining the debate over Chief Election Commissioner N. Gopalaswami's recommendation to remove Election Commissioner Navin Chawla, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani has presented a detailed case on his blog in support of the CEC.
"In the context of the current controversy about Navin Chawla, it would be educative to compare Article 124 dealing with the Supreme Court, with Article 324 laying down provisions relating to the Election Commission," said Advani.
Rajya Sabha nominations: Congress names Vayalar Ravi, Left two journalists
By IANS,
Thiruvananthapuram : The Congress party Monday renominated Vayalar Ravi, minister of overseas Indian affairs and parliamentary affairs for the Rajya Sabha elections from Kerala, while the state's ruling Left chose two journalists.
While the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) nominated P. Rajiv, resident editor of its mouthpiece Deshabhimani, its partner Communist Party of India (CPI) chose M.P. Achuthan, resident editor of its mouthpiece Janayugam.
Raman Singh skips BJP meet as mother passes away
By IANS,
Raipur : Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh skipped the three-day Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national executive meeting that began in Nagpur Friday as his mother passed away at a private hospital here.
Sudha Singh, 84, died early Friday at the Ramkrishna Care Hospital where she had been since mid-December after she slipped into a coma at her native town Kawardha, some 125 km from here.
She is survived by two daughters and three sons, including the 56-year-old Raman Singh. Thousands of people attended the funeral in Kawardha in the afternoon.
Democracy, Elections and Minorities in India
By Asghar Ali Engineer,
The General elections in India are about to take place within three months and all political parties are readying themselves to draw up their winning strategies. Elections are like a day of judgment for political parties. And, they have to stand before their voters and render account of their deeds and misdeeds. They have begun to woo their voters once in five years again. They have to woo different castes and religious groups and reconcile their conflicting interests in the context of the complex Indian reality.
Azharuddin ready to contest elections
By IANS,
Hyderabad : Cricketer-turned-politician Mohammed Azharuddin Saturday said he was ready to contest elections or play any role assigned by the Congress party leadership.
The former Indian captain, who returned home after formally joining the Congress party in New Delhi, told a news conference that he joined politics to work for uplift of the downtrodden and poor.
He termed as 'absurd' the thought that he joined the Congress party to get the life ban on him lifted. "It is absurd to even think like that. Had it been so, I would have come into politics long back," he said.
Chhattisgarh BJP to finalise contestants’ list within a week
By IANS,
Raipur : The Bharatiya Janata Party's Chhattisgarh unit hopes to be ready with its list of candidates for the forthcoming general elections by next week.
Party leaders Sushma Swaraj has already taken the draft list to Delhi to place before the BJP's central election committee Thursday. Former ministers Dilip Singh Judeo and Ramesh Bais as well as national vice president Karuna Shukla are amongst those likely to contest the 11 Lok Sabha seats in Chhattisgarh, said a party insider.
More Muslims in Bihar will vote for JD-U this time: Muslim intellectuals
By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
With 40 Lok Sabha seats, Bihar has always, particularly in the ongoing coalition era, played a key role in making and running the central government. After this election also, first in Bihar with BJP and its ally JD-U ruling the state, the most backward state will be among a few to determine who will be the next PM.
Azharuddin may not contest, but will campaign for Congress
By IANS,
Hyderabad : Former India cricket captain Mohammed Azharuddin, who recently joined the Congress party, has not found a place in the list of candidates finalised by the party for all 42 Lok Sabha seats from the state.
The former cricketer Tuesday told reporters that he would like to focus on campaigning for the party rather than contesting elections. "I will abide by whatever decision the party leadership takes," he said.
Adjustment with RJD not possible: Congress
By IANS,
New Delhi : No adjustment was possible with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) after its unilateral announcement with the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) about seat distribution in Bihar, the Congress said Wednesday.
"Any adjustment is not possible with the RJD at this stage. Even if there is an adjustment, it would be for only a few seats; our workers are agitated and we have to listen to them also," senior Congress leader Sushil Kumar Shinde told reporters.
Congress considers candidate change in Chhattisgarh to challenge Judeo
By IANS,
Raipur : The Congress party is considering replacing Ashish Singh Thakur, its candidate for Chhattisgarh's Bilaspur seat with a more known face, after party cadres said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate, Dilip Singh Judeo had been offered a virtual walkover.
Sources in the Congress said that the party was giving serious thought to the opinion of party leaders of Bilaspur parliamentary constituency who described the party's decision to field Thakur against former union minister Judeo as a "blunder".