L A T E S T      N E W S

Modi as PM unacceptable, indicates Nitish

New Delhi: The NDA seems to be divided in not just the race for the Presidential poll but also in the run up to the next Prime Minister. NDA ally JD(U) has made it clear that Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is not acceptable to it as the Prime Ministerial candidate. In an interview to the national daily 'Economic Times', JD(U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar insisted that the NDA should name its Prime Ministerial candidate before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and the candidate must have secular credentials and a liberal frame of mind. 

This is not the first time that the Bihar Chief Minister has made his aversion to Modi apparent. In 2011, at a BJP executive in Patna, the two were at loggerheads over an advertisement issued by the Gujarat BJP. Modi has also been taking digs at politicians from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for what the Gujarat Chief Minister calls resorting to caste based politics. Nitish had then said that Modi, who has been a constant irritant in the JD(U)-BJP coalition ties in Bihar, should mind his own business instead of making comments on others. "One should think about one's own situation (Bihar par tippani karne walon ko apne halaat ke bare me sochana chahiye)", he had told reporters in reply to a question when asked for his reaction to Modi's remarks targeting Bihar leaders. Modi and Nitish have been involved in many spats in the past.

AP cash-for-bail: Suspended CBI judge arrested

Hyderabad: The Andhra Pradesh anti-Corruption bureau has arrested suspended Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) judge Justice Pattabhi Raman Rao in the cash-for-bail case. Rao allegedly accepted a bribe of Rs 6 crore to grant bail to former BJP minister Gali Janardhana Reddy in an illegal mining case. The arrest comes three days after Rao's residence was raided in connection with the case. 

This is the third arrest in the case. Justice Rao was suspended last month by the Andhra Pradesh Chief Justice for alleged irregularities. Rao was hearing the Obulapuram mining scam case. He had granted bail to prime accused Gali Janardhana Reddy on May 11 in the case. Reddy, however, is still in jail in another case. He was also hearing the EMAAR case and heard the petition for defreezing YSR Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy's Saakshi TV accounts in the disproportionate assets case.

B'lore: Rape accused French envoy arrested 

Bangalore: The French diplomat accused of raping his three-and-a-half-year-old daughter was arrested on Tuesday morning. The arrest came after the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that Pascal Mazurier did not enjoy any diplomatic immunity, and that the Bangalore police could arrest him. 

The accused has now been taken for a medical check up and will be produced in court later in the day. The French Consulate on Monday issued a statement saying it will extend its full cooperation to the Bangalore Police in its probe. "A complaint has been lodged regarding the rape of a minor girl who is a French National. 

The complaint names the father of the child, who is a Consular agent of this Consulate-General. An investigation is underway for which this Consulate General is extending its full cooperation with the police and the authorities in charge. It remains also in touch with the family of the child," the statement read.

NDA divide deepens, Sena backs Pranab

New Delhi: The divide in the NDA over the Presidential election appears to have deepened. After its ally the JDU said it was not in favour of a contest against UPA's Presidential nominee Pranab Mukherjee, the Shiv Sena has now come out in Pranab's support. The Shiv Sena has in its mouthpiece 'Saamna' confirmed its support for UPA's Presidential nominee Pranab Mukherjee. Bal Thackeray in the editorial said, "Nobody should accuse Shiv Sena of 'vishwasghaat'. 

The decision was purely based on national interest." "The dignity of the nation should not be compromised for narrow political gains. If you don't have a sword don't enter the battlefield. We should all come together and back Pranab Mukherjee and show the world we are united," he added. The assurance was given to Pranab who called up Sena chief Bal Thackeray and his son Uddhav Thackeray, the party Executive President, on Monday, Sena sources said. This is not the first time that the Shiv Sena is breaking ranks with the NDA over the Presidential election. 

Shiv Sena had supported Pratibha Patil in 2007, breaking ranks with BJP as Patil hailed from Maharashtra. BJP and other NDA constituents had at that time backed late Bhairon Singh Shekhawat for the post of President. Shiv Sena had also skipped the NDA meeting on Sunday to discuss the President poll. At the two-hour meeting, JDU leader Shivanand Tiwari is believed to have disfavoured a contest against Pranab because of his stature, reflecting a divide in the coalition. With the Congress putting its full force behind Pranab Mukherjee and APJ Abdul Kalam opting out of the election, the BJP does not want to let the polls go uncontested despite the divide in the NDA. It does not want to support Pranab and is likely to back NCP leader PA Sangma in the Presidential race. 

The BJP's core group met on Monday night to take stock of the situation. The party is trying to bring NDA allies on board to support Sangma. Senior Leader LK Advani is also trying to get BJD chief Naveen Patnaik and AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa on board to nominate Sangma as their joint candidate. An NDA meet is to be held only after deliberations with the BJD and the AIADMK. BJP President Nitin Gadkari has pointed out that the party must be sure that Sangma doesn't back out at the last minute.