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Hooda sworn in Haryana CM

     Chandigarh: Senior Congress and Jat leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda was on Saturday sworn in as the new chief minister of Haryana in the presence of several dignitaries,including one of rival contenders for the post, Bhajan Lal. Hooda was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Haryana Governor A R Kidwai. Hooda's election as chief minister came a day afetr 47 of the 67 state MLAs selected him as the leader of the Haryana Congress Legislature Party (HCLP), controversially bypassing veteran Congress leader Bhajan Lal. Of the 47, 23 were Jat MLAs, certifying the fact that caste equations had come into play for the final choice. Bhajan Lal, however, opted to bow down to the wishes of the central Congress leadership after initially expressing his disappointment at being sidelined. He decided to extend complete support to the new government headed by Hooda after the latter met him at his residence today and sought his cooperation. "There is no point being angry anymore. Congress is one family and I will be there to aid and advise them. They have my blessings," Bhajan Lal said.

      Shortly before being sworn in as Haryana Chief Minister, Hooda said his top priorities would be to solve the vexed SYL Canal issue, improving the law and order situation and providing a clean administration in the state. "The jungle raj which had flourished during the INLD regime of Om Prakash Chautala would be tackled on priority," Hooda said. Terming the SYL canal as "lifeline" for the people of Haryana, he said his government would take steps for its early completion." "The Supreme Court has already given a ruling in our favour and construction of the canal's portion in Punjab will have to be done sooner or later," Hooda said. Asked if his government would launch a campaign to weed out corruption on "Punjab pattern", he said, "We are committed to bring to book those who have violated rules and amassed ill- gotten wealth. However, we do not believe in taking political revenge and the cases will be taken up on merit" Earlier in the day, Bhajan Lal made peace with the party high command. "I kept up pressure till the end. Any fight can be fought up to a limit, and in any contest, one of the two was bound to get humbled," he told reporters, making a somersault from his yesterday's rebellious mood, which resulted in the boycott by him and his supporting MLAs of the CLP meeting. He said the high command had "rejected" his resignation as PCC president given in a huff over the election of Hooda. He said Congress President Sonia Gandhi has told him that the PCC chief's post was bigger than that of the chief minister.

     Giving indications of 'letting bygones be bygones' after Hooda called on him this morning to "seek his blessings", Lal said there was no question of him leaving the Congress or weakening it. "Has anyone beaten up my father?" he retorted when asked whether his grievances with the party high command were over. "A child cries when it wants something" was the way in which he tried to justify the boycott and subsequent resignation. Asked if he would accept a berth in the Union Cabinet, he said, "I will abide by the decision of the High Command." To a query whether his son Chandra Mohan was being made Deputy Chief Minister, he said he has no information, but insisted that his supporters should join the ministry to help it function smoothly.

Soren told to prove majority by March 15 (Go To Top)

     Ranchi: Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Shibu Soren was Saturday told that he would have to seek a vote of confidence in the Jharkhand state Assembly on March 15. The Governor of Jharkhand, Syed Sibtey Razi, is believed to have conveyed this message to Soren. Informed sources were quoted as saying that the assembly session would begin on March 10 with the appointment of Pro-Tem Speaker followed by members taking oath. The new Speaker will be elected on March 11. This will be followed by governor's address on March 14. The decision to hold the vote of confidence on March 15 follows a high-level meeting called by Governor Syed Sibtey Razi to finalise a date for the trial of strength. The meeting was boycotted by NDA, which insisted that the constitutional process in the state had been violated Razi. "The NDA has decided that it will not attend the Governor's meeting as he has murdered democracy," said Babulal Marandi, BJP leader. The move to convene the state assembly session comes a day after Razi met President APJ Abdul Kalam in New Delhi and said that he will reduce the time frame for the Soren government to prove its majority. Meanwhile, the Jharkhand BJP legislature party leader Arjun Munda criticised the meeting. The BJP has demanded the resignation of the governor. After parading its MLAs from Jharkhand before President APJ Abdul Kalam, the BJP has now herded them to safer pastures in Jaipur. All the MLAs will be staying at the Sunrise resort where two weeks back MLAs from Goa had also found refuge. The journey from Delhi to Jaipur began on a musical note, pledging loyalty to the party. Arjun Munda and his flock were accompanied by trusted lieutenants of the BJP, including Dushyant Singh, the son of Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. The key to another BJP government in Jharkhand is in the hands of five independent MLAs, who were missing from the group. They have reportedly been taken to Sariska under the care of senior BJP leaders.

With Lalu beside her, Rabri stakes claim (Go To Top)

     Patna: The caretaker Chief Minister of Bihar, Rabri Devi today called on Bihar Governor Buta Singh and formally staked claim to form the next RJD government in the state. Rabri was accompanied by her husband and RJD chief Lalu Yadav, besides other party leaders. The RJD has 75 MLAs in the 243- member Bihar assembly. None of the three combinations in Bihar--RJD-Left, the LJP-SP enjoying support of the CPI (ML) and the BJP-JD (U) - are anywhere near the magic figure of 122 to form the government in Bihar. On Thursday, Lalu Prasad Yadav, national president of RJD, held a series of meetings with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and other UPA leaders in his effort to install a ministry led by his party. He also met NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and called up Left leaders H S Surjeet and A B Bardhan, who are currently in Pakistan. Now with his hands tied after the misadventure of Jharkhand, Governor Buta Singh is maintaining silence and activities are taking place through the back channels. Both the groups NDA and UPA are trying to lure Paswan into their fold. Paswan's MLAs are reportedly in favour of joining hands with JD (U) with outside support from BJP. RJD has already elected Rabri Devi as its leader and has received the Congress letter of support to the RJD, which came despite of the opposition by the state unit of the Congress. Lalu has also claimed to have received separate letters of support from the two-member BSP, three MLAs of the NCP and one of the CPI-M to form the government. However, the seven CPI (ML) MLAs met the Governor and submitted a memorandum asking him not to allow the RJD to form the government. RJD has now the support of 94 MLAs, still 27 short of the magic figure of 122 in the 243-member state assembly. The BJP-JD (U) alliance on the other hand has 92 MLAs.

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