Tuesday, January 24, 2006, Chandigarh, India
Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

Rahul wants larger role for young leaders

Rajiv Nagar, January 23 The Congress today witnessed the emergence of a new leader with the arrival of Rahul Gandhi on the political centre stage. The party's heir-apparent announced his arrival at the ongoing AICC plenary session with his first major speech which dwelt essentially on three points: strengthening the Congress in the Northern belt, assigning a larger role to younger leaders in party affairs. In video (28k, 56k)

Mr Rahul Gandhi addresses proceedings on the final day of the Congress plenary session in Hyderabad on Monday. — AFP photo

Sonia exhorts workers to improve Congress image
Rajiv Nagar, January 23
Listing out the various challenges ahead, Congress President Sonia Gandhi today enumerated the tasks which she expected the workers to undertake to revive the party and improve its image, particularly in North India.
In video (28k, 56k)

Editorial: Coalition dharma

Cong committed to 33 pc quota for women in Parliament: PM
Rajiv Nagar (Hyderabad), January 23
The Congress party has once again committed to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures.

Gowda takes U-turn, backs son
Bangalore, January 23
It seems to be curtains for the Congress in Karnataka with a former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) President, Mr H.D. Deve Gowda, doing a classic turnaround and blessing his son’s rebellion after a meeting with him here today.

SC questions CBI for “ignoring” trial court
New Delhi, January 23
The Supreme Court today questioned the CBI about how it had communicated directly with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in London about defreezing of the bank accounts of Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi, an accused in the Rs 64-crore Bofors pay-offs case, without the approval of the trial court here before which a chargesheet against the fugitive was pending.

Nation page
‘Help Quattrocchi mission’ under Sonia: BJP

Amar Singh moves SC against telephone tapping
New Delhi, January 23
Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh, has moved a fresh petition in the Supreme Court on the phone tapping issue by including four private operators apart from Reliance Infocomm as parties, while persisting with the blame against Congress President Sonia Gandhi that his phone was allegedly tapped at her instance.

Encounter cop suspended
Mumbai, January 23
The Maharashtra Government today suspended ‘encounter specialist’ Daya Nayak even as he obtained anticipatory bail. Nayak is being probed for holding assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.

Dhoni batters Pakistani attack
Faisalabad, January 23
Mahendra Singh Dhoni smashed a lusty unbeaten 116 as the lower order batsmen pulled India out of the pits and restored balance in the second cricket Test against Pakistan here today. (Details report on Sports page)

Kashipur farmers tell tale of woe to SAD leaders Chandigarh, January 23 With tears in their eyes they narrated their tale of woe to Akali leaders, who had gone today to Kashipur in Uttaranachal under the leadership of Mr Parkash Singh Badal, President of Shiromani Akali Dal. The Shiromani Akali Dal President, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, meets farmers evicted from their land in Kashipur, Uttaranchal, on Monday.