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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