Deshmukh removed, Chavan likely to be new CM
Putting an end to all speculations, Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh was removed from his chair tonight. State Industry Minister Ashok Chavan is likely to become the next chief minister of the state.
Defence Minister AK Antony, who is in charge of the Congress party’s Maharashtra affairs, informed that Deshmukh has been asked to step down. Antony, along with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, will go to Mumbai tomorrow as observers to attend the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting, which will be held to elect the next chief minister.
Antony today held consultations with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief and Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar in Delhi on the possible change of guard in Maharashtra. Pawar has already forced his party nominee RR Patil to resign from the deputy chief minister’s post after the three-day terror strikes on Mumbai last week exposed serious security lapses in the state.
Putting an end to all speculations, Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh was removed from his chair tonight. State Industry Minister Ashok Chavan is likely to become the next chief minister of the state.
Defence Minister AK Antony, who is in charge of the Congress party’s Maharashtra affairs, informed that Deshmukh has been asked to step down. Antony, along with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, will go to Mumbai tomorrow as observers to attend the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting, which will be held to elect the next chief minister.
Antony today held consultations with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief and Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar in Delhi on the possible change of guard in Maharashtra. Pawar has already forced his party nominee RR Patil to resign from the deputy chief minister’s post after the three-day terror strikes on Mumbai last week exposed serious security lapses in the state.
Rice: US won't prefer another Indo-Pak war
As the Manmohan Singh government kept its options open to take “whatever necessary action required to protect the integrity and security of India”, visiting US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice indicated that the US would not prefer to see another war between India and Pakistan.
When asked if the US would support India’s military strike on Pakistan to dismantle its terror logistics,
Rice replied, “any response needs to be judged by its effectiveness. It should not create other unintended problems”.
As the Manmohan Singh government kept its options open to take “whatever necessary action required to protect the integrity and security of India”, visiting US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice indicated that the US would not prefer to see another war between India and Pakistan.
When asked if the US would support India’s military strike on Pakistan to dismantle its terror logistics,
Rice replied, “any response needs to be judged by its effectiveness. It should not create other unintended problems”.
India, Russia to ink N-deal tomorrow
India and Russia are expected to sign a nuclear deal for the construction of four additional reactors at Kudankulam nuclear power plant and expansion of other sites during Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s three-day visit to New Delhi beginning tomorrow, a top official has said.
“We plan to sign on Friday an inter-governmental agreement with India to build another four reactors for the Kudankulam nuclear power plant, and envisaging cooperation at new sites,” Russian Nuclear Energy Corporation (RosAtom) CEO Sergei Kiriyenko was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti.
LeT chief denies role in Mumbai attacks
The founder of terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Tayyeba, Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, a fugitive wanted by India for his involvement in many terror attacks, has said he cannot be extradited since he has never been convicted either in India or Pakistan.
Saeed, whose name figures in the list of 20 fugitives wanted by India from Pakistan after the Mumbai attacks, has termed the demand for his head as a "crude attempt" to divert attention of the people from the failures of Indian intelligence and security agencies.
Saeed charged that India was not interested in properly investigating the Mumbai attacks. "They are only interested in blaming Pakistan, evident from the fact that they started naming Pakistan even while the operation was still under way."
Lashkar has been operating under the name of Jammat-Ul-Daawa as a religious organisation in Pakistan, since it was banned by former President Pervez Musharraf following the attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001.
The founder of terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Tayyeba, Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, a fugitive wanted by India for his involvement in many terror attacks, has said he cannot be extradited since he has never been convicted either in India or Pakistan.
Saeed, whose name figures in the list of 20 fugitives wanted by India from Pakistan after the Mumbai attacks, has termed the demand for his head as a "crude attempt" to divert attention of the people from the failures of Indian intelligence and security agencies.
Saeed charged that India was not interested in properly investigating the Mumbai attacks. "They are only interested in blaming Pakistan, evident from the fact that they started naming Pakistan even while the operation was still under way."
Lashkar has been operating under the name of Jammat-Ul-Daawa as a religious organisation in Pakistan, since it was banned by former President Pervez Musharraf following the attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001.
India Tightens Visa Policy For Pakistanis
India on Thursday tightened its visa policy for Pakistani nationals due to additional security measures introduced in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, saying a minimum time of one month would be required to process visa applications.The Indian High Commission in Islamabad said the new rule would apply to all visa applicants except those travelling to India in connection with medical emergencies.India has blamed Pakistan-based elements, including the banned Lashker-e-Taiba group, for the attacks in Mumbai that killed over 180 people. It has asked Pakistan to take action against these elements
India on Thursday tightened its visa policy for Pakistani nationals due to additional security measures introduced in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, saying a minimum time of one month would be required to process visa applications.The Indian High Commission in Islamabad said the new rule would apply to all visa applicants except those travelling to India in connection with medical emergencies.India has blamed Pakistan-based elements, including the banned Lashker-e-Taiba group, for the attacks in Mumbai that killed over 180 people. It has asked Pakistan to take action against these elements
(source: NDTV.com, business-standard.com)
Compiled by
Radhika Shukla
ACM 22
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