Bal Thackeray open to Raj return in Shiv Sena

Mumbai: Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thackeray on Sunday doesn't rule out accepting estranged nephew Raj Thackeray back in the party but says Raj will need to take the first step. Speaking exclusively to CNN-IBN, Thackeray also touched upon many issues. Thackeray also admitted that Raj's exit has resulted in a split in the Marathi vote bank. He also added that a split in the Marathi vote bank is bound to...

Rahul Gandhi a risk worth taking in UP polls: Aiyar

New Delhi: Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar said that Rahul Gandhi has made Uttar Pradesh his 'special turf' and the party's heavy reliance on him in the Assembly polls there would prove to be a 'risk worth taking'. He said that it will not be the end of the road for Rahul Gandhi if the Congress does not perform well in the Assembly elections in the politically-crucial state of Uttar...

Jaitley demands Khurshid's resignation over quota remarks

The EC's letter has been forwarded by President Pratibha Patil to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. ...

Khurshid should not behave irresponsibly: CPM

Allahabad: Criticising Union Minister Salman Khurshid for his "defiant stance" against the Election Commission, CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat on Sunday said "people occupying responsible positions must not talk and behave irresponsibly". "We do not approve of Khurshid's defiant stance. He is a union minister and people occupying responsible posts must not talk and behave irresponsibly," Karat, who was here to address election meetings in support of candidates fielded by his...

Modi holds his last 'Sadbhavna fast' today

Ambaji: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is observing his final 'Sadbhavna Mission' fast at Ambaji in north Gujarat on Sunday. Modi, who has so far held 32 fasts under Sadbhavna Mission, has chosen the temple town of Ambaji to end the series of his day-long fasts. This fast is taking place just a day before a trial court takes up the SIT report which reportedly found no evidence to prosecute...

BJP demands Vilasrao Deshmukh's resignation

Mumbai: Coming down hard at former Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, BJP's State President Sudhir Mungantiwar in a press conference on Saturday claimed that Deshmukh had helped filmmaker Subhash Ghai acquire large tracts of land to build his film institute Whistling Woods International, so that his actor son Riteish Deshmukh could benefit from the favour. The High Court on Thursday directed Ghai to return the 20-acre land allotted to him....

BJP wants Bill on Telangana in budget session

Hyderabad: Alleging that Congress has been "deceiving" people on separate Telangana issue, BJP on Saturday said the UPA government should move a Bill on the formation of the state in the coming budget session of the Parliament. Addressing a public meeting organised at the Nizam College Grounds on the conclusion of 24-day 'Telangana Poru Yatra' (struggle for Telangana), former BJP President M Venkaiah Naidu said the Congress party should have...

Trinamool pursuing undemocratic policies: CPM

Kolkata: The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) on Saturday accused the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal of pursuing "undemocratic and anti-people" policies after it decided to revoke subsidies to the transport corporations. "What kind of a policy is this? It is not necessary that all corporations will have to make profit... but now the government is saying that they will not give any subsidies to the corporations,"...

Modi to hold his last Sadbhavna fast today

Ahmedabad: Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi will observe his final 'Sadbhavna Mission' fast at Ambaji in north Gujarat on Sunday. Modi, who has so far held 32 fasts under Sadbhavna Mission, has chosen the temple town of Ambaji to end the series of his day-long fasts. Modi's Sadbhavna Mission, which started from September 17 with a three-day fast in Ahmedabad after the Supreme Court declined to pass any order on...

'Gift' me 40 Lok Sabha seats: Jaya to partymen

Chennai: Setting her sights on carving out a larger role in national politics, AIADMK supremo and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Saturday asked her partymen to 'gift' her with all 40 Lok Sabha seats in the 2014 elections. "Winning all the 40 seats in the coming Lok Sabha polls would be the best present my dear partymen you can give me and I request you to start working...

Bihar: Parties differ over naming Kosi bridge

Patna: Differences continued to dog the political parties in Bihar over naming of the newly-constructed Kosi bridge giving new lifeline to Mithilanchal region. State Youth Congress president Lalan Kumar and former MP Ranjit Ranjan on Saturday said they would petition Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Surface Transport Minister C P Joshi soon to name it after veteran socialist leader B P Mandal. While Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vinodanand...

2G verdict: AG to advise PM on review petition

New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday met senior Cabinet members Kapil Sibal, Salman Khursheed, Pranab Mukherjee and P Chidambaram to chalk a way out of the 2G mess. It was a preliminary meeting to get a clear understanding of the judgment of the Supreme Court. Talking about the meeting, Union Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal said, "We had a presentation in which salient features of judgement were discussed. It...

J&K examgate: Omar keeps education to himself

Srinagar: In the latest development in the Jammu and Kashmir exam scandal, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has kept the Education ministry portfolio to himself. The move by the Chief Minister came after State education Minister Peerzada Sayeed sent in his resignation over the examgate scandal. Peerzada resigned on Friday following accusations that he used the state education department officials to help his son pass Class 10th board exams. However, Omar...

2G scam: PM to hold crucial meeting today

New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is expected to hold a crucial meeting with key Cabinet members on Saturday to find a way out of the 2G mess. Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal, Law Minister Salman Khursheed and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee would review the rules and guidelines to be applied for an auction of 2G spectrum. They will decide whether to cancel licences issued in 2008 under the NDA rule,...

Cong happy over resolution of Army chief's age row

New Delhi: Congress on Friday expressed happiness over the resolution of Army Chief Gen VK Singh's age row, saying the honour of the country and the armed forces was "uppermost". "As a citizen of the country, I am happy that government and army are working in consonance with each other. The honour of the country and the armed forces was uppermost", party spokesperson Renuka Chaudhary said. Asked about the Army...