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Raman leads race for chief ministership Negative voting defeated Cong, says CPM Cong, UDF win in Gujarat, Kerala bypoll Winter Session MoD backs Admiral on Gorshkov deal
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Amarinder softens, says Badal not harassed in jail
EC decision on CM’s show-cause notice soon Badals move SC for transfer of case PM writes to Jamali on SAARC visit More cops may come under SIT scanner
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Raman leads race for chief ministership New Delhi, December 4 Sources said his name found favour with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at a meeting, which was attended by Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani, party President M. Venkaiah Naidu, General Secretary Pramod Mahajan, Finance Minister Jaswant Singh and Commerce Minister Arun Jaitley. While former Minister of State for Environment and Forest Dilip Singh Judeo was being dubbed the next Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, the party was of the view that he could not be
entrusted the task as it would be politically unwise. Though Arun Jaitley, who attended the meeting, said the issue was not
discussed with the Prime Minister, sources said Vajpayee did convey his view on the issue. An indication came when Raman Singh said the issue of chief ministership would be finalised by elected candidates in the presence of Central party leadership in the next two days. “The newly elected legislators would meet tomorrow and by December 6 they will choose their leader in the presence of the Central leadership,” he told a TV news channel at Raipur. Asked if he was in the race for chief ministership, Raman Singh said: “As party president in the state my job is to ensure that the party comes to power.” “We projected a collective leadership in the state during the campaign period,” he said adding that the collective leadership included Ramesh Vaish and Judeo also. “We do not have any inner battle regarding the issue of chief ministership,” he said adding categorically that nobody was in the race at present. |
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Negative voting defeated Cong, says CPM New Delhi, December 4 The BJP has won on the basis of the negative vote against the performance of the Congress government. In that sense the verdict was not an endorsement of the BJP’s platform, the CPM polit buro in a statement said. With this victory the communal forces will be emboldened to push forward their sectarian agenda, which could further threaten national unity and secularism, it said. The Congress Chief Minister was a strong advocate of privatisation of power sector, which had contributed to the electricity crisis in the state. “It is this reliance on policies of privatisation and liberalisation which alienated the Congress government from people. |
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Cong, UDF win in Gujarat, Kerala bypoll
New Delhi, December 4 Congress candidate Shabbir Khedawala, a businessman, trounced BJP's Lalji Parmar, a former mayor, in the Jamalpur Assembly by a margin of 17,698 votes. While the Congress retained the Jamalpur seat for the second consecutive term, the BJP failed to defy the history of not winning the seat even once. Mr Parmar was humbled for the second time after he lost to late Usman Gani Devdiwala, an independent, in 1998 elections, whose death necessitated the bypoll. Kerala Chief Minister A.K. Antony got a shot in the arm when the ruling UDF retained the Thiruvalla seat, warding off a stiff challenge from the opposition LDF and the Karunakaran faction in the Congress. The victory of Kerala Congress (M) nominee Elizabeth Mammen Mathai over her LDF rival Verghese George of Janata Dal (S) by 4,669 votes was all the more significant for the Antony camp as it came at a time when factionalism in the Congress was at its peak. Elizabeth polled 41,453 votes against Verghese's 36,784. On Tuesday, ruling parties in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar asserted their supremacy in Assembly bypolls with the Samajwadi Party wresting two seats from its arch-rival the BSP, including one vacated by party supremo and former UP Chief Minister Mayawati. In Bihar, RJD retained Fatuha and Barachhati (SC) seats, defeating JD (U). All assembly bypolls were held on November 30.
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Winter Session New Delhi, December 4 The Lok Sabha was adjourned after the Speaker Manohar Joshi said the ruling on the admissibility of the adjournment motion on the CVC issue would be given tomorrow. The discussion on the alleged Judeo bribery scandal will take place after Monday and the Prime Minister will give a reply. Mr Joshi adjourned the House soon after members of the Opposition argued on the reasons for accepting the
adjournment motions moved by as many as 44 members, on the alleged "cash-on-camera" scandal of former Minister of State for Environment and Forests Dilip Singh Judeo and reported complaining of the CVC about the interference of Central ministers in public sector undertakings (PSUs). Mr Joshi adjourned the House as desired by members to enable them to monitor the Assembly election results. He said the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) had decided on the adjournment of the House and the time lost due to this would be adjusted during the remaining period of the winter session. In the Rajya Sabha also Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat adjourned the House for the same reason. Soon after the House assembled Mr Pranab Mukerjee (Congress) requested the Chair to adjourn the House and Leader of the House Jaswant Singh agreed to it. Mr Shekhawat said he would take the consent of the new members before adjourning the House asked filmstar Hema Malini whether the
House should be adjourned. "Karna chahiye", Ms Malini replied. Earlier, Opposition leaders argued for the acceptance of the adjournment motions pertaining to both the matters. The adjournment motion on the recent anti-Bihari violence in Assam and other parts of the country will be discussed tomorrow in the Lok Sabha and Mr Joshi said he had convened a meeting of party leaders tomorrow at 10 a.m. to discuss how the matter should be taken up on the floor of the House. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said the government had nothing to hide on the two issues and pleaded with the Speaker to give his ruling in the Judeo matter after the Prime Minister’s statement. The collapse of a bridge in Daman in which as many as 30 children were reportedly killed would be taken up for discussion in the Lok Sabha next week. Raising the CVC issue Ramji Lal Suman (Samajwadi Party) said it had been reported that "funds are being extorted from central public sector undertakings". "This is a serious issue and casts doubt on the working of the government. A Parliamentary Committee should investigate the matter", Mr Suman said. Congress Chief Whip P.R. Dasmunshi said the people and the Parliament ought to know what actually transpired in the CVC’s meeting with the Prime Minister and Committee of Secretaries. Demanding a JPC probe into the matter Mr Dasmunshi said in the Judeo incident also the Prime Minister should explain why he was asked to resign. He said "probity in administration has become the biggest victim. How do we maintain probity". "The most unseemly spectacle has been that of Judeo chaperoning the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister and being projected as a victim of circumstances", Mr Somnath Chaterjee, CPI(M) leader, said. On the CVC issue, he said it looks into matters from a "vigilance angle and from an angle of lack of probity". "Not a single PSU is allowed to function properly and these matters should not be kept under the carpet", he said. The Speaker said he had to go through the reply from the authorities in the Ministry of Personnel before giving his ruling on the CVC issue. |
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MoD backs Admiral on Gorshkov deal New Delhi, December 4 The Russian denial came after Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Madhvendra Singh had on Tuesday said that the price for Admiral Gorshkov had been agreed upon and it would cost India less than Rs 3,000 crore. Russian Defence Ministry said three major differences still remained to be worked out and that the deal was not complete. Incidentally, Admiral Madhvendra had clearly said that the deal was likely to be signed within this financial year and India hoped to get the possession of the aircraft carrier within four and half years of the signing of the deal. Reacting to the Russian denial, the Ministry of Defence here backed the Chief of Naval Staff and said price negotiations in a “comprehensive manner” had been completed with Russia for the acquisition of the 44,500-tonne Kiev class carrier and only “minor differences” in formulation of contractual clauses remained to be ironed out. “Price negotiations in a comprehensive manner, as stated by the Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral
Madhvendra, have been completed and have been agreed to by the negotiating teams of both the sides”, a Defence Ministry spokesperson said here today. He said “minor differences” in the formulation of contractual clauses were being looked into and would be finalised prior to the signing of the contract. “These would be worked out to mutual satisfaction before the contract is made ready for signing”, the spokesperson said, while reacting to reports from Moscow quoting Russian Defence Ministry saying that three major issues remained to be resolved on the deal. Sources here said the differences were prevailing over various weapon systems and other sophisticated missile guiding systems. Apparently, the Russians are insisting that India agrees to a complete package right away. India is weighing missile systems from Russia, Israel and France and is also looking at guns from different countries to be installed on the aircraft carrier. The Russians have apparently been pressuring India over this issue. The Ministry of Defence officials here feel that India was sincere over the deal, as it had already agreed upon buying MiG-29Ks for the other Air Defence Ships that were being developed indigenously. |
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Amarinder softens, says Badal not harassed in jail New Delhi, December 4 The Chief Minister, who is in the Capital to apprise Congress president Sonia Gandhi of the political situation in the state, said Mr Badal had been given certain facilities sought by him and the jail manual was being followed regarding the visitors being allowed to meet him. He said Mr Badal was not a political prisoner and the instructions of the jail manual were being followed. The Chief Minister said a TV with cable connection had been provided to Mr Badal and the Opposition leader was also being sent the desired newspapers and magazines. He said a minister and DGP (Jails) had visited the jail where Mr Badal and his son had been lodged. Capt Amarinder Singh said he had asked Deputy Commissioner, Patiala, to construct two bathrooms in the jail premises from the Red Cross funds and equip these with requisite fittings including geysers. “My fight is not with Mr Badal but with corruption,” the Chief Minister said. He said Mr Sukbir Singh Badal could stay with his father in the jail till an appropriate bathroom was constructed near the cell of the MP. Capt Amarinder Singh appeared soft today on the proposed agitation of the Akali Dal against the “arrest” of Mr Badal. The Chief Minister, who had earlier said his government would not allow a stir by the SAD, today said that peaceful and democratic protests would not be stopped. During his meeting with Ms Gandhi, the Chief Minister will also seek her approval for expansion of his ministry. The expansion aims at giving greater representation to minorities and women and besides promoting some Ministers of State to the Cabinet rank.The proposed expansion is being seen as an attempt by the Chief Minister to stem dissidence in the state Congress. The Chief Minister will meet the party MPs from the state over lunch tomorrow. The MPs had yesterday met party general secretary in charge of Punjab, Mohsina Kidwai, and senior party leader Dr Manmohan Singh. The discussions mainly centred around the political impact of the recent steps of the state government. The dissidence in the state unit also figured in the meeting. Sources said some leaders close to Chief Minister had complained to the party high command about recent remarks of Agriculture Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal in which she talked about her not being consulted before the state authorities “took action” against the Badals. They said the state government’s actions were in accordance with the promises made in the Congress election manifesto. |
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EC decision on CM’s show-cause notice soon New Delhi, December 4 "We received the reply from the Punjab Chief Minister only yesterday and in the next couple of days the commission would take a decision," the Deputy Election Commissioner, Mr A.N. Jha, told The Tribune today. Since the nature of violation of the code by Capt Amarinder Singh is similar to that by the Congress president, Ms Sonia Gandhi and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi, the Commission would take up all cases at one instance, he added. The commission had alleged in the notice that these leaders had used the state government aircraft in violation of the model code of conduct. It had given seven days time to file a reply and had threatened to de-recognise the Congress as a national party for the violation of the code. While Amarinder Singh, in his reply to the notice, "regretted" the "unintentional" use of state plane during Assembly elections, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi said he was "sorry" for the violation of the code. On the other hand, the Congress president stated that she had used the aircraft for party work in the non-election bound state. Amarinder Singh said he had used the aircraft King Air C-90 of Punjab Civil Aviation Department for his journey from Chandigarh to Indore on November 11, for a prize distribution function in the Delhi College there. He said as far as electioneering in Madhya Pradesh was concerned, a private aircraft and vehicles arranged by the Pradesh Congress Committee had been used for it. The party has now paid for the use of the Punjab Government plane for his journey to Indore from Chandigarh for the Delhi College function, he said. He assured the commission that he had the highest regards for the model code of conduct applicable during elections. |
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Badals move SC for transfer of case New Delhi, December 4 They have alleged that they were being persecuted by the Amarinder Singh government due to “political reasons”. The Badals, who are presently lodged in Patiala Central Jail, have also pleaded for bail. Their counsel Sandeep Kapoor, who filed the petition, said it was listed for special mentioning tomorrow before a Bench headed by Chief Justice Mr V.N. Khare. Since the petition is not listed in the regular list of business of the apex court for tomorrow, it is likely to be taken up for brief hearing during the mentioning on the question whether it should be accepted or not. The Badals have sought the transfer of the case on the ground that the chargesheet against them was filed with mala fide intention to malign them and the entire case was a result of “political vendetta”. They have moved the apex court even when arguments on their bail petition had
remained inconclusive before the special court at Ropar, which would resume the hearing tomorrow. |
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PM writes to Jamali on SAARC visit New Delhi, December 4 Mr Vajpayee’s letter was delivered to Pakistan foreign office this morning. Normally, the Prime Minister does not reply to such invitations himself and this job is left to the Ministry of External Affairs. Mr Jamali had written a letter to Mr Vajpayee on August 6, inviting him to attend the 12th SAARC summit being held in Islamabad from January 4 to 6. |
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More cops may come under SIT scanner Mumbai, December 4 According to sources, Sharma has named a number of police officers both at the senior and junior level who may be called for questioning shortly. It is, however, not clear if any top politician has been named so far. Sharma, who was remanded in police custody by a Pune court on Tuesday last, has been subjected to lengthy bouts of questioning by the investigation team. Most of these sessions have lasted more than eight hours at a stretch, according to the sources. The former Police Commissioner may also be subjected to a polygraph or lie detector test following a number of contradictory statements made by him, the sources add. Sharma has been lodged at the Cantonment lockup in Pune amidst tight security. He has a separate cell to himself though he is free to mingle with other inmates. Reports from Pune say, Sharma — a former Army officer — has so far kept to himself with little contact with an alleged cheat and a murder suspect who share the lockup with him. Meanwhile, the SIT is still looking for M.C. Mulani, a senior police officer, who is wanted for granting a number of favours to Telgi. According to the chargesheet against Sharma, he had condoned a number of lapses by Mulani despite top bureaucrats pointing these out to the former Police Commissioner. Mulani has been declared an absconder and an alert has been sounded in different cities of the country. PTI adds: The SIT has summoned former Maharashtra Director General of Police Subhash Malhotra for questioning in the fake stamp paper scam. The summons were served on Malhotra yesterday and he is likely to appear either today or tomorrow, SIT sources said. |
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