House term extended, Nepal PM to quit soon

May 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment

In a day dominated by hectic discussions, the Constituent Assembly (CA) extended its own tenure by a year.

The Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoits (UCPN-M) supported the government’s proposal for a year’s extension after Prime Minister Madhav Nepal declared that he would quit as soon as possible to pave the way for a national unity government. However, he made it clear that Maoists must honour their commitment to return property confiscated during the years of insurgency to rightful owners, and transform Young Communist League into a civilian structure.

The proposal for extension of the House tenure was approved with a overwhelming majority after chiefs of three major political parties — The UCPN-M, Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) — endorsed an agreement extending the deadline of the CA.

The Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal (RPP-N), with four members in the House was the only dissenting party. Its leader C B Gurung said the House has lost its mandate, and “we have failed to deliver Constiutution within the stipulated time. The only course left is to go for a fresh poll.”

The House assembled at 11. 42 pm exactly 18 minutes before the House was to cease to exist. Maoist leader Prachanda had specified that his party would only support the Bill for the extension of the CA’s term if the Prime Minister resigned. However, Baburam Bhattarai, deputy leader of the UCPN-M managed to rally his party members to support the Bill even after the party chief whip had issued directive for members to oppose the Bill.

Prime Minister Madhav Nepal, when he called on the President around 9 pm, asserted that he was not going to resign under pressure from the Maoists, but added that he would not come in the way of the formation of a national unity governmnt. Within an hour, however, he changed his mind under pressure from his own party heavy weights including Party chief Jhalnath Khanal who asked him to quit or pave the way for the return of a “dictatorial regime”.

The extension of the House has triggered sharp response from the legal community which says it is uncontitutional. “How can the tenure be extended by the CA itself,” said lawyer Sambhu Thapa. Television channels have said that from the time of the creation of the Constituent Assembly to the preparation of a partial draft of the Constitution, a whopping Rs 13. 5 billion has been spent.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Gordon Brown bids emotional goodbye to “second most important job of his life”

May 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

London, May 12 (ANI): In an emotional farewell British Prime Minister bid goodbye to10 Downing Street. Addressing the assembled crowd from a lectern placed on the street outside his soon to be former residence, he said it was a “privilege” to serve as Prime Minister and spoke of the Prime Minister’s role as one with a “weight of responsibilities” and “great capacity for good”.

The former Prime Minister was on the verge of tears with his voice cracking several times as he read out his statement, “Our troops represent all that is best in our country and I will never forget all those who have died in honour and whose families today live in grief,” The Telegraph quoted him as saying.

Accompanied by wife Sarah Brown said that being Prime Minister was the second most important job he could hold, “the second most important job I could ever hold” after being a husband and father.

He exited 10 Downing Street through a back-door and had a short audience with the Queen to whom he formally tendered his resignation. After this he headed to the Labour Party headquarters.

Brown had come in for stinging criticism from his own party members in recent times for his reluctance over relinquishing the Prime Ministerial post.

However all that seemed forgotten as his party members, MPs and Cabinet Ministers greeted him warmly, some of them in tears. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Gordon Brown bids emotional goodbye to “second most important job of his life”

May 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

London, May 12 (ANI): In an emotional farewell British Prime Minister bid goodbye to10 Downing Street. Addressing the assembled crowd from a lectern placed on the street outside his soon to be former residence, he said it was a “privilege” to serve as Prime Minister and spoke of the Prime Minister’s role as one with a “weight of responsibilities” and “great capacity for good”.

The former Prime Minister was on the verge of tears with his voice cracking several times as he read out his statement, “Our troops represent all that is best in our country and I will never forget all those who have died in honour and whose families today live in grief,” The Telegraph quoted him as saying.

Accompanied by wife Sarah Brown said that being Prime Minister was the second most important job he could hold, “the second most important job I could ever hold” after being a husband and father.

He exited 10 Downing Street through a back-door and had a short audience with the Queen to whom he formally tendered his resignation. After this he headed to the Labour Party headquarters.

Brown had come in for stinging criticism from his own party members in recent times for his reluctance over relinquishing the Prime Ministerial post.

However all that seemed forgotten as his party members, MPs and Cabinet Ministers greeted him warmly, some of them in tears. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Lib-Dems, Tories may agree on �economic deal� to reassure markets

May 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment

London, May 10 (ANI): In what could be a decisive factor leading to the formation of a coalition in the House of Commons, Nick Clegg and David Cameron are close to agreeing to an �economic deal.�

This is especially significant, since British markets have registered fluctuations with the pound depreciating after it came to light that Britain was heading for a hung parliament.

The move will allay investors� fears about the market that has already faced rough weather following the crisis in Greece.

Tory leader William Hague, explained how the basis of a deal would be rooted in an economic agreement, The Telegraph reports.

“We are agreed that a central part of any agreement that we make will be economic stability and a reduction of the budget deficit,� the paper quoted him as saying.

He added that “political reform, economic issues and the reduction of the deficit, banking reform, civil liberties, environmental issues” has also been discussed.

Interestingly, Nick Clegg met Gordon Brown for a meeting to work out a new deal with the Labour Party while his negotiators were immersed in talks with Tory party negotiators in a neighbouring building.

Meanwhile, Labour Party top-brass are urging Brown to abdicate his position in order for an alliance with the Lib-Dems to come through.

Brown, however, is extremely reluctant to give up the Prime Ministership, he is hastily trying to stitch together a shaky coalition with minority parties instead. This inspite of his own party members coaxing him to step down with dignity.

A Lib Dem- Lab deal seems unlikely in the current scenario.

Lord Ashdown, the former Lib Dem leader and close ally of Clegg, said of Brown: “Amongst his personal qualities is not one that makes him an easy or very able leader of a collegiate-style government.” (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

UK’s Lib Dems consider Conservative government offer

May 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Britain’s Liberal Democrat leader will seek backing from senior party members on Saturday for a possible deal with the Conservatives after Thursday’s election, in which none of the three major parties won a majority.

The centre-right Conservative Party won most parliamentary seats but they need the support of other parties to form a stable government that can tackle the record budget deficit.

A deal with the much smaller centrist Liberal Democrats would achieve that and also give the Lib Dems their first role in government for decades.

Leader Nick Clegg must overcome scepticism among a significant number of his party, who fear that Britain’s third largest party would be forced to sacrifice too many cherished policies for a deal.

Financial markets, already rattled by a debt crisis in Greece, want a new government to be formed quickly so it can set about reducing the deficit swiftly and decisively.

The pound, gilts and stock market all fell on Friday when it became clear the Conservatives would not have a parliamentary majority, despite beating the incumbent Labour Party soundly.

Conservative leader David Cameron appealed to the Liberal Democrats on Friday, saying he would consider some kind of formal agreement with them.

This could include a coalition, a rarity in Britain, but is more likely to involve a pact whereby the Lib Dems agree to support a Conservative-led minority government implementing an agreed legislative programme in return for concessions.

Senior members of both parties met on Friday night and further talks are expected over the next few days.

DEFICIT DISCUSSIONS

The most important hurdle is agreement on the pace of lowering the budget deficit. The Conservatives have pledged to start cutting it immediately but the Lib Dems warn this could harm Britain’s recovery from a deep recession in 2008-2009.

Electoral reform, along with immigration, Britain’s role in the European Union and defence, are also likely to be stumbling blocks. The Lib Dems have long pushed for a change to the first-past-the-post voting system in favour of proportional representation.

Clegg has to persuade Lib Dem members of parliament it is worth making concessions, even though many party members are sceptical.

“I will never consider voting for the Lib Dems again if a Conservative/Lim Dem pact is the outcome of this election!” one supporter said on Liberal Democrat Voice, a web site for party activists.

Former Labour Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott said on Saturday the Conservatives, or Tories as they are also known, would not be able to offer proportional representation.

“We have introduced it in the Scotland and Wales regional governments so it seems to be on the horizon. But the Tories won’t do it. We may,” Prescott told Reuters on the sidelines of an environment conference in Beijing. “The best possibility for proportional representation is with the Labour Party.”

If the Lib Dem/Conservative talks fail, a deal between Clegg’s party and Labour was possible, but more complicated as the two parties combined would not have enough MPs to form a majority in the 650-seat House of Commons.

A Lib Dem-Labour deal would therefore have to involve other parties such as nationalist groups like Wales’s Plaid Cymru and the Scottish Nationalist Party.

Labour leader Gordon Brown has said the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats had the right to try to form a government first even though he is allowed as sitting Prime Minister to have the first try under Britain’s constitution.

His party has pledged to hold a referendum on electoral reform.

(Editing by Matthew Jones)

- To see the latest stories about the UK, click http://link.reuters.com/quq44j for multimedia coverage

- See us online http://uk.reuters.com/news/globalcoverage/politics

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Thai ruling party seeks to win over coalition through constitutional amendments

April 21, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Bangkok, Apr.21 (ANI): Thailand’s ruling Democrat Party is looking at the drafting of a new “people”s constitution” to break the present political deadlock.

While some party senior executives, including chief adviser and former prime minister Chuan Leekpai, are opposed to proposals forwarded by junior coalition members to amend two sections of the 2007 constitution and dissolve the lower house in six months, the Democrats” executive has instead agreed that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban should approach the party”s coalition partners with a proposal to draw up a new charter.

Democrat adviser and former party leader Banyat Bantadtan proposed the idea of drafting a new constitution at a meeting yesterday of party members and the party”s cabinet ministers to discuss the political situation and the proposed charter amendments, a party source said.

Banyat suggested the new “people”s constitution” should be modelled on the 2007 and the1997 charters.

All sectors of society, including the anti-government red shirts, should be involved in the drafting of the new constitution, the source said.

Banyat believed the initiative of a new charter would gain greater public support than the amendment of just two sections of the present constitution. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Cobb wins Calare preselection for Nats

April 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The sitting Member for Calare has been endorsed as the Nationals’ candidate for the next Federal election.

John Cobb beat Orange City Councillor Sam Romano in the preselection at a meeting attended by about 250 party members in Orange on Saturday.

Mr Cobb says the lack of water and challenges facing local health services are the biggest issues facing people in the western region.

He says while he is confident heading into the upcoming Federal election, he is taking nothing for granted.

“On paper we’re talking two, three per cent so you don’t get too carried away with those sort of numbers and it’s a different electorate,” he said.

“But I think it’s a natural sort of electorate for us to be able to look after in a regional sense.”

Mr Cobb says he is now focused on the task ahead.

“I would’ve been very disappointed if I’d lost, but I was pretty overwhelmed by the result,” he said

“It was very humbling to get such a vote of confidence and I guess now it just means everybody can concentrate on the job at hand.

“[It] may be as soon as August in defeating the current government and keeping the seat of Calare with the Nationals.”

After redistribution, Calare is now a central west seat, taking in Lithgow, Bathurst and Oberon but losing a large chunk of the far west including Bourke, Brewarrina and Narromine.

The Nationals currently hold the seat but last year’s redistribution has reduced the margin from 12 per cent to 3.5 per cent.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Trinidad leader hints at general election soon

March 31, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Wed, Mar 31 08:46 AM

Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Patrick Manning has been talking about holding an early general election, as parliament prepares to debate a no-confidence motion against him next week.

“It is coming as sure as night follows day, I’m talking about general elections,” Manning told supporters on Monday night.

A geologist by profession, the 64-year-old Manning has ruled Trinidad and the smaller island of Tobago for 13 of the past 17 years.

He easily won re-election in November 2007 but has faced growing criticism for alleged corruption and spending on big ticket items including public buildings and summit meetings in the energy-rich Caribbean nation, which is a leading supplier of natural gas to the United States.

“One of the most contentious issues is whether the people have been getting value for money given the vast amount of revenues that have passed through the country over the past seven years,” Derek Ramsamooj, a leading political analyst, told Reuters on Tuesday.

Last weekend, at a special convention of the ruling People’s National Movement, Manning told party members that a pre-selection of candidates for the general election will be held on April 7.

He has set no date for the actual vote, however, and a general election is not constitutionally due until 2012.

The no-confidence motion, brought against Manning by opposition leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, is due to be debated in parliament on April 9. Barring major surprises, it is widely expected to fail since the People’s National Movement holds 26 seats in the 41-member parliament.

For that reason, according to Ramsamooj, Manning’s talk about an early election may amount to little more than a ruse.

It could be aimed at testing the resolve of Trinidad’s two leading opposition parties, which have pledged to form an alliance against Manning’s party, Ramsamooj said.

“On the previous occasion when he called a snap election, Mr. Manning lost and I think he would have learned his lesson from it. So I think the prime minister’s public posturing of contemplating calling general elections is part of a political strategy,” said Ramsamooj, who heads an independent political consultant company, Caribbean Development Strategies.

If the no-confidence motion fails, Manning would not be required to call a general election until 2012.

(Editing by Mohammad Zargham)
Linda Hutchinson-Jafar

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Suu Kyi’s party says won’t stand in Myanmar polls

March 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Myanmar’s biggest opposition party said on Monday it would not register for this year’s election, meaning Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi’s party will have no role in the military-led political process.

The National League for Democracy (NLD) party, which won the last election in 1990 by a landslide but was never allowed to rule, said the entire party leadership had agreed not to run.

“After a unanimous vote of the central executive committee, the NLD party has decided not to register as a political party because the election laws … are unfair and unjust,” the party said in a statement.

The election has been widely dismissed as a sham after nearly five decades of iron-fisted army rule in the former Burma, a strategically situated but isolated country rich with resources like natural gas, timber and gems and a Southeast Asian port.

Senior party members made the decision six days after Suu Kyi, who has spent 15 of the past 21 years in detention, said she “would not dream” of entering if the decision was hers.

The comment was widely interpreted as a veiled instruction to party members as they prepared for a ballot on whether to run.

In comments relayed from her lawyer, Suu Kyi said the NLD was not ruined and vowed to keep up her fight for democracy.

“Registering the party under the unjust and one-sidedly drawn-up laws cannot be accepted,” she was quoted as saying.

“I would like to tell the people that I will continue working for the emergence of democracy.”

A senior party official had earlier told Reuters some members in favour of running in the election had been urged to vote otherwise to show the party was united.

UNCERTAIN FUTURE

Divisions had emerged in the party between advocates of a boycott and modernisers who believe the NLD would be a spent force if it did not run. However, senior NLD member Win Tin said the party would live on.

“The party will not die,” he told Reuters. “We will be among the people, our activities will not stop.”

The party faces dissolution if it refuses to register.

After the announcement, party members were in high spirits and chanted slogans to show their support for Suu Kyi, wearing T-shirts bearing her picture.

The NLD is most angered by the military junta’s restrictive election laws, which bar current and former prisoners from taking part. Many NLD members are among the 2,100 political detainees in Myanmar, the most famous of whom is Suu Kyi.

After the last election, the junta promised to hand over power to the NLD after a constitution was drafted and a probe launched into the polls. Neither happened and the NLD was never allowed to rule.

Some in Myanmar’s biggest city, Yangon, disagreed with the NLD’s decision and said the country’s best hope for democratic change had played into the hands of the generals.

“I think the NLD has made another major policy blunder”, said a retired civil servant, who asked not to be identified.

“They’ve walked into a trap. They could have pressed on without Suu Kyi and got something out of the election.”

Experts say the junta has learned from the botched 1990 election and has drafted a constitution that ensures it will effectively remain in charge, without the need to rig the polls.

The United States and United Nations have not publicly questioned the constitution but have said the election would not be credible if political prisoners could not take part.

(Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Jerry Norton)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bodoland People”s Front to contest BTC elections alone

March 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Guwahati, Mar 19 (ANI): The Bodoland People”s Front (BPF) has made it clear that it would not share seats with the Congress party in the upcoming Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) elections, which is to be held on April 9.

BPF chief Hagrama Mohilary confirmed the news to media personnel, asserting that his party would contest alone for all the 40-member Council seats.

Mohilary said this step was taken due to the stiff opposition of the party members after Bodoland People”s Front finalized an electoral adjustment in eight seats with Congress being the coalition partner.

He, however, said the alliance with the Congress in the state will remained undisturbed, adding that the Congress party can file its own candidates in the fray.

The BPF party-workers had ransacked a number of party offices in Fakiragram, Srirampur, Bijni and other places in Kokrajhar district immediately after the party decided to join hands with the Congress for the upcoming elections. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Mayawati calls emergency party meeting over currency garland controversy

March 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Lucknow, Mar 17 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati will preside over an emergency meeting of her Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Wednesday to discuss the currency garland controversy involving her.

All BSP lawmakers have been informed about the meeting and have been asked to attend.

Mayawati was severely criticized both inside and outside Parliament as the currency garland controversy sparked demands for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the source of money used to make the garland reportedly worth Rs 5 crore.

The emergency meeting has been called as the Income Tax Department is expected to begin an inquiry into the controversy.

The department is reportedly collecting photographs and video footage of the garland from various sources, including newspapers and TV channels that covered the event.

Sources said the meeting will be held at Mayawati”s official residence in Lucknow and it is speculated that she would issue guidelines to her party members.

The Samajwadi Party and the Congress both have demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the matter, questioning the source from where the money had come.

Congress leader Digvijay Singh has accused Mayawati of misusing public money, and said that she is not the daughter of a Dalit, but the daughter of wealth.

Yoga Guru Swami Ramdev has also criticized her of doing business through politics.

The multi-crore garland was just a small part of the extravagant Rs 200 crore celebrations that marked the BSP”s 25th anniversary, and its founder Kanshi Ram”s birthday, with a massive rally in Lucknow. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Rajya Sabha suspension of four Samajwadi Party members revoked

March 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Mar. 15 (ANI): Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman K Rehman Khan on Monday revoked the suspension of four Samajwadi Party members who had been punished for unruly behaviour during last week”s debate on the over-decade old Women”s Reservation Bill before its passing.

Khan rescinded the suspension order after a government resolution for revocation of suspension of the SP members – Veerpal Singh Yadav, Kamal Akhtar, Nand Kishore Yadav, Aamir Alam Khan – was adopted by the House.

Three others – Subhash Yadav (Rashtriya Samajwadi Party), Sabir Ali (Lok Janshakti Party) and Ejaz Ali (unattached),were also suspended along with the SP members till the end of the current session.

All the seven were marshalled out amidst uproar as they protested the Constitutional Amendment Bill, providing for reservation of one-third seats for women in the Lok Sabha and the state Assemblies.

No official reason was cited for revocation of suspension of the SP members. Besides, there was no mention in the resolution about the three other suspended members.

Nand Kishore Yadav had confirmed on March 12 that he and his other party colleagues had met Ansari, but refused to admit that they had apologised. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Candidate hopeful shrugs off CMC probe

March 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The Whitsunday regional Mayor says a Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) investigation will not hinder his chances of contesting this year’s federal election.

Councillor Mike Brunker wants to run for the Labor Party in the seat of Dawson, in the state’s north.

“There’s been no criminal charges, I’m not expecting any and I know if I am preselected the National party will concentrate on that,” Cr Brunker said.

ALP state secretary Anthony Chisholm says the person will be selected by the national executive rather than local Labor Party members.

“I believe the national executive are determined to get a candidate in the field as soon as possible, many people were caught by surprise by James Bidgood’s decision to retire at the next election,” Mr Chisholm said.

Nominations for preselection close on Tuesday and a candidate will be chosen on Thursday.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Nationals name Port Macquarie candidate

March 9, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The New South Wales Nationals have selected Leslie Williams as the party’s candidate for the seat of Port Macquarie in the 2011 state election.

Ms Williams was the only candidate and was unanimously endorsed by National party members from Port Macquarie, the Camden Haven and Harrington at a meeting on the weekend.

She says she is excited about the opportunity to continue working closely with the local community and will fight to ensure the region gets a fair share of State Government funding.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Action against party men who discuss ‘Jinnah’: Rajnath Singh

September 6, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Rohtak (Haryana), Sep 6(ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Rajnath Singh on Sunday warned the party members to avoid talking about Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the man who BJP holds responsible for the division of the country and massacre of lakhs of people, failing which would invite a strict action from the party.

“Jinnah was responsible for dividing the country into two. We won’t accept a person like Jinnah, who was responsible for the massacre of lakhs of people. So, if anybody talks about him, we won’t hesitate to take a strict action against him or her,” Rajnath Singh said.

BJP crisis boiled over after senior party leader Jaswant Singh was expelled for writing a book sympathetic to Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and BJP hold Jinnah responsible for India’s partition, and its strong views on that were notices at the expulsion of Jaswant Singh.

Singh further said that BJP was not against Muslims, on the other hand it has always sought to unite people belonging from different religions and creed. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

CPI (M) defends Buddha over skipping politburo meet

September 6, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Sep 5 (ANI): The Communist Party of India (Marxist) dismissed reports that West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee was deliberately avoiding party’s two-day politburo meet, which began today on Saturday in the national capital.

According to reports, senior party leaders including Brinda Karat claimed that Buddhadeb had just recovered from viral fever and was advised by doctors to take rest, forcing party members urging him to stay back in Kolkata.

The CPI(M) Politburo is meeting to finalise a document to deal with its organisational problems, which led to its defeat in the recent polls in West Bengal and Kerala.

It is being assumed that topics regarding Lalgarh could be raised during the two-day meet, may have prompted Buddhadeb to give the meeting a miss.

It is also said that Buddhadeb is upset over reports of his successor or deputy being selected during the meet.

Differences between the West Bengal Chief Minister and CPI (M) leaders have been reported ever since party’s failure in the Lok Sabha elections, especially after the defeat they experienced in West Bengal during Lok Sabha polls. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Jaswant Singh | Jaswant Singh Removed from BJP | Jaswant Singh expelled from BJP | BJP expels Jaswant from party for praising Jinnah

August 19, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Jaswant Singh | Jaswant Singh Removed from BJP | Jaswant Singh expelled from BJP | BJP expels Jaswant from party for praising Jinnah

Shimla: Senior leader Jaswant Singh has been sacked by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for writing a book praising Pakistan’s founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah.

Jaswant Singh, who is the party MP from Darjeeling, was sacked on Wednesday at the party’s chintan baithak being held in Shimla.

BJP President Rajnath Singh announced that the Darjeeling MP has been removed as the primary member of the party.

To View BJP expels Jaswant from party for praising Jinnah News Video Click Here

“After discussing with party members we have decided to expel Jaswant Singh. I telephoned Jaswant Singh and asked him not to come to chintan baithak,”Rajnath Singh said after announcing that Jaswant has been expelled from the party.

Although Jaswant was in Shimla but he was not attending the three-day chintan baithak.

To Read Entire Article Visit – http://ibnlive.in.com/news/bjp-expels-jaswant-singh-from-party/99502-37.html

To View BJP expels Jaswant from party for praising Jinnah News Video Click Here

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bal Thackeray undergoes angiography

July 7, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Bal Thackeray undergoes angiography

Mumbai, July 7 (IANS) Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray underwent an angiography on Tuesday morning and is likely to operated upon, a party insider said.

Thackeray, 83, was admitted to the Lilavati Hospital here Monday following breathing problems.

After the angiography and the medical panel’s expert advice, Thackeray may undergo a surgery later Tuesday, a party insider said, requesting anonymity.

The Lilavati Hospital had set up a five-member panel to treat him – Jaleel Parker, who has been regularly treating him; J.J. Dalal, Samuel Mathew, Ajit Menon and Prakash Jindani, who examined the senior leader to determine the course of treatment Monday.

Concerned about his advanced age and frail health, the medicos have discussed the treatment options available with Thackeray’s family.

Son Udhav has cut short his trip to the US and is expected return to Mumbai later Tuesday to be with his father, who underwent a heart surgery a few years ago.

Thackeray’s estranged nephew and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray, senior party leaders like Manohar Joshi, party MPs, legislators and senior leaders of the ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have been thronging the hospital to inquire after his health.

Thackeray had been admitted to the same hospital June 18 for treating similar respiratory problems, causing concern among family and party members. He was discharged after six days in hospital.

Earlier, in March this year, Thackeray had spent 11 days in Lilavati Hospital for similar health complaints.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Last surviving member of Ghadar Party dies in Britain

May 22, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Chandigarh, May 22 (IANS) Bhagat Singh Bilga, the last surviving member of the pre-independence Ghadar (revolution) Party and a well-known freedom fighter, has passed away in Birmingham, according to information reaching the Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Memorial Committee at Jalandhar in Punjab. He was 102 years old.

Popularly known as ‘Baba Bilga’ and sharing his first name with legendary revolutionary Bhagat Singh, the freedom fighter passed away in a private hospital Thursday after battling prostate cancer.

His family members were with him when he breathed his last. He had gone to Britain some time back. He is survived by two sons, society members said.

Members of the Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Committee at Jalandhar city, 150 km from here, mourned the passing away of the Ghadar Party leader and lauded his efforts in India’s freedom struggle and social service.

Born in 1907, the same year when Bhagat Singh was born, Bilga was contemporary of freedom fighters and Ghadar Party members Kartar Singh Sarabha and Mohan Singh Bakhna.

The Ghadar Party was founded in the United States and Canada by Indians in 1913 to help from there the freedom movement in India. It was founded by freedom fighter Lala Hardayal.

Bilga was only one year old when his father passed away. He was brought up by his maternal uncle and grandmother.

He traveled from Calcutta (now Kolkata) to Rangoon (now Yangon), Singapore, Hong Kong and Argentina in search of jobs. He met Bhagat Singh’s uncle Ajit Singh in Argentina and became inclined towards the freedom movement.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Common touch, cash and cool key to landslide ANC victory

May 3, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Johannesburg – As the African National Congress (ANC) cruised to another overwhelming victory in South Africa’s fourth democratic general election, the popularity of the ruling party of 15 years was being attributed to three main factors: the common touch, cash and cool.

Results from Wednesday’s national and provincial elections showed the party’s majority only slightly dented by the emergence of new opposition.

From a high of 70 per cent in 2004, the ANC’s support, with over 80 per cent of the votes cast posted, had dipped slightly to a little over 66 per cent or the two-thirds it needs to push through constitutional amendments on its own.

Its nearest challenger, the liberal Democratic Alliance of Cape Town mayor Helen Zille was at 15.9 per cent, while the new Congress of the People (COPE) was stuck at around 7.5.

That Jacob Zuma’s ANC would win the election had never been in question. With only half the votes counted the champagne was already flowing at an ANC victory party on the streets of Johannesburg Thursday night.

The only unknown had been the size of the ANC’s majority.

A split in the party last year between factions aligned to Zuma and ex-president Thabo Mbeki, leading to the formation of COPE, had rattled the ANC as thousands of party members jumped ship.

Because COPE leaders, such as former ANC chairman and now COPE president Mosiuoa Lekota, could also claim the important mantle of the anti-apartheid struggle, analysts talked excitedly about the first credible opposition to the hegemonic ANC.

But COPE quickly lost momentum by failing to articulate a distinct vision, instead repeatedly attacking the ANC on issues like corruption that had already bedevilled the party under their man Mbeki.

In doing so, COPE neglected the bread-and-butter issues that most mattered to voters, such as unemployment of around 40 per cent.

Ironically, it was the ruling party that promised the most change. Energized by the COPE threat, the ANC went door-to-door promising more and better-paid jobs, improved healthcare, education and security.

Television ads, mass rallies and helicopters in party colours also added to an impression of ANC might that dwarfed the opposition.

The 97-year-old party also led in the hip stakes, with Zuma, a traditionalist who practises polygamy, emerging as the “daddy cool” of South African politics.

His trademark Umshini Wami (Bring me my machine gun) song became an anthem at rallies. Young supporters sported “ANC 4 LYF” (ANC for life in mobile phone language) t-shirts and ANC leaders took to Twitter.

COPE’s campaign by contrast was dogged by cash problems. “It’s a well-known thing here in South Africa that we became known as the party that doesn’t have posters,” COPE frontman, Methodist Bishop Mvume Dandala, joked on Thursday.

More important than the bucks and the bling was Zuma’s ability to connect with ordinary people, according to Professor Sipho Seepe of the South African Institute of Race Relations.

“They see him as a representative of the great unwashed,” Seepe says of Zuma, whose rise through the ranks despite being born into poverty, lacking formal education and being fired as deputy president in 2005 on suspicion of corruption in a state arms deal, has won admiration in many quarters.

The other winner in the election was the Democratic Alliance of Cape Town mayor Helen Zille. The liberal party of mainly white and mixed-race voters improved on its 2004 score of 12 per cent and prised free the ANC’s control of Western Cape province.

Zille said the the score was a vindication of the party’s “Stop Zuma” campaign. The DA had urged voters to erode the ANC’s majority for fear Zuma might be tempted to tinker with the constitution. The ANC says it has no such plans. (dpa)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
« Older Posts