Politics

Sambit Patra admitted to hospital after showing COVID-19 symptoms

BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra was admitted to a private hospital in Gurgaon on Thursday after he showed symptoms of COVID-19, sources said. A source at Medanta hospital in Gurgaon said Patra was “admitted in the morning and is stable”. BJP leaders and many others posted their wishes for a speedy recovery of the articulate party spokesperson, who is one of the more widely followed Indian politicians on Twitter. Patra is also among the most visible BJP fac..

MVA allies slam President Rule demand; BJP says not in favour

A DAY after a BJP MP demanded President’s rule in Maharashtra, leaders of the ruling Mahavikas Aghadi (MVA) on Tuesday accused the Opposition party of trying to destablise the State Government. The BJP, on the other hand, denied that it wanted President’s Rule, but said the State Government was not doing enough to contain the coronavirus pandemic. BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Narayan Rane on Monday met Governor B S Koshyari and demanded President’s rule, accusing the Uddhav Thackeray-led Government of failing ..

Uddhav richest among 9 new Mah MLCs: ADR

MAHARASHTRA Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has declared the highest figure of assets - Rs 143.26 crore - making him the richest among the nine Members of Legislative Council elected unopposed last week, according to an analysis by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) released here on Wednesday. Out of the 9 MLCs elected, 8 figure in the crore-pati bracket, while one - Bharatiya Janata Party’s Gopichand Padalkar - is in the lower lakh-pati bracket wi..

Uddhav Thackeray, eight others take oath as MLCs

MAHARASHTRA Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday took oath as a member of the Legislative Council. At a function held at Vidhan Bhawan in south Mumbai, Council Chairman Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar administered the oath to Thackeray and others who were elected unopposed to the Upper House on May 14...

Rs 40,000 cr fund will ensure work for migrants: Nadda

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President J P Nadda on Sunday said the additional allocation of Rs 40,000 crore for the rural employment guarantee scheme (MGNREGS) will provide adequate work and earning opportunities to migrant families returning home, as he hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his “concern and timely initiative”...

Uddhav Thackeray files nomination for MLC polls

MAHARASHTRA Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and four other candidates from the ruling alliance filed their nominations on Monday for the May 21 MLC polls. The Chief Minister, who is currently not a member of either of the Houses of the State Legislature, submitted his nomination papers to the election officer here. He was accompanied by his wife Rashmi Thackeray, son and State Cabinet Minister Aaditya Thackeray and Shiv Sena’s Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut...

Mah Legislative Council polls on May 21

PAVING the way for Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to enter the State legislature as a member, the Election Commission on Friday announced holding polls to nine seats of the State legislative council on May 21. The polls were deferred on April 3 due to the coronavirus outbreak. Thackeray, who was sworn in on November 28 las..

Narottam Mishra is new Health Minister of MP

A DAY after formation of five-member Cabinet, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has allotted portfolios to his Cabinet colleagues on Wednesday. Dr Narottam Mishra has been made Minister for Home and Public Health and Family Welfare. Minister Tulsiram Silawat has been given the charge of Water Resources Department while Govind Singh Rajput will look after Food and Civil Supplies, Consumer Protection and Co-operative Department...

Five-member Shivraj Cabinet takes oath

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan went ahead to form a small-sized Cabinet with just five ministers. The five Cabinet members took oath of office and secrecy in a simple ceremony held at Raj Bhawan on Tuesday afternoon. The distribution of portfolioes among ministers was yet to take place till the time this report was filed. Governor Lalji Tandon administered oath to five Cabinet ministers in presence of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, former Union minister Uma Bharti, State BJP President ..

Awhad fears threat to life, alleges online intimidation

MAHARASHTRA Housing Minister Jitendra Awhad, whose supporters are charged with roughing up a man from Thane over a social media post, on Thursday shared screenshots of posts by some social media users allegedly threatening to kill him. Awhad alleged that some people were planning to kill him and his residence was recced during the last five years...

Mah Cabinet recommends Uddhav’s name as MLC from Governor’s quota

THE Maharashtra Cabinet on Thursday decided to recommend Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s name for being nominated as member of the State Legislative Council from the Governor’s quota. Thackeray, who is currently not a member of either of the Houses of State Legislature, was not present at the Cabinet meeting where the decision was taken...

Salary cuts upto 60 pc for Mah Chief Minister, ministers, officials

SALARIES of ministers, other elected representatives as well as Government officials in Maharashtra for March will be slashed by upto 60 per cent in view of the economic impact of coronavirus lockdown, it was announced on Tuesday. A Government Resolution (GR) issued subsequently said that remaining salary would be paid at a later point. Elected representatives including the Chief Minister, Ministers and MLAs will get their salaries for March with 60 per cent deduction, Finance Minister Ajit Pawar ..

Must extend support to PM, Govt during lockdown: Chidambaram

FORMER Union Finance Minister and Congress leader P Chidambaram on Wednesday described the lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “watershed moment” in the battle against COVID-19 and called Modi as the commander and the people as “foot soldiers”. In a statement, Chidambaram also ..

Chouhan wins trust vote in MP

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and his Government won the confidence motion in Madhya Pradesh Assembly on Tuesday unanimously. Opposition Congress MLAs remained absent from the House. The confidence motion was approved with voice votes. After this, House was adjourned till March 27. Before seeking vote of confidence, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan addressed the assembly over threat posed by coronavirus...

Shivraj Singh Chouhan sworn in as MP CM for fourth time

After getting elected as BJP MLAs squad leader, Shivraj Singh Chouhan took oath as new Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh in Raj Bhawan at 9 pm on Monday. Governor Lalji Tandon administrated the oath of office and secrecy to him in a simple programme. This is for the fourth time that Shivraj Singh Chouhan took the oath of Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh...

Rebel Congress leaders from Scindia camp join BJP in Delhi

Bhopal, The rebel ex-MLAs from Jyotiraditya Scindia camp joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in presence of BJP National President J P Nadda in New Delhi on Saturday. On this occasion, Jyotiraditya Scindia was also present. Total 22 ex-MLAs, 16 from Scindia camp, had resigned which resulted into collapse of Kamal Nath government. BJP National President J P Nadda gave membership to them. Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, BJP National General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya and others were present when ..

Kamal Nath resigns ahead of floor test

Mar 20 A day after the Supreme Court ordered Kamal Nath Government to go for floor test to prove majority by 5 pm on Friday, Chief Minister Kamal Nath resigned on Friday afternoon. The Kamal Nath Government shied away from floor test as it did not have adequate number of MLAs to prove majority in House. With this, now the BJP has started preparations to stake claim to form Government. Addressing the press conference to announce..

Political turmoil in MP continues

WHILE the Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to accept the proposal for producing 16 rebel MLAs of the Madhya Pradesh Congress in judges’ chamber, and observed that they may or may not go to the Assembly but they cannot be held captive, the Rebel MLAs who are staying at a resort in Bengaluru said that they went there voluntarily. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath and other leaders of the Congress have been claiming that the rebel MLAs were being held in captivity by BJP...

Congress was ‘silent spectator’ when jawans were killed by terrorists in J&K: Sena MP

A SHIV SENA member in Lok Sabha on Wednesday accused the Congress, its ally in Maharashtra, of being a “silent spectator” when jawans were killed by terrorists and the national tricolour was burnt in Jammu and Kashmir. Participating in a debate on the budgetary proposals and demand for grants for the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, Arvind Sawant of the Shiv Sena said the party was thankful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking the “bold step” of abrogating Article 370 provisions, ..

SC seeks response of MP Govt on plea seeking floor test

THE Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Kamal Nath-led Congress Government in Madhya Pradesh to respond by Wednesday to a plea by senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan seeking immediate floor test in the State Assembly. Taking note of the “urgency of the situation,” a bench comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta issued notices to Chief Minister Nath, Speaker N P Prajapati and Principal Secretary of the ..

Governor asks MP CM to prove numbers in floor test today

WHETHER the Kamal Nath Government in Madhya Pradesh will survive or not will be decided via floor test to be held on first day of Assembly’s Budget Session starting on Monday. Past midnight of Saturday, Governor Lalji Tandon passed the order to the State Government that after his speech, floor test will be conducted because State Government has run into minority following resignations of 22 MLAs. Now, eyes are set on Monday when..

MP BJP demands floor test of Govt Delegation hands over memo to Governor

A day after Chief Minister Kamal Nath met Governor Lalji Tandon and reiterated that Congress Government was ready for floor test, on Saturday, Opposition BJP met the Governor and demanded floor test of State Government first when Assembly’s Budget Session starts. BJP said that after resignations of 22 MLAs, Congress Government is in minority. Former CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Leader of Opposition Gopal Bhargava, ex-Ministers Dr Narottam Mishra and Bhupendra Singh, Rampal Singh were part of the BJP ..

Scindia’s induction will strengthen BJP’s resolve to serve MP: Shah

A DAY after switching from Congress to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday met Union Minister Amit Shah here in the national capital. Taking to Twitter, Shah said that Scindia’s induction into the party will further strengthen BJP’s resolve to serve the people of Madhya Pradesh. “I am sure his induction into the party will further strengthen BJP’s resolve to serve the people of Madhya Pradesh,” he tweeted. Earlier in the day, Scindia also met Defence Minister Rajnath ..

Jyotiraditya gets rousing welcome from BJP workers

A GRAND welcome was given by BJP workers and leaders to Jyotiraditya Scindia when he reached Bhopal on Thursday evening. The rally route from airport till BJP office was flooded with posters of Jyotiraditya Scindia. BJP leaders, including Leader of Opposition Gopal Bhargava, felicitated Jyotiraditya Scindia when he landed at the Raja Bhoj Airport along with Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar...

MP Speaker asks 22 rebel Cong MLAs to clarify resignations by today

PUTTING the ball in the court of the 22 rebel Congress MLAs in Madhya Pradesh, the Assembly Speaker has asked them to appear before him by Friday and clarify whether their resignations that pushed the 15-month-old Kamal Nath Government to the brink of collapse was voluntary or under pressure. The move by Speaker N P Prajapati came amid high drama when a MP Minister Jitu Patwari was allegedly detained and stopped by the police from entering a resort near Bengaluru in BJP-ruled Karnataka where 19 of ..

Will not spare anyone involved in Delhi riots: Shah

VOWING not to spare anyone involved in the Delhi riots irrespective of their religion, caste or party affiliation, Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said it will be lesson for the country on what befalls those who indulge in rioting. Replying to a discussion in Lok Sabha on the Delhi riots, Shah said prima facie the violence appears to be a pre-planned conspiracy. Facing Opposition criticism over alleged inaction by the Delhi police during the violence last month, Shah appreciated the police for ..

Congress Government in MP totters

LONG-TIME Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia crossed over to the BJP on Wednesday, leaving the Madhya Pradesh Government tottering precariously and both parties scrambling to send their legislators far away from the State capital -- and from the machinations of each other. While Madhya Pradesh’s ruling Congress, pushed to the brink of collapse after the resignation of 22 legislators close to Scindia, herded about 90 of its legislators to resorts near Jaipur, the State’s Opposition BJP sent its MLAs ..

Now Shivraj and Maharaj are together in BJP, says Chouhan

WELCOMING Jyotiraditya Scindia into the BJP, senior party leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday said he was the most popular Congress politician in Madhya Pradesh, which led the saffron outfit to coin a tagline targeting the erstwhile Gwalior royal in the 2018 state polls. In the run-up to the November 2018 assembly elections, the BJP had centred its campaign around a slogan, Maaf karo Maharaj hamara neta toh Shivraj (Sorry Maharaj, our leader is Shivraj)” to take on the Congress. Chouhan was ..

Scindia joins BJP, slams Cong for ‘denying reality’

A DAY after quitting the Congress, Jyotiraditya Scindia joined the BJP on Wednesday in the presence of its President J P Nadda and slammed his former party for “denying reality” and “not acknowledging” new thoughts and new leadership. Scindia, who was also named as its Rajya Sabha candidate from Madhya Pradesh by the BJP, hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his “competence and complete dedication” to serving India and asserted that the country’s future is fully secure in his hands. He vented his ..

Cong panel blames Centre, Delhi Govt for violence

A FACT-FINDING committee of the Congress on Monday submitted a report on the Delhi violence to party’s interim president Sonia Gandhi in which it pointed out the alleged failure of the Central and Delhi Governments in instilling confidence among the people, sources said. The report also pointed to the “inaction” on part of both the Governments to address to the grievances of those who suffered during the Delhi riots, they said...

All MP ministers present in Cabinet meeting submit resignations to CM

IN A major political development which was simmering from last few days, Cabinet Ministers tendered their resignations to Chief Minister Kamal Nath during the Cabinet meeting held late on Monday night. This means that CM Kamal Nath will be forming his new Cabinet soon to adjust the disgruntled MLAs of party apart from independent MLAs, two BSP and one SP MLA as well. Many also see that mass resignation of ministers is the countdown of Congress Government in Madhya Pradesh. After handing over resignations, ..

TMC nominates 4 candidates for RS polls in WB

TRINAMOOL Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee on Sunday announced the names of Arpita Ghosh, Mausam Noor, Dinesh Trivedi and Subrata Bakshi as the party candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls. In a tweet, the West Bengal Chief Minister said in keeping with her “constant endeavour” towards women’s empowerment, she was proud that half of the TMC nominees for the March 26 polls were women. While Noor lost from the Malda Uttar seat in last year’s Lok Sabha polls, Ghosh had unsuccessfully contested ..

Altaf Bukhari floats new J&K party

FORMER PDP leader Altaf Bukhari on Sunday launched the Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) here as he vowed to work towards restoring J&K’s statehood and ensure domicile rights of people in jobs and education, while saying demoting the State to a Union Territory was “unpleasant and bitter”. The 60-year-old, who is a graduate in agriculture science, announced the formation of the JKAP at his residence and was flanked by former MLAs and senior leaders of political parties like the National Conference ..

Uddhav announces Rs 1 crore for Ram Temple from his trust

MAHARASHTRA Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday announced Rs 1 crore from his trust for the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya. Speaking in Ayodhya, Thackeray said, “Today, I want to announce that not from the State Govt, but from my trust, I offer an amount of Rs. 1 crore for the construction of Ram Temple here. It is just a small contribution from our part.”..

Speculations continue over survival of Cong Govt in MP

EVEN as speculations are rife that Congress Government in Madhya Pradesh headed by Kamal Nath will survive or not, the Congress has asserted that its Government is safe and all of its MLAs are united. Meanwhile, BJP has strongly denied the charges levelled by Congress that it wants to destablise the State Government. As the political atmosphere of State got charged after the news that some Congress MLAs were reportedly lodging in Delhi-based hotel and BJP is behind the happenings, senior Congress ..

Don’t spare anyone involved in violence: Kejriwal urges PM

CHIEF Minister Arvind Kejriwal called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday and discussed the situation in the riot-hit north-east Delhi and said he has requested Modi that those responsible for the violence — irrespective of party affiliation — “should not be spared”. It was the first meeting of Kejriwal with Modi after the Aam Aadmi Party returned to power in the national capital for a third consecutive term. The meeting, at the Prime Minister’s Office in Parliament, lasted half an hour...

No Muslim quota proposal before Mah Govt: Uddhav

THERE is no proposal on Muslim Reservation before Maharashtra Government, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said here on Tuesday. Thackeray’s remarks came days after Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik informed the Legislative Council that the State Government will provide five per cent quota to Muslims in education. The NCP Minister had also said the State Government will ensure that a legislation to this effect is passed soon...

Will see how to provide house to every mill worker, says Thackeray

CHIEF Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said that his Government will look into how it can provide houses to every mill worker, while lauding their contribution towards the ‘Samyukta Maharashtra’ movement. Thackeray also made an appeal to mill workers that they should not sell the houses allotted to them and shift out of Mumbai...

No need for resolution against CAA and NPR in House, says Ajit Pawar

MAHARASHTRA Deputy Chief Minister and senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar on Sunday said the citizens of Maharashtra need not worry about the new citizenship law, the proposed NRC and the NPR, and flagged “misinformation” on the issue. Addressing the convention of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) here, he also ruled out any need to bring a resolution against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Population Register (NPR) in the State Legislative Assembly...

40 issues resolved with mutual coordination: Shah after EZC meet

IMMEDIATE revision of coal royalty and a special economic package for speedy development of the region were among the major demands raised at the 24th Eastern Zonal Council meet with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Shah later stated that 40 issues were resolved with mutual coordination during deliberations on Friday. The meeting, Chaired by Shah and attended by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and his West Bengal and Bihar counterparts - Mamata Banerjee and Nitish Kumar -respectively, was skipped ..

Oppn parties inciting riots over CAA: Shah

UNION Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday accused Opposition parties of inciting communal riots over the CAA by spreading “misinformation” that Muslims will lose their citizenship because of the new law. He also extolled Prime Minister Narendra Modi for addressing important issues relating to “national security and sensibilities”, including abrogation of provisions of Article 370, CAA and the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute. ..

Cong leaders meet President, demand Shah’s resignation

A Congress delegation, including party chief Sonia Gandhi, on Thursday urged President Ram Nath Kovind to call for Home Minister Amit Shah’s resignation over his alleged “abdication of duty” during the communal violence in Delhi and remind the Centre of its “raj dharma”...

AAP Councillor Tahir booked for allegedly killing IB officer

AN FIR was registered on Thursday against AAP Councillor Tahir Hussain for allegedly being involved in the killing of Intelligence Bureau staffer Ankit Sharma, police said. The complaint was given by Sharma’s father, following which a case was registered under Sections 365 and 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), they said. AAP has suspended Tahir Hussain from the primary membership of the party till the police probe is complete, party sources said. Hussain’s house has come under the scanner after ..

Delhi, Aligarh CAA violence linked; PFI, Bhim Army key suspects: Intelligence

POPULAR Front of India (PFI), linked with several Islamic extremists outfits, and Bhim Army an Ambedkarite organisation active in north India, have emerged one of the key suspects behind the recent CAA violence in western Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. A series of incidents related to arson and firing in Delhi’s northeast district in the past two days, has also been linked with simultaneous violent protests in Aligarh, a report of UP State Intelligence has revealed on basis of Call Detail Records (CDRs) ..

Ahead of Budget Session, Thackeray meets Dy CM, Sharad Pawar

AHEAD of the Budget Session of Maharashtra Assembly, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray held a closed door meeting with NCP President Sharad Pawar and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar at his official residence here on Sunday...

NDA to win Bihar polls under Nitish’s leadership: Nadda

THE National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government under the leadership of Nitish Kumar will definitely win the Bihar polls, said Bharatiya Janata Party President Jagat Prakash Nadda on Saturday during his meeting with the party workers in Patna. “The NDA Government has changed the face of Bihar in the past 5 years and the election to be held in November will also be fought under Nitish Kumar’s leadership,” Nadda said in his speech to motivate the party workers for the Bihar elections that are scheduled ..

SC interlocuters hold discussions with Shaheen Bagh protesters

THE Supreme Court-appointed interlocutors met Shaheen Bagh protestors on Thursday in their second visit to the site where people have been on a sit-in since the last two months against the amended citizenship act. Advocates Sanjay Hedge and Sadhana Ramachandran, the interlocutors, were not willing to start the discussion in the presence of media...

Govt committed to carry on Shivaji Maharaj’s legacy: CM

MAHARASHTRA Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday expressed his Government’s resolve to carry forward the legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Thackeray visited the Shivneri Fort in Junnar tehsil of Pune district in the morning to pay tributes to Shivaji Maharaj on his birth anniversary, and announced Rs 23 crore assistance for the development of the fort. He also said that cases filed against protesters during the Maratha quota agitation in 2018 will be withdrawn...

Should I quit: Manmohan asked me after Rahul’s ordinance episode, says Montek

AFTER the Rahul Gandhi ordinance-trashing episode of 2013, the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asked Montek Singh Ahluwalia whether he thought he should resign, the former deputy chairman of the now-defunct Planning Commission says. Ahluwalia says he told Singh, who was then on a visit to the US, that he did not think a resignation on this issue was appropriate. In a major embarrassment to his own Government, Rahul had denounced the controversial ordinance brought by the UPA dispensation to negate ..

Kejriwal shares stage with 50 ‘aam aadmi’ from Delhi

WHEN Aam Aadmi Party National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal took oath in Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan along with his six ministers on Sunday, sharing the stage with them were 50 common people, who were designated as “Delhi ke Nirmata” by the party. The first of its kind initiative, Delhi ke Nirmata (Builders of Delhi) includes a list of safai karamcharis, students, teachers, doctors and bus marshals,. Of the list of the special guests, 24 were from the field of Education, health, NGOs, social welfare and transport. ..

Kejriwal back as Delhi CM for third time

ARVIND Kejriwal on Sunday took oath as Delhi’s Chief Minister for the third time. Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal administered the oath of office to Kejriwal and his six-member Cabinet. “Not my victory. It’s the victory of every Delhi citizen. It has been our endeavour over the past five years to see how we can make a positive change in the lives of every Delhi resident,” said Kejriwal after the swearing-in. Kejriwal said that it’s time to put the bitterness of elections behind and look forward...

50 ‘special guests’ to share stage with Kejriwal during swearing-in

BIG banners bearing messages like ‘Dhanyawad Dilli’ along with Arvind Kejriwal’s image were put up in and around the historic Ramlila Maidan for the swearing-in of the AAP supremo as Chief Minister of Delhi for the third successive time at an event on Sunday which is “open to public” but won’t see the usual gathering of political heavyweights...

BJP leaders shouldn’t have uttered controversial remarks, says Shah

UNION Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said statements like ‘goli maro’ and ‘Indo-Pak match’ should not have been made by BJP leaders while campaigning for the Delhi Assembly elections and that such remarks may have cost the party dearly. He, however, said the BJP does not fight elections just for victory or defeat but believes in expanding its ideology through polls. “Such statements should not have been made. Our party has distanced itself from such remarks,” he told at a Times Now programme. ..

Kejriwal to take oath on 16th

ARVIND Kejriwal will take oath as Delhi Chief Minister on February 16 at Ramlila Maidan in a grand ceremony that will be open to public, senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia said on Wednesday. Addressing reporters, Sisodia said that all Cabinet Ministers will also take oath along with Kejriwal at the event. The oath-taking ceremony will take place at 10 am on Sunday, Sisodia said and urged people to turn out in large numbers for the ceremony...

BJP in Mah launches ‘Deendayal’ thali for Rs 30

IN A bid to counter the ruling Shiv Sena’s politics of subsidised food, the Opposition BJP in Maharashtra on Tuesday launched its own cheap lunch plate on the occasion of the death anniversary of Jana Sangh leader Deendayal Upadhyaya. Priced at Rs 30, the “Deendayal Thali” will have more items than the Rs 10 “Shiv Bhojan Thali”, which was launched by the Sena-led State Government on January 26 to cater to the poor. The “Deendayal” lunch plate includes three chapatis, a bowl of rice, two vegetables, ..

Arvind Kejriwal: ‘Aam aadmi’ scripts extraordinary win to return as Delhi CM

ARVIND Kejriwal, engineer, civil servant and Delhi’s man with a development agenda, is the David who slayed the mighty Goliath for the second time in five years. The Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party is poised to win 63 of Delhi’s 70 seats, leaving the BJP with seven and decimating the Congress, overcoming the BJP’s divisive campaign. Nine years ago, Kejriwal slipped into the political frame behind Anna Hazare during the Lokpal movement in 2011 before quickly enlarging his canvas, first as a satyagrah ..

Landslide win for Kejriwal-led AAP

ARVIND Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to a stupendous victory yet again in the Delhi Assembly polls, dealing a body blow to the main rival BJP and completely decimating the Congress in a keenly-watched battle in the midst of anti-CAA protests. The 51-year-old bureaucrat-turned-politician almost replicated the AAP’s fairy-tale victory of 2015 by riding on his Government’s development agenda, and in the process emerged as a key leader in the national political landscape. As the AAP cruised to victory, ..

Raj Thackeray extends support to CAA, NRC in huge rally

EXTENDING his support to the new citizenship law and the proposed National Register of Citizens, MNS chief Raj Thackeray on Sunday warned of giving a “befitting reply” to rallies being held against the CAA and the NRC. In the afternoon, the MNS took out a huge march from Girgaum Chowpatty to Azad Maidan in South Mumbai demanding eviction of illegal Pakistani and Bangladeshi infiltrators from the country. The morcha was culminated at Azad Maidan. Addressing the gathering of thousands of MNS activists ..

Exit polls predict big win for AAP

EXIT polls for the Delhi Assembly election on Saturday predicted a big victory for Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party with some indicating that it can even repeat its 2015 landslide when it had bagged 67 seats in the 70-member House. The India Today-Axis poll forecast 59-68 seats for the AAP and 2-11 for the BJP, while the ABP-CVoter put the Delhi’s ruling party’s tally at anywhere between 49 and 63 and that of its main rival between five to 19...

Campaigning for Delhi elections ends

MARKED by the BJP aggressively pushing the anti-CAA protests in Shaheen Bagh as a poll issue, the AAP hardselling development and the Congress conspicuous by its near absence, the bitter, often divisive campaign for the Delhi elections ended on Thursday. In their final electioneering push, the three key parties made last ditch efforts to seek votes and slugged it out over issues ranging from the amended citizenship law, appeasement politics and unemployment...

Deshbhakti curriculum, Jan Lokpal, Statehood in AAP manifesto

THE Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday released its manifesto for the February 8 Assembly elections here with 28-points programme. The manifesto said the AAP Government will come out with a ‘Deshbhakti’ curriculum and also speaks about long pending demands of Delhi Jan Lokpal and Delhi Swaraj Bill along with the full Statehood. Doorstep ration delivery, language status to Bhojpuri, appointment of safai karamcharis have also found place in AAP’s election manifesto...

Delhi needs Govt that will not resort to appeasement but supports CAA: Modi

ATTACKING the ruling Aam Aadmi Party, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said Delhi needs a Government that will not resort to appeasement but supports the CAA, abolition of Article 370 and issues of national security. Addressing an election rally in Dwarka three days before the February 8 assembly elections, the Prime Minister said the national capital also needs a Government that will give direction and not resort to blame games...

Shaheen Bagh shooter AAP member: Police

KAPIL Baisala who opened fired at the Shaheen Bagh protest site last week is a member of the Aam Aadmi Party, police said on Tuesday, prompting the BJP to accuse Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of “playing” with the security of the country. Baisala and his father joined the AAP in early 2019, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Rajesh Deo said...

Door-to-door campaigning by Shah, Nadda in Delhi

THE Bhartiya Janata Party has launched a power packed campaign in Delhi with top leadership hitting the campaign trail on Sunday. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President J P Nadda will launch a door-to-door campaign in the national capital apart from addressing several rallies. While Shah will interact with people in Delhi Cantt area, Nadda will be in Chirag Delhi to woo voters. Nadda will also address rallies in Sangam Vihar and Ambedkar Nagar...

Cong releases manifesto for Delhi polls

THE Congress on Sunday promised to implement unemployment allowance of Rs 5,000-7,500 per month, cashback schemes for water and power consumers and challenge the contentious CAA in the Supreme Court if voted to power in Delhi. The manifesto presented by Delhi Congress chief Subhash Chopra also committed to spend 25 per cent budget each year on fighting pollution and improving transport facilities. The party has promised to provide free electricity up to 300 units per month...

AAP ‘sponsoring’ Shaheen Bagh protest: BJP to EC

THE BJP on Thursday accused the AAP of “sponsoring” anti-CAA protests, including the one at Shaheen Bagh here and running a “proxy campaign” through them, as it urged the Election Commission to include expenses incurred on these demonstrations in the expenditure of AAP candidates. A BJP delegation, which included Union ministers Harsh Vardhan and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, submitted a memorandum to the EC, seeking appointment of an independent election expenditure observer to enquire into the matter to ..

All-party meet held ahead of Budget session

THE Opposition on Thursday raised the issue of anti-CAA protests at an all-party meeting and accused the Government of “arrogance” in not reaching out to protesters, even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted his dispensation is open to discuss all matters in Parliament’s Budget session beginning from Friday. Modi also called for a “greater focus” on economic issues in the session and how India can gain in the prevailing global situation, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi told reporters ..

JD(U) expels Prashant Kishor, Pavan Varma

THE JD(U) on Wednesday expelled its Vice President Prashant Kishor and General Secretary Pavan Varma from the party, saying, their conduct in recent past has made it clear that they don’t want to abide by the party’s discipline. Both leaders have been critical of the party President and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over his support to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the National Population Register (NPR)...

Saina Nehwal, sister join BJP

FORMER world number one badminton player Saina Nehwal joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday, hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi as an “inspiration” with his “hard work” for the country. Her elder sister Chandranshu Nehwal too joined the party along with her. Joining the party at a ceremony at its headquarters here, Nehwal (29) said that the BJP has been doing “a lot of good”, and she would work to do her bit as its member...

Go wherever you want, Nitish tells party men questioning JDU’s stance on CAA Act

“THEY should go wherever they want,” Bihar Chief Minister and JDU supremo Nitish Kumar said on Thursday when asked of Prashant Kishor and Pavan Verma’s repeated questions about the party’s stand’s on the newly enacted Citizenship Act. “It is their personal decision. They should go wherever they want. We don’t have an objection. Don’t look at JDU in the context of statements by some people...