BJP expels Jaswant Praising Jinnah costs him dear
BJP senior leader Jaswant Singh who had stirred up a hornet’s nest by showering praises on Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, in his book was today expelled from the primary membership  of the party. Cong makes light of expulsion Former BJP leader Jaswant Singh talks to the media after his expulsion from the party. Tribune photo: Amit Bhardwaj

Can retain LS membership
New Delhi, August 19
Expelled BJP leader Jaswant Singh will be able to retain his Lok Sabha membership despite the marching orders handed out to him by the  saffron party. Instead of occupying the front row in the Lok Sabha as a member of the main opposition party, the former External Affairs Minister will now be relegated to the back benches as a detached member.

Chintan Baithak
Episode eclipses other issues
The three-day Chintan Baithak of the BJP opened here today to an explosive start, with the party putting other important issues on the backburner and turned its attention to the act of “sacrilege” committed by Jaswant Singh in praising Mohammad Ali Jinnah and blaming Jawaharlal Nehru and Vallabhbhai Patel for the Partition.

Plots for MPs, MLAs
A day after draw, HC stays allotment
Chandigarh, August 19
Taking up an application against the allocation of land to Members of Parliament and Members of Legislative Assembly, a division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court comprising Chief Justice Tirath Singh Thakur and Justice Kanwaljit Singh Ahluwalia today granted stay in the matter.

Swine flu cases climb to 2,242 in country
New Delhi, August 19
Swine flu continued to spread in the country today with 216 people testing positive for the deadly virus, taking the total number of those afflicted with the pandemic to 2,242. Mumbai (48) and Pune (36) topped the list of cases followed by Chennai (30) and Delhi (25).

Number of drought-hit states up
New Delhi, August 19
Almost half of the country is reeling under drought or drought-like conditions with the number of districts so affected going up to 246. “Ten states have declared 246 districts as drought-affected. It comes to about 46-47 per cent of the total districts in the country. This year, there has been 29 per cent less rainfall.

24 suicides in 40 days in AP

Drought, Price Rise Cong MPs to take 20 pc salary cut New Delhi, August 19 Fearing that its carefully nurtured “aam admi” image could take a severe beating in this season of elections, the Congress today asked its party MPs and legislators to take a 20 per cent cut in salaries as a symbolic gesture to express solidarity with those affected by the spreading drought in the country. Move questioned Central team in Bihar to assess situation