Don’t waste your votes, give it to us, Buddha tells BJP

May 27, 2010 By Leave a Comment

In a new twist to the ongoing politics prior to the civic polls, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Wednesday asked BJP supporters to vote for the Marxists. Bhattacharjee made this appeal while addressing a public meeting in Bansdroni, on the southern fringe of the city.

“I appeal to those who support the BJP and vote for that party, do not spoil your vote. Vote for us, I assure you that we will work for the city,” said Bhattacharjee.

The BJP has fielded 92 candidates in the upcoming Kolkata Municipal Corporation elections and in the last parliamentary elections its vote share was 6.36 per cent. The party can play a vital role in the victory of any candidate in Kolkata and other civic bodies.

An angry BJP retaliated: “They have come to our doors with a begging bowl. It shows we are important to both the CPM and the Trinamool. Following the split between the Congress and the Trinamool over seat sharing, the Trinamool had also asked for our votes. They are mistaken because a BJP voter will never vote for any other party,” said Rahul Sinha, party’s state unit president.

Sources in the CPM said that the Congress has a 16 per cent vote share, but a section of Congress voters will vote for the Trinamool and thereby harm prospects of the Left Front candidates. “If a section of BJP voters cast their votes for the Left candidates, it will be easier for us to contest Trinamool candidates,” said a leader.

Former chief minister Jyoti Basu had appealed to the Congress supporters in the state to vote for the Left Front candidates in the Assembly bypolls held in December 2009. However, his appeal did not work and Left Front candidates were defeated in nine out of the ten constituencies.

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HIGHLIGHTS – UK govt sets out agenda in Queen’s Speech

May 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The new British coalition government set out its legislative agenda on Tuesday in a speech delivered by Queen Elizabeth at the state opening of parliament.

Following are key quotes:

ON DEFICIT/ECONOMY:

“The first priority is to reduce the deficit and restore economic growth.”

“Action will be taken to accelerate the reduction of the structural budget deficit. A new Office for Budget Responsibility will provide confidence in the management of the public finances.”

POLITICAL REFORMS:

“Measures will be brought forward to introduce fixed term Parliaments of five years.”

“A Bill will be introduced for a referendum on the Alternative Vote system for the House of Commons (lower house) and to create fewer and more equal sized constituencies.”

EU RELATIONS

“My Government will introduce legislation to ensure that in future this Parliament and the British people have their say on any proposed transfer of powers to the European Union.”

ON IMMIGRATION:

“My Government will limit the number of non-European Union economic migrants entering the United Kingdom, and end the detention of children for immigration purposes.”

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Thai PM warns citizens of opposition Red Shirts “terrorist behaviour”

April 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Bangkok, April 26 (ANI): At a meeting attended by governors of 61 provinces, Thailand’s

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has requested them to inform the residents of their

constituencies of the “ terrorist behaviour” of some Red Shirt leaders.

Vejjajiva urged the governors to reassure their constituents that while the government

will not curb their freedom of expression, it would block instigative violence and

distortion of facts.

Following the two-our meeting, acting government spokesman Panithan Wattanayakorn said

that Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thangsubam who is also the director of the Centre for

the Resolution of Emergency Situations, had told the assembled that the political

situation has become a threat to national security, the Bangkok Post reports.

Mr Chatree Yooprasert, secretary-general of the Association of Provincial Administrative

Organisations said, “What is certain is that the government is wrong. This government

has long lost its legitimacy to run the country. They should either resign or dissolve

the House to solve the country””s crisis.””””

He said that the government must stop interfering with the media and allow it to

function freely. He said that the Prime Minister’s requests was an attempt to pressurise

local bodies. (ANI)

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Most UK seats to count votes as soon as polls close

April 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Most British constituencies plan to count votes as soon as polls close in next month’s parliamentary election, meaning the outcome should be clear by the morning of Friday, May 7.

Only 25 of 650 seats plan to delay the count until Friday morning, that number having dwindled in recent weeks, the Electoral Commission watchdog said.

Legislation passed before parliament was dissolved this week means that officials are required to take “reasonable steps” to begin the count within four hours of polls closing.

The election will be held on Thursday, May 6 and polls close at 2100 GMT.

A delay in announcing a result could further unsettle financial markets which are jittery over the prospect of an inconclusive election in which neither ruling Labour or the main opposition Conservatives win an overall majority.

It is a tradition of British political life for the counts to start at town halls and leisure centres across the country within minutes of polls closing and there is an unofficial race for the honour of being the first seat to declare a result.

Some officials wanted a delay to save costs on staff overtime and to allow more time to comply with stricter rules on postal ballots where dates of birth and signatures will have to be checked.

Exit polls on Thursday night will give the first indication of the election outcome, but a close contest could be settled by the results in a few marginal constituencies where the main parties enjoy similar levels of support.

(Editing by Michael Roddy)

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Snap Analysis: Hungary’s Fidesz close to two-thirds majority

April 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

(Reuters) – Hungary’s center right Fidesz party scored a sweeping victory in the first round of elections on Sunday, securing 206 of 386 parliamentary seats.

World

It has a good chance of extending its gains to two-thirds majority in the next parliament in the second round of voting due on April 25. Followings are key issues to watch after Sunday’s vote.

WHAT IF FIDESZ WINS TWO THIRDS, AND WHAT IF IT DOES NOT?

Fidesz candidates are leading in 55 out of 57 remaining open constituencies and some analysts said the party could lose in up to 12 and could still have two-thirds majority.

Fidesz is expected to push an intensive campaign to convince voters to go and cast a ballot again in two weeks. Other analysts said Fidesz will need to win 50 of the 57 remaining individual constituency seats in the next round.

If Fidesz manages to secure 258 seats in the final vote, it will have a mandate to modify basic laws such as the constitution, change electoral law, and reform the bloated and inefficient local government sector.

If it does not win two-thirds majority it could still launch major reforms, seeking support from other parties. The green liberal LMP has said it would support acceptable reforms and Fidesz could also seek support from Socialists, although they could be reluctant to back Fidesz after its strong anti-reform push in the past years.

Far-right Jobbik, which got 26 seats in the first round, could attempt to block Fidesz’s reforms.

“In order to increase the future growth potential further, structural measures should be introduced in the fields of labor market flexibility, size of the bureaucracy, simplifying the tax regime or reducing the tax level,” Erste Bank said on April 8.

KEY POLICY STEPS TO WATCH

Fidesz has said it would seek to negotiate with international lenders the IMF and the EU a new precautionary deal after the financing deal expires in the second half of this year. It will likely try to agree a higher budget deficit target for 2010, between 4.5 and 6.5 percent of GDP based on comments from its top economic strategist Gyorgy Matolcsy. The current target is 3.8 percent.

With a higher deficit path, Fidesz seeks to find room for tax cuts, most probably from January 2011, to boost the economy but it is likely to keep to a responsible fiscal policy course over the coming years, analysts have said.

They said if Fidesz produces a credible long term economic plan to put the economy on a growth track and wins the support of the IMF for that, that could lift the forint and Hungarian bonds. It could also create room for the central bank to cut interest rates further.

“We argue that the incoming Fidesz government will eventually agree to a new IMF-backed stabilization programme and this will help tip Hungary into a ‘positive equilibrium’, reducing the overall risk premium on Hungarian assets, facilitate capital inflows and support economic recovery,” Goldman Sachs said in a note prior to the vote.

If there is a disagreement between Fidesz and lenders that could lead to market jitters.

A delay or lack of political will to enact reforms could also backfire.

“We believe that an increase of the deficit target could only be concluded if the IMF accepts this, and should be accompanied by structural reforms,” Erste said.

(Reporting by Krisztina Than; Editing by Alison Williams)

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Instant View: Centre-right Fidesz scores big win in Hungary

April 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

(Reuters) – Hungary’s center-right Fidesz party secured 206 out of 386 parliamentary seats in the first round of elections on Sunday, ousting the Socialists after eight years, preliminary results showed.

World

Based on the first round, Fidesz has a chance to win two-thirds of the seats in the next parliament.

The second round of voting will be held on April 25.

Followings are analysts’ comments on the election outcome.

ZOLTAN NOVAK, MELTANYOSSAG POLITICAL INSTITUTE, BUDAPEST

“I believe Fidesz will succeed in getting two-thirds of the seats, even though by a narrow margin. They can get one or two more mandates from the party compensation list, not too many as they can win in almost all the constituencies. In the constituencies there are only a few places where their opponent leads or stands close to the Fidesz candidate. Voters can get into the mood now in which they will support the election winner. But it’s important for Fidesz to make voters understand between the two election rounds what is at stake. The two-thirds for Fidesz also depends on the campaign but I think they will manage.”

ANDRAS GIRO-SZASZ, SZAZADVEG

“Fidesz needs to win another 52 of the remaining 57 individual constituencies on top of the 206 mandates it won today for a two-thirds (parliamentary) majority.

“If they win about 50 seats of the remaining 57 then it’s feasible they will get another two seats from the national compensation list, so they will need to win 50 seats of the 57 to have a chance for a two-thirds (majority).”

CSABA TOTH, REPUBLIKON INSTITUTE

“Fidesz performed a bit worse than expected, but because of the fact that in the places where the Socialists could stand a chance of winning mandates from Fidesz, especially in Budapest, it was the LMP candidate ending up in third place, they will not withdraw their candidates for the Socialists, which reduces their chances.

“Unless there is a strong psychological effect between the two rounds, that some voters are scared by a too large Fidesz majority, then Fidesz will have two-thirds as the Jobbik voters will go and cast their votes for Fidesz, while the anti-Fidesz vote will be spit between the Socialists and the LMP.

“Even though Fidesz performed a bit below expectations, the mechanism of the electoral system gives it a good chance for a two-thirds majority.”

ZOLTAN TOROK, RAIFFEISEN

“The election victory of Fidesz has been expected by the markets. I expect a neutral market reaction despite the fact that it’s a good thing that there will be a stable government.”

“It’s not good news that they plan to raise the deficit (target) but they will probably first discuss this with the IMF and that will mitigate the impact. Anyway, everybody knows the 3.8 percent deficit target cannot be maintained.”

“If they don’t get two-thirds, they don’t. It is possible to enact deep reforms without two-third majority. And what’s more, there are 3 further parties in parliament and if they manage to convince other parties of supporting reasonable amendment of the constitution … they can find partners for that.”

GERGELY SUPPAN, TAKAREKBANK, BUDAPEST

“Today’s results can reassure markets. It’s positive for markets if Fidesz wins two-thirds of the mandates … Even though the two-thirds is not swept in right now, this is a strong result. I did not think that Fidesz would lead after the first round in all constituencies apart from a few, and now they stand a very good chance to garner two thirds. I expect moderate strengthening of the forint and a drop in government bond yields tomorrow… Global developments like Greek news and U.S. economic figures are also supportive.”

(Reporting by Gergely Szakacs, Sandor Peto and Krisztina Than; Editing by Alison Williams)

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Instant View: Centre-right Fidesz scores big win in Hungary

April 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

(Reuters) – Hungary’s center-right Fidesz party secured 206 out of 386 parliamentary seats in the first round of elections on Sunday, ousting the Socialists after eight years, preliminary results showed.

World

Based on the first round, Fidesz has a chance to win two-thirds of seats in the next parliament.

The second round of voting will be held on April 25.

Followings are analysts comments on the election outcome.

ANDRAS GIRO-SZASZ, SZAZADVEG

“Fidesz needs to win another 52 of the remaining 57 individual constituencies on top of the 206 mandates it won today for a two-thirds (parliamentary) majority.

“If they win about 50 seats of the remaining 57 then it’s feasible they will get another two seats from the national compensation list, so they will need to win 50 seats of the 57 to have a chance for a two-thirds (majority).”

(Reporting by Gergely Szakacs and Krisztina Than; Editing by Alison Williams)

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Hungary’s Fidesz wins election with strong mandate

April 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

BUDAPEST, April 11 (Reuters) – Hungary’s centre-right Fidesz party secured 206 out of 386 parliamentary seats in the first round of elections on Sunday, ousting the Socialists after eight years, preliminary results showed.

The National Election Committee said on its website that based on individual constituencies and party list votes, the Socialists gained 28 seats, ahead of the far-right Jobbik party which had 26 seats in the first round.

The results are from 99.2 percent of votes counted.

Green liberal LMP is the fourth party which passed the threshold to get into parliament, and secured 5 seats.

The remaining 121 seats will be decided in the second round on April 25. (Reporting by Krisztina Than; Editing by Alison Williams)

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Britain faces long wait to learn election outcome

April 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Britons are likely to face an unusually long wait to learn the outcome of what is expected to be the closest parliamentary election in almost two decades.

Forty-two of the 650 seats plan to delay the counting of votes until the morning after polls close, the Electoral Commission watchdog said on Wednesday. Officials in a further 69 seats have yet to decide when to start counting ballots.

The election will be held on Thursday, May 6 and polls close at 2100 GMT. It is a tradition of British political life for the counts to start at town halls across the country within minutes of voting ending and there is an unofficial race for the honour of being the first seat to declare a result.

However, officials in some areas have decided to delay the count to save costs and to comply with stricter rules on postal ballots where dates of birth and signatures will be checked.

Justice Secretary Jack Straw has introduced a clause in a bill going through parliament which would force officials to start the count within four hours of polls closing. However, it is unclear if that bill will be passed before parliament is dissolved on Monday.

Opinion polls show the opposition Conservatives ahead of ruling Labour but by an insufficient margin to guarantee an outright majority in parliament.

Financial markets are nervous about an inconclusive election which they fear could lead to policy paralysis and hamper efforts to tackle a record budget deficit.

Exit polls on Thursday night will give the first indication of the election outcome, but a close contest could be settled by the results in a few marginal constituencies where the main parties enjoy similar levels of support.

(Editing by Matthew Jones)

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Congress – NCP to finalise seat-sharing formula on Saturday

September 19, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Sep 19 (ANI): The crucial meeting of the Congress Party and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders will be held here on Saturday to give the final shape to the seat sharing agreement for next month’s Maharashtra Assembly polls.

The Election Commission issued notification for the assembly polls in Maharashtra, which is to be held on October 13.

On Thursday it was reported that both parties had broadly agreed to a formula of 174: 114 seats for the Congress and the NCP respectively.

The Maharashtra Assembly has 298 constituencies.

Poll management leaders of both the Congress and the NCP met their respective party chiefs on Friday after three days of negotiations.

They had earlier held a series of discussions in Mumbai to give final shape to the seat sharing process.

If the current formula gets the stamp of approval of both parties then the NCP would settle for ten seats less than what it contested the last time.

Meanwhile the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) – Shiv Sena alliance settled on a seat sharing, for 119 for the BJP and 169 seats for Shiv Sena (ANI)

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Gujarat bypolls: BJP wins five, Congress bags two

September 14, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Gandhinagar, Sep 14 (ANI): Coming out of its poor show in the recent Lok Sabha and local body elections in Gujarat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won five assembly seats out of seven constituencies.

The by election to the seven assembly seats was held on September 10nd the counting was held on Monday.

The BJP won Dehgam, Sami, Jasdan, Chotila and Danta, while congress won Dhoraji and Kodinar.

The Congress clinched Kodinar from the BJP, while the later snatched the Jasdan seat form Congress, in which it never lost since independence.

With this win, the ruling BJP’s strength in the 182-member Assembly goes up to 122 while the Congress reached 54, others and independents account for six.

The poll results have sent the Gujarat unit of the BJP into a state of euphoria. (ANI)

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MNS has not taken votes of Shiv Sena, claims Raj Thackeray

May 23, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Mumbai, May 23 (ANI) The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray has said that MNS did not steal anybody’s votes.

He said while addressing his party workers here on Friday in the wake of the comments by Shiv Sena’s Executive President Uddhav Thackeray that due to presence of MNS, the votes were split in the recent elections to Lok Sabha.

Raj Thackeray brushed aside the allegations that his outfit has cut into the votes of an alliance of Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state in the recently concluded general polls,

“…I have not stolen the votes of anybody, its the people who have supported us… Balasaheb Thackeray has all the right to say anything about me and I will not debate against him… I will also ask Uddhav Thackeray as to whom did he vote in this election. If it’s Mahesh Jethmalani , then is he a Marathi and if not then how can they allege that I have stolen the votes of Marathi?” said Raj Thackeray.

MNS, a splinter group of the Shiv Sena has played a spoilsport for the National Democratic Alliance in their strongholds Mumbai and Thane.

Out of its 12 nominees, three candidates of MNS had come up second while the remaining bagged the third spot in the election.

While Shiv Sena bagged 11 seats, the BJP managed just nine of the total 48 constituencies in Maharashtra. (ANI)

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Modi contends Congress gained in polls at cost of its allies

May 18, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Ahmedabad, May 18 (ANI): Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi opined on Monday that the Congress Party capitalised on the follies of its allies in the recently concluded elections.

Modi said the ouster of the Congress-led UPA allies like Lalu and the Left Front by the people in the elections resulted in Congress winning the seats particularly in the constituencies where these allies also had contested.

“The Congress got the benefit because UPA partners were continuously creating hurdles and blackmailing in the Congress-dominated areas. Allies such as Lalu or Left have been taught a lesson by public. The Congress got its natural benefit. So, the Congress has got its seats at the cost of UPA partners,” he said.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) headed by BJP suffered a setback in the elections.

Nonetheless, hailing the public verdict, Modi said that his party would accept it politely and assume the role of opposition with responsibility.

“Public decision is last in democracy and everybody has to accept it politely. The BJP and the NDA, we were in opposition, this time as well. They have given us responsibility to work as opposition. The Congress and the UPA were ruling so once again party has asked them to form government. So, as far as ruling and opposition parties are concerned, there is no difference in the situation,” he added.

The BJP despite its win in some states, conceded defeat at the national level with the Congress-led UPA coalition winning overwhelmingly. (ANI)

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Some BJP leaders celebrate their victory in polls

May 16, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Bangalore, Shimla/ Bhopal, May 16 (ANI): Some Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders on Saturday celebrated their success after defeating Congress candidates in their respective constituencies.

In Bangalore, BJP leader Anant Kumar offered his supporters and party workers sweets.

“The all India results are not upto expectations. Today, we are having our parliamentary board meeting under the leadership of L. K. Advani. We are going to discuss about the results there,” Kumar said.

BJP leader and Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, said he was proud of the voters of his state, who had supported the saffron party.

“The wind, which was blowing in support of the Congress towards Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir, changed its direction in support of the BJP. For this I thank all the voters of Himachal,” Dhumal said.

Meanwhile, senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj expressed dismay over the BJP losing a large number of seats to the Congress.

“The results that have arrived are only of the BJP and not of the alliance. Our NDA alliance has increased so there has been no mistake in forming the alliance. If we compare the results, then BJP has got less number of votes than Congress. So why should we blame the alliance,” Swaraj said. (ANI)

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BJP has nothing to lose in New Delhi, says V K Malhotra

May 16, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, May 16 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party leader V K Malhotra today said that the party has nothing to lose if it does not win seats in the national capital.

Addressing newspersons at the party headquarters here, Malhotra remarked that the party was hoping for an improved show in the capital, but then it did not have much to lose.

“I have said that results are not out. Let the results come out, we hope that the results are good. Last time also, we got one seat. So, we don’t have much to lose. If we get more then one seat, it will be good,” he said.

Earlier, party president Rajnath Singh expressed his disappointment over the incoming election results, saying the BJP and the NDA never imagined it would be so devastating.

Virtually conceding defeat in the elections, Singh said: “We never imagined this unexpected result. We will sit today and assess where we went wrong.”

In the last general elections in 2004, the BJP had managed to win only one parliamentary seat in the national capital out of the seven constituencies, a virtual wipe out as the BJP held all seven constituencies prior to the 2004 general elections. (ANI)

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DMK-led alliance leading in Tamil Nadu

May 16, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Chennai, May 16 (ANI): The DMK-Congress-VCK alliance is leading in 14 of the 39 constituencies in Tamil Nadu while the rival AIADMK front that includes the Left parties is leading in five seats.

Krishnaswamy, AKS Vijayan, TKS Elangovan, TR Baalu and V Tamizharasi are leading in their respective constituencies, while those trailing are Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, Mani Shankar Iyer, KV Thankabalu and EVKS Elangovan.

In Puducherry, Congress candidate V Narayanasamy is leading over the PMK’s M Ramadoss.

In the fray in Tamil Nadu are 823 candidates, including 41 women. In Puducherry, 28 politicians are contesting the lone parliamentary seat. (ANI)

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Third Front has ‘withered’ away even before counting: BJP

May 14, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, May 14 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday claimed that the Third Front has withered away even before the counting of votes in the Lok Sabha elections.

“We pity the Third Front as it is becoming extinct even before counting has begun. Left has allowed the withering away of the Third Front,” BJP Spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters here.

Prasad also accused the Left parties of enabling the Third Front.

“CPM has shown its true colours. Prakash Karat, the senior most leader of CPM, who was making claims of forming a Third Front — said that his party would support the Congress if the BJP is in a position to form the government. This is the height of disillusionment,” Prasad said.

Prasad further said the Left parties were opportunistic.

“The Left enjoyed four-and-a-half years of power, then indulged in six months of drama of opposing the government and now wishes to come back to power,” Prasad added.

Prasad claimed that his party was confident of emerging as the single largest party and claimed the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would end up as the largest pre-poll alliance.

“We have also done our internal survey which shows the BJP emerging as the single largest party and the NDA as the most credible pre-poll alliance,” Prasad added.

The BJP leader said the internal survey showed BJP winning 166 seats and the NDA emerging victorious in 218 constituencies.

Prasad said the survey conducted by the BJP showed Congress gaining only in Kerala, Punjab and Rajasthan and faring badly in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

On the contrary, the BJP is expected to gain in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Orissa and Karnataka, he said. (ANI)

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CPI (M), Trinmool supporters clash in Nandigram

May 9, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Nandigram (WB), May 9 (ANI): At least 10 people were injured in firing after a clash erupted between the CPI-M and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers in Jadubari chowk in Nandigram today during a 12-hour shutdown called by the TMC to protest against the arrest of three of its activists following clashes during Thursday’s polling.

The clash, which saw guns fired by both sides, broke out when the TMC was taking out a procession in the CPI-M dominated area.

Jadubari chowk had witnessed violence during the forth phase of Lok Sabha elections on Thursday in which three TMC supporters were injured.

Among the 17 constituencies spread over seven districts in West Bengal, Nandigram and Singur, the epicentre of the land stir that turned the tables on the ruling CPM in the 2008 panchayat polls, have been declared the most sensitive.

Singur falls under the Hooghly Lok Sabha seat and Nandigram is part of Tamluk. Both Singur and Nandigram will play a key role in determining the results of these two Lok Sabha seats. (ANI)

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Lalu Prasad alleges rigging in third phase of elections

May 3, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Patna, May 1 (ANI): Railways Minister Lalu Prasad has alleged that voting was rigged in Bihar in the third phase on Thursday.

Eleven out of Bihar’s 40 constituencies went to polls in the third phase of parliamentary elections.

“We have information of voting turnout between 25-55 per cent. In Badhaiya block of Munger district, there have been reports of rigging in. We have tried to contact the observers there and also the Senior Superintendent of Police,” said Lalu.

Munger, Banka and Kishanganj districts are considered to be pivotal constituencies for Lalu’s rival and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s party, Janata Dal United.

Meanwhile, Shekhar Suman, actor-turned-politician and a candidate of the Congress Party campaigned in Patna Sahib of Bihar from where he is contesting.

Suman’s son, Bollywood actor Adhyayan Suman along with wife Alka Suman, also campaigned for the actor.

“I have told them that I haven’t come here to play politics as I could have done it being in a different party which could have easily given me a winning seat,” said Suman.

Patna votes in the fourth phase on May 7.

There is a three-cornered contest involving Suman, another former Bollywood actor Shatrughan Sinha on Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) ticket and RJD’s Vijay Sahu.

The remaining fourth and last round of polls in Bihar will be held for three seats on May 7. The first and second phases in 13 seats each were held on April 16 and April 23.

The outcome of the five-stage elections will be known on May 16. (ANI)

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Pak senators want review of peace deal with Taliban in Swat

April 23, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Islamabad, Apr 23 (ANI): Pakistani senators have asked the PPP-led Government to revisit the NWFP Government’s peace agreement with the Taliban in Swat and also review Islamabad’s role in the US war on terror.

Debating on President Asif Ali Zardari’s address to the joint sitting of Parliament, the lawmakers said the federal government should ensure implementation of the recommendations of Parliamentary Committee on National Security.

The members also demanded of the government to review its foreign policy in the light of recommendations of the Parliamentary Committee, The Nation reported.

Jamiat Ulma-e-Islam (JUI-F) Chief Fazlur Rehman said that the Parliamentary committee on National Security had given its recommendations to the government to pull the country out of the crises.

He said that the foreign policy of the country was changed under pressure of the US. “We have to transform our policy in the national interest if we want to save the country,” Fazl added.

“The US President has given statement that they could not win the war on terror, then how we could win it?” he asked.

He said that the writ of government had been put to an end in Swat as well as in the entire NWFP due to military operation.

Khawaja Muhmad Asif of PML-N said that his party supported Nizam-e-Adl Regulation for peace in Swat, but now the activities of the Taliban were being expanded from Swat.

He said that the country was facing extremism and terrorism due to wrong policy of Pervez Musharraf, and stressed on holding All Parties Conference including all stakeholders to address the issues of the country.

Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao demanded the government to ensure implementation of the recommendations of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security.

“The entire tribal region has become ‘No Go Area’ and there are several Parliamentarians who did not visit their respective constituencies as yet,” he said, adding that the government had totally failed to establish its writ in any part of FATA region. (ANI)

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