Chennai, May 11
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led Democratic Progresive Alliance (DPA) swept the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections routing the ruling All India Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and its allies today.

For the first time in the history of the state a coalition government is likely to be formed with the Congress and the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) likely to join the ministry to be headed by Mr Muthuvel Karunandhi, who will be the Chief Minister for the fifth time. He has never lost any election personally and this is his 11th win since his entry into electoral politics in 1957 and he scored a hat trick from the Cheapauk Assembly constituency here.

As the results were being announced and it was clear that the DPA was heading for a huge victory, a jubilant Mr Karunanidhi said, “We will consult our allies and later issue a statement about forming a coalition government”. But he did not rule out the formation of a coalition government since his party failed to obtain the magic figure of 118 out of 234 Assembly seats to form a government on its own.

However, the octogenarian’s grandnephew and a green horn in politics, Union Minister for IT and Communications Dayanaidhi Maran jumped the gun and said, “The DMK will form the government on its own. Our allies the CPI, the CPM and the PMK have already extended support to us”.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayaram Jayalalithaa who was holed up in her farmhouse in Mahabalipuram returned to her Poes Garden home today.

She avoided meeting the state Governor Surjit Singh Barnala but sent in her resignation letter through her Law Minister Dr Jayakumar.

She returned to the metropolis incognito in an unmarked car and avoided meeting the media.

Out of the 234 Assembly seats, the DMK won 96 seats while its allies, the Congress won 34, the PMK 18, the CPM 90 and the CPI won five seats, taking the total to 163.

Ms Jayalalithaa’s AIADMK combine was completely routed winning only 68 seats, less than even one-third of the total seats. While the AIADMK won 60 seats out of 182 its contested, Ms Jayalalithaa’s new found ally Mr Vailo’s Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) which deserted the DMK alliance on the election eve could only manage six out of 35 seats and the Dalit Panthers of India won only two out of nine seats it contested.

However, actor-turned-politician Vijaykanth in his electoral debut by forming his new party Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK), registered his first victory from Vrudachalam Assembly constituency.

Meanwhile, Mr Karunanidhi will met the Governor with letters of support from the DMK’s allies to stake claim to form the government.

Despite his infamous midnight arrest in June 2002 ordered by Ms Jayalalithaa, Mr Karunanidhi tried to express his magnanimity and remarked, “Let us start a new chapter to end this acrimony and bitterness between the two parties. I invite the AIADMK to play the role of a constructive opposition and join hands with the government in development of the state”.

“We can bury our past and start a new chapter between the two parties and usher in a new political culture in Tamil Nadu which had been vitiated.”

The DPA won 20 seats and the AIADMK front seven.

For the first time, three Independents emerged victorious.

The Congress won 10 seats, the DMK seven, the PMK two and the CPI one.

The AIADMK and the PMC bagged three seats each while the MDMK won one.

The Congress, which emerged as the single largest party, was expected to stake claim to form the government.

The party’s hope to form a government on its own diminished, with the Congress securing one seat less than the 11 it won in 2001.

Of the three former Chief Ministers who contested the elections, two emerged successful.

While Mr N. Rangasamy (Thattanchavady) and Mr V. Vaithilingam (Nettapakkam) emerged successful, Mr R.V. Janakiraman lost from Nellithoppe. This was the first time in his last six contests that Mr Janakiraman tasted defeat at the hustings.

Industries Minister M. Chandragasu (Nedumgadu), Deputy Speaker A.V. Subramanian (Karaikal-South) and PMC President P. Kannan were other prominent losers.

Local Administration Minister A. Ezhumalai defeated DMK candidate Madhivanan by 2,662 votes.

Mr Ezhumalai contested as an Independent after he was denied ticket by the Congress, with the Ossudu constituency going to the DMK under the seat-sharing exercise in the DPA.

Congress rebel Narayansami, contesting as an Independent, handed over defeat to Mr Theni C. Jayakumar, the sitting member from Villianur. — UNI

Kolkata, May 11
Riding on the popularity of Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya and its envious organisational strength, the West Bengal’s ruling Left Front today created history by winning Assembly elections for the seventh straight five-year tenure.

In what was described as a “historic victory”, the nine-party Left Front, which has ruled the state since 1977, bagged a whopping 235 seats of the 293 for which results were declared, leaving just 29 to the main opposition Trinamool Congress-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance.

The Congress got 21 while eight went to smaller parties and independents.

The election results were never in doubt, but some had thought that the Election Commission’s decision to order a five-phase balloting so as to cut any chances of vote rigging might bring down the Left’s victory margin.

Such was the sweeping win that the Left Front bagged four-fifth of all seats in the 294-member Assembly (polling was cancelled in one seat following the death of a candidate), with the CPM itself securing a majority.

Left Front’s poster boy and industry-friendly Chief Minister Bhattacharya, who won from Jadavpur seat in south Kolkata with a huge margin, said: “It is not my victory but our victory. It is the victory of the people. I thank them”.

A visibly dejected Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, whose singular mission in life is to unseat the Left from the Writers’ Building, the government seat of power, extended her greetings to the Left Front.

“I congratulate CPM-led Left Front,” Ms Banerjee told a press conference here. “I thank both state and union governments for the success”. The 2006 poll is widely seen as a mandate for the Chief Minister’s image as an able administrator and his pro-reforms stand.

But it is also being credited to the CPM and other Left Front parties’ extensive organisational network that extends to every nook and corner of West Bengal.

The Left Front had 199 members in the outgoing Assembly, followed by 60 of the Trinamool-BJP and 26 of the Congress.

Among the notable winners are Transport and Sports Minister Subhas Chakraborty, who won from the controversial Belgachia East seat in north Kolkata under North 24 Parganas district.

Trinamool Congress candidate and actor Tapas Pal retained Alipore seat in south Kolkata defeating his screen colleague Biplab Chatterjee of the CPM.

Ace swimmer Bula Chowdhury, a CPM candidate, won from Nandanpur in West Midnapore while Deepa Dasmunshi, Congress candidate from Goalpukhar constituency in Uttar Dinajpur district and wife of central minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi, defeated Left Front minister Hafiz Alam Sairani.

Congress MP and Berhampore strongman Adhir Chowdhury had the last laugh in Murshidabad district where two independent candidates backed by him defeated the party’s official nominees.

The CPM suffered a major setback in south Kolkata where its important leader Rabin Deb lost to Javed Khan of the Trinamool in Ballygunge.

In another seat in Kolkata, former mayor Subrata Mukherjee (Congress) lost to Trinamool Congress candidate Subrata Bakshi in the Chowringhee seat.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who is also the WBPCC president, tendered his resignation for the party’s debacle in the Assembly elections.

Several defeated Congress-sitting MLAs held Mr Mukherjee responsible for their defeat. They alleged that Mr Mukherjee did not respond to Ms Banerjee’s “mahajot” call that led to the division of anti-Left votes. 

Lucknow, May 11
For Congress President Sonia Gandhi it was a vindication of her decision to resign from the Lok Sabha on the office-of-profit controversy.

The family citadel of Rae Bareli returned her to Parliament on Thursday with a record margin of 4,17,888 votes. The remaining 15 candidates in the fray lost their deposits.

Though Ms Gandhi’s victory in the byelection had been predicted much before the formal electoral process began, what left her detractors red in the face was the magnitude of victory.

She surpassed her previous margin of 2,40,000 votes in the 2004 general election by 1,77,888 votes.

This despite the fact that a mere 42.3 per cent polling had taken place, somewhat dampening the hopes of the Congress on the day of polling on May 8.

Establishing a record of sorts, the Congress president cornered 70.82 per cent of the total 5.90 lakh votes polled. The remaining less than 30 per cent of votes were shared by 15 candidates.

The ruling Samajwadi Party candidate Raj Kumar Chaudhury, who came a distant second, polled a mere 57,003 votes.

Firebrand BJP leader Vinay Katiyar could muster only 19,657 votes, claiming third position.

Uma Bharti-backed Apna Dal candidate Prabha Singh Lodh was nowhere in the picture. She came sixth by polling only 6,200 votes —even less than two Independents.

As soon as the trends became available early this morning, enthused Congress workers took to the streets singing and dancing to the beats of drums.

The constituency wore a festive look as workers greeted each other. Rahul and Priyanka, with beaming faces, moved atop an open vehicle accepting greetings from supporters. Robert Vadra completed the happy family picture.

Rahul, who had slogged as the campaign manager, gave all credit to “the people of Rae Bareli”. He attributed the scale of victory to the Congress cadre.

“It is the victory of my mother’s dedication to her constituency and I would like to thank the party workers as well as people of Rae Bareli for once again reposing their faith in my mother in such a big way,” Rahul asserted.

Mother’s election agent Priyanka, who could barely contain her happiness, gave credit to her brother for the unprecedented success.

“All credit goes to my brother Rahul, who really worked very hard, went from door to door, canvassing for our mother,” she remarked.

Rahul returned to Rae Bareli to rejoice with his team. On the last day of the campaign, he had been asked to leave the constituency by the Election Commission.

New Delhi, May 11
India’s Knowledge Commission will soon come up with recommendations to overhaul the country’s education structure at the school level to make it more competitive, and to accommodate more students, said its chief Sam Pitroda on Thursday.

“We will come up with recommendations on the undergraduate educational setup in the next 60 to 90 days,” he said adding that a group had also been appointed to focus on the primary education structure.

Emphasising the need to strengthen education at the primary level, Pitroda said the changes would try and encourage talented youngsters who largely go unnoticed in the country.

He said there was an urgent need to expand the educational setup of the country as only 7 to 8 per cent of youngsters went to college. “Expansion is the key to the country’s overall development.”

Pitroda said the country needed more educational institutes and better policies to equip teachers with the latest teaching tools and improved education infrastructure.

About reservation for Backward Classes in educational institutions, Pitroda said: “We have seen in the past 60 years that the reservation policy has not fared very well, so we need to look at better alternatives.”

Considering the present scenario of the country, there cannot be “quick fix” reform measures, he said.

“Long-term measures need to be adopted and the results will come in due course as the process continues.” While Pitroda emphasised on measures that provided equal opportunity to all, he advocated promoting private and international players in the country. “But we need to define the terms and conditions for them.”

Pitroda also suggested giving technology students an opportunity to learn literature and humanities to turn them into holistic graduates.

Asked to suggest ways to stop deterioration in values in public life, he said: “I am for balance in education.” Pitroda pitched for expanding technological education but advocated seasoning such knowledge with art and philosophy.

He said: “I wish students of engineering, medicine or computer application had some knowledge of literature and social sciences too, as only by this kind of training you get a holistic approach.”

His answer emphasised an area of education that has been neglected in recent years as students in India concentrate on job-oriented education.

He said students today did not have a choice because compulsions of livelihood took them to courses most likely to help them find a paying job at the earliest. — IANS, UNI

Mumbai, May 11
Even as their counsel prayed for the suspension of the one-month jail sentence imposed by the Supreme Court, Maharashtra’s Transport Minister Surupsingh Naik and Additional Chief Secretary Ashok Khot remained incommunicado today.

While Mr Naik did not turn up at his office, his mobile phone was switched off, with his staff telling mediapersons that he was not reachable.

Mr Khot, who said he was waiting for the apex court’s order earlier in the day, became unreachable when news reached that no relief was coming for the two.

Both Mr Naik and Mr Khot were sentenced for contempt of court by violating a court ban on saw mills within 10 km of protected and reserved areas.

The NCP was putting pressure on Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh to drop Mr Naik from the Cabinet.

New Delhi, May 11
Vociferous protests by the Opposition on the demolition in the Capital and the demand for immediate tabling of a legislation to stop the removal of illegal construction resulted in the adjournment of both Houses of Parliament for the day here today.

A government assurance that the Bill would be presented in Parliament tomorrow did not pacify the Opposition.

As soon as the House met, BJP Deputy Leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra raised the issue in the Lok Sabha, asking the government why the proposed Bill was not listed in the day’s business.

He pointed out that Urban Development Minister S. Jaipal Reddy had announced that he would place the Bill today.

The BJP leader said the Opposition would not allow the proceedings in the House to continue unless the Bill was brought in immediately.

Mr Reddy told mediapersons yesterday that the Bill seeking to put a one-year moratorium on demolition and sealing in the Capital to find an amicable solution to the issue would be introduced on Thursday.

During a brief adjournment in the morning, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee tried to pacify the members, saying the government was ready with the draft Bill and it would be distributed soon among the members, but the Opposition continued with disruption of proceedings.

Proceedings were disrupted in the Rajya Sabha, with BJP leader Sushma Swaraj demanding a legislation to stall the demolition drive against illegal construction on the directions of the Supreme Court. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Suresh Pachouri said the government was prepared for a discussion, but the Opposition stormed the well of the house, leading to adjournment.

Adjourning the Lok Sabha for the day, Mr Chatterjee expressed the hope that the House would witness business-like proceedings from tomorrow.

Siachen Base Camp, May 11
The guns have fallen silent across the Line of Control (LoC), but for the IAF’s men in blue there has been no let-up in maintaining the vital air bridge to the world’s highest battlefield.

On the ground, the ceasefire has been holding out for the past about two-and-a-half years, with the troops stationed atop the frozen, desolate heights of Siachen breathing a little easy. In the air, however, it is business as usual as it has been for over two decades for the simple reason that the men on the ground are still there and they have to be kept supplied with essential items come what may.

As a chilly dawn breaks over the craggy, snow-capped peaks, the whirl of rotor blades breaks the silence as the first wave of helicopters lift off the tarmac at the 11,000 feet high Base Camp and disappear into the mountains to add yet another chapter to what has become the longest sustained airlift operation in history.

‘‘Operationally, for us there has been no change,’’ says Sqn Ldr S. Rawat, a Mi-17 pilot, who ferried The Tribune team to Base Camp from Thoise. ‘‘We continue to fly as we used to when things were hot,’’ he added. Flying to Base Camp and onwards to the glacier, navigation assumes a different meaning, with compasses and navigation charts becoming secondary.

Departing from Shyok valley, where Thoise airfield is situated, pilots turn into the Nubra Valley, relying on their skills and experience to navigate along the river’s twisting course and manoeuvre around high mountains and barren features. At an altitude of around 18,000 feet over the glacier, the temperature in the chopper’s open cabin dipped to minus 15 degrees Celsius. ‘‘There is no straight flying. One has to negotiate the terrain every inch of the way through visual contact,’’ a pilot said.

Helicopter sorties are launched every day to Siachen Glacier and Sub Sector North adjoining China. It was the launching of Operation Meghdoot in 1984, that kicked-of the IAF’s tryst of conquering a surreal world of barren mountains and frozen masses of ice, where it emerged with flying colours and etched its name in the record books.

The number of sorties and load to be airlifted vary from day to day, depending upon the weather and temperature conditions as well as operational requirements. ‘‘Last year we set an all-time record of air dropping 110 tonnes from helicopters in a single day,’’ Wg Cdr V.P. Singh, officiating Station Commander, Thoise, said.

Even if there is no enemy fire aimed at choppers from across the Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL), which demarcates Indian and Pakistani positions, procedures for flying in a hostile environment continue to be followed.

‘‘Whenever we carry out drop sorties or landings on the glacier, we take all precautions as a matter of routine,’’ Wg Cdr S. Maingi. Commanding Officer of 130 Helicopter Unit, said. ‘‘We plan our flight path in such a manner so that visual exposure to the enemy is minimal. Close to AGPL, we try to ensure that there is always a relief feature between us and the enemy position,’’ he added.

His squadron maintains a four-helicopter detachment at Thoise, the IAF-northern most airfield and the forward base support unit for executing air operations to maintain posts in Siachen. Pilots and helicopters come to Thoise for a month before being rotated back. Detachments are done alternately by two helicopter units.

Air maintenance begins in Chandigarh, from where a constant stream of the giant IL-76, the lifeline to Thoise, and the smaller AN-32 ferry in supplies, including fresh and tinned rations, fuel, ammunition, mail and ordnance. At Thoise, the load is either ferried to drop zones and helipads by the Mi-17 1Vs or taken by them to the Base Camp, from where it is airlifted by the Cheetahs of the Siachen Pioneers to heights which the heavier Mi-17s cannot reach.

Loads are also para-dropped by AN-32s operating out of Chandigarh, with Kumar and Rani drop zones, located at altitudes of 20,000 feet on the glacier being among the notable sites for such operations.

Flying in this region is not easy and aircraft operate on the outer fringes of the flight envelope, with altitude and climatic conditions adding to the pilots’ physiological and psychological stress levels. Pilots have to navigate through valleys, combating cross-winds and down drafts and white-outs due to snow, where it is difficult to distinguish the horizon.

New Delhi, May 11
After keeping mum on the issue of reservations of OBCs in higher educational institutions, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will not find it easy to implement the controversial hike in oil prices, necessitated by spiralling global oil prices, which have crossed $ 70 a barrel.

Ball has been put in his court, after Petroleum Minister Murli Deora failed to convince Finance Minister P. Chidambaram today on this issue following a meeting with the Left party leaders who are opposing any hike in oil prices.

It is understood that he has also failed to convince the Finance Minister on cut in duty on petroleum products as suggested by ruling UPA’s Left allies to mitigate the effect of surging global oil prices.

Official sources maintain that Chidambaram has virtually rejected the idea of duty cut during his meeting due to its implications concerning fiscal deficit and government’s flagship programmes of Bharat Nirman and Urban Renewable Mission. The government collects a revenue of around Rs 80,000 crore from oil products annually.

Left party leaders, including Sitaram Yechury and Gurudas Dasgupta, have asked the government to reduce duty on oil products, including customs duty on crude oil, to compensate public sector oil companies.

The companies have sought a raise in petrol price by Rs 9.33 per litre, diesel by Rs 10.43 per litre, kerosene by Rs 17.16 per litre and LPG by Rs 114.45 per cylinder if prices are to be brought in parity with imported costs.

In the ongoing parliamentary session, Prime Minister will not find it easy to convince his allies and Left parties about any possible hike in petrol and diesel prices.

He is said to be facing pressure from the party after Congress president Sonia Gandhi wrote a letter urging the government to keep in mind the interest of farmers while signing free trade agreements with other countries.

Deora will now meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tomorrow possibly for some hike in fuel prices.

Officials said the government was working overtime to evolve a compromise by proposing a hike of Rs 2-3 per litre in petrol and diesel, besides a marginal hike in LPG, but without touching kerosene prices.

New Delhi, May 11
India is not inclined to become the fifth co-chair on Sri Lanka and is in no mood to reverse its Colombo policy.

This is understood to have been conveyed to Japan’s special envoy to Sri Lanka, Mr Yasushi Akashi, when he met National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan and Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran today. Mr Akashi has come here after visiting Sri Lanka and discussed with the top Indian officials ways to avert resumption of a full-fledged civil war in the island nation.

Significantly, the Japanese envoy did not pester India to become the fifth co-chair on Sri Lanka and conveyed to Mr Narayanan and Mr Saran that his country would be happy to see India contributing in whatever way and at whatever level it is comfortable with. He invited India for the four co-chairs’ conference in Tokyo on May 30.

The Indian position is that it would not like to attend the Tokyo conference either as the fifth co-chair or as a special invitee. Instead it would like continue doing what it has been doing so far— getting briefed by the co-chairs.

Mr Akashi is also expected to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Japan, US, EU and Norway are the four co-chairs.

New Delhi, May 11
The first national executive meeting of the BJP after Mr Rajnath Singh took over as the party President would be held here on May 29-30.

The meeting, which was initially scheduled to be held in Guwahati in March, was postponed to May 25 and the venue was shifted to Ludhiana.

Subsequently, in the wake of party General Secretary Pramod Mahajan’s death, the dates were deferred to May 27-28 and the venue shifted to Delhi.

The meeting would now be held on May 29-30 at the Parliament Annexe here, a party press note issued here said.

It said the two-day meeting would be preceded by a meeting of party General Secretaries and Organisation Secretaries from across the country on May 28.

Conveners and co-conveners of all party cells would meet on May 27.