‘Moral policing’ rankles voters in Mangalore
By Maitreyee Boruah, IANS,
Mangalore : At the sprawling campus of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) near this Karnataka town, students are now discussing moral policing rather than their syllabus. While one wants to give a "befitting reply to communal forces", another wants to make Mangalore "safe for everyone".
BJP leaders meet Dikshit, seek relief in school fee hike
By IANS,
New Delhi : A delegation of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders Wednesday met Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and demanded relief for parents from the recent hike in school fees.
The delegation led by senior BJP leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra explained the issue to Dikshit.
"After listening to the BJP delegation, the chief minister said she will try to resolve the issue of increased fees and arrears. After the elections she will ascertain the views of all the parties concerned and find out a solution of the problem," the BJP said in a statement.
14.5 percent voting in Srinagar
By IANS,
Srinagar : Voting in the prestigious Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency in Jammu and Kashmir began on a dull note but picked up as the day warmed, recording a 14.5 percent turnout by 2 p.m. Thursday.
The two assembly constituencies of Kangan and Charar-e-Sharief recorded 39 percent and 36 percent voting, respectively, in the first seven hours, topping the 15 assembly segments in this Lok Sabha constituency.
No re-polling in Bihar: Election Commission
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Election Commission Monday said no re-polling would be ordered in Bihar as no case was made out for this. The panel had sent six teams to the state after complaints of poll irregularities in six Lok Sabha constituencies.
"The teams are fully satisfied and do not find reason to conduct a re-poll in any constituency (in Bihar)," said Deputy Election Commissioner R. Balakrishnan here.
The panel's decision to send an official team to Bihar to investigate alleged irregularities was criticized by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Mamata demands Buddha’s resignation
By IANS,
Kolkata: After handing West Bengal's ruling Left an electoral drubbing, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee Monday demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, saying it was democratic ethics to respect and accept the people's verdict.
"The Left is left out from the people. They have lost credibility," Banerjee said when asked to comment on speculation that Bhattacharjee had offered to resign after the ruling Left Front's poor showing in the Lok Sabha polls.
No party placed conditions at UPA meet: Congress
By IANS,
New Delhi : No allies of the victorious United Progressive Alliance (UPA) placed any conditions for cabinet berths at the coalition's meeting held here Wednesday, says the Congress.
"No condition was put by any party. No such discussion took place. There was no point of disagreement in the UPA meeting. This (decision on cabinet members) is the prerogative of the prime minister," Congress spokesperson Janardhan Dwivedi told reporters at the party headquarters.
Day ahead of cabinet oath-taking, berth pangs continue
By IANS,
New Delhi : Twenty-four hours ahead of the swearing-in of Manmohan Singh as the prime minister for a second consecutive term with his team of ministers, the Congress was engaged Thursday in hectic parleys with its key coalition partners, the DMK and the Trinamool Congress, over allocation of ministerial berths to them.
While the party, which has got as many as 206 seats, is expected to retain all the top five cabinet posts including finance, home, external affairs, defence and commerce, the allies were negotiating for as many ministerial berths as possible.
JD-U undecided on supporting BJP in Jharkhand Rajya Sabha poll
By IANS,
Ranchi : The Janata Dal-United (JD-U), a key constituent of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), is still undecided over supporting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates in Rajya Sabha by-elections in Jharkhand, scheduled June 20.
The BJP has announced its candidates for the two Rajya Sabha seats - Ajay Maroo and Anup Agrawal. Maroo was earlier an Rajya Sabha member and Agrawal is a leader from Dhanbad district.
"Our central leaders will decide over supporting the BJP candidates in the Rajya Sabha election," JD-U's state unit chief Jaleshwar Mahto told IANS.
Congress says budget progressive, opposition calls it ‘routine’
By IANS,
New Delhi : The ruling Congress said Monday the budget presented by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee was progressive, but the opposition parties termed it as "routine" and "inconsequential".
"Budget 2009 is progressive, inclusive, growth oriented and balanced. It has a lot of things for a lot of sectors and a lot of people," Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi told reporters.
He said the approach of the budget was equitable and transparent.
The Congress heads the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA).
Joshi will definitely be punished, asserts Mayawati
By IANS,
Lucknow : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati said Friday that jailed state Congress chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi might get bail now, but she "will definitely get punished" for making "unpardonable" remarks against her.
"Joshi's act was unpardonable and the law will take its course. Like Varun Gandhi (of Bharatiya Janata Party), she may also get bail. But I am sure that sooner or later she will definitely get punished," Mayawati told reporters here.
BJP MLA’s stand up protest leads to fall
By IANS,
Bhubaneswar: Keen to make his protest as loud as possible, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator stood on a chair in the Orissa assembly, only to lose his balance and fall, injuring his shoulder.
Jayanarayan Mishra, a former state minister, was protesting against Deputy Speaker Lal Bihari Himirika for not allowing independent member Pratap Sarangi to complete his speech relating to a bill on the proposed Sri Sri University to be set up.
Congressmen thump desks, cheer Manmohan in Lok Sabha
By IANS,
New Delhi: It was clearly Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's day in the Lok Sabha Wednesday with Congress members repeatedly thumping their desks and cheering him as he countered the opposition's criticism of his recent foreign policy initiatives, while the debate on the issue saw fireworks and lighter moments alike in the house.
Book controversy not new for Jaswant Singh
By IANS,
New Delhi : Senior leader Jaswant Singh has been expelled from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for his book praising Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, but this is not the first time his writings have touched off controversy.
In his previous book titled "A Call to Honour: In Service of Emergent India in 2006", he alleged that there was a mole in the Prime Minister's Office in the nineties during the tenure of P.V. Narasimha Rao of the Congress who leaked information to American sources.
‘Jaswant’s expulsion will not affect Gorkhaland movement’
By IANS,
Siliguri (West Bengal) : Darjeeling MP Jaswant Singh's expulsion from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will not affect the movement for a separate Gorkhaland state to be carved out of West Bengal, according to leaders of the movement here.
"I don't think Singh's expulsion from the party would affect our movement for a separate Gorkhaland state in the region. Besides Singh, other BJP leaders have already spoken about this issue in parliament and people are now very much aware of this demand," Amar Singh Rai, a Gorkha academic, told IANS.
Jaswant Singh to promote his book in Pakistan this week
By IANS,
Islamabad : Expelled Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jaswant Singh will visit Pakistan later this week to promote his book on Pakistan's founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the Online news agency reported.
Although Singh's visit to Pakistan has not yet been made public, he may arrive here Friday, the report said.
The former Indian external affairs minister was expelled from the BJP last week for praising Jinnah in his book "Jinnah: India, Partition, Independence", abruptly ending his three-decade-long membership with the party.
Pawar lauds Jaswant Singh, Brajesh Mishra for telling ‘truth’
By IANS,
Mumbai : Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar Friday "thanked" leaders like Jaswant Singh, Yashwant Sinha, George Fernandes and former national security advisor Brajesh Mishra for enlightening the nation on the "truth" behind the Kandahar episode involving the 1999 hijack of an Indian Airlines aircraft.
Speaking to media persons here Friday evening, Pawar said: "It cannot happen that the then home minister L.K. Advani was not aware of the release of the terrorists in exchange for the hostages held captive in the IC-814 Kathmandu-New Delhi flight."
Sukhbir Badal wants Modi to stop drugs inflow into Punjab
Chandigarh : Two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned about the acute drug problem in Punjab in his 'Mann ki Baat' programme on...
Congress breached faith by aligning with CPI-M in Siliguri: Mamata
Kolkata, Oct 1 (IANS) Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee Thursday accused the Congress of breaching the rules of alliance politics, hours after the latter formed the civic board in the Siliguri Municipal Corporation with support from the West Bengal's ruling Left Front (LF).
The Left Front, led by the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), is a staunch opponent of the Trinamool Congress, a coalition partner of the Congress in the central government.
Central forces in Kerala to ensure fair polls: Antony
By IANS,
Kozhikode (Kerala) : Defence Minister A.K. Antony Tuesday said the central forces were sent to Kannur district ahead of assembly polls Nov 7 as the state government had failed to ensure free and fair elections.
Antony was reacting to a comment of Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan during a campaign speech Monday that the paramilitary troopers would have to stay in barracks during the polls.
Sonia Gandhi sets up coordination committee for Haryana
By IANS,
New Delhi : Congress president Sonia Gandhi Saturday set up a coordination committee for Haryana, hours after Chief Minister Bhoopinder Singh Hooda expanded his new ministry.
The seven-member coordination committee will be headed by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in charge of the state, presently Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Prithviraj Chavan.
BJP resolves Karnataka muddle, Sushma to play key role
By IANS,
New Delhi/Bangalore : The Bharatiya Janata Party Sunday ended the two-week-old crisis in its first government in Karnataka by assigning a key role in the state affairs to senior party leader Sushma Swaraj in return for dissidents dropping their demand for removal of Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa.
Congress leading in two Assam seats
By IANS,
Guwahati : The Congress was Tuesday leading in the two Assam assembly constituencies for which elections were held last week.
According to latest trends, Wajed Ali Choudhury was leading by more than 4,000 votes in the South Salmara seat with the Asom United Democratic Front (AUDF) candidate Abdur Rahman Ajmal, son of party chief Badruddin Ajmal, in the second position.
Nitin Gadkari takes over a BJP low on morale
By Arun Anand, IANS,
New Delhi: Nitin Gadkari has just been handed a crown of thorns. As he takes charge of India's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the 52-year-old finds himself in a post that has failed more than one veteran in the past.
Although Gadkari - the outgoing president of Maharashtra BJP - succeeds Rajnath Singh, who never managed to have national clout, the BJP presidency has been in the hands of such political leaders as Atal Bihari Vajpayee, L.K. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi.
Left criticises delay in tabling of Ranganath Mishra panel report
By IANS,
Kolkata : West Bengal's ruling Left Front Monday attacked the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the centre for "unnecessarily" delaying the release of the Ranganath Mishra Commission report in the Lok Sabha.
"We do think the report could have been released earlier in the Lok Sabha. The union government has unnecessarily delayed the whole process.
BJP will never accept dilution of Indianness: Gadkari
By IANS,
New Delhi : In a categoric rejection of its ally Shiv Sena's "Mumbai for Marathis" stand, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nitin Gadkari said Monday that identities based on language, region or religion should not dilute "Indianness".
"All citizens of India may be attached to a particular language, region or religion. These identities have never diluted their Indianness. The Bharatiya Janata Party will never accept the philosophy that there is a conflict between the two," Gadkari said in a statement here.
Bouquets, brickbats greet Tharoor on Kerala visit
By IANS,
Thiruvananthapuram: Waving cricket bats, hundreds of Congress activists gave a roaring welcome to former minister of state for external affairs Shahshi Tharoor as he arrived here Saturday on his first visit to his home state after quitting over the IPL row.
But a smaller group of protesters allied to the Communist Party of India (CPI) held posters of the Congress MP and his friend Sunanda Pushkar, whose links to the Indian Premier League (IPL) Kochi franchise triggered the controversy that has turned into the country's worst sports crisis.
Apex court refuses to shield Tiwari
By IANS,
New Delhi: The Supreme Court Monday refused to shield disgraced Congress leader N.D. Tiwari from a judicial proceeding aimed at conducting his DNA test to know if he is the biological father of Rohit Sekhar.
A bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justice Deepak Verma declined to accord an early hearing to the former Andhra Pradesh governor's plea to suspend a Delhi High Court order seeking his stand to Sekhar's plea for his DNA test to ascertain the latter's paternity.
Ruckus in Lok Sabha over slur by Trinamool MP
By IANS,
New Delhi: A slur by Trinamool Congress member Sudip Bandyopadhyay against veteran CPI-M leader Basudeb Acharia triggered noisy opposition protests disrupting the Lok Sabha Tuesday.
Left party MPs staged a sit-in near Speaker Meira Kumar's podium demanding an apology from Bandyopadhyay, who was not present in the house when it resumed at 5.30 p.m. after two disruptions earlier over the Mumbai train strike.
The slogan-shouting MPs refused to return to their seats despite the speaker repeatedly trying to pacify them and requesting them to allow the house to function.
BJP resolutions a bundle of lies: Congress
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Congress Wednesday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of making false charges against the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in resolutions adopted at its national executive meeting at Patna, saying "its averments were a bundle of lies".
Congress spokesman Manish Tewari, referring to points made in the BJP resolutions, said here that it was wrong to say the central government was pauperizing the states.
Karnataka’s response sought on plea against military memorial
By IANS,
New Delhi: The Supreme Court Monday sought the Karnataka government's response on a petition challenging the proposed National Military Memorial to come up at Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain Park in Bangalore.
Issuing the notice, returnable in four weeks, the vacation bench of Justice R.M. Lodha and Justice A.K. Patnaik, however, declined to order status quo.
Conspiracy theories galore as protest in Kerala assembly continues
By IANS,
Bangalore : The 24-hour sit-in by Congress and Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) legislators in the Karnataka assembly for the fourth day Thursday, demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into illegal mining, is turning out to be a gold mine to weave conspiracy theories.
The theories floating around in the state stem from the apparent sudden change in the Congress-JD-S stand Monday.
Pranab meets opposition leaders ahead of parliament session
By IANS,
New Delhi: Finance Minister and Leader of the House in the Lok Sabha Pranab Mukerjee Monday met opposition leaders L.K. Advani, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley ahead of the monsoon session of parliament and discussed the constitutional amendments to roll out the Goods and Service Tax (GST) from the next fiscal.
"Pranab Mukherjee met our leaders Advaniji, Sushmaji (leader of opposition in Lok Sabha) and Arunji (leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha) today over lunch and the discussion was on GST," Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman told IANS.
Caste can be asked but ensure count’s integrity: BJP
By IANS,
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Friday told the Group of Ministers (GoM) on caste census that the party was not against caste being canvassed in the ongoing census but it should be done in a manner that integrity of the headcount is not affected.
In a letter to Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who heads the GoM, senior BJP leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj said that the party had already clarified in parliament that it was not opposed to the proposal.
AAP warns Goans against fake party members
By IANS,
Panaji : The Aam Aadmi Party state-unit has cautioned people against possible fraudsters in Goa, who are seeking donations in the name of...
EC seeks support of media in curbing paid news
New Delhi : The Election Commission has sought the support of media houses to ensure that the coming Lok Sabha polls remain free of...
Discussion on voting patterns in India and ‘tactical’ voting of Muslims
By TCN News,
New Delhi: Institute of Objective Studies organised a discussion on “Voting Patterns in India with Reference to Tactical Voting by Muslims” on February 27 in the Capital.
EC probing BJP’s ‘communal party’ tag in Tripura school books
Agartala : The Election Commission of India is probing the BJP being tagged a "communal party" in the textbooks of government schools in Left-ruled...
High-profile candidates face off in six Rajasthan constituencies
Jaipur : At least half a dozen parliamentary constituencies in Rajasthan are the centre of attention as they will see a fight among veteran...
AAP’s Bhopal candidate Rachna Dhingra finds support at MIT
By TCN News,
Boston, USA. Supporters of the Aam Aadmi Party(AAP) from the Greater Boston area gathered to screen award winning documentary (on the Bhopal disaster) Bhopali on Sunday April 6th at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The event was organized by the Boston chapter of University Students for Aam Admi Party (us4AAP), an organization with chapters in more than 100 campuses, and AAP - New England who have been actively working on supporting AAP candidates in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in India.
UP advocate general hauled up for campaigning for SP
Lucknow : The Election Commission has indicted the advocate general of Uttar Pradesh for using the state chopper and addressing an election rally favouring...
Sonia congratulates people of Telangana
New Delhi : Congress president Sonia Gandhi Monday congratulated the people of Telangana which officially became India's 29th state, and gave her party the...
NDA government will improve the center-state relations : Tripura CM
Agartala : Tripura Chief Minister and senior Left leader Manik Sarkar is hopeful the BJP-led NDA government would improve center-state relations to strengthen India's...
Obama wants stronger economic ties with India, Modi told
New Delhi : US Deputy Secretary of State William Burns, who called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday, conveyed to him US President Barack...
Thambidurai as LS deputy speaker: Jayalalithaa thanks Modi
Chennai : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa Wednesday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his support to AIADMK's M. Thambidurai's election as deputy...
Sonia, Mayawati meet over lunch with PM
By IANS
New Delhi : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati Saturday met United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi for the second time in as many days at a launch hosted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Pratibha Patil files nomination as BJP launches vicious attack
By IANS
New Delhi : Pratibha Patil, the candidate of India's ruling coalition, Saturday filed her nomination papers for the July 19 presidential election in which she is pitted against Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat even as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) questioned her moral right to hold the country's highest office.
Mulayam says no to Shekhawat, Shiv Sena adamant on Patil
By IANS
New Delhi : Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, who is contesting for president as an independent backed by the opposition National Democratic Alliance (NDA), received a jolt Friday as the Samajwadi Party declined to support him in the July 19 election.
Congress seeks to clarify numbers in presidential poll
By IANS
New Delhi : In an attempt to counter the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s claim that Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, the independent presidential candidate it backs, was nearing majority in the July 19 election, the Congress Thursday published its voters' details.
According to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi, the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA)-Left-Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) combine's candidate Pratibha Patil has been assured of at least 631,464 votes, much ahead of the required majority in the presidential poll.
BJP leaders wished me death: Manmohan Singh
By IANS
New Delhi : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said he had the "courage of conviction" to do what he was doing but regretted the attitude of parties like the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that even wished him death.
The prime minister made the stunning revelation in an interview published in India Today. The interview was however conducted over two months ago.
N-deal: Government mulling strategy to placate Left
By IANS
New Delhi : The government Saturday began informal consultations to persuade the Left parties to tone down their opposition to the India-US civil nuclear deal, minutes after the Left allies warned it of "serious consequences" if it went ahead with the next steps to operationalise the deal.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee met Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon and discussed with him the finer details of the 123 civil nuclear cooperation bilateral pact to buffer the government against critics of the deal.
Left willing to give time as Congress discusses options
New Delhi, Aug 19 (IANS) The Left parties Sunday appeared to be prepared to give the government time to work out a mechanism to address their concerns over the contentious Indo-US civil nuclear deal even as senior Congress leaders went into a huddle to thrash out ways out of the present political crisis.
Senior Left leader Sitaram Yechury Sunday met Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee who, along with senior leaders, A.K. Antony and Ahmed Patel, are trying to hammer out a compromise formula.
JPC demand on nuke deal stalls parliament
By IANS
New Delhi : Opposition demands for constituting a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) on the India-US civilian nuclear deal stalled proceedings in the Lok Sabha Monday, forcing the adjournment of the house till 12 noon.
The opposition raised the demand as soon as the house met and in the din, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi was heard saying that the government could not form a JPC to discuss a bilateral agreement as the constitution did not provide for this.
I would have resigned had I been culture minister: Ramesh
By IANS
Kolkata : Tourism and Culture minister Ambika Soni should step down in the wake of a controversial affidavit filed before the Supreme Court on the Sethusamudrum project, Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh said here Friday.
Asked to spell out the Congress's stand on the issue, the minister told reporters: "I really do not know... I cannot speak on behalf of Soni who is a good friend of mine. But had such an incident occurred if I had been the culture minister, I would have certainly resigned."
BJP leaders clam up on leadership issue
By Rajeev Khanna, IANS
Bhopal : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders chose to keep mum Saturday on the leadership controversy dogging the party for the last several days. After the flurry of comments by party leaders on the first day of the party's national executive meet, everyone clammed up on the issue on day two.
Perhaps it was due to way the issue made headlines in the media or due to an instruction from the party leadership, but everyone went into silent on the matter.
Day of rallies in Bangalore
By IANS
Bangalore : It was a day of rallies and traffic jams in Bangalore's central business district Saturday.
Hundreds of Christians led by former top cop and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP H.T. Sangliana marched to Raj Bhavan, the governor's residence, protesting what they called increasing attacks on their community in Karnataka.
A large number of Hindus under the banner of Hindu Sena held a march nearby at the same time opposing conversion activities by Christian missionaries in the state.
Pan-India coverage for rural job guarantee scheme
New Delhi, Sep 28 (IANS) Call it the Rahul Gandhi effect - the National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme will cover the entire country and not just the 330 districts where it is currently operational, it was announced Friday.
The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and attended, among others, by Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh and Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, an aide in the Prime Minister's Office said.
"The government has approved the extension of the scheme to cover the entire country," the aide added.
Don’t proceed with n-deal, CPI-M warns UPA
By IANS
Kolkata : The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Monday again warned the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government against proceeding with the India-US nuclear deal till it was discussed in the winter session of parliament.
"Our politburo has been authorised by the central committee to see that the UPA government does not proceed with the nuclear deal. This is a unanimous decision," CPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat told reporters at the conclusion of the party's three-day central committee meeting here.
Darjeeling autonomous council bill in winter session
By IANS
New Delhi : The union cabinet Monday cleared the introduction of two bills in parliament to create an autonomous, self-governing council for the Darjeeling hill areas in West Bengal under the Sixth Schedule of the constitution.
The cabinet, presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, cleared the introduction of the bills to amend Articles 244 and 332 and the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to create the council, to be called Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC).
It’s raining promises in Andhra Pradesh
By Mohammed Shafeeq, IANS
Hyderabad : The Congress government in Andhra Pradesh has decided to re-introduce the Rs.2 a kg rice scheme, which catapulted Telugu Desam party (TDP) founder N.T. Rama Rao to power in the early 1980s.
In a no-holds-barred competition of populist promises in anticipation of early elections, the state cabinet approved the scheme late Monday. It is expected to benefit 18.2 million people living below the poverty line and put an additional burden of over Rs.10 billion annually on the public exchequer.
Kumaraswamy quits, governor for President’s Rule
By IANS
Bangalore : H.D. Kumaraswamy quit as Karnataka chief minister Monday evening, and the governor is learnt to have recommended President's Rule in the state late in the night.
Kumaraswamy of the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S), who lost majority as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) pulled out of the 20-month-old alliance after his refusal to honour word on power transfer to it, met Governor Rameshwar Thakur late Monday evening and submitted his resignation.
No government with Congress, says JD-S
By IANS
Bangalore : Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) president H.D. Deve Gowda Thursday ruled out forming a government with the Congress, scotching rumours that the two parties might get together to rule Karnataka for a second time.
Addressing a crowded press conference here, the former prime minister also demanded dissolution of the assembly and early elections in the state - under President's rule since earlier this month.
Kumaraswamy tells BJP to keep off its agenda
By IANS
Bangalore : Former Karnataka chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy of the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) Saturday told the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to keep off its "agenda" if it wanted their proposed alliance government in the state to last long.
"If the BJP follows its agenda, then we are free to decide our course of action," Kumaraswamy told a local TV channel within hours of submitting to Governor Rameshwar Thakur a letter extending support to a BJP-led government in the state.
Buddhadeb justifies reprisal attack
By IANS
Kolkata : West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya Wednesday justified his virtual endorsement of the armed capture of Nandigram by "our men".
A defiant chief minister said: "I stick to what I have said. They (Bhumi Ucched Pratirodh Committee supporters) have been paid back in their own coin.
We can’t give BJP a blank cheque: JD-S
By IANS
New Delhi : As the Karnataka government looked set to fall only a week after the BJP saw its first chief minister in the south being sworn in, the rhetoric escalated in the capital with the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) saying it could not give its coalition partner a "blank cheque".
Ahead of polls, Raman Singh wants to ensure food for poor
by IANS
Raipur : With an eye to next year's state assembly elections, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh Tuesday asked the state's district collectors to tone up the public distribution system (PDS).
Presiding over a collectors' conference here Tuesday, Singh instructed 16 collectors to take measures to strengthen the PDS system in all the 146 blocks to help below-poverty-line families (BPL) get timely food grains at cheaper rates.
Congress probes leaders caught with sex workers
By IANS
Bhopal : The Congress has initiated a probe following a TV channel showing footage of a birthday bash of its Madhya Pradesh leader with sex workers as guests that led to the suspension of two key party officials.
Two state Congress leaders, general secretary Govind Goyal and legal cell convenor J.P. Dhanopia, were suspended from the party after they were caught on camera with Bedia dancers at Goyal's birthday function held at a party office Nov 12.
Bhajan Lal, son and their ‘tea party’
By Jaideep Sarin, IANS
Chandigarh : It is a move that could impact the course of Haryana politics in the coming days.
As 'dissident' father-son duo - former chief minister Bhajan Lal and his MP son Kuldeep Bishnoi - prepare the ground for their rally in Rohtak town Dec 2, speculation is rife in the state's ruling Congress on whether the duo will finally call it quits from the party.
When asked about a new party being floated by Bhajan Lal, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda joked, "My information is that a tea party is being formed!"
CPI-M workers torch rivals’ houses in Nandigram
By IANS
Kolkata : Members of the ruling Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPI-M) have allegedly torched houses of members of anti-land acquisition group Bhumi Uchched Pratirodh Committee (BUPC) Thursday at trouble-torn Nandigram in West Bengal's East Midnapore district.
After yearlong hostility in Nandigram, about 150 km from here, guns had fallen silent since mid-November 2007 after the CPI-M cadres regained control of the area which witnessed unprecedented violence over a proposed special economic zone (SEZ), including a chemical hub.
Shivraj Patil asks Maharashtra to protect the vulnerable
By IANS
New Delhi : Four days after the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) targeted north Indians in Mumbai, damaging taxis and vandalising theatres, Home Minister Shivraj Patil Wednesday stepped in to ask the state government to provide protection to the "vulnerable".
In a statement, Patil directed the state authorities to also ensure that no individual or group of persons was intimidated, attacked or their properties targeted and damaged.
BJP panel to prepare for parliamentary polls
By IANS
New Delhi : Bracing for an early Lok Sabha election, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has formed a panel of 15 senior leaders to select candidates for the next parliamentary battle that it reckons could be held later this year.
BJP prime ministerial candidate L.K. Advani will meet members of the panel here Feb 25. Party president Rajnath Singh will chair the meeting, said sources in the party.
"Each member will be assigned to select between 35 and 50 candidates for the next parliamentary election," a party leader told IANS.
Rabri dares Thackeray, says will perform Chhath in Mumbai
By IANS
Patna : Daring Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, Bihar's Leader of Opposition Rabri Devi Monday said she will join her husband Railway Minister Lalu Prasad in performing the Chhath Puja in Mumbai.
"I will join my saheb (Lalu Prasad) in performing Chhath Puja in Mumbai," Rabri Devi told newspersons here.
Lalu Prasad last month said: "If possible, I will go to Mumbai to perform Chhath Puja."
UPA meet on women’s reservation bill after March 20
By IANS
New Delhi : The ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) will try to evolve a consensus among its partners to bring a bill that guarantees 33 percent seats for women in parliament and state assemblies.
The UPA will convene a meeting of its allies on the issue after March 20 when parliament takes inter-session break, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told the Rajya Sabha Wednesday.
"Parliament will be dispersing March 20 for the inter-session recess. Soon after that I will hold this meeting," Manmohan Singh said.
Apex court refuses to advance Meghalaya trust vote date
By IANS
New Delhi : The Supreme Court Wednesday refused to advance the date set by Meghalaya Governor S.S. Sidhu for the new Congress government to prove its majority on the floor of the state assembly.
Congress leader D.D. Lapang was Monday sworn-in as chief minister even after a combine of parties led by P.A. Sangma, a former Lok Sabha speaker and leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), claimed the support of 31 members in the 60-seat legislature.
The governor had given 10 days to Lapang to prove his majority support. The Congress has 25 legislators.
No internal democracy in political parties: Rahul Gandhi
By IANS
Bangalore : Congress MP Rahul Gandhi Saturday asserted that there was "no internal democracy" in any political party, including his own, though India was the largest democracy.
NDA alleges discrimination against states it rules
By IANS
New Delhi : The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Saturday accused the Congress-led central government of discriminating against states its member parties rule.
fter a meeting of the NDA chief ministers and other leaders of the alliance at the residence of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani here, NDA coordinator Sushma Swaraj came up with a 10-point charter of "discrimination".
She said the charter was drawn up on the basis of complaints from the NDA chief ministers.
CPM warns govt against military collaboration agreement with US
By IRNA
New Delhi : Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) General Secretary Prakash Karat has warned the United Progressive Alliance government against going ahead with the Military
Collaboration Agreement with the United States and losing the country's stature of a non-aligned nation.
Seven Ministers inducted into Indian Cabinet
By APP
New Delhi : The Indian Cabinet was expanded on Sunday when seven Ministers took oath of office.
M S Gill, Jyotiraditya Scindia, former Chief Election Commissioner, Jitin Prasada, V Narayanasamy, Rameshwar Oraon and Santosh Bagrodia and RJD MP Raghunath Jha were among the new Ministers who took oath.
M S Gill, who was elected to Rajya Sabha from Punjab on a Congress ticket, has been made Minister of State with independent charge.
Election results send different messages to parties
By IANS,
New Delhi : The by-election results Wednesday spread across Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and Orissa have different messages for political parties preparing for the 2009 general elections, with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) the clear winner and the Congress yet to get its act together.
If there is one party that can clearly bask in satisfaction, it is Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati's BSP that has swept all five by-elections - two Lok Sabha and three assembly - in the state.
People want money even to do their duty: Chatterjee
By IANS,
New Delhi : Proceedings of question hour in the Lok Sabha Wednesday were low key with the notable exception of Speaker Somnath Chatterjee's witty comments and remarks.
When an MP said a separate budget discussion was needed for issuing more funds under certain heads, Chatterjee said: "We don't have enough time for the current discussion and you want a separate budget discussion?"
Bengal governor observes ‘power cut’ amid criticism
By IANS,
Kolkata : West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi Wednesday observed a voluntary two-hour power cut in his bid to share the inconvenience faced by Kolkata residents due to daily load shedding.
"Raj Bhavan's power supply was stopped from 1.30 p.m. to 2.30 p.m. and 6-7 p.m.," Gandhi's media spokesperson Dhruba Gupta told IANS.
"Initially, it was decided that Gandhi will observe the power cut from 7-9 p.m. But he changed his schedule for unknown reasons," he said.
Bombay Should Be Changed To Mumbai: Sena
By Bernama,
Mumbai : Issuing a stern warning, Shiv Sena Party Chief Bal Thackeray Wednesday asked the all the institutions in the city with the name Bombay as prefix to change it to Mumbai, failing which the party would target them, Press Trust of India (PTI) reported.
"If the supporters of Bombay keep harping their tune, then the 'Bombaywallahs' will be forced to flee," Thackeray said in an editorial in the political party mouthpiece 'Saamana'.
Police cane-charge BJP workers in Jharkhand, 20 injured
By IANS,
Ranchi : At least 20 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers were injured in a police baton charge in Jharkhand Monday as the activists tried to cross barricades and reach the chief minister's residence to protest spiralling prices of essential commodities.
Nearly 5,000 BJP workers clashed with the police near the Governor House here as they tried to march towards the chief minister's residence. The BJP workers were led by Jamshedpur legislator Raghubar Das.
Sangma family to battle it out in Meghalaya by-poll
By IANS,
Tura (Meghalaya) : The by-election for the Tura parliamentary seat in the northeastern state of Meghalaya scheduled for Thursday is turning out to be some sort of a family affair for nine-time MP and former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno Agitok Sangma.
The ruling Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate is Agatha Kongkal Sangma, the youngest daughter of the veteran parliamentarian, while Boston Marak, contesting as an independent, is the son of Sangma's elder brother.
Yeddyurappa, Karnataka chief minister-elect, once saw no future in BJP
By V.S. Karnic, IANS,
Bangalore : B.S. Yeddyurappa, who will become the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) first chief minister in Karnataka and south India Friday, had thought of quitting the party after the 2004 assembly polls because he saw no future in it for himself.
A few months after the 2004 polls, Yeddyurappa met H.D. Kumaraswamy, son of Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) president and former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda, to explore the possibility of joining that party.
Moneybags calling the shots in Indian elections?
By Liz Mathew, IANS,
New Delhi : Although they themselves are to blame, political parties have finally started to vocally worry over the role of black money in elections in India.
The money factor in the recent Karnataka polls has given sleepless nights to many politicians as well as the intelligentsia. Middle-level political activists say that moneybags are marginalising them -- slowly but effectively.
Hurriyat factions get together to protest land allotment
By IANS,
Srinagar : After nearly five years, the two estranged factions of the separatist Hurriyat Conference in Jammu and Kashmir will chalk out a common `resistance programme' against a controversial allotment of forest land to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) by the state government.
Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, the chairman of the moderate Hurriyat group, would call on Syed Ali Geelani, the hardline separatist leader and chairman of the breakaway Hurriyat group, Thursday to chalk out a common 'resistance programme' against the allotment of forest land to SASB.
UPA-Left decide to meet again after renewed deadlock
By IANS,
New Delhi : India's ruling coalition and its Left allies Wednesday said they would pursue efforts to end their flaming row over the India-US nuclear deal and meet again "in due course".
After about 100 minutes of talks at External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee's residence, leaders of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and its Left allies declared that an expected showdown had been averted.
Mukherjee read out a brief statement after the ninth UPA-Left nuclear committee meeting.
BJP to demand trust vote if Left withdraws support: Advani
By IANS,
Kanpur : The main opposition BharatIiya Janata Party (BJP) will demand a trust vote in parliament if the Left parties withdraw support to the government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the India-US nuclear deal, the party's prime ministerial aspirant L.K. Advani said here Friday.
"We would press for the government to seek a confidence vote in the event of the Left withdrawing its support," he declared while kicking off the BJP's Lok Sabha poll campaign from the historic Phoolbagh Maidan in this Uttar Pradesh town.
Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam to contest Lok Sabha election
By TwoCircles.net reporter,
Tiruchirapalli: Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK) will make formal inauguration of the Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (MMK), its newly-floated political party, at the party's state conference at Chennai after the rainy season.
Addressing a press conference here on 6th July TMMK president M H Jawahirullah announced it and said efforts were on to register the MMK with the Election Commission. He further said the party would contest in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.
PM confident of trust vote, upbeat about n-deal
By IANS,
New Delhi : As the clock ticks away for the trust vote set for July 22, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday expressed confidence about winning it and said the nuclear deal would “in no way impinge” on India's strategic programme nor compromise the country's foreign policy.
"People of India understand the significance of the nuclear deal. The nuclear deal will in no way impinge on India's strategic programme," Manmohan Singh told senior editors from the electronic media at a breakfast meeting at his 7 Race Course residence.
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.
Suspend nuclear deal, says Mayawati
By IANS,
New Delhi : Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Mayawati Monday appealed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh not to make the India-US nuclear deal a “prestige” issue and said the next government should finalise it.
Mayawati, who has virtually taken over the role of the principal opposition rallying point for smaller political formations opposing Manmohan Singh's government in the trust vote, also claimed that the deal was a step to make India a slave of the US.
Tackling inflation government’s first priority: PM
By IANS,
New Delhi : In a passionate speech which he was not allowed to deliver in the Lok Sabha Tuesday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh intended to state that tackling inflation and revitalising the farm sector were two of his government's top priorities.
"My priorities are tackling the imported inflation caused by steep increase in oil prices," says the text of the prime minister's speech which was tabled in the Lok Sabha on Speaker Somnath Chatterjee's request after opposition members disrupted proceedings.
Even Kanshi had not foreseen Mayawati as PM
By Sharat Pradhan, IANS,
Lucknow : Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati may have suddenly emerged as a contender for the country's top job but even her guide, philosopher and political mentor Kanshi Ram had not thought she would travel this far.
Even when Kanshi Ram named her as his only successor despite much opposition from within the party, no one had imagined that Mayawati would one day end up as a national figure commanding the support of older political parties and many of their veteran leaders.
‘Terror attacks timed to deflect attention from politics’
By IANS,
Mumbai : Terror attacks are being carried out to divert people's attention from "a serious issue", like how communal riots took place in the past, a group of intellectuals from progressive, Dalit and backward class groups said here Monday.
Under an umbrella organisation called Awami Bharat, the groups emphasised that the politics of communal riots had now been replaced by the politics of terror.
They stressed that terror strikes should be analysed in a political context.
Advani to flag off Madhya Pradesh chief minister’s rally
By IANS,
Bhopal : L.K. Advani, the prime ministerial candidate of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), will flag off Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's public rally Thursday aimed at launching the party's election campaign in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh.
BJP state President Narendra Singh Tomar, who inspected the venue of the public meeting at Ujjain Wednesday, said: "The state polls are due in November this year. Several works related to development and public welfare were done in past four-and-a-half years regime of the BJP in Madhya Pradesh."
BJP will support UPA if it introduces terror law, says senior party leader Venkaiah
By NNN-PTI,
Mumbai, India : Senior BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu said the party will extend support to the UPA Government if it came up with a stringent law against terrorism.
"They (UPA) repealed POTA and TADA... But an extraordinary situation needs an extraordinary law.... If the UPA could muster the political will to introduce a stringent law, we will extend support," he said on Wednesday.
Polls for 5 Assemblies: A mid-term ‘referendum’ for UPA-II?
By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
Shiv Sena got Rs.5 bn to oppose Jaitapur: Narayan Rane
By IANS,
Mumbai: Industry Minister Narayan Rane Thursday alleged that the opposition Shiv Sena had got funding of Rs.5 billion to stall the 9,900-MW Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project.
‘Right to recall’ elected politicians only hope for Muslim community
By Aziz A. Mubaraki,
NCP legislator jailed six months for assault
By IANS,
Panaji: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislator Francisco alias Mickky Pacheco was Wednesday jailed for six months after a court rejected his bail application in an assault case.
Rajya Sabha clears research academy bill
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Rajya Sabha Wednesday passed a bill that will pave the way for setting up an academy for innovative research in the field of science and technology.
Do Muslims ever follow ‘Imams’ in elections?
By Ashfaque Khan,
Self-proclaimed tellers of the imagined Muslim Vote Bank are not going to influence voting behaviour in any significant way.
Left demands probe into farmer suicides
By IANS,
Kolkata : West Bengal opposition leader Surya Kanta Mishra Monday demanded a probe into the farmer suicides in the state and compensation to the families of such farmers.
CPI-M opposes binding pact with EU
By IANS,
New Delhi : The CPI-M Wednesday urged the Indian government not to conclude any binding agreement with the Europen Union before discussing them with Indian stakeholders.
Trinamool still silent on vice president
By IANS,
New Delhi : Hours before UPA meet on vice presidential election Saturday, Railway Minister Mukul Roy said the Trinamool Congress will clarify its stand "at an appropriate moment".
Trinamool ministers to hand over resignation letters at 3 p.m.
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Trinamool Congress ministers are to hand over their resignation letters to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) at 3 p.m. and after that meet President Pranab Mukherjee.
TDP’s ‘Muslim declaration’ has placed the community on cloud nine
10% quota in job and education; 8% quota in assembly; Rs 2500Cr in annual budget
By Mohd. Ismail Khan, TwoCircles.net,
Andhra high court dismisses Jagan’s bail plea
By IANS,
Hyderabad : The Andhra Pradesh High Court Thursday rejected YSR Congress Party leader Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy's bail petition in an illegal assets case.
TRS chief vows to intensify agitation
By IANS,
Hyderabad : Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao Monday vowed to continue and intensify the agitation for a separate Telangana state.
Congress finalising team for 2014 polls, indicates Rahul
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Congress party is in the process of finalising a team for the 2014 general elections, its vice president Rahul Gandhi indicated Thursday.
Bihar opposition leader gives up security
By IANS,
Patna : Bihar's opposition leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui has given up his security personnel and urged the government to deploy them to maintain law and order.
Parliament adjourned over policeman’s killing, petrol prices
By IANS,
New Delhi : Both houses of parliament were disrupted and adjounred for the day Tuesday as members protested the petrol price hike and the killing of a police officer in Uttar Pradesh.
Cop beating: Court to hear legislators’ bail plea Monday
By IANS,
Mumbai : A court here Friday adjourned, to Monday, the bail plea of two Maharashtra legislators, who were arrested for beating up a policeman three days ago.
BJP attacks Congress on 1984 anti-Sikh riots
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Thursday accused the Congress party for using "every trick to cover up complicity of its leaders" in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.