Home   Contact Us                                                                             Dateline New Delhi, Monday, Dec 8, 2003

Parliament proceedings stalled over Jogi bribing defection (Go To Top)

          New Delhi, Dec 8: Parliament adjourned on Monday after the BJP and the Congress indulged in a verbal crossfire over former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi's alleged attempt to split the BJP Legislature Party in that state. All hell broke lose after the Question Hour. In the Lok Sabha, BJP leaders ML Khurana and Vijay Kumar Malhotra demanded that leader of the Opposition and Congress president Sonia Gandhi make a statement on the episode in which Jogi purportedly offered money to BJP MLAs to engineer their defection to the Congress. In the Rajya Sabha, SS Ahluwalia of the BJP raised the issue by asking Opposition leader Manmohan Singh to make a statement.

          The verbal battle continued outside the Parliament with Congress leader Kapil Sibal accusing the BJP of indulging in gutter type of politics. He said when Jogi had already admitted his incorrect approach to the issue, where was the need for a statement to be issued by Sonia Gandhi or for Parliamentary proceedings to be stalled.

          A suspended Jogi has reportedly filed a mercy plea before the Congress leadership, especially Sonia Gandhi in a bid to distance himself from his politically indefensible act. Though Gandhi has refused to meet him, Jogi has met party office-bearer Ahmed Patel to plead his case.

Bharti, Raje take over as chief ministers (Go To Top)

         Bhopal, Dec 8: The Bharatiya Janata Party's Uma Bharti and Vasundhara Raje were sworn in on Monday as the first woman chief ministers of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, respectively. Bharti and Raje led the BJP to landslide win in elections held last week, ousting Congress governments in both states in a contest fought largely over local issues such as power, roads and water. Bharti, who styles herself as a sanyasin, took the oath of office dressed in her traditional saffron robes in Bhopal at a ceremony attended by a large number of Hindu seers and Central ministers. The monk-turned-politician, who stressed on economic issues instead of her pet hardline Hindu themes during the poll campaign, fell at the feet of Hindu religious leaders at the ceremony after she was sworn in. Seventeen ministers also took office along with Bharti.

          In Rajasthan, Raje was sworn in along with nine ministers. Raje, the scion of royal Scindia family from Gwalior, took oath in a ceremony conducted outside the state Assembly building against the usual practice of being sworn in in state Governor's official residence. Senior leaders of the party and several Central ministers attended the function. Defying opinion polls, the BJP easily won the elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, in races decided by local issues such as electricity and water.

Day-long shutdown in Hyderabad hits normal life (Go To Top)

          Hyderabad, Dec 8: A day-long shutdown called by the Bharatiya Janata Party to protest communal clashes in Hyderabad affected normal life on Monday. At least six people died after clashes between Hindus and Muslims on the eleventh anniversary of the razing of the Babri mosque on Saturday night. Twenty-four people were hurt in the incident, 12 suffering bullet injuries as police opened fire to control rampaging mobs in areas where Muslims are in a majority. Public transport was off the road and the curfew remained in old city areas. Additional Commissioner of Police A.K.Khan said there were no reports of untoward incidents since the violence.

Chandrababu Naidu's brother joins Congress (Go To Top)

          New Delhi, Dec 8: In a boost to Congress ahead of Assembly polls in Andhra Pradesh, RM Naidu, brother of state Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, joined the party on Monday. Naidu met Congress president Sonia Gandhi at her Parliament House office and expressed his willingness to work for the party, Congress sources said. Sonia immediately gave her nod, they said.

Putin party surges ahead in parliamentary polls (Go To Top)

          Moscow, Dec 8: Pro-Putin party was on Monday heading for a convincing victory in the country's parliamentary elections inflicting a severe blow to the Communists and the liberals, bolstering the President's hold over the 450-member lower house. With 91 per cent ballots counted so far, pro-Putin Yedinaya Rossia (United Russia) has bagged 36.8 per cent votes and is expected to have 220 seats in the Duma. United Russia's majority in the Duma would help Putin alter the Constitution thrust on the nation by then President Boris Yelstin in 1993 and perhaps extend his term in office. Meanwhile, officials from Europe's top security and human rights watchdog condemned Russia's parliamentary elections, saying they fell short of international legal requirements and represented a retreat from the democratic reforms.

Benazir to visit India next week: Report (Go To Top)

          Islamabad, Dec 8: Former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto will visit India next week to attend a peace conference, a source told Dawn here on Sunday. Benazir Bhutto will attend the two-day conference in New Delhi which is being arranged by a leading Indian newspaper. The source said that during her stay in New Delhi, Benazir is expected to meet Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Opposition leader Sonia Gandhi. The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) chairperson will also meet various peace activists and leaders of other major political parties of India. It may be recalled that Benazir Bhutto has welcomed the confidence-building measures recently taken by both the governments.

Ex-Foreign Secy Shehryar Khan to be new PCB chief (Go To Top)

          Islamabad, Dec 8: Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has decided to nominate former foreign secretary and cricket manager Shehryar Ahmed Khan as the new chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Well-placed sources said on Sunday that Musharraf had finalised the name of Khan, a veteran diplomat, for the coveted post after lengthy discussions with his aides. The notification for Khan's appointment will be issued in a few days, Online News quoted the sources as saying. Shehryar was Pakistan team manager during the 2003 World Cup, but after the tournament, he was relieved of his responsibilities by Tauqir Zia.

Brisbane Test drawn (Go To Top)

          Brisbane, Dec 8: Rahul Dravid and V V S Laxman thwarted Australia's attempt to force a result in the first Test at the Gabba on Monday. Set an improbable target of 199 in 23 possible overs, India lost two quick wickets but pulled up their socks in time to reach 73 for 2 in their second innings to earn a commendable draw against the world champions. Dravid remained unbeaten on 43 and Laxman on 24 at close on the fifth and final day. The teams will now clash in the second Test at Adelaide from Friday.

Ganguly fined 10 per cent of match fee for slow over rate (Go To Top)

          Brisbane, Dec 8: Sourav Ganguly was on Monday fined 10 per cent of his match fee by Match-referee Mike Procter for a slow over-rate in the drawn first cricket Test against Australia at Gabba. According to an official announcement, Procter also fined the rest of the Indian team members five per cent of their match fees. The Indians were nine overs short in Australia's first innings. But they rushed between the overs in Australia's second knock and a fair bit of bowl was given to spinners Harbhajan Singh and Virender Sehwag as quite a bit of the deficit was made up by the team on the final day. Australians, in contrast, were up by three overs in their run- rate. If the Indians had been unable to make up for the deficit suitably, Ganguly could have been banned for one Test according to the Code of Conduct rules of the International Cricket Council.