A united Opposition on Wednesday mounted an attack on Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh over the cash-for-votes scam, wondering as to how he could wash his hands of the matter as he had headed the government in 2008 and was the "biggest beneficiary" of the trust vote.
On joining the party, the former SP leader belittled actor-politician Jaya Bachchan as someone "who used to dance in films".
Among the most prominent BJP leaders, who are expected to arrive at the Gujarat University Convention Centre in Ahmedabad, include Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, former BJP president Venkaiah Naidu, party MP and actor Hema Malini, national spokesperson Nirmala Sitaraman and Maharashtra Navnirman Seva (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray.
Reacting to newspapers reports Leader of the Opposition Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj denied that Bharatiya Janata Party leader L K Advani's Yatra against corruption had taken the party's second rung leadership by surprise.
In a rude shock to top Bharatiya Janata Party leaders L K Advani, Arun Jaitley and Uma Bharati, the party leadership chose not to include their names in the list of leaders to address protest rallies.
Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar was on Saturday unanimously chosen the next chief vigilance commissioner, four months after the Supreme Court had quashed the appointment of P J Thomas to the post.
The government on Tuesday conceded the opposition demand for having 30 members in the Joint Parliamentary Committee to probe the 2G spectrum issue, giving up its earlier plan for a 21-member panel to accommodate smaller parties like All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, sources said.
A multi-party parliamentary delegation that visited Sri Lanka on Friday submitted a report on the condition of ethnic Tamils to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who said India will stand "solidly behind" the minority community in their pursuit for a political settlement.
The selection committee meeting to chose Central Vigilance Commissioner in September last year did discuss the issue of Palmolein case against P J Thomas, Home Minister P Chidambaram said on Monday but parried a question whether a "chargesheeted" person should have been appointed.
Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday said it will demand a division of votes on the cut motions to be moved in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday against increase in prices of petrol, diesel and fertiliser.
Taking strong objection to Gandhi's remarks, Swaraj tweeted: "Rahulji - Advani ji is our father figure. Your words have hurt us deeply. Please try to maintain some decorum of your speech."
It was a quiet birthday for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who turned 78 on Sunday. President Pratibha Patil and Vice President Hamid Ansari sent flowers and wished the prime minister on the occasion. Congress president Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul Gandhi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati called up Dr Singh and greeted him. Among those who wished the prime minister on the occasion are Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj.
Deputy leader of BJP in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and senior party leader M Venkaiah Naidu in the Rajya Sabha raised the issue in Zero Hour saying the government should bring a bill in right earnest.
Just when we were wondering what our Dream Girl is up to, Hema Malini decided to surprise us yet again. The actress who played Amitabh Bachchan's wife in Baghban is taking on another wifey role in Gul Bahar SIngh's Ek Thi Rani Aisi Bhi. The BJP MP will play Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindhia while Vinod Khanna will play her husband, Jivajirao.
Among the new entrants in the council headed by the Prime Minister, which will now have 147 members, are Ambika Soni, Dayanidhi Maran and Salman Khursheed have made their entry as Union Ministers while BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley have come in as Leaders of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha respectively.
While Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj in her post on Twitter.com called Laden 'humanity's enemy number one', BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said he (Laden) was the most visible and dangerous face of global jihadi terror.
Advani retained his predecessor Venkaiah Naidu in the panel and in the parliamentary board.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday said Murli Manohar Joshi will continue as chairman of Parliament's Public Accounts Committee for 2011-12, currently looking into anomalies in the 2G spectrum scam, as he is doing a "good job".
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday justified its demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the 2G spectrum scam, saying just holding discussions in Parliament on the issue would have no outcome as it happened in the case of price rise.
Putting behind the acrimony witnessed during the session, Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj on Friday praised Sonia Gandhi and other Congress leaders for their conduct in the Lok Sabha.
The BJP on Wednesday strongly objected to the use of the term "saffron terror" by Home Minister P Chidambaram in Parliament, saying there was no such word and the "sacrosanct" colour cannot be associated with terrorism.
Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday clarified that the party did not have any deal with the United Progressive Alliance government on the crucial nuclear liability bill passed by Parliament in the just-concluded Monsoon session.
When Advani shook hands, the prime minister did not come out his seat. While Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav hugged Advani for a second, Lalu Prasad too came out of his seat to greet Advani, but did not hug him.
Gadkari has been called to New Delhi for the meeting and will be anointed party chief. The decision will be ratified by the BJP national council. The elevation of Swaraj as Leader of Opposition is almost a certainty, sources said.
Deputy Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj tore apart the Justice Liberhan Commission report, probing the Babri Masjid demolition, on Tuesday and asked the government to reject it.
Sidhu urged Swaraj to help initiate dialogue with Pakistan on the opening up of the Kartarpur Sahib corridor.
Lok Sabha was adjourned till noon on Monday as Telangana Rashtra Samithi members raised slogans for Telangana statehood, a demand which was endorsed by Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj who asked the government to list the steps taken by it on the issue.
BJP Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha Sushma Swaraj, who addressed reporters after an NDA meeting, said the boycott will continue till the time the "opposition is allowed to raise its voice on issues like corruption."
The NDA will raise its apprehensions in both Houses about the possibility of Shibu Soren government nominating an Anglo-Indian before the March 15 trial of strength in the Jharkhand Assembly, BJP deputy leader in Rajya Sabha Sushma Swaraj said.
Hours after L K Advani emphasised that the Bharatiya Janata Party would need to join hands with other political outfits to defeat the Congress, the Janata Dal - United on Saturday attempted to reach out to senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj, saying she should have been considered first for the prime minister's post as she is a lady and the leader of her party in the Lok Sabha.
However, BJP has not given any assurance of support and conveyed to the Finance Minister that the matter will be discussed within the party and take a call, sources said.
Several opposition parties have claimed that the mandate of 2024 Lok Sabha elections was against the ruling haratiya Janata Party, even though it was able to form the government with support of other parties.
The issue of Finance Minister P Chidambaram's lawyer wife Nalini appearing on behalf of income tax department in a court in Chennai rocked the Rajya Sabha on Monday as a determined Opposition stalled the proceedings leading to two adjournments of the
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday announced Prime Minister Narendra Modi will fight again from Varanasi in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections as it named 34 Union ministers in the first list of 195 candidates.
A staunch Rajput leader, Singh had opposed the manner in which UP legislator Raja Bhaiyya and his father were arrested by the then Mayawati Government under POTA.
The first career diplomat to be appointed as the EAM, Jaishankar paid homage to his predecessor in his first tweet from his official account on May 31. A surprise addition to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's second Union Cabinet, the former foreign secretary certainly has big shoes to fill.
Bharatiya Janata party leader Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday met visiting United States Vice President Joe Biden and raised the issue of visa to skilled workers but refrained from discussing the lifting of ban on American visa to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
A number of members sought to raise different matters simultaneously soon after Question Hour.
Terming the ordinance on convicted members of Parliament and members of Legislative Assembly as "immoral and unconstitutional", the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday said President Pranab Mukherjee is not "duty-bound" to give assent to it and suggested to him that he should send it back to the government.
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