Maharashtra Polls: MIM’s variety offers a musical choice
By A.Mirsab, TwoCircles.net,
Mumbai: After remaining out of public glare for decades, Mohammed Shahid Rafi, son of legendary playback singer late Mohammed Rafi, has jumped into the political fray and contesting on All India Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) ticket from Mumbaidevi seat in Mumbai.
Join ‘new Jammu and Kashmir’, youths told on R Day
By IANS
Jammu : Governor S.K. Sinha Saturday urged the youths to join the "new and progressive Jammu and Kashmir" as the Republic Day celebrations passed off peacefully all across the state.
Sinha and Chief Minister Ghulab Nabi Azad were seated in bullet-proof enclosures at the main function at the Maulana Azad Memorial Stadium here.
Sinha took the salute at a parade of army, paramilitary forces and police contingents. Students from nearly a dozen government and private schools also participated.
Last minute attempts to resolve UPA-Left deadlock
By IANS,
New Delhi : With no sign of a breakthrough, senior Congress ministers met Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) general secretary Prakash Karat Wednesday in a last-minute attempt to convince the Left leader just hours before the crucial United Progressive Alliance (UPA)-Left nuclear committee meeting.
Heavy polling in Haryana by-polls
By IANS,
Chandigarh : Heavy voter turnout was recorded in by-elections for three assembly seats in Haryana Thursday with over 75 percent of the electorate exercising their franchise.
The by-elections were held for the Adampur (Hissar district), Gohana (Rohtak district)and Indri (Karnal district) seats. While Adampur and Indri recorded nearly 80 percent polling, the voting in Gohana was over 70 percent.
There were over 392,000 voters in the three constituencies.
The polling largely passed off peacefully but for a few minor incidents.
AAP leader extends support to JNU students
New Delhi : Aam Aadmi Party leader and tribal activist Soni Sori on Monday visited Jawaharlal Nehru University here to express solidarity with the...
Bihar ex-MP Shahabuddin gets bail
Patna : The Patna High Court on Wednesday granted bail to former MP Mohammad Shahabuddin in connection with a double murder and kidnapping that...
Lalthanhawla wedded to Mizoram’s development, as usual
By IANS,
Aizawl : Sixtysix-year-old Lalthanhawla, three-time chief minister of Mizoram, who romped home to power Monday with a thumping win yet again in Mizoram, is the most acceptable face of the Congress.
Known in the mountainous state for his towering personality, Lalthanhawla has been with the Congress for the last four decades and became a legislator for the first time in 1978 when Mizoram was a Union Territory.
Popular Front appeals govt for exemption of travel expenses for poor expat Indian labourers
TCN News
A month after the Supreme Court had heard a petition by MP M K Raghavan on the evacuation of expat Indian labourers stranded...
Finding candidate against Kejriwal proving difficult for BJP
By Rahul Vaishnavi,
New Delhi : Finding the right candidate to take on the AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal in the Delhi assembly polls expected next month...
VHP alleges conspiracy to malign image of ‘gau rakshaks’
New Delhi, (IANS): Calling recent protests against lynching "a conspiracy by a section of society" to malign the image of "gau rakshaks" (cow vigilantes), the...
Made mistakes but BJP will return to Karnataka: Former CM Sadananda Gowda
By Anjali Ojha,
Bengaluru : Admitting that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) paid for its "mistakes" in Karnataka in the 2013 assembly polls, union minister...
Haryana gets another Lal — in new CM
Chandigarh : The political era of Haryana's three famous Lals - Devi Lal, Bansi Lal and Bhajan Lal - may have ended years ago,...
Madhya Pradesh minister feels heat for quota remark
By IANS,
Bhopal : The Madhya Pradesh Backward Classes Welfare Council Thursday demanded immediate dismissal of Cooperatives Minister Gopal Bhargava fews. I will resort to legal recourse after consulting experts," he said.
Earlier, state Congress president Suresh Pachouri said, "The constitution provides for reservation for weaker sections of society and Bhargava's observation at the Brahmin Sabha amounts to disrespect of the constitution. The chief minister should, thus, immediately dismiss him from the Cabinet."
BJP demands resignation of Jharkhand ministers accused of corruption
By IANS,
Ranchi : The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Jharkhand Tuesday demanded the resignations of two minister who have been accused of amassing wealth disproportionate to their income.
A.K. Singh, a special vigilance court judge, Monday directed the vigilance department to lodge first information reports (FIR) against Rural Development Minister Enos Ekka and Urban Development Minister Harinarayan Rai on the basis of a petition filed by Vinod Kumar, a resident of Deoghar district.
AAP slams Sathasivam’s appointment as Kerala governor
New Delhi : The AAP Wednesday slammed the appointment of former chief justice of India P. Sathasivam as the new governor of Kerala, saying...
AAP to move out following neighbours’ complaint
New Delhi : 41 Hanuman Road off Connaught Place in the heart of the national capital might no longer be the AAP's address as...
Chhattisgarh politicians spend nights in Maoist terrain
By Sujeet Kumar, IANS
Raipur : They used to keep away from Maoist strongholds. But suddenly senior leaders of Chhattisgarh's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Congress are busy camping in the terror grounds of Bastar.
For, an assembly by-poll is to be held Feb 4 in the Keshkal constituency of Bastar district and these politicians are out seeking votes.
Home Minister Ramvichar Netam had never spent a night in a Maoist stronghold after being elevated from the post of tribal welfare minister in a June 2005 cabinet reshuffle.
BJP surprised, others happy IPL not clashing with polls
By IANS,
New Delhi : The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Sunday expressed surprise over the Indian Premier League (IPL) being shifted outside the country, and said this will give a wrong signal about the country's security establishment.
India's cricket board Sunday announced that the hugely popular Twenty20 IPL will be played outside the country because state governments have expressed their inability to provide security to the tournament as it clashes with general elections.
Mayawati factor bringing Congress, Samajwadi Party together
By Faraz Ahmad
New Delhi, Jan 25 (IANS) The rise and rise of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati is forcing the Congress and the Samajwadi Party to work towards an understanding, albeit hesitatingly and with one condition - no Amar Singh please.
Meghalaya: Chief Minister Sangma hits out at Modi government for rejecting Church leader’s...
Shillong (IANS): Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma on Thursday hit out at NDA Central government for rejecting the visa application of Baptist World Alliance...
Apex court surprised over political rivalry in Kerala
By IANS
New Delhi : The intense political rivalry in Kerala between the ruling Left Front and the Congress Friday surprised even the Supreme Court.
The rivalry left the apex court wondering what had made the state government challenge in the apex court a state high court order giving Rajya Sabha Congress member P.J. Kurien a clean chit in a private complaint of rape against him.
As the Kerala government's appeal against the state high court order came up for hearing, a bench headed by Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan expressed surprise, saying, "Is it not unusual?"
Tamil Nadu: Finally Haseena Syed is Congress candidate in Krishnagiri
By V.M. Khaleelur Rahman for TwoCircles.net,
Modi, Advani have misconceptions about their age: Priyanka
By IANS,
Amethi (Uttar Pradesh) : Countering Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's comment that the Congress party was a "budhiya" (old lady), Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's daughter Priyanka Gandhi said Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) prime ministerial candidate L.K. Advani have misconceptions about their age.
Congress, BJP seek repoll in some booths
Kolkata : The Congress Thursday demanded repolling in a booth in Malda district after two of its candidates Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury from Malda...
Congress wins Chandigarh mayoral election
By IANS,
Chandigarh: The Congress won the Chandigarh mayoral election that was held Sunday.
BJP leaders discuss Maharashtra, Haryana CM choices
New Delhi : BJP held hectic consultations Monday over government formation in Haryana and Maharashtra with party leaders weighing various factors to decide the...
Only one family has benefited in Punjab: Rahul
Bathinda (Punjab) : Attacking Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal's family, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi Monday said only one family had progressed and...
Samajwadi Party can contest assembly polls without Congress: Mulayam
By IANS,
Lucknow : The Samajwadi Party Sunday said it was ready to contest the upcoming assembly elections on its own if it did not reach a consensus with the Congress, which it supports at the centre.
"Barring Uttar Pradesh, where we are in the final stages of seat sharing with the Congress for the Lok sabha elections (due next year), we are ready to contest most of the seats in the assembly elections of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh," Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav told reporters in Lucknow Sunday.
End communalism this Durga Puja, says Lalu Prasad
Patna: Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad on Tuesday called on people of Bihar to celebrate Durga Puja this year by ending communalism and...
Anupam Kher meets president, likely to meet PM over ‘intolerance’
New Delhi: Veteran actor Anupam Kher met President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday and said he had a "great meeting" where he raised concerns about...
Gujarat High Court quashes quota for higher castes
Ahmedabad : The Gujarat High Court on Thursday rejected the Anandiben Patel government's ordinance to provide 10 per cent quota in government jobs...
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.
Residents of Hindustan Park mourn Jyoti Basu’s demise
By IANS,
Kolkata : Hindustan Park is in mourning! Oldtimers in the posh South Kolkata locality remember Jyoti Basu as a good longtime neighbour and a perfect gentleman.
For over 66 years since 1920, communist patriarch Jyoti Basu's address was 55A, Hindustan Park -- a four-storeyed simple house bought by his father Nishikanta, a doctor.
"He was overall a good-natured human being," recalled Partha Ghosh of Keyatala, who was the former West Bengal chief minister's neighbour in Hindustan Park.
Modi will destroy India’s secular fabric: Farooq
New Delhi: National Conference chairperson Farooq Abdullah has said his party will never consider joining the BJP-led NDA in case Narendra Modi becomes the...
All party meeting on Kashmir Monday
By IANS,
Srinagar : The all-party meeting convened by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to find a way to tackle the crisis in the valley began here Monday afternoon with the opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP) staying away.
Ruling National Conference chief and union minister Farooq Abdullah, the father of the chief minister, is amongst those attending the meet that started at 3 p.m. State Congress chief Saif-ud-din Soz is also participating along with other leaders of the ruling National Conference (NC)-Congress alliance.
BJP panel to probe rejection of Niligiri candidate’s nomination
Chennai: A day after the BJP suffered the humiliation of its candidate's nomination being rejected by the poll officials in Tamil Nadu's Niligiri constituency,...
Uttar Pradesh ignoring court orders on Ganga Expressway: Activist
By IANS,
Lucknow: Magsaysay awardee and noted environmentalist Rajendra Singh Friday accused the Uttar Pradesh government of violating court directives on obtaining green certification before going ahead with the Ganga Expressway project.
"Despite the High Court directions to the state government that it should not go ahead with the ambitious project without obtaining a fresh environmental clearance, the government is carrying out land acquisition for the project," Singh told reporters here.
President’s rule revoked in Jharkhand
By IANS,
New Delhi : The union cabinet Tuesday recommended lifting of President's rule in Jharkhand, a day ahead of a new elected government under Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Shibu Soren taking over in the state.
The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting here chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, an official said.
Jharkhand came under President's Rule Jan 19 after no alliance came forward to form the government following Shibu Soren's resignation as chief minister. Soren quit after losing the Tamar assembly byelection.
Happy birthday Uma Bharati, Govindacharya
By Faraz Ahmad,
IANS
New Delhi : It promises to be two days of celebrations for Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) former mascots Uma Bharati and Govindacharya, with the dissident sanyasin's birthday falling on Thursday and her ailing close aide's on Wednesday.
Uma Bharati, who heads the Bharatiya Janshakti party, celebrates her 48th birthday Thursday amid talk of her rejoining the BJP. But before that, her political guru and best friend, the one time BJP ideologue K.N. Govindacharya will party in his temporary home in south Delhi's Vasant Kunj.
Kashmir governor reviews budget preparations
Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Governor N.N. Vohra on Saturday reviewed budget preparations for the new fiscal beginning April 2016, an official statement said.
A meeting...
Voting underway peacefully in Bihar
BY IANS,
Patna : Slow but peaceful voting was underway for the second phase of parliamentary elections in 13 of the 40 constituencies in Bihar Thursday.
There are several heavyweights, including six central ministers, a filmmaker and a former cricket player, in the fray. An electorate of 16.9 million will decide the fate of 189 candidates, including nine women.
Aditional General of Police (headquarters) Neelmani said no untoward incident was reported from anywhere during the first three hours of polling which began at 7 a.m. amid high security.
Sheila Dikshit: ‘mascot of a clean chief minister’
By IANS,
New Delhi : From a politician by default to the Congress' longest serving woman chief minister, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit Monday wrote herself into the record books by steering her party to a third consecutive victory in the assembly elections.
Riding the twin planks of development and good governance, the 70-year-old Dikshit, who is known for her humility and charisma, was the first chief minister in Delhi to get a second consecutive term in 2003. And now, one more.
Apex court refuses to step into Amarnath land transfer muddle
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Supreme Court Friday dismissed a petition seeking revocation of the Jammu and Kashmir government's decision to take back land given to the Amarnath shrine board, saying it was "not a super cabinet".
A vacation bench of Justice Altamas Kabir and Justice G.S. Singhvi refused to annul the state government's Tuesday decision to cancel the allotment of 40 hectares to the board.
MNS general secretary Pravin Darekar quits
Mumbai : The beleaguered Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, routed in the assembly elections, faced another crisis Wednesday when its general secretary Pravin Darekar suddenly quit,...
All Karnataka action centered in Delhi these days
By IANS,
New Delhi/Bangalore : Karnataka is in political turmoil, but Delhi is where the action is being played out with all prominent leaders of the state, ruling as well as opposition, either camping in the national capital or headed there as the BJP desperately tries to save its first government in the state.
Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, whose removal the rebel faction led by the Reddy brothers are demanding, is slated to reach Delhi late Wednesday.
CPI warns of gas price hike
By IANS,
Mumbai : The Communist Party of India (CPI) Tuesday warned that close on the heels of the recent petrol price hike, people may soon be hit by an increase in the cooking gas price.
Rajendra Arlekar elected unopposed as Goa speaker
By IANS,
Panaji : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Rajendra Arlekar was Monday elected unopposed as the speaker of Goa's 12th legislative assembly.
Amethi won’t forgive Modi for insulting my father: Priyanka
New Delhi: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Monday attacked BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi for his speech in Amethi, saying he had insulted her "martyred"...
Left Front protests price rise across West Bengal
By IANS,
Kolkata : West Bengal's ruling Left Front (LF) Thursday staged state-wide sit-ins in front of various central government offices protesting against the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government's policies which they blamed for rising prices of essential commodities.
Thousands of state LF supporters in Kolkata staged picketing in front of the Income Tax office at Esplanade area since 9 a.m., party sources said
LF activists also carried out the protest programme in other districts.
Shukla attacks Raj for campaign against north Indians
By IANS,
Raipur : Congress veteran and nine-time MP Vidya Charan Shukla Sunday hit out against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray for campaigning against north Indians and described his movement "dangerous for the country's integrity".
"It's highly condemnable... it must not happen because it weakens the country," Shukla told reporters here.
Talking about the upcoming assembly polls in Chhattisgarh Nov 14 and 20, Shukla said: "The BJP government is on its way out because of its misdeeds and flawed policies."
Maharashtra minister injured in ink attack
Pune : Senior Congress leader and Maharashtra Co-operatives Minister Harshvardhan Patil sustained an injury in his eye after some activists hurled ink at him...
Mamata government compromised Amit Shah’s security: BJP
Burdwan : The BJP's West Bengal unit Tuesday accused the Mamata Banerjee government of compromising the security of BJP president Amit Shah by withdrawing...
Six Tamil Nadu Rajya Sabha nominees set to be elected unopposed
By IANS,
Chennai : Six candidates - three from DMK, two from AIADMK and one from the Congress - are set to be elected unopposed in the June 17 Rajya Sabha elections from Tamil Nadu.
Congress candidate and sitting member Sudarshan Nachiappan filed his nomination Monday in the presence of Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, Deputy Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and several other DMK and Congress leaders.
Hope to bring back 39 abducted Indians from Iraq soon: Sushma
New Delhi : External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Sunday that her "only regret" in her year in office has been the failure...
Kejriwal’s ‘jungle raj’ remark wrong: Bassi
New Delhi : Delhi Police Commissioner B.S. Bassi on Sunday termed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's "jungle raj" comment "an attempt at political positioning...
Congress defeats BJP in Rajinder Nagar constituency
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Congress Monday bagged one more seat in the Delhi assembly when it won the Rajinder Nagar assembly by-election from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that had fielded the widow of its late leader Puran Chand Yogi.
Polling in the constituency had been postponed to Dec 13 after Yogi, who had represented Rajinder Nagar in the Delhi assembly, committed suicide in the run-up to the elections.
Dead YSR Congress candidate elected
Hyderabad: A candidate of YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), who died in a road accident during the campaigning, was elected to Andhra Pradesh assembly from...
Homage paid to Rajiv Gandhi in Tamil Nadu
Chennai : Tamil Nadu Governor K. Rosaiah Wednesday paid floral tribute to former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi on his 23rd death anniversary.
He also administered...
Paucity of institutions, not reservation main issue in India: Rahul Gandhi
By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Bhopal: The Indian Prime Minister in the making Rahul Gandhi trying to establish a live contact with the masses of all hues visited Madhya Pradesh on Monday to have a direct contact with youth. He visited Gwalior, Sagar, Jabalpur and then state capital Bhopal and interacted with students to instill and infuse in them their role in India’s development in today’s era after they finish their studies and take up the place in society.
ABVP derides ‘anti-nationalism’ in JU, threatens to chop Leftists’ legs
Kolkata : Deriding left-leaning students for turning Jadavpur University into a "hub of anti-national activities", the RSS students' wing ABVP on Monday took out...
Mayawati to hold 14 election rallies in Delhi
Lucknow : Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati would be addressing 14 election rallies in poll-bound Delhi, a party leader said Monday.
Having lost the...
Tiwari’s Congress membership status to be known Thursday
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Congress said Wednesday that details about the party membership of N.D. Tiwari, who quit as the Andhra Pradesh governor following a sex scandal, would be known after Thursday when the Congress membership campaign ends.
"He has been our senior leader since he was appointed as governor of Andhra Pradesh. During his tenure as governor ... he ceased to be a party member. Because it is a constitutional position," said Congress leader Satyavrat Chaturvedi, a Rajya Sabha MP from Uttarakhand.
"I cannot say whether he is a member of the party now," Chaturvedi said.
Biharis are an affliction, says Bal Thackeray
By IANS
Mumbai : Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, in an attempt to overtake his estranged nephew Raj Thackeray's campaign against people from north India, termed Biharis as an affliction, and said they were unwanted in all other parts of the country.
Musharraf congratulates Pratibha, hopes for better ties
By IANS
New Delhi : Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf Wednesday congratulated his Indian counterpart Pratibha Patil on her election to the top office and hoped for "enhancement of mutual trust and confidence" between the two countries.
"Excellency, it gives me great pleasure to extend to you warm felicitations on your election to the high office of the president of Republic of India," Musharraf said in his felicitation message to Patil, who was sworn in Wednesday as India's 12th president.
BJP youth leader shot dead in Maharashtra
By IANS,
Nagpur : A leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party's youth wing (BJP) died of bullet injures early Monday after he was shot at from close range here, police said.
Opposition parties condemn dissolution of Arunachal assembly
Guwahati : Opposition parties in Arunachal Pradesh Friday condemned the dissolution of the assembly by the governor and termed it a most undemocratic move.
Governor...
Congress says it may contest Lucknow seat
By IANS,
New Delhi : With the Supreme Court Tuesday refusing to suspend the conviction of Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt in a criminal case and enable him to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Lucknow, the Congress indicated that it could now field a candidate from there.
The apex court's order has delivered a body blow to the Samajwadi Party (SP), which had given Dutt a ticket to fight the polls, causing much embarrassment to the Congress for the actor's father, the late Sunil Dutt was associated with the party for a long time. His sister Priya is a Congress MP from Mumbai.
TDP will fight for Telugus in different roles: Chandrababu Naidu
Hyderabad : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday said the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) will continue to work for the well being...
SMS for vote irritates voters in Delhi
By IANS,
New Delhi : The flood of SMSes by political parties seeking votes began as a novel idea but it is now irritating many in Delhi.
"Enough is enough! I was already tired of both the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) and the Congress making political capital of the Mumbai attack. The BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party) is no different," said Mayank, a young man after getting an SMS Saturday as the capital voted to pick a new assembly.
Voting ends peacefully in Jammu and Kashmir
By IANS,
Srinagar/Jammu : Voting ended peacefully in Jammu and Kashmir for the second round of the seven-phase assembly elections Sunday with a large number of people exercising their franchise despite a call for boycott by Muslim separatists.
Polling started at 8 a.m. amid tight security in six constituencies spread over the Kashmir Valley and the Jammu region. The voting for the 87 constituencies is being held in seven phases over a month.
The tentative poll percentage at the end of the voting at 4 p.m. in the valley's Ganderbal constituency was 45 and in Kangan it was 55.
Maya cracks the whip on UP sugar mills
By IANS,
Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government has lodged complaint against 39 private sugar mills, accusing them of violating rules and norms with respect to procurement of sugarcane, weighment, payment and hoarding of stocks.
"FIRs have been lodged against as many as 39 private sugar mills for various types of defaults and offences committed by them," state Sugarcane Commissioner Sudhir Kumar Bobde told IANS here Saturday.
NHRC notice to Tamil Nadu over farmer’s suicide
New Delhi : The National Human Rights Commission on Monday issued notice to Tamil Nadu over the suicide of a farmer following humiliation by...
Rajasthani, Bhojpuri not to be official languages yet’
By IANS,
New Delhi : Rajasthani and Bhojpuri languages have more to wait before their inclusion in the Eighth Schedule of the constitution, the Lok Sabha was informed Tuesday.
"The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has to conduct examinations in all the languages included in the Eighth Schedule of the constitution. Since UPSC is not yet ready to conduct the exams in Rajasthani and Bhojpuri, the decision to give them official language (status) has been deferred," said Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal.
Sonia, Rahul, Kejriwal vote in Delhi
New Delhi : Congress president Sonia Gandhi voted here Thursday in the Lok Sabha election.
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and Aam Aadmi Party leader...
BJP stunned as Sushma says NDA may not get majority
By IANS,
Bhopal : In a candid admission that stunned the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), party leader Sushma Swaraj said Wednesday that she was not confident of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) winning a majority in the Lok Sabha elections.
In remarks that were greeted by most of her colleagues in New Delhi and elsewhere with disbelief, Sushma Swaraj told journalists here: "I am not sure if the NDA will get a majority."
Indian visits to Bhutan sign of its importance: President
Thimphu : President Pranab Mukherjee has described the visit by two top Indian leaders - Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his own - to...
Over 14,400 troopers to be deployed for UP polls
Lucknow : More than 180 companies of para-military forces or over 14,400 troopers would be deployed in Uttar Pradesh during the first phase of...
Orientation programme for newly elected MPs
By IANS,
New Delhi : The newly elected MPs will get tips on how to ask questions in the house and the other parliamentary proceedings at an orientation programme being organised by the Lok Sabha Secretariat next week.
"The orientation programme will cover issues such as parliamentary questions and other procedural devices available to members to raise issues on the floor of the house, parliamentary committees, parliamentary privileges, budgetary process, etc.," said a release issued by the Lok Sabha Wednesday.
Over 50 percent voting recorded in Jharkhand civic polls
By IANS
Ranchi : Over 50 percent polling took place in the municipal elections being held in Jharkhand after a gap of 23 years.
Sporadic violence was witnessed at some places in Ranchi as supporters of candidates clashed at four polling booths in then city.
According to state election officials, till 4 p.m. 52 percent polling had taken place in the municipal elections in the state.
Besides Ranchi, municipal elections are taking at Hazaribagh, Giridih, Seraikela and Kharsawa and some other towns.
Pansare killing: Suspect with right-wing links nabbed
Kolhapur (Maharashtra) : A man associated with a right-wing group was arrested from Sangli town in connection with the killing of senior Communist...
India doesn’t need nationalism after 70 years of Independence: Nayantara Sahgal
By Milinda Ghosh Roy
Kolkata (IANS): India doesn't need any lessons on nationalism 70 years after Independence, feels eminent writer and member of the Nehru-Gandhi...
BJP backs Varun Gandhi’s plan to court arrest
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Friday backed its controversial candidate Varun Gandhi, in the dock for his alleged communal speeches, and indicated that he could go ahead and court arrest after he withdrew his bail plea from the Delhi High Court.
"There is definitely an element of political vendetta against Varun Gandhi. Varun Gandhi has the option of either seeking extension of his bail or courting arrest," BJP spokesperson Balbir Punj told IANS.
"The party will support him in whatever he chooses to do within the framework of law," Punj said.
Chidambaram hits out at BCCI, Narendra Modi
By IANS,
New Delhi : Home Minister P. Chidambaram Monday hit back at the Indian cricket board, saying the comments of its president on shifting the Indian Premier League (IPL) out of the country were "unwarranted".
"The comments of BCCI (Board of Cricket for Control in India) president Shashank Manohar that it was because of the attitude of the government for not providing security forces that the organisers were forced to take the event out of India are unwarranted," Chidambaram told journalists here.
Unprecedented security for Modi’s Muzaffarpur rally
Patna: Taking the threat perception seriously, Bihar has decided to deploy 1,500 policemen during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Muzaffarpur on July 25,...
No alternative to Modi: Ramdev
Nagpur : Seeking to clear the air concerning his remarks on Narendra Modi, yoga guru Baba Ramdev Monday denied reports he had said the...
Modi among three BJP winners with highest vote share
New Delhi : Only three candidates - all from the BJP - polled a vote share of over 50 percent during the recently concluded...
BJP appeals for calling off Jammu stir on AIIMS
Jammu : The BJP on Sunday appealed to the AIIMS agitation committee to call off its protest shutdown in the city and blamed...
Grant special status to Bihar: Manjhi to Modi
Patna : Bihar's new Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi Wednesday asked Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi to grant special status to the state headed by...
“Stop coercive fund collection drive for Ram Temple construction,” Civil society, religious leaders, eminent...
TCN News
New Delhi: A civil society group of activists, eminent citizens and leaders of prominent religious organizations have written a letter to Prime Minister...
Odisha CM accuses Centre of not fulfilling just demands
Bhubaneswar : Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Friday accused the union government of not granting the state's legitimate rights under the federal structure.
"Odisha is...
Krishna unprepared on incursion query, says BJP
By IANS,
New Delhi : External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna found himself on the back foot in Rajya Sabha Thursday when asked about number of Chinese incursions into Indian territory in the last two years.
"There has been no increase in the number of incursion. I will pass on the information to the honourable member," he said in reply to a supplementary asked by Ravi Shankar Prasad of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during question hour.
This did not satisfy Prasad who said: "The minister is not prepared, he should have statistics."
Rahul calls for ‘tsunami of women members’ in Congress
New Delhi : Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi Wednesday called for a "tsunami of women members in the Congress" and said his party will...
Bihar to improve governance with British help
By IANS,
Patna : A five-year programme to reform governance in Bihar, with support from the British government's Department For International Development (DFID), will be launched next week.
Britain's Secretary of State for International Development, Douglas Alexander along with Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar would launch the programme here Nov 18. Titled 'Governance Mission', it is meant to improve governance and administration in the state, official sources said.
Seer’s words played role in Jinnah remark: Advani
By IANS,
New Delhi : Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) L.K. Advani, in one of the first posts on his new blog, has said his controversial remark in 2005 on Pakistan's founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah stemmed from a conversation he had with a former Ramakrishna Mission head.
In a post titled "At the feet of Ranganathananda", the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) prime ministerial candidate said the conversation took place during his last meeting with the seer at Belur Math in Kolkata in 2003.
Stalemate continues in Himachal assembly over CM’s resignation
Shimla : The stalemate in the Himachal Pradesh assembly between the opposition BJP and the ruling Congress Friday continued for the third day with...
Many BJP MPs, led by ministers, take oath in Sanskrit
New Delhi : Sanskrit seemed to the flavor of the new Lok Sabha Thursday with many members of the ruling party, led by three...
Fijian PM congratulates Modi
Suva : Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama Monday congratulated BJP prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi for winning the Indian general election.
In his message, Bainimarama...
Punjab speaker suspends nine Congress legislators
By IANS,
Chandigarh: Following unruly scenes inside and outside the Punjab assembly Wednesday, the speaker Thursday suspended nine Congress legislators for the day.
Lok Sabha elections: Will Majlis lose Hyderabad?
By Adnan Alvi,
For the first time in decades the hegemony of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) seems to be under a serious threat in Hyderabad.
Zahid Ali Khan, the editor of the renowned Urdu daily Siasat, who has been involved with social work, is contesting the election as an independent candidate. He has managed to get the support of virtually every party on the political spectrum.
Disappointed BJP to relook at Lok Sabha strategy
By Arun Anand, IANS,
New Delhi : Stunned by its poor showing in the assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has gone into an introspective mood with its leaders admitting they will have to review strategy for the upcoming general elections.
Although they are putting up a brave face, BJP leaders admit privately that their analyses have gone hopelessly wrong and that they had failed to derail the Congress in the manner they wanted to.
BSP leaders who commented on Dayashankar’s daughter recognised
Lucknow : At least three Bahujan Samaj Party leaders were identified from a video for making foul, objectionable and obscene remarks against former BJP...
Achuthanandan hints he won’t surrender to CPI-M
By IANS,
Thiruvananthapuram: Former Kerala chief minister V.S. Achuthanandan, facing the heat from his CPI-M, indicated Tuesday that he was not ready to go down without a fight.
BJP rebels seek change as Gujarat votes
By IANS
Ahmedabad : Dissidents in Gujarat's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) breathed fire Tuesday against Chief Minister Narendra Modi as millions voted in the first phase of the make-or-break assembly elections.
As voters queued up at polling stations in the regions of Saurashtra, Kutch and south Gujarat amid tight security, both the BJP and the Congress claimed they were confident of winning a majority in the 182-member legislature.
Voting Tuesday was on for 87 seats, involving 668 candidates.
After Mulayam questions lack of recruitment, UP govt says it gave jobs to 4.58...
By Faisal Fareed, Twocircles.net
Three days after Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav raised questions over Akhilesh Yadav-led government for not giving jobs to...
NGO urges Jaitley to roll back budget cut in minority scholarships
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Aurangabad (Maharashtra): Taking strong objection over this year’s budget cut in Pre-metric and post-metric scholarships meant for minorities, a Maharashtra based...
2006 Mumbai train blasts: Sentencing of convicts on September 30
Mumbai : A Mumbai Special Court on Wednesday said it would pronounce the quantum on punishment on September 30 on 12 people convicted in...
BJP-RSS turning Malda ‘criminal’ issue to ‘communal’: Trinamool
Kolkata : Accusing the BJP parliamentary team of trying to go to Kaliachak in Malda district to fuel "communal tension", West Bengal's ruling Trinamool...
Banaskantha district head chooses Modi over governor
By IANS,
Ahmedabad : Where should the head of a district remain when a constitutional head like Gujarat Governor Nawal Kishore Sharma and Chief Minister Narendra Modi come calling at the same time in the same district of Banaskantha?
Governor Sharma was attending the 4th convocation of Sardar Krushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University at Dantiwada Friday and at the same time Chief Minister Narendra Modi too was present at Shihori in Kakraj taluka of Banaskantha to address a Mahila sammelan (women's gathering).
In Pictures: Kashmir under strict lockdown after top separatist leader’s death
Following the death of senior separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani on Wednesday night, the entire Kashmir valley was shut and phones and internet...
India: NCP ready to support, Sonia, Rahul as PM after 2009 polls
By NNN-PTI
New Delhi : Sharad Pawar-led NCP, a key constituent of the ruling UPA, has said it is ready to support Congress President Sonia Gandhi or her son Rahul for the post of Prime Minister in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections.
"Congress is the biggest party in the UPA. There is no question of NCP, DMK or RJD or any other party coming close to their numbers and if tomorrow Congress decides to nominate Mrs Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi, it's not a question for NCP to decide," NCP General Secretary Praful Patel said.
मास्टर क़ासिम : शिक्षा की मशाल जलाकर हज़ारों ज़िंदगियां कर रहे हैं रोशन
By अफ़रोज़ आलम साहिल, TwoCircles.net
अमरोहा: ‘हिन्दुस्तान के मुसलमानों की दो सबसे बड़ी ज़रूरतें हैं. सबसे पहली सब्र और दूसरी इल्म.’
ऐसा कहना है मास्टर क़ासिम...
RSP leaving Left Front has national significance: Congress
Thiruvananthapuram: The Revolutionary Socialist Party's decision to move out of the Left Front after over three decades and join the United Democratic Front (UDF)...
India will take its place in comity of nations: PM
By IANS,
New Delhi : Minutes after winning a trust vote in parliament, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh declared this would ensure that India takes in rightful place in the comity of nations with the operationalisation of the India-US civil nuclear deal.
"The vote shows that India is prepared to take its rightful place in the comity of nations," the prime minister told reporters after emerging from Parliament House.
Nitish Kumar attends NDA rally, TRS too joins in
By IANS,
Ludhiana : Nitish Kumar attends NDA rally, TRS too joins inSweeping aside all speculation of his switching sides, Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal-United leader Nitish Kumar arrived in this industrial city of Punjab Sunday afternoon to participate in a show of strength rally by the BJP-led NDA.
Kumar sat next to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Rajnath Singh and the party's prime ministerial candidate L.K. Advani.
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...
BJP wins three seats in Karnataka by-polls
By IANS,
Bangalore : The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Tuesday won in three assembly constituencies and was leading in three segments of the eight by-elections held in Karnataka Saturday.
According to state election commission officials, the opposition Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) was leading in two constituencies, while the Congress was trailing.
"The BJP has won from Arabhavi, Devadurga and Doddaballapur. The ruling party is also leading in Karwar, Hukkeri and Turuvekere. JD-S candidates are leading in Madhugiri and Maddur," an official said.
Bollywood honchos resent Thackeray’s stand against Jaya
By Robin Bansal and Shilpa Raina, IANS,
New Delhi : Bollywood filmmakers and actors Monday sharply reacted to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray’s comments against actor and MP Jaya Bachchan, with veteran Shyam Benegal saying it was a “childish” and “silly” remark over a “light-hearted joke”.
Earlier in the day, Thackeray, who has been spearheading a campaign against north Indians in Maharashtra, demanded an unconditional apology from Jaya for her "anti-Marathi" utterances.
Kejriwal to move to new house in Civil Lines
New Delhi : AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal will move to a rented house from the one which was allotted to him after he became...
Rahul Gandhi to visit Goa Tuesday
By IANS,
Panaji: Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi, who begins a two-day visit to Goa Tuesday, will be urged to back the case of the Youth Congress members who were brutally assaulted in December 2008 by a mob led by Atanasio Monserrate, who is now Goa's education minister, state president of the youth wing Sankalp Amonkar said Sunday.
Asked about the issues the Youth Congress will take up with the Gandhi scion, he said the completion of the Rajiv Gandhi IT Habitat and the brutal assault on party members would top the priority list.
BJP leaders meet in Chhattisgarh
By IANS,
Raipur: A two-day brainstorming session of the Chhattisgarh unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) began here Thursday to decide a strategy for next year's assembly elections.