Prime Minister being welcomed by Congress General Secretary Ambika Soni on his arrival in Chandigarh on Wednesday. Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and his Haryana counterpart Bhupinder Singh Hooda (second from left) are also seen in the picture. — A Tribune photograph

VHP backs Sudarshan’s remarks
Says time for Modi, Uma to take reins of BJP
New Delhi, April 12
In yet another embarrassment to the BJP, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad today endorsed RSS chief K. S. Sudarshan’s remarks that former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and BJP President L. K. Advani should retire and promote young leaders in the party.
BJP reinstates faith in top leadership. (28k, 56k)

Dravid to replace banned Ganguly
Ahmedabad, April 12
Rahul Dravid was today made the Indian captain for the last two one-dayers against Pakistan in place of Sourav Ganguly who was banned for six limited-overs matches for slow over rate during the fourth match here.
                                                               Rahul Dravid
Sports page: Pakistan level series with last-ball win
Inzamam attributes win to team effort
Shiv Sena threatens to dig up Kotla pitch

Baisakhi brings freedom for 7 Pakistanis
Chandigarh, April 12
It is going to be the best possible Baisakhi gift for seven Pakistani nationals lodged in various jails of Punjab for minor offences. Tomorrow, all seven will be taken to the Wagah border and handed over to Pakistan Rangers.

Punjab page: Governor greets Punjabis on Baisakhi
Nation page: SGPC for taking up pilgrim quota issue with Musharraf

Absence of ministers, officers irks Opposition
Chandigarh, April 12
Is the discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the Governor’s Address at the fag end of the Budget session a mere academic exercise?

CM promises action against travel agents cheating youth
Chandigarh, April 12
At last, a concrete assurance has come from the Punjab Government to deal with the frauds committed by travel agents on gullible Punjabi youth keen on going abroad in search of better jobs.

Corridors between tiger reserves mooted
New Delhi, April 12
To keep the tiger gene pool alive, the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) today proposed establishing corridors between tiger reserves in the country.

PM opens Udhampur rail link today Jammu, April 12 The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, will flag off at Udhampur the Uttar Samparak Kranti Express and dedicate the 55-km-long Jammu-Udhampur rail link to the nation tomorrow. A policeman stands guard inside a railway tunnel at the Jammu-Udhampur railway track on the outskirts of Jammu on Tuesday. A train travelling from Jammu to Udhampur, covering 54 km, will pass through 20 tunnels and more than 100 bridges.  — Reuters photo