NEW DELHI/KOCHI, July 4: A group of 46 Indian nurses held captive by Sunni militants ISIS in strife-torn Iraq have been set free and were being brought back home in a special Air India plane which left this evening for Erbil, a non-conflict zone.

The nurses are expected to reach Kochi tomorrow morning, officials said on a day of dramatic developments in efforts to end their ordeal.

“I can confirm that the Indian nurses moved out against their will are free. They are in touch with the Indian Embassy officials at Erbil,” the Spokesperson of the External Affairs Ministry told reporters in New Delhi. Erbil in north Iraq is the capital of Kurdistan region of the Arab Gulf country.

The ordeal of the nurses, who were working at a hospital in Saddam Hussein’s hometown of Tikrit, began when a swift ISIS(Islamic State for Iraq and Syria) offensive was launched on June 9.

The nurses were moved out yesterday against their will and were held in the militant-held city of Mosul, 250 km from Tikrit. The Erbil International airport is 70 km from Mosul.

“The nurses are safe, unharmed,” the spokesperson said, adding the special Air India flight has taken off from Delhi.

“We won’t be satisfied till we reach culmination of our efforts and bring all nationals back.” he added.

A joint-secretary level IFS officer and an IAS woman officer from Kerala are among the Indian officials travelling on the chartered flight.

At a sperate press conference in Delhi, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said the nurses have reached the border near the international airport at Erbil for their evacuation to India.

“The nurses will reach Kochi tomorrow morning,” Chandy said.

“The Government of India, the embassy in Baghdad and the State Government, all have worked together and finally we are achieving the objective to bring back the nurses to India,” he said.

In Kochi, airport sources said Air India’s special flight Boeing 777 carrying the nurses and other passengers from Erbil is expected to reach the city around 6.40 am tomorrow.

The nurses were moved in a vehicle by rebels from their hospital in Tikrit yesterday and were lodged in an old building near a hospital in Mosul, according to family members of a nurse from Kottayam.

“My daughter called me around 10.45 last night and said the group had been accommodated in a hall in Mosul. It appears to be part of a hospital…She told me not to get panicky if she did not call home frequently as she was not sure if there would be a facility to get the phone charged,” said Sobha, whose daughter is one of the nurses. (PTI)

NEW DELHI, July 4: Making it clear that J&K is and will be its integral part, India today hit back at Pakistan’s claim of it being a “disputed territory” and said the language of a bygone era does not help anyone.

India said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif have adopted a “forward-looking approach”.

“It does not pay to speak the language of the past. It does not pay to look into the rear-view mirror. Prime Minister (Modi) and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif have adopted a forward- looking approach and it is on that approach that we are focused on. The language of a bygone era does not help anyone,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson told reporters here.

He was replying to Pakistan needling India yesterday ahead of Modi’s first visit to J&K as Prime Minister by harping that Kashmir was a “disputed territory”.

Asked about the timing of Pakistan’s statement, the spokesperson said “J&K is an integral part of India. The Prime Minister of India can visit any part of India anytime he desires. This is not for me to comment on what others say. It is for them to explain to you”.

Explaining India’s position, he said “our position is that J&K remains and will remain an integral part of India. As regards the language of a bygone era, it does not serve anybody, any purpose to look into the rear view mirror and speak in terms of which are not in consonance with what Prime Minister and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif are working towards”.

Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam had yesterday said “we do not accept the so-called accession of the State of J&K to India. Kashmir is not an integral part of India. Our position is that J&K is a disputed territory”. (PTI)

NEW DELHI, July 4: The Supreme Court today referred to its Constitution bench the contentious issue of deciding the demand for dissolution of Delhi Assembly raised by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) while making it clear that Lt Governor was free to take a call on Government formation.

“The pendency of writ petition would not be an impediment for the LG to take any decision,” a bench headed by Chief Justice R M Lodha said while posting the matter before a five-judge Constitution bench for hearing on August 5.

“We are of the view that important constitutional question has been raised in the matter and needs to be heard by a five-judge Constitution bench,” the bench, also comprising justices M B Lokur and Kurian Joseph said.

The order was passed after an hour-long hearing during which AAP accused the BJP of trying to engineer defection and horse trading for Government formation while the Centre said that “the situation is still fluid” and it is for the LG to take a call whether any party can stake claim for Government formation in Delhi.

The new Government at the Centre joined hands with the BJP to oppose the AAP’s petition challenging the imposition of President’s Rule in Delhi following the resignation of Arvind Kejriwal’s 49-day minority Government.

“What is the right of the minority Government which has resigned for seeking relief? Once minority Government resigns, no remedy is available to it and it cannot ask for dissolution of the Assembly,” Additional Solicitor General P S Narasimha submitted while stressing that it was too early to demand for dissolution of the House and forcing election on people.

Senior advocate Ashok Desai, appearing for the BJP, said that AAP was changing its stand on the issue and the question is “can the court be dragged into political dispute?”

He said the country has already entered into the era of coalition politics and though the three main political groups here cannot see each other eye-to-eye, the possibility of some structural formation for Government formation cannot be ruled out.

The submission of the Centre and the BJP came after senior advocate Fali S Nariman, appearing for AAP, said dissolution of Assembly was necessary, particularly in view of the changing scenario after the Lok Sabha elections after which the Congress categorically ruled itself out of supporting any political party for Government formation.

He, however, alleged that “BJP has been inducing some MLAs of AAP for defection” and now “there is no justification for not dissolving the House”.

Nariman said the dissolution of Assembly was needed more so when three of the MLAs have become MPs and BJP has been reduced with 28 MLAs like the AAP which also has 28 MLAs.

He was later joined by senior advocate Shanti Bhushan, who said “today even a blind person knows that government cannot be formed and dissolution of Assembly is the only way out”.

“Defection cannot be allowed,” he said. AAP had filed an affidavit in which there was allegation of horse trading against BJP.

However, it was opposed by Desai and advocate Amna Sinha, who is also a party spokesman. They said AAP was levelling “wild allegations” and they would like to file objections.

Later, the AAP withdrew the affidavit.

The apex court said BJP’s objections on maintainability of the petition would be heard by the Constitution Bench.

The petition filed by AAP had sought a direction to the LG to dissolve Delhi Assembly and hold fresh polls along with Lok Sabha elections.

It has challenged the decision to impose President’s rule in Delhi on the recommendation of LG Najeeb Jung alleging that it was done to protect Congress leaders and former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit from corruption charges.

It has contended that the February 16 order imposing President’s rule was with a motive to frustrate the ongoing investigation in those corruption cases in which FIR has been lodged by the Arvind Kejriwal Government.

The petition has said the order to impose President’s rule was “illegal, arbitrary and in violation” of Article 14 of the Constitution as after the resignation of Arvind Kejriwal Government neither BJP nor Congress were in a position to form the Government and they had already expressed their unwillingness in this regard.

It has further raised constitutional questions to keep the assembly under suspended animation by ignoring the categorical recommendation of the majority Government of the NCT of Delhi for dissolving the House.

The petition has said that imposition of President’s rule has denied the citizens of Delhi their democratic right to have an elected popular Government.

“The President of India while imposing President’s rule under Article 239 AB (1) of the Constitution vide the impugned order suspended operations of clause 3(a), 4, 5 and 6 of Article 239 AA which are special provisions with respect to Delhi and deal with powers of legislatures, council of Ministers etc.

“Apart from suspending some of the provisions of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991, the order did not suspend the operation of the provision of clause 2 (a) of Article 239 AA which provides that there shall be a Legislative Assembly and thus, assumed power of legislatures, council of Ministers etc. Without suspending Legislative Assembly,” it has said.

“In the present case, it was incumbent on the President, after assuming to himself all the powers of the LG to himself, of course with aid and advice of the Council of Ministers, to exercise the power to dissolve the Assembly especially since there was no possibility whatever of the formation of any other Government since other main political parties (viz. BJP and Congress) have already expressed their unwillingness and inability to form a Government,” it has said. (PTI)

MUMBAI, July 4: Indian Mujahideen co-founder Yasin Bhatkal, arrested in connection with the 2011 Mumbai triple blast case, told the Mumbai police that he feels “proud of himself” for carrying out the blasts.

“Whatever I have done, I feel proud of myself,” Bhatkal said in his confessional statement, recorded by the Mumbai police, a copy of which is with PTI.

The Maharashtra control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), under which Bhatkal is charged with, authorises the DCP-level officer to record the confessional statement of the accused.

When Deputy Commissioner of Police Kishore Jadhav, asked Bhatkal, as to why he wants to give confessional statement, he said, “I don’t regret for the blast that I have carried out and therefore, I want to give confessional statement.”

Bhatkal also told the police that he does not consider the blasts carried out by him as a crime.

Bhatkal’s aide Asadullah Akthar, also told the police, in the confessional statement, that he too does not regret the blast carried out by him.

In the confessional statement, both the accused stated the details of the blasts carried out by them in various places in the country, since 2005 to avenge the 2002 Godhra riots.

The Anti Terrorism Squad of the Maharashtra Police on June 16 had filed a 300-page supplementary chargesheet against Indian Mujahideen (IM) co-founder Yasin Bhatkal and his aide Asadullah Akthar in connection with the 2011 triple blast case.

The duo was arrested on February 5 this year by the Maharashtra ATS after a Delhi court allowed its plea seeking their custody.

According to ATS, Bhatkal was the key conspirator of the three powerful blasts which ripped through crowded areas in Mumbai’s – Zaveri Bazar, Opera House and Kabutar Khana, on July 13, 2011, killing at least 21 people and injuring 141.

Bhatkal played an important role in procuring explosives and making Improvised Explosive Device (IED), police said.

Earlier, five accused – Naquee Ahmed, Nadeem Shaikh, Kanwar Pathrija, Haroon Naik and Mohammed Qafeel Ansari were held in the case and are facing trial under the stringent MCOCA, Indian Penal Code and other laws.

Those wanted in the case are Riyaz Bhatkal, who is also a top operative of the alleged home-grown terror outfit, Waqas Ibrahim Sad, Dubai-based Muzaffar Kolah and Tehseen Akhtar Shaikh, the police said.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had arrested Yasin Bhatkal (30), who is wanted in over 40 terror cases and carries a reward of Rs 35 lakh on his head, as well as Akhtar, from the Indo-Nepal border on the night of August 28, 2013.

Bhatkal, who hails from Bhatkal village of Udupi district in North Karnataka, is wanted in a string of terror attacks in Ahmedabad, Surat, Bangalore, Pune, Delhi and Hyderabad, according to NIA. (PTI)

NEW DELHI, July 4: CPI(M) today accused the Narendra Modi government of seeking to dilute or do away with social security issues, saying the dreams of “good days” have been converted into “bitter pills” after BJP assumed office.

“The dreams of ‘achhe din’ (good days) promised in the election campaign by BJP and Narendra Modi have been converted into ‘kadvi dawai’ (bitter pills) after BJP came to power… This is the height of hypocrisy,” Politburo member Brinda Karat told a press conference here.

Karat, who shot off a letter to Rural Development Minister Nitin Gadkari accusing the government of trying to “dilute or do away” with the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), said, “A party which promised job creation is now suggesting the elimination of the only legal guarantee for creation of jobs — the MGNREGA.”

Accusing the government of taking “every step” to suit the interests of the corporates, Karat and senior CPI(M) leader Hannan Mollah said that “while the stock exchanges are happy, the rural poor and MGNREGA workers are not.”

Mollah said Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has already proposed to “extinguish the legal guarantee under the Act and convert it into a scheme. She has clearly shown her anti-labour bias as she has changed labour laws to suit the interests of the business houses than the workers.”

Both leaders also accused the UPA-II government of taking MGNREGA as “a hostage to fiscal considerations and severely cutting allocation and disbursal of funds under the law.”

In her letter, Karat said it was “shocking” that in 2013-14, 60 per cent of the wages or “an estimated Rs 60,000 crore, were not paid within 15 days as legally stipulated. On top of it, the compensation of delayed wage payment was also not paid.”

“In social terms, this means huge suffering for workers and their families dependent for survival on a daily wage,” she said.

Maintaining that the issue of unemployment allowance was also neglected, Karat said “not a single rupee” of about Rs 2,924 crore payable as allowance, was paid. Under the MGNREGA, if work on demand is not provided within 15 days, workers are entitled to this allowance.

Mollah said, “A continuous conspiracy has been unleashed against MGNREGA in particular, with corporates and landlords spreading falsehoods and saying such ‘subsidies’ were unnecessary, why donate it to the poor. But MGNREGA is a hard -earned legal right of the workers.” (PTI)

NEW DELHI/KOCHI, July 4: On a day of “dramatic developments”, all 46 Indian women nurses were suddenly set free by Sunni militants ISIS in strife-torn Iraq and were being brought back home in a special Air India plane which left this evening for Erbil, a non-conflict zone.

“The Indian nurses who moved out against their will yesterday are free. They are in touch with the Indian Embassy officials at Erbil,” the Spokesperson of the External Affairs Ministry told reporters in New Delhi. Erbil in north Iraq is the capital of Kurdistan region of the Arab Gulf country.

The nurses are expected to reach Kochi tomorrow.

The ordeal of the nurses, who were working at a hospital in Saddam Hussein’s hometown of Tikrit, began when a swift ISIS (Islamic State for Iraq and Syria) offensive was launched on June 9.

The nurses were moved out yesterday against their will and were held in the militant-held city of Mosul, 250 km from Tikrit. The Erbil International airport is about 80 km from Mosul.

“The nurses are safe, unharmed,” the spokesperson said, adding the special Air India flight has taken off from Delhi.

Asked if National Security Advisor Ajit Doval played any role in the negotiations to get the nurses released, he said at the diplomatic level, negotiations involved External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj herself but, at the ground level, the details cannot be shared.

“Diplomacy works through the front doors. We are using other doors and how those doors were used and knocked on and how they were opened up is a story for another day. The story for today is that one of those doors opened and we were able to extricate our nationals,” the Spokesperson said.

He further noted that the Indian officials were “always in touch” with what was going on with the nurses and said “Things don’t happen just like that. There is a lot of effort, patience and a lot of quiet work that has gone into this.”

A joint-secretary level IFS officer and an IAS woman officer from Kerala are among the Indian officials travelling on the chartered flight.

At a separate press conference in Delhi, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said the nurses have reached the border near the international airport at Erbil for their evacuation to India.

“The nurses will reach Kochi tomorrow morning,” Chandy said.

“The Government of India, the embassy in Baghdad and the State Government, all have worked together and finally we are achieving the objective to bring back the nurses to India,” he said.

In Kochi, airport sources said Air India’s special flight Boeing 777 carrying the nurses and other passengers from Erbil is expected to reach the city around 6.40 am tomorrow.

The nurses were moved in a vehicle by rebel from their hospital in Tikrit yesterday and were lodged in an old building near a hospital in Mosul, according to family members of a nurse from Kottayam.

India used all “national assets” to secure the release of the nurses from ISIS, who had forced them to move out of their hospital in Tikrit yesterday against their “free will”, the MEA Spokesperson said.

However, he did not divulge the details of how India managed to secure the release and only said that there were other captives in the conflict zone and process of freeing them was “underway” and any comments at this stage may be counterproductive.

He said he will not get into the “how, when, where, what” on the release of the nurses at this stage.

He said after securing the release of the nurses, the Government will “redouble” efforts to evacuate other captives in the conflict zone, which includes a batch of 39 Indian construction workers in Mosul, but did not elaborate.

“We are engaged at the ground and at diplomatic levels… At this stage, our primary goal is to ensure that they are brought back from captivity. This is a war situation.

“We do not have the capabilities that ordinarily you would have in a situation where there is no conflict. These are extremely tenuous links that we are building and anything we do to undermine them is not going to help us in the long run,” he said.

The Spokesperson said, “Resources used to free these nurses will be diverted to free other Indians… We will leave no stone unturned to bring back Indians from Iraq.”

He added, “We will not be satisfied until the culmination of this effort.”

With 46 nurses out of the conflict zone, nearly 50 Indians are still expected to be in these zones, which include the 39 captives.

Meanwhile, nearly 1,500 Indian have registered to leave Iraq from the no-conflict zone. Already, about 1,000 Indian nationals have been given tickets to travel out of Iraq by the ministry.

There were about 10,000 Indians before the start of the serious strife between Government troops and Sunni militants backed by al Qaida. (PTI)

NEW DELHI, July 4: Blaming hoarders for recent spurt in food prices, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today said there was no need for panic as country has enough food stocks and promised stern action against black marketeers.

Eager to control prices before they spiral out of hand, the Centre today called a meeting of State food ministers to discuss steps to crack down on hoarding and improving availability in the market.

The Centre, which has in past few days imposed minimum export price on staple kitchen items like onions and potatoes and put stock holding limits on these, today indicated it was willing to consider suggestions for making hoarding of essential commodities a non-bailable offence.

“One thing is clear that there is no panic situation. Whatever feedback we have got from state ministers is that there is no need for panic,” Jaitley said after the meeting.

Stating that prices of vegetables and pulses generally rise in July, he said this time there is an abnormal increase in prices of 2-3 commodities but “there is no panic situation.”

Allaying fears of the impact of a delayed monsoon on prices, he said “monsoon has just started, it is a late start and it is too early to create any panic”.

To deal with the price situation, Jaitley said some states have suggested strengthening of the Essential Commodities Act and making hoarding a non-bailable offence.

The government and the Consumer Affairs Ministry will take a view on the suggestions of making hoarding a non-bailable offence, he added.

Food inflation rose to 9.5 per cent in May, while the WPI inflation was at a five-month high of 6.01 per cent.

Referring to onion and potato prices, Jaitley said “there has been a record output and there is no shortage of these items”

“Therefore it is not an issue of scarcity but it is an issue of supply side. These commodities are available in sufficient amount but the normal supply is disrupted by hoarders anticipating higher prices,” the Minister added.

However, he said: “We have sufficient food grains stock with the government of India to face to any kind of situation. Depending on where the shortfall or deficient areas are….If such a situation arise, we are equipped to deal.”

In order to rein in prices, Jaitely said most of the state ministers suggested that the Centre should help them in augmenting storage facility.

“Some states suggested a price stabilisation fund. In case if prices in certain commodities go up, there could be market intervention,” he said.

The meeting was also attended by Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan and Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh.

Noting that the current price rise is a temporary phenomena created by hoarders, Paswan asked the state governments to enforce the Essential Commodities Act effectively.

Earlier addressing the meeting, Jaitley said: “There are reports of below normal monsoon this year. Hoarders are taking advantage of the situation.”

“When production of food items is higher than last year and still prices rise, then it means that intermediaries are keeping the stock somewhere,” he added.

He said the test of good governance is how to de-hoard the stock kept by intermediaries into the market to rein in prices. “This is the biggest challenge.”

“Prices of some items had touched Rs 70-100 per kg last year. Prices are still lower this year. There is no panic situation,” he said.

The Finance Minister asked the state governments to assess the problem as action taken after price rise creates panic in the market.

“There should be collaborative efforts from both Centre and states so that price situation does not go out of control,” Jaitley said, adding, “states are equally anxious and they do not want prices to rise.”

In order to check prices during the coming festival season, Jaitley urged the states to assess the supply-demand situation and take effective measures in advance to boost supply.

The Finance Minister highlighted measures taken by the Centre in the last few weeks including additional allocation of 5 million tonnes of rice for poor and imposition of minimum export price on onion and potato.

Noting that prices of crude oil have increased due to tension in Iraq, Jaitley said there are, however, indications of softening of prices. (PTI)

NEW DELHI, July 4: The Delhi High Court today extended till July 25 the interim bail of seven convicts in the Junior Basic Teachers’ recruitment scam case also involving former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala and his MLA-son Ajay Chautala.

A bench of Justice Siddharth Mridul granted the relief to seven convicts including Ajay Chautala, Sher Singh Badshami and suspended IAS officer Vidy Dhar.

The court, meanwhile, asked CBI and the prison authority to verify the claims of 17, out of 55 convicts, who have also sought interim bail on medical grounds and fixed the matter for hearing on July 17.

Earlier, the court had granted bail to convict Narain Singh Ruhil on health grounds for eight weeks and directed him to furnish a personal bond of Rs 25,000.

On January 22, 2013, a special CBI court had convicted and sentenced Ajay Chautala, Om Prakash Chautala and eight others, including Vidya Dhar and Badshami, to 10 years jail term for illegally recruiting 3,206 junior teachers in the year 2000.

Among other convicts, 44 have been sentenced to four years in jail and one to five-year jail term.

All of them were held guilty of cheating, forgery, using fake documents as genuine, conspiracy under IPC and for abusing their official position under Prevention of Corruption Act. (PTI)

GURGAON, July 4: Tata Motors is looking at launching a couple of models each year till 2020 as the company looks to ramp up its portfolio in the competitive Indian car market.

“We are working on a product strategy that started last year. The plan is to bring a couple of new vehicles every year,” Tata Motors President, passenger vehicles, Ranjit Yadav told.

The new vehicles will also cater to global markets and service various “attractive” segments, he added.

He, however, did not share more details on the product launches.

The company is also working on various other measures such as enhancing quality of manufacturing facilities and improving customer buying and after sales experience, Yadav said.

As part of the strategy to reach out to its customers, Tata Motors today unveiled a country-wide campaign to showcase its new 1.2 litre petrol engine that will power its soon-to-be -launched models Zest and Bolt.

“The Revotron 1.2 T will power our upcoming cars, the Zest and Bolt. To narrate this exciting story, we are engaging with our customers through various platforms,” Yadav said.

The company will showcase the engine thorough Revotron Labs to customers across 15 cities. It plans to extend the campaign to digital platforms.

Tata Motors senior vice president, programme planning and project management, Girish Wagh said the Revotron range of engines would be manufactured at the company’s Pune plant.

“The engines from Revotron series would power the upcoming products from the company’s stable,” Wagh said.

When asked about the progress on the 800cc diesel engine, Wagh said: “The engine is still under development. Whether it will be used in Nano, is still to be decided.”

He added however that Nano with AMT version, which was showcased during Auto Expo, is likely yo be launched next month. (PTI)

NEW DELHI, July 4: Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today faced the ire of his detractors as groupism in the State Congress unit came to the fore in a meeting of a high-level panel of the party to assess reasons for Congress debacle in Lok Sabha polls.

The A K Antony panel also held discussion with leaders from Punjab, who cited the emergence of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) there after Arvind Kejrwal Government in Delhi promised an SIT monitored probe, as a major reason for Congress’ inability to cash in on the anti-incumbency mood against SAD-Akali Dal Government in the State.

In both states, internal dissension was cited as a major reason for the party’s debacle besides the national mood of anti-incumbency against UPA and a Narendra Modi wave.

Besides the two states, Congress General Secretary Shakeel Ahmed, who is a senior leader from Bihar and incharge of Delhi as well, briefed the Antony panel about reasons for Congress defeat in the two states. The panel has already met other leaders of Bihar and Delhi.

There is a view in a section of Congress that it did not benefit from alliance with Lalu Prasad’s RJD in Bihar in this Lok Sabha polls and should hitch its wagon to Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) for the upcoming Assembly polls next year.

While senior leaders cited internal dissension in Haryana as one of the reasons for the 1-10 performance of the party in Hooda-ruled Haryana, leaders like Chaudhary Birender Singh and Avtar Singh Bhadana blamed it on the Chief Minister’s style of functioning.

They are learnt to have told the A K Antony panel that the next election in Haryana should not be fought under Hooda’s leadership.

Bhadana, a former MP from Faridabad, who lost the election to BJP’s Krishnapal Gurjar this time, alleged that the Chief Minister was in league with Gurjar to ensure his defeat.

Badhana told PTI after the meeting that he as well as many leaders have told the Antony panel that while they have full faith in the leadership of Congress President Sonia Gandhi, “We are not ready to fight election under Hooda’s leadership. If the arrangement continues, we will not fight the next election.”

Bhadana alleged that the Chief Minister, his relatives and people close to him goaded BJP candidates to work out the defeat of party nominees, while “Hooda worked only to ensure the victory of his son Dipender Hooda” from Rohtak.

“I have given proofs in writing to the panel and also voiced doubt that Hooda can have similar understanding with Gurjar in Assembly polls,” he said.

Rajya Sabha MP Chaudhary Birender Singh, a known detractor of Hooda also voiced similar sentiments before the panel.

Recently there was a strong buzz about change of guard in Haryana but the party later ruled it out.

Addressing ‘Insaaf Rally’ in Jind a few days back, Birender Singh had said he will not contest the October Assembly elections under Hooda’s leadership.

Following the ruling Congress’ dismal showing in Haryana in the Lok Sabha elections, Singh and a few other State party leaders, including former Union Minister Kumari Selja, have openly challenged Hooda’s leadership.

Selja could not attend the meeting today as she was abroad. She had earlier said Hooda should have offered to resign after the party’s poor show in Lok Sabha polls.

Of the total 10 seats in the State, the party managed to retain just the Rohtak seat in the 2014 elections as against the nine it had won in 2009.

BJP won seven of the eight seats it contested this time, while two seats were bagged by main opposition Indian National Lok Dal. However, a senior AICC functionary asserted that so far there is no consideration about changing the Chief Minister in Haryana.

In Punjab, AAP won four out of the 13 Lok Sabha seats springing a surprise in political circles and dashing hopes of Congress, which had expected good show in the state where SAD-BJP combine faced strong anti-incumbency.

AAP picked up an impressive 24.4 per cent of the vote share in the state. Though Congress tally fell to three from eight MPs in 2009, it still retained the highest vote share at 33.1 per cent.

Starting a soul-searching exercise following its worst-ever Lok Sabha poll result, the panel has so far met leaders from Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal Haryana and Punjab.

This is an informal group set up by Congress President Sonia Gandhi and has besides Antony, AICC General Secretary Mukul Wasnik and secretaries R C Khuntia and Avinash Pandey as members. (PTI)