New Delhi, January 18
Just as the Congress was preparing to showcase its newly-honed skills at coalition management at its plenary session in Hyderabad this weekend, the party was dealt a major blow as its coalition government in Karnataka was virtually on its way out.

This crisis could not have erupted at a worse time for the Congress as it is in the midst of preparing for the AICC plenary, which is the first session since it came to power at the Centre. The mega-event, being held after a gap of five years, is to focus on the party's "new responsibilities" in the light of the changed political scenario.

Shifting its focus from NDA-bashing as was the case at the last plenary, the Congress plans to project itself as a party which is now shouldering the awesome task of nation-building on the basis of its past heritage. The party's new avtar has been encapsulated by the theme of the Hyderabad plenary which says," Ateet ki neev, bhavishya ka nirman aur nayee zimmedari."

However, today's fast-paced developments in Bangalore clearly indicate that the party's grand show being attended by over 12,000 delegates, will be less about the Congress-led UPA government's achievements, but more about its inability to manage a coalition and keep its own house in order.

In fact, the Congress top brass was so involved with the preparations for the plenary that it was completely taken aback when the simmering crisis in Karnataka reached a flashpoint today after 42 Janata Dal (S) legislators met the Governor and submitted a letter withdrawing support to the Dharam Singh government. Panic-stricken Congress leaders went into a huddle this evening after they were informed about the turn of events in Bangalore. AICC general secretary A.K.Antony, who is in charge of Karnataka, was not in town but was asked to fly back to Delhi immediately.

Putting up a brave face, the Congress here drew consolation from Janata Dal (S) leader H.D. Deve Gowda's letter to the Governor, stating that the letter given by the group of legislators, led by his son H.D.Kumaraswamy, was invalid.

Congress spokesperson Ambika Soni told reporters that he had pointed out that Mr M.P. Prakash is the Janata Dal (S) leader and it is only his letter which should be considered by the Governor. "We go by what Mr Gowda has said," Ms Soni said, adding that she would not like to comment on the internal problems in the Janata Dal (S), apparently referring to the revolt led by Mr Gowda's son.

This crisis is particularly galling for the Congress as it has shown up its political management in very poor light. The party's revamped apex decision-making body has six representatives from Karnataka, but they all failed to alert the party leadership about these developments.

It is also embarrassing as the Congress was gearing up for its plenary where the party is set to recognise that coalitions are a political reality and that the Congress had done an admirable job in handling a coalition government.

The 82nd AICC plenary session is also meant to enthuse and energise the party rank and file to get involved in the implementation of the various programmes which have been initiated by the Congress-led UPA government. While sustaining this coalition, the plenary is also expected to focus on reviving the party in key states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal where it has been reduced to a bit player.

New Delhi, January 18
As the country's Prime Minister he has a job that is enviable, but Dr Manmohan Singh considers teaching his first love. Addressing the golden jubilee celebrations at the Delhi School of Economics, where he once taught, Dr Manmohan Singh shocked quite a few people when he admitted that he gave up a prestigious assignment with the United Nations for a teaching job.

"My colleagues were shocked when I informed them of my decision to give up my UN job to return home and was called in by UNCTAD Secretary-General who tried to persuade me to reconsider my decision…I told them that I sincerely believed that something exciting was happening in India and I wanted to be a part of it," the Prime Minister recalled.

The Prime Minister said he got the offer to join the government after he settled down at Delhi School of Economics. "When the call to move to government came I took up that challenge as well. I was seized by the urge to try and make a difference. It was a difficult decision to make because Delhi school was a truly hospitable place", he said adding he doesn't regret returning home and that "teaching is and remains my first love".

Comparing the Delhi School of Economics with Oxford and Cambridge, the Prime Minister today asked the prestigious institution to benchmark globally to retain and attract students from India and abroad.

New Delhi, January 18
From laying down their own life to giving the gift of life to another, to braving gun-wielding militants, from rescuing a girl from a tiger’s jaws to rescuing an infant from a burning house— these are the stories of courage exhibited by children unmindful of the threat to their own lives are stories, that will be saluted by the nation on January 26.

Seventeen young boys and girls from across the country will receive the National Bravery Awards for 2005 from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on January 24.

The list of awardees this year includes as many as six children from the North East, two from Assam, one each from Meghalaya and Nagaland and two from Manipur. While two children from Maharashtra will receive the prestigious award this year, three children from Kerala, two from Andhra Pradesh and one each from Uttaranchal, Chhattisgarh and Orissa have been chosen for the award.

This year's list also includes Master Shibu a 13-year-old from Kerala, who is being honoured posthumously for sacrificing his life to save the life of his brother who had fallen into the river. Fourteen-year-old Master Ratul Chandra Rabha and 15-year-old Master Rituparna Boro from Assam have been selected for the prestigious Bharat Award for displaying exemplary courage in chasing militants who killed their teacher and enabling the arrest of one of them.

Ten-year-old Seidalyne Mawtyllup of Meghalaya has been chosen for the Geeta Chopra Award for saving her three-month-old sister from a house on fire. Master Sanmesh Mahesh Kalyanpur of Maharashtra has been chosen for the prestigious Sanjay Chopra Award for saving her sister from drowning.

This year, two girls 14-year-old Dugi alias Minati from Orissa and C. Susheela of Andhra Pradesh have been selected for the Bapu Gayadhani awards for their extraordinary courage in revolting against the social evil of child marriage.

''These 17 brave children were selected, from among the nearly 100 acts of bravery across the country, by a high-powered committee comprising representatives of various ministries and departments.

New Delhi, January 18
The Left parties today categorically stated they were not satisfied with the government and in particular, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s response on defreezing British bank accounts of the Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi.

“We are not satisfied with the government response and the statement of the Prime Minister,” CPM Politburo member Brinda Karat told The Tribune.

The CBI, in a quick somersault in its stand, had stated that it had asked the Additional Solicitor General B. Dutta to convey to the Crown Prosecution Service of Britain that there was no evidence to link the money in the two accounts with the Bofors case and therefore the accounts be defreezed.

“The CBI statement’s is contradictory to their earlier stand and they have not offered any explanation for this change in stand. Nor, is it clear whether the government plans to fight or drop the cases against Quattrocchi and the status of the red corner alert against him,” she said.

Prime Minister today maintained there was no political interference in the defreezing of Quattrocchi's accounts.

Even as the Supreme Court asked the premier investigative agency to ensure status quo ante, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) informed the CBI that the accounts had been defreezed and reports indicate that about Rs 21 crore parked in the bank had flown out.

Lucknow, January 18
The strike by doctors in seven medical colleges of Uttar Pradesh over the recent clash with policemen aboard a train, continued for the third day today, throwing medical services in the state out of gear.

The situation turned grim when at least four serious patients died allegedly due to lack of timely treatment in King George Medical University (KGMU) here early today.

The junior doctors in the seven state government medical colleges in the state — Lucknow, Allahabad, Kanpur, Agra, Gorakhpur, Jhansi and Meerut — went on flash strike on Monday last following the clash between junior doctors and police recruits aboard the Allahabad-bound Nauchandi Express train near Moradabad on Sunday night. Emergency services in these hospitals were also paralysed due to the strike.

The agitating doctors blocked road at different places in the state in protest against the police “high-handedness,” while in some places, medicine shop owners also joined the doctors in their demonstration.

Meanwhile, KGMU doctors union office-bearers told UNI that a team of doctors from the university was slated to meet state Principal Secretary (Home) Alok Sinha later in the day over the issue. — UNI

Lucknow, January 18
Ending a day-long drama, villagers caught hold of the Laskhar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant Abu Ali Ahmed, who escaped from police custody by jumping off the Sealdah-Jammu Tawi Express in Varanasi district of Uttar Pradesh, while the police personnel guarding him dozed off.

Varanasi police told UNI over the telephone that the terrorist was caught by villagers at Parmandpur under Shivpur area this evening.

‘’The villagers saw a handcuffed stranger roaming near their fields and caught him, tying up his hands and feet,’’ sources said. Later, the villagers informed the police about him and the J&K police escort also reached the spot.

Earlier, the police had informed all gram pradhans and village ‘chowkidars’ about the militant, and given his description.

Ahmed (25) escaped from police custody between Shivpur and Veerapatti railway stations in Varanasi, when the Jammu-bound train was moving at a slow speed due to fog.

Police Superintendent (City) Varanasi Anant Deo said the ultra, who was being taken on a transit remand to the Valley, fled around 0300 hrs.

A native of Lahore in Pakistan, Ahmed — lodged in Hilli police station of Dakshin Dinajpur town in West Bengal since his arrest there on December 17, 2005 — was being escorted by cops from Jammu comprising Inspector Mahendra Singh and three constables. — UNI

New Delhi, January 18
The BJP continues to monitor political crisis within the ruling Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition in Karnataka even as it said today that it had nothing to do with the problem. While it was a matter of the ruling alliance, the party was “closely watching the emerging situation,” BJP spokesman Arun Jaitley said here.

The party, which is the single largest group in the 224-member Karnataka Assembly, has deputed senior leader M. Venkaiah Naidu to stay available for the state BJP for “consultation and advice”.

He refused to answer questions on whether the BJP would align with the JD (S), but said the future strategy would be made known as and when it was devised.

The BJP was obviously very keen to fish in the troubled Congress waters, sources said, adding that

JD (S) president H.D. Deve Gowda was taking advantage of it for extracting a beneficial political bargain.

Mr Gowda has convened his party’s National Executive on February 8 to take a “final decision” following his party’s strained relations with the Congress in the state.

Mr Gowda had met former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee recently after the Congress decided to align with the Siddaramaiah faction of the APJD in three zila panchayats in the state.

Chennai, January 18
The Tamil Nadu Assembly today witnessed noisy scenes as Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa alleged that income tax raids were being carried out at her personal physician's and auditor's homes at the behest of the United People's Alliance (UPA) Government at the Centre.

While the entire Opposition except the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staged a walkout, she told the state Assembly, "My aged auditor and personal physician are being raided by the income tax officials even as I speak here."

She alleged, "The whole thing has been masterminded by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and its allies. Several income tax officials have been transferred out of the city simply because they refused to kow-tow the diktat of DMK President M Karunanidhi."

Mumbai, January 18
Film producer Anand Mahendroo was shot at by unidentified persons at suburban Oshiwara this evening, the police said.

Mahendroo, who sustained bullet wounds, has been admitted to a private hospital and is out of danger, Additional Police Commissioner (north-west) Bipin Bihari told PTI here.

The men arrived on a bike and fled after firing shots at the producer from close range, police sources said. — PTI