BJP hits back at Sonia after Kandahar episode attack
Facing fresh attack from Congress president Sonia Gandhi on the Kandahar hijack episode, the BJP on Thursday hit back at her, alleging that the Congress had propped up Sikh militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and the LTTE. "Who trained the LTTE, who gave them funds, who sent Indian Peace Keeping Force to Sri Lanka resulting in the death of some 1,000 personnel and who created Bhindranwale in Punjab," senior BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu asked. He alleged it was the Congress which aided the growth of insurgent outfit ULFA and then SULFA in Assam and entered into a political understanding with Naxalites in Andhra Pradesh to reap electoral gains. Training her guns at the BJP, Gandhi yesterday said the Congress does not need a certificate on patriotism from BJP, during whose rule the Kandahar episode, attack on Parliament and Akshardham temple in Gujarat happened. On Karnataka Assembly elections, Naidu said the Congress does not even have a Chief Ministerial nominee and it is suggesting the names of leaders as its potential candidate in the region where they are popular. "Why is the Congress shying away from announcing its leader," he said, adding the BJP's main poll plank was good governance, development, stability of government and ability of the leader, besides issues like price rise.

Manmohan’s dream project in limbo
In an indication of the state of affairs in the Power Ministry, even Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s dream project, the 750-MW Bongaigaon power project in Assam, is in a state of neglect after he laid the foundation in January 2006. Work on the Rs. 3,000-crore project being executed by the National Thermal Power Corporation is yet to take off. It was only after Minister of State for Power Jairam Ramesh cracked the whip last week did the NTPC begin civil works at the site. The project was a personal initiative the Prime Minister in view of his association with the northeast, particularly Assam, to accelerate the pace of development. “It is unfortunate that no progress has taken place on such an important project,” Mr. Ramesh said. “Now I am personally monitoring it.” While launching the project, Dr. Singh said he took great pride in the government taking up the venture in this “adopted home of mine.

Pratibha Patil invites Medvedev to India
While congratulating Dmitry Medvedev on his election as President of Russia, President Pratibha Patil invited him to visit India later this year. With India celebrating 2008 as the “Year of Russia,” Ms. Patil, in her congratulatory message, said, “it would be an honour and pleasure to receive you in India later this year.” She hoped the strategic relations between the countries would continue to broaden and deepen. “India and Russia enjoy longstanding and time-tested ties of friendship and cooperation extending over a wide-range of areas. We look forward to your support and advice to further broaden and deepen the strategic relationship between our two countries.”

Notice to Raj Thackeray
Mumbai: Police on Thursday served a notice to Maharashtra Nirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray, who targeted North Indians recently, asking him to observe restraint. Mr. Raj Thackeray, however, refused to accept it.

Karnataka governor's clearance to road project stayed
The Election Commission Thursday stayed the Karanataka governor's clearance for the controversial Bangalore-Mysore corridor project on the ground that it violated the model code of conduct now in force ahead of the assembly elections. The project to build a high-quality road between Bangalore and Mysore, about 139 km apart, has been embroiled in controversy over the quantum of land sanctioned to the promoters, Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE). NICE is consortium formed by the Kalyani Group of Companies and SAB International of the US to build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) the project. Former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda has taken serious objection to the sanction of huge tracts of land to build townships along the corridor, but the Supreme Court has upheld the contention of the promoters that nothing illegal has taken place in the deal.

Vote Congress to save Bangalore: PM
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Thursday exhorted the electorate in this tech city of India to vote for the Congress and save this 'symbol of a new India' from 'opportunistic' parties whose governments had dented its global brand by neglecting its infrastructure development. Addressing party workers and select invitees including techies, intellectuals and scientists at a 'Citizens Meet' on the last day of campaigning for the first phase of Karnataka assembly poll May 10 in the city and 10 southern districts, Manmohan Singh said the people of Bangalore and Karnataka had suffered a lot during the last four years due to instability and poor governance. 'The Congress-led coalition government (June 2004-January 2006) was held hostage to selfish motives of other parties. To just gain power, Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) formed an opportunistic alliance despite conflicting ideologies. With coalition partners indulging in allegations and counter-allegations, the state and the city of Bangalore lost their reputation across the country,' he observed.

Lalu, Advani cheer for Daredevils
Rarely would they be seen rooting for the same side, but they did Thursday. Railways Minister Lalu Prasad and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani cheered for the home team, Delhi Daredevils, at an Indian Premier League (IPL) match here. The two leaders made their presence felt in the VIP box in the clubhouse of the Ferozeshah Kotla stadium, as officials of GMR, owners of Delhi Daredevils, and the top security officials kept hovering around. Lalu Prasad, also president of the Bihar Cricket Association (BCA), sat next to his son Tejaswi, a budding cricketer, and enjoyed the match. The two leaders gladly obliged the shutterbugs and also didn't disappoint the youngsters seeking their autographs.