AP: Case against Chiranjeevi for conducting road shows

A case has been registered against the Praja Rajyam party founder and actor Chiranjeevi for conducting road shows beyond 2200 hours at Narasaraopet town here, police said.

 

The party leader has been charged under section 188, (Disobedience of order as public servant), section 283 (obstruction in public way) and section 290 (punishment for public nuisance) of the IPC and Andhra Pradesh Police Act, they said.

 

The case was registered following a PIL filed in the Andhra Pradesh High Court on December 25 for conducting road shows in the town.

 

Chiranjeevi was advised not to conduct road shows beyond 2200 hours and not to obstruct traffic on the public roads in the state.

AP may decide who rules the country

Andhra Pradesh may emerge as the key state which will determine the outcome of the Lok Sabha election and decide who will rule from Delhi. This is not the first time that the southern state will play a crucial role in government formation in Delhi.

 

It all began in 1989 with the then chief minister N T Rama Rao helped form the National Front to provide an alternative government to the Congress. In the wake of the Bofors scam, he forced the en masse resignation of 106 opposition MPs. Though he himself lost power in the assembly election in 1989 and his party’s strength was reduced to two seats in the Lok Sabha, NTR anointed V P Singh  as the National Front prime minister with the support of both the Bharatiya Janata Party and Left Front. It is another matter that the NF experiment lasted a year, eventually leading to mid-term polls in 1991.

 

In the 1991 election, that were overshadowed by Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination, the Congress managed 25 Lok Sabha seats in AP. P V Narasimha Rao, who emerged as a consensus candidate for taking over the Congress leadership, became the first Telugu leader to ascend the prime minister’s gaddi. He headed a minority government, but successfully completed the five-year term. But the Congress fortunes plummeted in the backdrop of the Babri Masjid demolition and the hawala scam.

 

After the 1996 general election, the Telugu Desam Party, led by then chief mnister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, took the initiative in installing the United Front government under H D Deve Gowda’s stewardship with the ‘outside’ support of the Congress. Naidu played the kingmaker as convener of the United Front which saw two prime ministers, including Inder Kumar Gujral, in two years. Then Congress president Sitaram Kesri forced another mid-term poll on the country when he pulled out Congress support for the government.

 

The TDP went to the polls with the Left parties in the 1998 Lok Sabha elections. But, post-poll, Chandrababu Naidu quietly dumped the United Front and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance. On the strength of the 12-member TDP’s letter of support, the then President K R Narayanan invited Atal Bihari Vajpayee to form the government. Naidu once again played the kingmaker role under the NDA dispensation.

 

When withdrawal of support by J Jayalalithaa’s All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam resulted in snap Lok Sabha polls in 1999, the TDP-BJP alliance bagged 36 seats from AP and helped the NDA retain power in Delhi. The NDA, thus, enjoyed power at the Centre for six years, thanks mainly to the TDP’s pivotal support from ‘outside.’

 

Naidu prematurely dissolved the AP assembly in 2003 and the NDA too advanced the general elections in 2004 to cash in on the so-called ‘India Shinning’ factor.

 

However, the Congress-led alliance swept the 2004 polls in AP and their 37 MPs from the state allowed the United Progressive Alliance to wrest power from the NDA. The reverses suffered by TDP-BJP alliance in AP could be attributed to the anti-incumbency wave against the Naidu regime and total failure of India Shining campaign of the BJP. Soon, the TDP and BJP parted company and Naidu left the NDA.

 

Much water has flowed down the Krishna and Godavari rivers since the Congress regained power in AP and the UPA came to power at the Centre. The Telangana Rashtra Samiti broke its alliance with the Congress and pulled out of the UPA in protest against the Congress failure to deliver on its promise to carve out a separate Telangana state. The Communist Party of India and Communist Party of India-Marxist, too, deserted the Congress and launched a virulent campaign against its ‘misrule’.

 

In this scenario, AP goes to the 2009 general elections with completely altered political equations compared to 2004. The Congress is fighting these polls single-handedly. The TDP, TRS, CPI and CPI-M have come together under a Grand Alliance with the avowed aim of dislodging the Congress from power here and in Delhi. Telugu megastar Chiranjeevi’s  newly-launched Praja Rajyam Party is contesting its maiden election on the plank of ‘social justice.’ A totally isolated BJP is waging a solo battle against all odds.

 

The 2009 election assumes importance for several reasons. For the third time in two decades, the Lok Sabha polls in AP coincide with assembly elections. In the 1989 simultaneous elections, the Congress wrested power from the TDP led by the legendary NTR and drastically reduced its tally to just two seats in Lok Sabha. In the 1999 simultaneous polls, the TDP-BJP alliance retained power in the state and at the Centre. In the 2004 simultaneous polls, the Congress turned the tables on both the TDP and NDA.

 

Incidentally, for the seventh time in three decades, the state is poised to witness triangular contests. In the 1978 assembly election, the Congress foiled a serious bid by the Janata Party and wrested power from the Reddy Congress led by then chief minister Jalagam Vengal Rao. In the 1994 assembly polls, the TDP-Left alliance trounced the Congress while the BJP finished a poor third.

 

In the 1980 Lok Sabha election, the Congress made a clean sweep and the two factions of the Janata Party failed to open their account. Similarly, in the 1991 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress bagged a majority of seats in a triangular fight with the TDP alliance and the BJP.

 

In 1996, the polls were four-cornered with the Congress and the TDP beating their rivals the NTR-TDP led by NTR’s second wife Lakshmi Parvati and the BJP. Again, in 1998, the Congress trounced both the TDP-led alliance and the BJP in a triangular fight. However, in these polls, the BJP emerged as a ‘third force’ in state politics by polling 18.3 percent of the total votes and winning four Lok Sabha seats.

 

In the 2009 election, the Congress is making a determined bid to retain power both at the state and Centre. The TDP-led four-party alliance is engaged in a no-holds-barred battle to trounce the Congress. The PRP, which has been strengthened with the merger of the Nava Telangana Party of former state home minister T Devender Goud, hopes to beat both the Congress and the Grand Alliance. The BJP is testing the waters by fielding candidates in all assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies in the state.

 

Understandably, all the three main contenders for power are making tall claims. AP Chief Minister and Congress strongman Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy exudes confidence about the Congress retaining power. He predicts 36 Lok Sabha seats and 234 assembly seats for the ruling party. On the other hand, TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu is cocksure about the Grand Alliance sweeping these polls to put TDP into the saddle in the state and to bolster the prospects of the Third Front to lay claim to power at the Centre.

 

PRP founder Chiranjeevi is also confident about his party’s prospects of storming into power in the state and playing a key role in installing a ‘secular coalition government’ at the Centre. Chiranjeevi has, however, revised downwards the number of seats that his party expects to win. Notwithstanding its nationwide prospects, the BJP should be lucky to open its account in these polls.

 

It is too early to assess the prospects of the three main contenders vis-a-vis one another, but the broad indications from the ground reveal that all is not lost for the Congress with very weak signs of anti-incumbency, while the Grand Alliance and the PRP will have to strive very hard to pose a formidable challenge. Dr Reddy already claims the ‘gold medal’ for the Congress and says that the Grand Alliance and the PRP are fighting only for the ‘silver and bronze medals’.

Supreme Court defers Varun Gandhi’s plea

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday deferred a petition filed by Varun Gandhi challenging the slapping of National Security Act (NSA) by the UP government had invoked NSA against Varun Gandhi for his alleged hate speeches.

 

Uttar Pradesh government against him for his alleged hate speeches.

 

Varun Gandhi’s plea will now be heard on April 16. Meanwhile, the apex court has asked him to submit an undertaking stating he will not make provocative speeches during his campaign for the Lok Sabha elections.

 

The matter will be heard by a bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan, which on April 2 had issued notices to the state government and the district magistrate of Pilibhit on the allegation by Varun that NSA was invoked against him with a political motive to sabotage his electoral debut.

 

However, the Uttar Pradesh government has refuted the allegations of the 29-year-old BJP leader, saying NSA was invoked against him for his communal speeches and the chaos created by him while surrendering before a court in Pilibhit in connection with the cases registered against him.

 

In its 35-page response to the notice issued by the apex court, the state government said the inflammatory statement by Varun and the manner in which he surrendered on March 28 amounted to breach of public order, warranting invocation of the NSA against him.

 

Varun has challenged his detention under NSA for his alleged hate speeches in Pilibhit last month. He was taken to the Pilibhit district jail and later shifted to Etah jail for security reasons.

 

Varun has claimed that the district magistrate passed the order of invoking NSA without any authority and he was not supplied with the material which formed the basis for such an action.

 

However, the state government contended that there was no need for the authority to supply entire material, including the CDs of the speeches and events, relating to Varun’s surrender for booking him under NSA.

 

It denied the allegation that NSA was imposed against him with any political motive or to sabotage his electoral debut.

 

The petition filed on behalf of Varun says that “the entire attempt is a combined effort of the District Magistrate of Pilibhit and Uttar Pradesh government to ensure that he is not able to contest and campaign for general elections so as to sabotage his electoral debut.”

 

The BJP leader has sought quashing of the District Magistrate’s order invoking section 3(2) of NSA for allegedly making inflammatory statements and causing a breach of public order when he went to Pilibhit to surrender.

 

Varun has also alleged that he was detained under NSA as there was apprehension to Uttar Pradesh government that he will be released on bail in the cases registered against him for the hate speeches.

 

He claimed that there was a breach of peace on the day of his surrender due to brutality and excesses by the police.  

Grand alliance in maha trouble

Naidu’s Ultimatum to KCR to Cancel Third List; Left Parties up the Ante

 

 

Hyderabad: In a day of high drama including revolts and protests on Wednesday, the grand alliance (Mahakutami) appeared to all but fall apart what with serious differences between the TDP, TRS and the Left parties on seat sharing arrangements. This led to TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu serving an ultimatum on the TRS to withdraw certain candidates failing which he said the TDP will go its own way.
   

After announcing a second list of 64 names for constituencies on which there is no dispute late on Wednesday night, Naidu said at a press conference that talks were still on between the alliance partners with regard to Wanaparthi, Achampet, Husnabad, Warangal east and Mahabubnagar but that the TRS went ahead and announced candidates from there.
   

“The TRS was supposed to resume talks today on these seats but they did not and unilaterally announce the names. If it does not come for talks on Thursday, then the TDP will prepare its own list. And with regard to Hyderabad and the outskirts, the TDP will surely contest at least five Lok Sabha seats,” Naidu said amid indications that the TRS was also eyeing some of these LS seats. Thus till late night, the grand alliance appeared to be tottering with the CPM and CPI too rejecting the offer of 16 seats each by Naidu.
   

By Wednesday night, the much talked about grand alliance was on the verge of collapsing. “The TRS has gone back on its word by fielding candidates from some constituencies after promising to leave it to TDP,” charged a TDP leader.
   

The day began with hectic activity at NTR Bhavan and Naidu’s residence for the TDP and Telangana Bhavan for the TRS. At 9.15 am, the TRS released a list of 15 names to which the TDP replied at 3 pm by naming candidates for 27 constituencies of which 14 were from Telangana and the rest from north coastal Andhra. The TRS then responded by naming 11 candidates at 3.30 pm. While there was no clash of constituencies in the lists released by the two parties, the announcement of the names sparked statewide protests for the TDP with its aspirants staging protests against Naidu leaving the seat for the TRS while many disappointed TRS aspirants also flocked to Telangana Bhavan to stage protests.
   

In Adilabad district, TDP district president and ticket aspirant Gone Hanumantha Rao and his followers ransacked the party office in Mancherial after the seat was allotted to the TRS and said he would contest as a rebel.

DOUBLE TROUBLE:

WHAT’S THE ALLIANCE ABOUT:
   

The intention was that TDP and TRS would form an alliance and contest the 119 assembly seats and 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana region similarly, the CPM and CPI to share some seats with the TDP and TRS in the Telangana and with TDP in coastal and Rayalaseema areas.

WHY IT IS COLLAPSING:

After insisting on 50 assembly and 10 LS seats, TRS settled for 49 assembly and 9 LS seats.

In the 36 assembly seats announced by TRS so far, many including Maheshwaram, Uppal, Gosha Mahal and Amberpet are being claimed by TDP.
   

CPM and CPI have rejected Naidu’s offer of 16 seats each and insisting on 20 apiece.
   

TRS has named candidates to Warangal East seat sought by CPM and Husnabad seat by CPI.
   

Naidu says TRS has unilaterally announced candidates for five seats which it should cancel and come for talks. No response yet from the TRS.

‘Listless’ leaders jump ship:

Hyderabad: Telugu Desam Party ticket-seekers former legislator Rajyalakshmi and former minister Boda Janardhan have reportedly decided to quit the party and join the Prajarajyam after their names did not figure in the list announced by Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday.
   

In Karimnagar district, six followers of a TDP aspirant attempted suicide after their leader was denied the ticket. In Wanaparthi in Mahbubnagar, angry TDP workers ransacked the party office after the seat was given to the TRS. By the evening, many protesters assembled outside the TDP chief’s residence at Jubilee Hills to stage protests.
   

The two Left parties too claimed that their demands are not being met by Naidu. Their leaders claimed that they had demanded 20 seats each but that Naidu was offering them only 16 per party. Matters worsened after the TRS in its second list announced candidates for the Warangal East seat that was claimed by the CPM and the Husnabad seat claimed by the CPI.
   

Battling the revolt within the party and finalising names for more constituencies, Naidu announced that a second list of TDP names would be made at a press conference at 8 pm which was later postponed to 9.30 pm. In the meantime, just before 8 pm, the TRS announced a third list of 10 names that made the TDP livid. “The TRS announced the names without consulting the TDP because the Maheshwaram, Uppal, Gosha Mahal and Amberpet assembly seats that it announced were to have been left for the TDP.
   

An angry Naidu then issued the ultimatum to TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao to cancel the third list and come for talks failing which the TDP threatened to field candidates in all the Telangana seats. 
  

Around 9.30 pm, Naidu announced a second list of 64 names taking the total to 91 nominees. Till late in the night, the crisis between the TDP and TRS on the one hand and between the TRS and the Left parties on the other remained unsolved. 

Saffron party goes populist for polls

NEW DELHI: Jettisoning its reticence to populism, BJP’s manifesto for the ensuing electoral battle will better Congress poll pledge and offer rice 
at Rs 2 per kg to BPL families across the country. BJP, which till not so long ago maintained that economic populism is anti-welfarism, has decided to go whole hog to make a dent in Congress’ aam admi plank.

The rice offer had paid handsome dividends to BJP in the just-held assembly polls in Chhattisgarh. With women comprising half of the electorate, the party is also likely to have a special package for the girl child. This will include extending the Madhya Pradesh government’s “Ladli Laxmi Yojana’’ to the rest of the country for encouraging girl students to pursue education at least up to the high school level.

The Raman Singh government in Chhattisgarh had on April 1, 2007, with much fanfare launched the scheme to sell rice at Rs 3 per kg to all 34 lakh BPL families in the state. By ensuring a corruption-free delivery system, the state government won the hearts of the people. Overwhelmed by the goodwill generated by the programme, BJP, in its manifesto for the assembly election held in 2008, promised to bring down the price of rice to Rs 2 per kg for BPL families, and at Re one per kg for all antyodaya cardholders.

The success of the scheme was seen as one of the factors behind the saffron party’s victory for the second consecutive time in the state. The party, if voted to power in the general election, wants to extend it to rest of the country, even if it meant causing a huge burden on the state exchequer.

The party would also like to replicate the Ladli Laxmi Yojana, being successfully executed by the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government in Madhya Pradesh, in the other states. If BJP was voted back to power in the state in late 2008, the pro-women welfare schemes unveiled by the chief minister after taking over the reins of the state three years ago, played a big role. The Ladli Laxmi Yojana was one of the prominent success stories, and it so moved the party’s prime ministerial candidate, L K Advani, that he was constrained to eulogise it in his personal blog.

“The principal aim of the scheme is to eliminate dropout rate among girl students and to encourage them to study at least upto the pre-college level. Under the scheme, the state government buys savings certificates of Rs 6,000 each year for five consecutive years for every girl born into a family. The girl gets Rs 2,000 after she completes the 5th standard, another Rs 4,000 after she completes the 8th standard, Rs 7,500 after she completes the 10th standard; Rs 200 per month in her 11th standard; and a lumpsum amount of Rs 1,18,000 after she enters the 12th standard or, alternatively, attains the age of 18,’’ Mr Advani noted in his blog.

“It is my promise that, if elected to form the next government, the NDA will implement the Ladli Laxmi Yojana in every state. It will be our endeavour to make every girl in India a “Lakhpati” by the time she attains maturity and is ready to enter a new phase of her life. As far as the girl child is concerned, her care cannot be the responsibility of her parents alone. It is equally the responsibility of the government,’’ the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate vowed.

The party’s election manifesto, likely to be unveiled in the next few days, is also expected to weave in issues aimed at keeping its core Hindutva constituency in good humour. In keeping with this, BJP is expected to reiterate its principled opposition to religion-based quota being advocated by the Congress-led UPA.

Congress’ stand on terrorism is also expected to come in for a severe rap in the manifesto. The principle ruling party at the Centre, BJP maintains, has skirted the nub of the issue, i.e., cross-border terrorism, and has also remained silent on infiltration from across the Pakistani and Bangladeshi borders.

Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi led the party’s attack against the Congress on the issue. “In their manifesto, no importance has been attached to national security issues. Congress is completely silent on how to fight terrorism, how to protect the country from naxalism and how to rid the country of insurgency,” he told newspersons in Ahmedabad on Wednesday. “Congress attaches no importance to the country’s security, the security of ordinary citizens. For them, the only thing important is votebank politics,” Mr Modi added.

With senior citizens emerging as an important category, the BJP manifesto is likely to outline a series of measures for their welfare, especially as their investments had been hit hard in the current round of economic downturn.

BJP, while backing the NREGS, is expected to suggest measures to plug the loopholes in the scheme’s delivery system, which have exposed the CAG in its audit report.

The party is also expected to censure the Congress-led UPA government’s failure to prevent job cuts. As many as 1.5 crore jobs had been lost in the last five years because of the “ faulty’’ policies pursued by the Centre, and the party is likely to propose a hefty increase in spending on large infrastructure projects so as to be able to create more jobs.

The party has already launched its IT vision, promising to extend the revolution to every nook and corner of the country.

MORE POPULISM :

The following are the likely highlights of BJP’s manifesto:

Rice/wheat @ Rs 2 per kg to BPL families.

To protect domestic industry from cheap imports.

Welfare scheme for girl child on the lines of MP’s Ladli Laxmi Yojana.

Reiteration of Hindutva issues.

Opposition to religion-based quota.

Highlighting of cross-border terrorism and infiltration from Bangladesh.

Welfare measures for senior citizens following economic downturn.

Criticism of UPA for ‘inability’ to prevent job cuts.

IT vision, Promise to extend IT revolution to every part of the country.

The principal aim of Ladli Laxmi Yojana is to eliminate school dropout among girl students and to encourage them to study at least up to the pre-college level

Obama pledges economic recovery

Barack Obama has told Americans he sees signs of economic recovery, but urged them to be patient and look beyond their “short-term interests”.

The US president said his draft budget would build a stronger economy which would mean America did not face a repeat crisis in 10 or 20 years.

“We will recover from this recession,” he told a prime-time news conference in Washington DC.

His $3.6tn (£2.5tn) budget faces its first tests in Congress this week.

Mr Obama said his economic strategy, and his new budget which was now being prepared, was based on creating new jobs, rejuvenating the housing market, and creating new liquidity and lending by the banks.

He stressed that immediate action was necessary, and urged both Congress and Americans in general to support his plan.

Opposition to the package, which features increased health care coverage, higher education spending and a new “cap-and-trade” system on greenhouse gas emissions, is coming from his own Democratic Party as well as the Republican opposition.

In a wide-ranging question-and-answer session that touched on the environment, the drugs trade and stem-cell research, Mr Obama said he expected “steady progress” in resolving disputes with Iran.

He said the status quo in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was unsustainable, adding that it was critical for the US to advance a two-state solution.

‘Signs of progress’

In an eight-minute address at the start of the hour-long session, Mr Obama said his administration had “put in place a comprehensive strategy designed to attack this crisis on all fronts”.

“And we are beginning to see signs of progress,” he said.

“The budget I submitted to Congress will build our economic recovery on a stronger foundation, so that we do not face another crisis like this 10 or 20 years from now.”

“We have made the tough choices necessary to cut our deficit in half by the end of my first term – even under the most pessimistic estimates,” he argued.

Mr Obama urged US citizens to be patient.

“It will take time, it will take patience, and it will take an understanding that when we all work together, when each of us looks beyond our own short-term interests to the wider set of obligations we have to each other, that’s when we succeed,” he said.

Asked about the flow of illegal drugs into the US, Mr Obama said his administration would go beyond the $700m plan announced on Tuesday to support Mexico in its fight against the powerful drugs cartels.

He also praised his Mexican counterpart, Felipe Calderon, for his efforts against the cartels.

Budget fight

The stage is set at Congress for a tough fight over the budget with Mr Obama, who has been in office for barely two months, correspondents say.

On Wednesday, he is due to meet Senate Democrats in a bid to rally support for an increased deficit, reckoned to be $1.4tn for next year.

The House budget committee will begin writing its version of the budget plan the same day, and on Thursday the Senate budget committee will begin crafting its budget plan for 2010 and the four subsequent years.

Republicans complain that the draft budget expands government and raises taxes on the rich and some small businesses.

“There is little or no Republican support for this budget,” Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell .

A Congressional budget office analysis released last Friday estimates that President Obama’s budget would generate deficits totalling $9.3tn over the next decade.

“If these plans are carried out, we run the risk of looking like a Third World country,” Mr McConnell was quoted by the Associated Press as saying.

Kent Conrad, the Democratic chairman of the Senate budget committee, is preparing to slash Mr Obama’s 11% increase for non-defence appropriations to perhaps 6%.

“We cannot have debt pile on top of debt,” he said.

“In the short term, yes, we have got to have added deficits and debt to give lift to this economy, but longer term, we have got to pivot.”

Mr Obama is also preparing for a European trip next week that includes the London G20 summit on the global economic crisis.

Congress announces list of 17 Lok Sabha Candidates for Maharashtra

The Congress has announced a list of 17 Lok Sabha candidates for Maharashtra. Five new faces featured on the Congress list. Interestingly, Narayan Rane’s son Nilesh Rane has been given a ticket from Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg constituency. Bhaskarrao Khatgaonkar, brother-in-law of Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, has been fielded from Nanded. Union Minister A.R. Antulay will contest from Raigad.

Here’s the list of Congress’ Lok Sabha Candidates for Maharashtra:
Nilesh Rane (Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg), Bhaskarrao Khatgaonkar (Nanded), A.R. Antulay (Raigad), Vilas Muttemwar (Nagpur), Haribhau Rathod (Yavatmal-Washim), Datta Meghe (Wardha), Manikrao Gavit (Nandurbar), Suresh Kalmadi (Pune), Mukul Wasnik (Ramtek), Naresh Pugliya (Chandrapur), Milind Deora (Mumbai South), Eknath Gaekwad (Mumbai South-Central) and Priya Dutt (Mumbai North-Central).

Orissa Youth Congress President Rohit Pujari resigns

Breaking News! The revolt in the Orissa Congress is wide open now, as the State Youth Congress President Rohit Pujari resigned from the party over the alleged irregularities in ticket distribution. Rohit, who had warned the Congress leadership of a revolt if the youths are not given priority in the allocation of tickets, announced his decision to resign from the party at a press conference in Bhubaneswar. He may join BJD soon.

Rohit Pujari’s resignation came as a severe blow for the Congress Party, which is struggling hard to finalise the Lok Sabha candidates in Orissa. The CEC has been unable to take a final decision despite several meetings and hectic parleys.

Rohit Pujari did not reveal his future plans, but he may join the BJD soon. “I would like to join a regional party, which will respect the youth and has a leader with clean image”, said Rohit, hinting that he may join hands with Naveen Patnaik-led BJD. Rohit Pujari was the aspirant from Sambalpur Lok Sabha constituency.

Rohit accused the senior leaders in Orissa Congress of resorting to unfair tactics in getting tickets for their nears and dears. “They are neglecting the youth leaders of the state, who worked hard for the organisation in the last 9 years”, said Rohit Pujari.

The CEC (Central Election Committee) of Congress Party is meeting today in New Delhi. A final decision on the list of Lok Sabha and Assembly seats, may be taken by tonight

Obama-mania beginning to fade?

Washington: Obama-mania to Obama-phobia in 60 days? That would be extending it a bit, but America’s rapturous welcome to its young president is starting to die down under the burden of expectation and over-exposure, just two months after he took office.

 

When the 44th US president holds a prime-time press conference at the White House on Tuesday night (Wednesday IST), he will be acutely aware that people are already complaining that they see too much of him, and there is too much talk and too little action. “I like him, but I’m tired of looking at him. It feels like he is everywhere these days,’’ complained CNN commentator Jack Cafferty. The press conference will be Obama’s second in two months; in contrast, his predecessor, president Bush, average one every three to four months.
   

Obama loves a gab-fest, and he laid it on thick last week, resulting in an unexpected blowback. He became the first sitting US president to appear on a late night comedy schtick, Jay Leno’s Tonight Show (“Bush slept too early and Bill Clinton had other late night plans,” one comedian joked).
   

Just when critics were gasping at his chutzpah to be so light-hearted at a time of severe economic crisis, he appeared on CBS’ 60 Minutes, and wrote an Op-Ed on the global economic situation that appeared in 30 newspapers across the world. Even Obama supporters are being snide. “The president was in town this week. He spoke at the LA County fairgrounds. I tell you, he’s still got it. People were sleeping outside all night. They were homeless, but that’s not the point. They love him,’’ joked Bill Maher. Those who were concerned that Bush’s exit may result in the drying up jokes can relax.
   

But the biggest shock came from an unlikely source. One a single day this week, the New York Times, generally seen as pro-Obama, carried four editorial pieces critical of the president.

Priyanka draws the line for Varun

Lucknow: It’s a line the Gandhis have rarely crossed criticising each other publicly despite starkly different politics. But, Varun Gandhi’s communal speech provoked cousin Priyanka on Monday to retort that slamming people for their faith wasn’t quite the Gandhi family style.

 

“It was sad to see Varun on the television mouthing all those dialogues,’’ Priyanka said. “I would advise him to read the Gita properly, and try and understand it properly,’’ she said alluding to Varun’s now infamous war cry of “off with their hands’’. The uttering was totally out of sync with the Gandhi family and the cousin, by making the hate speech, she rued, had gone against all that the Gandhis “lived and died for’’.

Priyanka’s comments to reporters during her campaign tour of Rae Bareli for brother Rahul was the first time she has broken her silence on family fault lines, and exposed how the two branches of the bloodline had evolved differently.

 

The only other time Priyanka has referred to her cousin was during the 2004 election. Pushed by persistent reporters, she said she was very much in touch with her cousin, and they do talk now and then. Around the same time, Varun had declined to campaign against Rahul Gandhi who was contesting his first parliamentary election. “We have the same blood,’’ Varun had said.

 

Varun has in the past vowed to remain loyal to Gandhi family ideals. On October 26, 2004, the day he was formally inducted into the saffron camp, the 24-year-old Varun said: “My family has been part of the Congress and has led it though a glorious era. I do believe that what my family was true to was not party but a value, a tradition of self-sacrifice, national pride and independence of spirit.’’