GHMC polls: KTR, Owaisi, Kishan Reddy cast votes

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GHMC polls: KTR, Owaisi, Kishan Reddy cast votes

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) working president K.T. Rama Rao, Union Minister of State G. Kishan Reddy and MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi were among the leaders who cast their vote in the first hour in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections on Tuesday.

Rama Rao, who led the ruling party in the campaign, and his wife exercised their franchise at Nandinagar polling station in Banjara Hills. Speaking on the occasion, the state municipal administration minister appealed to all voters to cast their votes.

“In a democracy, only those who cast their votes will have the right to question,” he said and appealed to voters to come out and vote.

Rama Rao, who is the son of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, urged voters to participate in voting. “Think before voting what kind of public representatives you want for the development of Hyderabad,” he said.

Kishan Reddy and his wife cast their votes at a polling booth in Kachiguda. The union minister appealed to all voters to exercise their right to franchise.

“In the Constitution drafted by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, from President of the country to an ordinary citizen everybody has a right to vote. Everyone should use this important weapon. People should not merely complain about governments not working properly but should use their constitutional right to ensure that they elect good public representatives,” said Kishan Reddy, who is a member of Parliament from Secunderabad. BJP OBC Morcha president K. Laxman came to a polling center in Chikkadpalli to cast his vote.

Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi cast his vote at Shastrippuram in the old city. “I exercised my right to vote. I am appealing to voters to come out and use their voting right for the development of the city, especially old city, and for protecting the city’s composite culture, heritage, and language,” he said.

Owaisi urged voters to come out and vote to increase the polling percentage and strengthen democracy.

Keep arrogance aside and give farmers their rights: Rahul

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Keep arrogance aside and give farmers their rights: Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday again took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi without taking his name, saying he needs to shun arrogance and give the rights to the protesting farmers.

“Farmers are protesting on the streets and a ‘lie’ giving speeches on television. We all are indebted to the farmers for their hard work. And we can repay their debt by giving them justice and their rights, not by disrespecting them or by hitting them with lathis or tear-gas shells. Wake up, get down from a position of arrogance and think, and give the farmers their rights,” the Wayanad MP tweeted.

Thousands of farmers from several states have been staging protests on Delhi borders since last week and demanding the repeal of three central farm laws. The government has since called the farmers for a meeting later in the day.

Modi condoles Rajasthan BJP leader’s demise

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Modi condoles Rajasthan BJP leader’s demise

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday expressed grief over the death of Kiran Maheshwari, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader from Rajasthan.

“Pained by the untimely demise of Kiran Maheshwari Ji. Be it as MP, MLA, or Cabinet Minister in the Rajasthan Government, she made numerous efforts to work towards the progress of the state and empower the poor as well as marginalized. Condolences to her family. Om Shanti,” the Prime Minister tweeted.

Maheshwari, also an MLA from Rajsamand, died at the Medanta Hospital in Gurugram early Monday morning. She had tested positive for Covid-19 and was undergoing treatment at the hospital.

Maheshwari was admitted to the hospital for the past 21 days. Her condition became critical a few days back. Her mortal remains will be brought to Udaipur later on Monday.

RJD may field its candidate for Bihar Rajya Sabha bypolls

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RJD may field its candidate for Bihar Rajya Sabha bypolls

After having suffered a defeat in the election for Speaker of Bihar Legislative Assembly, the primary opposition party Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is refusing to bow down to the ruling NDA government in the state and is preparing to give it a tough political fight. The RJD is now devising a different strategy for the Rajya Sabha elections.

The RJD is gearing to field its own candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha by-elections. Earlier, on November 27, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nominated the name of former Deputy Chief Minister and party leader Sushil Kumar Modi as the NDA candidate for the Rajya Sabha by-elections.

The BJP has nominated Sushil Modi for the Rajya Sabha seat recently vacated after the death of former Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan. With this major decision, the saffron party has put a stamp of approval on Sushil Modi’s name by bringing him into national politics. Considering the sheer numerical strength of the NDA in the Assembly, Sushil Modi is likely to be elected as a Rajya Sabha member. The nomination for this vacant RS seat can be filed by December 3 and the by-elections for the Upper House of the Assembly will be held on December 14.

As per RJD sources, two names are being pitched in by the Grand Alliance for the upcoming Rajya Sabha by-elections. The party is likely to nominate RJD state President Jagdanand Singh and senior party leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui for the Rajya Sabha seat. Siddiqui had recently lost the Bihar Assembly elections. Both the RJD leaders are considered to be trusted confidants of RJD patriarch Lalu Prasad.

Sources in the RJD also say that apart from veteran party leaders, the RJD could also field other lesser-known fresh faces to avoid criticism in case the party suffers a defeat in the RS polls.

However, the RJD has not revealed its political strategy yet. Looking at the sheer strength in terms of numbers in the Upper House, the NDA has the clear majority with 125 MLAs while the RJD-led Grand Alliance has 110 MLAs. Two days ago, the Grand Alliance had also fielded its candidate for the post of Bihar Assembly Speaker and suffered a defeat

BJP spokesperson Manoj Sharma said, “Sushil Kumar Modi is an experienced leader. He has served Bihar for a long time, now the party wants to reward him and utilise his experience at the national level. The Opposition can try a million times but it is not going to achieve anything, their defeat is imminent.. ”

An RJD leader says that the party is focusing hard on the upcoming Rajya Sabha bypolls. After the demise of former Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Ram Vilas Paswan, there were demands to nominate Paswan’s wife Reena Paswan to the vacant RS seat. However, after the LJP broke up its ties with the NDA and contested as an independent party in the recent Bihar elections, the BJP decided to send Sushil Modi’s name.

Year-long celebrations to mark 60th anniv of Goa’s Liberation: CM

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Year-long celebrations to mark 60th anniv of Goa’s Liberation: CM

The Goa government will organize at least one event in every Indian state capital to celebrate the 60th anniversary year of the liberation of Goa from colonial Portuguese yoke, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Friday.

Sawant said that the Goa government had sought Rs 100 crore from the Centre to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the state’s liberation by the Indian armed forces on December 19, 1961.

“We will be celebrating the 60th anniversary year of Goa’s Liberation in a grand way. We will be holding a minimum of one event in every state capital to commemorate the year by organizing events that showcase our culture, food, literature, etc,” Sawant told reporters at a press conference in Panaji. Goa was a Portuguese colony for 451 years before the region was liberated by the Indian armed forces in 1961.

Sawant said that an organizing committee to finalize and oversee preparations for the 60th-anniversary celebrations had already been formed and he as the Chief Minister, would be heading the committee. Prime Minister Narendra Modi would also be formally invited to attend one of the commemorative events, Sawant added.

The year-long celebrations would also be used to broad-base Goa’s tourism offerings by highlighting various lesser-known facets of the state before potential tourists.

“People come for sun, sand, and sea. We want people to come to Goa for hinterland tourism, our culture, temples, and churches,” Sawant said.

Mehbooba claims ‘being detained again’, denied press meet

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Mehbooba claims ‘being detained again’, denied press meet

Former Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti were barred by the authorities from holding a press conference at her residence in Srinagar on Friday.

A large number of policemen were deployed outside her residence. The media people were not allowed by the police to enter her residence for attending the press conference.

Earlier on Friday, Mehbooba Mufti had alleged that she was detained and stopped from visiting the residence of party leader Waheed Parra, who was arrested by the NIA on Wednesday.

Accusing the administration of bias, Mehbooba alleged that she was prevented from meeting Parra’s family on the pretext of security, while the BJP leaders and Union Ministers were allowed to travel across Kashmir.

“I have been illegally detained yet again. For two days, J&K admin has refused to allow me to visit Waheed Parra’s family in Pulwama.”

“BJP Ministers & their puppets are allowed to move around in every corner of Kashmir but security is a problem only in my case,” she wrote on Twitter.

She said her daughter Iltija Mufti, who also wanted to visit Parra’s home and meet with his family, has also been placed under house arrest. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday arrested PDP leader Waheed Parra.

He has been arrested in connection with former Deputy Superintendent Davinder Singh and Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Naveed Babu case for supporting the proscribed terror outfit in a conspiracy case. Singh and Babu were arrested while traveling from Srinagar to Jammu in January this year.

After Tejashwi’s barb against CM, JD-U calls him ‘Class 9 fail’

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After Tejashwi’s barb against CM, JD-U calls him ‘Class 9 fail’

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Friday alleged in the Bihar Assembly that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar did not sire another child as he was afraid of becoming a father to a female child, drawing condemnation from the ruling NDA leaders. Nitish’s party JD-U called Tejashwi as someone who had “failed in Class 9”.

Even though Nitish did not verbally react to the remark of the Leader of Opposition on the last day of the Assembly session but only smiled, Deputy CM Tarkishore Prasad dubbed it as an “unfortunate personal attack”.

As the Speaker ordered the removal of the remark from Vidha Sabha records, Tejashwi’s remark triggered a war of words between JD-U and RJD, with a JD-U leader calling Tejashwi as a “flop cricketer and Class 9 failed student”.

During campaigning in the run-up to the Assembly polls in October-November, Nitish had taken a dig at his friend turned bete noire, Lalu Prasad, claiming without taking names that people sire 8-9 children due to their desire for a male child. The Rashtriya Janata Dal had taken it as a personal attack on Lalu Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi.

Tarkishore Prasad said: “The Speaker gave time to Tejashwi to speak in the House and everyone expected he will talk on the RJD’s vision; instead, he indulged in a personal attack on Nitish Kumar. It is unfortunate.”

Neeraj Kumar, a former Minister, and Janata Dal-United chief spokesperson were the most vocal in flaying Tejashwi.

“We can’t expect much from a person who failed in Class 9. He is a flop cricketer and an illiterate legislator. He has personally attacked Nitish Kumar whose work has been appreciated by people like Bill Gates and Amartya Sen,” Kumar said.

“On the other hand, Tejashwi’s father Lalu Prasad has been convicted in fodder scams and his temporary address is 3351 (Lalu’s prisoner number 3351), Hotwire Jail, Ranchi. He is also facing many criminal charges,” the JD-U leader alleged.

RJD MLC Subodh Rai maintained that it was Chief Minister who initiated the personal attack on Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi. Even Neeraj Kumar has used so many unparliamentary words for Lalu Prasad and his family, he alleged.

“Nitish Kumar always claims that Assembly elections in 2015 and 2020 were won due to his face value. Now, he has no face value. His party has won just 43 seats. We don’t recognize him as the CM anymore. He is just a nominated CM of the BJP,” Rai remarked.

5 Covid patients die in Gujarat hospital fire, PM Modi expresses grief

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5 Covid patients die in Gujarat hospital fire, PM Modi expresses grief

At least five patients died after a fire broke out in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a Covid designated hospital in Gujarat’s Rajkot on Friday. Twenty-seven other coronavirus patients being treated at the hospital were rescued.

The cause of the fire is not known yet, but reports say that a short circuit may have led to the fire. The fire broke out in the ICU of the Uday Shivanand Multispecialty hospital around 3 a.m. The Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani ordered a probe into the incident, which has been entrusted to Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Panchayat and Rural Development Department, A.K. Rakesh.

Expressing grief over the incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “Extremely pained by the loss of lives due to a hospital fire in Rajkot. My thoughts are with those who lost their loved ones in this unfortunate tragedy. Praying for a quick recovery of the injured. The administration is ensuring all possible assistance to the affected.” The Chief Minister announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh each to the kin of the victims.

Voice of dissent can’t be muzzled indefinitely, says Punjab CM

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Voice of dissent can’t be muzzled indefinitely, says Punjab CM

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday once again reiterated that voices of the protesting farmers “cannot be muzzled indefinitely” and the “Centre should initiate talks”.

“The voice of farmers cannot be muzzled indefinitely. Center should immediately initiate talks with Kisan Union leaders to defuse the tense situation at the Delhi borders.

“Why to wait till December 3 when the situation is getting out of hand now?” a tweet by Chief Minister’s Media Advisor Raveen Thukral quoting Amarinder Singh said.

In a series of tweets, the Chief Minister said the central government “needs to show statesmanship and accept the farmers’ demand for assured MSP (minimum support price), which is the basic right of every farmer”.

“If they can give verbal assurance I fail to understand why they can’t make it a legal obligation of the Government of India.”

“Those claiming it’s the Congress that’s instigating the farmers are blind not to see the lakhs of farmers trying to enter Delhi from across the country. It’s a fight for their lives and livelihoods and they don’t need any backing or provocation,” the Chief Minister added.

Wrong of party MLAs to participate in anti-coal protests: Goa BJP chief

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Wrong of party MLAs to participate in anti-coal protests: Goa BJP chief

Irked by more and more ruling BJP MLAs joining public protests against transportation and handling of coal at the state’s only major port, state BJP President Sadanand Shet Tanavade faulted the party’s legislators, saying their actions should remain within the “respectable limits”.

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, Tanavade said that if the legislators had issues related to governance and government projects, they should contact the Chief Minister instead of participating in public protests.

“Chief Minister Pramod Sawant is not for increasing coal transportation in Goa. Our efforts are to minimize it. MLAs have to stay within respectable limits. Law and order are equal to a common man, MLA, and minister. No one should break law and order,” Tanavade said.

Pressurized by their respective constituents, an increasing number of ruling BJP MLAs, including Water Resources Minister Filipe Neri Ferrao, former Environment Minister Alina Saldanha, and Cuncolim MLA Clafasio Dias, have openly joined the agitations against increased movement of coal through rural Goa.

Tanavade said that while coal transportation, which has been going on for decades, cannot be stopped in one day, the Chief Minister’s assurance on Tuesday that coal transportation in the future would be reduced by 50 percent should be respected.

“A common man can protest against public works, but an MLA cannot. They have to report it to the government or to the CM. They should not take law and order in their hands,” Tanavade said.

“I will speak to the MLAs concerned. I definitely feel it is wrong… Coal movement cannot be stopped in a day. The CM has said that coal transportation will be reduced to 50 percent,” he also said.

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