Rahul Gandhi this evening told spokespersons of the Congress at a meeting in the party’s war-room that he disapproves of the derogatory remark made recently by Mani Shankar Aiyar about Narendra Modi, the BJP’s choice for Prime Minister.
Mr. Gandhi, who is the vice president of the Congress, said, “It is wrong to make personal attacks on the Opposition.” However, just hours after Mr. Aiyar’s comment, Mr. Gandhi had singled him out for praise at a party gathering attended by thousands of workers and its top most leaders.
At that Congress conclave last month, Mr. Aiyar, a parliamentarian, had said, “There is no way he can be Prime Minister in the 21st century… but if he wants to come and distribute tea here we can make some room for him.”
The BJP and Mr. Modi have, in his campaign for the country’s top job, been highlighting his humble origins and his early days as a tea seller at train stations.
Mr. Modi in speeches refers to Mr. Gandhi as “shahzaada” or prince to deride the 43-year-old as a dynast who has little more to offer than his famous last name.
Mr. Gandhi spent an hour this evening meeting with spokespersons from the Congress who will represent the party on television debates and other platforms. The session comes just days after Mr. Gandhi granted his first television interview in 10 years, with largely negative reviews.
He advised his colleagues to assimilate facts to diminish Mr. Modi’s claims that he is responsible for transforming Gujarat, the state he has governed since 2001, into an economic powerhouse.
The Aam Aadmi Party, or the AAP, netted its first big catch in Bihar when Parveen Amanullah, a 55-year-old social activist-turned-politician who quit Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) and government two days ago, joined Arvind Kejriwal’s political outfit.
The AAP has announced its plans to contest around 350 seats in the national elections, due by May. The decision by Mrs. Amanullah, a former RTI activist and anti-graft crusader, is expected to give a fillip to Mr. Kejriwal’s party in a state dominated by three political heavyweights – Mr. Lalu Prasad Yadav’s Rashtriya Janata Dal, or the RJD and the BJP, besides the JD(U).
Mrs. Amanullah, while quitting the JD(U) on Tuesday, had not rule out the possibility of joining another party. “The system has limitations and I could not work around it. I will look if there is a better system anywhere, perhaps another party,” she said.
Daughter of retired diplomat-turned-politician Syed Shahabuddin and wife of a senior Bihar-cadre IAS officer who is at present on deputation at the Centre, Ms Amanullah was drafted into politics by Mr. Kumar’s JD(U) after she had built a reputation as an intrepid social worker. The chief minister offered her a ticket on the eve of the 2010 assembly polls.
She accepted the challenge and won comfortably from Sahebpur Kamal, defeating a powerful candidate from Lalu Prasad’s Rashtriya Janata Dal and former minister Shri Narayan Yadav.
Ms Amanullah was among two Muslim women who won on the JD(U) platform. Nitish Kumar rewarded her with a berth in his council of ministers.
Two power-supplying firms in Delhi whose licenses ought to be cancelled according to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal have asked the Supreme Court for help. Their case will be heard tomorrow, though the Chief Justice of India P Sathasivam, noted with some frustration, “Everything is happening in Delhi, only remedy is Supreme Court?”
BSES, backed by Anil Ambani’s Reliance Infra, runs two companies that supply electricity to nearly 70% of Delhi. They owe about Rs. 400 crore to the power-generating company National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), which has said that unless its dues are cleared by Monday night, it will stop supplying electricity to BSES. That could result in immediate and long power outages.
Mr Kejriwal said earlier this week that the BSES firms cannot hold Delhi hostage because they are in a cash crunch. He said that they need to ensure they pay their bills to NTPC, which is owned by the government, and ensure uninterrupted power supply. He also asked the power regulator for the region to cancel their licenses. However, a tribunal assigned to handle electricity cases has said its permission is needed to revoke licenses, a step it has not yet sanctioned.
The BSES companies are run by Reliance Infrastructure, with the Delhi government holding a 49% stake. They allege that for years, they have been coerced to supply power at below-market rates, while their costs have been rising. On Monday, the power regulator approved a price hike of upto 8%, provoking strong criticism from the chief minister.
India’s military has postponed until the next financial year a plan to buy 126 fighter planes from France’s Dassault Aviation, the defence minister said on Thursday.
New Delhi had picked the Rafale fighters for exclusive negotiations in January 2012 and had been expected to finalise the deal, estimated at $15 billion, by the end of March.
But negotiations to buy 18 planes off-the-shelf and build the rest in India have slowed and will stretch into the following fiscal year, Defence Minister AK Antony told a news conference at a defence sector trade fair.
The military, the world’s biggest arms importer for three years running, has already spent 92 percent of its defence capital budget for this year, he said.
“Major procurement can only be possible in the next financial year. There is no money left,” Antony said. The country is due to hold elections by May and a new government is expected to be installed the following month.
India is in the midst of a $100 billion defence modernisation programme to replace Soviet-era planes and tanks, and narrow the gap with China, with which it fought a war in 1962. A border dispute lingers.
But the defence upgrade programme has moved slowly like other major projects under the current government and partly because of Antony’s insistence on transparency and integrity in the defence procurement process, long dogged by allegations of kickbacks.
Last month, Antony’s office cancelled a $560 million euro deal with AgustaWestland for 12 helicopters after allegations were made that bribes had been paid to middlemen to secure the contract.
The BJP suspended two of its legislators in Bihar for choosing to back Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday, and not the party’s prime ministerial hopeful Narendra Modi, as the next prime minister.
Bharatiya Janata Party’s state president Mangal Pandey said the party has suspended two legislators – Rana Gangeshwar Singh and Avanish Kumar Singh – for anti-party activities.
“The party has suspended both for crossing the party line. It will send a strong message,” Pandey said.
Rana Gangeshwar Singh, BJP legislator from Mohiuddinnagar in Samastipur district, has been backing Nitish Kumar instead of Narendra Modi as the next prime minister for the last few months.
Last week, he had said that the people of Bihar should vote for the Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) in the 2014 general election.
He said that as Nitish Kumar turned around the conditions in Bihar, he would turn around the country for better.
Avanish Kumar Singh, who represents Chiraia in East Champaran district, praised Nitish Kumar for developing Bihar and dared senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi to take action against him.
He had said there was no respect for honest leaders in the BJP.
He also hinted that he would contest the next general election from the Motihari parliamentary constituency.
Two people were killed and about three dozen injured in violence during idol immersion in different parts of Bihar, police said on Thursday.
Violence took place during idol immersion after Saraswati Puja in Bihar on Wednesday. A woman was among two people who were killed in the violence related to idol immersion in Purnea and Madhepura districts.
Vijay Shah alias Munna, in his mid 30s, was stoned to death following an altercation that ensued after he requested the puja revelers to reduce the volume of the loudspeaker in Tikapur village in Purnea on Wednesday.
“Shah was killed after he objected to loud music being played on the public address system,” said Amarendra Kumar Amar, a police official. An FIR has been lodged against three people by victim’s wife Anita Devi.
Phuldai Devi, in her 40s, was killed in Dubiyahi village in Madhepura when a bullet hit her during firing between two groups over a dispute related to idol immersion.
“She was killed while she was going to sell bangles in a market,” a police official said.
“My buffaloes are more famous than Queen Victoria”
– Azam Khan
After this statement, I feel it would be better if they nominate buffalo as their prime ministerial candidate. She is capable of becoming a Samajwadi party leader due to her popularity. Nowadays leaders are issuing various kinds of statement for the sake of achieving fame and remain in news. Azam Khan is not the only leader who is publicity hungry there are many others like Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma who has stirred up another controversy by stating that nothing was wrong in spending Rs two to four crores on media as he was only “investing money to get good returns” in terms of publicity. BJP had criticised Beni Prasad Verma for making Congress activists and journalist’s members of the Council and allegedly distributing cash and gifts to them at its meeting. Without any guilt and in an unapologetic manner Beni stated that BJP is making a hue and cry over this issue as it’s an economically poor party and doesn’t have money to pay the journalist. Verma also added that he would pay the media as it was playing a big role in giving him publicity which needs to be acknowledged.
The question is not about Beni Prasad paying journalist for gaining popularity but it is about the journalist’s ethics and integrity. Despite this controversy, none of the political parties raised any objections when this news had grabbed headlines. Are those journalists really watching? I just want to quote, ‘Hello journalist those who have accepted these kind of pay and perks to promote leader are you guys really listening to how these politicians give it back’
People are accusing media to paid media paid coolies, political workers. Isn’t it a blot on journalism altogether. Let’s forget about Beni Prasad Verma and talk about saffron saint Shankaracharya who slapped journalist when he asked his opinion about the prospects of Narendra Modi becoming prime minister. Later, Shankaracharya asked from where do this political questions originate in divine and spiritual places and why to drag shrines into controversy.
At the same time, journalists are slapped, threatened, paid and unfortunately some of them are raped too. Tehelka is one of the biggest examples of a reputed journalist’s fall into disgrace. On the other hand, Cobra post is considered to be the mouthpiece of Congress. Recently, Caravan magazine mentioned about Swami Aseemanand statement in which he claimed that the RSS leadership had sanctioned the “Hindu terror conspiracy” that included the blasts in Samjhauta Express, Mecca Masjid and Ajmer Sheriff. There is no clue where this politico journalism tradition is heading?
Politicians are issuing statements only to remain in limelight. Beyond that the ethics of journalists is lost. Very few journalism genre like parallel media which is trying to maintain its integrity but they are are not getting their due on account of vested interests prevailing in the industry. Thus the banner, power and hypocrisy have to be questioned. Instead of merely debating on political statements one should really have courage to question the journalist’s credential too.
Abu Salem’s marriage news has given us something to cheer and a hilarious topic for discussion. It can be turned into the script for a Bollywood film. Salem nonetheless has denied that he has got married in the train. Police have ordered for a probe into this matter for ascertaining the truth. Our snail-paced Indian justice delivery system is so ineffective that you can enjoy life while going through the litigation procedures. There is no need to escape, you can have a fuller life in this manner. A situation which is prevalent in our country is that if you have the backing of a loyal gang of hundred people, you can twist, turn and violate the law. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal broke the law and no action has been taken against him. Same is the case with Bharti.
What can the poor policemen do? They are always busy providing security to our politicians. Why the former President Pratibha Patil should be provided top-notch security? The common man is fed up and angry with the Congress due to these reasons. Do you know why the Congress is supporting AAP? The party is aware that it will lose and hence is trying to take steps to prevent Modi from becoming prime minister. Even if Modi becomes PM they will have an alliance with AAP to make life difficult for him. After elections, most of the parties will desert Congress.
On the other hand, the CPI and CPM has failed to challenge the Congress. At last they found a “comrade” in Jayalalithaa. Why they have made an ideological compromise? The CPM is aware that they cannot win in the north and east hence they are trying to form alliance in south. Prakash Karat thinks that he will teach Madame a lesson in simple living, shunning wealth and property? What a day dreaming. It is a pity no strong leaders have emerged from Tamil Nadu. The AIADMK should have formed an alliance with the BJP. Indian communists are no communists, they are trouble makers. Remember how many hardships they created for Manmohan Singh by opposing the nuclear deal? We want electric power but we do not want to develop nuclear power plants, off shore wind farms, solar power and not even thermal and hydro power plants. Such acts will only prove to be a hindrance for electricity generation. Electricity boards have to incur huge losses due to electricity theft.
Adequate training is not provided to the engineers of state electricity boards. We were taught Buchol’s relay and cable joining by Bhupal Singh at Sarojininagar training centre in Lucknow. to State electricity board engineers should be provided exhaustive on the job training. They say in Western UP, “Bin padhya jat padhya sa, padhya jat khuda sa”. Let us see if Dr Satyapal Singh lives up to this saying as Ajit Singh did not. During those days the villagers will inform errant officers, “If you don’t listen, I will go to Chaudhary Charan Singh.
In an attempt to lure Dalits the state government is planning to appoint Vijay Kamble as the city’s new Police Commissioner.
Even though more than a week has been passed after Satyapal Singh quit the post of Mumbai Police Commissioner but the state government is yet to appoint his successor due to lack of consensus between the Congress and NCP. With an eye on the Lok Sabha polls the Congress and NCP alliance is likely to appoint a Vijay Kamble, a Dalit candidate for the new police commissioner’s post. Additional Director General (state Traffic) Vijay Kamble, Additional DG (Home Guard) Ahmed Javed, ATS Chief Rakesh Maria and Thane Police Commissioner K.P. Raghuvanshi are the contenders for this coveted post
A source from the state ruled party revealed, “The party is planning to appoint Vijay Kamble as the New Police Commissioner as he belongs to the Dalit community. Even though party is planning to go ahead with this decision but there is difference of opinion within the party as some leaders are supporting other contenders.”
Dalit votes will play a crucial role in the upcoming election. Since the Republican party of India is having an alliance with Shiv Sena and hence the Democratic Front doesn’t want to lose Dalit votes which will make a major difference in election.
There is delay in the declaration of the candidate’s name for the new police commissioner’s post due to policy paralysis. While a section of senior Congress cabinet members was keen on the appointment of additional director general of police Ahmed Javed for the police commissioner’s post he was not promoted as state security corporation MD, while another group of Congress cabinet members was of the view that additional director general of police (traffic) Vijay Kamble should be appointed for the top job.
Though Ahmad Javed, a 1980-batch officer and Additional Director General (Law and order), is the next-in-line for the post, but he is not likely to be appointed as the new police commissioner as he is already due for promotion to the rank of Director General of Police.
Among the 1981 IPS batch officers, Maria is seen as the top competitor to Kamble, but the ruling party is only politicising the issue by planning to appoint a new Dalit Police officer due for wooing Dalits and give tough competition to the Mahayuti alliance.
Modi’s first rally was grand success in Kolkata and the issues which was picked up by him was much matured than his earlier speeches. He said that time has come to bid farewell to the idea of Third Front from Indian politics forever. Ridiculing the idea of a Third Front, Modi said that states ruled by its constituents have remained backward and called upon the people to reject them. In the western states, any Third Front constituent has never been in power. They have existed in the East and deprived it from the development and took the states backward. They have never worked to ensure that fruits of development reached to the Muslims. They have considered them as vote banks. Modi slammed the Left parties at a rally in Kolkata but refrained himself from criticising Mamata Banerjee in a speech that is expected to fuel speculations about a possible alliance between the BJP and Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress. Modi said the people of West Bengal should usher in a parivartan (change) at the Centre in line with what they have done in the state by ousting the Left parties. The BJP is a fringe force in Bengal with only one MP in Darjeeling, where Jaswant Singh won in 2009 with the support of Gorkha Janamukti Morcha. Anyways, it was an awesome speech by Modi in Kolkata, he hit Left, TMC, Third Front, Congress and all pseudo secular thugs in one go. He has given great example of number of Haj applicants from Gujarat and Bengal to portray all round development in Gujarat.
One of the fiercely debated questions in Bengal in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls is whether Banerjee will enter into a tie-up — probably post poll — with the BJP. The Trinamool chief herself has struck a position of equal distance from the Congress and the BJP. She had described the BJP as a ‘party of rioters’ in her address at the same Brigade Parade Ground on January 30. Modi took a dig at the “secular parties” and congratulated the people of Bengal for ushering in a change by handing over the reins to Banerjee in the 2011 assembly elections. He also blamed them for the sufferings of labourers and using the Muslims for reaping political gains. Modi was very much aggressive on third front. It seems there are forces working against him, to prevent him from PM chair. His attack was genuine. Bengal has never been a stronghold of the BJP. Before the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government came to power, the Left parties were at the helm for a period of 34 years. Known to be bitter critics of Modi, Left leaders often turn the heat on the Gujarat chief minister by raking up the 2002 riots. However, there appeared to be a sharp difference between the BJP state national leaders in so far as determining their approach to Banerjee and the Trinamool Congress. This is a critical situation to the people to select a prime minister, who will set clear all the national problems. Unexpectedly, beyond the national parties, some other parties rush forward to form a new government in center without disclosing the name of prime ministerial candidate. The irony is that in that third alliance, some parties which have been formed to uplift their own states are rushing forward to Delhi. What is the motive? Really in general elections, people have to judge the candidates by keeping in mind the national interests.
Let’s assume for an instant that the third front somehow comes into picture and forms the government. There would be complete pandemonium and clash of egos would present an intriguing show. There is a way forward in a non-UPA and non-NDA way. This time to form a third front, there is no credible leader that he can bring various regional parties to fold and prepare common ground for contesting election in order to deliver non-Congress and non-BJP government against the choice of the majority of people. They suddenly emerged and talking about third front that too election is just 2-3 months away. When most of the surveys predicted in favour of NDA and BJP, they wake up and started renewing their old friends for forming third front. Mamata and Maya is not part of the present third front discussion, both of them are going to play a key role post-election. There is a possibility that both clubs together may win nearly 50 MPs enough for them to support NDA to fulfill their wishes. Pawar and Lalu are big names but they have not spoken anything about third front. The same leaders would have started this effort, a year before, would have got good result but now it’s impossible to form.
Instead of working on winning each states and forming a front based on electoral majority is not progressive to attain bipartisanship. If that is the objective of the third front to become a formidable opposition or ruling class then it is not possible as we have seen before. The idea of Third Front is mainly pursued by Mulayam Singh Yadav with the connivance of Left and some regional parties. What a strange mixture it is. Except for the Left, other parties do not have any ideology. Congress party is going to have its lowest tally this time. Aam Aadmi Party is becoming a hot potato. The strange thing is that the type of image AAP has put before the people of India could have done by other parties and individuals too. Left could have done the same but could not because they only indulge in theory and jugglery of words. Even Mulayam’s son Akhilesh Yadav could have done it in UP who came in power with overwhelming majority. The sad part is the personal ambitions of these trifling parties. Indian public are aware of this and they will show them their place. What disappoints me is the failure of the left parties. They could not rise to the occasion when a local Aam Aadmi could do it in one year. This is a pointer to the ethical erosion of values in their rank and file. It also indicates that the lack of trustworthiness in them.
It seems that only option left for the voters is BJP and its prime ministerial candidate Modi.
The Aam Aadmi Party, or the AAP, netted its first big catch in Bihar when Parveen Amanullah, a 55-year-old social activist-turned-politician who quit Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) and government two days ago, joined Arvind Kejriwal’s political outfit.
Two power-supplying firms in Delhi whose licenses ought to be cancelled according to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal have asked the Supreme Court for help. Their case will be heard tomorrow, though the Chief Justice of India P Sathasivam, noted with some frustration, “Everything is happening in Delhi, only remedy is Supreme Court?”