Court refuses to stall probe against Jayalalitha
By IANS
New Delhi : In a setback to former Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalitha, the Supreme Court Friday refused to stall a judicial probe by the state government into allegations of land grabbing against her.
Refusing to stall the probe, a bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, Justices R.V. Raveendran and J.M. Panchal issued notices to the Tamil Nadu chief secretary and the secretary of the judicial commission entrusted with the probe.
BJP-SS government’s maiden budget in Maharashtra disappoints Muslims
Rs 25 crore for Minority Rural Areas Development Schemes; no funds for minorities development schemes
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Mumbai:“Disappointed” over the peanuts doled out for the minorities in its maiden budget for 2015-16, Muslim MLAs and community leaders from Maharashtra have termed the BJP-SS government as “anti-minority”.
The battle for the ‘Pride of Farrukhabad’ is not easy
By M Reyaz, TwoCircles.net,
Farrukhabad, UP: At rallies and public meetings in Farrukhabad in Uttar Pradesh, the constituency of the External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, he is often referred to as the ‘Pride of Farrukhabad,’ for bringing honour to this place. The road to victory in Farrukhabad, famous for embroidery, is not going to be as easy for the senior cabinet minister as the anti-incumbency appears to be high in the area.
PM rebuts Red attack on N-deal, Sonia warns Congress leaders
By Liz Mathew, IANS
New Delhi : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Saturday rebutted communist "propaganda" on the Indo-US nuclear deal as Congress president Sonia Gandhi gently warned ministers from the party not to take their jobs for granted.
In speeches at the All India Congress Committee session here, both leaders underlined the most serious issues confronting the government and the Congress that leads the multi-party United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.
Jagan defies Congress, to go ahead with ‘yatra’
By IANS,
Hyderabad : Continuing to defy the Congress party leaders, former chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy's son Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy Sunday said he would go ahead with his "Odarpur yatra".
"Who told you that yatra would not continue?" he shot back when reporters in Anantapur sought to know if he has called off his yatra.
The Kadapa MP was asked to comment on reports that he decided to call off his controversial tour in different parts of Andhra Pradesh following a directive from the central leadership.
BJP demands Virbhadra Singh’s resignation over graft charges
By IANS,
Shimla: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Himachal Pradesh Wednesday demanded that Steel Minister Virbhadra Singh resign over the corruption charges filed against him.
"We are demanding the resignation of Virbhadra Singh as his name figures in corruption deals," BJP spokesperson and legislator Randhir Sharma told reporters here.
"He should submit his resignation on moral grounds. His adamant approach (not to resign) shows his lust for power," he said.
India needs strong cyber infrastructure: Rajnath
New Delhi: Pitching for a strong cyber infrastructure in the country, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday stressed that India should work towards developing...
Sonia assures better living condition to Hindu migrants
By IANS
Jammu : Congress president Sonia Gandhi Saturday assured full help to Hindu migrants and promised their living conditions would be bettered till they return to their homes in the Kashmir valley.
Gandhi, chairperson of the ruling coalition United Progressive Alliance (UPA), was interacting with the migrants living in the newly constructed satellite township here in the suburbs of Jammu.
She flew in straight to this township after her arrival at the technical airport in a special aircraft of the home ministry at around 11 a.m.
Mammootty says politics not his cup of tea
By IANS,
Thiruvananthapuram : Malayalam superstar Mammootty, who considers himself a "liberal Leftist", has said that he was neither interested in entering politics nor predicting the election results as he is a busy actor and not a politician.
"Astrology is not my business and since I am not into politics, I will refrain myself from saying something that I don't know. Ask me about my profession and I will reply," Mammootty told IANS over phone from Kochi when asked about his views on the coming Lok Sabha polls.
"Let it be over and I will tell you," he added on a lighter note.
Deliberate attempt to impair ties with UPA: Karat
By IANS
New Delhi : In an apparent effort to allay fears of an imminent falling out between the Left and the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) general secretary Prakash Karat Saturday said reports in some sections of the media were "calculated to create an atmosphere of insecurity about the central government".
BJP suspends Himachal MP
By IANS,
Shimla : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Sunday suspended Himachal Pradesh MP Rajan Sushant for indiscipline, a party leader said here.
BJP, Congress fight it out in Rajasthan by-polls
By IANS,
Jaipur : Rajasthan's ruling Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) face each other in two assembly by-elections in Todabhim and Salumber Saturday.
The by-elections were necessitated by the two legislators -- Todabhim's independent Kirori Lal Meena and Congress' Raghuveer Meena -- being elected to the Lok Sabha.
Vajpayee, Fernandes appeal to back Shekhawat
By IANS
New Delhi : Former prime minister and National Democratic Alliance (NDA) chairman Atal Bihari Vajpayee Friday issued a joint appeal along with NDA convenor George Fernandes to all the MPs and MLAs to vote in favour of Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, the NDA-backed presidential candidate.
"Both of us (Vajpayee and Fernandes) are products of this democratic process. So is Shekhawat. We did not rise in politics because we were born in a particular family," the NDA leaders said in their three-page appeal.
NRIs’ annual conference a ‘picnic’: Nitish Kumar
By IANS,
Patna : Disillusioned at no response from NRIs to investing in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Sunday described the annual Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas as a "picnic".
"It is nothing but a picnic. It is certainly not for investments," he said at a media workshop on 'Bihar: Recovery and Growth, How the Media Should Read the Moment' here, organised by Britain's Department for International Development (DFID) along with Women's Feature Service.
Veteran Delhi legislator finally loses
New Delhi : Shoaib Iqbal, for long considered invincible in Delhi assembly elections, Tuesday finally lost -- to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
Iqbal, a...
Rahul asks PM to improve rural job scheme
By IANS
New Delhi : Worried over failures in the government's dream job guarantee scheme, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi Thursday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and urged him to take corrective measures.
Gandhi, accompanied by some of his young party colleagues, said they wanted "centralized monitoring and better coordination between the states" for a better implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA).
President-elect Droupadi Murmu revives new hope in her nondescript village
101 years after the first tribal leader was elected to the legislature in pre-independent India, Odisha-born Droupadi Murmu from the Santhal community has been...
Jayalalithaa to attend Modi swearing-in
By IANS,
Chennai : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa said Sunday that she will attend the swearing-in ceremony of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday.
Modi cabinet takes oath, portfolios not out till midnight
New Delhi : Even as Narendra Modi and his cabinet took oath Monday evening, there was no announcement about allocation of portfolios till midnight.
There...
Youth sets himself ablaze, hugs BSP leader
Lucknow : A youth set himself on fire and embraced a BSP leader in Uttar Pradesh's Sultanpur town during a live TV debate on...
Forget about films, Dutt to move to Lucknow to script MP career T
By Sharat Pradhan, IANS,
Lucknow : Keeping his Bollywood career firmly on the backburner, actor and wannabe MP Sanjay Dutt will camp in Lucknow from now till the end of the elections and spend time "reaching out to the masses" while he waits for the Supreme Court's green signal to contest.
Dutt, the Samajwadi Party nominee for the prestigious Lucknow Lok Sabha seat, arrives here Saturday to familiarise himself with the city and its people in the weeks before the five-phase elections that begin April 16.
Miffed Sajad Lone refuses to join Mufti’s cabinet
Jammu : Upset over the portfolio allocated to him, Sajad Gani Lone of the Peoples Conference (PC) on Wednesday refused to join the council...
Left, government to talk next week to iron out issues
By IANS
New Delhi : A meeting between Left leaders and the government is expected to take place next week to find ways to bring their strained ties over the Indo-US civil nuclear deal back on track.
Left sources Saturday, however, declined to reveal who in the government would be involved in the talks with them.
Andhra Pradesh’s Kadapa town on aviation map
Kadapa (Andhra Pradesh): Kadapa airport in Andhra Pradesh was inaugurated on Sunday with the landing of the first flight from Bengaluru.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister...
Gujjar-Bakerwal Communities: Neglected Voices in Jammu and Kashmir Elections
Kounsar Bashir and Safoora Hilal/TwoCircles.net
Srinagar: As Jammu and Kashmir approaches the third and final phase of its Assembly elections — marking the first polls...
Kerala assembly refers bill on women’s dignity to panel
By IANS,
Thiruvananthapuram : The Kerala Assembly Thursday referred to the subject committee of the house a bill to safeguard women from harassment and protect their dignity and privacy.
Renowned historians urge Hindus, Muslims to recognize shared heritage
Scholars repudiate myths fuelling Islamophobia in India
TCN News
Prof. Harbans Mukhia and Dr. Audrey Truschke, and a prominent political scientist Dr. Shamsul Islam, came together...
अल्पसंख्यक छात्रों का स्कॉलरशिप भी संकट में!
Afroz Alam Sahil, TwoCircles.net
अल्पसंख्यक तबक़े से ताल्लुक़ रखने वाले छात्रों के तालीम का एक बड़ा सहारा उनको मिलने वाली स्कॉलरशिप होती है. और शायद...
UPA, Left gap over n-deal widens
By IANS
New Delhi : Differences between the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and the Left parties over the India-US nuclear deal appeared to have widened Wednesday with the communists rejecting the government's arguments for the agreement.
The UPA-Left panel on the nuclear deal, which held its second meeting, discussed the differences but the talks were "inconclusive". The two sides decided to meet again Oct 5.
CPI-M took Bengal back by decades: Mamata
Kolkata : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday lashed out at the CPI-M, accusing it of taking the state back by decades...
Ensure no civilian is harmed: Mehbooba directs Kashmir police
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday directed the state police to ensure that no civilian is harmed during crowd control,...
Sixty percent voting in Hamirpur Lok Sabha seat
By IANS
Hamirpur (Himachal Pradesh) : Nearly sixty percent voting took place Saturday to elect a new Lok Sabha member from Himachal Pradesh's Hamirpur constituency after the sitting member was expelled over a cash-for-queries scam.
Goa Congress leader apologises for Vadra’s angry snap
Panaji : A Congress leader from Goa has offered apologies on "behalf" of his party for Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra snapping at a...
Kenyan team to witness Haryana poll counting
By IANS,
Chandigarh : A six-member Kenyan delegation will observe the counting of votes Thursday for Haryana assembly's 90 seats.
The Kenyan delegation will be led by the interim Independent Electoral Commission of Kenya chairman Ahmed Issac Hassan. The team will visit a counting station in Gurgaon, adjoining the national capital.
There are 90 counting centres in the state.
Haryana's chief electoral officer Sajjan Singh said Tuesday that the delegation's visit was courtesy the Election Commission of India.
Mamata wants state funding of elections
Kolkata : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday contended the union cabinet's decision to increase the poll campaign expenditure limit for candidates will...
स्वाभिमान रैली में इस्लामी झंडे घोर आपत्तिजनक – गिरिराज सिंह
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
नई दिल्ली/ पटना: केन्द्रीय मंत्री व भाजपा सांसद गिरीराज सिंह ने नीतीश-लालू के महागठबंधन की 'स्वाभिमान रैली' को फ्लॉप शो...
Armed forces pained by government decisions, Rahul tells Modi
New Delhi : Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi has told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that decisions taken by the government over the past few...
Six prominent faces of campaign 2009
By Ashish Mehta, IANS,
New Delhi : While the likes of L.K. Advani of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Sonia Gandhi of the Congress have led election campaigns before, there are six people who, predictably or otherwise, emerged as prominent faces of campaigning this time:
Manmohan Singh
ACB questions TDP MLA, aides in cash-for-vote scam
Hyderabad: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Telangana on Monday continued questioning TDP legislator A. Revanth Reddy and two others in the cash-for-vote scam.
The ACB...
BJP dodges questions over ‘big fish’ in mining scam
Panaji : The Goa BJP Tuesday dodged questions over the Manohar Parrikar government's reluctance to arrest the "big fish" in connection with the Rs.35,000...
Praful Patel takes on Left for criticizing government
By IANS,
New Delhi : An upset Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel Monday criticized the Left parties for attacking the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in the past two weeks.
"I am pained that people are making such casual remarks in such an important debate in parliament. They want to create an image that the government does not care and is anti-poor," Patel, who is from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), said during the debate on the trust motion in parliament.
Sonia expresses pain and anguish over Uttar Pradesh events
By IANS,
New Delhi : Congress president Sonia Gandhi Thursday expressed "deep pain and anguish over the events in Uttar Pradesh" - an offensive remark of state Congress chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi against Chief Minister Mayawati as well as the violence in Lucknow allegedly unleashed by Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) activists.
Congress general secretary Janardan Dwivedi conveyed to reporters that the party chief has expressed "deep pain and anguish" over what has happened in Uttar Pradesh.
Yeddyurappa promises Rs. 2000 crore for Muslims if voted to power
Former Karnataka CM says Congress has only used Muslims as vote bank
By Shaik Zakeer Hussain, TwoCircles.net,
Life insurers hope for reforms by the new government
By IANS,
Chennai : A much stronger Congress-led coalition to form the next government bodes well for the life insurance sector clamouring for reforms, says the industry's representative organisation.
"Two important amendment bills relating to the insurance sector reforms are pending in Parliament. We expect them to be passed this time," said S.B. Mathur, secretary general of Life Insurance Council that has 22 life insurance companies as members.
Corruption main issue in Madhya Pradesh polls: Congress
By IANS,
Bhopal : Corruption would be the main issue in the upcoming Madhya Pradesh assembly polls, Congress general secretary V. Narayan Sami said here Wednesday.
Sami, in-charge of party affairs in Madhya Pradesh, told reporters that the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) government had plunged into corruption with several ministers facing charges.
साम्प्रदायिक शक्तियों की ज़द में पहुंचता समस्तीपुर
अफ़रोज़ आलम साहिल, TwoCircles.net
समस्तीपुर: जिस ज़मीन पर हमेशा धर्म-निरपेक्षता की फ़सल उगती रही है अब वहां भी साम्प्रदायिकता की आग का धुंआ दिखने लगा...
Astrologers hit cyberspace with predictions on elections
By Anuradha Shukla, IANS,
New Delhi : Who's to blame for Varun Gandhi's hate speech? What's behind Sharad Pawar's guessing game? Will Lalu Prasad deliver an encore? Will Chiranjeevi's stars better his chances? Will Mayawati's fame spread far and wide?
Find answers to these questions in cyberspace. Astrologers have dedicated blogs and portals to whet the appetite of numerous people who want a feel of what the stars hold out for politicians as they hit the campaign trail.
‘We followed government’s instructions’: Markaz Nizamuddin
By TCN Staff
New Delhi: The news of the presence of more than 1000 people from Tabligh Jamaat Headquarter, located in Hazrat Nizamuddin, Delhi has...
‘Don’t know if Congress threatening DMK with 2G case’
By IANS,
Chennai : DMK president M. Karunanidhi said Friday he can't say if the Congress is threatening his party in Tamil Nadu with the...
DMK chief not to attend assembly over seating arrangement
Chennai : DMK president M. Karunanidhi Thursday said he was not attending the state assembly session as there was no proper seating arrangement for...
SC to examine CBI staff strength, bottlenecks in filling vacancies
New Delhi: After trying to uncage the CBI from various pulls and pressures of its masters, the Supreme Court on Monday embarked on the...
Through Bhendi Bazar Urdu Festival, an attempt to recreate the magic of the past
By MahtabNama for Twocircles.net
Come Friday, a unique educational and literary festival will be held in Mumbai’s Bhendi Bazar. First held in 2014, it is...
Jammu and Kashmir readies for Governor’s rule
Jammu : Governor's rule is likely to be imposed Friday in Jammu and Kashmir where political parties have failed to form a government following...
Text of Prime Minister’s Independence Day speech
By IANS,
New Delhi : Text of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's speech on India's Independence Day from the Red Fort:
My dear countrymen, brothers, sisters and dear children,
EC takes note of Akhilesh’s endorsement of bogus voting
Lucknow: The Election Commission has taken note of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's support to a party candidate who exhorted people to ensure...
India, China state, provincial forum to advance cooperation: Modi
Beijing : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said greater cooperation between India and China at the state and provincial level would help translate...
AIFB opposes Gorkhaland, wants committee to decide on Telangana
By IANS,
Kolkata : The All India Forward Bloc (AIFB), a prominent partner in West Bengal's Left Front government, has opposed the demand for a Gorkhaland state but asked that a second State Reorganisation Committee (SRC) be set up to decide on the Telangana issue.
Terming the Congress' decision to concede Telangana without holding any discussion with other parties and in parliament as unethical, AIFB national general secretary Debabrata Biswas alleged that the issue was blown up to divert people's attention from spiralling prices.
Karnataka BJP minister quits
By IANS,
Bangalore : Karnataka Horticulture Minister S.K. Bellubbi Sunday resigned from the ministry to make way for a new entrant in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from opposition Janata Dal-Secular.
Umesh Katti, who last week quit JD-S and the state assembly, is likely to be inducted in the cabinet by Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, a senior BJP leader said requesting anonymity.
"Bellubbi sent in his resignation around 6.30 p.m.," a spokesperson of the chief minister told IANS.
IUML, Congress set to take to Parliament nun’s head cover issue at AIPMT
By TCN Staff Reporter
Kozhikode: The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and the Indian National Congress have declared to take to the Parliament the issue...
BJP to decide on opposition leader: RSS
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sunday said it would support the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) every decision if Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha L.K. Advani steps down.
"Whatever decision is to be taken (on who should be the next opposition leader) has to be taken by L.K. Advani himself and the party. The Sangh will have no specific views on this issue," RSS leader Ram Madhav told reporters here.
Three top RSS leaders -- Madan Das Devi, Suresh Soni and Bhaiyyaji Joshi -- met Advani earlier Sunday.
Separate Telangana could see more Maoist activity: Srikrishna
By IANS,
Hyderabad : The Srikrishna Committee fears spurt in Maoist activity in a separate Telangana state with or without Hyderabad as its capital.
Man seeks public toilet in lieu of his vote, booked
Allahabad: An AAP worker who rode a donkey in this Uttar Pradesh city to demand a public toilet in lieu of his vote was...
Bharat Bandh affects normal life in BJP ruled Tripura
Agartala, Sep 10 (IANS) A nationwide shutdown or Bharat Bandh called by the opposition Congress, Left and other parties against the increasing prices of...
BJP corporator shot dead in Varanasi
Lucknow: A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) corporator was shot dead in Varanasi, police said.
Shiv Seth, 40, was the corporator from Rampurwa ward. He was...
Shivraj Singh Chouhan discloses assets in state assembly
By IANS,
Bhopal : Taking the lead, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan Tuesday declared his assets in the state assembly.
According to his declaration, he has Rs.13 lakh in cash in his bank accounts, besides 64 gm gold jewellery, household goods worth Rs.1.80 lakh, and a house worth Rs.3 lakh in Vidisha district.
He also owns 4.79 acres of farmland in Sehore district's Jait village, 1.29 hectares agricultural land in Vidisha district and a house here worth about Rs.23 lakh which he has purchased on bank loan.
Left-UPA flashpoints since May 2004
By IANS,
New Delhi : The often uneasy relationship between the Left parties and the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government ended Tuesday after four years, over the India-US civil nuclear deal. But there were other differences too between the two sides that came together in 2004 on the basis of a Common Minimum Programme.
Here are some of the major issues over which the Left clashed with the Congress since the Manmohan Singh government took power in May 2004:
Kumaraswamy meets Sonia, Deve Gowda to face media Wednesday
By IANS,
New Delhi/Bangalore : Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy late Tuesday met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, giving the jitters to the Left parties, though he maintained his party was not quitting the Third Front. His father and former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda will address the media Wednesday, possibly to clarify the party's position.
In Bangalore, as news of Kumaraswamy's meeting with Gandhi spread, JD-S chief Deve Gowda called a press conference for Wednesday.
Seemandhra ministers meet Advani over financial package
By IANS,
New Delhi : Union ministers from the Seemandhra region of Andhra Pradesh Monday met BJP leader L.K. Advani and sought his party's support...
Kejriwal files nomination after attacking Modi, Rahul
By Gaurav Sharma,
Varanasi: AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal Wednesday filed his nomination papers for the Lok Sabha election from here to take on BJP's prime...
Mayawati’s u-turn on land due to pressure of people, says Congress
By NNN-PTI,
New Delhi : With Uttar Pradesh state Chief Minister Mayawati deciding to return the land for the rail project in Rae Bareli, a combative Congress said it was done due to pressure of the people of the state and accused her of wasting central funds on building her statues and parks.
"The revocation of the earlier order took place due to public pressure...The matter is in the court and we would have won from there also," Congress spokesman Mohan Prakash told reporters here on Saturday.
Dimapur lynching: Gauhati HC directs CBI probe
Guwahati: Six months after the gruesome lynching of a rape accused in Nagaland's commercial town Dimapur, the Gauhati High Court on Monday directed the...
Sikh protests force Tytler to opt out
By IANS,
New Delhi : Pushed to the wall after widespread protests by Sikhs over his exoneration by the CBI, beleaguered Congress leader Jagdish Tytler Thursday opted out of the electoral fray but left the final decision to the party.
"I don't think I should fight (the election)," Tytler told a packed news conference here, adding that he did not want to cause "embarassment" to the party. He said he would meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi and abide by her orders over his Lok Sabha candidature for the Delhi Northeast constituency.
Jaitley launches crop insurance schemes
Mumbai : Terming agriculture as "absolutely critical to the country's economy", union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday launched the "Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima...
Badal’s beacon ‘bribe’ stirs controversy
By Jaideep Sarin, IANS
Chandigarh : Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal's offer to let elected members of the Sikh religious body SGPC use red beacons atop their vehicles and provide them police bodyguards is unlikely to go down well with the high courts.
Badal made the announcement of the sops Thursday, a day before the election of the president of the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) -- the mini-parliament of the Sikh religion and the world's richest Sikh organisation with an annual turnover of Rs.3.25 billion.
Two-time BJP legislator in Himachal joins Congress
Hamirpur (Himachal Pradesh): In a jolt to the opposition BJP, its two-time legislator Urmil Thakur Sunday joined the Congress, saying the saffron party "is...
Bihar: Muslim girl students increasingly secure first division in state, madrassa board exams
Sami Ahmad, TwoCircles.net
Muslim students in Bihar show upward trends in topping board examinations if their performance of the last five years is tracked. Data...
AAP’s Khetan vows zero corruption
New Delhi: AAP candidate for New Delhi seat Ashish Khetan Wednesday said he would involve the people in spending of public funds for projects...
Bihari Babu to boycott BJP’s Bihar Swabhiman rally
By IANS,
Patna : Miffed at not being given a prominent position in the party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Shatrughan Sinha has said that he would not attend the party's Bihar Swabhiman rally here Sunday.
"I am not going to attend the rally because my role has not been defined," Sinha said.
The actor-turned politician, however, attended the BJP's national executive meeting that began Saturday.
Sinha, MP from Patna Sahib, made it clear that he was not happy with the party's functioning.
TRS polled over 43 percent votes in Hyderabad civic polls
Hyderabad: The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) polled 43.85 percent votes to win a record 99 seats in the 150-member Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation.
Contesting all...
Himachal Congress to protest scrapping of tribunal
By IANS,
Shimla : The Congress in Himachal Pradesh Wednesday said it would soon launch a statewide protest against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government's decision to abolish a tribunal that redresses complaints of state government employees.
"The party would not only stage protests but also explore legal options to nail the government," state party president Kaul Singh Thakur told reporters here Wednesday.
Thakur accused Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal of "fooling" people because he had said the central government had decided to scrap the tribunal.
Beginning, the Age of M.K. Stalin
By Papri Sri Raman, IANS
Chennai : He has waited 42 long and patient years to be where he is today, a de facto chief minister of Tamil Nadu.
He was named Stalin as father Muthuvel Karunanidhi - an ambitious and rising Dravidian politician - was an admirer of the Russian Joseph Stalin who died in 1953, the year the Indian Stalin was born.
Chiranjeevi’s fans distribute eggs to protest attack on him
By IANS,
Hyderabad : Resorting to 'gandhigiri', activists of Praja Rajyam (PR) Wednesday distributed eggs in different parts of Andhra Pradesh to protest the attack on their party president K. Chiranjeevi by Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) workers.
The actor-turned-politician had to face embarrassment at Narsampet in Warangal district Tuesday when some TRS activists hurled eggs at him during his ongoing 'yatra'. One egg landed on his face.
The TRS workers were protesting "lack of clarity" in Chiranjeevi's stand on separate statehood to Telangana region.
AAP to launch ‘Delhi Dialogue’ campaign
New Delhi : The Aam Aadmi Party Wednesday said it would launch a 'Delhi Dialogue' campaign for the Delhi assembly election.
"After discussion with the...
Congress to form government in Mizoram, MNF chief loses
By IANS,
Aizawl : Veteran Congress leader Lalthanhawla is poised to become chief minister of a Congress government in Mizoram for the fourth time with the party sweeping the polls winning an absolute majority in the 40-member state legislature.
The ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) faced a humiliating defeat with the Congress storming back to power after being in political wilderness for 10 years.
Uproar in Bihar assembly over multi-crore excise scam
By IANS,
Patna : The opposition created an uproar in the Bihar assembly Tuesday over the demand for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the multi-crore excise scam.
The opposition, on the second day of the month-long budget session of the Bihar assembly, raised slogans for a CBI probe into the scam that forced assembly speaker Udai Narayan Choudhry to adjourn the state assembly till noon.
Some opposition members neared the speker's podium and raised slogans against the state government led by Nitish Kumar.
Modi praises state agriculture campaigns
By IANS,
Ahmedabad : Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi told a gathering of farmers in Junagadh Friday that the four 'Krushi Mahotsavs' organised by the state government were a success.
He said the previous governments had never accorded priority to the farming sector. However, the farmers in the state were very interested to participate in the agriculture campaigns that provide them information about the latest developments in the market, he said.
What’s in a name! Rishi Kapoor sparks Congress outcry
Mumbai: Veteran film actor Rishi Kapoor on Wednesday sparked off a Congress outcry after he launched a scathing attack against the grand old party...
No role for RSS in government formation, say BJP, RSS
New Delhi : The RSS will have no role in the formation of the union cabinet, BJP leader M. Venkaiah Naidu and RSS spokesperson...
Atal Bihari Vajpayee: A proud Hindu who exemplified Indian ethos
By Mayank Chhaya,
As Atal Bihari Vajpayee turns 90 on Dec 25, he remains one of the finest practitioners of India's enlightened pluralism as embedded in its ancient civilization rather than an obligation as mandated by the constitution of a young nation-state.
Hema Malini discharged from hospital
Jaipur: Film actress and BJP MP Hema Malini was on Saturday discharged from a hospital where she was undergoing treatment after a car crash...
Sanjay Dutt to be Samajwadi candidate from Lucknow
By IANS,
New Delhi : Sanjay Dutt Thursday became the latest Bollywood actor to dabble in politics with the Samajwadi Party announcing that he would be its candidate from the Lucknow Lok Sabha constituency.
The "Munnabhai" of Bollywood, who has led a chequered life more dramatic than some of his films and was convicted for possessing illegal firearms ahead of the 1993 serial blasts in Mumbai, will contest the next general elections from the constituency currently represented in the Lok Sabha by former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Gorkhaland agitation a conspiracy to divide West Bengal: CPI-M
By IANS,
Kolkata : Terming the ongoing Gorkhaland agitation as an attempt to split West Bengal into small parts, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Thursday urged the people to unitedly protest against the "unscrupulous elements" who were trying to disturb the state's integrity.
Rahul, Ajit Singh’s joint rally at Meerut Thursday
By IANS,
New Delhi : Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Ajit Singh will address a joint poll rally at Meerut in western Uttar Pradesh Thursday.
Under attack Karat says central committee took coalition decisions
By IANS,
New Delhi : Under fire for the Left parties' poll debacle and also for floating the Third Front grouping, which came a cropper in the Lok Sabha elections, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) general secretary Prakash Karat Thursday said the decision to forge a non-Congress, non-BJP electoral alliance had been taken by the party central committee.
Karat, whose CPI-M got 16 Lok Sabha seats from 43 in 2004, said that both national and state level factors have to be analysed to find out the reasons for the party's poor show in West Bengal and Kerala.
Seven new faces in Manmohan Singh government
By IANS
New Delhi : Seven ministers were Sunday inducted into Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's council of ministers.
Among those inducted at a swearing-in ceremony Sunday evening were young MPs Jyotiraditya Scindia and Jitin Prasada, former chief election commissioner M.S. Gill, Congress Puducherry chief V.N. Narayanswamy, industrialist-turned-politician Sanjay Bagrodia, and Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Raghunath Jha.
Kerala opposition’s unique protest over fever deaths
By IANS
Thiruvananthapuram : Members of the Congress-led opposition in Kerala Tuesday remained glued to their seats in the assembly even after it was adjourned - to protest against a raging fever that has killed 76 people.
CBI court rejects Lalu’s plea to quash fodder scam trial
Ranchi : A CBI court Tuesday rejected RJD chief Lalu Yadav plea to to quash the trial of three cases against him in connection...
Tripura announces holiday to mourn Left leader
By IANS,
Agartala : The Tripura government declared a holiday Tuesday in the memory of veteran communist leader Baidyanath Majumder, who died earlier in the day, officials said here.
Minor girl’s marriage stopped in Bengal
Siliguri : The marriage of a 16-year-old girl to a groom from Gurgaon was stopped on Tuesday by the administration with the help of...
Ex-Assam minister to quit assembly seat
New Delhi: Former Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who quit the Congress and joined the BJP last month, said on Saturday that he will...
Lalu, Nitish are together again — after 20 years
Patna: RJD chief Lalu Prasad and JD-U leader Nitish Kumar Monday came together at an election rally for the first time in two decades,...
Trinamool MP Sultan Ahmed passed away
Kolkata, (IANS): Former Union Minister and Trinamool Congress sitting Lok Sabha member Sultan Ahmed died on Monday following a massive cardiac arrest, a city hospital...
UPA government ‘equally responsible’ for blasts: minister
By Sahil Makkar, IANS,
Jaipur : The Rajasthan government Wednesday blamed the central government for the terror blasts that ripped through the heart of the walled city killing at least 63 people and injuring 90.
"The central government is equally responsible for the terror blast in Rajasthan," Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria told IANS at his office here, a day after the synchronised bombings. "The centre cannot absolve itself by just sending routine alerts to states."
Three West Bengal girls capture Rahul for personal album
By IANS,
Kolkata : A day-long wait outside Kolkata airport proved fruitful for three sisters from Kolkata as they not only met their icon Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi but also managed to get their photographs clicked with him.
Rumeli Kar of Baguihati, on the outskirts of the city, along with her two younger sisters Megha and Roja came to the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) airport early Saturday just to have a glance of Gandhi but failed to meet him.
Goa disabled promised better fare while voting
By IANS
Panaji : Senior citizens and handicapped electors in Goa will be cared for during the June 2 assembly elections. And for the blind, there will be Braille-enabled electronic voting machines.
Modi arrives in ‘beautiful’ Myanmar
Nay Pyi Taw : Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in the Myanmar capital on the first leg of his three-nation tour Tuesday and described...
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आकिल हुसैन। Twocircles.net
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UPA-Left meet on n-deal inconclusive
By IANS,
New Delhi : The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government assured its Left allies it will furnish clarifications on points they had raised Tuesday at a two-hour meeting on the safeguards agreement that India plans to finalise with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
"The government will furnish the clarifications sought by the Left parties on the safeguards agreement in the next few days," said External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee who heads the 15-member UPA-Left committee on the India-US nuclear deal.
DMK celebrates Karunanidhi’s 84th birthday
By IANS
Chennai : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president M. Karunanidhi turned 84 Sunday as party members organised a birthday bash and offered him flowers and gifts.
SP MLA who stopped trains not being arrested: Railway police
Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh) : The Uttar Pradesh Police have failed to arrest a legislator of the ruling Samajwadi Party despite a criminal case against...
Prestigious Madurai West by-poll on Tuesday
By IANS
Madurai : The by-election to the Madurai West assembly seat on Tuesday will see a straight fight between the Congress candidate, backed by the DMK, and the AIADMK.
Hooda wins by over 72,000 votes
Chandigarh, Oct 22 (IANS) Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda Thursday won his Garhi Sampla-Kiloi assembly seat in Rohtak district by 72,100 votes.
This was the biggest victory margin of any candidate in the state's 90 assembly seats.
Hooda defeated Satish Kumar of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD).
In June 2005, Hooda had won by a margin of over 103,000 votes -- getting 96 percent of the votes polled.
AGP the biggest loser in Assam polls
By Syed Zarir Hussain, IANS,
Guwahati : The regional Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) has emerged as the biggest loser, while the minority-based Asom United Democratic Front (AUDF) has turned out to be a major spoiler for the ruling Congress party in the 2009 general elections in Assam.
"The biggest casualty is undoubtedly the AGP as the party fared miserably in the polls having won just one seat compared to two seats it won in the 2004 elections," Akhil Ranjan Dutta, a political science teacher at Gauhati University, told IANS.
Modi launches reading, community work programmes
By IANS,
Gandhinagar: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi Thursday launched two programmes - one to encourage people to read and the other for youth to devote time to community projects - and called on the state's people to participate in these with "missionary zeal".
"'Vanche Gujarat' (Read Gujarat) and 'Samay-Dan'(Time donation) - will occupy a frontline position in the golden jubilee celebrations of the state slated to start from its foundation day, May 1," Modi said.
Modi arrives in Ahmedabad, says his government has generated trust
Ahmedabad : Narendra Modi, on his first visit after becoming prime minister, arrived here Tuesday, a day ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's three-day...
No alliance with Mamata in near future: Congress
By IANS,
Kolkata : After their recent divorce, the Congress Tuesday said there was no possibility of aligning again with the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress in the near future.
Two CPI-M leaders arrested for Lalgarh carnage
By IANS,
Kolkata : Two leaders of West Bengal's ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) were Monday arrested for their alleged connection with the Jan 7 killing of nine people in Lalgarh.
Focus on climate change must shift to ‘green credit’: Modi
New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday called for greater emphasis on generating and conserving clean energy as opposed to staying focused on...
I want to resign from Lok Sabha, says Trinamool’s singer MP
By IANS,
Kolkata: Noted Bengali singer Kabir Suman, who is a Trinamool Congress MP, Tuesday said that he wanted to resign from the Lok Sabha.
"I would like to submit my resignation to the honourable Speaker of the Lok Sabha. I shall also tell Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about my decision. I don't want to continue as an MP and I've decided to withdraw myself.Now tell me what to do," Suman said in an interview with a local television channel, Star Ananda, here.
UPA scores just 30 percent marks in ‘people’s report’
By IANS
New Delhi : The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, which completed three years this week, has patted itself on its back for its achievements, but a report based on a nationwide survey among 500 NGOs gives it only 30 percent marks.
Second phase of Bihar elections -Factfile
By IANS,
New Delhi : The second of the six phases of the month-long elections to the Bihar state assembly is to be held Sunday.
Number of assembly constituencies - 45
All accused in Dadri lynching case arrested
Lucknow: The tenth and last accused in the incident of lynching of a Muslim man in Dadri in Uttar Pradesh has been arrested,...