S P O T L I G H T

Matang expelled from Congress
NEW DELHI, March 1 — In a signal to potential dissidents, former Union Minister and a known Narasimha Rao loyalist Matang Singh was today expelled from the Congress for six years for anti-party activities. Mr Singh termed the action as “unconstitutional” and launched a veiled attack against party President Sonia Gandhi. Saying “if anybody is trying to convert the Congress into a private limited company, what can I do?” The decision to expel Singh, who had recently been critical of the Congress leadership, was announced by AICC general secretary Oscar Fernandes.


Rice scam
MUMBAI, March 1 — The Mumbai High Court restrained the Maharashtra police from arresting prominent Congress worker from Solapur, Yashwant Jadhav, in a case registered against him for “misappropriating” large quantities of rice worth Rs 34 lakh meant for distribution to students in primary schools.


35 die in train crash
RABAT, March 1 — At least 35 people were killed and nine seriously injured when a passenger train collided today with a trailer carrying farmers in northern Morocco, officials said. Mr Sbai Hassan said the collision occurred at 2 p.m. IST when the trailer, pulled by a tractor, tried to cross the railway line near the town of Ksar el Kbir, some 150 km North of the capital Rabat.