Stop Aid to Sri Lanka : USA

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said that this is not an appropriate time to talk about International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) $2 billion loan to Sri Lanka.

After Britain, the US is the second country which appears to be opposing the massive loan from the IMF to Sri Lanka, which is currently under consideration.

“This is a very troubling humanitarian crisis, and we have been focused on it and trying to convince both sides to cease their hostilities. We have also raised questions about the IMF loan at this time,” Clinton told the State Department reporters.

“We think that it is not an appropriate time to consider that until there is a resolution of this conflict. And that’s what we’re focused on trying to help bring about,” Clinton said.

She was addressing a joint press conference with visiting Malaysian foreign minister Y.B. Datuk Anifah bin Haji Aman.

Observing that the US has been very clear in its statements — the most recent one by the President — that there needs to be a cessation of the hostilities and humanitarian relief to be provided to the people who are trapped in the fighting.

“We’ve called on both sides to cease their hostilities. And we’ve asked that both sides permit humanitarian relief to be delivered, and at the very least, a high-level humanitarian mission to make an assessment of what relief is necessary,” Clinton said.

Obama 'saddened' by Lankan humanitarian crisis !!!

It is unprecedented in the history of United States-Sri Lanka relations that a US President goes out on the South Lawn of the White House to make remarks expressing his deep concern over the humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka and berates both the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and the Sri Lankan government for their actions that have led to tens of thousands of innocent civilians being caught up in the cross-fire.

But that's exactly what President Barack Obama did on Wednesday when he said, "We have a humanitarian crisis that's taking place in Sri Lanka, and I've been increasingly saddened by the desperate news in recent days."

"Tens of thousands of innocent civilians are trapped between the warring government forces and the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka with no means of escape, little access to food, water, shelter and medicine. This has led to widespread suffering and the loss of hundreds if not thousands of lives," Obama added.

Obama warned, "Without urgent action, this humanitarian crisis could turn into a catastrophe," and implored that "now is the time, I believe, to put aside some of the political issues that are involved and to put the lives of the men and women and children who are innocently caught in the crossfire, to put them first."

Thus, he exhorted the "Tamil Tigers to lay down their arms and let civilians go," and condemned the LTTE's "forced recruitment of civilians and their use of civilians as human shields," describing it as "deplorable."

"These tactics will only serve to alienate all those who carry them out," he said.
Obama also called on the Sri Lankan government "to take several steps to alleviate this humanitarian crisis," and listed a laundry list of actions the government should take to assuage this grave situation.

"First, the government should stop the indiscriminate shelling that has taken hundreds of innocent lives, including several hospitals, and the government should live up to its commitment to not use heavy weapons in the conflict zone," Obama said.

"Second, the government should give United Nations humanitarian teams access to the civilians who are trapped between the warring parties so they can receive the immediate assistance necessary to save lives," Obama also said.

"Third, the Lankan government should also allow UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross access to nearly 1,90,000 displaced people within Sri Lanka so that they can receive additional support that they need," Obama added.

The US President said that "the United States stands ready to work with the international community to support the people of Sri Lanka in this time of suffering. I don't believe that we can delay. Now is the time for all of us to work together to avert further humanitarian suffering."
Obama asserted that "going forward Sri Lanka must seek a peace that is secure and lasting, and grounded in respect for all of its citizens," and reiterated that "more civilian casualties and inadequate care for those caught in resettlement camps will only make it more difficult to achieve the peace that the people of Sri Lanka deserve."

The US President remarks followed a day after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and visiting British Secretary David Miliband met at the State Department, where the situation in Sri Lanka was a major agenda item. In their discussions and at the end of their meeting they issued a joint statement on the humanitarian situation in the island nation expressing "their profound concern about the humanitarian crisis in northern Sri Lanka caused by the ongoing hostilities."

Much of the their joint statement was reflected in Obama remarks and sources acknowledged that Clinton had urged the President to reiterate these concerns from the bully pulpit of the White House so that both the Tigers and the Sri Lankans "would get the message loud and clear."

Obama's remarks also came two days after several hundred expatriate Tamils from all across the US held a day-long demonstration on Lafayette Park, opposite the White House and implored Obama to send US forces to stop the Sri Lankan government troops from indiscriminately killing innocent Tamil civilians.

A spokesman for the protestors, Elias Jeyarajah declared, "This is pure and simply genocide. We are asking the Obama administration to intervene to save the Tamils of Sri Lanka by sending its army there."

He said the Sri Lankan government of President Mahinda Rajapakse ,"has abdicated its responsibility to protect its Tamil citizens."

Breach of Rules of Natural Justice: High Court Panel !!!

The Uttar Pradesh government had no "sufficient cause" to detain BJP's Varun Gandhi under the National Security Act (NSA), a high court panel has stated, citing a flawed detention order and "breach of rules of natural justice".

The High Court Advisory Board that has to approve every detention under NSA has given a stinging rebuttal of the poor investigation and shabbily prepared chargesheet against Varun Gandhi, who is the Bharatiya Janata Party's candidate in Pilibhit and was slapped with NSA for his allegedly incendiary campaign speeches.

The NSA was revoked on May 8 following the recommendation of the judicial panel, which gave a 13-page confidential report signed by its three members - it is headed by Justice Pradeep Kant and comprises two retired high court judges S.N. Sahai and P.K. Sareen.

Stating that there was "no sufficient cause" for detention of Varun Gandhi under NSA, the report stated: "The detention order stands vitiated due to non-application of mind and breach of rules of natural justice and acting fairly on the part of the detaining authority..."

The panel, the ultimate statutory authority on the NSA, expressed surprise that the concerned authorities had overlooked and ignored fundamental principles of natural justice while dealing with the case and wondered how the FIR (first information report) could have been lodged at the behest of the district magistrate who had also issued the formal NSA order.

"The district magistrate has used his own FIRs and allegations made therein for the purpose of arriving at his subjective satisfaction in this case. This raises a question of bias and legal malafides. It is a settled rule of natural justice that no person can be judge in his own cause."

Pointing to another flaw, it said: "The detaining authority has also overlooked the fact that the detenu had already been admitted to jail at 2.30 p.m. on March 28,2009, while the alleged incident of violence took place at the jail gates at 2.45 p.m., which was evident from the contents of the FIR itself. There was also no allegation of any role of the detenu in the said incident."

Varun Gandhi was arrested March 28, but charged with provisions under the stringent NSA the next day as his arrest came amid violence by his supporters who clashed with police. He was initially lodged in Pilibhit jail but moved to Etah jail for security reasons.

The report also questions the role of the district magistrate with respect to the hate speech delivered by Varun Gandhi in Pilibhit's Barkhera constituency on March 7.
Referring to a CD showing Varun Gandhi making the inflammatory speeches, the report said it was not produced before the "detention authority, nor has the same been furnished to the detenu".

"The detention order thus stands vitiated on account of the failure to place the CD for consideration..."

According to legal experts, Varun Gandhi would not have been let off had the state police carried out its task properly.

"The top bosses of the police and home department were solely responsible for letting Varun go scot free. After all, the whole case was being monitored by people at the highest level where they needed to have done a foolproof job," former state advocate general Virendra Bhatia told IANS.

Suspecting a political conspiracy, Varun Gandhi's key opponent and Pilibhit's Congress nominee V.M. Singh added: "The poorly drafted NSA case against Varun Gandhi was more than proof to establish an underhand deal between the BJP and the BSP..."

"The Mayawati administration's idea must have been to first make Varun a Hindutva hero and then try to woo Muslims for the BSP by claiming how firm her administration had been in dealing with an anti-Muslim insolent brat and at the same time preparing a weak case so as to get him easy reprieve," he added.

Battle of ballots in Tamil Nadu tomorrow !!!

An estimated 41.3 million voters, including 20.6 million women, are expected to cast their ballots tomorrow to decide the fate of 824 candidates contesting for the 39 Lok Sabha constituencies in Tamil Nadu.

Polling would be held from 0700 to 1700 hrs in 52,175 booths across the State.
The Election Commission had identified 4,043 as hyper-sensitive and 16,938 as sensitive and installed 15,424 cameras in these stations to ensure free and fair polling.

As many as 7,115 Micro Observers would be deputed in the hyper-sensitive and sensitive booths. Paramilitary forces would also be deployed in hyper-sensitive booths.
In all, one lakh personnel, including about 13,000 paramilitary forces (133 companies), would be deployed on security duty to ensure free and fair polling.

Besides, 58,257 State police personnel, 20,000 ex-servicemen, 8,000 Home Guards and 1,000 retired police personnel would be deployed on security duty.

Among those who would be testing their electoral fortunes in the single phase polls in the State include Union Ministers P Chidambaram (Sivaganga), E V K S Elangovan (Erode), T R Baalu (Sriperumbudur), A Raja (Nilgiris-R), Manishankar Aiyar (Mayiladuthurai), S S Palanimanickam (Thanjavur) and R Velu (Arakkonam).

Also in the fray were former Union Ministers Dayanidhi Maran (Central Chennai), Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president M Karunanidhi's son M K Azhagiri (Madurai), who is making his electoral debut, former Union Minister A K Moorthy (Sriperumbudur), TNCC president K V Thangkabalu (Salem), former TNCC president M Krishnasamy (Aarni), MDMK General Secretary Vaiko (Virudhunagar), VCK Leader Thol Thirumavalavan (Chidambaram-R), CPI State Secretary D Pandian (North Chennai) and BJP State president L Ganesan (South Chennai).

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."

Waitl till Afzal Guru's turn comes for hanging: Rahul

With the BJP often attacking the UPA government on alleged delay in executing Parliament attack death row convict Afzal Guru, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today said he will be hanged when his turn comes.

"The Parliament attack accused is twenty second on the list (those who are to be hanged for various crimes). There is a huge line and there are others before him. When his number (turn) comes, he will be hanged," Gandhi told`an election rally here this evening.

The 38-year-old Nehru-Gandhi scion defended the UPA government's policies on tackling terrorism and lashed out at BJP, which accuses Congress of being inept in handling the scourge, for bowing before the terrorists.

"Whose creation is Afzal Guru? Who sent him (to carry out terror act)? It was Masood Azhar, the top terrorist who was in jail but was released by BJP-led NDA government," he said.

Azam Khan is an Anti-Party Element : Mulayam

After maintaining studied silence on the Amar Singh-Azam Khan spat that brought the bitter infighting within the Samajwadi Party (SP) to the fore, party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav Saturday said "Khan was weakening the roots of our party".

At an rally here, the SP chief trained his guns at his one-time closest lieutenant Khan for Friday declaring war against Amar Singh, the party general secretary and Mulayam's Man Friday.

"Azam Khan was weakening the roots of our party and what he has been doing clearly falls in the caregory of anti-party activity," Mulayam Singh told the rally at Swar town, about 30 km from the Rampur district headquarters.

Mulayam Singh's open attack on Khan made it amply evident that he had eventually made up his choice between his two close lieutenants. He also made no secret of his decision to side with Amar Singh, who Friday issued yet another veiled threat to quit the party if Khan was allowed to go scot free.

Speaking about the candidature of film actress-turned-politician Jaya Prada, which is at the root of the virtual street fight betwen Khan and Amar Singh, the SP chief said: "What Azam Khan seems to overlook is the fact that Jaya Prada had been awarded the party ticket by me, and that too, after Azam Khan himself recommended her name."

"I wonder if some kind of jealousy was at the root of the ongoing trouble because the fact remains that Azam Khan was earlier all for Jaya, for whom he had campaigned aggressively during the last elections, when she won from here."

Much of Mulayam Singh's 40-minute address was devoted to the bitter Amar-Azam feud.
"I never speak so long at any election rally but because I need to apprise people of many facts, I was compelled to make such a long speech," he said.

Amar Singh, however, kept himself away from Rampur on a day when Mulayam Singh campaigned here.

However, Jaya Prada went about harping on the beaten track - highlighting how pained she was on account of Khan's tirade against her.

"I have always regarded him as an elder brother," she maintained, adding: "I am really agonised to find that the hand to which I gave my bouquet was throwing brickbats at me."

Mulayam Singh's open tirade against Khan gave rise to speculation that Khan may exit the SP to join the Congress.

The proximity between Khan and the Congress became visible for the first time when Congress nominee Begum Noor Bano, with whom Khan could not see eye to eye until not very long ago, called on the latter's hospitalised supporters, who were allegedly beaten up by Amar Singh's men in a recent clash.

Urgent international scrutiny needed in Sri Lanka: UN rights experts !!!

A group of independent United Nations experts today called on the Human Rights Council to urgently set up an international inquiry to address the “critical” situation in Sri Lanka amid fighting between the army and Tamil rebels.

“There is an urgent need to establish an international commission of inquiry to document the events of recent months and to monitor ongoing developments,” the experts dealing with summary executions, right to health, right to food and water and sanitation said in a joint statement issued in Geneva.

Philip Alston, Anand Grover, Olivier De Schutter and Catarina de Albuquerque said the current humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka gives cause for deep concern, not only in terms of the number of civilians who have been and continue to be killed, but because of a dramatic lack of transparency and accountability.

“There is good reason to believe that thousands of civilians have been killed in the past three months alone, and yet the Sri Lankan Government has yet to account for the casualties, or to provide access to the war zone for journalists and humanitarian monitors of any type,” said Mr. Alston, the UN expert on summary executions.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says over 196,000 people have fled the conflict zone, a shrinking pocket of land on the north-east coastline, where clashes continue between Government troops and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), while at least 50,000 people are still trapped there.

The experts stressed that “continuing catastrophic situation of civilians” in Sri Lanka trapped in the midst of the fighting, in an area measuring less than 10 square kilometres, must be immediately addressed.

“These civilians do not have sufficient access to food, essential medical supplies or services and safe water and sanitation. Even if they do escape death or injury at the hands of the hostile parties, their continued presence in this area without access to these basic rights is an effective death sentence,” declared the experts.

They said shipments of food and medicine to the so-called 'no-fire zone' have been “grossly insufficient” over the past month and the Government has reportedly delayed or denied timely shipment of life saving medicines as well as chlorine tablets.

The experts noted that as a result of the “blackout on independent information sources,” it is impossible to verify any of the Government's claims as to the number of casualties to date or as to the steps that it says it is taking in order to minimize the further killing of innocent civilians, and ensure aid delivery.

“When people manage to escape, they reportedly continue to face scant supplies, entirely insufficient access to adequate medical treatment and severely overcrowded hospitals, providing no relief to the horrors they had been living,” said Mr. Grover, the UN expert on the right to health.

Mr. De Schutter, the UN expert on the right to food, added that access to food has also been hampered by arduous and lengthy registration procedures for the internally displaced persons (IDPs).

Meanwhile, Ms. de Albuquerque, the UN expert on water and sanitation, voiced concern about “water shortages reported at Omanthai and at most of the transit sites as well as inadequate sanitation facilities, which put the health and lives of the population at further risk.”

The group called on the Sri Lankan Government to provide “convincing evidence” to the international community that it is respecting its obligations under human rights and international humanitarian law.

They added that it is clear that the LTTE, for its part, has acted in “flagrant violation” of the applicable norms by preventing civilians from leaving the conflict area and having reportedly shot and killed those trying to flee.

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?

I will quit SP: Amar Singh

In an ultimatum to party president Mulayam Singh Yadav over the Azam Khan issue, Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh has threatened to quit the party after the Lok Sabha polls, accusing the Muslim leader of making "intolerable utterances" against him.

Singh said he would decide over continuing in the party after the end of the final phase of polls, referring to Yadav's statement that party mein rehna hai to Azam Khan ko khush rakhna hai (If you want to remain in the party, you will have to keep Azam Khan happy).

"Azam Khan is a favourite of Mulayam Singhji and in spite of his (Khan) intolerable utterances against me, I was being asked to keep silent," Singh said, addressing a public meeting in Rampur, 250 km from Lucknow , on Thursday.

Singh said he is expecting a shoe as a "gift" from his estranged party colleague Azam Khan, claiming he (Khan) must have readied one by now.

At the meeting in support of party candidate Jayaprada, Singh said, "I am waiting for a shoe from Mr Azam Khan. I sincerely invite him to come forward and hand me over the shoe, which he is supposed to have readied by now."

"I am impatiently waiting for the moment when Mr Khan will implement his plan out of proportion to insult me," he said angrily.

"If a shoe comes from Khan, I would first decorate this precious gift and then place it in a museum," he said.

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.

Jaya set to return with a bang !!!

Tamil Nadu has a history of alternately handing the seat of power to the two main Dravidian parties, the DMK and the AIADMK. And it should not come as a surprise if history repeats itself this time as well.

The state of 39 constituencies and the lone seat in neighbouring Puducherry go to polls in the last phase on May 13.

The opposition AIADMK had drawn a blank in 2004 in the face of a strong DMK combine that included the Congress, CPI, CPM, MDMK, IUML and the PMK, but this time the tide has turned with the CPI, CPM, MDMK and the PMK, who had bagged 14 seats between them the last time, switching sides and giving Jayalalithaa's party the decisive edge.

Party chief M Karunanidhi's ailment is adding to the DMK's woes. The chief minister is reportedly undergoing treatment for a kidney infection and has been advised against venturing out to campaign.

If the searing summer heat was not enough, the election commission clampdown on banners, posters, graffiti and public rallies after 10 pm has taken the colour out of campaigning and most candidates are seen holding road shows. The Sri Lankan Tamil issue has dominated campaigning, especially with LTTE chief cornered in a four-km stretch and thousands of civilians caught in the crossfire. The MDMK and the PMK are known sympathisers of the LTTE and with the AIADMK and Left parties toeing their line, the opposition alliance has gained an edge over the Congress-DMK combine.

The DMDK of actor-politician Vijayakant, who is dubbed the "dark MGR" because of his attempts to imitate former Tamil actor and CM in reel as well as real life, is contesting all 40 seats and could play spoilsport in at least a few.

"He has adopted a business model and told his candidates that whatever they spend this election is an investment. The party wants to increase its vote share from the current 8% to about 10%. The idea is that a higher vote share will translate into assembly seats. The winning candidates will be rewarded suitably then," party sources said.

With a week to go for polling, the balance seems to be in favour of the AIADMK alliance. The five-party coalition is expected to win at least 25 seats.

Issues:
Price rise, corruption, lawlessness, terrorism, nepotism, misuse of official machinery, unemployment, acute shortage of power and water, the impact of economic recession, especially on the garment industry in Tirupur, and the plight of Lankan Tamils. There are allegations of gross misuse of money power in the form of grants to temple festivals and exchangeable tokens to women voters. Cases have been registered against DMK cadres for giving Rs500 each to voters in Madurai, where Karunanidhi's son MK Azhagiri is making his Lok Sabha election debut.
Delimitation fallout:
Thirteen constituencies have been scrapped and 13 new created but the number of seats in Tamil Nadu remains 39. DMK and Congress candidates have lost four seats each, while the MDMK and the PMK have had to give up two each. The Congress' EVKS Elangovan has moved to Erode from Gobichettipalayam and JH Haroon Rashid has move to Theni from Periyakulam. The PMK's AK Moorthy will contest from Sriperumbudur instead of Chengalpattu.

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.