Maya challenges scrapping of NSA against Varun

NEW DELHI: The Uttar Pradesh government moved the Supreme Court challenging the nixing of National Security Act (NSA) against BJP's Varun Gandhi by a state advisory board under the Allahabad High Court.

The state government moved the apex court contending that the state advisory board scrapped invocation of NSA against Gandhi ignoring "cogent evidence" of the state government for invoking the NSA against him.

Blogs: Varun's clean chit does not prove BJP right

The filing of the petition in the apex court's registry was confirmed by Uttar Pradesh's advocate-on-record G.V. Rao.

The Uttar Pradesh advisory board had scrapped the state government's decision to invoke the NSA against Varun Gandhi, saying that the step was too harsh.

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Amar Singh accused of provoking Jayaprada to commit suicide

LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party (SP) general secretary Amar Singh has been accused of provoking actress-turned politician and party's Rampur Lok Sabha candidate Jayaprada to commit suicide, the police said Tuesday.

The complaint against the SP general secretary was made by the supporters of the party's senior leader Azam Khan, the officials added.

"We have accepted the complaint against Amar Singh, but a case against him would be registered after the completion of the inquiry that is underway," district police chief Jyoti Narayan said over phone.

He said that while addressing an election rally in Rampur Sunday, Amar Singh allegedly said that in case of defeat in elections, Jayaprada could commit suicide. "After completing the inquiry, probably by today (Tuesday) evening, we will register a case against Amar Singh," the police official added.

There is a major dispute between Amar Singh and Azam Khan over the candidature of Jayaprada from Rampur, with Amar Singh backing her while Khan an

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Efforts to bring back Somnath into CPM: Buddhadeb

KOLKATA: West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has said he has been making efforts in his "own way" to bring leaders like Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee back into the CPM fold.

"I miss him. For us, losing a personality like Somnath and a leader like him ... on the part of the party and also on a personal level is a bit painful," Bhattacharjee said in an interview to a local television channel.

The chief minister was asked if it would be possible to set aside personal feelings and egos to get leaders like Chatterjee and former MP Saifuddin Chowdhury, who had been expelled from the CPM, back into the party fold.

Bhattacharjee replied: "An individual doesn't make the party. The party is made up of several people. I can say this much that I am doing it in my own way".

The chief minister, however, did not specify whether his efforts were intended towards the return of both leaders or only Chatterjee.

"I won't say anything specifically. I have talked to my colleagues on this issue in Delhi and Kolkata," he said.

Chowdhury, who formed the Party for Democratic Socialism (PDS), however, said: "No body has talked to me on this".

"May be his (Bhattacharjee's) attitude is that we should return. But he knows why we came out of the party. He also knows whether such a possibility exists or not," he said.

Chowdhury is contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Jadavpu PDS ticket.

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Hanging Afzal does not suit UPA: Modi

LUDHIANA: Attacking the UPA on alleged delay in executing Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the government was indulging in "votebank politics " and "hanging Guru does not suit its interests".

"The Congress-led UPA is indulging in votebank politics and hanging Guru does not suit its interests," Modi said, a day after Rahul Gandhi defended his party saying Afzal will be hanged when his turn comes.

"Out of 29 persons who are on death row, cases of 26 have been processed and only three cases including that of Afzal Guru are pending, Modi told an NDA "Maha Rally" at PUDA ground here, which witnessed a major show of strength with party stalwarts and alliance leaders attending it.

Rahul Gandhi while addressing a rally at Mohali in Punjab on Saturday evening had said Afzal Guru was twenty second on the list of those to be hanged.

"There is a huge line and there are others before him. When his number (turn) comes, he will be hanged."

Modi launched a blistering attack, saying "During Congress regime there is a huge line for everything, be it for getting ration cards, gas connections... Congress General Secretary (Rahul) says Afzal is in queue. Never before have we heard that even for hanging a person, there is a queue. This is unfortunate for the country".

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Moily removed as AICC media head

NEW DELHI: M Veerappa Moily, who launched a surprise attack on JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar, has been abruptly removed as chairman of the Congress media department.

He has been replaced by AICC General Secretary Janardan Dwivedi, who had been holding the charge earlier, party sources said on Saturday.

The removal of Moily is believed to be due to the displeasure of the party high command over his remarks against the Bihar Chief Minister, who was sought to be wooed by party leader Rahul Gandhi.

Moily had on Friday said that Congress is not going to "make a hero" of Nitish Kumar.

"I do not think Congress is going to make a hero of Nitish Kumar, the manner in which he has aligned with BJP and is carrying on...that kind of pollution of his secular credentials with the communal," Moily had said.

When asked about the Congress decision to relieve him of his charge as AICC media head, Moily, who is in Bangalore, merely said that he had given the charge to Dwivedi as he would be away in Karnataka till May 17.

Moily is contesting elections from Chikkballapur in Karnataka.

In a flip-flop yesterday, the AICC media head had first attacked Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and LJP Chief Ramvilas Paswan in the wake of reports that they were boycotting the meeting of the union cabinet but later softened to say that they were part of the UPA and would be back in a UPA government.

The sources said Moily had exceeded his brief on earlier occasions too and had created an awkward situation for the party.

Moily, who had been the party's media department chief for quite some time, had handed over the charge to Dwivedi last month when he went to Karnataka and had resumed the responsibilities only last week.

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RJD, LJP insulted Congress: Moily

NEW DELHI: The spat between the Congress and its partners in the government, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), went up a notch Friday, with the Congress spokesperson accusing them of "insulting" it over seat-sharing in Bihar.

"We should be more angry. We never wronged them... It's only Paswan (Ram Vilas Paswan of LJP) and Laluji (Lalu Prasad of RJD) for reasons best known to them, they left us only two seats," Moily told reporters here.

The RJD and LJP chiefs, key members of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA), seem to be annoyed over Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi's praise of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar.

The Congress' ties with the RJD as well as the LJP have been strained to the breaking point over seat-sharing in Bihar. Rahul Gandhi's comments about Nitish Kumar added to the tensions.

But the Congress was now in a fighting mood. "They left us only two out of 40 seats in Bihar. A national party like the Congress party can't gulp this kind of insult," said Moily.

He added that had there been "harmonious discussions" before the elections, "the situation would not have come to this".

Moily also had harsh words for the Bihar chief minister after wooing him. Unhappy over Nitish Kumar's rebuff to the Congress, Moily said that he "thinks too much of himself". "He will regret staying with BJP. We are not reaching out to him".

Lalu Prasad and Paswan, meanwhile, decided to skip Friday's cabinet meeting.

In Kolkata, Paswan said he was skipping the cabinet meeting as he had a previously scheduled election meeting in the West Bengal capital. "Moreover, there was no agenda of my ministry (in the cabinet meeting)," he added.

Denying any tensions over Rahul Gandhi's remarks on Nitish Kumar, Paswan said: "The Congress has already clarified what Rahulji wanted to say. I am with the UPA. LJP, RJD is with the UPA. And we will remain with UPA."

The steel minister added that any overtures by the Congress and the Left to Nitish Kumar will be unsuccessful. "What is the reality? Nitish kumar is with the BJP. And if anybody wants to talk with Nitish, then first he has to leave the BJP. I don't think that he will leave BJP."

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NSA against Varun invalid: UP advisory board

NEW DELHI: The UP advisory board said on Friday that the use of the National Security Act against BJP leader Varun Gandhi, invoked for his alleged communal remark, was not valid.

"NSA invoked against the BJP leader Varun Gandhi has been held invalid by the board," UP home secretary Javed Ahmad said, PTI reported.

Varun had appeared in person before the advisory board on April 28 and explained that the CD on the basis of which an FIR was lodged against him was doctored.

29-year-old Varun, who is on parole granted by the Supreme Court, was detained under the NSA on March 28 on charges of inciting communal passion by making provocative and inflammatory speeches during election meetings in Pilibhit on March seven and eight.

The Mayawati government will now examine the board's decision before taking a view on whether or not to drop the charges under NSA against Varun.

The panel, which met on Friday, was not convinced by the material provided by the Pilibhit district magistrate.

Varun alleged that NSA was invoked against him with a political motive to sabotage his electoral debut but this was refuted by the UP government.

The board said it did not find "plausible and convincing" grounds for the NSA being invoked against Varun nor was it satisfied by the explanation given by the Pilibhit DM.

FIRs were registered against Varun for allegedly delivering inflammatory speeches in Dalchand locality of Pilibhit, about 300 km from Lucknow on March 7 and in Barkheda village on March 8.

Source : Times Of India

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Amar threatens to quit SP over Azam Khan issue

RAMPUR (UP): In an ultimatum to Mulayam Singh Yadav over the Azam Khan issue, SP
leader Amar Singh has threatened to quit the party after the Lok Sabha polls, accusing the Muslim leader of making "intolerable utterances" against him.

Singh said he would decide over continuing in the party after the end of the final phase of polls, referring to Yadav's statement that 'party mein rehna hai to Azam Khan ko khush rakhna hai' (If you want to remain in the party, you will have to keep Azam Khan happy).

"Azam Khan is a favourite of Mulayam Singhji and in spite of his (Khan) intolerable utterances against me, I was being asked to keep silent," Singh said addressing a public meeting in Rampur, 250 km from Lucknow, on Thursday.

Singh said he is expecting a shoe as a "gift" from his estranged party colleague Azam Khan, claiming he (Khan) must have readied one by now.

At the meeting in support of party candidate Jayaprada, Singh said, "I am waiting for a shoe from Mr Azam Khan. I sincerely invite him to come forward and hand me over the shoe which he is supposed to have readied by now."

"I am impatiently waiting for the moment when Mr Khan will implement his plan out of proportion to insult me," he said angrily.

"If a shoe comes from Khan, I would first decorate this precious gift and then place it in a museum," he said.

Taking exception to the "order" of Yadav that "if I have to stay in Samajwadi Party, I have to bear with Azam Khan," Singh said he had been told by the party chief, "You don't have to say anything, keep absolutely quiet.

"But now I am disobeying this order publicly. And I am doing this because there is a limit to how much one can bear," the SP general secretary said.

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We'll support any alliance that dismisses Maya govt: Mulayam

MAINPURI (UP): Virtually setting a pre-condition for post-poll alliance, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Thursday said his party would extend support to any grouping that will "dismiss" the Mayawati government in Uttar Pradesh.

"The youth, farmers and traders, all are disheartened with the UP government. We will support whoever dismisses the Mayawati government in Uttar Pradesh," Yadav told reporters here.

The SP chief also said that "the trend after three phases of polling shows that no government at the Centre would be possible without SP's support".

The former UP chief minister added that the party's parliamentary board and MPs would meet after the elections to take a call on the issue of extending support.

"Everything would depend on the post-poll equations and the numbers, and taking all these things into account, we will decide," Yadav said.

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If Manmohan can become PM through back door, why can't I, asks Maya

LUCKNOW: Launching a scathing attack on Congress president Sonia Gandhi for her comment `Aaj kal to har koi pradhan mantri banana chahta hai'(Everybody wants to become the PM these days), BSP supremo Mayawati on Tuesday said if Sonia could bring someone like Manmohan Singh through the ``back door'' to Parliament and make him PM, ``why can't a well-educated `Dalit ki beti' like me, who has won several elections and is CM of country's biggest state, become Prime Minister?''

Sonia in her recent election rallies while sarcastically commenting on prime ministerial aspirations of regional satraps surfacing during Lok Sabha polls, had said, ``The latest fashion in politics is that every one wants to become Prime Minister.''

While politicians whose names have cropped up for the coveted post so far have kept quiet, Mayawati hit back at Sonia in her characteristic style. Addressing a huge election rally in Agra, Mayawati said she qualifies ``more than anyone else'' for the post of PM and exhorted her supporters to vote in large number to ensure victory of BSP candidates.

Mayawati, who usually reads out a pre-written speech, spoke impromptu over Sonia's remarks and issue of prime ministership. ``Yeh Manmohan Singh aaj tak ek bhi chunav nahi lada hai... isse Sonia peechale darwaje se Rajya Sabha me chunva kar layi aur pradhan mantri bana diya. Agar Manmohan Singh pradhan mantri ban sakta hai, to phir padhilikhi Dalit ki beti kyun nahi (Manmohan Singh has not contest any public election... he was brought through back door in Rajya Sabha and made Prime Minister. If Manmmohan can become PM, why can't an educated Dalit women),'' she said amid thunderous applause by BSP supporters.

Mayawati also tried to evoke regional sentiments. ``If BJP can project L K Advani who comes from Gujarat as Prime Minister-in-waiting and Congress can present Manmohan Singh who belongs to Punjab as a candidate for the post, why can't UP think of making one of its candidates Prime Minister,'' she said.

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Polls head for photo-finish as BJP plays catch-up

The race for emerging as the single largest party and the largest pre-poll alliance in the Lok Sabha election has become really tight. Polling is
yet to be held in 171 seats, although campaigning is over in all but 86 seats. And as parties go into the final stretch of the race, it looks like it will be a photo-finish.

It also seems quite clear now that whichever party or formation emerges as the biggest bloc, it will still have to rope in many more partners after the election in order to form a stable government. By themselves, the two top groups - UPA and NDA - are certain to fall well short of the majority mark of 272.

TOI's political bureaus in 14 different cities and its network of correspondents have been tracking the poll's progress to bring you their best estimates of the likely results. We have done two rounds and here's the third. When we began, it looked like Congress
was well ahead of BJP and the UPA was more than 20 seats ahead of the NDA. No longer.

The Congress, according to our estimate, now looks like ending up with 152 seats and the UPA with 195. The BJP, we feel, is likely to get 145 seats and its allies another 42, taking the NDA's tally to 187. In other words, the gap between the two pre-poll alliances seems no more than 8 seats, and as these are nothing more than estimates, it's really tough to say which way the electoral see-saw will eventually tilt.

The bigger message that's emerging from this scenario is that the leading parties as well as alliances could be separated by less than 10 seats. This would obviously mean that the Left and "Others" could end up deciding who forms the next government.

The current estimates differ from the earlier one in several states. Among the most significant differences is that in Uttar Pradesh - we now feel both the Congress and the BJP might do better than earlier anticipated. Between them and the BJP's ally, Ajit Singh's RLD, they could win 30 of the state's 80 seats. The rest, we believe, will be split 28-22 between the BSP and the SP.

Source : Times Of India

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