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Rahul files nomination

         Lucknow: Rahul Gandhi, the scion of the Nehru-Gandhi family, filed his nomination papers from the Amethi Lok Sabha constituency here today. Political analysts say that his entry into the arena could boost the Congress' prospects in the ensuing elections. Considered the bastion of the Gandhi family, it was from Amethi only that Rahul's mother Sonia, father Rajiv and grandmother Indira Gandhi won an entry into the Parliament. Having done his schooling from Delhi's Modern School, Rahul took up History (Hons.) in Delhi's St Stephens college followed by a masters in Economics from Harvard and an engineering design course in software. He then took up a job as a financial consultant in London specializing in automobiles, telecommunications and Pharma. But Rahul quit his job to return to India, where he set up a computer consultancy firm in Gurgaon and extensively travelled with Sonia in the 1999 elections. A keen reader, Rahul can speak four languages including Hindi, Spanish, Italian and English.

Sonia, Rahul kick off electioneering in Lucknow  (Go To Top)

          Lucknow: Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi, who reached Lucknow on Sunday, began their campaign in a bid to boost the sagging fortunes of their Congress party. Hundreds of adulating villagers cheered Rahul as the inheritor of his father, late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's political legacy. Rahul's family has ruled India for most of its post-independence history, and both his grandmother, Indira Gandhi, and his father, Rajiv, were assassinated. Some of the villagers predicted that Rahul's entry into active politics would brighten the party's prospects.

         "There is great excitement at the coming of the Gandhis. They will hear our problems," Ram Prakash, a villager, said. After months of speculation, 33-year-old Rahul plunged into the world of Indian politics this month when the Congress announced he would contest from his mother's seat of Amethi. Until then, analysts expected his more politically savvy sister, Priyanka, would come to the rescue of the country's once grand old party. Sonia has decided to shift to a neighbouring constituency once represented by her mother-in-law, late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi's great-grandfather was India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, who remains a hero to many Indians for building a modern nation. The family is not related to the hero of the freedom struggle Mahatma Gandhi.

Vajpayee rules out rift with deputy (Go To Top)

          Lucknow: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on Monday ruled out any difference with his Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani. Media reports often describe Vajpayee as the moderate face of his BJP and Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani as hawkish. Vajpayee said he could become the prime minister only with the support of Advani. "People say that there is a disagreement between Advani and Atal. But where is the difference? If it was not for Advani, I would never have become Prime Minister. I have become Prime Minister with the help and support of all. But some people do not like the unity between us and in the party. We are moving ahead with a vision for the development of the nation," Vajpayee told a public rally in Lucknow, from where he is contesting parliamentary election which begins later this month.

EC given three days to form guidelines on offensive ads (Go To Top)

          New Delhi: Deploring political mudslinging as undemocratic, the Supreme Court on Monday warned that it would consider making slanderous advertisements an "electoral offence". This observation came from a Bench comprising Chief Justice V N Khare, Justices S B Sinha and S H Kapadia, which gave three days time to the Election Commission to frame a broad guideline to stop all sorts of surrogate political advertisements on TV channels and cable networks. The Bench, during the hearing on an appeal filed by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, observed that "if there is political mudslinging, we will make it an electoral offence under the Representation of People Act." Acceeding to the EC's request, the Bench observed that "your position is vital to the proper holding of elections". Solicitor General Kiriti Raval, appearing for the Union Government, said everyone welcomed the apex Court's April 2 order as they "want the elections to be clean". The Bench said "We want fair play and not slanderous remarks by one party against the other or leader of a party against other. This is not democracy."

Govinda files nomination (Go To Top)

          Mumbai: Film actor Govinda filed his nomination papers from the north-west Mumbai Lok Sabha constituency here today. The Bollywood star, who has a huge fan following, is contesting on a Congress ticket, and is pitted against BJP heavyweight and Petroleum Minister Ram Naik. Virar, where Govinda lives, falls within the LS constituency. Though the actor had been actively campaigning for the Congress over the past few years, he joined the party formally only last month.

Disabled hopeful of positive EC response (Go To Top)

          New Delhi: An Indian disabled rights group on Monday said it hoped the EC panel would speedily address their needs for special facilities to vote during the upcoming national elections. Physically challenged people have been demanding ramps in polling booths to help them cast their votes and also candidates' list in Braille for the visually impaired voters. Elections for the world's largest democracy will be held in five stages from April 20 to May 10 with a result expected on May 13. Activists of the Disabled Rights Group met the Election Commission officials in New Delhi to press their demands.

          Javed Abidi, convener of the group, said he expected the poll panel will take a decision in a couple of days. "I think it's (the Election Commission's decision to consider their demands) a positive step forward...we should be pragmatic and not expect the Election Commission...on the spot kind of an announcement. But we do very sincerely and honestly hope that the Election Commission would consider all the issues with the seriousness that it deserves and in the next two or three days they should come out with whatever their decision is," Abidi said. The group also wanted permission to take the disabled people as near to the polling booth as possible in vehicles, which is currently banned. More than 7.5 million disabled people across the country are eligible to vote for the polls, seen as a direct fight between The Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress party.