Akhilesh Sharma

Sushma Swaraj Says Won't Contest Elections Due To Health Reasons

India News | Reported by Akhilesh Sharma, Edited by Deepshikha Ghosh | Tuesday November 20, 2018

Union minister Sushma Swaraj, one of the senior most leaders of the ruling BJP and a nine-time parliamentarian, has declared that she will not contest the 2019 national election.

Ananth Kumar, From Student Leader To Trusted NDA Minister

India News | Reported by Akhilesh Sharma, Edited by Debjani Chatterjee | Monday November 12, 2018

Union Minister and senior BJP leader Ananth Kumar died at a private hospital in Bengaluru at 2 am on Monday. The 59-year-old leader was suffering from cancer for nearly a year. Ananth Kumar was back from the US in October after treatment. His wife, Tejaswini and two daughters were with him when he died.

Nitish Kumar's 2019 Deal: 16 Seats For Him, 17 For BJP

India News | Written by Manish Kumar, Akhilesh Sharma | Monday October 22, 2018

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has finally got his wish - a "respectable" chunk of Bihar's 40 seats, almost equal to the BJP -- for next year's Lok Sabha elections.

Resignation MJ Akbar's Idea, Won't Set Precedent, Say Government Sources

India News | Reported by Akhilesh Sharma, Edited by Anindita Sanyal | Thursday October 18, 2018

Union minister MJ Akbar's resignation today, following accusations of sexual harassment by around 20 women, was his own decision and will not set a precedent, sources told NDTV today. The lawmaker from Rajya Sabha, they said, will continue to be a part of the BJP.

MJ Akbar Says #MeToo Charges "Viral Fever"; Will Sue, Not Quit: 10 Points

India News | Reported by Akhilesh Sharma, Edited by Anindita Sanyal | Monday October 15, 2018

Union Minister MJ Akbar on Sunday said he was exploring legal action against "wild and baseless allegations", amid calls for his resignation over a dozen women accusing him of sexual harassment in a wave of #MeToo stories on social media. "Accusation without evidence has become a viral fever among some sections," said Mr Akbar, 67, hours after he a...

"Statement Later," Says #MeToo-Accused MJ Akbar After Landing In Delhi

India News | Reported by Akhilesh Sharma, Edited by Aditya Menon | Sunday October 14, 2018

Union Minister MJ Akbar has arrived in India amid calls for his resignation over #MeToo allegations from several women over the last few days. Government sources say a final call will be taken by the Narendra Modi government on whether to retain him as minister or concede to the demand for his removal.

Nitish Kumar's Hard Bargain Sends Amit Shah Back To Paswans, Kushwaha

India News | Written By Manish Kumar And Akhilesh Sharma | Thursday September 20, 2018

On Sunday, Nitish Kumar told his party leaders that a respectable seat-sharing deal had been sealed for the 2019 national polls. The Bihar Chief Minister has made it clear to BJP chief Amit Shah that "respectable" is nothing short of 17 of the state's 40 seats.

RSS Chief's "Shamshan-Kabristan" Comments Seen As Message For PM Modi

India News | Reported by Akhilesh Sharma, Edited by Deepshikha Ghosh | Thursday September 20, 2018

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Wednesday frowned on "shamshan-kabristan" politics that he said was practiced for power and not for public welfare.

Amid Goa Political Crisis, BJP May Appoint Deputy Chief Minister: Sources

India News | Reported by Akhilesh Sharma, Edited by Shylaja Varma | Thursday September 20, 2018

As Goa faces a leadership crisis with Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar away for treatment, the BJP is likely to appoint a deputy chief minister in the coastal state as a stop-gap arrangement, sources said. A delegation of BJP leaders met BJP chief Amit Shah on Wednesday to work out a solution after the opposition Congress staked claim to power.

Triple Talaq To Be An Offence, President Clears Ordinance: 10 Facts

India News | Reported by Akhilesh Sharma, Sunil Prabhu, Edited by Deepshikha Ghosh | Thursday September 20, 2018

Triple talaq or instant divorce is just short of becoming a punishable offence after the government cleared an ordinance or executive order on Wednesday to enforce a proposed law that could not be passed in parliament in August. President Ram Nath Kovind signed the ordinance on Wednesday night, a top law ministry functionary said. The goverm...

Not Hindutva If We Don't Accept Muslims, Says RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat

India News | Reported by Akhilesh Sharma, Edited by Divyanshu Dutta Roy | Wednesday September 19, 2018

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said today that "Hindutva" means inclusivity and accepting Muslims is a part of it. "Hindu Rashtra doesn't mean there's no place for Muslims. If we don't accept Muslims, it's not Hindutva. Hindutva is Indianness and inclusivity," he said, speaking at a three-day conclave.

BJP's Hour By Hour Day Plan Of Arun Jaitley To Reject "Mallya Meet" Claim

India News | Reported by Akhilesh Sharma, Edited by Shylaja Varma | Saturday September 15, 2018

After a Congress leader claimed that fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had a "15-minute sit-down meeting in parliament" a day before the fugitive tycoon's flight to the UK, BJP sources said the meeting could not have taken place because Mr Jaitley wasn't in parliament that long on that day in March 2016.

Will Win 2019, Rule For 50 Years, Says Amit Shah At BJP Meet: 10 Points

India News | Reported by Akhilesh Sharma, Edited by Debjani Chatterjee | Sunday September 9, 2018

At a key meeting of the BJP today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a blistering attack on the Congress and BJP chief Amit Shah declared that the party will rule for another 50 years. "PM Modi told party workers that we must strengthen the party at booth-level and we must win in every booth," Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told the media a...

Opposition Unity Is An Eyewash, Says BJP At National Executive: 10 Points

India News | Reported by Akhilesh Sharma, Edited by Debjani Chatterjee | Sunday September 9, 2018

At the national executive meeting in Delhi, BJP chief Amit Shah, in a point by point rebuttal of the combined opposition's attack on the government said, "Mahagathbandhan is an eyewash, an illusion based on falsehood". The party would win the 2019 Lok Sabha polls with a bigger mandate than 2014, said Mr Shah. The BJP chief however, cautioned...

Amid Poll Buzz, KCR Says No Tie-Up; BJP Retorts, Fine With Us: 10 Facts

Telangana News | Reported by Akhilesh Sharma, Edited by Shylaja Varma | Friday September 7, 2018

After preparing the ground for early polls by dissolving the assembly, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao ruled out any alliance with the BJP. BJP sources responded with political-speak for "your loss, not ours". BJP leaders said last night, after Mr Rao's press conference, that the party is ready to contest "all 119 seats" in the state. ...