Action against Varun blot on history, says Jaitley

BHUBANESWAR: BJP leader Arun Jaitley on Monday described the government action against Varun Gandhi as a blot on the country's history. "The
baseless charges like attempt to murder and arrest under the NSA is both disproportionate and vindictive. It augurs badly for the Indian democracy," Jaitley said. He accused Congress, Samajwadi Party and BSP of speaking in tandem on the issue.

Jaitley also predicted that polarization of political forces has created a conducive atmosphere for BJP to come to power in Orissa in the coming elections. Jaitley paced his argument on the basis of performance of the Congress government in the past and the one led by Naveen Patnaik who "concentrated more on scheming against others than development of the state."

"BJD leadership lacked political honesty. It perfected the art of betrayal. Betrayal in politics may work sometimes. But you do it repeatedly the general masses rise up to betray you," the BJP leader said, indicating the likely fate of the BJD in the elections. He alleged that BJD had joined hands with those forces who are inimical to Orissa's economic progress and have links with Maoists. He admitted BJP while performing the "coalition dharma religiously" had actually made a tactical mistake by continuing in the government.

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BJP-BSP faceoff leaves Cong, Mulayam scared

LUCKNOW/NEW DELHI: The Uttar Pradesh government's decision to slap the dreaded NSA on Varun Gandhi for his hate speech in Pilibhit forced
arch-rival Mulayam Singh Yadav to dub it an "unjustified move", amid growing perception that Mayawati was using the issue to rally Muslims behind her prime ministerial aspiration.

Mulayam called the stringent police action against Varun "completely wrong", even as he covered his flanks against any perception of siding with a BJP man by accusing Mayawati of working in concert with the saffron party for the Pilibhit aspirant.

To buttress his point, Mulayam asked why Varun was not arrested before he could whip up passions by undertaking a surrender drama on March 28.

The SP reaction was strikingly similar to that of the Congress which saw a tacit BJP-BSP pact in Pilibhit, reflecting their fears that Mayawati may steal their ``secular'' thunder.

If "Maulana Mulayam" is risking being seen as lenient on a BJP man in the thick of elections, it is only reflective of how the BSP czarina has turned the Pilibhit controversy into a political gambit, leaving SP and Congress looking for urgent counter moves.

However, Mulayam's attack on the state government coincided with support from prominent Muslim clergy and the influential All India Muslim Personal Law Board for the tough action against Varun.

Source

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Hate speech: Weak BJP to Maya's advantage

LUCKNOW/NEW DELHI: SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav’s attack on UP government on Monday coincided with support from prominent Muslim clergy and the
influential All India Muslim Personal Law Board for the action against Varun Gandhi.

Obviously, the question being asked is why Mayawati didn’t pre-empt the Varun roadshow, not a big task if she could stop L K Advani from holding a rally in Azamgarh just a few days ago.

Sources in Lucknow said Mayawati, who was initially wary of clamping down on Varun for fear of an adverse fallout among Brahmins, made up her mind after intelligence reports that the Pilibhit turnout on Saturday was a VHP affair with little local support.

The strategists of both Congress and SP seem convinced that the Mayawati gameplan is simple — let Varun-BJP polarize Hindus while she can clamp down on saffronites to consolidate Muslims behind BSP.

The gambit has a special role in western and central UP where BSP has to contend with strong challenge from SP and Congress. She can change the battle terrain by inserting a weak BJP in the play. A competitive SP and Congress hurt BSP more on Muslim front — a social group Mayawati is eyeing to supplement her Dalit-Brahmin combo.

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Slapping of NSA on Varun 'wrong': Mulayam

LUCKNOW: Terming the invoking of the NSA against Varun Gandhi as "wrong", Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Monday alleged that the
stringent Act has been used to settle political scores.

"The framing of charges under NSA against Varun Gandhi is completely wrong. In fact, National Security Act has always been used to settle political scores... why did the police fail to arrest Varun and his supporters before the roadshow," Yadav told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.

He alleged that the move to frame charges under NSA against Varun, the BJP candidate from Pilibhit, was "a tactic by the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party to generate sympathy towards Varun Gandhi".

"If the BJP-BSP are not having any sort of tacit understanding, then why was Varun not arrested before the roadshow," said Yadav.

Lashing out at the state government, Mulayam alleged, "In the Auraiya PWD engineer murder case, a SP worker Kamlesh Pathak was framed under NSA, while the accused roamed free. It is due to these reasons that I oppose the NSA since it was implemented."

Asked if any other candidate will be fielded in case the court disallows actor Sanjay Dutt to contest from Lucknow Lok Sabha seat, Mulayam said, "This is completely a hypothetical question."

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Neera, husband join BJP

LUCKNOW: Two trusted members of SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav's coterie - former chief secretary Neera Yadav and her husband Mahendra Singh
Yadav -left him for the saffron camp on Sunday. The high-profile couple was inducted into the BJP by party president Rajnath Singh amid fanfare in Ghaziabad.

The development is being interpreted as a shrewd move by the master strategist Rajnath Singh to improve his party's poll prospects. Mahendra Singh, a former minister and MLA from neighbouring Bulandshehar, can help the vote tally with his influence among the about 50,000 Yadav voters in his constituency. Neera, a Tyagi before her marriage to the former IPS officer, can come in handy wooing the sizable Tyagis in the belt. Moreover the defiance by the Yadav couple would also deal a great blow to Mulayam's vanity much to BJP's delight.

Neera Yadav had been Mulayam's most trusted chief secretary during the SP regime in UP who was assigned the top job despite a pending CBI inquiry in the Noida plot allotment case. She was removed only at the Supreme Court's directives in October 2007. Later appointed head of vigilance establishment, Neera took voluntary retirement in March 2008 miffed by the internal politics of the IAS cadre after the association, in a skilfully executed coup, displaced her as the head of the IAS association chairperson.

Mahendra Singh Yadav had joined politics in 1996 after a golden handshake with UP police. Yadav had also been the MLA from Bulandshehar on a BJP ticket. However after his differences with Kalyan Singh he dropped out and joined the SP. Yadav had contested the assembly election under SP banner in 2007 but lost.

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It's 'Prajarajyam' in Chiru party

HYDERABAD: The so-called discipline in Prajarajyam Party ranks is in tatters. Loyal workers protesting denial of tickets to their leaders are
resorting to violence, breaking furniture and setting party offices on fire.

At Kalwakurthy in Mahbubnagar district, PRP activists attacked the party office as their leader Jupalli Prabhakar Rao was not given the assembly ticket. They went on a rampage, damaging furniture and setting the PRP office on fire on Sunday.

Meanwhile, PRP Anantapur assembly candidate, T J Prakash, on Sunday lodged a complaint with district SP M K Singh that he suspected a bomb attack on his car on Saturday as his followers had heard a defeaning sound. "It could be the handiwork of those who did not get the ticket," he said. The car, parked at his residence in Ramnagar, was in flames and his family members alerted the police.

Earlier, a group of Chiranjeevi fans had attacked the party office and set the furniture and computers on fire on Saturday afternoon in protest against denial of Anantapur assembly ticket to Rayalaseema Chiranjeevi Fans Association president A Surendra Babu.

But party sources said Prakash, a lodge owner belonging to Balija community, has been leading the district party ever since PRP was launched. "He has close contacts with Chiranjeevi family and since Balija community votes are prominent in Anantapur the party favoured Prakash," a source said.

The PRP activists also staged a protest at Tadipatri in protest against the candidature of P Narasimhaiah for the assembly ticket. A group of dissidents are planning to field a rebel candidate from Kadiri assembly segment, sources said.

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TRS cadres vent ire on Telangana Bhavan

HYDERABAD: The rebellion in ranks of the TRS cadres over allotment of party tickets rocked the Telangana Bhavan on Sunday for the third
consecutive day. TRS activists on Sunday went on a rampage, damaged window panes and shouted slogans against party president K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) for denying tickets to their leaders.

The supporters of party state secretary S Kranthi Kumar barged into the office premises demanding that TRS should put pressure on TDP and ensure that TDP candidate Babu Mohan withdrew in favour of Kranthi Kumar from Andole assembly seat in Medak district and in a fit of anger damaged glass windows of the front office and that of the chambers of party general secretary G Vijayarama Rao. Earlier, the supporters staged a dharna at the party office premises and shouted slogans.

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Cong: Mayawati helped BJP turn Varun arrest into grand event

NEW DELHI: Congress on Saturday slammed the Mayawati government for being hand in glove with BJP, saying that permission to Varun Gandhi
to make
a spectacle of his arrest with a procession in Pilibhit reflected an understanding between the two parties.

AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh told reporters that it defied logic why the UP administration let Varun Gandhi turn his surrender in Pilibhit into a public event when it knew that the drama was aimed at creating religious polarisation.

"We have all along said there is close liaisoning between BSP and BJP, and this episode has proved it again,"
said Singh, AICC incharge of UP. Singh said, "If the administration was serious, it could have picked up Varun without the fanfare."

Saying that Varun's politics over religion was reflective of the larger BJP gameplan to communalise elections, Singh said there should be strong action against Varun for the venom he has spewed against Muslims and Sikhs.

Congress leader Veerappa Moily dismissed apprehensions that the Pilibhit episode would benefit BJP. "Every drama has a period and it sours after that. This one has a life of a day. We will let it die its natural death," he said.

CPM too expressed "grave concern" over clashes between BJP supporters and thepolice during Varun's arrest. "The big mobilisation in Pilibhit, the forcing of confrontation with police, rousing passions by rabble-rousing are clearly BJP's campaign strategy," politburo member Sitaram Yechury said.

Yechury added, "Communal polarisation is part of their vote consolidating mechanism. It shows that they have no other issue to garner votes."

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Congress needs grassroots leaders, not TV faces: Akhilesh

he SP is locked in a battle with the BSP for supremacy in Uttar Pradesh. Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav's son and two-term MP, Akhilesh Yadav, has been campaigning in the state for more than a month. Rustam Roy of Timesofindia.com caught up with Akhilesh on the campaign trail. Excerpts:

Q: Looking back at your first two terms in the Lok Sabha, what did you learn from them? Who inspired you the most in the Lok Sabha?

A: In politics you learn a lot. In the last two terms I had the responsibility of my party and the youth wing. I had to build the youth organization, so I couldn't devote much time in the Lok Sabha. I was mostly travelling around Uttar Pradesh, but still managed to raise questions in Parliament. This time I would devote more time in Parliament.

Q: What was your most memorable moment in Parliament?

A: Lots of things happen suddenly, just like during the nuclear deal trust vote. Many MPs spoke during the trust vote but Omar's speech stood out. I was in the House, I was in fact sitting just behind him and somebody from another party had managed to provoke him, so he gave a great speech. The words came from the heart for his country. It was a great speech. By the time my chance came, money was on the table and it all went haywire.

Q: Akhilesh, now several months later, the SP is at loggerheads with the Congress. You have almost moved towards a divorce.

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Murder taint on AGP-BJP nominee

GUWAHATI: In the mudslinging game, each party is trying to score more points than the other. And why should the ruling Congress be left behind?
Firing a salvo at the AGP-BJP combine, chief minister Tarun Gogoi on Saturday said the coalition is fielding a candidate who has been chargesheeted in a murder case.

However, Gogoi refrained from naming the candidate. "Let them (AGP-BJP) deny it first, then I will name the nominee who has been chargesheeted in a murder case," he said, while underlining the Congress policy of keeping tainted persons away from contesting elections on the party's ticket.

In the same breath, Gogoi stressed that the two Independent legislators, Jiten Gogoi and Kushal Duori, against whom arrest warrants have been issued for their alleged vandalism inside the Kaziranga National Park, are absconding. The two MLAs support the Congress in the House and their respective Assembly constituencies are segments of Koliabor and Jorhat parliamentary constituencies.

Gogoi said their arrests would not have an impact on the Congress fortunes in these two Lok Sabha seats. "Lok Sabha elections are different and the view points of the same set of voters differ in the case of Assembly and parliamentary elections. I don't think their arrests would have any negative impact on the Congress," he added.

There is a common feeling among people that the two MLAs are still evading police action as they are in positions to influence their voters, at least in Assembly constituencies, which might hamper the Congress.

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Tharoor seeks to establish his Malayali credentials

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Hitting the campaign trail, former UN diplomat Shashi Tharoor, a Congress candidate for Thiruvanathapuram Lok Sabha seat,
made his debut in the murky world of electoral politics here with attempts to establish his Malayali credentials.

Tharoor, was born in London to Malayali parents hailing from a village in Kerala's Palaakad, surprised many in the media here at a meeting by speaking in good Malayalam.

Participating in the "anghathattu" (battle field) programme organized by Malayalam daily Kerala Kaumudi,he said there was no truth in the allegations that he cannot speak Malayalam. He said he was conversant enough to communicate with people in their language and understand their problems.

Tharoor said what was more important as a Member of Parliament was to raise the problems of the constituency and find solutions, for which Hindi and English were more useful.

Rejecting the impression sought to be created by certain quarters that he was a total stranger to Kerala, Tharoor said he knew Kerala quite well and was proud of its achievements in areas like social development, woman empowerment and social emancipation of the depressed classes.

An author with 11 books, he said many of his novels and short stories had the "Kerala settings".

"Though, I have gone out and worked in the UN, now I am back home. I have taken a house here two years back and am staying with my mother," he said.

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Sonia can debate if PM can't: Advani

PADRAUNA (UP): With Prime Minister Manmohan Singh refusing his offer for a television debate, senior BJP leader L K Advani on Saturday said that if he was not willing, he could ask Congress President Sonia Gandhi for the same.

"I have told the PM several times that it would be so nice that like in foreign countries (US presidential debate), we should also have a debate. Instead of a BJP public meeting, the Election Commission could organise a meeting (for the debate)," Party's prime ministerial candidate Advani told an election rally here.

"If the Prime Minister is not willing (for a debate), he can ask the Congress President (Sonia Gandhi)," he said.

On the lines of US Presidential debate, Advani had earlier this week asked the Prime Minister for a TV debate to help people judge who was the better prime ministerial candidate.

Reacting to this, Congress spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan said, "The BJP was too impressed with the US system".

Some of the Congress members have opposed such a debate, saying it was more suited to countries having a presidential form of government.

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After SRK, Salman Khan to campaign for Congress

KANPUR: After roping in Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta for canvassing, the Congress will bring another Bollywood star Salman Khan to campaign
for the party in Uttar Pradesh.

Salman Khan will start campaigning for the party from neighbouring Unnao Lok Sabha constituency from Sunday.

The actor is scheduled to take part in several party functions in the district, Congress candidate from Unnao, Annu Tandon, said.

The Congress had already announced that Shah Rukh Khan, Priety Zinta, Govinda and Nagma will campaign for the party and participate in rallies and road shows.

Govinda is a Congress leader and a sitting MP from Mumbai while Nagma had campaigned for the party in earlier elections too.

Tondon said Salman Khan would participate in 'Holi Milan Samaroh' at five villages of the district where other Bollywood artistes would perform.

The permission for Khan's programme has already been granted by the district administration.

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Ramadoss, Velu quit Manmohan ministry

NEW DELHI : Health minister Anbumani Ramadoss and minister of state for Railways R Velu on Saturday resigned from the union council of ministers, two days after the PMK quit the Congress-led ruling coalition.

Quite a principled stand unlike RJD and LJP.

"Velu and myself have submitted our resignation from the council of ministers to the honourable prime minister," Ramadoss told reporters in the capital.

"The prime minister said he will be forwarding the letters to the president with a heavy heart.

"We explained to the prime minister the circumstances... the problems we are facing with the DMK in Tamil Nadu," added Ramadoss, whose party walked out of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) two days ago.

In Chennai earlier on Saturday, the AIADMK and PMK announced a seat-sharing formula under which the PMK would contest six Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu and one in Puducherry.

source

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Azhar to contest LS polls from Moradabad

NEW DELHI: Former cricketer Mohammad Azharudddin, who joined the Congress last month, was today named by the party as its candidate for Moradabad Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh. (
Azharuddin, 46, is among 14 candidates declared by the party in the key state where it wants to revive its lost support base by going it alone in the polls.

The former India batsman, who hails from Hyderabad, was inducted in the party last month and there was speculation that he might contest from Tonk in Rajasthan. Apart from Moradabad, his name also figured as a possible candidate from Meerut in UP.

So far, the Congress has announced 53 candidates in the state where its negotiations with the Samajwadi Party for seat sharing collapsed.

Former union minister Sanjay Singh was announced as the candidate from Sultanpur, a constituency neighbouring Rae Bareilly and Amethi from where party president Sonia Gandhi and general secretary Rahul Gandhi will contest respectively.

Two recent entrants to the party — Ramesh Dubey (Mirzapur) and Suryamani Tripathi (Bhadohi) too have been fielded by the Congress. Both of them joined the party early this week.

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Trouble for UPA as PMK closes in on deal with Jaya

CHENNAI/ NEW DELHI: After the failure of Congress's last-minute efforts to hold back PMK in the UPA corral, the party was close to inking a deal
with AIADMK. If PMK does make the crossover, it will be a significant shot in the arm for AIADMK chief J Jayalalitha and a blow to Congress.

A meeting between home minister P Chidamabaram and PMK leader's son Anbumani Ramadoss failed to narrow differences and Congress appears reconciled to the party leaving the UPA fold.

An indicator that the Tamil Nadu alliance was near breaking-point came with PMK's maverick leader S Ramadoss responding angrily to DMK chief M Karunanidhi's criticism that his concern for Sri Lankan Tamils was only skin deep. "Karunanidhi has reached a stage of extreme desperation and anger," said Ramadoss, pointedly underlining that Congress was DMK's only ally.

The signing ceremony is expected to unfold at Jayalalitha's Poes Garden residence on Thursday after a meeting of the PMK's general council. The PMK meeting is expected to severe ties with UPA with a "heavy heart" and Ramadoss will meet Jayalalitha thereafter. At least that was the script being considered on Wednesday evening.

Karunanidhi seems to have been running out of patience with Ramadoss whom he criticised on Tuesday for raising the Sri Lankan issue in an opportunistic manner. He said "certain leaders" had traded their concerns over events in Mullaithivu and Killinochchi for bargaining for constituencies in the state. If Ramadoss does keep his date with Amma, he will have rejoined an AIADMK-led alliance after eight years.

If Vijayakanth's DMDK remains unattached as the star has till now indicated, the scales could be tilting in favour of AIADMK. Vijayakanth is kicking off a 40-day campaign tour from Kanyakumari on Thursday. With no wave detected so far, alliances may be a key factor and Ramadoss does command a following in northern districts that have a significant Vanniyar population. It is understood that he has bargained for seven Lok Sabha seats and one Rajya Sabha berth.

Source.

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In Assam, Advani tears into Congress

KHERONI: BJP's prime ministerial candidate LK Advani on Wednesday launched his party's campaign in Assam by accusing Congress of turning a blind
eye to Bangladeshi infiltration into the state.

"I read the Congress manifesto carefully. I didn't find a word about solving the problem of illegal migration," Advani said at a meeting at Kheroni village in Karbi Anglong district. "During the 1962 Sino-Indian war, the Congress government left Assam alone to defend itself from the Chinese aggressors. Today also, Congress doesn't care for it," he added. Describing infiltration from Bangladesh as Assam's "main problem," the BJP's prime ministerial candidate said, "No country can tolerate such a menace... India
is not a dharmashala where people without passports and valid documents can come and settle." He termed the Assam agitation against Bangladeshi infiltration as the country's "biggest people's movement after Independence."

Despite SC's directives to both the Centre and the state government, nothing has been done to stop infiltration, Advani said. "Chief minister Tarun Gogoi has to give an answer," he added while referring to a Supreme Court order that has described continuing infiltration as a threat to the nation. Advani vowed to deal terrorism and subversive forces with a strong hand if his party is voted to power.

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Rice race hots up: BJP to follow Congress

NEW DELHI: The populist floodgates have been thrown open. After Congress promised 25kg of rice or wheat at Rs 3 a month for every family below the poverty line, BJP looks set to respond with a similar scheme with foodgrain for the poor at even cheaper rates.

"We will more than match the Congress on this," said BJP sources. Though they refused to spell out details, the party appears to have the Chhattisgarh model in mind where the government has offered rice at Rs 2 a kg for BPL families. The scheme was a key factor in the BJP's victory in the state assembly polls last December.

If the quantum of rice under BJP's Rs 2/kg scheme is assumed to be the same 25 kg/month as offered by Congress, it will increase the subsidy bill by Rs 7,200 crore, Rs 1,500 crore more than the subsidy that the Congress scheme entails.

With both Congress and the BJP signing off on this cheap grain scheme, irrespective of who wins, highly subsidised rice and wheat for BPL families is expected to be rolled out as a countrywide scheme. A Third Front-led government, backed by the Congress, will ensure its early implementation.

Lack of resources has not really been the reason why cheap food schemes have not been brought in nationally. The delay has more to do with squeamishness about populism, particularly after the country embarked on economic reforms with fiscal discipline as one of the key ingredients.

But today, populism as a principle of governance has found expression in some form or the other worldwide in the aftermath of the global economic crisis. The mood-altering economic slowdown and arguments that extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures have all but sumberged any concern for fiscal discipline.

Criticism of UPA's massive spending — Rs 71,000 crore allocated for NREGA and Bharat Nirman in the 2009-10 budget — was more on lack of delivery than about the outlay itself.

By all indications, BJP may try to outspend — in terms of promises — the Congress. In fact, when the BJP manifesto group met on Wednesday afternoon shortly after the Congress poll appeal was released, Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh, who happened to be in town, was invited to attend the deliberations. "It is clear that development and welfare programmes will be an important component," said senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu.

Besides the cheap rice scheme, the BJP will also promise the countrywide implementation of Madhya Pradesh government's popular `ladli' scheme where the government makes deposits in the accounts of every girl child attending school.

The turnaround on populism is best represented by TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu. The former Andhra Pradesh chief minister who collected accolades from fiscal disciplinarians for turning away from the culture of populist sops launched his election campaign this year with the promise of cash transfers.

If the TDP chief has done a somersault on populism — he had once famously remarked that Congress's offer of free power would lead to farmers using electricity cables to dry washing — the BJP is not too far behind. "In the past few years BJP understanding of populism has changed," said a party source.

The same unapologetic approach is evident in Congress with Jairam Ramesh, a key campaign planner, telling TOI, "If fat cats get bailouts it is called stimulus but in the case of the poor it is populism! If being pro-aam admi is populism then Congress is being populist." Clearly the rice race is well and truly on.

In the past, when revenues were bouyant, Ramesh had defended higher fertiliser subsidies as pro-farmer. In a recession, give-aways may well have an added appeal

Source

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Lalu and Mulayam may join hands: Amar Singh

NEW DELHI: After giving a short shrift to Congress in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad are
likely to come together, a senior SP leader said on Wednesday.

"There is likelihood of Lalu Prasad and Mulayam Singh Yadav coming together. We want Ram Vilas Paswan also to come on board," SP general secretary Amar Singh said.

Singh's remarks came close on the heels of a telephonic talk he had with Lalu Prasad who is reportedly unhappy over the Congress' putting up a host of candidates in his home turf of Bihar.

"The politics to finish Mulayam and Lalu from Hindi heartland by anybody is not going to be tolerated by the workers of the respective parties," Singh told reporters here.

The SP leader said with Lalu and Yadav coming together, "the entire secular brigade of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh as a chunk will remain together. Lalu ji telephonically informed me this morning that even if SP decides to field candidates against RJD, he is going to campaign, as he has earlier said, in favour of Mulayam Singh ji".

Source.

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Blow for Cong as PMK set to join AIADMK camp

CHENNAI: The Pattali Makkal Katchi has decided to cross over to the AIADMK camp, dealing yet another blow to Congress hopes of stitching up strong regional alliances.
A last-ditch effort by senior Congress leaders in Delhi to retain its Tamil Nadu ally failed on Tuesday with the PMK conveying its inability to campaign along with the DMK, which leads the combination in the state, sources close to PMK founder S Ramadoss said.

A formal announcement on the PMK's decision is expected only on Thursday when its general council meets here, sources said. Union health minister Anbumani Ramadoss met senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel in Delhi on the alliance question, and later said, "We discussed the alliance. Nothing has been finalised."

Sources here said the PMK had accepted the AIADMK's offer of seven Lok Sabha seats and support for a Rajya Sabha nomination for A Ramadoss in the next biennial polls. The party's ties with the DMK had reached a point of no return as bitterness between their cadres and mutual distrust at the leadership level was high, sources said.

Congress has not given up trying to keep the PMK in its fold with sources saying that it was going to hold one more round of talks with the PMK leadership in a desperate bid to keep the Vanniyar outfit inside the UPA tent.

The party's anxiety to keep the PMK from switching camps came off clearly when Sonia Gandhi was asked to comment on the possibility of loss of another ally after the collapse of the UPA in Bihar. "As of now there is no change," she said, the remark reflecting the party's fear as well as the flickering hope.

But M Karunanidhi, the lead player in the TN alliance, had already given up on the Vanniyar outfit. Hours after Anbumani's meeting with Patel, the DMK chief lashed out at PMK founder S Ramadoss for the first time in several months, in what could defeat Congress's hopes of saving the alliance.
In sharp remarks on the Sri Lankan Tamil issue, Karunanidhi mocked the PMK boss, "Of late, the saviours of Tamils are no more talking of Mullaitivu or Kilinochchi, but are busy discussing seats like Tiruchi, Tirunelveli." Karunanidhi had dropped a hint on Monday night that the PMK was on the way out by leaving out the party's name from a list of allies he named.

source

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BJP accuses EC of dual standards, says it must take action against Mulayam

NEW DELHI: Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav on Monday allegedly threatened a senior lady official of Mainpuri district,
Uttar Pradesh, asking her to mend ways within a week or else he would register a complaint against her with the Election Commission.

Following the SP chief's comment on the lady district magistrate, BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said that the Election Commission should take action and cannot have dual standards. Javadekar added that EC was hyperactive against Varun Gandhi and is not taking action against Mulayam Singh, according to Times Now.

He said, "EC is duty bound to take suo moto action. Mulayam is not only threatening the DM, but also talks about her being a woman. By saying this he has said too much. He says it in a derogatory way, which is not just threatening the government but the election machinery also."

Earlier, Mulayam Singh, while addressing an election meeting in Mainpuri, had said, "Being a woman, I respect her and am restraining myself and not using harsh words against her. She should mend her ways within a week or I will make a complaint against her with the Election Commission", PTI reported.


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Congress releases manifesto, projects Manmohan Singh as PM

NEW DELHI: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday released the party’s election manifesto here saying security, respect and prosperity of all
citizens will be the party’s endeavour.

The party is projecting Manmohan Singh as the next prime minister of the country saying that there could be many candidates for the post but no one matched up to him.

"There can be many candidates for the post of prime minister but nobody stands in front of Manmohan Singh. He has both experience and competence," Sonia Gandhi said while releasing the party's manifesto here.

She said that the people would vote for the Congress keeping in mind the achievements of the UPA government
in the last five years.

The Congress party said it would introduce measures to ensure that economic growth is maintained and protect farmers from the impact of a global slowdown.

It would extend interest relief to farmers and build on the national job guarantee scheme, both seen as potential vote winners in the general election
to be held next month.

"When I look at the opportunities, I am convinced that this country can move forward on a road to faster, more equitable growth," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said at the launch of the manifesto.

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Trinamool Congress not to support Third Front or BJP-led govt

KOLKATA: The Trinamool Congress , which has allied with the Congress in West Bengal, will not support a Third Front government or one led by the Trinamool party manifesto
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee flashes victory sign after releasing party's manifesto for upcoming Lok Sabha polls, at her residence in Kolkata. BJP at the Centre after the Lok Sabha elections.

"We support a secular government
which will be headed by an able prime minister. We are categorically making it clear that we will not support any Third Front government or a BJP-led government," Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee told a press conference today during the release of the manifesto of her party.

Asked what the Trinamool Congress would do if the Congress sought support of the Left parties in case the Third Front did not materialise to form the government, she said her party had entered into an alliance knowing well that the Congress would not seek support of the Left.

Banerjee said that the Trinamool Congress-Congress alliance in West Bengal would emerge victorious in the coming Lok Sabha polls and be the only alternative.

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EC action hasty, harsh and politically motivated: Varun

NEW DELHI: A defiant Varun Gandhi on Monday hit back at the Election Commission for asking BJP not to nominate him for the Lok Sabha polls, and
accused the panel of taking "hasty" and "harsh" action "pressurised by political considerations".

The BJP candidate from Pilibhit said the EC action was in "utter disregard of the principles of natural justice" as it had passed the censure "without any attempt to ascertain the truth".

Making it clear that he would not withdraw from the polls, 29-year-old Varun said, "I believe my real court of appeal lies with the people."

Varun, who is contesting Lok Sabha elections for the first time, also said, "The EC's eagerness to exercise its 'recommendatory jurisdiction' begins and ends with my case alone. This itself, coupled with the haste with which the EC has acted, leaves one to believe that the action has been pressurised by political considerations."

With his party standing by him, Varun said by making "adverse remarks and recommendations to the BJP and all other parties, the EC has acted beyond its jurisdiction and has surpassed its powers including under Article 324 of the Constitution".

"It is astonishing that such harsh censure should be used without any attempt to ascertain the truth," said Varun, who has come under attack for his alleged anti-Muslim speeches recorded on tapes, which he claimed have been doctored.

A day after EC recommended to BJP that he should not be fielded because of his hate campaign, Varun said the EC had given him no chance to clarify.

Varun said he had asked for the material forming the basis of the EC notice to enable him to respond appropriately to the same. "But sadly in utter disregard of the principles of natural justice, the EC has in haste and unusually censorious language passed an opinion," he wrote to the EC.

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Clash of the red brigade

When Goddess Parvathi appeared before Naranath Branthan (the legendary Kerala intellectual who was considered a lunatic by the masses), he asked
her to change the date of his death. But, when she expressed her inability, he baffled her by asking for a different boon: "In that case, at least, transfer the filarial disease from my left leg to the right!

In the context of the impending polls, Congressmen in Kerala seemed to have acted much like Naranath Branthan by praying to the Gods that the incurable disease of factionalism, which plagued them till a few years back, be transferred to enemy turf!

The 2009 LS elections have brought in a role reversal in Kerala. Instead of the Congress, it is the Left which is a divided house for the first time. And, in the process, it's all set to taste a historical debacle.

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PPP, PML-N should work together: Pak PM

LAHORE: Extending an olive branch to former ally Nawaz Sharif "on behalf of the government", Pakistan premier Yousuf Raza Gilani on Sunday said
his PPP and the PML-N should "remove misunderstandings" and work together for the sake of democracy and economic development in Pakistan. ( Watch )

The two leaders addressed the media emerging from a over two-hour-long luncheon meeting, their first since a political crisis was defused on March 16 when the government acceded to PML-N demand to restore Chief Justice Iftikhar M Chaudhry and other judges sacked by ex-President Pervez Musharraf during the 2007 emergency.

Amid speculation that the meeting may lead to formation of a PPP-PML-N alliance and sidelining of President Asif Ali Zardari, Gilani said "I am here with a message from Zardari...I, on the behalf of the government, come to Nawaz Sharif with an olive branch."

Noting that Pakistan is facing many challenges including on the economic front, the premier said the two parties should "remove misunderstandings" and "work together" for democracy and economic development of the country.

Sharif said he "appreciates" Gilani's message which reflects "his concern for the nation".

"The restoration of judiciary has fulfilled the popular demand...it is not a matter of winning or losing. It is a victory of justice and a victory of the masses," the former premier said.

Gilani also said the possibility of the PPP and PML-N working together could not be ruled out if the apex court reversed its verdict disqualifying the Sharif brothers from electoral politics.

Using cricket language, Sharif said," they (PPP) have won the toss and started their innings. They are batting and we are bowling. It should be a good match so the people of Pakistan can enjoy it and be happy."

Sharif said a key demand of the PML-N was fulfilled with the government's decision last week to reinstate the deposed judges.

The PPP-led government should now implement the Charter of Democracy, which was signed by the two parties in 2006, Sharif told a joint news conference with Gilani.

Under the provisions of the Charter of Democracy, the 17th constitutional amendment that gives the President sweeping powers should be scrapped and the constitution restored to its original position to ensure justice and rule of law, Sharif said.

Sharif made it clear that the two parties had not held any discussions on the PML-N rejoining the PPP-led government at the centre.

Hundreds of lawyers and activists who have agitated for Chaudhry's return gathered outside the judge's home in Islamabad for a ceremonial flag-raising. They carried balloons and threw rose petals, calling the judge's reinstatement a milestone for democracy.

"It is a day of victory for the people of Pakistan,'' lawyer leader Aitzaz Ahsan said.

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Major Difference Between Break up of Alliance

There was break up of alliance both in UPA and NDA camps! In NDA camp, BJP and BJD parted ways and BJP MLAs resigned from Biju Patnaik Government in Orissa. RJD&LJP combine broke alliance from UPA in Bihar and Jharkhand, but all three parties claim, they are together!

On top of it, neither Mr. Lalu, nor Mr. Paswan resigned from UPA government.

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EC finds Varun Gandhi guilty of provocative speech

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Sunday found the BJP leader and candidate from Pilibhit, Varun Gandhi guilty of anti-Muslim speeches which sparked off widespread criticism.

The Election Commission rejected Varun’s reply, expressing dissatisfaction over it. The commission has also advised the party to not issue him a ticket to fight the Lok Sabha elections.

While Gandhi in his reply to the EC's notice had claimed that the CD, containing his alleged hate-speech, was doctored, Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami had gone on record stating that the onus was on Gandhi to prove that the tape was doctored.

In its reply, BJP distanced itself from Gandhi's hate speeches and told EC that his remarks did not represent the views of the party.

It, however, asked the poll panel to check the genuineness of the CD containing the comments.

Gandhi was slapped with a notice for making speeches that had communal overtones during his rallies in Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh.

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RJD, LJP still friends, says Congress

NEW DELHI: Despite RJD chief Lalu Prasad's decision to field candidates against Congress in Bihar, the latter adopted a conciliatory approach stating that it (Prasad's decision) does not mark the end of UPA or the party's friendship with RJD and LJP.

"We don't want to contest. He (Prasad) wants to put all candidates against our candidates. You know we have not come to that stage of taking a decision....put up candidates against Lalu and Paswan who continue to be our friends," Congress media cell head M Veerappa Moily told reporters.

Earlier in a press conference today, Prasad had accused Congress of trying to "finish off" regional parties. He had announced that his party would contest Aurangabad, Sasaram and Madhubani -- all held by Congress.

Prasad had also said Congress alone did not constitute UPA. "If the name of UPA remains, it is good, otherwise some other name can be adopted and some other front will be formed," he had said.

Reacting to his statement, Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari told PTI, "It is erroneous to presume the end of the UPA with Lalu contesting all 40 seats (in Bihar). UPA was brought into existence primarily to strengthen, broaden and consolidate secularism.

"If in any particular state we cannot arrive at a seat adjustment with any of our partners because of no fault of ours this does not mean the end of UPA."

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Lead India winner R K Misra joins BJP

BANGALORE: R K Misra, TOI's Lead India initiative winner, joined the BJP on Saturday. He was inducted into the party in presence of leaders Arun
Jaitley and Ananth Kumar.

After a five-year stint in public life and social entrepreneurship, the 44-year-old RK, as he is popularly known, said he was not hankering for a ticket to contest elections. "I've no intentions of contesting any elections. My idea of joining active politics is to work towards engaging educated civil society in the political process," he told reporters.

Misra is the second Lead India finalist to join politics. Sanjeev Kaura, a Delhiite who was in the final round of Lead India, has joined Mayawati's BSP and currently general secretary of the Himachal Pradesh unit. Devang Nanavati, also a Lead India finalist from Ahmedabad, has dropped hints about joining active politics.

"The Lead India Campaign really changed my life. I was into public activism and social entreprenurship for over five years but I was never noticed by the public. Lead India gave me the much needed fillip and helped me to get noticed by the public and media," Mishra said.

Welcoming Misra, Jaitley said his entry would strengthen BJP since he is a true leader in every sense. "He proved his leadership mettle in the earnest leadership campaign initiated by The Times of India and none can doubt his abilities. The party will make best use of his talent," he added.

Asked why he chose BJP, Mishra said, "NDA's focus on development and good governance during 1998-2004 is what inspired me the most to join the party."

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Congress-JMM alliance splits in Jharkhand

NEW DELHI: In fresh trouble for the UPA, the JMM has severed its seat-sharing pact with Congress in Jharkhand and vowed to contest all 14 Lok Sabha seats in the state, Times Now reported late on Friday. JMM leader Durga Soren said, “Congress has betrayed us.”

According to the arrangement announced two days ago, off the 14 seats in the state, Congress was to contest seven and JMM five. ``We have finalised the seat-sharing agreement. Congress will contest seven and JMM 5. We have left two seats for RJD,'' AICC in-charge for Jharkhand K Keshava Rao told reporters on Wednesday, emphasising that RJD was not taken into confidence.

Earlier today, a delegation of RJD leaders met party chief Lalu Prasad to demand that the party contest at least five seats instead of the two left for it in the tribal state under the seat-sharing agreement between JMM and Congress, PTI reported.

While RJD declared it would contest "minimum four" seats, Ram Vilas Paswan-led LJP has announced to contest "at least six" of the total 14 Lok Sabha seats in Jharkhand.

"Our party chief Lalu Prasad has told us that RJD will contest minimum four seats in Jharkhand," state RJD president Gautam Sagar Rana told reporters after an hour long meeting of state leaders with the part supremo here.

In Bihar, Congress has now decided to contest a minimum of 30 seats but would not put up candidates in three constituencies, two being contested by Lalu Prasad and Hajipur seat of Ram Vilas Paswan, party sources said.

Incidentally the two parties had left only three seats for the Congress under the seat sharing agreement announced by them unilaterally.

Union Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said that the central election committee tonight deliberated on Bihar. Party sources said that the Congress could contest as many as 37 seats.

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Whole of Indian Media seems to be supporting UPA

It seems whole of Indian English Media are supporting UPA in this election. Few of the head lines or news reporting seem to suggest that. For example, when BJP and BJD parted ways in Orissa, everybody shouted it to be deathblow to NDA and same thing happened with with UPA in Bihar with its most staunchest allies like RJD, but people are breaking news as Lalu saying RJD being part UPA still!

But all these English Media were proved wrong in Gujarat and seems this LS will also repeat the same! Just my biased thinking!

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Congress to contest 37 seats in Bihar

NEW DELHI: With the UPA alliance in Bihar virtually collapsing, Congress on Saturday announced that it will contest 37 of the 40 Lok Sabha seats and leave only three for the RJD and LJP.

"We have decided to contest on 37 seats in Bihar. We want to leave three seats, two on which Lalu Prasad would contest and one on which Ram Vilas Paswan would contest," senior Congress leader Sushil Kumar Shinde told reporters here.

RJD and LJP had left only three seats for the Congress under the seat sharing agreement announced by them unilaterally.

Shinde, who is chairman of the screening committee on Bihar said he would be "sending a list of names (seats) to the Central Election Committee for approval".

The Congress leader claimed that the party workers were "very agitated and their dissatisfaction was at such a level that it getting difficult to convince them."

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Narendra Modi saddles up for key role at Centre

In the late 1960s, Narendra Modi used to help his brother run a tea-stall at the Gita Mandir bus stand in Ahmedabad, serving fresh buns and hot
cups of tea. Among the regular clients were a bunch of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leaders who used to animatedly discuss political developments for hours at a stretch. Then in his late teens, the Sangh idealogy left a lasting impression on this youngster who was studying political science at that time.

He quit the tea stall to become a swayamsevak and later a full-time pracharak. Forty years later, Modi is emerging as the most potent brew to come out of the Sangh’s stables, with even stalwarts of India Inc fuelling his political ambition to look beyond the boundaries of Gujarat.

There was shock and surprise in January this year when Anil Ambani and Sunil Bharti Mittal, impressed by the fact that the Vibrant Gujarat investment summit had clocked pledges worth $250 billion in these depressed economic conditions, publicly endorsed this “future Prime Minister”.

Other second-rung Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, who are wary of the growing stature of the Gujarat chief minister, reacted with indignation. Modi was quick to declare that his only focus was to see L K Advani as the next prime minister. But then, many in the BJP see Modi’s emergence at the national level as the writing on the wall, given Advani’s advancing age and the absence of any other mass leader and master-strategist in their midst, especially after the demise of Pramod Mahajan.

Advani is right in a way. The BJP’s PM-candidate is no longer seen as the face of Hindutva, a plank the BJP was forced to shed in order to gain acceptability among allies in an era of coalition politics. At the same time, the BJP is keen to use Modi’s exceptional oratorial skills, organisational capacity and image as Hindutva’s poster-boy in other states.

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SP not averse to have post-poll alliance with Cong

VADODARA: Though the Congress
and the Samajwadi Party were unable to have a pre-poll alliance, SP General Secretary Amar Singh indicated that his
party is not averse to have an alliance with the UPA-led government
.

The pre-poll alliance in UP will not be an issue after the poll results as Congress will not be able to form the government without SP's support at the Centre, Singh said at Harni airport on his arrival from Uttar Pradesh.

"We are a secular party and Congress will need our support in its efforts to form the government at the Centre," Singh said.

Singh was here to make the announcement that SP will put up seven candidates in Gujarat.

"My party position is weak in Gujarat as we have no base, but we will contest seven seats in the state to improve our position here," Singh said.

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Sadhu Yadav rebels against Lalu, to join Congress

NEW DELHI: RJD chief Lalu Prasad's brother-in-law, Sadhu Yadav, on Tuesday expressed his desire to join Congress. Raising a banner of revolt
against RJD chief Lalu Prasad, Sadhu Yadav accused him of "kneeling down" before LJP president Ram Vilas Paswan and announced that he will contest the polls from two seats in Bihar.

"I am a sitting MP and have been winning elections. Prakash Jha was nothing but has been given a ticket from Betiah seat even though he had lost in the last election contesting as an independent. This shows that Lalu Prasad has knelt down before Ram Vilas Paswan," Yadav said.

"I will contest elections from both Betiah and Motihari seats which have been given to LJP," Yadav told reporters. He, however, refused to disclose whether he will contest as an independent candidate or join any other party.

When asked why he was going against RJD chief who also happens to be his relative, Yadav said, "No relationship in politics.... My personal relationship has nothing to do with what I am doing. It's my struggle for social justice. I will contest election to retain the respect of my people."

Yadav said that he is not alone and has support from a large number of party men such as senior RJD leader Ramai Ram.

"Ram will contest against Ram Vilas Paswan from Samastipur while Jainarayan Prasad Nishad (former RJD leader) will contest from Vaishali and Muzaffarpur seats," he announced.

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Uma Bharti supports Advani's prime ministerial candidature

NEW DELHI: Bhartiya Janshakti Party leader Uma Bharti has now come in support of L K Advani's prime ministerial candidature.

Bharti, who left BJP accusing partisan behaviour of Advani, is understood to have expressed her support for the veteran leader in a letter, sources said. The letter saying that she would be "happy to see Advani at the Prime Minister's chair" was delivered to Advani's office through Bharti's aide.

The contents of the letter also found a mention in the proceeding of the party's central election committee which met today.

Bharti, a former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, may also be vying a patch up ahead of the Lok Sabha polls after her Bhartiya Janshakti party was virtually routed in the last assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh. Bharti herself had failed to win her pocket borough Tikamgarh.

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Congress rejects seat-sharing deal between RJD and LJP

NEW DELHI: An angry Congress
on Tuesday rejected the seat-sharing deal announced by the RJD and LJP in Bihar, saying the deal was "not
acceptable" and it would contest "as many seats as possible".

"We have decided to contest as many seats as possible. We will take a decision and come back to you in a day or two," senior Congress leader Sushilkumar Shinde told reporters here.

AICC secretary Iqbal Singh, in-charge of Bihar, said leaving three seats to Congress was not acceptable.

Shinde, the in-charge of central screening committee of Bihar said, "they have left just three seats. Our workers are in so much anger. We were ready with a list of eleven candidates."

Asked whether this would lead to a division of secular votes in the state, Shinde said that Congress has been "very cooperative" from the beginning but somehow it has not clicked.

Shinde said there is a lot of pressure on the party and "our workers are saying we should contest as many seats as possible. We have to keep the sentiments of our workers in mind. How can we show our face to them if we do not contest more seats."

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CPM releases party manifesto for Lok Sabha polls

NEW DELHI: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) released its manifesto on Monday for the April-May general election and called for government
control of the financial sector.

The party, which held the balance of power for most of the tenure of the Congress Party-led government, also said it proposed a complete halt to the privatization of profitable state firms.

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Zardari reinstates CJ; Sharif calls off march

ISLAMABAD: The simmering political crisis in Pakistan on Monday blew over with the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif calling off the long march
Zardari reinstates CJ
Lawyers dance following government's announcement to reinstate Chaudhry. (Reuters Photo)
More Pictures
after government buckled and announced the reinstatement of deposed Supreme Court Chief Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.

The denouement came early on Monday morning with prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani announcing government's decision to reinstate Justice Chaudhry dismissed by then President Pervez Musharraf during Emergency two years ago.

Former premier and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif, who defied house arrest on Sunday and was on a long march along with his supporters for a mass sit-in outside Parliament, called off the protest hailing the government's announcement as a victory.

Gilani's announcement came on top of government's decision on Saturday to file a review petition challenging the Supreme Court's order barring PML-N leaders Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif from electoral politics.

"In keeping with the promise made by the President and me, I announce the restoration of all deposed judges, including Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, to their posts," Gilani said in a televised address to the nation.

Chaudhry will assume the post of Chief Justice once current incumbent Abdul Hamid Dogar retires on March 21. "A notification to this effect is being issued now," Gilani said.

"I hope after this, we'll implement the charter of democracy and true democracy in Pakistan. We'll make the judiciary stronger and parliament supreme," Sharif told supporters in Gujranwala.

"We have got the fruit of our two-year struggle. Now the destiny of this country will change. This development will lead to a revolution in Pakistan," the former prime minister said.

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Modi, Pawar war of words on the campaign trail

PUNE: On the campaign trail in western Maharashtra, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and BJP leader Narendra Modi derided each other, with the
Maharashtra strongman describing the saffron campaigner as the "frontline leader" of communal forces in the country.

Modi hit back, saying Pawar has been hoodwinked by Congress on the issue of prime ministership. The Gujarat chief minister, who launched the BJP-Shiv Sena's poll drive here on Sunday night, said Pawar who has spent many years in Congress failed to understand the stratagem of that party to keep him out of the race for the top post.

Referring to recent statement by Pawar that a Maharashtrian should get an opportunity to become PM, Modi said by making Pratibha Patil the President, Congress employed a "shrewd ploy" to sideline the NCP president shutting doors on his prime ministerial ambitions.

The seasoned politician in Pawar, however, failed to gauge the Congress game, Modi added.

In a sarcastic vein, he said, "if Pawar had any substance, he should at least see to it that a Maharashtrian becomes captain of the Indian cricket team."

Continuing his marathon election meetings in neighbouring Ahmednagar district, Pawar branded Modi as a "frontline leader" of communal forces in the country, who was responsible for destroying lives of hundreds of people in Gujarat, maligning the image of that state.

"This communal leader has come to Maharashtra (for campaigning) but people of this state would never accept his ideology that divided the society, Pawar said.

"We love Gujarat of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel", he said, appealing to voters to remove the poisonous "weed" of communal thoughts from the state.

The NCP chief also welcomed local MLA Yashwantrao Gadakh, on the occasion, who crossed over to the party from Congress.

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Left, key regional parties launch Third Front

Launching the Third Front, the Left and major regional parties on Thursday joined hands to take on the Congress and the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, saying both of them had failed to address people's grievances.

Addressing a massive rally, leaders of these parties announced that they had come together to provide a "new alternative" to the voters ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

"This is a historic get-together of all democratic, secular and Left parties in the country to declare that we are all coming together to constitute a third force in this country," CPM General Secretary Prakash Karat said.

He said the third force stood for the interests of the vast masses for the firm defence of secularism against communal forces. The platform, he said, would fight for social justice for the oppressed sections.

Joined by CPI leader A.B. Bardhan, TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and former prime minister and JD(S) chief H.D. Deve Gowda among others, Karat said, "Today we have come together because the country needs a new alternative."

Recalling the formation of the United Front government headed by Gowda 13 years ago, Karat said people came to know in 1996 that "the future of this country does not lie either with Congress or the BJP." He said the UF then comprised all secular, democratic and regional parties, along with the Left to provide an alternative to the Congress and BJP.

He said even after 60 years of independence, both the major parties had "failed to fulfil the aspirations of the people".

Rebutting Congress claims of a nine per cent economic growth rate, Karat asked as to what it meant for the common people and said the country still witnessed the "shameful spectacle" of farmers committing suicide and people facing the brunt of high unemployment and rising prices.

"Life is unbearable for the ordinary people," the CPM leader said, adding that on top of this, the global economic crisis had led to loss of millions of jobs and the crash of the world financial system and banks.

Though the chiefs of AIADMK and BSP, J Jayalalithaa and Mayawati, skipped the function, their representatives V Maitreyan and Satish Chandra Mishra were present.

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Jayalalithaa commences fast on Sri Lankan Tamils' issue

CHENNAI: AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa on Monday commenced a day-long fast in Chennai to press the centre to use its good offices with Sri Lanka to declare an immediate ceasefire in the island nation.

A similar fast is being undertaken by party members in the district headquarters across the state.

Jayalalithaa had charged the centre and the DMK, a constituent of the ruling UPA, with "failing to ensure ceasefire," in (the northern parts of) Sri Lanka."

The party is also collecting donations during the fast for providing relief to the Sri Lankan Tamils.

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Kiyani warns Zardari against unrest in Pakistan

NEW DELHI: The army
in Pakistan has begun to flex its muscle. Pakistan's army chief general Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani, who has so far kept a low
profile, has asked President Asif Ali Zardari to 'clean up the mess' soon, according to a Times Now report.

Well-placed military sources in Islamabad said Kiyani has been asked by the United States to bring some order in the region. After his recent visit to Washington, Kiyani held a meeting with top Pakistani army commanders on March 6 to share the concern of the US over the state of affairs in the country, especially after the dissolution of the Punjab government and the subsequent anti-government agitation that has plunged the country into another political crisis.

Zardari's bid to settle scores with the opposition led by Sharif has now gone down well with Washington.

The Supreme Court last month effectively barred former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his younger brother Shahbaz Sharif, who are opposition leaders, from contesting elections.

The Sharifs and the PML-N, Pakistan's second-largest party, have accused Zardari of being behind the court decision. Their supporters have taken to the streets and more strife is expected.

Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and the Sharifs' party were bitter rivals in the 1990s, a turbulent decade in which Bhutto and Sharif both served as prime minister twice without completing a term. A military coup in late 1999 ousted Sharif and brought Musharraf to power.

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SP names 10 more poll nominees in UP, leaves only 6 seats for Cong

NEW DELHI: The Samajwadi Party on Sunday declared 10 more candidates for the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh taking the number of its
nominees to 74, but left six constituencies for the Congress despite the stalemate in seat sharing talks.

Of the 80 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state, the Samajwadi Party left Rae Bareli, Amethi, Ghaziabad, Dharora, Mathura and Kanpur City for the Congress.

Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav said his party would not field candidates in these parliamentary constituencies even if there is no alliance with the Congress.

The Samajwadi Party earlier announced candidates for 64 constituencies.

The Congress and the Samajwadi Party are finding it difficult to reach a consensus on seat sharing arrangement in the most populous state of India.

Earlier Sunday, Mulayam Singh said: "We want to contest the elections with them (Congress). Until now our alliance with them has not been finalised, but there are no disputes as well."

"But I want to tell you that there will be no bitterness with the Congress in the future," he said.

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Congress sorry for Babri Masjid demolition: Digvijay Singh

LUCKNOW: Congress leader Digvijay Singh on Saturday apologised for the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992 when the party was in power at the
national level.

"We would once again like to say sorry to the nation for the demolition of the Babri Masjid as at that time the P.V. Narasimha Rao led-Congress was in power."

"We would also like to clarify that we will not have any kind of association with (former Bharatiya Janata Party leader) Kalyan Singh who was the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh when the (mosque) was demolished," Singh said.

Singh, Congress general secretary and in-charge of party affairs in Uttar Pradesh, was here to address a rally organised by the minority cell of the party to press the Uttar Pradesh government for utilising the funds allocated by the central government for several schemes for the minorities.

Earlier in the day, he said the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) government in the state had a lethargic attitude in implementing central government schemes.

"The central government had sanctioned Rs.1,300 crore (Rs.13 billion) to the state government for various schemes for the minorities. However, the fund has yet not been utilised and will lapse on March 31," Singh said.

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NCP extends support to Patnaik government in Orissa

NEW DELHI: Sharad Pawar-led NCP today extended support of his party's two MLAs to the Naveen Patnaik ministry in Orissa, which was reduced to a
minority after the BJP pulled out of the alliance.

"The MLAs of Nationalist Congress Party in Orissa will support the BJD Government headed by Patnaik," NCP spokesperson D P Tripathi said in a statement.

Patnaik has claimed in Bhubaneshwar that he has a majority in the 147-member assembly with the support of more than 74 MLAs.

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BJP-BJD ties break down, NDA shaken

BHUBANESWAR: In what is a major setback to the NDA campaign, the BJP-BJD ties broke down on Saturday night with Orissa chief minister Naveen
Patnaik announcing that he would go to polls on his own and his 11-year understanding with the saffron camp was off. ( Watch )

The talks between Patnaik and BJP ended on an abrupt note when the BJD leader made a "humiliating" offer of just about half a dozen Lok Sabha seats of the 21 seats in Orissa. While BJP kept mum after the talks ended, the party's senior leadership will take stock of the situation in Delhi on Sunday.

It is clear that Patnaik was not really keen to continue his alliance with BJP as he set out terms that the safrron party, even if its stretched itself, would not have been able to agree to. The BJD boss appears to be convinced that he is better placed to win the Lok Sabha and assembly elections without the BJP.

"We were stressing on the winnability factor but this did not work out. It is now clear that we will face the elections on our own," said Patnaik after the talks failed.

The BJP has been taken off guard despite the evidence on the ground suggesting that the party has been steadily in decline. Even in western Orissa's tribal belt, BJD has begun to win more seats in the local body elections. BJP has missed the point that its appeal has become increasingly restricted to only its core cadres and incidents like Kandhamal have only created a surge amongst the faithful.

The view of BJP leaders is that Patnaik has taken a calculated decision that may enhance his status as a regional leader but could still be open to a post-election deal with NDA if the numbers work out. The BJD could also go with a "third front" formation if such a situation arose. Yet, the ruthless streak that Patnaik has dispalyed surprised BJP even though he has shown it in dealing with inconvenient elements in his own party.

It is felt that BJD's bold strike is also based on its assessment that the party was gaining not just at the expense of BJP but also eating into Congress support. Both Congress and BJP suffer the drag of uninspiring leadership and this has accrued to the benefit of the BJD over the years.

Patnaik kept the BJP on tenterhooks through the day. As Naveen left for Ganjam to campaign, the BJP core group remained in closed door meetings at the party office. The core group comprised party's state president Suresh Pujari, Biswabhusan Harichandan, Dharmendra Pradhan, Jual Oram, Manmohan Samal, Kharabela Swain, Prasanna Mishra, Panchanan Rout, and BJP all-India joint general secretary in charge of Orissa, V Satish.

The meeting was convened in the backdrop of Friday night's one-on-one talk Naveen Patnaik had with BJP emissary from New Delhi Chandan Mitra on the contentious seat sharing issue for the ensuing assembly and Lok Sabha elections. Mitra on Friday had met Naveen after getting briefs from the state BJP leadership. That the meeting yielded little result was evident from the statement he made after emerging out of Naveen Niwas. "Details of the meeting cannot be discussed before the media," he remarked. He also said that both sides were examining the ground reality.

Sources said Mitra discussed with the core group details of his talks with Patnaik and sought the state leadership's views on whether or not to agree with the BJD formula. The BJD was rigid on dismantling the 84:63 and 12:9 ratio for the assembly and Lok Sabha seats. respectively, and wanted to contest more seats. It also wanted to reserve the right of choosing the seats for BJP.

This was clearly not acceptable. The BJP meeting also discussed the possibility of BJD fielding rebels to undercut the BJP's position whether there was an alliance or not.

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Cong-TC alliance in a day or two: Cong

NEW DELHI: The alliance between Congress and Trinamool Congress to take on the ruling Left Front in Lok Sabha poll in West Bengal could be
announced in a day or two.

"Talks are going on...These are on the right track. I will get back to you with some announcement on the alliance in a day or two," AICC in-charge of West Bengal K Keshava Rao told reporters at the AICC headquarters here.

Rao visited the Left-ruled state recently and had talks with Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee as also with other Congress leaders.

The Congress leader described the talks as "positive". "I am confident that the alliance would work out," he said.

Asked how many seats would be acceptable to Congress and what will be the formula of seat-sharing in the state, Rao said "it would be a respectable figure" but declined to divulge what will be acceptable to the party.

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CPM MP Abdullakutty expelled for praising Modi

KANNUR: CPM MP from Kannur A P Abullakutty, who had praised Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi's development model, was on Saturday expelled
from the party on the charge of breach of discipline by "joining class enemies".

The action against the two-time Lok Sabha member was taken by CPM's Kannur district committee which accused him of repeated breach of discipline by joining the "class enemies", party sources said.

The 44-year-old MP had embarrassed CPM by stating that the efforts of Modi to bring development to his state were worthy of emulation, even as he did not agree with his "anti-minority" approach.

The move came a day after the suspended Lok Sabha member said he had 'technically ceased' to be a party member as he had not renewed his membership and could decide the future step on his own.

He was suspended from the party membership for one year on January 17 after the district committee found his reply "unsatisfactory" to the explanation sought from him about his remarks praising Modi's development model.

CPM found that by his "anti-party" comments Abudllakutty had "forfeited" his last chance to "correct the mistake" and remain in the party, the sources said.

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TDP strongman Subba Reddy joins Congress

HYDERABAD: In a move that would change political equations in Kurnool district, TDP's sitting MLA and regional strongman S V Subba Reddy has quit
the party and joined the Congress.

The development has been balanced somewhat with Manganti Venkateswara Rao (Babu), who till recently was a minister in Y S Rajasekhar Reddy's cabinet, resigning from the Congress and joining the TDP with both events happening late Friday evening.

Subba Reddy was the only TDP MLA to get elected from the entire Kurnool district in the 2004 elections. In all, he was elected MLA five times from Kurnool and was the man who converted TDP into a force to reckon with in the district.

His daughter Sobha Nagai Reddy and son-in-law Bhooma Nagai Reddy quit TDP a few months ago and joined Praja Rajyam Party headed by actor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi.

With Subba Reddy's exit from the party, TDP has been weakened in Kurnool which is one of the key areas of Rayalseema region.

Subba Reddy's son Mohan Reddy and former chairman of Zilla Parishad B Venkataramudu also joined Congress on Friday.

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IIT, IIM alumni to contest 40 Lok Sabha seats

LUCKNOW: The Bharatiya Punarnirman Dal (BPD) - a political outfit floated by Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institute of
Management (IIM) alumni - will contest the Lok Sabha election from at least 40 seats across the country, a party leader said Saturday.

"We are all geared to contesting the election. Till now, we have only announced eight candidates," BPD national working committee member Omendra Bharat said over telephone from Kanpur.

Candidates have been named for four seats in Uttar Pradesh, two in Delhi and one each in Andhra Pradesh and Orissa, said Bharat, a graduate from IIT-Kanpur.

Asked about the party's poll plank, Bharat said: "Growing terrorism and issues like education and jobs will be high on our agenda."

Formed in December 2006, BPD contested, without success, five seats in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections in 2007. "We got 1.5-2 percent of the total votes," said Bharat.

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Sharad Pawar sets 'tough terms' before Congress

NASHIK (MAHARASHTRA): In a significant development ahead of the possible announcement of Lok Sabha poll schedule, Nationalist Congress Party
(NCP) chief Sharad Pawar reportedly laid down strict conditions before its UPA ally Congress.

Sharad Pawar on Sunday urged the Congress to take a lead in declaring national-level, pre-poll alliances with its partners, IANS reported.

"As a big party, the Congress should come out with the pre-poll alliance and alliance partners should get a chance to contest from constituencies in which they are strong," he said.

Pawar said although he has spoken to different parties like Jayalalitha's AIADMK and N. Chandrababu Naidu's Telugu Desam Party (TDP), no final decision has been taken.

"The NCP does not want to fight the elections on its own. For the present, we are with the United Progressive Alliance (UPA)," he said.

Toughening the party's stance on the issue of getting a 50 per cent share of seats in Maharashtra, he said that if the Congress did not relent, then the NCP would have to rethink the issue, IANS said.

Addressing the convention, state Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal urged the Congress to give 50 per cent seats and share the chief minister's post for the forthcoming assembly elections, due later this year.

Justifying the demand, Bhujbal said that this was in view of the fact that the NCP's strength had grown as compared to the Congress. "In such a situation, why should we settle for a secondary position?" he asked.

According to IANS, apart from Bhujbal, other senior NCP leaders like Tariq Anwar and state president RR Patil spoke at the convention.
Times Now report says that commenting on his possible meeting with Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray, Pawar said, "Sure, I want to meet him and wish him good health."

Answering a question about Congress leader Govindrao Adik, Pawar said he respected Adik's feelings. "But he (Adik) will be better off moving to the NCP," Times Now quoted Pawar as saying.

Pawar said that there is a feeling among NCP workers that the party should insist on sharing the office of chief minister of Maharashtra on the basis of the formula which the Congress has devised in Jammu and Kashmir.

"State NCP chief and former deputy chief minister RR Patil has communicated to me this feeling," Pawar told Times Now.

Faultlines in the ruling alliance of the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party came out in the open on Thursday following criticism of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in an NCP periodical.

The periodical, Rashtravadi, contained an editorial in its latest edition which was critical of Sonia and Rahul and accused them of being rude towards constituent parties of the UPA.

Tempers shot up in the Congress camp with senior party MP Gurudas Kamat threatening that his party will have to rethink its alliance with the NCP if the latter ridiculed its leaders. He said Sonia and Rahul have been courteous and humble in their conduct towards leaders of all parties which constitute the UPA. His threat assumed significance in the background of the NCP hobnobbing with the Shiv Sena.

The Congress is already upset with the NCP's open projection of Pawar as its prime ministerial candidate since it clashes with its own ambition of having Rahul as the next prime minister.

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Lok Sabha polls from April 16 to May 13

NEW DELHI: The much-awaited schedule for the Lok Sabha elections was announced on Monday afternoon, by Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami.


The country will go to polls from April 16 to May 13. Counting of votes will be done on May 16 and the 15th Lok Sabha will be constituted by June two.

Polls will be conducted in 124 constituencies on April 16, 141 constituencies on April 23, 107 constituencies on April 30, 85 constituencies on May 7 and 86 constrituencies on May 13.

Five-phased polls will be held in Jammu and Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh, Bihar will have four-phased elections, Maharashtra and West Bengal will witness three-phased polls, while Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Punjab will have elections in two phases, N Gopalaswami announced at a press conference.

Remaining 15 states and seven union territories will have one-day polling.

Treating Manipur as an exception, polls will be conducted in the state on April 22, considering April 23 is a local holiday there.

Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim and Orissa will simultaneously hold assembly polls.

On Sunday, the President rejected the controversial recommendation by the Chief Election Commissioner for the removal of Election Commissioner Navin Chawla. The President’s decision will now pave the way for Chawla’s elevation as CEC after Gopalaswami demits office on April 20.

The Election Commission headed by Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami decided the dates of the general elections after completing consultation process with political leaders, home secretary and secretaries of key ministries.

Earlier in the day, the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) led by Ajit Singh announced its entry into the opposition National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The RLD will have a poll pact with the main NDA constituent the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

In a late development on Sunday, the Trinamool Congress formed an alliance with Congress in West Bengal to fight the Lok Sabha elections against the Left Front.

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