Modi magic works in Gujarat, Keshubhai fails to strike chord
Ahmedabad, December 20
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today led the Bharatiya Janata Party to a third consecutive win in the state Assembly elections capturing 115 seats in the 182-member House, short by two seats from his 2007 performance of 117 seats.

Narendra Modi gestures on the podium during a felicitation ceremony outside the party office in Ahmedabad. — Reuters

Editorial: Gujarat stays with Modi

BJP on a high, and so is Congress
Thumping win in Gujarat buoys saffron party; Cong happy over ousting it from HP
New Delhi, December 20
With the score levelled one each, the eagerly awaited results of the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections today had both the BJP and the Congress cheering for their respective sides. The BJP was predictably ecstatic about its emphatic win in Gujarat where the Chief Minister Narendra Modi won a third consecutive term.

Punjab Assembly standoff continues
Cong ‘battles’ outside House; mediator Madan Mohan Mittal jostled, falls
Chandigarh, December 20
An attempt by the SAD-BJP government to end the standoff with the Opposition Congress in the Punjab Assembly failed today.

Victim’s friend ‘identifies’ accused
New Delhi, December 20
One of the four accused in the brutal rape of a young paramedical student on Sunday was today “identified” by the victim’s friend during a test identification parade (TIP) at Tihar jail here.

Delhi HC blast accused shot dead in J&K
Jammu, December 20
Wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the Delhi High Court blast on September 7 last year that left 15 persons dead and over 80 injured, dreaded terrorist Shakir Hussain, aka Chota Hafiz was killed in a late evening encounter in a remote area of Kishtwar district, 240 km from here.