Congress has performed impressively under Sonia: Karunanidhi
Chennai, Sep 2 (IANS) The performance of the Congress has been extensively impressive under its president Sonia Gandhi, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi said Thursday.

Congratulating Gandhi on her election as the Congress party's president for the fourth sucvcessive time, Karunanidhi in his letter to her said: "By this election for the fourth time, you have created a record in the history of the Congress party."

"The people of this country very well know that ... Read More

Rahul leaves Amethi to meet Sonia
Amethi (Uttar Pradesh), Sep 2 (IANS) Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi broke off his three-day trip here to travel to New Delhi to meet his mother and party president Sonia Gandhi who will file a nomination for another term in office as party chief. He will back here in the afternoon, a party spokesperson said.

Gandhi reached Amethi, his parliamentary constituency, Wednesday for a three-day trip.

"He decided to leave for New Delhi in view ... Read More

Congress MP asks Jairam Ramesh to probe Goa oil spill
Panaji, Sep 2 (IANS) As the state government tries to downplay the tar ball menace that has polluted several of Goa's famed beaches, an MP of the ruling Congress has asked union Minister of Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh to probe the matter.

Congress Rajya Sabha member Shantaram Naik has asked the minister to send a team of experts to "decipher the exact cause" of the oil spill.

The spill has left an ugly, ... Read More

Congress scraps plan to show black flags to Gadkari
Raipur, Sep 2 (IANS) The Congress party Thursday withdrew its decision to show black flags to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nitin Gadkari who is scheduled to tour Chhattisgarh for two days from Friday.

"The decision to show black flagsto him was taken by the Congress in context of Gadkari's reported unwelcome and indecent statements in recent months against several Congress leaders. But the decision has been withdrawn," Ramesh Varlyani, state Congress general secretary and spokesperson, ... Read More

Women tie rakhis to Rahul, get assurance of development
Amethi, Sep 2 (IANS) Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi turned 'brother' for several women and girls of a village here who tied rakhis to him and he promised to turn their dreams of development into a reality, a party spokesperson said Thursday.

Gandhi reached the Isauli village late Wednesday to meet and interact with the locals about their problems and difficulties.

"It was a surprise inspection. As the news of Rahul's arrival spread in the village, ... Read More

Year after YSR's death, Andhra pays rich tributes
Hyderabad, Sep 2 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh Thursday remembered one of its greatest leaders, late chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, who had died in a helicopter crash a year ago, leaving the state in shock.

Rich tributes were paid to YSR - as he was popularly called - and, at various programmes held across the state, he was recalled as a man especially concerned about the welfare of the poor.

YSR died when the government helicopter carrying ... Read More

Fear of tomorrow never dies in Kashmir
Srinagar, Sep 2 (IANS) Uneasy quiet prevailed in the Kashmir Valley Thursday with few restrictions but a shutdown called by separatists ensuring that shops, educational institutions and businesses were shut again after the brief hours of normalcy the day before.

The bustle had returned Wednesday as authorities lifted curfew and separatists called off protests and shutdowns. Businesses resumed work and shoppers thronged markets to buy essential goods.

"Yesterday when shops, educational institutions, transport and other ... Read More

Maoists to call people's court, Bihar cops' families in despair
Patna, Sep 2 (IANS) As a second deadline expired Thursday, Maoists said the fate of four Bihar policemen held captive by them would now be decided by a 'jan adalat' or kangaroo court. The families of the cops are desperately pleading with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for help.

Maoist spokesperson Avinash called up local TV channels and said they would hold a jan adalat Thursday. The Maoists had said that the rebels - who were abducted ... Read More

Postage stamp on YSR released
Hyderabad, Sep 2 (IANS) A commemorative postage stamp on Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, the late Andhra Pradesh chief minister, was Thursday released on the occasion of his first death anniversary.

Visakhapatnam region post master general Sharada Sampat released the Rs.5 stamp carrying the portrait of YSR, as he was popularly known by his initials, at a ceremony held in Visakhapatnam.

Officials said it normally takes 18 months to prepare and release a stamp but they had come ... Read More

We are ready for talks with Maoists: Nitish
Patna, Sep 2 (IANS) Responding to news reports that the Maoists had killed one of the four policemen they abducted on Sunday, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Thursday said his government is ready for talks with the Leftwing rebels.

"We have been ready for talks," Nitish Kumar said on the sidelines of a function in the state capital.

He also said the eight Maoists lodged in different jails in Bihar, whose release is being demanded by ... Read More

Arrest Geelani for fomenting Kashmir trouble: Jethmalani
Mumbai, Sep 2 (IANS) Senior jurist and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Ram Jethmalani Thursday demanded the immediate arrest of Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani, who he alleged is on Pakistan's payroll and responsible for the current unrest in Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing mediapersons, Jethmalani said the young people indulging in violence against the police in the state are instigated by persons "in the pay of Pakistan, of whom Geelani is the leader".

"I will ... Read More

Moily meets Jagan a day ahead of his 'yatra'
Hyderabad, Sep 2 (IANS) Union Minister and Congress general secretary M. Veerappa Moily Thursday met party MP Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, a day before he is scheduled to resume his controversial 'odarpu yatra' in defiance of the party leadership.

Moily met Jagan at Idupulapaya in Kadapa district after paying tributes to the late chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy at his grave on his first death anniversary. Jagan is YSR's son.

Moily, who is in-charge of party affairs ... Read More

Chautala attacks Congress for acquiring fertile land for projects
Chandigarh, Sep 2 (IANS) Former chief minister of Haryana Om Parkash Chautala here Thursday criticised the land acquisition policy followed by the Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led Congress government in the state.

Chautala, who is also the chief of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), the main opposition party in Haryana, accused the government of acquiring fertile land for various development projects and Special Economic Zones (SEZs) instead of infertile wasteland.

“The Congress government has acquired majority of ... Read More

Jethmalani attacks government on funds stashed abroad, Bhopal
Mumbai, Sep 2 (IANS) Former union law minister Ram Jethmalani Thursday decried what he termed as the 'totally dishonest' attitude of the centre in the matter of huge amounts of money hidden in foreign banks.

Addressing media persons here, the Rajya Sabha MP of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said that huge amounts of money stolen by criminal offenders from the pockets of poor people of India were hidden in foreign banks.

"It is increasingly certain ... Read More

Congress panel wants state chiefs' election by Sep 17
New Delhi, Sep 2 (IANS) With Sonia Gandhi set to be formally re-elected Congress president Friday, the focus has shifted to the state units, who have been advised to elect their chiefs and other office bearers and complete the process by Sep 17.

Central Election Authority (CEA) chairman Oscar Fernandes said Thursday that states had been suggested to conduct elections for the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief, vice president, treasurer, state executive and All India Congress ... Read More