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Indian political leaders to visit Nepal

     New Delhi: A high-level delegation of political parties led by CPI(M) Politburo member Sitaram Yechury is going on a three-day visit to Nepal today to assess the situation there. It is for the first time, any such delegation from India is visiting Nepal, since King Gyanendra dissolved the Parliament there and imposed emergency eight months ago. Sher Bahadur Deuba government was dismissed and emergency was imposed in Nepal on February 1. The delegation has been invited by the seven-party alliance of major Nepalese parties for restoration of democracy, Yechury told the media persons on Monday.

     The five-member delegation comprising Chandra Sekhar Sahu (Congress), D Raja (Communist Party of India), Surendra Mohan Janata dal(Secular) and D P Tripathi (Nationalist Congress Party) would represent a nine-party umbrella body 'Nepal Democracy Solidarity Committee (India)', which campaigned regularly, for the global support in favour of immediate restoration of multi- party democracy in the Nepal. The committee, which was fprmed to support and show solidarity with the agitation of the seven Nepalese political parties, soon after the King of Indian neighbour imposed emergency and arrested large number of political leaders, includes Congress, CPI(M), CPI, NCP, Forward Bloc, RSP, CPI(ML) Liberation, Samajwadi Janata Party, JD(S) and the socialist front. Harkishan Singh Surjeet is its chairman and Tripathi the secretary. Nepal Democracy Solidarity Committee (India) also has asked the Congress-led government in India to stop arms supply to Nepal and not do anything that would legitimize the 'authoritarianism' of the king. The Napalese leaders who have extended the invitation to the Indian delegation include former prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala and Communist leader Madhav Kumar Nepal.

Notification for second phase of Bihar polls  (Go To Top)
by Ajay Kumar

     Patna: Bihar Governor Buta Singh on Wednesday issued the notification for the second phase of polling in the State Assembly elections in which 69 constituencies will vote on October 26. Twelve districts, namely Bhagalpur, Munger, Lakhisarai, Sheikhpura, Begusarai, Khagaria, Araria, Katihar, Purnea, Vaishali, Muzaffarpur and Samastipur will go to polls in the second phase. The issuing of notification has started the process for the second phase of the four-phased assembly elections. The process of filing of nominations for the second phase has begun and will conclude on October five. Scrutiny will take place on October 6, while October 8 is the last date for withdrawal of nominations. The notification for the other two phases, which would be held on November 13 and 19, would be issued on October 19 and 26. Counting of votes in all the constituencies will be taken up on November 22, and date before which election process shall be completed will be November 23. Holding the elections in four phases was decided by the Election Commission in the wake of security of voters, candidates, polling personnel, and to ensure enough Electronic Voting Machines (EVM). Meanwhile, this time the Assembly Elections are going to showcase a triangular fight between National Democratic Alliance and United Progressive Alliances two factions.

     The RJD has said that it will contest 177 of the 243 seats, while the Congress will contest 51. The CPI (M) and the NCP will contest nine and eight seats respectively. In the opposition camp, the Janata Dal (United) has sannounced that it will contest in 141 seats, while the BJP will contest in 102 seats. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), a key member of the ruling coalition in the Centre, has ruled Bihar for 15 years before State polls in February ended its stint in power. In the month of March, following a week-long impasse over Government formation in Bihar in the wake of the polls throwing up a hung Assembly, Governor Buta Singh had recommended to the Centre the imposition of President's rule in the state. The recommendation came within hours of the Governor had meeting with the Lok Janshakti Party leader Ramvilas Paswan, whose 29 members of Legislative Assembly held the key to government formation. The Governor recommended President's rule after Paswan stuck to his stand of not supporting either the Rashtriya Janata Dal or the National Democratic Alliance, the two main contenders for power. Since neither the RJD-led alliance nor the NDA had come forward with the support of 122 MLAs required for majority, the Governor recommended imposition of President's rule under Article 356 of the Constitution to end the political uncertainty. On March 7, 2005 the President A P J Abdul Kalam gave his assent to the imposition of President's rule in Bihar.

Escorts Heart 90 pc stake sold to Fortis (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: Escorts has sold 90 percent stake in its heart institute to Ranbaxy-controlled Fortis Health Care for a whopping Rs 585 crore, said Escorts group Chairman Rajan Nanda here. "We have sold 90 per cent equity in Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre (EHIRC) to Fortis on a total valuation of Rs 650 crore. We are getting Rs 585 crore in the all cash deal," said Nanda. He said that the deal was important, as it would provide Escorts with some fund to help in its business restructuring and overcome its liquidity and debt repayment problems. He further said that Fortis had the option to buy the remaining 10 per cent equity. "This takes care of quite some of our problems...It gets Escorts all the liquidity needed to build the business," Nanda said. Incidentally the deal comes amidst stiff resistance from Rajan's younger brother Anil, who moved the Delhi High Court today to prevent the deal.

Agreements with India 'still in force': Iran  (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: Iran today said that all agreements with India including the LNG and gas pipelines projects were "still in force" and said that Tehran would not judge a friend like New Delhi by a "single action". The Iranian Embassy today released a statement to clear the air following its statements earlier that it would review its economic ties with all the 22 countries, which voted against its nuclear programme. Quoting Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani, the statement said he described India as a "friend" but did not expect India to vote with the resolution at the IAEA.

Sheikh Hasina Wajed arrives (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: Bangladesh Opposition leader and former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed arrived here on Wednesday on a five-day visit to India. Hasina who refused to divulge her plans regarding her meetings with the Indian leadership here, said that she will pay her respects at holy shrine at Ajmer. "I will tell you more of it when I meet them. But, I will go the Ajmer Sherif, and will pray there at the shrine of Khwaja Baba. This is my plan," said Sheikh Hasina, who turned 59 today. Hasina is the eldest daughter of Bangladesh's founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who steered the former East Pakistan to independence in 1971 but faced an inglorious death in a coup four years later. Mujib, along with most of his family members, was killed in the nation's first army coup on August 15, 1975, while he was serving as Prime Minister. His daughters Hasina, and her sister Sheikh Rehana, survived the coup, as they were abroad on that fateful night. Hasina later became the Prime Minister in 1996, but lost the 2001 polls to incumbent Bangladesh Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia.