New Delhi, November 20
With polls in Delhi round the corner, the Congress today released its manifesto for the Assembly elections focusing on inclusive growth, water and sanitation.

From 'Ladli' to 'Qabil Ladli' scheme, supply of free medicines in government hospitals, reduction in water tariff, transparency in governance, more evening colleges, abolishing multiplicity of authorities, training of police force to handle crime against women, etc are some of the key ingredients of the manifesto.

She said that the migrants from all the states are welcome and they can lead a good life in the city. She said the party will construct 'Shramik Ashraya' for labourers.

"Delhi will not stop is our slogan. Double-decker flyovers are being planned. Delhi GDP is the highest in India. We are planning to double the GDP. The government will come out with plans for hawkers in the city," she said.

Dikshit, who will witness her biggest test following the emergence of Aam Aadmi Party, appealed to the people to give her a fourth term in office. "People should vote for a party whose pace, efforts, experience you have witnessed over one and a half decades," she said.

Claiming that the Congress will build more women's toilets, she stressed that drinking water will be the focus this time. Dikshit also called for a single command structure in Delhi and the NCR should be made a common economic zone.

Congress in-charge of Delhi Shakeel Ahmed said the party has turned the national capital into a world-class city. "In our manifesto, our achievements of the past five years have also been mentioned. No false promises, unlike other parties who promise the moon," said Ahmed.

New Delhi, November 20
The family row of the Aam Aadmi Party candidate, Shazia Ilmi, goes a step further. A former journalist Shazia is now accused of threatening her brother Rashid Ilmi, co-contestant from the RK Puram seat, who has sought protection from the area's returning officer.

Contesting on an independent ticket, Rashid who has been allotted balloon as an election symbol, today in his letter has said that his sister has a history of violence and abusive behaviour.

"In the past, Shazia Ilmi has turned violent and even abused our mother. I believe that she and her election agent Irshad Ilmi could resort to abusive behaviour and false complaints against me. Since, it is sensitive time because of elections, I have written to the returning officer demanding police protection for me," said Rashid.

This comes days after the allegations by Shazia that his brother is misusing the name of their mother to malign her and to go further, the duo's mother Naushaba Ilmi today came out openly in support of her son.

Addressing a press conference here, their mother appealed to people to support her son against the daughter.

"Shazia has always had this elitist air of superiority in her and she is not the right candidate to represent people. My son Rashid who has been taking care of me in the old age and I believe he is fighting a noble battle against his sister," said Naushaba Ilmi. 

New Delhi, November 20
Contesting from 30 out of the 70 constituencies in the Delhi Assembly elections, the Samajwadi Party will focus on the education and uplift of the Poorvanchalis and Muslims in these constituencies.

According to the party manifesto which will be released on Saturday, the SP plans to focus on these issues, said senior party leaders.

Although the party claims that it will attain almost all the 30 seats, it was not able to bag even a single seat during the Delhi Assembly elections in 2008. On being questioned about which party they would support if they don't win many seats in the present elections, the SP leaders said that it was too early for speculation.

The SP has also welcomed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) which has joined the fray for the Delhi elections. "We welcome their way of politics," said SP leaders.

The SP has already released its list of 30 candidates, who will contest the elections from the areas such as Narela, Timarpur, Badli, Trinagar, Moti Nagar, Bijwasan, Sangam Vihar and Kalkaji.

The party is fighting for the Poorvanchalis in these constituencies. "There is a growing mindset that they are considered outsiders. We will fight to change this mindset, so that the Poorvanchalis who come to Delhi as migrants, labourers and businessman get the same opportunities as the locals here," said Usha Yadav, the president of the SP's Delhi unit.

The second focus point for the SP will be providing primary and higher education to the Muslims and Poorvanchalis.

Interestingly, the SP also said that it if it comes into power, it will construct a new metro line called the 'ring metro'. "The ring metro will be similar to the Ring Road that runs through different areas of Delhi. Similarly, the ring metro will pass through the border districts of Delhi and touch upon the national capital region. 

New Delhi, November 20
BJP chief ministerial candidate Harsh Vardhan said that it is right time for the voters to teach the Congress a lesson for its 'atrocities' during the last 15 years of its rule and help the BJP form an accountable and transparent government.

Vardhan was addressing public meetings in Burari, Seelampur and Ghonda.

He said the government has awarded the contract of privatizing water supply to a defamed foreign company 'Swez Degramount'. This company has been awarded contract for the Sonia Vihar water treatment plant. This company is earning crores of rupees, but supplying only 60 to 65 million gallons of water daily.

During the last 15 years of Congress rule, Delhi has become a mega slum and unplanned city. The Congress government treats people as vote bank. The Sheila Dikshit government has failed to provide low-priced water and power. It has also failed in providing security to women, said Vardhan. 

New Delhi, November 20
To enhance the visibility of its motorcycles, Delhi Traffic Police today introduced an upgraded version of them that will also be used to discipline errant drivers. Delhi Police Commissioner Bhim Sain Bassi flagged off a fleet of 24 such upgraded motorcycles at the Delhi Police Headquarters here today.

The motorcycles have blinkers at its front and rear ends, a pole-mounted blinker at the rear for better visibility, a visor to protect the traffic policemen during winters and accidents.

The motorcycles are also equipped with a siren

The 'chase and challan' fleet of motorcycles of Delhi Traffic Police have been operational since February 2010. But they were not distinctively visible in the evening and at night.

"Therefore to enhance the visibility of the traffic police fleet, 24 such motorcycles have been remodelled and upgraded in the first phase,” said Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Anil Shukla.

“The motorcycles also have a charging facility for the e-challan machine," added the Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic).

The motorcycles will be deployed on arterial roads and highways to discipline errant motorists, especially heavy traffic vehicles and buses during the evening and night, according to the police.

They will also act as quick reaction teams and will be deployed in two shifts.

New Delhi, November 20
A woman's body was found in an iron box outside the Anand Vihar Metro station in east Delhi this morning.

The victim is yet to be identified and believed to be aged between 22 and 25 years. A call was made to the police control room about the blue box at about 10.30 am today. The box lay on the premises of the Anand Vihar Interstate Bus Terminal, outside the Metro station. The police with the bomb and dog squads reached the site of the incident. As they found the box locked, they opened it to find the woman's body inside it.

Investigators suspect that she was strangled. There are several injury marks on her body and the police suspect that her killers inflicted the injuries on her to conceal her identity.

The police claim to have found clues that could lead to her identification. They said that the woman was wearing a black and yellow salwar-kameez. She has a tattoo, 'PK', on her right arm. She has a mangalsutra and a vermillion applied on the tip of her forehead and is wearing bangles in both her hands.

The police suspect that she was probably murdered late on Tuesday night, because her body has not decomposed. But, the exact cause and time of her death will only be ascertained after the postmortem. Her body has been kept at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital in east Delhi.

Some vendors who were present at the site of the incident informed the police that they saw the box only in the morning. "There are CCTV cameras positioned towards the site of the incident. We are examining the footage," said the officer.

The police have registered a case of murder and disappearance of evidence at the Madhu Vihar police station.

New Delhi, November 20
Two engineers died after being run over by a train. They were allegedly consuming alcohol near the railway tracks at east Delhi's Ganesh Nagar in the early hours of today.

The deceased have been identified as Harvinder and Harpreet, both 26 years old. Harvinder worked as a solution engineer with an MNC in Gurgaon, while Harpreet worked as a software engineer in Noida. They were neighbours and lived with their families at Jheel Khurenja in Delhi.

According to the police, the two men along with another neighbour named Jasmeet had left their homes for dinner at the Nazir Hotel in Mandawali on Tuesday.

They later went up to the railway tracks near Ganesh Nagar, where they allegedly consumed alcohol. At about 1.30 am, Harvinder and Harpreet were hit by a train.

Jasmeet was unhurt and informed the police about the incident. "Harvinder and Harpreet had sustained serious injuries and were declared dead at the site of the incident," said a police officer.

The bodies were handed over to their families after a postmortem at the Lal Bahadur Shashtri Hospital in east Delhi today.

New Delhi, November 20
The Youth Festival 2013 presented by Delhi Government's Department of Art, Culture and Languages is scheduled to be held on November 22 to December 1 at Central Park, Connaught Place.

"The Youth Festival, being organized by the Sindhi Academy on behalf of the Sahitya Kala Parishad, empowers the country's young achievers and provides them with a national platform to showcase their talents. It also brings together a truly Indian extravaganza of dance, drama and music for youngsters in the city," said says S S Yadav, secretary, Art, Culture and Languages.

This weeklong festival will stage an array of dance forms that will depict the flavour of India drenched in youthful aura.

"Coming from every corner of the country, young and talented artists and groups would participate and make the event a success. Be it contemporary, classical or folklore- there will be a lot of action to watch out for in each segment. Youth bands selected from different states and cities would take the festival on a higher note," Yadav said.

The Department of Art, Culture and Languages holds this festival annually to make sure that young achievers are encouraged to take their talents seriously.

"There are many independent groups in our country who are continually empowering the youngsters with adequate training in different art forms. Then, there are youth bands who have their own unique take on music and a huge fan following. So, our country makes up for a bunch of talent waiting to get explored," he said.

In the classical segment, dance forms, including Kathak, Oddissi, Manipuri, Mohiniattam, Chhau, Kuchipuri, Bharatnatyam and Kathakali, will be performed by youngsters, representing various groups coming from across the country. Murad's sarangi, Akram Khan's tabla, Ajay Kumar's ritual drum, Anupriya's Parinday band playing the violin and Pt. Bhajan Sapoori's santoor will ensure classical music gets its due at the Youth Festival.

Leading puppeteer Dadi Pudumjee is also expected to add zing to the festival with a special show.