D.Y. Patil takes over as acting Bengal governor
Kolkata : Bihar Governor D.Y. Patil was Friday sworn in as acting governor of West Bengal in place of M.K. Narayanan who relinquished office...
Elections, fears of violence still featured at S African IPL
By Fakir Hassen,
Cape Town : The uniting spirit of sport was highlighted in a rather unique way at the opening ceremony of the Indian Premier League (IPL II) here Saturday evening.
As the festivities and entertainment got under way after the two opening games before a packed Sahara Newlands Stadium here, the IPL brought together onto one stage political adversaries who would probably never have been seen sharing the same platform at the same time just four days before the general election here.
Divided opposition, Mayawati ensure UPA victory
By IANS,
New Delhi: The 11-month-old Congress-led government Tuesday won a decisive victory in parliament by sailing through cut motions after the opposition failed to unite in a battle of numbers over rising food prices.
A day after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asserted there was no threat to his government, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) defeated the opposition after the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) extended vital legislative support while the Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) walked out of the Lok Sabha, tilting the balance in favour of the ruling coalition.
Using lunch box to mobilise party – the Modi way
By R.K. Mishra, IANS,
Gandhinagar : After becoming the longest serving chief minister in Gujarat's history, Narendra Modi has hit upon a unique idea to mobilise his supporters: the lunch box.
Jharkhand results short of expectations, says Congress
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Congress said Wednesday that its improved performance in the Jharkhand polls was "short of expectations" and that the party will take a view on government formation after the final results come in.
"We have improved our position but we were hoping to get more seats. The results so far are short of expectations," party spokesman Shakeel Ahmed told IANS.
The Congress contested the election in alliance with the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik (JVM-P) of Babulal Marandi.
Mamata woos Left Front partners of the CPI-M
By IANS,
Kolkata : After leaving the Left Front battered in the Lok Sabha polls, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee is now eyeing its constituents, the Forward Bloc and Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP).
Banerjee appealed to the Forward Bloc and RSP to switch sides and join her in ousting Left Front major Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) while participating in an interactive programme on Bengali television channel Star Ananda Monday night.
Opposing illegal dam construction is our right: Naidu
By IANS,
New Delhi : Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N. Chandrababu Naidu Monday said it was his right to oppose the "illegal dam construction" over Godavari river, dismissing allegations that he was using the Babhali dam issue for political gains. He added that he would be meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Seven parties call for July 5 strike
By IANS,
Chennai : Seven opposition parties in Tamil Nadu led by the AIADMK Tuesday called a general strike July 5 to protest against the fuel price hike.
In a joint statement, the parties criticised the central government for not doing enough to check rising prices of food and other essential commodities.
The statement was signed by leaders of the AIADMK, MDMK, Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), AIMMK, All India Forward Bloc and INL.
Maoist leader Kobad Ghandy acquitted of terror charges
New Delhi : A court here on Friday acquitted Maoist ideologue Kobad Ghandy of terror charges, but convicted him for cheating and forgery, and...
Rahul exhorts youth Congress leaders to strengthen organisation
By IANS,
New Delhi : Congress general secretary in-charge of the Indian Youth Congress, Rahul Gandhi, Tuesday exhorted leaders of the party's youth brigade to strengthen the organisation ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
He urged the state unit presidents and all-India office bearers of the IYC to work unitedly, be proactive and strengthen the organisation for playing an effective role in the near future, said an IYC leader.
Nitish Kumar has a ‘secular image’: Digvijay Singh
BY IANS,
New Delhi: The Congress Saturday continued its flip-flop over Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, with senior party leader Digvijay Singh saying the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader has, "by and large, a secular image".
"He (Nitish Kumar) has, by and large, a secular image, and the only question mark about him is his present alignment with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)," Singh told India TV editor-in-chief Rajat Sharma in "Aap Ki Adalat" show.
UPA discriminating against Punjab: Sukhbir Badal
By IANS,
Chandigarh: Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal Wednesday alleged that the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government has been discriminating against the state in the sharing of central taxes.
"Despite contributing 75.3 percent wheat and 50 percent paddy in the central pool, we are given only a 1.3 per cent share in the central taxes," said Badal.
He demanded greater fiscal and political autonomy for the states.
MNS protests closure of Mumbai’s only Marathi talkies
By IANS
Mumbai : Four Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) activists were arrested Sunday when they protested the closure of the Bharatmata Talkies - the metropolis' only theatre showing exclusively Marathi films.
The police dragged and then lifted MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar - who is technically a Shiv Sen legislator - to dump him into a lorry parked nearby when he engaged in a heated argument with them and tried to resist the arrest.
MNS workers joined by many people in Lalbaug-Parel staged the protest in defiance of the orders banning assembly of four or more people clamped there.
Bateshwar jubilant on Vajpayee getting Bharat Ratna
Bateshwar (Uttar Pradesh) : Residents of Bateshwar, 70 km from Agra, where former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee spent his early childood, were jubilant...
BBMP: SDPI’s Mujahid Pasha applauded for his vote for the Congress Mayoral candidate
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Bangalore: Even though BJP had won 100 of the 198 seats of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) it was Congress’ Manjunath...
Mani Shankar Aiyar fails to retain Mayiladuthurai
By IANS,
Chennai : Lady luck did not smile on Panchayati Raj Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar of the Congress as he failed to retain the Mayiladuthurai Lok Sabha seat in Tamil Nadu for a third consecutive term, and fourth overall, losing to the AIADMK's O.S. Maniyan by 36,000 votes.
For Maniyan it was sweet revenge as he had lost to Aiyar in 2004 by a huge margin.
Aiyar, 68, was elected from Mayiladuthurai in 1991, 1999 and 2004 and was confident that the new generation of voters would acknowledge his work in the constituency.
Media boycotts Badal after police clash with women
By IANS
Bathinda (Punjab) : Upset over lack of action against police officials who allegedly misbehaved with women workers and later also manhandled media persons at a government function, local reporters boycotted the press conference of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal here Thursday.
Unveiling Muslim Perspectives: Election Dynamics, Governance Challenges and Continued Atrocities
Snobar, TwoCircles.net
New Delhi: The 2024 Lok Sabha election results, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured victory with the backing of its coalition, the...
Political rhetoric over god and his abode
By Ram Puniyani,
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it a point to keep visiting temples when visiting other countries. His visit to...
Mukherjee briefs Congress MPs on diesel, petrol pric
By IANS,
New Delhi : Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Wednesday indicated that there would no rollback in increase in central taxes on petrol and diesel and briefed the Congress MPs on the reason behind the hike.
Party sources said the minister briefed the party MPs in view of demands of a rollback from some partners of the United Progressive Alliance, and spoke of the steps taken to enhance spending on the social sector.
AMU Protests: Detained students released; protestors recall night of terror
By Meher Ali, TwoCircles.net
Aligarh: At least nine detained Aligarh Muslim University students were released Monday night at around 8 pm following pressure from local...
Mamata attacks centre but goes mum on Modi
Purulia : A day after Narendra Modi castigated her for becoming a 'shahenshah', Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday preferred to attack the centre...
Won’t withdraw support to UPA government: Mulayam
By IANS,
New Delhi : Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav Friday ruled out withdrawing support to the UPA government, saying it was his political compulsion to keep communal forces at bay.
Oscar Fernandes Congress’ Karnataka Rajya Sabha candidate
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Congress Friday announced Oscar Fernandes will be its candidate for the Rajya Sabha elections in Karnataka.
A party statement said that Congress president Sonia Gandhi has approved the candidature of Oscar Fernandes for the biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka.
Congress sources said that the party was keen to field another candidate from the state by taking support from the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-DS) but the talks between the two parties on the issue have not been fruitful so far.
Congress poll campaign in Karnataka from April 13
By IANS
Bangalore : The Congress will begin its campaign for the May assembly election in Karnataka from April 13 in a bid to wrest power after a gap of four years.
The party's election campaign committee chairman Siddaramaiah told reporters here Saturday that the campaign would be launched with a massive farmers rally at Davanagere, about 370 km from here, where the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government's Rs.600 billion loan-waiver scheme would be flagged off.
Weapons, bombs, gold seized in Bengal
Kolkata: A total of 392 illegal weapons, 686 rounds of ammunition and 1,882 bombs have been seized by police in West Bengal, while three...
Scramble begins in BJP’s Kerala unit for union ministry berth
Thiruvananthapuram : Having accomplished the party's desire to opening its account in the Kerala assembly, top BJP leaders in the state have now begun...
Tapasi murder: opposition demands Buddha’s resignation
By IANS,
Kolkata : With two ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) activists, including a top district leader, convicted in the Tapasi Malik murder case, West Bengal's opposition parties Tuesday were quick to demand the resignation of Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.
A fast track court at Chandannagar sub-division in Hooghly district convicted the prime accused Suhrid Dutta, CPI-M Singur zonal committee secretary and and party activist Debu Malik, for masterminding the conspiracy to murder Tapasi, 18, in Dec 2006.
Ex-DU professor Geelani moves bail plea
New Delhi : Former Delhi University professor S.A.R. Geelani, arrested on sedition charges, moved his bail application before a court on Wednesday, his lawyer...
12 incidents of violence against Christians in 15 days in just one district of...
By TCN News:
New Delhi: In this month, September 2018, this district of Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh has witnessed 12 incidents of violence against Christians. The...
27 महीने जेल में रहने के बाद रिहा हुए आज़म खान
आकिल हुसैन।twocircles.net
सुप्रीम कोर्ट से अंतरिम जमानत मिलने के बाद समाजवादी पार्टी के वरिष्ठ नेता आज़म ख़ान शुक्रवार सुबह जेल से रिहा हो गए। लगभग...
Government will solve OROP issue: Modi
New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday again assured the country's former servicemen on the one rank-one pension (OROP) issue, asserting that...
Banks to cut charges on digital payments above Rs 1,000
New Delhi : Encouraging digital transactions further, the government on Wednesday asked all public sector banks to lower the charges for various forms of...
Won’t back AAP if it inducts corrupt in Punjab: Party MP
By Vinayak Dutt
New Delhi: Dharamvira Gandhi, one of four AAP MPs from Punjab, says he won't support the party if it inducts "corrupt and...
Kashmir youth killing: Peaceful march of college students met with tear gas shelling
By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net
Srinagar : Security personnel fired tear gas shells at students of the Valley when they tried to march to...
Teesta alleges persecution through proxies after latest controversy over funding for her media outlets
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Mumbai: Teesta Setalvad has once again accused the Gujarat Government of vindictive attitude and harassment after the latest round of...
ISRO seeks to be party in land scam case
Kochi, Sep 25 (IANS) Indian space agency ISRO Tuesday sought to be impleaded in a public interest litigation (PIL) - relating to its alleged purchase of forestland - that is to be taken up by the high court here Wednesday.
The PIL has been filed by D.B. Binu requesting the court to intervene and initiate a full-fledged inquiry into purchase of land by ISRO for a space education institute in Ponmudi near Thiruvananthapuram from high profile businessman Savy Mano Mathew.
Bengal governor takes charge of Meghalaya, says won’t talk politics
Shillong : West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi, who Tuesday took additional charge of Meghalaya, said he does not talk politics in Bengal and...
Goa CM quotes Vajpayee’s poem, presents budget
By IANS,
Panaji : Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar Monday quoted a poem by former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to open his budget speech in the state assembly.
Karunakaran tries again to get son back in Congress
By IANS,
Thiruvananthapuram : Former Kerala chief minister K. Karunakaran has again written to state Congress chief Ramesh Chennithala to call a meeting of the party's executive to discuss the possibility of re-admitting his son K. Muraleedharan.
But Chennithala, who was out of town when the 91-year-old veteran Congress leader wrote to him, is noncommittal.
"At the moment, I am unable to set a date when the next executive of the party would be called because I on my own cannot take a decision," Chennithala told IANS.
Heart patient dies as VHP blocks roads across India
By IANS,
New Delhi : A 70-year-old heart patient died in Haryana Wednesday as he could not be taken to hospital due to the nationwide blockade of roads and railway tracks by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) activists protesting the cancellation of land transfer to the Amarnath shrine board.
The man had complained of a stomach ache and was being taken to hospital by his family members when their vehicle got caught in the traffic jam in Ambala town, about 45 km from state capital Chandigarh. The man died of a heart attack before reaching the hospital, police said.
Resignations of eight Bihar ministers accepted
By IANS,
Patna : The resignations of eight ministers of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar were accepted a few hours ahead of a scheduled expansion of the council of ministers Sunday evening, official sources said.
Official sources said Nitish Kumar had asked his ministerial colleagues Saturday night to submit their resignations.
"All the ministers submitted their resignations Sunday and Governor R.S. Gavai accepted the resignations of eight of them with immediate effect," an official said Sunday.
Have petitioned US on 1984 gas disaster: Activists
Bhopal : Activists representing survivors of the 1984 gas disaster on Tuesday said they had petitioned the White House regarding the criminal case against...
Ram Jethmalani to defend Shahabuddin in SC
Patna : Senior lawyer Ram Jethmalani is set to represent criminal-turned-politician Mohammad Shahabuddin in the Supreme Court on September 26 after the apex court...
Shatrughan favours Modi, Varun campaigning in Bihar
By IANS,
Patna : Bharatiya Janata Party MP Shatrughan Sinha Saturday urged his party's central leadership to invite Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and firebrand youth leader Varun Gandhi for campaigning in the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar.
"I personally want Modi and Varun to come to Bihar for campaigning in the upcoming assembly polls. But it is for the party central leadership to invite them," Sinha told reporters here Saturday.
आईयूएमएल केरल प्रमुख पनक्कड़ सैयद हैदर अली शिहाब थंगल सुपुर्दे खाक
जिब्रानउद्दीन।Twocircles.net
रविवार को इंडियन यूनियन मुस्लिम लीग (आईयूएमएल) के केरल प्रमुख पनक्कड़ सैय्यद हैदर अली शिहाब थंगल का रविवार को निधन हो गया। 74 वर्षीय...
Rahul Gandhi to skip budget session, takes leave of absence
New Delhi : Ahead of the crucial budget session, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi took "leave of absence" to reflect on a series of...
Sachar report has become an albatross for Narendra Modi’s BJP
By Soroor Ahmed, TwoCircles.net,
BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi has the knack to mess up his own case by quoting data without applying his mind. Whether his speech-writer is to be blamed or he himself nobody can say with certainty but the truth is that by quoting the Sachar Committee report in a rally in the minority- concentrated Purnea district of Bihar he, instead of wooing the Muslims, ended up confusing himself and his own supporters.
Meghalaya minister gets extortion SMS from militants
By IANS,
Shillong: A Meghalaya minister has become the latest to receive an extortion demand from militant outfit, the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA).
In the extortion demand sent as mobile text messages, the GNLA threatened the minister and his family members with dire consequences if he failed to comply with their demand.
"I have received a number of text messages from the GNLA asking me to contribute to the organisation or face the consequences," the minister told IANS Thursday, demanding that he not be named.
Rosaiah sworn-in as Karnataka governor
Bangalore : Tamil Nadu Governor Konijeti Rosaiah Sunday took over additional charge of neighbouring Karnataka too following incumbent H.R. Bhardwaj's five-year tenure coming to...
Trinmool leader freed on bail, terms police CPI-M stooge
By IANS,
Kolkata : Hours after his release from jail, former Trinamool Congress legislator Arabul Islam Friday accused sections of West Bengal Police of acting as CPI-M "stooges" to frame him.
Mayawati bares her prime ministerial ambitions
Agra: A day after Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav said he would stake claim for the prime minister’s post, former Uttar Pradesh chief...
Liberhan report paralyses Rajya Sabha for the day
By IANS,
New Delhi : The publication in the media of the report of the Liberhan Commission on the 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid forced three adjournments of the Rajya Sabha Monday in spite of the government committing to table the report during the ongoing winter session that concludes Dec 21. The third adjournment was for the day.
"The report will be laid during this session," Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Prithviraj Chavan said as agitated opposition MPs stormed the chairman's podium demanding that the report be tabled Monday itself.
All-party team to visit Jammu Tuesday
By IANS,
Jammu : The all-party team led by union Home Minister P. Chidambaram, which is on a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, arrives in Jammu Tuesday afternoon from Srinagar.
The candidate
By Kashif-ul-Huda, TwoCircles.net,
Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh: “What Aligarh thinks today, Indian Muslims think tomorrow,” so goes the saying. Consider the fact that Aligarh that has been associated with Muslims aspirations in modern India has never elected a Muslim Member of Parliament. This year could have been an exception, says Haji Javed Akhtar, if Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had given ticket to him.
BJP legislator arrested in Haryana
By IANS,
Ambala (Haryana) : Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) newly elected Haryana legislator Anil Vij surrendered to the police Friday after he was booked for allegedly causing a traffic jam on a national highway.
Vij, who has been elected from the Ambala Cantonment assembly seat, was arrested along with some of his supporters after he went to the Ambala Cantonment police station to surrender with hundreds of backers, police said.
Will Tharoor survive Kerala’s charged politics?
By IANS,
Kochi/New Delhi : Will Shashi Tharoor be able to survive in Kerala's highly-charged political atmosphere being the self-confessed novice that he is? While the common people in Kerala are very enthusiastic about the suave former UN diplomat\'s return to state politics and see him as a sign of welcome change, politicians are not too happy.
Former Telugu heroines slam Chiranjeevi’s political ambitions
By IANS,
Hyderabad : Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi and his newly-launched political party Praja Rajyam has come under attack by none other than two of his erstwhile leading ladies.
Actress Vijayashanti, who heads a party that espouses the cause of a separate Telengana state, said Chiranjeevi's political moves were just "pretensions", local media reported Wednesday.
PDP Locks Civil Secretariat in Srinagar
By Agence India Press Bureau Report
Srinagar: The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Thursday locked the gates of civil secretariat which houses the Chief Minister's office, as a protests gesture against the civilian killing during police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) action since June 11.
Peoples Democratic Party Legislators led by their party president Mehbooba Mufti today locked the main entrance of civil secretariat of Srinagar and sat on a dharna. This was to give the government a taste of the siege which it has laid around every citizen of Kashmir.
Rawle’s allegations political stunt: Maharashtra minister
By IANS,
Lucknow : Maharashtra's Minister of State for Home Naseem Khan Tuesday dismissed as a "political stunt" allegations of Mumbai Shiv Sena MP Mohan Rawale that he had criminal links and challenged Rawale to come up with proof.
Mumbai South-Central MP Mohan Rawle Tuesday alleged that Khan has underworld connections and remains constantly in touch with mafia dons.
Keshubhai hogs the headlines in Gujarat
By Rajeev Khanna, IANS
Ahmedabad : Although he is neither contesting the Gujarat elections nor campaigning for anyone, former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief minister Keshubhai Patel is often hogging the headlines in the state.
This week again there was plenty of spice on account of Patel when he was quoted as saying in advertisements put out by BJP rebels in two Gujarati dailies: "A change is required."
This adds to the poll ache for BJP central leaders who have been trying without success to get the veteran Patel to campaign for the party.
-*-
Gujarat bans Jaswant’s book
By IANS,
Gandhinagar : The Gujarat government late Wednesday decided to ban expelled Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jaswant Singh's controversial book on partition for his criticism of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
"Making any references to his (Patel's) role during those critical times without any evidence is an insult to the people of Gujarat, which we will not take lying down," state government spokesman and Health Minister Jay Narayan Vyas told the NDTV news channel.
Bhajan Lal to be issued notice through newspapers
By IANS,
Chandigarh : A Haryana assembly committee probing the circumstances under which a river water sharing accord was signed in 1994 decided Friday to issue notice to former chief minister Bhajan Lal through newspaper advertisements to appear before it.
The committee also decided that the advertisements would be pasted at his residences in Panchkula near Chandigarh, New Delhi and Hissar.
Congress will do well in the northeast: Goa ex-CM
Shillong : Former Goa chief minister Luizinho Faleiro Friday exuded confidence that the northeastern states would contribute more seats to the Congress kitty, and...
Not in the race for PM, ‘for now’, says Jayalalitha
By IANS,
Chennai/New Delhi : While Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati has made her prime ministerial ambitions apparent, her Third Front ally and AIADMK head J. Jayalalitha Monday said she was not in the race for the country's top job, "at least for now".
She also said the Third Front has a "bright future".
I wouldn’t have demanded Padma Bhushan: Cueist Advani
Kolkata : Famed cueist Pankaj Advani Monday said he would have never entered into a Padma Bhushan row in the way ace shuttler Saina...
There is resistance and hope in Kashmir: Sanna Irshad Mattoo
Najiya O, Twocircles.net
It has been more than five months since the revoking of the Article 370 and the bifurcation of the state of Jammu...
PM lauds Sonia’s guidance to UPA
By IANS,
New Delhi : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday lauded the guidance provided by Congress president Sonia Gandhi to the government as UPA-II completed a year, and said that renewal of mandate last year reflected people's faith in its policies.
"Under the inspiring guidance of Smt.Sonia Gandhi, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), with all its constituents, rededicates itself to giving the country an effective, purposeful and responsive government," the prime minister said at a function to mark the release of the "Report to the People 2009-10."
Mayawati stern on lawlessness, warns Mulayam
By IANS
Lucknow : Far from getting unnerved by a Samajwadi Party backlash following a student's death in police firing in Samajwadi Party (SP) president Mulayam Singh Yadav's native village Saifai, in Etawah district, earlier in the day, Chief Minister Mayawati Wednesday issued a stern warning to the former chief minister.
Justifying the police action, Mayawati said, "Action was taken against those indulging in violence and many of them were criminals and anti-social elements."
Verdict against UP ex-legislator in murder case August 5
New Delhi : A special court here on Wednesday fixed August 5 for delivering its verdict in a murder case against former Uttar...
Congress asks leaders not to speak out on Ram Sethu
By IANS
New Delhi : The Congress Monday asked its leaders to gag themselves over a shipping canal project after another leader asked Culture Minister Ambika Soni to quit over a court affidavit questioning the existence of Hindu god Ram.
In an unusual intervention as a row over the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) affidavit in the Supreme Court appeared to be spinning out of control, the Congress said it was time everyone kept quiet.
Nitish Kumar shares stage with Modi at NDA rally
By IANS,
Ludhiana : After having categorically stated that he would not share the stage with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader Nitish Kumar did exactly the opposite Sunday.
Sweeping aside all speculation about his switching sides, Nitish Kumar arrived in this industrial city of Punjab Sunday afternoon to participate in a rally by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA that was meant to be a show of strength of the alliance.
Throughout the rally, Kumar and Modi sat in the front row of top NDA leaders on the same stage.
Advani to meet NDA chief ministers
By IANS,
New Delhi : Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate L.K. Advani will Monday evening hold a meeting with all chief ministers from his party and its partners in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
The meeting, followed by dinner, will be held a day ahead of a conference of all chief ministers convened by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on internal security.
"The agenda of our meeting is terrorism and the failure of the government to prevent frequent attacks on the country," BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar told IANS.
Sonia asks MPs to gear up for Lok Sabha polls
NEW DELHI, Dec 19 (NNN-PTI) -- Buoyed by the Assembly election results, Congress President Sonia Gandhi today met party MPs and asked them to gear up for the Lok Sabha (Lower House) elections.
Party sources, however, said that it was a routine meeting of the Congress President with the party MPs which is normally held when Parliament session is on.
A Congress MP, who did not want to be identified, said that Gandhi asked them to prepare for the general elections and also about the issues in their state.
Take ‘serious note’ of BJP’s communal designs, Sonia asks government
By IANS
New Delhi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi Wednesday asked the government to take "serious note" of the "dangerous trends" and "communal designs" of the Bharatiya Janata Party ((BJP) in states ruled by it even as she took strong exceptions to engineering killings and atrocities on minorities.
In her first comments after the Uttar Pradesh elections, where her party did quite badly, Gandhi blamed the Congress' organizational failure for the "disappointing" performance and the failure to transform the "spirited party campaigns" into votes.
Jaitley announces packages for SCs, STs
New Delhi : Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Thursday announced a mix of welfare plans and financial allocations to uplift people belonging to the scheduled...
Poll panel defers decision on Sonia’s reply
By IANS
New Delhi : The Election Commission Tuesday deferred taking a decision on Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's reply to its notice over her controversial remarks during the poll campaign in Gujarat.
No decision could be taken on her reply as one of the Election Commissioners was indisposed, Deputy Election Commissioner J.P. Prakash told reporters here, though he declined to name that official.
मोदी फेंकू था, फेंकू है… –राहुल गांधी
अफ़रोज़ आलम साहिल, Twocircles.net
कांग्रेस का चम्पारण के साथ एक ज़बरदस्त इतिहास रहा है, बल्कि यूं कहें कि कांग्रेस के जब भी इतिहास...
Congress workers protest power crisis in Delhi
New Delhi : The Congress Thursday continued its protests over power outages in Delhi, demanding immediate relief for the residents of the city.
Lead by...
Mufti Sayeed disappointed at NSA level talks cancellation
Srinagar : Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed on Sunday expressed disappointment over cancellation of NSA level talks between India and Pakistan,...
Congress party asks US court to respect India’s sovereignty
New York : Asking a US court to respect India's sovereignty, India's Congress party has sought dismissal of a human rights violation case relating...
Mamata’s comment on court judgments flayed by parties
By IANS,
Kolkata : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's remark that judicial orders could be bought for money drew flak from political parties Wednesday, including the Congress.
Let Pakistan prove its credibility before talks: BJP
By IANS,
Chandigarh : The Bharatiya Janata Party Thursday questioned the basis on which India agreed to hold the foreign ministerial level talks with Pakistan, saying Islamabad should first prove its credibility before any talks are held.
"The Pakistan government should first prove its credibility on the issue of terrorism. This should be through action on terrorism. Only then, we (India and Pakistan) can talk," BJP president Nitin Gadkari said at a meet-the-press programme at the Chandigarh Press Club here.
Modi can’t ensure higher growth than UPA: Chidambaram
By IANS,
New Delhi: Finance Minister P. Chidambaram defended UPA's record on the economic front, saying it delivered India's highest growth rate in any five-year...
Next Jammu & Kashmir CM will be from BJP: Amit Shah
Jammu : BJP president Amit Shah Thursday said the next chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir will be from his party.
Addressing public meetings in...
Submission of Aadhar, PAN to speed up passport issuance
Chennai : Submission of Aadhar card, PAN and voter identity card will speed up the process of issuance of passport to an applicant, a...
Manipur CM attacks BJP for neglecting northeast
Imphal : Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh on Monday hit out at the BJP-led central government for neglecting the northeastern region of India.
He...
Why has Akhilesh not visited rape victims’ families, asks Paswan
Badaun (Uttar Pradesh) : Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan Monday met the families of the two girls who were gang-raped and killed in a...
Prasad Harichandan appointed Odisha PCC president
Bhubaneswar : Ending months-long speculation, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) Monday appointed former state minister Prasad Harichandan as Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC)...
DMK opposes sugarcane pricing ordinance
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), a key partner in the ruling Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) coalition, Thursday opposed the government's decision to fix sugarcane price at Rs.129.85 a quintal for the 2009-10 crushing season.
Congress MP from Uttar Pradesh Jagadambika Pal, through a special mention in parliament, also spoke out against the pricing formula under the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) system, and asked the government to fix the price at Rs.250 a quintal.
JMM to contest Bihar polls independently
Patna: The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) will contest on all the 243 assembly seats in Bihar on its own, a leader said on Thursday.
Founded...
Advani files nomination from Gandhinagar
By IANS,
Ahmedabad : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s prime ministerial candidate L.K. Advani filed his nomination for the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat Wednesday.
"The NDA (National Democratic Alliance) will contest the Lok Sabha polls on the three planks of good governance, development and secularity, mentioned in the BJP poll manifesto," he told reporters after filing his nomination at the Gandhinagar District Collector's office.
Senior RJD leader quits party posts
New Delhi/Patna: Senior RJD leader Ram Kirpal Yadav announced Saturday that he was resigning from all party posts after being denied a ticket for...
Rahul attacks Modi over costly suits
New Delhi:Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi Thursday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for failing to bring back black money stashed aboard and wearing...
Kerry visit a start, Modi visit to US pivotal
By Evan A. Feigenbaum,
John Kerry visits India Wednesday as a raft of crises consume American diplomacy. By contrast, US-India relations are at a moment of opportunity, but the US Secretary of State faces challenges in New Delhi that are significant in their own way.
Sonia chastises Kerala leaders over IUML tensions
By IANS,
New Delhi : Congress president Sonia Gandhi has warned the party unit in Kerala to sort out its differences with its trusted ally Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) after some of her party leaders made defamatory statements against a prominent Muslim leader.
Gandhi told the Kerala leaders, who met her at her residence here Wednesday, that there should be no statements from Congress leaders that displeases its decades-old ally.
दादरी अभी बाकी है, अखलाक़ की हत्या के बाद परिवार पर केस, बछड़ा काटने...
सिद्धांत मोहन, TwoCircles.net
दिल्ली: उत्तर प्रदेश के गौतम बुद्ध नगर में बसे दादरी के बिसाहड़ा में पिछले साल मोहम्मद अखलाक़ की भीड़ ने पीट-पीटकर हत्या...
Jayalalitha claims ‘murderous attack’ after car is stoned
By IANS,
Chennai : AIADMK chief J. Jayalalitha Thursday alleged a "murderous DMK plot to assassinate" her after the windscreen of her vehicle was damaged in stone pelting by a huge mob gathered at her rally. The police claimed her supporters had thrown stones in frustration after failing to get a better view of their leader.
The trouble arose during her address to a rally on the 101st birth and 46th death anniversary of the late Forward Bloc leader Muthuramalinga Thevar at Pasumpon, a village 500 km south of here.
CPI-M calls for Tharoor’s resignation
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Wednesday called for Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor's resignation and said he must step down till his name is cleared of any impropriety in the Indian Premier League's (IPL) Kochi team.
While also asking the government to probe the source of funds flowing into the IPL tournament, the CPI-M said Tharoor's involvement in the Kochi franchise had raised a number of questions.
J&K’s Panthers Party gets new chief after 30 years
By IANS,
Jammu : Panthers Party, which was launched in Jammu and Kashmir as a regional party in 1982, got a new chairman Monday after having been led by Bhim Singh since its formation.
Left Front lawmakers walk out of Bengal assembly
By IANS,
Kolkata : Left Front legislators staged a walk out from the West Bengal assembly here Wednesday protesting against the speaker's refusal to allow...
Cynicism, casteism haunt women’s reservation bill
By Amulya Ganguli, IANS,
Since electoral considerations rather than a genuine desire for women's empowerment were behind the latest move to revive the 12-year-old legislation for reserving parliamentary and assembly seats for women, its fate may be no different from what happened earlier.
The very manner in which the measure was introduced in the Rajya Sabha, with several women MPs shielding the law minister from unruly critics when he tabled the bill, showed that its passage would not be easy.
‘Manmohan regarded Pawar as ally against critics in cabinet
New Delhi : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh found managing coalition allies less challenging than managing his own party and regarded NCP leader Sharad Pawar...
Two Muslim leaders see IS with different eyes
New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan and MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi have reacted differently to Friday's Paris attacks by the Islamic State. While...
BJP-led MCD warns against beef in Games menu
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) Thursday warned that if the Delhi government served or imported beef for foreign visitors during the Commonwealth Games, the civic agency would take legal action against officials and the hotel management concerned.
"As per a resolution passed by the MCD House in January last year, foreign visitors during the Commonwealth Games should not be served cow meat. This is in tune with the Delhi government's Delhi Agricultural Animal Protection Act, 1994," Subhash Arya, leader of the house, told reporters.
Dasmunsi slams opposition for house disruptions
By IANS
New Delhi : Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi Monday said the opposition appeared to be continuously disrupting parliament proceedings and preventing a debate on the Indo-US nuclear deal "for fear of its own exposure" on its relations with the US when it was in power.
Congress entitled to Leader of Opposition post in LS: Sonia
New Delhi : Congress chief Sonia Gandhi Monday said her party was the single largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha and hence was...
RJD to contest in Congress seats in Bihar too
By IANS,
New Delhi : The rift in the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) widened further Sunday with a miffed Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) deciding to contest even in the three Lok Sabha seats held by the Congress in Bihar.
Hardening his stand against the Congress, RJD chief and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad told reporters here that his party would put up candidates in Aurangabad, Sasaram and Madhubani with the backing of Ram Vilas Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (LJP).
HC refuses to restrain Meena from Delhi ACB office, work
New Delhi : The Delhi High Court on Monday declined the Delhi government's request to restrain Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) chief Mukesh Kumar Meena from...
Report card on Manmohan Singh: clean and good man, but not decisive
By Monobina Gupta, IANS,
New Delhi : Soaring food prices are pounding the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government as it completes four years in office Thursday. But, notwithstanding the uncertainty ahead of the 2009 general election, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh can safely claim credit for surviving the convulsions of coalition politics that have claimed more than one government in the past.
One more minister joins Karnataka cabinet
By IANS,
Bangalore : The week-old Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) council of ministers in Karnataka was expanded Saturday with the induction of party legislator Katta Subramanya Naidu as cabinet minister.
Naidu was administered the oath of office by Governor Rameshwar Thakur at Raj Bhavan in the presence of Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa and other cabinet ministers. Naidu could not be sworn with the rest of the ministers May 30 as he was not keeping well.
Amid confusion, governor calls PDP, BJP for talks
Jammu/Sringaar : Amid persistent uncertainty following a fractured verdict, Governor N.N. Vohra Friday invited both the PDP and the BJP for talks over government...
Lalu, Tejaswi support Nitish’s call for RSS-free India
Patna : RJD chief Lalu Prasad and his son and Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav on Tuesday supported Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's stand...
LS Poll 2014: Prospects of ten parties’ regional front in Northeast India
By Syed Ali Mujtaba,
Northeast India is one of the most neglected regions in the country. The reason being there are not enough MPs from there to make their voice felt in the Parliament. The attention of the central government is more towards containing the insurgency rather than focus on the development of the region.
Government goes ahead with N-deal – and possible polls
By Manish Chand, IANS
New Delhi : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government appears determined to go ahead with steps to conclude the civil nuclear deal with the US, thereby setting the stage for a possible showdown with its Communist allies that may lead to a general election next year.