The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Cash at judge’s door SC judge opts out of Nirmal Yadav case Legal Correspondent New Delhi, July 2 Supreme Court Judge SS Nijjar today opted out of hearing an appeal filed by retired High Court Judge Nirmal Yadav in the case relating to the delivery of Rs 15 lakh cash on August 13, 2008. “The case will go to another Bench,” Justice Nijjar said without citing any reason when the case was called out for hearing and senior counsel KTS Tulsi wanted to argue for Justice Yadav. Justice Ranjana Desai was the other judge who was part of the Bench headed by Justice Nijjar, who has been a judge and subsequently Acting Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana HC. Justice Yadav, who was a Judge of the Punjab and Haryana HC at the time of the incident, has sought quashing of the charges against her, contending that the then Chief Justice of India KG Balakrishnan had refused to grant sanction to prosecute her in the case. However, his successor, the present CJI SH Kapadia, reviewed the case and granted permission for proceeding against her.
	Ram Sethu row Alternative channel not viable, SC told R Sedhuraman Legal Correspondent New Delhi, July 2 The alternative alignment suggested for the controversial Sethusamudram ship channel project to avoid damage to the mythological Ram Sethu is not feasible, both economically and ecologically, a high-power expert committee has concluded. Explaining the committee’s report to the Supreme Court today, Solicitor General Rohinton Nariman said the Union Cabinet would consider the report soon and take a decision. A Bench comprising Justices HL Dattu and CK Prasad granted eight weeks time for the purpose. According to the committee, headed by environmentalist RK Pachauri, the alternative route between India and Sri Lanka for the ships going from the east coast to the west coast did not rule out oil spill or the threat to the biosphere reserve in the event of a spill. The 167-km project, estimated to cost over Rs 2,000 crore, is meant for shortening the shipping distance between the eastern and western coasts of India and reducing the shipment cost of oil and other commodities. It ran into trouble following objections by political parties and religious bodies, pointing out that the approved alignment for the navigation route would damage the Ram Sethu, believed to have been built by Lord Ram to reach Sri Lanka by crossing the sea. Further controversy cropped up when the Centre filed two affidavits questioning the existence of Lord Ram and Ram Sethu. Though the government subsequently withdrew the affidavits, the SC had asked the Centre in 2007 to examine an alternative route circumventing the mythological bridge. The expert committee said an economic analysis showed that the alternative channel was not meeting the benchmark 12 per cent return even after ignoring possible engineering ‘surprises’ and the cost escalation arising from delays. The project The 167-km project, estimated to cost over Rs 2,000 crore, is meant for shortening the shipping distance between the eastern and western coasts of India
	Arbaaz’s driver runs car over woman Shiv Kumar Tribune News Service Mumbai, July 2 A Land Cruiser belonging to film producer Arbaaz Khan, brother of actor Salman Khan, ran over a 70-year old pavement dweller last night killing her instantly, police said here today. The car was driven by the family driver Dhananjaya Pimple who was arrested but later released on bail of Rs 10,000. None from the Khan family were in the vehicle when the mishap occurred script-writer Salim Khan, father of the actor brothers, told reporters here. In his statement to the police, Pimple said the woman, named Chandrabala, suddenly came in front of the vehicle and was run over. The driver immediately informed the police. According to a statement by the police there were no signs to show that the driver had been drinking. However, his blood and urine samples were sent for analysis. However witnesses alleged that the car knocked down the woman and ran over her without stopping. The victim was taken to hospital by the public.
	Centre embraces green buildings Prototype coming up in capital Shiv Kumar Tribune News Service New Delhi, July 2 In about a year’s time, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests will move into its new headquarters, the Indira Paryavaran Bhawan, which is expected to set fresh benchmarks in construction of public buildings. The structure under construction at Aliganj in the capital spread over 9,500 square metre plot will boast of a number of features so far unheard of in government buildings: bright, airy rooms which make use of maximum natural light, natural cooling replacing air-conditioners in many parts of the building, a sun-deck for employees and visitors during winter, in-house power and water generation, etc. In a first, the building will try to generate as much power as it consumes so that it does not burden the city’s power grid. “It will be a net zero building which produces as much energy as it consumes,” says architect Deependra Prashad who worked on the project. Work is presently on to install solar panels atop the building which will generate 14,91,000 kWh of power as against a requirement of 14,21,000 kWh. The entire 6,000 square metre terrace of the building is being equipped with cantilevers on which the solar panels would be installed. “We expect some surplus power to be generated in winter when air-conditioning equipment is switched off,” says Prashad. The building is also being equipped with rainwater harvesting systems and a recycling plant to reuse waste water generated on the premises. “A sewage treatment plant is being built on the premises itself,” says Rajesh K Kaushal, senior architect of the Central Public Works Department working on the project. As part of the government’s efforts to promote eco-friendly construction, the eight-storeyed structure is being constructed with bricks made of flyash while door frames and shutters are made of bamboo jute composite materials instead of wood. But the real icing on the cake seems to be the lower costs incurred in constructing this building. At around Rs 129 crore, the construction costs are quite competitive as compared to projects in the private sector. “It is 15 to 20 per cent cheaper than similar buildings being constructed in the private sector,” says Kaushal. Moreover, he adds, the capital costs incurred in installing the solar power, rainwater harvesting and sewage treatment systems will be recouped in five years’ time.
	BSF-Pak Rangers discuss firing, smuggling Tribune News Service New Delhi, July 2 The Border Security Force (BSF), at a meeting with its counterpart, the Pakistan Rangers, today raised important issues pertaining to unprovoked firing from across the border, fake currency, drug smuggling and building up of infrastructure very close to the international border. The delegations of the two forces led by their respective Director Generals started their four-day-long deliberations in the national capital here today. UK Bansal Director General of the BSF met his counterpart, Maj General Rizwan Akhtar, DG Pakistan Rangers (Sind). The BSF has raised the matter of recent unprovoked firing by the Pakistani side in Jammu-Sialkot sector. In one case, it had led to death of a BSF personnel. India is concerned over drug smuggling, fake Indian currency notes, arms and ammunition being sourced from Pakistan and being pushed across the border despite the barbed wire fencing. BSF has asked for more cooperation from the Rangers. Incidents of illegal crossing of Pakistani nationals into the Indian territory have increased. BSF has suggested that people who inadvertently cross the border should be sent back immediately on verification. New Delhi has also conveyed to Pakistan its concern over construction activity very close to the border. In the recent past, Indian security personnel on patrol duty along the international border have reported construction activity and also the coming up of dedicated tree cover close to the border that is possibly being used to mask something. The matter of fishermen and seizure of fishing boats in Gujarat-Sind sector is also on the agenda. The meeting is a biannual affair. The Pakistan delagation had arrived by road at Amritsar yesterday and reached Delhi later in the day. The Pakistan delegation includes Maj Gen Mian Muhammad Hilal Hussain, DG Pakistan Rangers (Punjab) and Najibullah Khan, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Interior. Maj Gen Rizwan Akhtar was given a guard of honour by ceremonial BSF guards at the force headquarters this morning.
	Adarsh case: CBI chargesheet likely today Mumbai, July 2 The CBI is likely to file its first chargesheet in the Adarsh Housing scam tomorrow against some of the members of the upscale society, 18 months after a case was registered in this connection. The scam had fuelled a political storm in Maharashtra that led to the resignation of Ashok Chavan as Chief Minister. Chavan is among the 14 accused in the case in which Union Ministers Vilasrao Deshmukh and Sushilkumar Shinde are also under the scanner. According to official sources, a chargesheet would be filed tomorrow, a day before the case comes up before Bombay High Court which is hearing a bunch of public interest litigations seeking the court's supervision of the probe. The CBI on June 18 had assured the High Court that it would file a chargesheet in the case before July 4 as the agency had to take prior sanction from the government to prosecute bureaucrats. It was expected that the first chargesheet may not name any bureaucrat or public servant as the High Court had suggested to the CBI that it could first file chargesheet against those accused for whom sanction was not required. "At least file the chargesheet. You (CBI) can procure sanction later for the bureaucrats," a division bench of Justices SA Bobade and Mridula Bhatkar had said on the last date of hearing. The CBI has registered a case on January 29 last year against Chavan and 13 others which included bureaucrats and retired army personnel. —PTI
	Truce in K’taka BJP as ministers take U-turn Shubhadeep Choudhury/TNS Bangalore, July 2 Nine rebel ministers, who quit last week triggering a crisis in the ruling BJP in Karnataka, today withdrew their resignation signaling temporary truce with the party's central leadership. Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda, whose removal is being demanded by the dissidents, welcomed their decision. The BJP leadership also got a breather as the rebels loyal to former CM BS Yeddyurappa played down the July 5 deadline for Gowda's removal. "On the advice of Yeddyurappa, we have decided to give a free hand to the high command, so that they can take a fair decision and resolve the week-long leadership crisis. We have decided to withdraw our resignations so as to create a cordial atmosphere," said Basavaraj Bommai, a minister. Asked about the July 5 deadline, Bommai asserted they had never officially set a deadline. "The party's central leaders told the ministers to withdraw their resignation and come to Delhi for talks", said Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Jagadish Shettar, a Yeddyurappa acolyte for the CM's post. About 54 of the 120 BJP MLAs in the 225-member House had yesterday said that they too would quit the Assembly by July 5 if Gowda, who was handpicked by Yeddyurappa to be the CM last year, was not removed. The about-turn made by the rebel camp apparently came in the wake of top leaders' warning that nobody should dictate terms to the party. Party's two central leaders, Arun Jaitley and Dharmendra Pradhan, also reportedly assured Yeddyurappa of an early solution to the impasse. Later loyalists to Yeddyurappa and CM Gowda left for Delhi in separate flights to attend a family function of BJP chief Nitin Gadkari. Yeddyurappa was forced to step down as CM after a report by the Lokayukta indicted him for corruption last year.
	From Gowda to Shettar, Yeddy makes strange bedfellows Shubhadeep Choudhury/TNS Bangalore, July 2 Having played the principal role in scuttling Jagadish Shettar’s candidature for the chief minister’s post and propping up Sadananda Gowda to succeed him as the CM, BJP strongman in Karnataka Yeddyurappa has made a complete u-turn and now wants Shettar to replace Gowda as the CM. After Yeddyurappa had to quit the post of the CM in July last year following his indictment by the Lokayukta, the BJP high command wanted Shettar to replace him. Shettar too is a Lingayat like Yeddyurappa and would have been useful in keeping the party’s support base among the Lingayats intact. But Gowda emerged victorious as the race for the Karnataka Chief Minister’s post was decided by voting with secret ballot after the high command’s emissaries Arun Jaitley and Dharmendra Pradhan failed to work out a compromise between the two warring factions of the party. Gowda belongs to the Vokkaliga caste, which is also a politically influential caste of Karnataka. Despite Gowda’s challenger Shettar being a Lingayat, 24 out of 36 Lingayat MLAs of the BJP voted for Gowda because he was a protégé of Yeddyurappa. When Gowda entered the CM’s office in August last year, he retained all the personal staff of Yeddyurappa. But later, bolstered by the backing he was now receiving from the party’s Central leadership, Gowda removed Yeddyurappa’s officer on special duty, a distant relative called Mallikarjuna. Then he removed two key lieutenants of the former chief minister, Puttaswamy Gowda, who was Yeddyurappa’s political advisor, and RP Jagadish, his media advisor. Yeddyurappa got the message. He had a solid reason for backing Gowda against Shettar. He had opposed Shettar’s candidature because emergence of another important Lingayat leader in the state, that too from within the BJP, was detrimental to his position as the Lingayat strongman in the state. But the man he had installed as the CM, a man who had served him loyally as state BJP president, was coming into his own. The latest propaganda against Gowda by the Yeddyurappa camp includes attack on him on caste lines. Gowda is being accused of taking commands from former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda-led JD(S), which has a strong following among members of the Vokkaliga caste.
	Anti-Maoist operation triggers fierce row Rebels using innocents as “shields”: CM New Delhi/Raipur, July 2 A controversy has erupted over the killing of 19 persons in anti-Maoist operations by security forces in Chhattisgarh last week amid questions whether the victims were all Naxals with Chief Minister Raman Singh today saying the rebels were using humans as "shields". Singh and the CRPF defended the encounter while social activist Swami Agnivesh condemned the incident, claiming innocent tribals lost their lives in a "cold-blooded murder." The incident was the most brutal since independence, Agnivesh said. The CPM demanded a time-bound judicial inquiry into last week's killing by CRPF and state police of 19 people, including a woman and two children, alleging they were either brutally axed to death or killed in "indiscriminate firing". With his government coming under attack from the opposition Congress over the incident, Singh said if any innocent person was killed or injured, then the Naxals must be held responsible for it as they often use innocent villagers as back-up for themselves during such gunfight and use them as "human shields". Singh said the Congress should not politicise the matter. The Congress alleged that the incident was a "completely fake encounter" and that the victims "innocent Adivasis." At least 19 suspected Naxals were killed in a fierce gunfight in the dense jungles of Dantewada during the night-long encounter on June 27-28 in a joint operation by over 300 CRPF and state police personnel in three directions. — PTI cpm seeks probe The CPM demanded a time-bound judicial inquiry, alleging that they were either brutally axed to death or killed in “indiscriminate firing”
	UP begins process to sack 25 Jal Nigam officials Shahira Naim/TNS Lucknow, July 2 The state government has started the process of sacking 25 officers of the Jal Nigam and its subsidiary construction and design division (CNDS) for large-scale financial irregularities and poor quality construction. While replying to a question in the Vidhan Sabha today, Urban Development Minister Mohammad Azam Khan said that many officers have been found to be involved in corrupt practices and anomalies in execution of various projects in different parts of the state. Reiterating the state government’s commitment to strictly rein in corruption, Khan said among those against whom action has been initiated include a former managing director of Jal Nigam and a senior officer of general manager rank. These officers have already been put under suspension and the process to lodge FIR against them has also been initiated.
	Pak says Mumbai attackers were helped by 40 Indians Islamabad, July 2 Days after terror suspect Zabiuddin Ansari's revelations about the Mumbai attacks being controlled and facilitated from Karachi, Pakistani authorities have claimed 40 Indian nationals were involved in the terrorist incident. "Our information is that there were at least 40 Indian nationals who helped the attackers. We want India to come clean on this," an unnamed official of Pakistan's Foreign Office was quoted as saying by The Express Tribune. Pakistan will "push" India to share details of the recent arrest of Ansari alias Abu Jundal when the Foreign Secretaries of the two countries meet in Delhi this week, the report said. The two-day talks between the Foreign Secretaries, beginning on July 4, are expected to be dominated by Ansari's arrest and subsequent claims by Indian authorities, the report further said. The Foreign Office official said Pakistan will ask India to share details of Ansari's arrest. "India has yet not shared anything with us about this arrest," the official said. Pakistan had been saying that the Mumbai attacks would not have been possible without help from Indian nationals, he claimed. The official further claimed Indian authorities had "always been reluctant to give us the full picture" of the investigation into the Mumbai attacks. "When a Pakistani judicial commission visited India to collect evidence, it was stopped from cross-examining the witnesses," he claimed. Pakistan could take "decisive action" if it is provided details of the investigation, the official claimed. "We cannot act on hearsay," he said. — PTI pak’s contention * "Our information is that there were at least 40 Indian nationals who helped the attackers. We want India to come clean on this," an unnamed official of Pakistan's Foreign Office was quoted as saying * Pakistan will "push" India to share details of the recent arrest of Ansari
	Walkout in Bengal Assembly, Mamata sets up task force on price rise Subhrangshu Gupta/TNS Kolkata, July 2 The CPI (M) and other Opposition MLAs staged a walkout from the state Assembly, protesting against the Speaker’s rejection of an adjournment motion on price rise, when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was at the Writers Buildings in a meeting with senior officials and the police, discussing how the rise in prices of essential items could be tackled. During the question hour in the Assembly, Opposition leader Suryakanto Mishra moved an adjournment motion for an urgent discussion on the price hike issue but it was rejected by Speaker Biman Banerjee. Soon, in protest, all the Opposition MLAs came down to the well of the House and started demonstrating. They raised slogans, carrying with them posters, placards and necklaces made of potatoes and other costly vegetables. They criticised the Speaker for “ignoring the legitimate rights and privileges of legislators”. Afterwards, these MLAs staged a walkout. After her meeting with the officials and the police, Mamata told mediapersons she had ordered some stern steps against the profiteers and black-marketers. She also asked those engaged in wholesale and retail traders to immediately reduce prices of commodities like rice, oils, pulses, fishes and various other vegetables from tomorrow onwards. Mamata set up a task force for monitoring the market condition vis-à-vis price structure of essential items. She turned down Opposition’s demand for an all-party meet to discuss problems related to price hike.
	attacks on women Spell out steps to curb acid sale, SC tells govt New Delhi, July 2 The Supreme Court today asked the Centre to apprise it of their measures to regulate the sale of acid to prevent its misuse as a weapon, particularly against women by their jilted lovers. The court sought a “comprehensive affidavit” from the Ministry of Home Affairs, which was asked to “consider proper action” for making appropriate provision for “regulation of sale of acids so that it is not easily or readily available to offenders.” A bench of justices R M Lodha and A R Dave also asked all the state governments and Union territories to file their replies to the notices issued to them on February 11, 2011 for restricting the sale of acid to prevent the growing incidents of attack on women with it. The court had, on April 29 this year, asked the Union Home Ministry to coordinate with the various states and UTs for formulation of an appropriate scheme. The apex court had sought the responses of the Centre and the state governments on whether any suitable scheme can be prepared by them to provide adequate compensation to the victims for their treatment and rehabilitation. The court's directions came during the hearing of a PIL, filed in 2006 by Laxmi, a minor girl whose arms, face and other body parts were disfigured in an acid attack. Laxmi, through her counsel Aparna Bhat, had sought framing of a new law or amendment in the existing criminal laws like IPC, Indian Evidence Act and the CrPC for dealing with the offence and had also sought compensation. — PTI
	Western Ghats on UN heritage list Mumbai, July 2 The eco-sensitive Western Ghats along the west coast of India have been included on the coveted list of the World Heritage Sites, at a meeting of the World Heritage Committee held in Russia Sunday evening, an official said here on Monday. "It is indeed a matter of pride for the country and the concerned states. Now that the central government has taken a strong international posture on this issue, it must, along with the concerned state governments, take tangible ground-level measures to implement it," noted environmentalist Prof. Madhav Gadgil told IANS from Pune. At present, India has five other natural sites and 23 cultural sites on the Unesco World Heritage List. Spread over nearly 8,000 sq km, spanning Gujarat, Maharashtra (known as the Sahyadris in the state), Karnataka, Goa, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, the Western Ghats are between 60-160 km at the narrowest end points, harbouring a wealth of flora, fauna and more being discovered regularly. Older than the Himalayas, the mountain chain of the Western Ghats represents geomorphic features of immense importance with unique biophysical and ecological processes. "The site's high mountain forest ecosystems influence the Indian monsoon weather pattern. Moderating the tropical climate of the region, it presents one of the best examples of the monsoon system in the planet," the Unesco said in a statement late Sunday. It added that the site also has an exceptionally high level of biological diversity and endemism. It is recognised as one of the world's eight "hottest hotspots" of biological diversity. "The forests of the site include some of the best representatives of non-equatorial tropical evergreen forests anywhere and are home to at least 325 globally threatened flora, fauna, bird, amphibian, reptile and fish species." However, Prof Gadgil said that many of these are under threat and has suggested setting up of a statutory authority to protect the entire Western Ghats. In 2010, Gagdil headed the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP) which submitted a comprehensive report suggesting, among other things, measures to save and protect the Western Ghats. — IANS
	Krishna’s Tajikistan visit to deepen ties with Central Asia Ashok Tuteja/TNS New Delhi , July 2 Amid increasing concerns in India over the fate of Afghanistan after the military drawdown in 2014, External Affairs Minister SM Krishna is on a visit to Tajikistan to deepen the country’s engagement with the strategically located Central Asian republic. Krishna ’s visit assumes significance as Tajikistan shares border with Afghanistan, Uzbekistan , Kyrgyzstan and China . Also, a narrow strip of land separates it from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). Both India and Tajikistan are worried over the situation that will evolve in Afghanistan after the allied forces pull out from the trouble-torn country. The two countries are opposed to fundamentalist forces raising their ugly head again in Afghanistan and are working for stabilising the situation in the embattled nation. The ties between India and Tajikistan deepened in the late 1990s when they came close following the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan . The ties deepened further after 2002, especially in areas like counter-terrorism. India ’s relations with Tajikistan are also important from the military perspective. Efforts in the past were thwarted by Russian influence that led to delays and subsequent cancellation of what would have been India’s first military base overseas at the Ayni air base. The Ayni air base is located near the Tajik-Afghan border and could potentially be crucial for securing Indian interests in Afghanistan as a match for Pakistan. common concerns * Krishna’s visit assumes significance as Tajikistan shares a border with Afghanistan, Uzbekistan , Kyrgyzstan and China. Also, a narrow strip of land separates it from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) * Both India and Tajikistan are worried over the situation that will evolve in Afghanistan after the allied forces pull out from the trouble-torn country.
	BJP set to up ante against Mukherjee Anita Katyal/TNS New Delhi, July 2 After buying temporary peace in Karnataka, the BJP has shifted focus to the upcoming Presidential poll as it gets set to up the ante against UPA Presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee, reminiscent of the campaign it ran against President Pratibha Patil in the run-up to her election in 2007. Having fired the first salvo by seeking the cancellation of Pranab Mukherjee’s nomination on the plea that he holds an office of profit as chairman of the Indian Statistical Institute, the opposition will attempt to undermine Mukherjee’s stature in the coming days as its campaign for former Lok Sabha Speaker PA Sangma gets underway. Undeterred by the clarification put out by Mukherjee’s team managers and the Indian Statistical Institute, the opposition has promised fresh revelations to prove its point. Raring to take on the UPA candidate, the BJP and other political parties backing Sangma plan to come down heavily on Mukherjee to discredit the former finance minister and build public opinion against him. Although it is well aware that Mukherjee is ahead in the Presidential race, the opposition is no mood to concede him an easy victory. Getting down to serious business, the BJP today invited Sangma to address a meeting of its office bearers which was specially convened by party president Nitin Gadkari to discuss the strategy for the Presidential election."Sangma was present in the meeting of the BJP office- bearers. He thanked the party for supporting his candidature," BJP Chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad told media persons after the meeting. Seeking their cooperation in the July 19 Presidential election, Sangma thanked the BJP for backing his candidature and garnering support for him. On its part, the party has instructed the CMs, legislature party leaders and office bearers to make sure that the BJP legislators vote for Sangma. It was decided that the party will arrange for a meeting of BJP MLAs with Sangma in each state where it has a sizable presence while senior leaders Sushma Swaraj and Ananth Kumar have been entrusted with the task of preparing talking points for the campaign. Although the BJP is making all efforts to put up a united face,there are lurking fears of cross-voting ,especially in Karnataka and Gujarat which are witnessing serious factional battles. The party remains nervous even though former Karnataka Chief Minister B.S.Yeddyurappa and his supporters have pulled back from the brink after they were placated by the BJP central leaders to await a decision on change of leadership till the Presidential election is out of the way. In the light of possible cross-voting, NDA Working Chairperson L K Advani held a meeting of chief ministers of BJP-ruled states to discuss the Presidential poll. Narendra Modi (Gujarat ), Sadananda Gowda (Karnataka), Raman Singh (Chhattisgarh), Manohar Parrikar (Goa), Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Madhya Pradesh), and Prem Kumar Dhumal (Himachal Pradesh) were present. Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi also attended.
	In Lucknow, Pranab to have b’fast with Akhilesh, dinner with Maya Shahira Naim/TNS Lucknow, July 2 To garner support for his candidature, United Progressive Alliance (UPA) presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee is scheduled to be here tomorrow where he would have lunch with Samajwadi party MPs and MLAs at CM Akhilesh Yadav’s official residence and dinner with BSP supremo Mayawati and her elected representatives at the BSP office. According to Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson Vijay Saxena, thousands of Congress workers would be present at the Amausi airport tomorrow to receive Mukherjee and take him in a procession to the party office where he would meet Congress MPs and MLAs. UPCC state president Rita Bahuguna Joshi has appointed a committee headed by former minister Ramkrishna Dwivedi to coordinate Mukherjee’s day long trip to the city. SP spokesperson Rajendra Chadhury confirmed that Mukherjee would formally meet CM and SP state president Akhilesh Yadav over lunch at his official 5 Kalidas Marg residence. Here the former finance minister would also interact with SP MPs and MLAs. A BSP press release said that the UPA presidential candidate will call upon the BSP national president Mayawati at her residence at 13 A Mall Avenue at 7.30 pm. She would then escort him to the state party office at 12 Mall Avenue where he would meet BSP MPs and MLAs and have dinner with them. In fact, Mukherjee’s election has proved to be one rare occasion when both the SP and BSP are on the same page. SP national president Mulayam Singh Yadav as well as Mayawati have already lent their parties support after Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee refused to back him. In fact, Mayawati had proposed his name at the time of his nomination. After Chennai and Hyderabad Lucknow is the third destination of Mukherjee. He is asking for support for the July 19 presidential election in which he is pitted against PA Sangma, who is supported by the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Biju Janata Dal, the Shiromani Akali Dali and the AIADMK.