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Undeclared emergency prevails in Chhattisgarh: alleges BJP

RAIPUR, Nov 28: Barely three days ahead of the maiden assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, BJP today attacked the ......more

Bastar region holds
key to Chhattisgarh
polls outcome!

RAIPUR, Nov 28: Does the tribal belt of Bastar hold the key to the outcome of the crucial maiden assembly ...more

C’Garh High Court
stays CAT order

BILASPUR, Nov 28: Chhattisgarh High Court today stayed the order of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) quashing the Election Commission ...more

Eastern India likely
to get its own official dial

AGARTALA, Nov 28: Considering the "differences" that the sun has created between the east and the west, eastern India might soon get its own official ...more

Government sets up panel to review GM crop policy

NEW DELHI, Nov 28: The Government has set up a sub-committee under Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC)...more

Hema returns to
centrestage ‘BJP
Ki Izzat Ka Sawal Hai

BALAGHAT, Nov 28: Rajya Sabha MP Hema Malini has alleged that the approximately five decades of Congress ....more

Judev episode may
prove costly for BJP

RAIPUR, Nov 28: The cash on camera scam involving former Union Minister Dilip Singh Judev may have led to BJP .....more

Vakkom adds further
humiliation to
Karunakaran camp

THIRUVANATHAPURAM, Nov 28: Making further dent in the morale of the Karunakaran faction, Kerala assembly speaker Vakkom Purushothaman ......more

Former kings in fray in Madhya Pradesh assembly polls ......

Delhi metro not politicians gift, but peoples right: Delhiites .....

Uma’s ‘darling daughter’ card in Bundelkhand .....

VHP backs Jaya’s third front proposal .....

Undeclared emergency prevails in Chhattisgarh: alleges BJP

RAIPUR, Nov 28: Barely three days ahead of the maiden assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, BJP today attacked the Congress Government alleging that an undeclared emergency prevails in the state and sought to blame the Chief Minister Ajit Jogi for the cash on camera controversy involving former Union Minister Dilip Singh Judeo.

The Government and the administration is being run by a single family and every constitutional institution has been subverted, unleashing a reign of fear and terror in the state, senior BJP leader and Union Minister Arun Jaitley told a press conference here alluding to the Ajit Jogi regime.

Strongly assailing Jogi’s rule, Jaitley likened prevailing situation of fear and terror in Chhattisgarh to the emergency, saying the election has provided an opportunity to people to change the situation and restore democracy.

Mounting an attack on the Chief Minister, Jaitley referred to suspicions over Jogi’s caste certificate, nationality of his (Jogi’s) son, affidavit of the income and assets and fabrication of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) report, and claimed that there is a crisis of confidence in the Government and those in charge of it.

Referring to Judeo controversy, Jaitley claimed the hotel rooms where the sting operation was carried out, were booked not by the Australian company but by a Delhi-based industrialist Rajat Prasad, who is also the director of the Akash channel, which allegedly is controlled by Amit Jogi, the Chief Minister’s son.

Jaitley refusing to comment on Judeo’s involvement, however questioned as why the source of the tape was not willing to own up responsibility for unraveling the corruption.

Revealing the source can be embarrassing for somebody, he said and reiterated that no Australian company had approached Judeo for work.

If no foreign company is involved then was the conspiracy hatched at the Chief Minister’s residence? Jaitley questioned.

He also referred to numerous telephone calls made to Jogi and his son from New Delhi at the time when the tape was recorded at a five-star hotel in the national capital.

Jaitley said Rajat Prasad and Rohit Prasad, the brothers running a financial company were director and CEO respectively of the Akash channel. Why the CEO of the channel, exclusively belonging to Chhattisgarh, is based in Delhi, he questioned.

He sought to know whether the CEO and Director were a mere front and the channel was being allegedly controlled by Amit Jogi.

And if this is the situation, then how can a foreign national have a control over the channel, he said referring to Amit’s American nationality.

Stating that BJP has full confidence in the CBI, Jaitley said who were the persons behind the operation and why they did it must be looked into during the probe.

Asked whether the controversy would cost the BJP in assembly polls, Jaitley said it will be decided by the people.

Asked whether BJP was being victimized by sting operations, Jaitley said" we are a powerful party and know how to respond to such charges by reaching to the people."

When his attention was drawn to opposition allegations that CBI has become a tool in the hands of the BJP-led Government, the minister said CBI is a mere investigating agency but ultimately the decision has to come from the judiciary.

Jaitley also pointed out that Jogi, who had claimed that he would not campaign in his assembly constituency, was visiting Marwahi today.

However, those feared or hated never win in a secret ballot, Jaitley said. (PTI)

Bastar region holds key to Chhattisgarh polls outcome!

RAIPUR, Nov 28: Does the tribal belt of Bastar hold the key to the outcome of the crucial maiden assembly elections in Chhattisgarh?

Going by the past record, Bastar has undoubtedly remained a Congress bastion and the Ajit Jogi Government would be banking on this region to maintain a lead in the elections to 90-member assembly on December 1.

In the 1998 polls, Congress had in its kitty all the 12 seats offered by three districts of Bastar — Bastar, Dantewada and Kanker.

The importance of the region could be gauged by the thin margin of victory of Congress, with a mere margin of 0.59 votes over its main opposition BJP in the 1998 polls in the undivided Madhya Pradesh.

Scatterred villages in the region and threats by Naxlite groups could be a nightmare for any political party to campaign in the tribal region.

And here Jogi, who claims to know half a dozen tribal dialects unlike his political opponents, could hold a distinct advantage. Jogi can fluently converse in Chhattisgarhi and Surgujia among other dialects.

The three districts of Bastar region can surely tilt the balance in a close contest and it must cause worry in the BJP camp.

Besides this, Congress is said to have a good backing among the backward classes of the state. Scheduled Tribes comprise 34 per cent of Chhattisgarh’s poulation while that of Scheduled Castes is 12 per cent. To break into the traditional Congress votebank, BJP is making all out efforts to reach in the tribal areas, party sources said.

BJP is also concentrating on urban divisions of Raipur and Bilaspur to counter the Congress. The Congress had maintained an upper hand in these regions in the past election.

The BJP’s tally from Bilaspur and Raipur divisions in the 1998 polls is 13 and 10 seats respectively as against the 23 and 27 of the Congress. The BJP is hoping to make its presence felt in Bilaspur, Raigarh and Korba districts of Bilaspur.

While Congress is sitting pretty in Jashpur, Sarguja, Koriya and Janjhgiri districts of the region, it is also reportedly comfortable in Raipur division, Mahasamund, Dhamtari and Kawardha.

It is locked in a close contest with BJP in the remaining districts of Durg, Rajnandgaon and Raipur.

But the NCP’s decision to contest all the 90 seats could rock the Congress’ applecart. NCP may not be able to win in a big way but Congress insiders admit that presence of NCP nominees can affect Congress.

To make the matters worse for the Congress, BSP, which had won three seats in the past elections and was second in 20 others, is contesting nearly 50 seats, mostly targeting its backward class votebank, political observers say.

The Left front, which has influence in certain tribal pockets and Naxal-affected regions of Bastar can also make triangular contests interesting at a few seats.

One thing that could lift the spirits of BJP, which was hit hard after the cash-on-tape controversy, is the fact that most parties like NCP, BSP and the Left front contesting the elections could cut into Congress votebank, BJP leaders claim. (UNI)

C’Garh High Court stays CAT order

BILASPUR, Nov 28: Chhattisgarh High Court today stayed the order of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) quashing the Election Commission directive to transfer the collectors of Bastar and Jashpur districts for violating the model code of conduct for December 1 elections.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice K H N Kuranga and Justice I P Bhado after hearing the arguments of the Commission which had challenged the November 25 CAT order staying the transfers directed that it be stayed.

Arguing the matter on behalf of the Election Commission, its advocate Kanak Tiwari said the issues relating to conduct of free and fair polls cannot be decided by the CAT as it is the subject of the Commission.

The CAT also do not have the jurisdiction to hear such cases as the tribunal deals with disputes between the employer and the employee, Tiwari said.

EC also told the Court that the Collectors have not been removed as a punishment, rather it was a step towards conduct of free and fair polls. (UNI)

Eastern India likely to get its own official dial

AGARTALA, Nov 28: Considering the "differences" that the sun has created between the east and the west, eastern India might soon get its own official dial, a separate one from the Indian standard time.

The Tripura Government is examining the proposal for advancement of its official hours and to introduce five-day week for official works, instead of the six-day week and official hours of 10 AM to 5 PM, to improve productivity and for efficient use of energy and fuel.

"We are still examining the proposal and will take the final decision after consulting everybody to revise the existing official working hours and days," Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said.

"If the proposal is accepted by all concerned and if the proposed system improves productivity and reduces the present quantum of energy and fuel, definitely we will change the present official working hours and days. Some State Governments in the country have already enforced the new systems," Mr Sarkar said.

He added that the Government of India had earlier appointed a high level four-member expert committee to examine the necessity of having two Indian Standard Times (ISTs), "thanks to the Public Interest Litigation and expert opinion in favour of two ISTs".

The expert committee, headed by the Union Science and Technology Ministry Secretary, after consulting all concerned and a number of State Governments, did not propose for a number of ISTs, which had been raised by many intellectuals, opinion makers and experts.

A Public Interest Litigation was also filed in a Court in the eastern India to direct the Union Government to make two ISTs.

However, the committee has suggested several proposals, including change of the existing official hours and days, specially in the country’s eastern part.

"Yes, the sunset and the sunrise occur earlier in eastern India compared to the western or northern India. I will definitely think over this and I am sure this requires careful thinking," Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi told UNI.

There is one-and-a-half hour’s difference over the sunrise and sunset between western and eastern India, the world’s seventh largest country where only one standard time is being maintained. The IST is 15 minutes and 30 minutes behind the Nepal and Bangladesh times respectively, while it is 30 minutes ahead of the Pakistan standard time.

There are four standard times in the US and eight in Russia. However, there is only one standard time in a big country like China.

Tripura Chief Secretary V Thulasidas, one of the members of the four-member committee, said the first few hours were the main productive hours of a day, "the peak period of efficiency".

The people of eastern India are unable to use both the hours of the day efficiently and lose the most productive hours in the morning as India has only one IST, which is on 82 and half degree east longitude and exactly five and half hours in advance of Greenwich Mean Time(GMT).

"The people of eastern India are often deprived of these hours of the day for the most important purposes in one’s day and may not be able to do any major work that requires daylight towards the end of the day due to the early sunset as per the IST," he observed.

"I am not sure whether it is due to this reason that you find sometimes lesser number of players coming up at the national level in certain sports from eastern India as compared to western and northern India," Mr Thulasidas, who was appointed the Additional Secretary of the Defence Ministry, pointed out.

The UNI correspondent had talked to a cross section of people and experts in eastern India. Some people felt that if two or three ISTs could be created it would be a complicated one. However, a large number of intellectuals, experts and opinion makers said it would be a mixture of good and bad.

A senior goi official said the office timings could be advanced from the existing ones and there was no need to have two or more ISTs. This opinion was, however, not considered adequately by the officials and experts of the eastern Indian states. "a psychological and mental change of people of all walks of life was the need of the hour. If a new ist is floated it will not only benefit the society, but will be a cost effective measure and save energy," he added.

Strongly supporting creation of two or more ISTs, Tripura Tribal Welfare Minister and a popular tribal leader Jitendra Chowdhury said there should be at least three ists in a vast country like India. "People could judiciously use both the morning and the afternoon hours if a number of ISTs are created," he said.

Mr Chowdhury, also the State’s Sports Minister, said the youths, children and players get enough time in the afternoon in the northern and western India for practice and physical exercise as they get sufficient daylight. "India itself is a subcontinent where only one standard time could not be practical", Mr Chowdhury pointed out.

Veteran tribal leader and writer Shyama Charan Tripura said a new IST could be created with Kolkata or Guwahati as its base. ‘’life in the north-eastern states, including Sikkim, starts before four am with the tribals being traditionally early risers. Five of the 12 eastern Indian states are tribal dominated states even as a large number of tribal people live in the non-tribal dominated states. (UNI)

Government sets up panel to review GM crop policy

NEW DELHI, Nov 28: The Government has set up a sub-committee under Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) co-Chairman Sushil Kumar to review the transgenic crop policy following adverse reports on the performance of BT cotton.

The sub-committee will finalise its recommendations only after examining the report of the Dr M S Swaminathan Panel on biodiversity to be submitted by December-end, Environment and Forests Joint Secretary D D Verma said here yesterday.

Participating in a discussion on the ‘relevance of GM technology to Indian agriculture and food security’ organised by gene campaign, Mr Verma said the GEAC had already approved 13 pharmaceutical products based on GM technology.

It has asked Mahyco, a subsidiary of American multinational Monsanto, and Raasi, an Indian seed company, to go for more field trials before they are allowed to produce GM seeds commercially.

The GEAC would also take into account reports of department of biotechnology and other related organisations in this regard.

Farmers’ representatives from Gujarat, including Maharashtra Shetkari Sanghatana president Vijay Jawandhia, said BT cotton, the first genetically modified crop allowed to be sown in the country, had failed to give the yields publicised by Mahyco-Monsdanto.

"It did not prove bollworm resistant as propagated by the company with no substantial saving on the cost of spray of pesticides on the crop," they said.

They also expressed concern over the illegal and unauthorised selling of BT cotton in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.

Four varieties of BT cotton were approved by the GEAC, an apex body for clearing GM crops under the Environment Ministry for Commercial Cultivation in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh, last year.

Farmer leaders said the GEAC had not been monitoring the performance of BT cotton and the farmers had not been compensated for the loss of crop either by the company or by the Government.

Besides, the company did not owe responsibity of failure of BT cotton on the plea that the cultivators had not adopted the parameters of leaving a mandatory ‘refuge’ of non-BT crop around the BT cotton field.

Echoing the farmers’ sentiments, Lok Sabha member from Gujarat Madhusudan Mistri said, "the farmers are being made guinea pigs by the promoters of GM technology, which is still at trial stage in Gujarat and adjoining states."

He said the GM technology did not enhance productivity as claimed in the US and other developed countries, rather it was the quantum of input subsidy given by those Governments that was increasing the yield.

To keep the domestic production low, the cotton technolgy mission was dumped and to encourage imports, the Government had deliberately kept the import duly on raw cotton as low as 10 per cent while it more than 50 per cent for other agricultural products, he added.

Such policies were being pursued to promote GM technology that would replace thousands of working hands engaged in this area.

The report of Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Minister V S Rao on BT cotton was also highlighted in the discussion which documented that the trangenic cotton varieties had failed to give the promised results.

GEAC Member Secretary Ms Rajani expressed the committee’s inability to take action on the complaints regarding BT cotton in the absence of reports from the concerned states as agriculture was a state subject.

"However, we are looking into the complaints on the transgenic cotton which will be taken as bench mark for allowing cultivation of other GM crops in the country," she added. (UNI)

Hema returns to centrestage ‘BJP Ki Izzat Ka Sawal Hai

BALAGHAT, Nov 28: Rajya Sabha MP Hema Malini has alleged that the approximately five decades of Congress rule ‘achieved’ nothing except a spurt in unemployment and population.

"That party is responsible for the nation’s backwardness and did nothing for India’s development. But so much has changed after merely four years of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure," she said while addressing a poll meeting here yesterday.

She said that people were rapidly adopting modernity and even the Centre was encouraging development in various sectors, including information technology.

"No organisation except the BJP can ensure development in the states," she added.

Later interacting with the press, Hema Malani said that the people’s enthusiasm at rallies addressed by her made her feel that the BJP would certainly come to power in the state. (UNI)

Judev episode may prove costly for BJP

RAIPUR, Nov 28: The cash on camera scam involving former Union Minister Dilip Singh Judev may have led to BJP losing its campaign punchline—allegation of corruption and legal impropriety against the Chief Minister Ajit Jogi in Chhattisgarh.

But what are the ramifications of the controversy on the December 1 elections to the state assembly and what is the common man’s reaction to it?

Politically the controversy could not have come at a more opportune time for Jogi. BJP on its part, had swung into a damage control exercise with Judev resigning from the Union Ministry and the Centre ordering a CBI probe into the affair.

In the run up to the elections, both Congress and BJP are trading charges against each other but the people have expressed a strong dislike for the "increasing greed" of the political class.

In Marwahi, the constituency of Jogi, a tea stall owner Ramesh Baghel was ignorant about the much-talked about tape. "I am not aware about it" was his candid reply when he was asked about the controversy.

But Gajendra Sahu, a high school teacher in Seoni was full of anger against the political class indulging in large-scale corruption. "Sabhi Neta Log Aise Hi Hote Hain" (all leaders are like this), he said with contempt.

But in Bilaspur, Prabhakar Honap, a retired employee of Indian Railways claimed that the entire controversy smacks of politics. "Since elections are round the corner, everybody is discussing it but after the polls nobody will remember it", he said non-chalantly.

But the reaction of Raipur-based Ajit Verma, who recently completed his MBA, was pragmatic.

"Now-a-days it is not possible to run a family with the income of a single member. How can a political party be run without seeking money from indsutrialists", he asked.

But the controversy would not have any impact on the elections. Here development of the newly-carved state, poverty and unemployment are the major issues, they said. (PTI)

Vakkom adds further humiliation to Karunakaran camp

THIRUVANATHAPURAM, Nov 28: Making further dent in the morale of the Karunakaran faction, Kerala assembly speaker Vakkom Purushothaman today claimed that six more MLAs would desert the veteran leader if he tried to split the Congress.

Addressing a press conference, convened here to deny the charges levelled by the ‘I’ faction that he was threatening MLAs owing allegiance to Mr Karunakaran, the Speaker said six more legislators in the ‘I’ camp, which shrank to 19 from 26 in the recent times, had informed him that they would not support any move to split the party.

"I will not threaten or take unnecessary action against any MLA. But, as per the powers of the speaker, I may have to take action under the ‘anti-defection law’ if necessary," he said, issuing a clear signal to the Karunakaran faction that he would not hesitate to take action against them if they failed to muster the support of adequate numbers from the 62-member Congress legislature party.

"It is not fair to put the whole blame on me if they fail to get the support of MLAs to form an alternative Government," he said, referring to the combined attack by the ‘I’ faction and the Marxist-led opposition Left Democratic Front. The opposition parties were alleging that the Speaker was interfering in the day-to-day activities of the Congress.

It was true that he had asked the Congress MLAs not to work against the interests of the party. "I have even spoken to Mr Karunakaran and KPCC president K Muraleedharan on the same issue. Only the political opponents will benefit from the present situation," he added.

The Speaker praised the integrity of the MLAs, saying that they refused to shift their loyalties despite the offers of ministership and cash to the tune of Rs one crore.

Asked whether it was the antony faction which offered Rs one crore each to MLAs, Mr Purushothaman said it was known to everyone that Mr Antony could not offer such a big amount.

To a question on whether he would convene the assembly session to take up the opposition notice for removing him from the post, he said he had no fear, but could go ahead only as per the rules and proceedings. The State Cabinet would have to take a decision to convene the session. (UNI)

Former kings in fray in Madhya Pradesh assembly polls

BHOPAL, Nov 28: Kings may have lost their right to rule but scions of several erstwhile royal families are fighting it out in the December 1 Madhya Pradesh assembly elections to reclaim the past glory in a different way.

The state, known as the land of Scindias, Holkars and a host of small principalties, perhaps has the largest contingent of ex-rulers in the poll fray.

This is despite the carving out of separate Chhattisgarh which along with it took away a number of Maharajas and Rajas, including BJP leader Dilip Singh Judeo, who is in the eye of a storm in the wake of the cash-on-camera episode.

Ex-rulers in the fray not only belong to Congress and BJP, the two principal contenders for power in the state, but also to parties like Samajwadi Party and are even contesting as independents.

Prominent among the members of former ruling houses this time is Yashodhara Raje Scindia of the Gwalior family who is contesting for the second time from Shivpuri constituency as a BJP candidate.

Chief Minister Digvijay Singh is himself a Raja of the erstwhile Raghogarh principalty so also State’s Tourism Minister Ajay Singh, son of Congress veteran Arjun Singh of the ruling family of Churhat.

Chief Minister’s relative and Public Relations Minister Manavendra Singh is in the race from Bijawar constituency as a Congress candidate, while his party colleague and member of the Rewa ruling house Pushpraj Singh is in the fray from his traditional Rewa seat.

In Chhartarpur, erstwhile royal family member Shankar Pratap Singh, popularly known as Munna Raja, is crossing swords with his nephew Vikram Singh alias Nati Raja.

While the uncle is a Congress candidate, his nephew has been fielded by the Samajwadi Party.

Another prominent royal family member nominated by Samajwadi Party is Ashok Veer Vikram Singh, referred to as Bhaiyya Raja, in his home turf Pawai, which is incidentally a sensitive constituency.

Former State Congress president Urmila Singh, who is a minister in Digvijay Singh Government, is again trying her luck from Ghansaur (ST) constituency.

Rajyavardhan Singh, son of former Goa Governor Bhanu Prakash Singh of the Narsinghgarh family, is contesting as an independent following denial of Congress ticket.

Tukojirao Pawar of Dewas royal family who is a sitting BJP member from his home turf is again in the fray to retain his seat, while another ex-royal Kunwar Vijay Shah is seeking re-election as BJP nominee from Harsud (ST) seat.

Rajyavardhan Singh of the Dattigaon royal family is the Congress nominee from Badnawar, while Karan Singh Pawar of Congress is in the fray from adjoining Dhar constituency.

Former minister Yadvendra Singh, another ex-ruling family member, is trying his luck as a Samajwadi Party candidate from Tikamgarh after refusal of Congress nomination. (PTI)

Delhi metro not politicians gift, but peoples right: Delhiites

NEW DELHI, Nov 28: As the capital gears up for December 1 assembly polls, Delhi metro seems to be rolling away from both the Congress and BJP with the voters feeling it was not a gift from politicians but their right.

Delhi metro, which has been a bone of contention between the two major parties since inception, has once again come into the focus with both Delhi BJP chief Madan Lal Khurana and Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit claiming to have "gifted" the state-of-the-art transport system to the residents of the capital.

However, majority of Delhiites differ from the political parties. They are not ready to give credit to any particular party for metro as they consider it their right to have a hassel free transport system.

"What is the political parties contribution to the metro? Any Government is bound to do something for the public. Even if we had a military dictatorship, the metro would have come," Yogesh Mahajan, a commuter, told UNI.

This reaction would be a major disappointment to BJP, whose Delhi unit chief is presently heading the metro. The party which is heading the coalition Government at the Centre, is trying to encash on the metro card by claiming to be solely responsible for the "dream come true" transport system.

Not to be left behind, the Congress is projecting metro as the achievement of the Shiela Dikshit Government. "Metro has been brought in our rule. It was a dream of Rajiv Gandhi and executed by our Government," Congress leader Vishwa Bandhu Gupta claimed.

Both parties are projecting it as a major achievement in their election manifestos and promising to expand it further.

Even as the fight for the credit for the project goes on between the two principal political players, the matter of the fact is that both the Governments have equal financial stake in the project and brought it up through collaborative effort.

"Metro should not become a political stunt. Given responsibility any company would have made it. The actual credit for it should go to DMRC and the team of its MD Mr Shreedharan," felt Surinder Lodha.

Another commuter desending at the Kashmiri Gate metro station said that parties were bound to take the credit but people know that the project was 15 years old. "Trains had to come. Nobody could be given exclusive credit for it."

However, among those who felt that metro could become a factor in the election gave credit for the project to either of the two depending on their perception.

"As Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee inaugurated the metro, naturally the credit will go to BJP for the project," said K K Kalra of the Mandawali constituency.

But for Jai Prakash Rawat of Rohini since the Delhi Government provided the land and support the credit should go to Ms Shiela Dikshit.

The Congress has however earned voters ire in some pockets due to the demolitions being carried out for handing over the land to DMRC.

The residents of Kathputli colony near Shadipur flyover were living in "shadow of fear" as the sitting MLA and Congress candidate has allegedly threatened residents with demolitions if they did not support him.

Hari Bhat, a resident of the colony conceded, "though Jhuggis are being demolished, we will get metro rail. This will enhance our prestige in the world." (UNI)

Uma’s ‘darling daughter’ card in Bundelkhand

BADA MALHERA (MP), Nov 28: Upbeat over the Congress discomfiture on crucuial issues like power and road, Uma Bharti is playing the Ladli Beti (darling daughter) card to the hilt in this backward constituency of Bundelkhand in her bid to make it a Chief Minister’s constituency in Madhya Pradesh.

Mellowed down ever since the battle for power began, the fiery sanyasin now proclaims that she faces no contest in the mutli-cornered fight and says her only opponent is Chief Minister Digvijay Singh.

Virtually promising the moon in this underdeveloped area, Bharti, who is being projected by the BJP as Bundelkhand Ki Virangana (female warrior of Bundelkhand), tells the electorate to protect their honour by ensuring a resounding victory for her.

She wants to turn Bada Malhera more prosperous than Raghogarh, the pocketborough of Digvijay Singh.

But, local Congress leaders insist that the way through Bada Malhera was not exactly rosy for the BJP’s star campaigner and as they claim that she stands exposed in the eyes of the people as her brother Swami Lodh, who is currently the MLA from here, has not worked for the area.

Jagdish Shukla of Congress and Kapurchand Jain Ghuvvara of CPI are her main rivals in the ten-cornered contest.

Bharati will reap, what she has sown, Shukla’s campaign in charge Ashok Kathal said pointing out that Swami Lodh was brought by her as candidate last time but neither he worked no Uma came to the area in the last five years.

local BJP leader Bhagchandra Jain and Dinesh Sharma, chief of BJP Yuva Morcha in UP, however, seeks to brush aside the past.

Political observers say that projection of Bharati as its Chief Ministerial candidate and fielding her from this area is expected to help BJP in Bundelkhand having some 25 assembly seats.

Bundelkhand is one of the most backward regions of Madhya Pradesh which itself is known as a ‘Bimaru’ state. Ignorance, illiteracy and poverty are bane of this region. Bada Malhera is known for its vicious expolitation of the poor by money lenders and landlords and had been a breeding ground in the past for a number of dacoits.

Pawan Ghuvvara, son and campaign manager of the CPI nominee, is obviously unhappy over Congress failure to withdraw in favour of his father who had emerged as a close runner up in the 1998 elections.

Achheram Agarwal, local Congress leader, however, dismisses

CPI’s grouse saying the Left party had become inconsequential. If a donkey grazes in your field, it neither earns you divine blessings, nor is it a sin, he says quoting a Bundelkhandi saying.

The Samajwadi Party has withdrawn its candidate who is the state party Chief in favour of the CPI which also has got the backing of the Janata Dal-S.

No senior leader of the Congress has so far campaigned in the area but local Congressmen are in an upbeat mood as they feel that party candidate Shukla is leader in his own right in the area and therefore no pushover in the contest against the BJP heavyweight.

CPI workers hint about a Digvijay-Uma nexus in Bada Malhera as Shukla was once close to Bharati, but Congressmen hotly contest such charges.

A quick tour in the area marked by bad roads show that development has taken a backseat over the years.

Non-BJP leaders allege that Bharati also needed to be blamed for the lack of development as she represented Khajurah Lok Sabha seat of which Bada Malhera is a part, for three term before shifting her constituency to Bhopal.

Local Congress and CPI poll managers express apprehensions over the arrival of lot of outsiders to campaign for Bharati with Ghuvvara demanding that the entire constituency needed to be declared as sensitive.

The constituency has over 1.80 lakh voters including 29,000 from Lodh community to which Uma belongs but also has a substantial population of Scheduled Castes and Tribes, Yadavs, Brahmins, Thakurs and Jains with rival candidates making utmost efforts to win the caste arithmetic.(PTI)

VHP backs Jaya’s third front proposal

CHENNAI, Nov 28: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad today openly declared that it will support the third front at the Centre mooted by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.

"Definitely yes. All Hindus will definitely support her", VHP president Ashok Singhal said when reporters asked whether his organisation would support the idea of Ms Jayalalithaa.

He told newspersons at airport here "we will cite her example in all our meetings" as she was the only Chief Minister to have openly supported the construction of Ram Temple at Ayodhya.

He said the VHP had decided not to back any political party in the December 1 elections to the four state assemblies but felt that the people would support the parties committed to Ram Temple at Ayodhya and preserve Hindu heritage. "We have decided not to support any party (in the elections to four states)," he added.

The people had been voting for those who wanted to preserve Hindu agenda. Through Dharma Sabhas, the Acharyas were propagating on how the Indian heritage, religion and culture could be protected. "We have found that a very large portion of our countrymen have voted in favour of those who are prepared to preserve Hindu heritage," he claimed.

When pointed out that leading lights of the Ramjanmabhoomi movement like Uma Bharati were talking about only development and not Ayodhya in electioneering, he said "I am not interested in what these people are doing or saying. The people who are for these (protecting Indian culture and heritage) will vote for those protecting them and not otherwise," he added.

When asked that the BJP had put Ayodhya issue on backburner, he said "it is not only temple issue. Preservation of the entire Hindu culture is a bigger issue."

Queried whether political will was needed for solving the Ayodhya issue, he said "it will be steered by our Mahatmas and it is for them to decide the future course of action." (UNI)