Sathe, Salve quit Congress over Vidarbha issue
Nagpur, August 17
Giving a jolt to the ruling Congress in Maharashtra, two senior leaders and former Union Ministers Vasant Sathe and N.K.P. Salve quit the party and announced the formation of a regional outfit to fight the Congress in next year’s Assembly poll and promote the cause of a separate Vidarbha state.
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Over 2 million take holy dip in Godavari Nashik, August 17 Over two million pilgrims and 70,000 sadhus today took holy dip in Ramkund on the banks of Godavari river on the occasion of the “shaahi snan”. Sadhus of the Vaishnav sect participate in the ‘Shahi Snan’ in the Godavari at Ramkund in Nasik at the ongoing Kumbh Mela on Sunday. — PTI photo

PM’s foreign trips indicate rejection of Advani’s plan
New Delhi, August 17
A string of foreign tours is being planned by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the next four to five months which, among other things, indicates his rejection of the Deputy Prime Minister Mr L.K. Advani’s idea of synchronising the coming Assembly elections with the early Lok Sabha elections.

Cops in league with terrorists, claims SSP Umranangal
Patiala, August 17
The Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police, Mr Paramraj Singh Umranangal, today said “terrorists” Avtar Singh Taari and Gurinder Singh Kala who had alleged that he had been forcing them to work for him were in league with senior police officials.

India denies troop movement along LoC
New Delhi, August 17
India today refuted Pakistan’s claims that New Delhi was preparing for military action and mobilising troops near the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.

Pak blamed for colonising PoK
New Delhi, August 17
Alleging “unabashed rigging” in last year’s presidential referendum and “patently illegal” Constitution amendments to empower an “unelected” President in Pakistan, two major international bodies have chastised the Pervez Musharraf regime for “blatant colonisation” of the Pak-occupied Kashmir.

Chandigarh page: Mufti pins hopes on Track-II diplomacy
Nation page: Vajpayee to chair Inter-State Council meeting in Srinagar  

Dalit made member of Talhan gurdwara panel
Talhan (Jalandhar), August 17
To put all controversies to rest, the Jat-dominated management committee of Gurdwara Shahid Baba Nihal Singh today unanimously elected Amarjit as the vice-secretary of the Sehajdhari Committee.