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BJP factional feud aggravates
Jagan quizzed for 3rd day; 2 aides summoned
Pawar backs Ramdev’s black money campaign
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Civic Poll
JEE 2013
adarsh society case
Marathon to celebrate Kaziranga pride
Maharashtra in dock over sacking of HIV+ driver
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BJP factional feud aggravates
New Delhi, June 5 There was further evidence of this today when a rash of posters appeared in Ahmedabad and Delhi in praise of RSS pracharak Sanjay Joshi, who was literally forced out of the national executive by his arch political foe, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. The posters and hoardings launched a veiled attack against Modi, a clear indication that Joshi's supporters have not taken kindly to his ouster. Posters carry Joshi's photograph and quote from a poem written by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "Chote man se koi bada nahin hota, toote man se koi bada nahin hota," says one poster while another one states, "Kaho dil se, Sanjay Joshi phir se". These were pasted at several places, including the BJP office at Ashoka Road, though nobody took responsibility for them. Predictably, the posters were promptly removed. Playing down the development, BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad refused to comment on the plea that this was not an official BJP poster. Joshi also feigned ignorance about the posters. His supporters described it as a prank by Joshi's detractors who wanted to defame him. The ongoing bickering among leaders has, however, is a matter of serious concern for the BJP top brass as it has exposed the deep fissures in its rank and file. These differences have surfaced at a time when it should be launching an effective campaign against the UPA government. Instead, the party is busy fighting its internal battles. Although Modi has no serious challenger in Gujarat, the party is nevertheless worried at the recent display of dissent in the state as it is headed for elections later this year. Modi's detractors, who are becoming increasing vocal, have attacked him for his autocratic style of functioning. The Chief Minister's rival Keshubhai Patel has already raised a banner of revolt, and has been hobnobbing with Gordhan Zadaphia, who floated his own party after he left the BJP several years ago. The poster war witnessed today, is not an isolated incident. Soon after the Mumbai drama, miffed BJP patriarch wrote a blog in which he questioned BJP president Nitin Gadkari's leadership. This was followed by an editorial in the party's mouthpiece Kamal Sandesh which upbraided regional satraps like Modi, Vasundhra Raje and BS Yeddyurappa for their open show of defiance and putting themselves above the party.
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Jagan quizzed for 3rd day; 2 aides summoned
Hyderabad, June 5 CBI officials took custody of
Jagan, as the young leader is popularly known, from the Chanchalguda Central Jail here and shifted him to the agency's office at
Koti. Congress legislator D. Chandrasekhar Reddy and Sakshi TV director S. Ramakrishna Reddy also reached the CBI office in response to the notices served by the CBI. Chandrasekhar Reddy has reportedly worked as director in one of the companies owned by
Jagan. He had recently called on Jagan's mother Y.S. Vijayamma to express his solidarity. The CBI may question him and Ramakrishna Reddy in the presence of Jagan about the investments received by Janani Infrastructure and Jagati Publications. The CBI has so far questioned the Kadapa MP about the investments received from industrialist Nimmagadda Prasad in return for the land and other concessions given for his port project
Vanpic. He is believed to have been grilled about the investments that flowed from some companies based abroad into
his Sandur Power and other firms. Jagan, who was arrested by the CBI on May 27, allegedly conspired with his father and then chief minister
Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy to dole out favours to companies which made investments into his businesses on quid pro quo basis. The Central Bureau of Investigation on Monday issued a notice to Information Technology Minister Ponnala
Lakshmaiah, directing him to appear for questioning June 7. Lakshmaiah, as the minister for major industries in Rajasekhara Reddy's cabinet, had issued an order allocating water from Krishna river for a cement company. The Central agency on May 24 had arrested Excise Minister Mopidevi
Venkataramna, who as the then minister for infrastructure and investments, had issued orders allotting huge land and granting other concessions to
Vanpic. Venkataramna along with Jagan, Nimmagadda Prasad and bureaucrat
K.V. Brahmananda Reddy are currently lodged in Chanchalguda jail. — IANS
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Pawar backs Ramdev’s black money campaign
New Delhi, June 5 Pawar's remarks came after an hour-long meeting with Ramdev here during which the two discussed ways to unearth black money and enact laws that make stashing of cash impossible. "Ramdev made suggestions like enacting such tax laws that do not make a person necessary to hide his wealth. Such wealth can be used for various development purposes," Pawar told reporters after meeting the yoga guru. The Union Minister said he did not "smell politics" in Ramdev's campaign as he had announced that he would meet leaders of all political parties ranging from Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, CPM general secretary Prakash Karat to AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa and SP chief Mulayam Singh. "He (Ramdev) has said he will meet responsible leaders in all states and important persons who take key decisions. He has done one good thing that he has not spoken of any one party. He has talked about all parties and we liked this approach," Sharad Pawar said.
— PTI
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Trinamool steals a march over Opposition
Subhrangshu Gupta/TNS
Kolkata, June 5 She, however, registered a massive victory at Durgapur industrial city, which had been under the CPM control for the past three decades. The Trinamool Congress won four of the six municipal bodies, including Panskura in east Midnapore where voting was held on Sunday. This was the first public election, which the Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief was facing after her coming to power in the state on May 20, 2011. Unlike the last Assembly polls, the Trinamool Congress and the Congress, the two partners in the Bengal government, fought separately in these civic elections. The Congress could retain its holding at the Copper’s camp municipality in Nadia but lost the Nalhati civic board in Birbhum, where Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s son Abhijit Mukherjee, who is the Congress MLA from Nalhati, had been the in charge of the elections. At Haldia, Lakshman Seth’s wife Tamalika Seth, chairman of the Haldia municipality, has won once again.
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Dimple Yadav files nomination for Kannauj byelection
Lucknow, June 5 None of the major political parties appear in a mood to contest the byelection scheduled for June 24 which will ensure that after her humiliating defeat in the Firozabad bypoll in 2009, Dimple Yadav would be elected almost unopposed this time. BSP president Swami Prasad Maurya admitted that no name had been finalised for Kannauj. "Behenji (BSP supremo Mayawati) had said that as the party MLAs are busy with the Vidhan Sabha session, she would decide the name for Kannauj. Till now, I have no information about the candidate," said Maurya. Giving priority to the local body elections, the BJP has decided to abstain from the Kannauj contest. A party press note claimed as the party stood a good chance in the local elections and wanted to fully focus on it, it has decided not to field a candidate for Kannauj. UPCC state president Rita Bahuguna Joshi has already declared that her party is not contesting the Kannauj bypoll. Meanwhile, accompanied by husband Akhilesh Yadav, Dimple Yadav addressed a public meeting in Kannauj before filing her nomination papers. She asked people to vote for her as a "bhabhi and
bahu".
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First joint engg test in April 2013
Bihar, Assam slam IITs for seeking different exam pattern Aditi Tandon/TNS
New Delhi, June 5 All states endorsed the idea at a meeting of State Education Ministers chaired by HRD Minister Kapil Sibal today. Some - Gujarat, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Maharashtra - welcomed the idea and will join the exam which is initially meant for students seeking admission to NITs, IIITs and IITs. States will, by June 30, indicate to the Centre the year in which they would like to join the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) and the weightage they would like to give to school-leaving marks, JEE Main and JEE Advanced scores to admit students. The JEE proposal approved by the councils of NITs, IITs and IIITs, has prescribed the following criteria for admission of students to NITs and IIITs - 40 per cent weightage to school marks and 30 per cent each to marks in JEE Main and Advanced. IITs have a different pattern. They will screen 50,000 students based on 50 per cent weightage to marks in school exams and 50 per cent to those in JEE Main. The shortlisted students will be admitted to IITs on the basis of their scores in JEE Advanced, which will test students’ problem-solving skills in Physics, Chemistry and Biology and won’t factor in school marks at all. IIT Joint Admission Board will set both the papers though there will be an apex JEE body too. This body would comprise representatives from states. Importantly, Bihar and Assam slammed IITs today for seeking a pattern different from the rest. “Are the IITs above us? Don’t they get central funding? Will they dictate us? I strongly object to preferential treatment being given to them. They must follow the pattern as others,” said Prashant Kumar Sahi, Education Minister, Bihar.
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Allegations against Deshmukh, Shinde being probed: CBI
Mumbai, June 5 In an affidavit, the CBI, which is probing the scam, has informed the Bombay High Court that the investigation against the two leaders is based on the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG). Social activist, Pravin Wategaonkar, had in April this year filed an affidavit before the High Court based on the CAG report alleging that Deshmukh, former Maharashtra Chief minister, owns two proxy flats in the Adarsh society, which is situated in South Mumbai. In the affidavit, filed by Ravindra Singh, Superintendent of Police, the CBI said: "I say that the reference made by the petitioner (Wategaonkar) about the report of CAG on the Adarsh society, which has brought out certain acts of commission and omission on the part of public servants, is being thoroughly investigated by the CBI. "I say that the allegations made by the petitioner against Vilasrao Deshmukh, Sushil Kumar Shinde, Sunil Tatkare (Maharashtra cabinet minister) and others are being thoroughly investigated by the CBI," the affidavit filed on June one said. The CBI has recorded the statement of Deshmukh and Shinde in Delhi last year during which both the Cabinet ministers have denied having any role in the multi-crore housing scam. High Court had in the last hearing posted the matter to June 18 after CBI said it would file a charge sheet in the case by June 15. — PTI
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Marathon to celebrate Kaziranga pride
Kaziranga (Assam), June 5 A Green Marathon was organised in the national park today. The participants took a vow to protect bio-resources at the UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is the most celebrated abode of one-horned rhinoceros on the planet and a thriving tiger reserve. Wildlife enthusiasts from across Assam ran for a green cause, taking part in the Green Marathon organised along a stretch of the National Highway No 37 that flanks southern boundary of the park. State Minister for Environment and Forest Rakibul Hussain flagged off the marathon at the Bokakhat office of the KNP Director. Participants ran 22 km along the highway to Kohora. NGO Aaranyak took the initiative in organising the first Kaziranga Green Marathon in collaboration with the Bokakhat District Master Athletic Association, the Assam Forest Department and the Bokakhat Civil Administration along with other partners. A cash prize of Rs 10,000 was presented to Shomezuddin Ahmed of Kamrup who emerged winner in the event. The first and the second runners-up, Bijoy Deka (Jorhat) and Robin Das (Barpeta), got Rs 7,000 and Rs 5,000, respectively.
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Maharashtra in dock over sacking of HIV+ driver
Mumbai, June 5 State Health Minister Suresh Shetty has ordered an inquiry into the case after reports of the driver’s sacking appeared in the media. “I have sought more details from the Transport Secretary. If it is true, it is unfortunate,” Shetty told reporters here. The Pune-based driver had reportedly informed his superiors about his condition four years ago. As his condition worsened, he requested for a desk job as it was not possible for him to drive a bus. However, instead of accommodating the driver, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) sacked him. The driver’s name has not been released to the Mumbai media to protect his privacy. According to MSRTC officials in Pune, the incident took place around April after the driver was asked to undergo fitness checks at a government-run hospital. The fitness test report indicated that the driver was unfit to drive a vehicle. Reports said the driver’s family was in dire straits with his son forced to discontinue his studies and look for a job. Some years ago, the government of Maharashtra had enacted a law under which it was illegal to sack HIV-positive employees from job.
TROUBLE -TORN
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The factional feud in the BJP, which surfaced after the party's recent national executive meet, is intensifying.
There was further evidence of this today.
Welcoming Ramdev's campaign against black money, NCP chief Sharad Pawar tonight said the yoga guru's suggestions to tackle the menace were "pragmatic".
Kolkata, June 5
New Delhi, June 5
