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Sanjay Nirupam not yet a Congressman
by Pankaj Yadav

     New Delhi: Uncertainty prevails over Sanjay Nirupam's formal admission into the Congress. He resigned from the Shiv Sena more than a month back, and a couple of weeks ago he met Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Emerging out from his meeting with Sonia, Sanjay Nirupam had said that the meet was "very fruitful" and Sonia had given him a very positive response. But, since then there has been no word either from the Congress or the editor-turned-politician from Mumbai. Party's official spokesmen are ignorant of any development in this regard. Anand Sharma said, "I have absolutely no knowledge about this issue." Party insiders say that Sanjay Nirupam, who had resigned as Rajya Sabha member also after leaving the SS, is firm on his pre- condition that the party should give him the ticket for the RS poll which is slated to take place on April 20. On the other hand, many senior leaders are not in favour of such a move. They contend how could a person who till recently belonged to a party having an altogether opposite ideology get the party ticket immediately after his joining the party. Sanjay Nirupam, however, declined that he was being stubborn in asking for the party ticket for the RS poll. Speaking to ANI over cellphone from somewhere in the Capital, he said, "the poll was never an issue that came in my way of joining the Congress." When further asked why his joining the Congress was being delayed, he said, "no, it's not being delayed......every process has to be done step by step." A Congressman in-charge of the party's media cell said, "Sanjay has landed in a soup. He is demanding party ticket for the forthcoming RS polls.....how can he get the party ticket so easily immediately after joining the party."

Gyanendra promises municipal poll (Go To Top)

     Kathmandu: Nepal will hold municipal elections by April 2006 to activate the "democratic process", King Gyanendra has said, 10 weeks after he seized power. He made no mention of parliamentary elections or polls in rural areas, where most of the population live. The king's move has been criticised by opposition parties who accused him of "playing political games", the BBC quoted Gyanendra as saying. He seized power in February, saying it was necessary to tackle Nepal's Maoist insurgency and widespread corruption. On Monday, Nepal decided to allow United Nations staff into the country to stop human rights abuses. In a message marking the Nepali New Year, King Gyanendra said the security situation in the country had improved after the imposition of the state of emergency. "Everyone has experienced a steady improvement in the law and order situation due to the efficiency of our dedicated security forces," he said. As a result, he said that he had directed the Election Commission to conduct elections to over 50 municipalities. The king enjoys more support in urban areas than he does in the countryside. Opposition parties have criticised the king's move. "We do not support him in any of his political games," Jhala Nath Khanal, a senior leader of the Nepal Communist Party-United Marxist and Leninist party told the foreign news agency. The Nepali Congress party described the move as an "attempt by the king to ease pressure on himself". "With most of the leaders and activists in jail and no political environment how can there be elections?" spokesman Mahesh Acharya said.

Eleven killed in Baghdad twin bombing (Go To Top)

     Baghdad: At least 11 people were killed and 20 wounded in double suicide car bombs here today, an interior ministry source said. The source said the twin attack was against a convoy of an Iraqi highway protection force belonging to the interior ministry as it drove into the busy Jadriyah neighborhood in southeastern Baghdad.

Security threat closes US consulate in Karachi for third day (Go To Top)

     Karachi: US authorities kept the American consulate in Karachi shut for a third successive day today because of a security threat, officials said. US citizens were again advised to stay clear of the area around the consulate and the nearby Marriott hotel in Karachi, US officials and a statement on the consulate's website said. According to the Dawn, "Security personnel will continue to evaluate the situation on a day by day basis," Greggory Crouch, press attache at the US embassy in Islamabad, told foreign news agency. "We should know later this afternoon whether they plan to reopen the consulate on Friday."

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