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Basu’s desire to relinquish office being reviewed NEW DELHI, Nov 18: The reported desire of West Bengal ....more
First time president NEW DELHI, Nov 18: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), now on an expansionist drive south of the Vindhyas, is likely to elect a leader from the .....more
Govt justifies Rajiv’s
NEW DELHI, Nov 18: Government in Delhi High Court today justified putting late ....more NEW DELHI, Nov 18: NEW DELHI, Nov 18: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee had an hour long meeting with President K R Narayanan at the Rashtrapati Bhavan today. ....more |
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Overhaul administrative machinery: Jagmohan NEW DELHI, Nov 18: Urban Development Minister Jagmohan today called......more
Centre to make NEW DELHI, Nov 18: Government proposes to carry ...more
NEW DELHI, Nov 18: A city court today dismissed....more 5 injured in fresh outbreak of political clashes KANNUR, Nov 18: In a fresh outbreak of political ....more |
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Basu’s desire to relinquish office being reviewed NEW DELHI, Nov 18: The reported desire of West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu to relinquish office due to failing health will be taken up for discussion by the Central Committee, the highest policy-making body of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), which meets here from November 20. According to party sources, the CC is unlikely to accept his desire to quit Chief Ministership till the Assembly elections in West Bengal which are scheduled to be held in June 2001 are over. The party, however, was considering lightening his burden by delegating some of his responsibilities to a small group comprising some ministers. The CC was also expected to take a decision in this regard, the sources said. Meanwhile, the politburo of the CPI(M) commenced a two-day meeting here today to review the political scenario in the country with particular reference to its performance in the general elections. Mr Basu, CPI(M) general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet, Kerala Chief Minister E K Nayanar, his Tripura counterpart Manik Sarkar with all other 13 members of the PB attended the meeting. (UNI) |
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First time president from South likely NEW DELHI, Nov 18: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), now on an expansionist drive south of the Vindhyas, is likely to elect a leader from the South as its next president. So far all the past presidents of the erstwhile Jana Sangh and the BJP had been from the north. The party constitution is also being amended to make the president’s term in office as "a one time three years" without retrospective effect. Thus the present first term tenure of Mr Kushabhau Thakre of two years will end in May. As Mr Thakre has expressed his inability to shoulder the burden any longer on health grounds, a new president will be elected in May. As per existing rules, the president term is for two terms of two years each. Before that, the elections from district level presidents to state level will have to be completed. The national executive meeting at Chennai on December 27 will decide whether to continue with the enrollment drive or not. Normally, 20 per cent new members are to be enrolled before the electoral college is constituted to elect the new president. Since the present executive has completed its two year term, a new executive has to be elected as per the constitution of the party. The question of its continuation will also be decided at the Chennai meeting. BJP senior vice-president Jana Krishnamurthy will present his proposals on constitutional amendments to the party president by the end of this month. Mr Thakre will place the suggestions for approval before the executive. These will be finally ratified by the national council meeting at the same venue for the next two days. The new constitution will come into force from the beginning of the new millennium setting the process of presidential elections on the roll. The BJP, which has for long been identified as a party of the hindi belt wants to shed this image. That is the reason why it is considering installing a southerner as its president for the first time. Among other names, Mr Jana Krishnamurthy figures prominently. Senior functionaries dismiss as irrelevant the "handicap" of this senior vice-president—that he is not fluent in hindi. "With his broken hindi, he has been addressing party workers," one leader pointed out. With a little bit more of practice, he could address public meetings as well. Another person from south is party general secretary M Venkaiah Naidu. "But he is too young for such a post, observed a senior leader. Mr Naidu, however, speaks fluent hindi, they admit. (UNI) |
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Govt justifies Rajiv’s name in chargesheet NEW DELHI, Nov 18: Government in Delhi High Court today justified putting late Rajiv Gandhi’s name in Column-ii of the CBI chargesheet in Bofors case and opposed a petition by an NGO seeking deletion of his name. Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S B Jaisinghani and CBI counsel N Natrajan told the court if he (Rajiv Gandhi) would have been alive, he should have been in column-i meant for those sent for trial. After hearing arguments of Rajiv Gandhi Ekata Samiti (RGES) counsel Vijay Kumar Shukla for about half-an-hour on the alleged illegality committed by CBI in placing the name of a dead person in its chargesheet, the court asked him to place before it relevant judgements to show how the agency’s act was contrary to law. Subject to the condition of locus standi (right to challenge) you have to cite judgements which show that he (Gandhi) cannot be presented as an accused, the court told Shukla while adjourning the hearing to December 2. Justice Cyriac Joseph said I would like to know why the name of a dead person cannot be put in column-ii of the chargesheet. Shukla said RGES had approached the court as grave illegality and injustice has been done to late Rajiv Gandhi by putting his name in column-ii of the chargesheet. Only the names of those accused who were not arrested or were absconding could be placed in this column, he claimed. As the court asked if any reason had been cited by CBI to place his name in column-ii, Shukla said no reason has been given. The CBI has only said that he is an accused not sent for trial.(PTI) |
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NEW DELHI, Nov 18: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee had an hour long meeting with President K R Narayanan at the Rashtrapati Bhavan today. Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesman said Mr Vajpayee briefed Mr Narayanan about India’s participation in the recently concluded Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting at Durban. (UNI) |
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NEW DELHI, Nov 18: A city court today dismissed anapplication by controversial Godman Chandraswami and his aideKailash Nath Aggarwal seeking discharge from the one lakhdollar Lakhubhai Pathak cheating case and directed CBI to filea report regarding examination of four foreign witnesses inthe case before the next date of hearing. Special Judge Ajit Bharihoke dismissed the application,filed in view of a Supreme Court ruling in the Raj Deo Sharmaversus Bihar case, that trial court should conclude recordingof evidence within two years from the date of commencement oftrial in a case where the punishment was for a maximum periodof seven years. However, the Supreme Court had recently increased the time-frame to three years subject to satisfaction of the trial court in exceptional circumstances. In the Lakhubhai Pathak cheating case charges were framedagainst the accused persons in November 1996 and the challanwas filed in April that year. The court also directed the prosecutor to file a detailedreport regarding examination of four foreign witnesses — W EMiller (Canada), Kumar Bhagchandani (Chile), Douglas Hanskartand Kishore Kamdar (both USA) — before January 7, the nextdate of hearing. CBI had chargesheeted former Premier P V Narasimha Raoand the two other accused for allegedly cheating London-basedNRI businessman Lakhubhai Pathak of one lakh dollars inDecember 1983 on the pretext of getting him a paper pulpsupply contract in India.(PTI) |
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5 injured in fresh outbreak of political clashes KANNUR, Nov 18: In a fresh outbreak of political clashes, four CPI(M) workers and an RSS activist were injured in separate incidents at Thalassery in Kerala during the past 24 hours. Police sources said Thalassery Area Committee member of the CPI(M) V K Suresh Babu was attacked with sharp-edged weapons by a group of people, allegedly RSS activists, this morning. Mr Babu, who is also a school teacher, was admitted to the Thalassery Cooperative Hospital. In another incident, a CPI (M) activist, Radhakrishnan, sustained stab injuries when a group of people attacked him. The fresh outbreak of clashes was suspected to be the sequel to the attack on RSS worker V Dineshan (37), allegedly by Marxist workers at Vadakkumbad yesterday. He was admitted to the Thalassery General Hospital. Following this, two CPI(M) workers were attacked by suspected RSS workers at Arangettuparamba in the evening. The sources said the situation was under control and police pickets in the area had been strengthened to prevent any untoward incident. (UNI) |
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