Chandrababu Naidu, TDP leaders arrested in Nanded
By IANS,
Hyderabad/Nanded (Maharashtra) : Amid high drama, Maharashtra police arrested Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N. Chandrababu Naidu and 75 other party leaders who had reached Nanded to visit the controversial Babli project on the Godavari river.
Tension prevailed at Andhra-Maharashtra border as the Maharashtra Police took Naidu and nine other TDP leaders into custody after assuring them that they would be taken to the project site.
Later, the police arrested 66 other TDP leaders at the border near Dharmabad in Maharashtra's Nanded district, about 350 km from here.
“His head was blooming like a lotus,” recalls mother of slain 9-year-old Dalit boy...
By Aparajita Ghosh, TwoCircles.net
Mumbai: “His head was blooming just like a lotus”, recalls Mangesh Shivsharan’s mother, who collected parts of his nine-year-old son’s brain,...
Modi woos UAE, says India has $1 trillion investment potential
Abu Dhabi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday made a strong pitch for UAE investments in India, saying India has the potential of $1...
I did not kill Pramod Mahajan, says Pravin
By IANS
Mumbai : Pravin Mahajan, accused of killing his elder brother and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Pramod Mahajan, Monday reiterated that he was innocent.
Recording his statement before the Sessions Court Judge S.P. Davare here, Pravin termed as false the testimony of his sister-in-law Rekha Pramod Mahajan that he had demanded Rs.10 million from the late leader and trespassed into his flat at Worli in south-central Mumbai on April 22, 2006.
Saradha accused Bengal minister not cooperating: CBI
Kolkata : West Bengal Transport Minister Madan Mitra, behind bars in connection with the multi-crore rupee Saradha scam, has not been cooperating in the...
Will consider regional woman caucus idea, says Speaker
By IANS,
New Delhi : Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar Tuesday said she would consider suggestions by Pakistan's National Assembly Speaker Fehmida Mirza that there should be a Women's Parliamentary Caucus in South Asia.
"I will look into it," Meira Kumar said on the sidelines of the Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) when asked about the suggestion made by her Pakistani counterpart.
Somnath Bharti’s anticipatory bail plea dismissed
]
New Delhi : A court on Tuesday dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of Delhi's former law minister Somnath Bharti, accused of harassing his wife,...
Do more for science and technology, politicians told
By Sahana Ghosh,
Kolkata : Notwithstanding their inclusion in the 2014 Lok Sabha election manifestos, the promises on promoting science and technology must be translated...
UPA government defends Karunanidhi against Supreme Court
By IANS
New Delhi : The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government Monday strongly backed ally and beleaguered Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, under attack from the Supreme Court for violating its order banning a shutdown in the state.
As pressure mounted on the chief minister - who Monday launched a fast along with several cabinet ministers in Tamil Nadu where life came to a virtual standstill as the DMK demanded completion of the Sethusamudram shipping canal - support came in the form of union Information Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi.
Toss decides winners in Bihar election
By IANS
Patna : In a rare instance of its kind, winners were decided in two Bihar civic body wards by toss of coin after four candidates polled the same number of votes.
Create opportunities for entrepreneurship, CII tells parties
New Delhi : Political parties seeking people's mandate in the upcoming general elections must create opportunities for entrepreneurship and employment, the Confederation of Indian...
Gloom in BJP as Congress in Rajasthan celebrates
By IANS,
Jaipur : Rajasthan's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was introspecting on what went wrong as celebrations began at the Congress office here Monday with the party headed for power in the 200-member assembly.
With the Congress leading 99-69, its activists sang and danced outside the party office shouting slogans like "Aye Aye Congress Aye" (Congress has come), "Rahul Gandhi Zindabad" and "Sonia Gandhi Zindabad" to drumbeats.
"We have come back... we are going to form the government. We are very happy," Rajesh Chaudhary, an excited Congress worker, told IANS.
Politics makes way into Durga Puja celebrations
By IANS,
Kolkata: The political clamour between the Marxists and the Trinamool Congress has now found its way into the main religious festival of West Bengal - the Durga Puja.
Bihar CPI-M leader expelled for trying to ‘patch up’ with JD-U
By IANS,
New Delhi : Subodh Roy, the Bihar leader from the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), was expelled from the party Wednesday after he tried to "patch up" with Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Roy, a party central committee member and a former Lok Sabha MP from Bhagalpur, has been "expelled from the primary membership of the party for grave anti-party activities", the CPI-M politburo said in a statement here.
Bollywood indifferent to Raj Thackeray’s union
By IANS
Mumbai : Members of the Bollywood film fraternity say they do not know much about the new cine workers' association to be launched by Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), with some stressing that they did not want political parties interfering in the movie industry.
The MNS has proposed to start a Maharashtra Navnirman Cine Workers' Association.
Man-made Drought in Maharashtra
By Dr. Parvez Mandviwala for TwoCircles.net,
Drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply-...
Communism no party’s monopoly, says Somnath
By IANS,
New Delhi : A day after he laid down office, former Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee Friday asserted that communism was no political party's "monopoly" and said he continued to be a comrade.
"Communism is no party's monopoly. I am still a communist," the veteran politician, who was expelled from the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), told reporters here.
Asked if he was still a comrade, the former speaker laughed and said: "Even you are a comrade."
कभी मां के साथ गेंहू साफ करती थी, अब उत्तराखंड में बन गई जज...
आसमोहम्मद कैफ़ । Twocircles.net
आयशा की कहानी बहुत प्यारी हैं। हर एक बेटी को उससे सीख लेनी चाहिएं। आयशा फरहीन एक असाधारण प्रतिभा वाली एक...
ETI Dynamics, Greenhouse Capital to export clean technology
New Delhi: New Delhi-based ETI Dynamics and Auckland-based Greenhouse Capital on Tuesday announced a partnership to invest $100 million in exporting clean technologies from...
Tainted, billionaire candidates on rise in seventh phase
By IANS,
New Delhi : A total of 30 percent of the main candidates in the seventh phase of Uttar Pradesh's assembly eletions have a criminal background, and 52 percent are billionaires.
Reviving Janata Parivar, target BJP
By Anjali Ojha,
New Delhi: Realising the old adage that divided we fall, old and ageing socialists have got together once again to revive the...
Left stops supporting Karunanidhi government, Congress elated
By T.S.V. Hari, IANS,
Chennai : The two major Left parties, CPI-M and CPI, announced Saturday that they will no longer support the minority DMK government in Tamil Nadu - leaving the Congress, a major supporter of the ruling party, jubilant.
"There will be no alliances with any party that has an alliance with the Congress from now on," said W.R. Varadarajan, Tamil Nadu secretary of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) after a three-hour meeting attended by senior leaders of the two left parties that have a sizeable representation in the state legislature.
Political influence hindered my work: former Bengal Lokayukta
By Pradipta Tapadar, IANS,
Trinamool welcomes decision not to raise fuel prices
By IANS,
Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress Thursday welcomed the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government decision not to hike fuel prices.
"The meetings (of the Congress core committee and the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs) have not taken any decision to hike the fuel prices. That's good," Railways Minister and Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee told mediapersons at her residence here.
However, Banerjee said she would not create any "confusion" within the UPA government on the issue.
"The price rise is an issue of concern and we all have to work together," she said.
Playboy not in sync with Goa culture: BJP
By IANS,
Panaji : Playboy clubs are in no way in sync with Goa's culture and the BJP will urge its government not to let one open here, a top party official said Wednesday.
Backing Congress in Siliguri not a political decision: CPI-M
By IANS,
Kolkata : Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader and West Bengal minister Ashok Bhattacharya Thursday said supporting the Congress in the Siliguri Municipal Corporation was not a political decision.
"We supported the Congress as we saw there was uncertainty in the Siliguri Municipal Corporation over the formation of the city civic board. Thus, we gave our support to the Congress," Bhattacharya said.
Maintaining that the move as apolitical, he said: "We can't support the Trinamool Congress as they are anti-development."
Pratibha Patil set to be India’s first woman president
By IANS
New Delhi : India looked set to have its first woman president in Pratibha Patil - Rajasthan governor, social worker and a respected Congress politician - after an adamant Left Thursday refused to back Home Minister Shivraj Patil's candidature.
BJP questions Akhilesh Yadav over Netherlands visit
Lucknow: The state unit of the BJP Thursday questioned Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's recent visit to the Netherlands and said he failed...
Kerala fire tragedy: Six Puttingal officials arrested
Kollam (Kerala) : Two days after the fireworks tragedy at Puttingal Devi temple in Paravur in Kollam that left 109 people dead and more...
Maoists blast offices of Jharkhand poll nominees
By IANS,
Ranchi : Maoist rebels blasted offices of three candidates in the ongoing assembly polls, including a former leftist radical in the fray, in Palamau district of Jharkhand, police said Thursday.
Maoists set on fire posters and banners of the three candidates and later bombed their make-shift offices in Manatu area of the district, Shahsinath Jha, deputy inspector general (Palamau) told IANS.
He said the office of Ranjan Yadav, a former Maoist contesting from jail, was among those attacked.
NCP welcomes voting rights for NRIS
By IANS,
New Delhi:The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Saturday welcomed the government's proposal to give voting rights to Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) by the next general election.
NCP spokesman D.P. Tripathi said that his party supported Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement Friday about giving voting rights to Indians living abroad.
"We want that Indian citizens living abroad should be given voting rights. Countries like France do it for their citizens," Tripathi told IANS.
The NCP is a partner in the United Progressive Alliance government.
Lok Sabha adjourned for the day over Liberhan row
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Lok Sabha was Monday adjourned for the day after a furious Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) repeatedly disrupted the house over demands that the government immediately table the Liberhan Commission of Inquiry report into the 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid.
Shouting slogans against the government for leaking the report in a Delhi newspaper -- that said senior BJP leaders, including Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L.K. Advani had been indicted -- MPs gathered near the speaker's podium and stalled proceedings.
Hung assembly in Maharashtra predicted as millions vote
By IANS,
Mumbai/New Delhi: Exit polls Tuesday evening predicted a hung assembly in Maharashtra with the Congress-led alliance coming on top after millions voted during the day in three states including Haryana and Arunachal Pradesh.
The balloting was marred by the murder of a polling agent in Haryana and Maoist violence in Maharashtra, whose election outcome is expected to have a bearing on national politics.
Killiroor sex case files are intact: Achuthanandan
By IANS,
Thiruvananthapuram : All the files pertaining to the controversial Killiroor sex case are intact, Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan said here Friday.
K. Suresh Kumar, an Indian Administrative Service officer who was earlier working with Achuthanandan's office, told the media last week that two officials in the chief minister's office were hiding this sensitive file.
In a three-page statement here Friday, Achuthanandan said allegations about the missing files were baseless.
"The files are intact," said Achuthanandan.
I don’t think I should fight, says Tytler
By IANS,
New Delhi : Congress leader Jagdish Tytler said Thursday that he "was not going to pursue" his Lok Sabha candidature and left the final decision to party president Sonia Gandhi.
"I don't think I should fight (the election)," Tytler told a news conference.
"I am not going to pursue my ticket in the elections. I have left to the Congress high command," he said here following the controversy over his involvement in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
"If my stepping down helps, I will do so. The party is bigger than myself," he said.
Panneerselvam again reverts to No.2 position
Chennai : For the second time in his political career, AIADMK leader O. Panneerselvam was Tamil Nadu's stop gap chief minister till party's general...
One killed while making bombs at BJP leader house in West Bengal
By Zaidul Haque, TwoCircles.net
Kolkata: One man killed and another was seriously injured as a result of a heavy explosion at an apartment owned by...
Rahul to return to action on April 19: Digvijaya
New Delhi: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi is likely to attend a farmers' rally here on April 19, senior party leader Digvijaya Singh said...
Uddhav Thackeray takes charge as Shiv Sena president
By IANS,
Mumbai : Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray, son of the late party supremo Bal Thackeray, formally took charge as the party president Wednesday.
I don’t want to break India but to strengthen it, says Owaisi
Hyderabad: Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday said he doesn't want to break the country but wants to strengthen it, while fighting...
Five Haryana MPs miss orientation programme on SAGY
Gurgaon : All three Congress MPs from Haryana, and two from BJP remained absent from the state level orientation programme organized here for Saansad...
The Indian Prime Minister’s life is in danger and nobody cares!
By Arif Hussain
On Sunday the Indian Prime Minister Mr. Narendra D. Modi said powerful moneyed people wouldn’t leave him alive. And nobody batted an...
Home secretary meets Modi, discusses security
New Delhi : Home Secretary Anil Gosawmi Monday met prime minister-to-be Narendra Modi at Gujarat Bhavan here.
In keeping with the secrecy of meetings between...
Congress alliance with DMK intact: Rahul Gandhi
By IANS,
Chennai : Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi reiterated here Thursday that the party's alliance with DMK was intact and described all speculation to the contrary a figment of the imagination.
Winding up a series of meetings with Youth Congress workers in Tamil Nadu, Rahul Gandhi said at a press conference that the election process in the youth wing of the party was designed to attract young people and he was "impressed by the overwhelming response the Youth Congress is getting in the state".
Chandy attacks Left for ‘playing politics’ after tragedy
Thiruvananthapuram : Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Wednesday attacked the Left for trying to score brownie points following the horrific tragedy in a Kerala...
Jayalalithaa criticizes rail budget
Chennai : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa on Thursday said the 2016-17 railway budget had failed to meet the state's expectations but welcomed...
Opposition alliance starts meeting to discuss poll strategy
By IANS
New Delhi : The opposition National Democratic Alliance (NDA) started a meeting of its leaders here Saturday to discuss electoral strategy and review the performance of state governments where it is in power.
Apart from Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhra Raje and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar "all other invitees turned up at the meeting" at the home of leader of the opposition in Parliament L.K. Advani, said a member of his personal staff.
PM condoles Deshmukh’s death
By IANS,
New Delhi : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday condoled the death of "trusted colleague" Vilasrao Deshmukh, who passed away after prolonged illness at a Chennai hospital.
Jamiat Ulama, BJP holding demonstration on Assam issue tomorrow
By TCN Staff Reporter,
Rail budget has little for northeast, say parties
By IANS,
Agartala/Guwahati : Reactions to Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee's budget appeared to be sharply divided in India's northeast Thursday, with several political parties saying it would not improve connectivity in the region. However, the document was welcomed by a powerful industry lobby as "very positive".
The Federation of Industry and Commerce of North Eastern Region (FINER), an apex body of industrialists in the region, said it was "very positive".
BJP wins in Himachal, says Congress decline has begun
By IANS
Shimla : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) returned to power in Himachal Pradesh Friday after five years, unseating the Congress and warning that the decline of India's ruling party had begun.
After delivering a second blow to the Congress in a week, BJP leaders warned that the verdicts in Himachal Pradesh and earlier in Gujarat proved the Congress was bound to lose Lok Sabha elections only 18 months away.
Muslims leaders meet Telangana CM, seeks probe into killings
Hyderabad : A delegation of Muslim leaders on Thursday met Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao to demand probe into the killings of five...
NPF, Congress hope to improve tally
By IANS,
Kohima : A day after Nagaland recorded 83 percent polling in the state assembly elections, Nagaland People's Front (NPF) Sunday exuded confidence of crossing the majority figure.
From rhetoric of good governance to luck, Modi has come a long way
“Shallow men believe in luck. Strong men believe in cause and effect”- Ralph Waldo Emerson.
By Sharique Anwer, TwoCircles.net,
“If Modi is lucky for you, why bring in those to power who will bring you bad luck”- Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India in a rally at Dwarka, Delhi on Sunday.
Naveen Jindal faces action for election code violation
By IANS,
Kurukshetra : The Haryana police Tuesday registered a case for violation of code of conduct against Congress MP and millionaire industrialist Naveen Jindal in this Haryana town following orders of the Election Commission.
Jindal has been booked under Section 3 of the Haryana Defacement of Public Property Act. He has been accused of unauthorisedly putting up pole hoardings on the Shahbad-Pipli road in this district.
Jindal is the sitting Congress MP from the Kurukshetra Lok Sabha constituency and is seeking re-election.
Mamata government reshuffles police top brass again
Kolkata : Effecting another reshuffle in the top brass of the state police, the West Bengal government on Monday named Gyanwant Singh - who...
Pravin Mahajan found guilty of murder
By IANS
Mumbai : A Mumbai court Monday found Pravin Mahajan of killing his elder brother, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Pramod Mahajan, in April last year.
A trial court found Pravin Mahajan guilty of murder under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and of criminal trespass under Section 449. The quantum of sentence is likely to be pronounced Tuesday.
Chidambaram for debate on Finance Bill in Rajya Sabha
By IANS,
New Delhi : Finance Minister P. Chidambaram Tuesday expressed hope that the Finance Bill for the 2013-14 fiscal will be discussed and debated in the Rajya Sabha.
‘Political uncertainty a bad omen for economy’
By Rajeev Ranjan Roy, IANS,
New Delhi : The current bout of political uncertainty in India could not have come at a worse time, with experts fearing that the fluid political situation will not help in checking inflation.
Experts feel the government has not been able to concentrate on the economic situation arising out of zooming inflation that hit a 13-year high of 11.63 percent for the week ended June 21.
Good governance school to be named after Vajpayee
By IANS,
Bhopal : Bhopal will soon have a school of good governance named after former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
A cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan late Monday decided that a bill for establishing an institute for good governance and public administration and research will be tabled in the next session of the assembly.
The blueprint of the institute will be prepared separately, an official release said.
The institute will promote research in various aspects of public administration and will help improve efforts for good governance.
A tale of two union ministers
By IANS,
Shimla : They both belong to Shimla and are union cabinet ministers but when it comes to begging for votes for their Congress party, they belong to differing camps.
बिहार के बिक्रमगंज में साम्प्रदायिक तनाव, फिलहाल स्थिति नियंत्रण में
फ़हमिना हुसैन, TwoCircles.net
बिक्रमगंज (बिहार) : बिहार के रोहतास ज़िले में रामनवमी के मौक़े पर निकलने जुलूस के दौरान हंगामा, आगजनी व पथराव के...
Sikkim by-poll: SDF faces challenge from young BJP leader
Gangtok : Sikkim's ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) is facing a challenge from a young BJP candidate in its bastion of Rangang-Yangang in the...
Delhi budget: AAP wants power subsidy back
New Delhi : The AAP Monday demanded the restoration of 50 percent subsidy on power tariff and free supply of 700 litres of water...
Peace in country can be attained only through mutual love, brotherhood: Religious leaders in...
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Vice President Salim Engineer with other religious leaders formed a united front ‘Dharmik Jan Morcha’ in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh to promote peace...
Five Left parties got just 5,405 votes in Delhi
By M.R. Narayan Swamy,
New Delhi : Believe it or not, five Left parties got a grand total of 5,405 votes in the Delhi assembly...
“Plight of Ad Hoc Teachers at Delhi University: Years of Service Disregarded, Livelihoods Shattered”
Mohsina Malik | Twocircles.net
Thousands of ad hoc teachers at Delhi University, who have dedicated years of service to various colleges under the university's umbrella,...
N.D. Tiwari pleads for mediation in paternity suit
By IANS,
New Delh : Veteran Congress leader N.D. Tiwari Tuesday approached the Delhi High Court seeking mediation in a paternity suit filed by a...
Support insurance bill in principle: Congress
New Delhi : The Congress Wednesday said it had agreed to the insurance bill "in principle" but whether it will support it on the...
Campaigning ends for Saturday’s by-elections
By IANS,
New Delhi : Campaigning for Saturday's by-elections in 31 assembly constituencies across seven states and a solitary Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh ended Thursday evening.
Balloting will be held for 11 seats in Uttar Pradesh, 10 in West Bengal, three in Kerala, two each in Rajasthan, Assam and Himachal Pradesh and one seat in Chhattisgarh. The votes will be counted Nov 10.
It will be the first popularity test in the country after the Oct 17 assembly elections in Haryana, Maharashtra and Arunachal Pradesh that have produced mixed results for the Congress party.
Vilasrao Deshmukh dies in Chennai hospital
By IANS,
Chennai : Union minister and former Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh died at a hospital here Tuesday after prolonged illness. He was 67.
Amar Singh blames Congress, BJP for Rajasthan violence
By IANS
New Delhi : Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh Friday held the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) responsible for the ongoing violent protests by Gujjars in Rajasthan resulting in the death of 20 people in clashes between members of the community and police.
Peace, development in Kashmir depends on CBMs: Mehbooba
Jammu : Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti Saturday said that effective development and good governance in the state is possible only in...
The legacy of APJ Abdul Kalam
By Vidya Bhushan Rawat,
Former president Dr APJ Kalam’s death has brought back into discussion on his work, career and mission as the middle...
Congress should ban export of iron ore from Karnataka: Kumaraswamy
By IANS,
New Delhi: Former chief minister and Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy Monday slammed the Congress for its padyatra in Karnataka to protest against illegal mining, saying the party should instead use its power to ban the export of iron ore from the state.
"The Congress is repeating its mistake. They should have used their power at the centre to put an end to the illegal export of iron ore," Kumaraswamy, a Lok Sabha MP, told IANS.
Uproar in Maharashtra assembly over building collapse
By IANS,
Mumbai : The Maharashtra legislative assembly witnessed uproarious scenes Friday over Thursday's building collapse in Thane in which 48 people were killed.
BJP releases second list for Haryana polls
New Delhi: The BJP Saturday released its second list of 47 candidates for the Haryana assembly election.
The 47 names include eight women candidates.
The list...
Tech honcho in Andhra poll fray for Telangana cause
By Mohammed Shafeeq,
Hyderabad : Konda Vishweshwar Reddy, a tech honcho, admits his personality doesn't suit politics, but he is determined to try to narrow...
BJP-RSS communal onslaught to transform India to Hindutva Rashtra: Yechury
Kolkata : Claiming the "BJP-RSS unleashed communal onslaught" was aimed at changing the secular Indian republic into a "Hindutva Rashtra", CPI-M general secretary Sitaram...
‘AMU व JMI के ‘अल्पसंख्यक दर्जे’ को छीनना मुस्लिम समाज को उच्च शिक्षा के...
TwoCircles.net News Desk
लखनऊ : अलीगढ़ मुस्लिम यूनिवर्सिटी (एएमयू) और जामिया मिल्लिया इस्लामिया (जामिया) के अल्पसंख्यक दर्जा के मसले पर दिल्ली के मुख्यमंत्री अरविन्द केजरीवाल,...
Gentle PM turns combative, ruling combine happy
By IANS
New Delhi : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, otherwise soft and gentle even in his attacks against his political rivals, was a different man Wednesday. By hitting out at Leader of Opposition L.K. Advani, in an uncharacteristically sarcastic way, Manmohan Singh took on the role of a sharp politician.
It made the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) as well as its Left allies happy.
"It was Manmohan Singh's maiden political speech," said Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) MP P. Rajendran.
Young officer’s suicide hits Mayawati government
By Sharat Pradhan, IANS,
Lucknow : A young Uttar Pradesh official's suicide due to alleged demands for bribes by his superiors is threatening to become an election campaign issue and has also refreshed public memory about the lynching of a government engineer in January in similar circumstances.
Syed Ghayas Ahmed, a 26-year-old assistant manager of the Uttar Pradesh Pradeshik Cooperative Federation (UPPCF), ended his life by hanging from a fan in his hometown Allahabad Saturday.
Shiv Sena takes early lead in Thane
By IANS,
Thane : Shiv Sena's Anand Paranjpe took an early lead of 10,210 votes over Sanjeev Naik of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) at the end of the first round of counting for the Thane Lok Sabha by-election Sunday.
Anand, son of Shiv Sena MP Prakash Paranjpe whose death in February caused the by-poll, had polled 38,965 votes as against Sanjeev Naik who got 28,780 in the first round of counting in which votes from the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dominated Thane-Kalyan-Ambernath belt were counted.
BJP mum on Sinha’s critical remarks on party leadership
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Sunday declined to comment on its leader Yashwant Sinha's latest criticism of the party leadership.
"I don't want to react on this issue," BJP vice president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told IANS in reply to a question about Sinha's remarks during an interview to news channel NDTV in which he expressed dissatisfaction with the party leadership for not seriously analysing the reasons for its defeat in the April-May Lok Sabha elections.
Maneka Gandhi wins from Aonla
By IANS,
Lucknow : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and five-time MP Maneka Gandhi won from the Aonla Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh Saturday, senior Election Commission officials said here.
Due to a mistake in the tabulation of votes, Maneka Gandhi had earlier been reported to have lost by about 22,000 votes, one official said. It was finally found that she had won by about 6,400 votes.
Exercise utmost restraint: Modi, Jaitley to BJP well-wishers
New Delhi : Expressing disapproval over "irresponsible" statements, BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and senior leader Arun Jaitley Tuesday urged the party's well-wishers...
Pranab opts out, Anand Sharma to attend ARF meet
By IANS,
New Delhi : With a trust vote looming in parliament next week, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who is also a leading political manager of the ruling coalition, has decided to send junior minister Anand Sharma to Singapore to attend a ministerial meeting of the Asean Regional Forum.
Mukherjee was slated to attend the crucial ARF meeting in Singapore July 21-24. But with the government battling for survival after the Left parties withdrew their support last week, he decided to send Sharma for it, official sources said.
AsmaNama: Is Shehla Rashid Muslim? Muslim Discussions
#Sarcasm#JNU#JNUSU#ShehlaRashid#Discussions#Muslim#Moslem#Kafir #Kanhaiyya#RohithVemula
Dr.Asma Anjum Khan for TwoCircles.net,
We Muslims, Moslems, Musalmans or Muhammedans are very interesting peoples. We have many nice habits. Like, we discuss...
Probe on-the-run Goa lawmaker’s Facebook photo change: Congress
Panaji : The Congress has asked the police to trace convicted former Goa minister Francisco Pacheco, who has been dodging arrest for nearly a...
Mayawati to expand council of ministers
By IANS
Lucknow : Eight new faces are likely to be inducted into Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati's council of ministers Wednesday evening.
A reshuffle is also being speculated along with the expansion.
"The expansion is to take place at 5 p.m. at the Raj Bhavan where Governor T.V. Rajeshwar will administer the oath of office and secrecy to the new incumbents," according to an official spokesman.
Congress heavy artillery changes Punjab equations
By Jaideep Sarin ,
Chandigarh: When ruling Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal recently assured BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi that the...
BJP upset with Mamata government for delaying GST ratification
Kolkata : The BJP is miffed over the Mamata Banerjee government's decision not to take up ratification of the GST (Goods and Services Tax)...
‘Modi government will take neighbours along to path of prosperity’
Thimphu : The new Indian government's foreign policy focus on its South Asian neighbourhood and to work towards creating a peaceful, stable and economically...
Farmers’ suicides haunt Karnataka CM on I-Day
Bengaluru : The spate of suicides by farmers across Karnataka since July is haunting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
"Our farmers are in distress these days. Continuance...
BSP leader shot dead in Uttar Pradesh
By IANS,
Moradabad (Uttar Pradesh) : A leader of Uttar Pradesh's ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) was shot dead by unidentified assailants near his house here, police said Thursday.
Pro-Telangana lawyers clash with TDP activists
By IANS,
Hyderabad: Tension prevailed here Saturday as lawyers supporting the demand for statehood to Telangana clashed with activists of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).
Some members of Telangana Lawyers Forum were injured in the clash which took place in the Indira Park area when lawyers tried to disrupt TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu's speech demanding that he spell out his party's stand on the Telangana issue.
The leader of opposition was addressing TDP, CPI and CPI-M workers at a joint demonstration against the hike in fuel prices.
Speaker’s column: what Somnath Chatterjee said
By IANS,
New Delhi : For the second day Tuesday, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee had his hands full while presiding over the debate on the crucial vote of confidence for the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.
His one-liners in Bengali-accented Hindi through the day kept the House in good humour. In his stentorian voice, Chatterjee was either rebuking MPs or asking them to cooperate.
Some of his quotes were :
- "Your shouting is a disease and it is spreading," to members who were disrupting proceedings.
PM hopes Deep Joshi’s work will inspire others
By IANS,
New Delhi: Congratulating Indian social activist Deep Joshi on winning the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday said his work should inspire others to dedicate their lives for rural upliftment.
Manmohan Singh lauded Joshi for "his leadership and innovation in the area of rural development and livelihood projects".
Congress keeps all options open for post-poll allies
By IANS,
New Delhi: Amid indications of a fractured mandate, the Congress is keeping all options on alliance open, counting out only the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena, party leaders said here Thursday.
Asked if the party was talking with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) for a post-poll alliance, Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh only said: "We hold two political parties as entirely communal - BJP and Shiv Sena."
Uncertainty persists over Jammu and Kashmir government formation
By IANS,
Srinagar/New Delhi : Uncertainty prevailed over the formation of the new government in Jammu and Kashmir Monday, a day after poll results for the new 87-member assembly were declared, with no party getting an absolute majority to rule the state.
Till evening, the National Conference, which emerged as the single largest party with 28 seats, continued to woo the Congress that has the key to form an alliance government.
The National Conference announced Omar Abdullah as its chief ministerial candidate.
Sanjay Dutt gets rousing welcome in Lucknow
By IANS,
Lucknow : Bollywood star and Samajwadi Party's candidate-to-be from Lucknow Sanjay Dutt kicked off his poll campaign here Wednesday with hundreds of his fans thronging the city streets to catch a glimpse of the man they call "Munnabhai".
Accompanied by wife Manyata and Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh, Sanjay straightaway went to meet a family in the Jopling Road locality with whom his father Sunil Dutt stayed while he worked as an anchor with the All India Radio (AIR).
Mamta launches digitised ration cards in Bengal
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday launched digitised ration cards in the state, estimated to benefit more than five crore people.
"Today,...
वह फिल्म जो आपको नहीं देखनी चाहिए : ‘कास्ट ऑन द मेन्यू कार्ड’
सिद्धांत मोहन, TwoCircles.net
वाराणसी: देश में दिनोंदिन माहौल ऐसा होता जा रहा है, जिससे लगातार एक अनुभूति मजबूत होती जा रही है कि अगले ही...
71 percent polling in Kashmir, 65 percent in Jharkhand
New Delhi : Jammu and Kashmir recorded a voter turnout of 71 percent while Jharkhand recorded 65 percent in the second of the five-phase...
उमर ख़ालिद से पिता ने की मुलाक़ात, कहा –बेटा! इस लड़ाई मैं भी हूं...
Afroz Alam Sahil, TwoCircles.net
पिछले तक़रीबन 10 दिनों से ‘फ़रार’ चल रहा उमर ख़ालिद अपने 5 दोस्तों के साथ रविवार देर रात जेएनयू कैम्पस न...
Thackeray asks Manmohan Singh to go
By IANS,
Mumbai : Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray Thursday asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to immediately resign and recommend dissolution of the Lok Sabha.
BJP, JMM step up efforts to save coalition
By IANS,
Ranchi/New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and a jittery Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) were Thursday engaged in efforts to save their ruling combine in Jharkhand, with the former not carrying out its threat to formally withdraw support to the Shibu Soren government.
After declaring that the BJP would call on Governor M.O.H. Farook at the Raj Bhavan at 5 p.m. to take back its legislative support to the JMM, the party failed to do so. Another meeting was supposedly scheduled two hours later but that too did not materialise.
Congress to thrash out strategies in Uttar Pradesh
By IANS,
Lucknow: All newly elected Congress MPs are set to converge here Saturday for an open house session to discuss strategies and thrash out the party's course of action to fight back the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Uttar Pradesh.
Declared as an occasion to felicitate the 21 newly elected MPs, the meet will be presided over by All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Digvijay Singh, who had played a key role in putting the party back on track in Uttar Pradesh, where it had faded into oblivion after ruling for four long decades.
One killed in Aligarh varsity violence, VC meets agitators
Aligarh : One person was shot dead and at least a dozen others were injured when two groups of students clashed in the Aligarh...
Must not allow hijacking of cultural bodies: Malayalam poet
New Delhi: Malayalam poet Anwar Ali has voiced concern over the growing intolerance in the country and said that cultural institutions must not be...
More concerned about BPL than IPL, Congress asserts
By IANS,
New Delhi : The verbal spat between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continued over the Indian Premier League (IPL) Wednesday, with the ruling party rebutting the allegations that it is more concerned about the glitzy cricket event than people living below poverty line (BPL).
"As far as the IPL is concerned, there is an enquiry process on. Let the law take its own course and the enquiry reach its proper conclusion," party spokesman Manish Tewari told reporters here.
"We are more concerned about BPL than IPL," he added.
AAP most likely to win in Delhi
New Delhi: The AAP is most likely to win the Delhi assembly elections with a seat share ranging from 31 to a staggering 53...
First phase of Battle Bihar ends, 57 percent voting
Patna: Around 57 percent of 13.5 million electorate voted on Monday in 49 of the 243 constituencies in the first round of battle for...
Man sets himself ablaze in Delhi hospital
New Delhi: A 40-year-old man set himself ablaze at the Sanjay Gandhi Hospital in outer Delhi on Sunday night, police said on Monday.
"The incident...
More than 78 percent polling in Puducherry
By IANS,
Puducherry : More than 78 percent of voters exercised their franchise by 4 p.m. Wednesday in the Puducherry assembly polls, officials here said.
BJP forced to rearrange around new power centre
By T.R. Ramachandran,
The country is once again at the crossroads. All eyes are on the BJP's bid to regain power at the centre. Its...
Eye on polls next year, Bihar politicians invoke sun god
By IANS,
Patna: It is Chhath puja time and like millions of people in Bihar, the politicians were also busy Saturday performing the rituals to seek divine blessings, with an eye on the state assembly polls due next year.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, his political rivals Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad, his wife and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi and Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan were celebrating Chhath in their homes.
Aiyar, Javed Akhtar nominated to Rajya Sabha
By IANS,
New Delhi : Former union minister Mani Shankar Aiyar and lyricist Javed Akhtar were among five people nominated to the Rajya Sabha Friday by President Pratibha Patil.
The three others nominated to the upper house of parliament are Ram Dayal Munda, Bhalchandra Mungekar and B. Jayashree, according to an official statement.
The nomination has been made against the vacancies caused by the retirement of nominated members, the release added.
Zero tolerance towards disruption in parliament: Pranab
By IANS,
New Delhi : External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee Wednesday said he favoured zero tolerance of disruptions in parliament, regretting that members often raised "panchayat level" issues.
“There should be zero tolerance towards disruption in the house,” Mukherjee told journalists covering the Lok Sabha.
Mukherjee delivered a speech on “Parliament and Foreign Policy” at the orientation programme for media persons, organised by the Bureau of Parliamentary Studies and Training (BPRST).
किस पर बरसेंगे ये बाण?
By उमंग कुमार,
८००० मिसाइलों का कोई क्या कर सकता है ? कहाँ-कहाँ तैनात होंगे इतने मिसाइल ? किन-किन दुश्मनों के सिरों, ज़मीनों, घरों, अस्पतालों इत्यादि पर गिरेंगे यह अस्त्र? कितने बड़े या व्यापक युद्ध की आकांशा की जा रही है ? यह पूछना वाजिब है क्योंकि अभी हाल ही में, अक्टूबर की खबर के मुताबिक़, भारत ने इस्रायल से ३२,००० करोड रुपयों की लागत से ८,००० से अधिक "स्पाइक" नामक मिसाइलों की खरीद पक्की की है | वैसे, यह ८,००० मिसाइल तो पूर्ती मात्र हैं - भारत के सेना की ज़रूरत ४०, ००० मिसाइलों की बताई गयी है | आप ही अंदाजा लगाइए की कितना भारी इंतज़ाम है यह |
President, PM call for end to violence against women
New Delhi : President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called for gender equity and decried violence against women as the...
Modi meets several governors, ministers
New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a stream of visitors Friday that included governors of four states and several cabinet ministers.
"Today Honourable...
Sonia praises Manmohan for sagacity, wisdom
By IANS,
New Delhi : Congress president Sonia Gandhi Sunday praised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for showing "sagacity" and "wisdom" as she prayed for his early recovery following a heart surgery. "Let me first, on your behalf, greet our prime minister who is making steady progress, after his heart surgery," Gandhi told thousands of party activists here.
"Manmohan Singh has led our government with sagacity and wisdom. He has brought credit to all of us by the dignified manner in which he has guided the Congress-led UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government," she said.