L A T E S T      N E W S

Akhilesh Yadav set to be CM

Lucknow: Barring a last minute hitch, Akhilesh Yadav will be the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. A meeting of Samajwadi Party MLAs scheduled for 11 am tomorrow will elect Akhilesh their leader, following which he will formally stake claim to form the government, sources said.

At 39, Akhilesh, currently the MP from Kannauj, will be UP’s youngest chief minister. The family of Mulayam Singh Yadav has arrived at a consensus that the party chief will focus on national politics while Akhilesh runs UP.

There has been uncertainty over who among father and son would be CM ever since the SP roared to victory with 224 seats in the 403-member UP house on March 6.

Sources said two of the SP’s seniormost leaders — Shivpal Singh Yadav, Mulayam Singh’s brother and MLA from Jaswantnagar, and Azam Khan, MLA from Rampur — will propose Akhilesh’s name at tomorrow’s meeting. It will be supported by Atrauliya MLA Dr Sangram Yadav, son of senior leader Balram Yadav, and seconded by Hardoi MLA Nitin Agarwal.

Jats call for Haryana bandh today

Hisar: Intensifying their stir, Jat protesters have called for Haryana bandh after authorities rejected their demand for unconditional release of all those arrested during the agitation to press for reservation under OBC category.
Yesterday, protestors had blocked all roads and rail links to Delhi, Punjab and Rajasthan.

The protesters have also refused to cremate the body of the youth, Sandeep, who was killed in clashes between police and protesters on March 6, till their demands are met.

Amit Aggarwal, Deputy Commissioner, said there was no move by the government to release the arrested Jat leaders and warned of strict action against those damaging public property.

"Sandeep's last rites will be performed only when our leaders are released from jails. There will be no dialogue with the government till our demands are met. We have decided to intensify the agitation and shall block all roads and railway lines as would be possible for us," Suresh Koth, a Jat leader said.

2G: Cabinet to take up Prez reference

New Delhi: The Cabinet is expected to meet on Saturday to discuss the Presidential reference on the Supreme Court's order on 2G licences regarding auction of natural resources.

The Cabinet will meet in the evening and the Presidential reference could be taken up, sources said.

The government is seeking the Presidential reference as it wants clarity on the apex court's February two verdict on natural resources in the 2G spectrum case.
The Supreme Court had said natural resources should be auctioned and the reference is planned to be sought under Article 143 of the Constitution as per which the President can seek clarification from the apex court on its judgements on issues of public interest, the sources said.

Senior members of the Cabinet, including Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Law Minister Salman Khurshid and Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal, had met twice last month to discuss and analyse the Supreme Court verdict on the basis of opinion given by Attorney General G E Vahanvati.