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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