Tough Job ahead for the President !!!

With the elections widely expected to lead to a hung parliament, all eyes will be on President Pratibha Patil who will decide who to invite to form a government after the votes get counted May 16.

"The president will have a most crucial role in such a fluid situation," senior advocate and constitutional expert Anil Dewan said.

K K Venugopal, another leading constitutional expert and lawyer, said: "The safest and most prudent rule for the president will be to first invite either the single largest party, though a minority, or a pre-poll alliance with the largest number of MPs to form the government."

Revive Sanjay's sterilisation policy : Varun Gandhi !!!

BJP candidate from Pilibhit Lok Sabha constituency Varun Gandhi favours revival of his father Sanjay Gandhi's controversial sterilisation policy and wants 'compulsory military service' for all Indians.

In an interview to The Daily Telegraph, Varun said he hoped to follow in his father's footsteps by offering strong leadership which, according to him, India lacked for 20 years.

Politics, the 29-year-old fire-brand BJP leader said, was his destiny, and added, "Anyone who says they have no ambition to achieve power at some stage is lying."

Besides reviving the sterilisation policy, Varun said he would also propose a bill in parliament to introduce compulsory military service for all Indians to unite the country and overcome caste and religious differences.

"Instead of people thinking of themselves as Tamils or Brahmins, they should think of themselves as Indians," he said.

Referring to his recent controversial remarks, Varun denied threatening Muslims, but had vowed to protect local people from 'anti-social' elements after three local girls were reportedly gang-raped. As he toured his constituency in a convoy accompanied by armed guards, he made a clear reference to his controversial stand when he told voters that he was 'fighting for your self-respect'.

Veerappa Moily sacked from AICC media head : Congress!!!

Congress removes M Veerappa Moily as chairman of the Congress media department for making refuting remarks to Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar on Friday.

All India Congress Committe (AICC) General Secretary Janardan Dwivedi is the replacement of Moily.

Moily's removal is believed to be due to the displeasure of the party high command over his statement against Nitish Kumar, who was wooed by the party leader Rahul Gandhi.

Moily's made a statement that Congress is not going to "make a hero" of Nitish Kumar.

He even said, "I do not thing Congress is going to make a hero of Nitish Kumar, the manner in which he has aligned with BJP and is carrying on...that kind of pollution of his secular credentials with the communal."

When asked about the Congress' decision to relieve him of his charge, Moily said that he had given the charge to Dwivedi as he would be away in Karnataka till May 17. He is also contesting elections from Chikkballapur, Karnataka.
Yesterday, Moily first attacked Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and LJP Chief Ramvilas Paswan in the wake of reports that they were not attending the meeting of the Union Cabinet but later said that they were part of the UPA and would be back in a UPA government.

The sources said Moily had earlier created such an awkward situation for the party too.
Moily, had handed over the charge to Dwivedi last month when he went to Karnataka and had resumed the responsibilities only last week.

Democratic solution to Lankan Issue - Rahul !!!

AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi today asserted that any solution to the Sri Lankan Tamils issue has to come through democratic means, and emphasised that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Congress-led UPA Government would stand by the Tamils.

''It is very important that the interests of the Tamils in Sri Lanka are protected,'' he said, calling for a democratic solution to the decades-long ethnic crisis.

With leaders of parties in Tamil Nadu, including Chief Minister and DMK President M Karunanidhi jumping into the bandwagon of 'Tamil Eelam', Mr Gandhi neither used the word Eelam nor the LTTE, while dealing with the Tamils issue.

He said the UPA Government was doing its best to protect the interests of Tamil civilians in Sri Lanka and had sent the External Affairs Minister and diplomats to put tremendous pressure on the Lankan Government to protect the suffering Tamils.

''The Tamil civilians need to be given their rights by the Sri Lankan Government,'' Mr Gandhi said, adding ''the Prime Minister and UPA Government stand by the Tamil people, regardless of where they are.'' This was Mr Gandhi's maiden visit to the State to address poll rallies for the May 13 Lok Sabha elections. He addressed meetings in support of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, who is seeking re-election in Sivaganga, and Ms Sarubala Thondaiman in Tiruchirapalli.

NSA against Varun Gandhi Revoked: Big Boost for BJP !!!

The advisory board which met on Friday to review the case registered under the National Security Act against Varun Gandhi has struck down the UP state governemnt's decison. The case has been revoked.

Varun Gandhi was charged under the NSA for communally charged speech made at an election rally in Pilibhit.

Gandhi had presented his case before a three-member Advisory Board, on April 28, which is going into the maintainability of his detention by the Uttar Pradesh Government under the National Security Act. At present he is on parole.

The board consists senior judge of the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court, Justice Pradeep Kant, and comprising Justices (retired) P K Sareen and S N Sahay.

Gandhi was booked under the NSA on March 29 following the alleged hate speeches he delivered at election meetings in Pilibhit district. The police lodged four FIRs against him on March 28, following violence indulged in by his supporters in the town after his arrest.

Varun had challenged the invoking of the NSA against him by the district magistrate on the directions of the government.

Now Mayavathi and Congress need to answer the people why they have booked Varun under NSA?

Rs 500 for your Vote in Madurai !!!

Sunday dawned bright for many in Madurai, as they woke up not to the shout of the milkman but to the rustle of currency notes.

Before they could rub the sleep off their eyes, they were presented with sealed brown envelope and allegedly asked to vote for the DMK candidate for the Madurai Lok Sabha Constituency M K Azhagiri. The envelopes had no voters’ slip but a crisp Rs 500 note, fresh from the mint.


According to reports, the distribution of money began late on Saturday night itself, as some people said they were even woken up at 3 am and given the token money, which they claimed was an advance and more was on the way.

Sunday was also a great day for all the meat shop owners in the city as they said many came to their shops with Rs 500 notes to buy meat. Though the shop owners claimed they had a hard time finding change to pay the buyers, they said the meat was sold in a jiffy.

According to the police, on Saturday late night, a few AIADMK alliance activists claimed they caught DMK functionaries while they were distributing money and handed them to the officials in the respective police stations.


But on Sunday morning, the distribution of tokens seemingly began with a renewed vigour. When the AIADMK cadre intervened, 15 DMK functionaries, including Deputy Mayor P M Mannan, allegedly attacked them with clubs.

Eleven persons, including nine AIADMK men, who were reportedly injured in the attack, were admitted to the Madurai GRH. Council member Thilagar and another Thilagar of CPM sustained head injuries in the free-for-all.


In another incident near Melaponnagaram, the DMK district secretary along with a few others attacked CPM and AIADMK activists, who were staging road roko demanding that the police intervene and prevent DMK from bribing the voters. In this attack Balasubramani of CPM sustained cut injuries in his fingers. According to the protestors they were attacked in front of the policemen, who were trying to pacify them.


Another report stated that at Panthadi 3rd street, DMK cadre, including Mubharak Mandhiri and MLA Syed Ghouse Basha, allegedly abducted Thulasi Ramsingh of CPM and took him to a DMK temporary election office at Mahal 5th street. After the Marxists pressured the police they freed Thulasi Ramsingh and took him to Keeraithurai police station.


The money was reportedly distributed in Tallakulam, Karumbalai, K K Nagar, Anupanadi, Ponnagaram, South Gate, Jawaharpuram, Athikulam, Mahal areas, Jeevangar, Cholaiyazhagupuram and Simmakkal.


At Simmakkal, the voters rioted saying that they would not accept Rs 500 as they had read in dailies that they would be paid Rs 5,000. The local activists and Deputy Mayor Mannan visited the spot and convinced the voters by reportedly stating that there would be more instalments.
It was alleged that the money was not properly distributed at Jeevanagar and the voters who missed the money said that they were being treated in a biased manner. Similarly at Kanmai Mela Theru, near Tallakulam, not all were given money.

Karunanidhi joins Eelam rhetoric; pitches for separate state

The ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu is trying to make up for lost ground on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, with Chief Minister M Karunanidhi saying he has taken up the task of securing separate Eelam for the Lankan Tamils.

Not wanting to lose out on the Tamils issue, which had been highlighted as a major poll plank by the Opposition, Mr Karunanidhi said, ''We have provided some sort of solace to the Lankan Tamils and we should strive to secure them their next due -- separate Eelam.'' ''I have taken up the task of securing separate Eelam to the Tamils,'' he said, while appealing to the party cadres from his hospital bed to work for the victory of the DMK-led front in the May 13 elections.
The DMK, which had been stating that it would be happy if the Lankan Tamils get separate Eelam, was now taking an explicit stand that it would work for Tamil Eelam, not to be outdone by the AIADMK and its allies.

AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa, who had been blowing hot and cold on the Lankan Tamils issue, in a major shift in her stand, had advocated separate Tamil Eelam to find a permanent solution to the ethnic crisis.

She said if people gave her front an overwhelming victory, she would even ensure that Indian army was sent to Sri Lanka to secure a separate home land for the Tamils.

Recalling how the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had sent Indian troops to East Pakistan to carve out Bangladesh, the AIADMK supremo promised the electorate that she would follow the same international law and send Indian army to Sri Lanka to get Eelam for the Tamils.

We are against Tamil Eelam : BJP

The BJP is opposed to separate Tamil Eelam and the party, on coming to power at the Centre, would ensure equal rights and privileges to the Lankan Tamils on par with their Sinhalese counterparts, party senior leader M Venkaiah Naidu said today.

Talking to newspersons, Mr Naidu, who is here in connection with electioneering, said the BJP, if voted to power at the Centre, would hold talks with the Sri Lankan government to find a solution to the vexed ethnic crisis.

The party would strive for securing equal rights and status to the Tamils on par with Sinhalese in Sri Lanka and ensure that the Tamils lead a dignified life in the island nation, he asserted.

The BJP, which was not in favour of separate Tamil Eelam, would support a solution to the ethnic crisis, within the framework of Sri Lanka, Mr Naidu said.

He said the people in Tamil Nadu were totally unhappy with both the DMK government in Tamil Nadu and the Congress-led UPA government at the centre for failing to protect the lives of the Lankan Tamils.

Mr Naidu said the Lankan government had been launching an offensive against the Tamils for the past five months, but the UPA government remained silent, despite a series of agitations in Tamil Nadu by various parties.

At this age of modern technology and communications, the DMK government was sending telegrams and observing bandhs to prevail upon the UPA government to act on the Lankan Tamils issue, he criticised

Voting is a must in Democracy: Abdul Kalam

Voting is a must in a democracy, says former president A P J Abdul Kalam who Thursday voted despite his busy schedule, shuttling from one corner of the country to another giving lectures and attending conferences.

``Sorry for the delay in coming late by an hour. I am coming from New Delhi. I voted at New Delhi constituency. My vote was in that constituency,`` Kalam told the people gathered for a function at software major Wipro's campus here.

``Thereafter, my flight got delayed by an hour,`` he smiled.
``Voting in democracy is a must. Voting is our right to choose our leaders. Instead of complaining about the country's ills, we should participate in the democratic process and choose the best leader,`` said Kalam.


On low voter turnout during the first three phases of the staggered Lok Sabha polls, Kalam said people complain that they had no choice.

``One 19-year-old girl told me that she was very excited to vote for the first time. But, she also expressed her apprehensions about whom to vote. But I think we have some good educated people who have contested the elections,`` said the 77-year-old who won the Bharat Ratna for his pioneering work in the field of science and missile technology.
``Thus, all should vote,`` he stressed.

Asked if he would like to take a plunge into politics, Kalam said good many people were already in politics.

Sonia Gandhi, Karunanidhi and Tirumavalavan !!!

Mr. M. Karunanidhi and Ms. Sonia Gandhi have a lot to answer about their alliance partner in Tamil Nadu, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (Liberation Panthers Party, or VCK) headed by Tirumavalavan, supported of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

Is this threesome a triangle, a tango or a tangle? Even a casual look at their stance on the issue of LTTE shows to what depths the Congress has sunk, for a few crumbs in the Lok Sabha. Karunanidhi, as is his wont, has maintained in recent times that the DMK and the Congress have similar secular and social justice ideologies, and that the DMK and the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi share similar ideology. Does this mean this is an equilateral triangle?

Actually, this does not reveal the equation between the Congress and the VCK. It should be uneasy, at least on the Sri Lankan issue, where the VCK is embarrassingly pro-LTTE while Congress, at least in public, condemns the LTTE. Yet it is also true that Ms. Priyanka Vadra secretly visited Nalini, convicted in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, in Vellore, ostensibly to make a pact on behalf of her mother with the LTTE. It seems that the Roman Catholic Sonia Gandhi is not averse to mixing politics with forgiveness for her husband’s murderers.

Three partners – Two forums
This strange equation, and Karunanidhi’s claim of unity amongst his alliance partners, bears closer scrutiny.

Tirumavalavan and a handful of equally nondescript leaders started an organisation called “Forum for the Protection of Lankan Tamils.” Not to be surpassed by an upstart like Tirumavalavan, M. Karunanidhi, champion chauvinist of world-wide Tamils, announced his own Forum to protect the Tamils of Sri Lanka. However, the Tamil Nadu Congress is not Tamil enough (or independent enough) to start a similar forum; neither did it announce its subscription to any of the Forums started by its allies in the State.

India leading Lankan Genocide
“It is India that is fighting the Sri Lankan Tamils. It is India that is in the forefront of the genocide of the Tamils” – Tirumavalavan.
It this startling view shared by the Congress and the DMK? A joint statement from both parties would have cleared the air for voters to decide. So far there is silence.

CIA, not LTTE, did it!
“Rajiv Gandhi was not assassinated by the LTTE, he was murdered by the CIA” –Tirumavalavan.

Does Congress believe and endorse this claim? Is this the reason for Sonia Gandhi trying to pardon her husband’s murderers who are languishing in jails for no fault of theirs (sic)? Is this the reasons for Priyanka’s secret visit to Vellore to meet Nalini to perhaps make a secret pact on behalf of her mother, as is being suggested in various quarters?

It is interesting that till this day, the location of their meeting, admitted on both sides, remains secret; the Vellore Jail authorities have denied that the meeting took place on the jail premises, and there has been a studied silence thereafter.

Neither forgive nor forget
Congress kept chanting: “We will neither forgive nor forget the murder of Rajiv Gandhi.”
Does this mean that Congressmen do not endorse their ally, Tirumavalavan’s assertion that it was not LTTE, but the CIA, which was behind Rajiv’s gruesome assassination? In that case, where does this leave the Jain Commission Report and its needles of suspicion that point awkwardly at unwanted times?

Lay down arms and surrender - Pranab
Mr. Pranab Mukherjee stated: “the LTTE should lay down its arms and surrender.” Does Tirumavalavan endorse his views?
On the contrary, Tirumavalavan said: “asking the LTTE to surrendering arms amounts to insulting the entire Tamil race.” So Congress has insulted the Tamils!
And what is Karunanidhi’s stand? Does he support the Congress or the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi?

Cheers. Vote for DML led congress Tiruma Alliance…
Congressmen routinely demanded the arrest of Tirumavalavan. DMK maintained a discrete silence. The VCK keeps growling. What alliance partners!
“The Indian Government should be put in the dock and the Tamils should punish it” – said the oracle Tirumavalavan. What an alliance partner!

We won’t tolerate burning of Sonia’s pictures - Karunanidhi
Does Congress approve of the burning of the photos of its leaders, Rajiv and Sonia, by the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi just before the countdown to this election? Why did the Tamil Nadu Congress chief scream that the party condemns this act and yet continue to have VCK in the alliance basket?

Mr. Karunanidhi thundered that he would not tolerate the burning of Sonia’s pictures. It now transpires that he was referring to the pro-LTTE advocates (affiliated to VCK) who went on a Sonia photo-burning spree recently in the Madras High Court premises, and NOT the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Party officials who burnt every Sonia picture in the city except the one the Governor has installed at Raj Bhavan.
Confused? Welcome to Tamil Nadu.

There is neither Anbu (love) nor Azhagu (beauty) in this statement
“The DMK is neither Pro nor Anti-LTTE.” This ‘brilliant’ statement was released by DMK’snaam-ke-vaaste Number 2, Anbazhagan. Does Congress believe this to be the DMK’s official stand on the LTTE? Where does this leave Tirumavalavan?

Why didn’t Congress and the DMK participate in the VCK rally in support of separate Tamil Eelam? It is the stated policy of the Government of India that New Delhi is opposed to a separate Tamil Eelam. Yet it is the UPA Tamil allies who daily chant Tamil Eelam. Mr. Karunanidhi would by now have promised to end his life a million times in his public speeches for this cause; sadly for the Tamils of Tamil Nadu, he is known not to act on his words.

Human chain with missing links
Why didn’t Congress rally behind the DMK’s human chain programme in support of Lankan Tamils (read LTTE), that brought Chennai traffic to a halt for more than 6 hours?
When Tirumavalavan announced his fast unto death and fasted for two days, he received no support from either of his alliance partners. What’s going on?

Handover Prabhakaran to India – Moily
Did Mr. Veerappa Moily obtain prior sanction from Tirumavalavan and Karunanidhi before stating that, “The Sri Lankan Government should handover Prabhakaran to India”?

“Moily’s wishes will not be granted” - was Tirumavalavan’s repartee to the demand. Great unanimity!

Thank you Congress - We will destroy you
Mr. Karunanidhi recently thanked the Centre for the steps it has taken on the Sri Lankan Tamil issue. The VCK in turn shrieked: “We will destroy the Congress.” It went on a rampage at the Congress headquarters in Chennai, smashing windows, furniture and a few Congressmen assembled there - because of economic recession!

Avoid Sonia : Karunanithi's Master Stroke

Anybody wondered why suddenly our CM was admitted in the hospital. He suppose to attend an election rally with Sonia today (Wednesday, 6th may 2009).

Considering all the factors of Srilankan problem and Indian government contribution especially Silent Sonia, the ONLY option avaialable was to avoid the joint rally with Sonia to reduce the public anger.




He achieved two in one benifit by getting admitted in the hospital. One he avoided the joint rally with Sonia and second Sonia herself cancelled her rally in TN.





Who thought Sonia would cancel her rally in last minute, But our political Chanakya would have expected.. thats the reason he is still there at Hospital !!!

Eelam Effect - Sonia cancels election rallies in TN

Congress President Sonia Gandhi's election rallies in Chennai and Puducherry were on Wednesday,6th May-2009 cancelled due to security reasons, police sources said.

Pro Sri Lankan Tamil organizations had announced that they would stage demonstrations against Gandhi's visit.

The UPA chairperson was originally scheduled to arrive here, go to Puducherry and fly back to Chennai to address a rally later in the afternoon in support of Congress and DMK candidates for the May 13 Lok Sabha polls.

While police sources said the rallies to be held on Wednesday have been postponed, no fresh date has been

TN Poll Pulse - DMK front on the backfoot

With just a week left for the fifth and final phase of the Lok Sabha elections, the DMK-Congress combine is on the backfoot in Tamil Nadu. An indisposed Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi is unlikely to share the dais with Congress president Sonia Gandhi at her rallies Wednesday.
DMK insiders admit the party is seriously handicapped.

The DMK, Congress, PMK and the Left parties fought the 2004 elections jointly and won all 39 seats in Tamil Nadu, dealing a humiliating blow to the AIADMK, which has vowed to hit back this time. Five years later, the tables have turned with the Left parties and the PMK aligning with the AIADMK.

According to DMK sources, Karunanidhi may address a rally live from his hospital bed or residence to avoid strain. Karunanidhi has so far addressed only one election meeting. He fell ill Sunday and is expected to be confined to the hospital for one or two more days.

According to police sources, Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul are set to address meetings in Chennai and in Puducherry Wednesday under heavy security. Virtually the entire Tamil Nadu political spectrum has accused the Congress of covertly aiding Sri Lanka's military offensive against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), which is outlawed in India.

Workers of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), a DMK ally and rabidly pro-LTTE, attacked their Congress counterparts at the latter's headquarters here a few months ago.
Congress workers are said to be working against VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan in Chidambaram constituency. The latter are returning the compliment in neighbouring Puducherry.

AIADMK leader Jayalalitha has termed the VCK presence in the Congress grouping "a strange alliance between sympathisers of the assassins of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and his widow".

Buttressed by the presence of the PMK, MDMK and the two main Left parties in its front, the AIADMK is confident of bagging a majority of the 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu -- and also Pudhucherry's lone seat.

Actor-turned-politician Vijaykant's DMDK is fighting on its own. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is unlikely to win any seat in Tamil Nadu.

The situation has clearly changed since December when the DMK-Congress combine won the Tirumangalam assembly by-election with a sizeable margin.

Support to UPA Govt not ruled out : Yechury

Although CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat had ruled out support to a Congress-led Government at the Centre, politburo senior member Sitaram Yechury on Monday said that the party's next step would be decided only after the Lok Sabha elections.

Yechury while addressing mediapersons said, "We will decide what will happen post-election, but right now our objective till the elections are over is the third alternative. However, we do not think the need to support a Congress-led Government will arise.

When asked about the Karat's comment, in Kolkata recently, that the Left would not provide support to a Congress-led coalition again, Yechury replied, "I do not know in what context he had said this. We will meet and decide what will happen post-election."

Yechury also said that the Congress leaders were saying after the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections that they would acquire support of the Left if the opportunity to form a Government appeared.

"But this is an admission of their realisation that they are not coming back to power. Our objective is to form a Third Front Government and we are confident about that Yechury added further.

Also when asked if the Left was proposed to support a Congress-led coalition minus Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister, he replied they were not concerned about individuals, but issues.

Vaiko's Email to Obama !!!

Marumalarchi DMK (MDMK) general secretary Vaiko has sought the intervention of US President Barack Obama and UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown to save the lives of thousands of Lankan Tamils from starvation.

In an Email to them, he urged the two leaders to take immediate steps to send food materials to the starving Tamils only through international agencies like the International Red Cross, without involving the Sri Lankan Government.

He said to hoodwink the international community, the Lankan Government had cunningly enacted a drama of telecasting the supply of food to very few Tamil people in select safe zones.

Mr Vaiko said the ''most shocking tragedy taking place in the island of Sri Lanka is that 3,50,000 Tamils are subjected to virtual starvation. Children, elderly people and women are dying without any food.'' ''The Sri Lankan Government headed by Mahinda Rajapaksa has diabolically determined to decimate Tamil people, subjecting them to total starvation,'' the MDMK leader alleged.

Ottavio Quattrochchi and Eelam !!!

Jayalalitha drew a parallel between India's letting off Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrochchi and the continued attacks on Tamils in Sri Lanka.

"Prime Minister Singh defended Quattrochchi being let off the hook saying 'one should not torture the weak'. Naturally, our suffering Tamil brethren in Sri Lanka are not (Congress president) Sonia Gandhi's compatriots and relatives from Italy to be treated nicely thus," she said.

AIADMK chief J Jayalalitha Monday reiterated her promise to create an independent state for Tamil minorities in Sri Lanka "the same way as (late prime minister) Indira Gandhi liberated Bangladesh".

Addressing an election meeting here, the former Tamil Nadu chief minister said: "If a (party or alliance) that heeds our demands comes to power at the centre, I assure you that I shall take steps to create a Tamil Eelam in the same way as Indira Gandhi liberated Bangladesh."
She also accused Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of turning India into a "Banana Republic" by aligning with the US.

"Manmohan Singh has turned India into a Banana Republic aligned with the global sinister designs of the US and its military and economic exploitation of the world," she said addressing a large crowd of supporters in this town, 200 km southwest of the state capital Chennai with a sizeable number of Muslims.

She criticised the US for its attacks against Muslim allies of India like Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan and its alleged support to the Sri Lankan government for the military offensive against Tamil Tiger rebels.

Congress - What a Secular Party !!!

Congress party claimed to be a true secular party. And they are telling the entire country that the only communal party is BJP. Here is the wonder !!!

How come the Congress accepting a party which had tie with BJP before?BJD was with BJP for more than 9 years and they are separate now.. Congress was telling BJD will support Congress government.

Now Congress saying JD(U) will support congress. JD(U) is the important ally for BJP and part of NDA. Where is the credibility of being secular party of Congress? If they are really and truly a secular parthy they must not accpet any party which had ally with BJP.

On Monday AICC spokesperson and junior Union home minister Shakeel Ahmad said that Congress will have no agreement with JD(U) until it snaps its ties with BJP.

This was contrary to the statement made by the Congress leader and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Sunday. She said that JD(U) might join Congress after the Lok Sabha elections.

Shakeel said that Congress would have no hostility with JD(U) if Chief Minister of Bihar Nitish Kumar continued to be with BJP. He said that Nitish kept silent when BJP announced that Gujrat Chief Minister Narendra Modi would be the BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate for 2014 Lok Sabha elections. "People of Bihar are very wise and they can well understand the political arithmetic of JD(U)," he said.

Ahmad also said that Congress would alone contest assembly elections in Bihar. No understanding with RJD will be there at any cost, he said.

Shakeel further said that CPM General Secretary Prakash Karat had recently said that the Left would not carry Congress's palanquin this time. Left leaders are also making objectionable statements and under these conditions Congress cannot think of continuing relations with them.
Ahmad refused the obligations that the UPA Government at the Centre was biased against the BJP-ruled states.

Congress is also yet another power hungry political party.. after all !!!

Vijayakant: Solo stunt in Tamil Nadu !!!

Tamil movie hero-turned-politician Vijaykant is known to have performed stunts in films without a duplicate. In these Lok Sabha polls too, he and his party DMDK are going solo. And all eyes are on the 56-year-old man known as 'Karuppu (Black) MGR'.

Political circles are debating the impact of the 'V' (Vijaykant) factor on their fortunes. Balloting will be held for all 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu May 13.

The DMDK is hoping to increase its vote share to 20 percent in this ballot, up from the 8.3 percent it got in the 2006 assembly elections, the DMDK's K. Pandiarajan told IANS.
Can Vijaykant repeat what hero-turned-politician M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) achieved in the 1970s and 1980s?

MGR, who founded the AIADMK in 1972, was the first Indian film hero to get elected as chief minister (in 1977), sowing political ambitions in several movie stars across the country.

However it was only N.T. Rama Rao (NTR) in Andhra Pradesh who was able to match MGR in floating a new party and capturing power.

Comparing Vijaykant with MGR, a leader of a national party said on condition of anonymity: 'Vijaykant is attracting MGR's vote base - Dalits, youth and the middle class. Today the middle class is divided among the DMK, the Congress and the AIADMK. The DMDK may get around 100,000 votes in each constituency. It will be interesting whose vote the DMDK would eat into - the DMK's or the AIADMK's.'

There are others who say Vijaykant cannot be compared with MGR -- as a movie star or even as a politician. According to them, MGR was the number one hero during his time and most of his movies were great hits. In contrast, Vijaykant, even at his peak, was ranked only after Rajnikanth and Kamal Haasan and not all his movies were blockbusters.
MGR used his movies not only to build an impeccable image for himself but also spread his political message even when he was in the DMK before he launched the AIADMK.

So strong was his appeal that when he was expelled from the DMK in 1972 for asking the party to make its accounts public, people believed him and voted him to power -- and he ruled for a decade until his death in 1987.

'In those days people were innocent. NTR was considered Vishnu's reincarnation after playing roles like Rama and Krishna. With the advent of satellite channels and the increase in literacy levels, it is very difficult to cultivate that kind of image,' said a political activist.

S. Thirunavukarasar, the BJP national secretary and a long time member of the AIADMK, told IANS: 'MGR was in a different era. When the AIADMK was floated by him, the DMK was the only major force in the state. The Congress didn't have a leader with mass appeal. Today there are several political parties.'

Congress MP E.N. Sudarsana Nachiappan said: 'Votes for Vijaykant are akin to invalid votes. Only in certain constituencies does his party have chances of getting something near 20 percent votes. The people of Tamil Nadu can differentiate between state and central elections.'

Echoing similar views, BJP Tamil Nadu unit president L. Ganesan said: 'He (Vijaykant) is trying to create an impression that he is the alternative to the DMK and the AIADMK. That is a farce.'

No entry for politicians !!!

Kangra (Himachal Pradesh): Residents of the rugged, inhospitable areas comprising more than 40 villages here have barred politicians from canvassing. They are boycotting the elections until they are assured that they won't be asked to move out of the Dhauladhar Wildlife Sanctuary.
"No entry for politicians", read banners of the Chhota Bhangal and Bara Bhangal panchayats having more than 10,000 voters in Kangra parliamentary constituency.

Residents of Swar village under the Chhota Bhangal panchayat said this was their last resort to draw the attention of authorities to their problems.

"The government is forcing us to move out of the Dhauladhar Wildlife Sanctuary... this is not possible. The decision (to rehabilitate villagers) would affect the livelihood of thousands of tribal people," Bhrigu Nath, village head, said.

"Till date no politician has dared to visit our area. We will also boycott the polls," he added.

The panchayats are part of the Dhauladhar Wildlife Sanctuary, which spreads over 944 sq km with altitudes above 3,000 metres.

"We have petitioned the government several times. Now, election is the best time to highlight our grievances," Bara Bhangal panchayat head Bhim Singh said.

He said after the notification of the sanctuary their entry into the forest had been banned and their local rights had come to an end.

"The government should come out with a proper rehabilitation plan," he added.
Congress sitting MP Chander Kumar, who is re-contesting the elections from Kangra, said: "We are aware of their problems. We will again try to delimitate the boundaries of the sanctuary to minimise rehabilitation of villagers."

Similarly, Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Rajan Sushant said: "Our government will come out with a proper rehabilitation plan for the affected villages. Arrangements would be made for generating employment opportunities for them."

Interestingly, the state's remotest polling station is also located in Bara Bhangal.
"Bara Bhangal is not accessible by road. It's the remotest polling station in the state. It is 65 km from the last village that is connected by road. Election material will be sent there either through porters or airlifted," Himachal Chief Electoral Officer Anil Khachi said.

"The polling exercise is a difficult task in the state as 43 polling stations are located at a distance of 10 km or more from the last place connected by road," he said.

The hill state has 2,257,310 women voters out of 4,604,832 in all. The highest number of voters - 1,199,820 - is in the Kangra parliamentary constituency, followed by Hamirpur (1,187,704), Mandi (1,111,787) and Shimla (1,105,521).

Polling for the four Lok Sabha seats in Himachal Pradesh - Shimla, Kangra, Mandi and Hamirpur - is scheduled for May 13.

No more shoes !!! Its Brick now !!!

Actor politician Karthik,founder of Nadalum Makkal Katchi (NMK), contesting from VirdhunagarLok Sabha constituency under the BJP-led front, escaped unhurt when a brick was hurled at him during his campaigning at Sennalkudi near here yesterday.

While addressing people at Sennalkudi, a man from the crowd threw a brick at him. He ducked and the brick missed him.

The people in the crowd chased the man and found that hewas an AIADMK supporter and handed him over to the police