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Wednesday,
May 9, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
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8 pc growth rate targeted ISI man’s name missing from FIR
India leaning to USA: Cong IAF fine-tunes its N-arm |
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Hindujas’ mediation was ‘used’ Arif deposes in St Kitts case Pant to visit Kashmir soon Helicopter with minister aboard
missing O.P. Bhagat dead Tagore remembered Reprieve for Laloo in assets
case
Rethinking among allies on Jaya as Chief Minister
Convict vs chargesheeted minister in Kerala BJP chief predicts
hung Assembly in Kerala Rabri’s father faces EC probe
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8 pc growth rate targeted New Delhi, May 8 Even the target of 8 per cent growth in the gross domestic product (GDP) is “very ambitious” in view of the deceleration of growth to 6 per cent in 2000-01 and achieving it will require policy decisions involving a “radical break from past practices” which can easily become “controversial given the compulsions of competitive politics,” the paper says. The paper, prepared by the Planning Commission, has been circulated to the state governments and Union Ministries for their comments, before being sent for the consideration of the Cabinet and the National Development Council (NDC). “The economy is currently in a decelerating phase and urgent steps are needed to arrest the deceleration and restore momentum. This reversal is all the more difficult because it has to take place in an environment where the world economy is slowing down,” it says. There are several aspects of development where our progress is clearly disappointing. Growth in the 1990s has generated less employment than was expected, the paper says. “There can be little doubt that we cannot hope to achieve 8 per cent growth relying entirely, or even largely, on increased investment,” the paper, made available to the press today, says. The principle reason why 8 per cent growth may be feasible in the plan is that the scope for realising improvements in efficiency is very large, both in the public sector and in the private sector. However, this could be realised if policies are adopted which ensure such improvement. “It is certainly a very ambitious target, especially in view of the fact that the GDP growth has decelerated to around 6 per cent at present. Even if the deceleration is viewed as a short-term phenomenon, the medium-term performance of the economy over the past several years suggests that the demonstrated growth potential over several years is only about 6.5 per cent. The proposed 8 per cent growth target, therefore, involves an increase of at least 1.5 percentage points over the recent medium-term performance, which is very substantial. While releasing the report on the mid-term appraisal of the Ninth Plan, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman K.C. Pant had said the Tenth Plan would set a target of 9 per cent growth at the suggestion of the Prime Minister. However, according to the paper, economic growth cannot be the only objective for national planning which broadly involves enhancement of human well being. In view of this, in addition to the 8 per cent growth target, the plan would aim to bring down poverty ratio to 20 per cent, from about 34 per cent at present, ensure universal access to primary education by 2007, reduce the decadal (2001-11) rate of population growth to 16.2 per cent, and increase literacy rates to 72 per cent, from 65 per cent. The other goals include reduction in infant mortality rate (IMR) to 45 per 1,000 live births by 2007 and to 28 by 2012, reduction of maternal mortality ratio (MMR) to 20 per 1,000 births by 2007 and to 10 by 2012, increasing the forest and tree cover to 25 per cent by 2007 and 33 per cent by 2012, and access to potable drinking water to all villages by 2012. It also envisages cleaning of all major polluted rivers by 2007 and other notified stretches by 2012. The approach paper has fixed the target for consolidated fiscal deficit at 3.3 per cent (4.4 per cent at present), and consolidated revenue deficit at 0.8 per cent (2.9 per cent now).
UNI |
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ISI man’s name missing from FIR New Delhi, May 8 The Special Commissioner of Police (Intelligence), Mr Ramakrishnan, claimed on Sunday that with the arrest of Bihar mafia, codenamed “Modi”, and his associates had uncovered the plot of the ISI to create political instability in India by eliminating Tehelka journalists who had exposed a few politicians and bureaucrats in the defence deal scandal. The Special Commissioner of Police in his statement claimed that the ISI official “Jain” had contact with Modi in Nepal and directed him to eliminate the Tehelka journalists in Delhi as it would attribute to politicians who were exposed in the scandal. However, in the FIR codename of the ISI official is missing. In the FIR it is mentioned that the police received “information by reliable sources that on early April, 2001, to create political instability in India and to bring hatred, towards the government in India, the ISI conspired to kill Tarun Tejpal, CEO of Tehelka.com and his colleague Aniruddh Bahal”. However, in handout of the Delhi Police code name of the ISI official was mentioned as “Jain”. The second point is except for Modi, the prime accused, names of other criminals are also missing in the FIR. The police named six criminals, including Modi, who had been arrested from Mukarba Chowk in North-West Delhi. A few others were still in Nepal, the police said. The third point which raised question of doubt in ISI theory of the police is that the accused were arrested from Mukarba Chowk but the FIR was not lodged there in the local police station. It was lodged in the Special Cell’s office at Lodhi Road in South Delhi. The FIR said, “the ISI has engaged some mafia elements of Bihar with code name “Modi”, who has his contact in Nepal, to eliminate Tehelka journalists. His telephone number is 00-977-981030461”. “It was further learnt that to execute this task Modi, along with his associates, is conspiring with some local criminals in Delhi”, the FIR said. Mr S. Ramakrishnan said on Sunday that conspiracy was hatched in Nepal. But in the FIR it is clearly written “place of occurrence is not known. |
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India leaning to USA: Cong New Delhi, May 8 The Congress, feels “endorsing” US President’s new doctrine and strategy may not be in the national interests of India. Mr Natwar Singh, chairman, Foreign Affairs Department of the Congress points out that even close allies of the USA did not show the kind of hurry that India had done in its response. The Congress says that even the proposed unilateral cut in the number of nuclear warheads, which may appear reasonable, has to be judged in totality. “A package is a package. It comes as a whole and we cannot take one part away,” says Mr Singh. Stressing need of efforts to improve ties with the USA, the party says nothing should be done to queer the pitch for India’s relations with China. Congress leaders emphasise that it would be wrong for India to assume that she would gain from a Sino-US conflict in Asia. On trade scenario, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh says that China and the USA are not real competitors in the export market. Following stand-off between China and the USA, China may not be included in the WTO by the original schedule of November 2001. “It hurts India more than the USA if China is out of the WTO,” he says. The party is specially critical of the role of External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh, who, it alleges, issued laudatory statement on the sensitive NMD issue without even consulting the Cabinet Committee on Security. The party hopes that the government’s response would be restrained when Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage comes to New Delhi on May 11.
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IAF fine-tunes its N-arm New Delhi, May 8 “We are finetuning our interception methods to increase our agility to catching the enemy interceptions, including nuclear ones, farther and farther away as well as testing our detection and endurance of our warmachines and men behind them”, Air Marshal S Krishnaswamy, Air
Officer Commanding in Chief, Western Air Command, told newsmen here. Briefing newsmen on the fortnight-long four different war exercises being conducted in western Rajasthan and parts of Punjab, Krishnaswamy said the highlight of the wargames condenamed operation “Poorna Vijay”, besides teaching the ground and air forces to survive nuclear, chemical and biological warfare, was on joint rapid Army and Air Force thrusts to immobilize enemy forces in a particular sector in the shortest possible time. Air Marshal Krishnaswamy said, IAF’s role in the wargames — which would touch almost 1000 sorties — was on counter air campaign,
strategic air campaign, deep penetration and interdiction, counter ground support as well as carrying out surveillance operations. He said almost 120 aircraft of the Western Air Command (WAC), including
MiG 21, 23, 27, 29, Jaguars, MI-8 and just acquired MI-17IV and transport aircraft would be in action in the wargames. The Russian made improved MI-17 acquired by the Air Force for a pivotal role in the Siachen glacier is for the first time being tested in desert conditions with temperatures soaring to almost 49 to 50
degrees Celsius. Krishnaswamy said the soaring temperatures and massive dust storms which reduced visibility to almost 100 to 200 metres witnessed in the wargames areas was proving to be a tremendous challenge to forces as well as warmachines. He said besides this, new systems like indigenous Indra II low flying detection radars, surface to air missiles as well as unmanned aerial
reconnaissance vehicles were being tested in the exercises in actual battle conditions. Krishnaswamy said the wargames were nearing their climax and said tonight 24 transport aircraft would undertake massive night paradropping of 600 commandos as well as tanks and light artillery near Suratgarh area. The Air Marshal said IAF fighter jets as well as Mi-35 attack helicopters were undertaking live firing in the Mahajan ranges near Suratgarh as part of the wargames. Asked if the rules of engagement were being changed and tested in the wargames being held for the first time in a nuclear backdrop, Krishnaswamy said rules were always tailored to the threat perception. He said as part of the new training, the IAF pilots were now being trained to fly through radioactive areas. “The new combat aircraft have the capability to shut off external air consumption to enable pilots to fly through affected nuclear zones”. |
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Machine failure
‘not’ behind crash New Delhi, May 8 Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Western Command Air Marshal S. Krishnaswamy said a “first-hand assessment” showed that the crash could not be attributed to mechanical failure. The IAF has already set up a court of inquiry to ascertain the reasons of the crash of the MiG-21 aircraft that killed its pilot, Flying Officer Ajay Sharma. Air Marshal Krishnaswamy, who visited the area of the exercises along with Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A.Y. Tipnis, said, “We have got all data. After first hand assessment, we find that there was nothing wrong with the aircraft and its engine.” He dispelled all fears regarding airworthiness of MiG-21 fighters in the light of the spate of accidents in recent times involving this class of aircraft, saying, “It is not true that MiG-21s have failed ....” He attributed the relatively larger number of crashes involving the MiG-21s to the sheer number of the aircraft-type in the IAF’s fleet. Close to half of the IAF fleet consists of MiG-21s. UNI |
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Hindujas’ mediation was ‘used’ New Delhi, May 8 When asked about media reports suggesting that the Indian government had used Hinduja brothers’ quasi-official mediatory role between India and Britain after the Indian nuclear tests in May, 1998, a spokesman for the Ministry of External Affairs said the Principal Secretary was required to establish contacts at the highest level in many world capitals, particularly in P-5 countries, after the nuclear explosions and in this context an offer of Hinduja brothers to facilitate a meeting with Mr Blair was accepted in the national interest. Asked if any of the Hinduja brothers were present at the meeting between Mr Blair and Mr Mishra, the spokesman said that he was not aware of the details of the meeting. To a question if the offices of the Indian High Commission were not used for arranging the meeting, the spokesman avoided a direct reply, saying the acceptance of Hinduja offer and the role of the Indian High Commission were not mutually exclusive. There was a certain degree of urgency then, the spokesman pointed out. He, however, stressed that the Hinduja brothers were not chargesheeted at that time. Defending the meeting, the spokesman said there was nothing unusual in accepting the offer as “it has happened from time to time”. The BJP also tried to downplay the meeting. Minister for Rural Development M. Venkaiah Naidu, who was briefing newspersons along with official party spokesman V.K. Malhotra showed ignorance of such a meeting saying “it has to be ascertained what was the context”. Meanwhile in a muted reaction, the Congress said it was not aware of the facts and Mr Mishra should come out with an explanation. The CPM reacted strongly and demanded removal of Mr Mishra from the posts of the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister and National Security Adviser. In a statement, the CPM said reports of Mr Mishra’s meeting with Mr Blair, along with the Hinduja brothers in 1998 were “shocking and unacceptable”. It said the Hindujas’ association with the Mishra-Blair meeting became all the more serious as it concerned India’s nuclear policy in the wake of the Pokhran tests and added that the British Premier’s office confirmed that the Hindujas were present on the request of the Indian Government. |
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Arif deposes in St Kitts case New Delhi, May 8 Deposing before the Special Judge R.L. Chugh as CBI witness in St Kitts forgery case, Mr Khan said that in 1989 he had received a call from accused Chandraswami and had gone to see him at his Ashram. Chandraswami had shown him a printed paper which appeared to be relating to the bank account of Ajeya Singh, Mr Khan told the court. The witness said the name of the place of bank mentioned on that paper shown to him by Chandraswami was St Kitts. He, however, said he did not exactly remember the name of the bank as the matter was more than 11 years old. Self-styled godman Chandraswami and his aide K.N. Aggarwal alias Mamaji are facing trial in the case on charges of forging certain documents to show that former Prime Minister V.P. Singh’s son Ajeya Singh had opened a bank account in First Trust Corporation Ltd in St Kitts island in 1986 and deposited $ 21 million there. The CBI has alleged that the said documents were forged with the intention of tarnishing the image of Mr V.P. Singh. Meanwhile, V.P. Singh would depose before a special court here tomorrow in the St Kitts forgery case. The trial court earlier had discharged former Premier P.V. Narasimha Rao and former Union Minister K.K. Tewary in the case saying there was no evidence against them. The discharge order was later upheld by Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court. In his testimony on February 22, Ajeya Singh had told the court that the documents relating to his alleged bank accounts in St Kitts island were forged and fabricated to tarnish his father’s image. |
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Pant to visit Kashmir soon New Delhi, May 8 “I will be visiting Kashmir valley and soon dates for the visit would be firmed up,” Mr Pant told reporters after formally receiving an invitation from the Awami National Conference (ANC) to visit the valley. The ANC extended the invitation through the Muzzaffar Shah, spokesman for the party and also the son of ANC chief and former Chief Minister
G.M. Shah. “I have gladly accepted the invitation and since he (Mr Shah) had come, I took the advantage and heard his views on the broader aspects of the Kashmir issue,” he said. However, Mr Pant, who is also the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, said the meeting did not amount to holding a formal discussion with Mr Shah. “Whatseover discussion has to take place will be with Mr Ghulam Mohammed Shah when I visit the valley,” Mr Pant said. The ANC led by Mr Shah had accepted the Centre’s invitation for talks with a condition that Mr Pant should visit the state and see “reason” in Kashmiris’ “wishes and national aspirations”. “The ANC would have no objection or feel no hurdle to exchange its views with Mr Pant to solve the Kashmir issue peacefully, equitably, honourably, democratically and permanently,” Mr Shah had said after a meeting of the executive committee of his party on April 28.
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Helicopter with minister aboard missing Itanagar, May 8 Official sources here said the Pawan Hans Chopper, on a special flight, took off from here at 11 am for Rupa in West Kameng district and Seppa in East Kameng district and was scheduled to return at 4 pm. But the helicopter lost contact with Tejpur ground station at around 11.15 am. Besides Natung, the other passengers of the chopper were Deputy Secretary in the Union Human Resources Development Ministry S.K. Jain, state Education Secretary Sange Lhaden, Times of India group officials Nandita Judge and Nityanand Trihan, the sources said.
PTI
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O.P. Bhagat dead New Delhi, May 8 Mr Bhagat is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son. The body of Mr Bhagat, who breathed his last in Mussoorie, was brought to Delhi and cremated here. Beginning his journalistic career in the Hindustan Times in 1958 as a sub-editor, he rose to become the Editor of the Evening News between 1979 and 1985. He retired as Assistant Editor in the newspaper on May 31, 1989. A prolific writer on a variety of subjects, including arts and cinema, Mr Bhagat continued to free lance for newspapers.
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Tagore
remembered New Delhi, May 8 Among the dignitaries who paid floral tributes to Tagore at his portrait in the Central Hall of Parliament House were T.N Chaturvedi, Balkavi Bairagi, Jayashree Banerjee, Savita Sharda and several former MPs. Jayashree Banerjee sang Rabindra Sangeet on the occasion as a tribute to Tagore.
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Reprieve for Laloo in assets case New Delhi, May 8 A three-judge Bench passed this order on a petition filed by Mr Yadav seeking that the trial court should not pronounce the final order on completion of the trial. The Bench issued notices to the governments of Bihar and Jharkhand on a CBI application seeking establishment of additional courts in Bihar for speedy trial of fodder scam cases. PTI
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Rethinking among allies on Jaya as Chief Minister Chennai, May 8 There is intense competition in these two channels to portray a rosy picture of the two fronts on
Thursday's Assembly elections. Every day Sun TV and Jaya TV have discussions and polls to show how the DMK is ahead of the AIADMK and vice versa. The bias of the two networks considering their allegiance and political
predilections is all too evident. Clearly, strategists in the two parties are taking advantage of the popularity that these networks enjoy compared to other Tamil regional channels. While Sun TV is going all out to show Jayalalitha’s extravagant style, Jaya TV is trying to portray the DMK coalition regime as one where law and order has broken down and women are being persecuted. The viewers are naturally having a field day watching dirty linen being washed on the idiot box. There appears to be some rethinking among the allies of the AIADMK led front whether J. Jayalalitha should be actively supported for the Chief Minister’s job in case they emerge victorious at the hustings. Serious reservations have cropped up in the ranks of the PMK, the TMC and the Congress about backing Jayalalitha as the undisputed leader of this grouping. At the same time there is no leader of stature in the AIADMK firmament to replace Jayalalitha who has assiduously refrained from building a second line of leadership. Cracks have developed on the leadership issue and in case the AIADMK secular front wins the May 10 Assembly, there is apprehension of a split taking place in this combination. What is perplexing is that the leaders of all these parties holding forth on fighting corruption tooth and nail are for all outward appearances meekly supporting the Amma despite her conviction in the Tansi land deal case. The slanging match between J Jayalalitha and M Karunanidhi which is a normal feature of any election campaign in this southern state, the DMK has endeavoured to seek a positive vote from the electorate based on the performance of their government. This is the first time in 33 years that a Dravidian party has sought to highlight the work done while at the helm of affairs at Fort St George or the seat of power in Chennai. There is a general feeling that M Karunanidhi as Chief Minister should have focused intensely on the positive side of his administration when he started the campaign a month back. This does not mean that everything is lost as the shrewd Karunanidhi has sought to balance the Vanniyar votes by wooing the Dalits and other casteist groups. Political analysts maintain they will not be surprised if the DMK just manages to gain the upper hand on the day of polling of May 10. Tamil Nadu Governor Fathima Beevi, a former judge of the Supreme Court, is believed to be consulting constitutional and legal experts on the emerging political scenario and the options before her if the AIADMK Front won the Assembly elections and staked its claim to form the government with J. Jayalalitha as Chief Minister. The Governor is acutely conscious that she might be faced with a tricky situation in such a case. Nevertheless as a judge of the country’s apex court, the Governor is adept with legalese. Ms Fathima Beevi is said to have had discussions in this regard with the Attorney General of India, Mr Soli Sorabjee, and other constitutional experts. Though as Governor Fathima Beevi enjoys discretionary powers, it is apparent she wants to be extra careful in the discharge of her duties as the constitutional head of Tamil Nadu. What is amazing in Tamil Nadu is that nearly 2 to 3 per cent of the electorate remains undecided till the date of polling. This is nothing new and has been so for a long time now. Then there are also a sizeable number of first-time voters who invariably go by the image and personality of their candidates. The youth in the 20-30 group especially in the semi-urban and rural areas in the state are increasingly veering round to the BJP as being vastly different from the two Dravidian parties. That might work to the DMK’s advantage whose cadres are pastmasters in getting their supporters to the polling booths. Chennai Mayor and the septuagenarian Chief Minister’s son M.K. Stalin has played a crucial role in thrashing out DMK’s pre-poll partners. It is apparent the 48-year-old Stalin views himself as Karunanidhi’s successor. He has been in the thick of things of tying up the loose ends with DMK’s partners as well as the casteist groups. Sources say this time all the initial discussions have been with Stalin and once the deal is clinched, the partners will go to Karunanidhi to seek his stamp of approval. There is no doubt that Stalin’s acceptability as Karunanidhi’s successor in the DMK is now a foregone conclusion. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s largely attended rally on the sprawling Marina beach in Chennai yesterday telecast live by Sun TV appears to have come as a sorely need shot in the arm for the DMK. Vajpayee spoke in English which was translated into Tamil. It has created a conducive atmosphere for the DMK front. His alluding to the AIADMK being a bundle of contradictions and J Jayalalitha’s candidature as Chief Minister being in serious doubt was cheered lustily. He appealed to the people to vote for stability and development which he stressed has been the hallmark of the Karunanidhi government in Tamil Nadu. |
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Jaya vows to
probe assets of Karunanidhi Chennai, May 8 Canvassing support for the AIADMK-led front candidates in most of the 14 constituencies in the city, she alleged that corruption was pervasive in the DMK Government. Ms Jayalalitha, who has been convicted by special courts set up by the DMK Government to try corruption charges against her and her erstwhile Cabinet colleagues, referred to reports that “dhotis” and “sarees” meant for free distribution were
available in Delhi markets and said it was ‘a solid example’ of government money going into private hands. She charged the Karunanidhi Government with ‘deceiving’ the people by claiming credit for several schemes ‘which were not
implemented’. PTI |
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Gill flayed for
‘injustice’ to Jaya New Delhi, May 8 Forum convener Komireddi Jyothi Devi pointed out here that the nomination papers of a convicted male candidate in Kerala was accepted, even though, his period of sentence was more than that of Ms Jayalalitha. In the event of failure to undo the injustice done to Ms Jayalalitha, the forum consisting of MLAs and ex-MLAs would launch political/legal agitation, she said in a statement. Ms Devi said since Madras High Court by its order of November 3, 2000, had suspended the sentence of Ms Jayalalitha’s imprisonment, the disqualification under Section
8 (3) of the Representation of Peoples Act, 1951, was not attracted. “Conviction is not a disqualification from contesting. When convicted person appeals, the conviction is open and not complete. There are several decisions given by the Supreme Court on the issue,” she added.
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Convict vs chargesheeted minister in Kerala Thiruvananthapuram, May 8 Kerala Congress (B) supremo and UDF candidate in Kottarakkara in Kollam district R. Balakrishna Pillai had been sentenced to six years, imprisonment in two cases by special courts, while Janata Dal (S) leader and LDF candidate in Kovalam in Thiruvananthapuram district Neelalohithadasan Nadar was chargesheeted in a case of alleged molestation of a senior lady IAS officer. Pillai was sentenced to one-year imprisonment by a vigilance court in a case pertaining to illegal sale of electricity to a Karnataka firm, Graphite India Ltd, during his tenure as Power Minister. The high court had upheld the decision of the lower court and he was in jail for a week in March last. But the Supreme Court admitted his appeal and granted him bail. Earlier, he was sentenced to five years’ rigorous imprisonment by a special court in the Idamalayar case. The high court had stayed the sentence, but not the conviction. Nadar had to bow out of the present Nayanar government after a senior lady IAS officer complained that she was molested by him. The case was later taken up by the Crime Branch of the state police, which in its preliminary inquiry found substance in the charge. A judicial inquiry had been ordered into the incident. “The LDF government is deliberately indulging in my character assassination (by initiating the two cases). I will prove my
innocence in the people’s court winning by a margin of over 10,000 votes,” says Pillai, who was elected from the constituency nine times. His victory margin of 36,711 votes in 1980 is an all-time record in Kerala Assembly elections. Taking on Pillai in his den is CPM area secretary V. Ravindran Nair. A debutant in the electoral scene, Nair is a widely respected local leader and trade unionist, who is a lawyer by profession. “Over the years, Pillai is losing his grip over the constituency. This time, when he has been convicted by a court of law, he is sure to lose the poll,’ says Raghavan Pillai, a school teacher. However, Pillai’s supporters are sure of a resounding win for their ‘Balannan,’ as he is fondly called by them. “Balannan is a passion in Kottarakkara. Everyone knows he is being victimised by the Marxists. This time, the voters will stand by him and elect him by a whopping margin,’ says Chandran, a trader. The constituency is spread over six panchayats—Kottarakkara, Vettikkavala, Melila, Kulakkada, Mailiam and Ummannoor. Of this, three are being ruled by the UDF and the remaining three by the LDF. In the last elections, Pillai had defeated George Mathew of the CPM by a margin of 3,379 votes. The BJP, which had no candidate last time, has fielded Chandramohan Pallickal this time. Nairs constitute the majority of the voters followed by Christians and Ezhavas in the constituency. Nadar is sure of his victory from Kovalam. “The people here know me very well. I was born and brought up here. The voters trust me and recognise the forces behind the entire scandal,’ he says. The Congress has fielded Alphonsa John here in the hope that a lady candidate could make maximum mileage from the molestation charges against her rival levelled by a senior lady officer. However, beating Nadar in Kovalam is not an easy task. Last time, he had won by a margin of about 22,000 votes. PTI |
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BJP chief predicts
hung Assembly in Kerala New Delhi, May 8 Talking to newspersons, Mr Krishnamurthi claimed that the BJP’s entry into the Kerala Assembly was certain this time. In Tamil Nadu, where he attended a rally in Chennai yesterday, the DMK-BJP alliance would perform much better, he said. Even in Assam, the BJP-AGP alliance was in a better situation now after the initial
troubles were sorted out, Mr Krishnamurthi said. Meanwhile, the Minister for Rural Development, Mr M. Venkaiah Naidu, has said any Opposition attempt to destabilise the Centre after the Assembly elections, would have an adverse impact and expressed confidence that the party would emerge stronger after the May 10 elections. |
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Rabri’s father faces EC probe Patna, May 8 His candidature for the seat of Mukhiya from Churamanchak panchayat of the Phulwaria block, Gopalganj district, has raised a political storm with the opponent of RJD chief Laloo Prasad Yadav, the NDA launching a massive campaign against the CM’s father. The poll results of Churamanchak panchayat are likely to be withheld as the State Election Commissioner (SEC), Mr M.L. Majumdar has assured a probe into the allegations of rigging and irregularities levelled by the NDA delegation that met him on Saturday. The NDA delegation, led by the Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly and BJP leader, Mr Shushil Kumar Modi, had met the SEC on Saturday and had demanded a probe into masssive both-capturing in the Churamanchak panchayat poll on April 15. The delegation maintained that the brothers of Chief Minister, RJD legislator Subhash Yadav and Prabhunath Yadav were present in Churamanchak panchayat on April 15 poll to assist the CM’s father. This is a violation of the EC code of conduct, barring the presence of legislators during the poll. The NDA leaders alleged that Subhash Yadav was seen looting booths and intimidating voters and even the candidates with the help of his official guards and police force. The rival Mukhiya candidate, Mr Ramji Prasad, had complained to the State Election Commission about
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