BJP condemns government phone tapping reports

April 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Apr 24 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday criticised the UPA Government on the issue of phone tapping of senior politicians.

It alleged that the government was resorting to such “despotic actions” after having failed on all fronts.

Interacting with media, party spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said: “In the garb of tracking terror, the Government is tracking politicians and even their own cabinet ministers from alliance partners. Apparently the Government has failed on all fronts, making them seemingly insecure and prompting such despotic actions.”

He demanded a “clear statement” on the issue from the Prime Minister and none else in Parliament.

“BJP would like to question that in perception of the Government, if the cabinet ministers are not safe, if the chief ministers are not safe, then who is safe in this country,” Rudy said.

He termed the alleged phone tapping as an “outright violation of laws and bizarre infringement of our fundamental rights.”

Earlier in the day, a prominent daily has claimed that the phones of some prominent political leaders including Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, Congress leader Digvijay Singh, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary Prakash Karat have been tapped. (ANI)

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Congress Legislature Party to elect new CM in Shillong

April 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Shillong, Apr 19 (ANI): The Congress Legislature Party is meeting in Shillong on Monday night to elect its new leader following the resignation of Meghalaya Chief Minister D D Lapang.

Succumbing to dissidents” pressure, Lapang resigned on Sunday as Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader. He submitted his resignation to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, which was promptly accepted.

Lapang”s deputy Mukul Sangma, a senior Congress leader from west Garo hills district is likely to be elected the new Chief Minister.

The eleven month old government-led by Lapang came under crisis after more than a dozen MLAs revolted against his leadership on the issue of cabinet berths.

The alliance partners of Congress, however, have said it to be an internal problem and that they would continue their support to whoever is elected as the new leader of Congress Legislature Party. (ANI)

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SP ready to sit in opposition: Mulayam

May 18, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Mainpuri, May 18 (ANI): Samajwadi Party (SP) Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Monday said that his party was ready to sit in the opposition if its offer of ‘constructive support’ was not accepted by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA).

“We will continue to give constructive support to the UPA government. We have already made it clear to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. But if the UPA does not want our support, we have no choice but to sit in the opposition,” Yadav told reporters here.

His statement came after some Congress leaders opposed the inclusion of the SP and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in the new UPA Government.

Meanwhile, the Congress has said that the UPA allies will meet on Wednesday to discuss the future course of action.

However, nothing was said on whether the RJD and the SP would be attending the meeting or not.

“On May 20, there will be a meeting of the UPA where all our pre-poll alliance partners are invited. That day we will sit together and discuss our future steps,” Congress Spokesperson Janardhan Dwivedi told reporters in the national capital.

The meeting will take place at UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s residence at 10, Janpath. ANI)

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Paswan terms Nitish’s demand for ‘Special Status’ as ‘drama’

May 16, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Patna, May 15 (ANI): Hours later Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar demanded ‘Special Status’ for his state, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) Chief and Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan termed his demand as ‘drama’.

“Kumar’s demand for a special category status is mere drama. Whoever is making this demand is trying to hide his own weaknesses. Development has never been an issue for him,” Paswan told reporters here.

When asked what the Fourth Front do after declaration of the Lok Sabha results, Paswan said he would speak to the media only after discussions with alliance partners.

Earlier in the day, Nitish Kumar said that he would support that government which gives ‘Special Status’ to Bihar. He also went on to say that Bihar will be the deciding factor post polls, when the election results will be out.

Speaking at a book function here, Kumar said that the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, had so far refused to give Bihar a ‘Special Status’.

He also said that the option of who will become the Prime Minister and who will be made Prime Minister is still open. (ANI)

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I will speak about alliances after May 16, says Mulayam

May 14, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, May 14 (ANI): Samajwadi Party (SP) President Mulayam Singh Yadav on Thursday said that he would talk about alliances only after May 16.

Talking to reporters here, Yadav said: “I will not speak anything before May 16. I will not meet or talk to anybody before the announcement of results.”

Samajwadi Party, which supports the UPA from outside, along with alliance, partners the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) formed a Fourth Front.

The role of the Front will assume significance in government formation with various exit polls projecting a hung Parliament.

On exit polls indicating poor performance by the SP, Yadav said he did not trust such surveys.

Speaking on party general secretary Amar Singh’s statement that he would retire from politics after the elections, Yadav said, “I have told him that he should take care of his health”.

Meanwhile, Amar Singh said that he would not leave the Samajwadi Party ever in my life. (ANI)

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NDA displays strength in Ludhiana rally, Modi-Nitish meet steal the show

May 11, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Ludhiana, May 10 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance displayed its full strength on Sunday, as its alliance partners came together to share common platform here.

Among the prominent NDA leaders, present in the election rally held Ludhiana, included BJP President Lal Krishna Advani, Narendra Modi, Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar, Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Ajit Singh and Shiromani Akali Dal President Parkash Singh Badal.

Addressing the rally Advani said the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has admitted the need to bring back black money from foreign banks.

“Prime Minister himself has said that the black money stashed in foreign banks will be brought back in the first 100 days. I believe this is your victory before polls,” Advani said.

But all eyes were on the sharing of common dais by BJP firebrand leader Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar, the Janata Dal (U) leader and Bihar chief minister, who had reportedly refused to share same stage with the former in Bihar. Both the leaders shook hands on stage as friends.

BJP’s firebrand leader and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi slammed Congress-led UPA for dilly-dallying over executing Afzal Guru, the convict of Parliament attack case.

“Afzal Guru helps you in your vote bank politics, therefore you are not executing the capital punishment. Brothers and sisters, this is an act of fooling people,” said Modi attacking the Congress party.

Meanwhile, Nitish Kumar, who is being wooed by the Congress-led alliance and the ‘Third Front’, charged the UPA government with promising aid to Bihar state during last year’s floods in Kosi river and later withdrawing it.

“There cannot be more shameful act in this country than this. Everyone offers help during the time of a catastrophe but which kind of government is this which asks to return the financial help,” Nitish Kumar said.

Besides, the presence of Telangana Rashtriya Samiti (TRS) chief K. Chandrashekhar Rao also served as a morale booster for the NDA ahead of the next round of the month-long staggered poll on Wednesday (May 13).

The main contest is between the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. (ANI)

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People’s disappointment over inflation, farmers’ suicide will help BJP: Advani

April 23, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Apr 23 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prime ministerial candidate Lal Krishna Advani has said that the disappointment among the people over inflation and farmers’ suicide would help his party to come back in power. He was speaking to reporters on board aircraft during his journey to Madhya Pradesh.

“In the last five years, all that we have seen is the Left parties and the Congress quarrelling over each other. All that we have seen is uncontrolled inflation and price of essential commodities gone haywire. All that we have seen is tens of thousands of farmers’ suicide. So, instead of the optimism and buoyancy earlier, it is frustration and despondence today. Hundred days programme should be such that it recreates that buoyancy and conveys a firm message to the people that now we have a government which is determined to set right things and which is determined to deliver,” Advani told reporters.

Advani further said the BJP is in an expanding mode despite loosing a key ally in Orissa.

“I see a clear possibility of several parties taking the decision after the elections. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is the only alliance, which would announce its allies after elections. We have new alliance partners in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Darjeeling, so the BJP is a party which has been expanding,” Advani said.

Advani also dispelled reports that some of its other allies are deserting it.

“I have been in touch with everyone of my present allies and I see not an iota of truth in these reports,” he added.

The BJP leader said the complexity of the current political scenario makes it difficult to predict the outcome of the polls.

“On the basis of experience, I think those who have been following opinion polls and bookies, are not very accurate forecasts of what really going to happen. Sometimes they may be correct, more often they are wrong and therefore I do not take much cognizance of all these. In fact the problem for my party has arisen when the general atmosphere makes every worker believe that we are going to win. In fact, I have often said that the overconfidence in our camp was the reason why we lost in 2004,” Advani added. (ANI)

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Prime Minister failed to tackle militancy: says Modi

April 10, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Deoria (Uttar Pradesh), Apr 10 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Friday targeted Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on his failure to tackle acts of militancy in the country.

“Prime Minister, it is fine that you could not prevent bomb blasts in the country but you could have at least thought of the place, which you represent,” Modi said while addressing an election rally here.

Modi also said that the militancy could only be dealt if replied in the same language of the terrorists.

“Militancy can be dealt with the same treat, only then we can get rid of it,” Modi added.

The BJP leader termed the Congress as a ‘private limited’ party which was sinking with its alliance partners.

“The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) led by the private limited party of Sonia Gandhi was sinking with its alliance partners, while the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Laloo Prasad, the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) President Ram Vilas Paswan and the Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav have deserted it,” he added.

Modi alleged that the Congress was concerned about bringing back its Muslim vote bank from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP). (ANI)

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United Progressive Alliance no more united, says Advani

April 10, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Patna, April 10 (IANS) Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani Friday said with several alliance partners of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) deserting it, his party has an advantage in the general elections.

‘In the last one month, one by one several UPA partners have deserted it and are fighting against the Congress – that itself gives advantage to the BJP or NDA,’ Advani, the prime ministerial candidate of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), said soon after he arrived here to campaign for party candidates in Bihar.

He said that the United Progressive Alliance was no more united.

‘I am certain after going across the country and reading people’s mood that the BJP will emerge as the biggest party in the elections,’ Advani told newspersons before leaving for Buxar to address a joint rally with alliance partner Janata Dal-United (JD-U).

He dismissed any possibility of a Third Front coming to power. ‘The formation of the next government is not possible without the support of the BJP or Congress,’ he said.

Advani lauded Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for putting the state on the path of development.

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BJP allies find Modi’s campaigning a burden: Congress

April 10, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Ahmedabad, April 9 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) allies find Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s campaigning in their states a burden, Gujarat Congress president Siddharth Patel said Thursday.

‘Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has openly said he is not interested in inviting Modi for poll campaigning in his state. There are other NDA (National Democratic Alliance) partners now who are finding Modi to be a burden after inviting him for poll campaign in their states,’ he said in a statement.

Patel said Modi’s presence in various states would in be counter-productive for the BJP allies as he was indulging only in self-praise.

Commenting on BJP senior leader L.K. Advani who filed his nomination Wednesday for the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat, patel said: ‘A leader who has never taken any interest in addressing problems of people in his constituency even after being elected so many times from the Gandhinagar seat, now has his voters saying that it is no use for Advani to contest again if he has no interest in solving problems of voters in his constituency.’

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Cracks appear in AIADMK-led political front in Tamil Nadu

April 5, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Chennai, April 4 (IANS) The alliance of opposition parties in Tamil Nadu formed under the leadership of AIADMK supremo J. Jayalalitha for the Lok Sabha polls has started to unravel, leaders in some of the alliance partners said here Saturday.

The bone of contention is the number of seats each alliance partner will contest in Tamil Nadu, which sends 39 representatives to the Lok Sabha.

Rajya Sabha MP T.K. Rangarajan of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPIM) – a member of the alliance – said: ‘We do not want to confirm or deny any of those (tussles). Talks are continuing.’

Another alliance partner, MDMK, expressed its unhappiness more openly, though not on record. ‘To retain the party’s honour, we are involved in talks with other parties (outside the alliance),’ said a senior MDMK leader. ‘But their identities will not be disclosed at this point in time.’

AIADMK had earlier said it was willing to cede four seats to CPI-M and MDMK.

The CPI-M authorised its state unit Friday to decide the future course of action ‘if negotiations with AIADMK failed’.

Elections in Tamil Nadu are scheduled May 13.

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UKD president pitted against saffron party’s chief in Nainital

April 5, 2009 By Leave a Comment

It’s now official. The party president of Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) will contest against the party president of its alliance partner, the BJP, in Nainital Parliamentary seat.

UKD has decided to field Narayan Singh Jantwal after BJP president Bachi Singh Rawat denied giving any seat to UKD. “Narayan Singh Jantwal will be the party’s candidate from Nainital,” announced Diwakar Bhatt, cabinet minister in the B.C. Khanduri government. Speaking with mediapersons in the state capital on Thursday, Bhatt said now the UKD has no choice but to field candidates in all five Lok Sabha seats.

Only last week senior leaders including party presidents of both UKD and the BJP met to clear growing differences between them. The BJP had reportedly promised to reconsider at least one seat in favour of the UKD. Apart from Jantwal in Nainital, Ranjit Viswakarma will contest from Almora reserved seat, Shailesh Guleri from Tehri, AP Juyal from Pauri and Rajkumar Saini from Haridwar Parliamentary seat.

Irked over the BJP’s decision to go alone in polls, senior UKD leader Kashi Singh Aeri said, “On the national level many alliance partners with the NDA have parted away due to the BJP’s reckless behavior and in Uttarakhand too the BJP has repeated it.” He said the move would further sour the relationship between the two.

On question of continuing with the BJP government, Aeri said he still believed that his party should “come out of Khanduri government” before contesting elections against BJP candidates. “However this is my personal view and whatsoever we are bound with the party’s view” he added.

Embarrassed with the Aeri’s remark, cabinet minister Diwakar Bhatt was quick to respond. “We will come out of government at the right time but the time has not come,” he said.

Asked whether the UKD still advocates for Gairsain as the permanent state capital, the UKD minister said the party is waiting for the outcome of Dixit Commission report and plan their move accordingly.

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TRS suspends three candidates over poll dispute

April 5, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Hyderabad, Apr 4 (ANI): The Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) in Andhra Pradesh suspended three of its rebel candidates on Saturday after they failed to withdraw their nominations for the coming elections despite requests made by party chief K Chandrasekhar Rao.

Those suspended include former MLA M. Padma Devender Reddy, party youth wing president Jitta Balakrishna Reddy and senior party leader P Raghupati Rao.

While Padma Reddy and Balakrishna Reddy were denied tickets from Medak and Bhongir Assembly seats respectively, Rao could not contest from the Gajwel Assembly seat in Medak district.

Several party rebels who filed nomination papers didn’t withdraw from the contest in the seats, which were allotted to Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in the seat sharing agreement among the Grand Alliance partners.

There are at least a dozen TRS rebels left in contest, all of them in Assembly constituencies, who threaten to mar the chances of official candidates of TDP and TRS. (ANI)

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Omar Abdullah campaigns for Congress in Jammu

April 2, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Jammu, April 1 (IANS) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Wednesday urged people to vote for Congress candidates in the Jammu region in the elections, saying that the victory of the Congress would be a victory for the National Conference.

‘It is the direction of National Conference president Farooq Abdullah that you all should vote for Congress candidates. You must press the button showing the ‘hand’ symbol of the Congress party,’ Abdullah told an election rally near here.

‘We are confident that Manmohan Singh would once again be the prime minister of India,’ he said.

The Congress is contesting both the seats of Jammu region – Udhampur-Doda and Jammu-Poonch.

The National Conference proposes to contest all the three seats in the Kashmir Valley – Srinagar, Anantnag and Baramullah. But a decision on the sixth seat of Lok sabha is pending between the two ruling alliance partners, the Congress and National Conference.

Though the National Conference and the Congress had fought the assembly elections as rivals, they joined hands after the poll results to put together a coalition government.

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Mayawati’s critics join hands to weaken BSP

March 9, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Lucknow, Mar. 9 (ANI): Critics and former lieutenants of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati have joined hands with the objective of derailing her poll aspirations in 2009.

They have formed an alliance called the Adhikar Manch, which would contest all 80 seats in the state.

The coalition, which started campaigning even before dates were announced, includes ex-BSP rank holder and chief of the regional party Apna Dal, Sone Lal Patel, Om Prakash Rajbhar, who led the Bhartiya Samaj Party and ex-cabinet minister R K Chaudhary, who is the sitting MLA from Mohanlalganj.

National Loktantrik Hind Party (NLHP) chief Masood also plans to contest from at least six seats. The other constituents of the Adhikar Manch include Vanchit Jamat Party, Lokpriya Samaj Party and Bhartiya Sarvodaya Party of Raja Ram Pal, former BSP state president.

“Though I was approached by the Samajwadi Party, which wanted me to contest from Ghosi, I declined the offer and decided to align with like-minded parties. My party will contest on 18 seats in Poorvanchal region of the state, for which candidates have already been finalized,” Rajbhar said.

“Seat sharing between all the constituents has been finalised. It has been decided that all the alliance partners will campaign for candidates,” Rajbhar added. (ANI)

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Kalyan Singh takes full responsibility of Babri mosque demolition

February 7, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Feb.5 (ANI): Former Bharatiya Janata Party leader Kalyan Singh on Thursday took upon himself the “total” responsibility for Babri Masjid’s demolition, as the then chief minister of Uttar Pradesh in 1992.

“I want to state that the incident that took place on December 6, 1992 in Ayodhya…I own total responsibility for it. I had even resigned from chief minister post on the same day,” Kalyan Singh told media after a three-hour meeting with SP leaders Mulayam Singh Yadav and Amar Singh at his residence here.

His announcement of “total” responsibility for Babri mosque’s demolition has come in the wake of growing anguish among the new political friend Mulayam Singh’s Samajwadi Party supporters and Muslim community over their friendship.

“I will leave no stone unturned to defeat the BJP. I will work for the complete destruction of the BJP and stop all possibilities of the formation of a BJP-led NDA government at the Centre,” said Kalyan Singh, who recently left BJP.

Asked about the reports stating some Muslim sections being opposed to his closeness to Mulayam Singh, Kalyan said: “The ordinary Muslim has welcomed and is happy about my friendship with Mulayam. Muslims do not want BJP and neither do I so where is the conflict.”

The fire-brand Kalyan Singh’s admission can be viewed as an attempt to buy peace for the SP among its supporters and possible political alliance partners.

On Wednesday, Kalyan took “moral responsibility” but still fell short of making an apology which he opted to do following a meeting the SP leaders on Thursday here. (ANI)

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