statesman news service
KOLKATA, 7 JUNE: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee today urged the "future doctors" not to leave the state after attaining their degrees as there is a dearth of medical practitioners in the state. 
Addressing a programme to felicitate the toppers of Madhyamik and Higher Secondary examinations at Town Hall, Miss Banerjee said, "Don’t leave the state after you become doctors. I want to depute more doctors in hospitals but I have failed as there is an acute shortage of good doctors. If you render service in villages for one year, we will facilitate your higher studies, I promise you."
For those who did not want to become doctors, Miss Banerjee had the same plea: stay back and look after the needs of the state. "Eighty per cent candidates told me that they want to be doctors. The rest will study Chemistry Honours and will probably go on to pursue research. Many will go outside West Bengal pursue higher studies. Take care of yourself wherever you are and whatever you do. But don’t forget the state and come to us whenever you face any problem," the chief minister told the students at the programme, where 38 Madhyamik toppers and 37 Higher Secondary toppers were felicitated. They received a laptop and four books each from education minister Mr Bratya Basu. Miss Banerjee handed over flower bouquets to every one and spoke to them about their future plans.
The chief minister&’s ‘stay back’ plea comes at a time when students are increasingly interested in leaving the state to pursue higher studies.
"No one wants to become a policeman. No one is interested in becoming an IAS either," she noted while speaking at the programme. Turning to Mr Arnab Roy, principal secretary of the school education department, she said, "It seems you people are not being able to attract students to your profession. Anyway, we will soon come up with a training institute for IAS."
Miss Banerjee also had words of advice for students. "Never give in to depression. Life is never a cakewalk. You will have to face hard times. Learn to take everything sportingly," she said.  Extending a helping hand to all toppers, Miss Banerjee said, "If there are any obstacles in your higher studies, please come to us. The officials of our school education department will write down your names and contact numbers and will help you." Later, eight students sought financial help from the government, said an official of the department.
Among them was Payel Khara, a second year student of Harimohon Ghose College. She sought Miss Banerjee&’s help  as she has been suffering from progressive myopathy, and was assured help. Miss Banerjee also indulged overenthusiastic parents who sought her autograph. 
Meanwhile, the state, which has been accused of faring poorly in UPSC examinations will get a government-run IAS training centre. "It will be in the campus of Bidhannagar Government College. As the chief minister has given her nod to the proposal, we will now proceed further. The idea is to produce more IAS for our state," said education minister Mr Bratya Basu.

press trust of india
KOLKATA, 24 JUNE: After exploring the subject of foley art in National Award-winning movie Shabdo, filmmaker Kaushik Ganguly’s next delves into the world of a visually impaired.
Set in the backdrop of misty hills, C/O Sir, his next film, tells the story of a visually impaired school teacher.
Kaushik has already handled the subject in his earlier film Laptop, but C/O Sir will go deeper.
“Blind people are introvert but have a stronger grasp of things happening around them because of their extra-sensory ability. Their world is fascinating to explore,” Kaushik told PTI.
Kaushik, who is also an actor, said he had met many blind people and therefore knew something about their inner world.
Providing a glimpse into the story, the director said it was based on his recollections of a visually challenged friend whose vision blurred as he transformed from boy to adult.
“I never told him that I wanted to make a film on him. But his battle with adversity once his vision started clouding moved me,” he said.
“You can remove a photo from an album. But can you remove the album? You will realise why I am saying this once you see the film,” the director said.
“Now is the right time to make it as my experiences have widened and richened,” he added.
Actor Saswata Chatterjee (in file photo) who has played the character of a teacher in C/O Sir, said: “The visually impaired person can make out the difference between light and dark if not born blind. I haven’t known any such person, but I know of some of their behavioural patterns and mannerisms to portray the role.”
Actor Indraneil Sengupta, who appeared in another Kaushik’s national award-winning film Arekti Premer Golpo starring late Rituparno, is in the lead role with Raima Sen.
Kaushik said his film was also a tribute to Rituparno Ghosh who taught him many things during the shoot of Arekti Premer Golpo.

Mr Pawan Chamling, today said his party would fight back goondaism after two of his party supporters were arrested today on charges of attacking a Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) supporter and vandalising his house at Melli Gumpa area, South Sikkim last night
statesman news service
GANGTOK, 24 JUNE: The SDF chief and Sikkim Chief Minister, Mr Pawan Chamling (in file photo), today said his party would fight back goondaism after two of his party supporters were arrested today on charges of attacking a Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) supporter and vandalising his house at Melli Gumpa area, South Sikkim last night.
Mr Kishore Tamang, a SKM supporter, had complained that local SDF workers Mr Bigen Rai, Mr RN Rai, Mr Damber Chettri and others had pelted stones and vandalised his house around 10 p.m. last Saturday. He said he had suffered mild injuries during the incident. Acting on his complaint, the police arrested Nar Bir Tamang and Sukh Raj Rai ~ both SDF supporters.
Tension prevailed at Melli on Sunday, as SKM supporters from various areas gheraoed the Melli police station and demanded arrest of Mr Bigen Rai, who is alleged to have masterminded the attack.
The South District Police Superintendent, Mr Sonam Bhutia informed that the law and order situation is presently under control and efforts are being made by police to arrest the other accused.
Meanwhile, the SDF supporters alleged police are doing the bidding of the Opposition party.
“Police did nothing when one of the accused while being brought by the police personnel was slapped by some SKM supporters. We have lost confidence in the impartiality of the police,” a SDF activist said.
It is learnt that a large number of SDF supporters have gathered at Melli. Keeping in view the rising tension in the politically-sensitive area, police have tightened vigil, police sources said.
 

statesman news service
KOLKATA, 7 JUNE: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation will allow the representatives of Poultry Federation for setting up stalls in KMC markets for selling chicken at subsidised rate.
The stalls will come up in 14 markets of the KMC where chicken will be sold at Rs 150 per kilogram. These stalls will be set up at Kankurgachi, VIP market, Ultodanga, Lansdowne market, Gurudas market, Ramlal Bazar, Jadavgarh, Park Circus, Santoshpur, Purno Porno Bithika and SN Roy market in Behala.
Recently, senior officials of the civic body, including municipal commissioner Mr Khalil Ahmed, joint municipal commissioner and senior officials of the market department of the KMC, held a meeting with representatives of the West Bengal Poultry Federation in this regard. Officials of the Animal Resource Development and Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation also attended the meeting. The stalls in the KMC markets are likely to come up in the next few days.
The decision to set up stalls in KMC markets was taken for selling chicken to people at subsidised rates and to stop illegal slaughter of chicken on footpaths and pavements, said Mr Tarak Singh, member, mayor-in-council, markets.
The civic body also plans to start a drive against illegal slaughter of chicken. Health department inspectors will seize chicken that are sold on pavements.
Meat sellers are required to cover the front of their shops with tinted glass and arrange a proper drainage system to ensure customers are nor exposed to the gory sight of slaughter and spilling of blood, said Mr Atin Ghosh, member, mayor-in-council, health. A semi-automatic poultry processing machine will be installed at Kankurgachi market. The representatives of the Poultry Federation will install the machine where de-feathering, separating of blood and piecing of meat will be done automatically.

Nadal, Errani crash out
LONDON, 24 JUNE: Rafael Nadal crashed to one of the most humiliating defeats in Wimbledon history at the hands of Belgium’s world number 135 Steve Darcis. Earlier, fifth seed Sara Errani was out-gunned by a teenager playing her first senior match on grass, Puerto Rican Monica Puig. agencies 
    details on page 11
Musharraf trial
ISLAMABAD, 24 JUNE: Nawaz Sharif today indicated filing a written request before the Supreme Court to try Pervez Musharraf for treason. dawn/ann
           details on page 8
Salman to face trial
MUMBAI, 24 JUNE: A court here today clear-ed the way for Salman Khan’s trial in the  2002 hit and run offence under Sect-ion 304 (part II) of the IPC that carries a provi-sion for 10 years in jail if proved guilty of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. sns            
    details on page 4
 

statesman news service 
KOLKATA, 7 JUNE: Kolkata Knight Riders is not paying all its taxes to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, the state convener of the BJP’s human rights cell has claimed. 
A few days ago, the state convener of the cell went to the West Bengal Human Rights Commission and “alleged that an amount of Rs 79 lakh had been due from Kolkata Knight Riders to the KMC on account of entertainment tax for the recently played IPL match at Eden Gardens,” said the registrar at the commission, Mr Rabindranath Samanta. Only Rs 20 lakh has been paid by KKR to the municipal authorities despite the KMC issuing a notice of demand, the BJP said in their complaint to the commission.
The BJP asked why the KMC has shown “softness” towards the KKR and not pressed for payment, when it is a multi-crore company owned by a well-off actor.  The BJP has said this is a “violation of equality” because less affluent citizens are treated more harshly when it comes to taxes, Mr Samanta said.
“Today, the honourable chairman Justice Asok Kumar Ganguly directed the KMC commissioner to make an inquiry and submit a report within three weeks of the communication of the order,” he said. 

Doc’ forum alleges poll irregularities
KOLKATA, 7 JUNE: Service Doctors’ Forum today sent a deputation to the Returning Officer of West Bengal Medical Council election and the Governor alleging irregularities in the poll process. Dr Sajal Biswas, secretary of the forum, accused the WBMC of protecting rights of unscrupulous doctors and remaining indifferent towards people. He also pointed out certain irregularities in the poll process such as voting through open ballots with ballot paper number and name on the envelope and more than 400 names of technical panel not enlisted.
Youth drowns in Hooghly
KOLKATA, 7 JUNE: A youth drowned today in river Hooghly at Howrah botanical garden while trying to save his friend. Pramit Mondal (26) had gone for a bath in the river along with Montu, Anijul and Kalam around 10 a.m. when Montu lost balance and slipped into the river. Mondal managed to save his friend, but was caught in the waves and drowned. His body is yet to be recovered.
ABUTA to protest
KOLKATA, 7 JUNE: University teachers of All-Bengal University Teachers’ Association (ABUTA) will sit in a demonstration on 17 June to protest the state government&’s delay in fulfiling their demands. They will also launch a hunger-strike on 19 July. “So far we have never hampered our academic responsibilities while taking up any such protest programmes. But now it is time to take a stern step. This time, classes will be disrupted,” said Professor Tarun Naskar, general secretary of ABUTA, who is also an MLA.
Metro services affected for two hours
KOLKATA, 7 JUNE: Metro Rail services were affected for around two hours this evening after after a New Garia-bound air-conditioned rake developed a snag at Shyambazar station around 6.23 p.m. The situation turned worse as Metro engineers failed to restore the third rail power supply to the snag-hit rake; it remained stationed at Shyambazar till around 8.10 p.m., blocking the down line. As a result, Metro services between New Garia and Dum Dum were affected. Services were fully restored at 8.12 p.m.
Bombs found in TMC candidate’s home
BASANTI, 7 JUNE: Police recovered 50 bombs from a Trinamul candidate’s house at Mollah para in Titkumar under Basanti police station last night. Shefajul Mollah, contesting for Amjhara gram panchayat, managed to escape; however, his brother, a TMC activist, Sirajul Mollah, was arrested.
Youth hangs himself
DIAMOND HARBOUR, 7 JUNE: Sajid Sheikh (16), who passed Madhyamik examination this year, committed suicide by hanging himself, police said. The incident took place at Chakmari village of Dhankal gram panchayat under Bishnupur police station. Sajid had an altercation with his mother last night over a family matter and after some time he went out of the house. Sajid’s body was found hanging from a tree this morning, police said.
TMC factions clash
CANNING, 7 JUNE: Two factions of Trinamul Congress clashed at Ramkrishna palli under Jibantala police station today. Police said the two groups hurled bombs at each other, injuring some party workers. A large contingent of police was deployed and the situation was brought under control, an officer said.
AI passengers protest
KOLKATA, 7 JUNE: Passengers of an Air India flight, AI-774, from Kolkata to Mumbai, staged a demonstration in front of AI counter at New Terminal of the NSBI Airport this evening as the flight was delayed for more than an hour.
Security for TMC leader beefed up
BIRBHUM, 7 JUNE: Security of the Trinamul Congress Birbhum district president Anubrata Mondal has been beefed up. The district police have been asked to provide him "Z" category security. District police felt the decision may have been taken keeping the recent Maoist attack in mind.
Woman electrocuted to death
KOLKATA, 7 JUNE: Jayashri Hazra (21) was electrocuted in her residence at Joka this afternoon. She was declared brought dead when taken to a local hospital.
Missing man found dead
KOLKATA, 7 JUNE: Ranjit Sarkar (61), who went missing from MR Bangur Hospital within a few hours after getting admitted on 5 June, was found dead in a pond at Regent Park today.
Woman commits suicide
KOLKATA, 7 JUNE: Anima Sarkar (32) committed suicide by hanging herself in a room in her in-law’s house at BC Sen Colony today. Police are yet to ascertain the reason behind the suicide.

KOLKATA, 7 JUNE: The results of the West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination, 2013 will be published tomorrow at 3 p.m. Candidates will be able to check their results on the following websites ~
www.wbjeeb.nic.in, www.banglarmukh.gov.in, www.wbjeeb.nic.in, www.banglarmukh.gov.in, www.calcuttatelephones.com www.exametc.com (preregister for push sms),  www.ExamResults.net, www.WestBengalEducation.net, http://Results.WestBengalEducation.net, www.indiaresults.com. 
To get the result through sms type Result <space> WBJEE <space> Roll Number and send it to 56263. sns

ARAMBAGH, 6 JUNE: A Congress candidate was allegedly tortured by some Trinamul workers who prevented him from filing his nomination papers.
Mr Asfar Hussain Chowdhury, a resident of Palashpai-I gram panchayat of Khanakhul, who is also the Congress president of Khanakul-II block, was allegedly attacked by some Trinamul workers while he was on his way to file his nomination papers at the Arambagh SDO office yesterday.
Mr Hussain said that he was tortured with a burning cigarette stub all over his face and hands and then beaten with a belt at Arambagh bus stand by some Trinamul goons who called themselves Khanakul MLA Iqbal’s men. They also threatened him with dire consequences if he tried to file his nomination papers.
Mr Giridhari Saha, the president of Serampore town Congress, rescued Asfar on Wednesday night and admitted him to Serampore Walsh hospital. Incidentally, Malekha Begum, another Congress candidate from Khanakul,  was also attacked by Trinamul goons recently. Congress leader Abdul Mannan alleged that Trinamul workers are preventing Congress candidates from filing their nomination papers in a pre-planned manner. Mr Iqbal, the Khanakul MLA, rubbished the allegations saying it was a conspiracy of both the CPI-M and Congress to malign him. sns

arunima ghosh
KOLKATA, 7 JUNE: The state government is spending Rs 6 crores per annum to pay salaries to 1600-odd employees of state-owned dairies although their services are no longer required following restructuring of the loss-making concerns. 
The reason is that the employees are not interested in being relocated to other departments. The state Animal Resources Development (ARD) department had given the option to the employees twice for relocating to the government department of their choice but only three responded.    
The employees belong to Central Dairy, Burdwan Dairy, Haringhata Dairy and Durgapur Dairy, of which around 1100 employees belong to the Central Dairy alone.
Because of the huge losses incurred by the government-owned dairies, the government had decided to restructure the dairies so as to reduce the production cost.
During the restructuring process, the department has identified around 1600 non-technical staff who presently cannot be engaged in any task in the dairies. In fact, even after the restructuring is completed, there is no capacity in which their services can be utilised, said an official.
The government has to continue spending such a huge sum till 2016, after which around 850 employees are expected to retire. "We are helpless since the employees are unwilling to relocate elsewhere and we are not in favour of transferring them forciby" said an official.
The restructuring process primarily involves merging the government-owned sick dairies, namely Central Dairy ~ where production cost dipped from 2 lakh to 35,000 litres during the past few years ~ and the dairies at Belgachia, Durgapur, Krishnanagar and Burdwan, with Mother Dairy, which incurred losses of around Rs 7 crore per month but turned into a profitable unit last year.
At present, work is on for merging Burdwan Dairy, which was closed over five years back. Following the amalgamation, the dairy will go in for diversification of milk products instead of focussing only on processed milk. The employees of the Burdwan Dairy will be engaged accordingly.
Next in line for being merged is Durgapur Dairy and a proposal in this regard is lying with the ARD minister, Mr Nure Alam Chowdhury, for being placed before the Cabinet for approval soon.
Haringhata Dairy has already been selected for restructuring and an amount of Rs 15 crore out from the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund has been earmarked for it.  

statesman news service
SILIGURI, 6 JUNE: To protest against massive attacks on LF candidates during filing of nomination papers in Cooch Behar yesterday, the district Left Front abstained from filing nominations for rural polls today demanding adequate security measures.
Trinamul Congress activists allegedly attacked LF candidates at Cooch Behar-I block and Sitai block premises when the latter arrived for filling of nominations for the three-tier panchayat polls in the third phase.
The LF leaders met the district magistrate Mr Mohan Gandhi and requested him to arrange adequate security measures at block offices during filing nominations and even on the ways where the Trinamul Congress activists allegedly prevented the LF candidates from arriving at the block offices.
The LF leaders also demanded that the district administration should make alternative arrangements at the SDO’s (sub-divisional officer) office if candidates are prevented from filing nomination papers at the block development office (BDO).
Though the Cooch Behar Trinamul Congress leadership denied charges, the district magistrate Mr Mohan Gandhi described yesterday&’s incident as ‘unfortunate’ and assured the LF leaders that he would ensure proper policing at block offices.
The Cooch Behar DM, Mr Gandhi, said: “We have deployed adequate police force at the block premises to maintain peace. Nomination process was peaceful today.  No untoward incident was reported from any corner.”
“We held a meeting with the Superintendent of Police and ensured deployment of additional forces in and around block offices during submission of nomination papers. Taking a cue from yesterday&’s incident, particularly at Cooch Behar-I block, necessary arrangement was made to avoid crowds inside block offices,” Mr Mohan said over the phone.
Police arrested nearly 20 persons in connection with the violence. The LF MLA was also assaulted yesterday when they were on their way to the block offices in Cooch Behar.
The Forward Bloc state committee member, Mr Udayan Guho, said: “Nine blocks out of 12 are highly sensitive. In protest against attacks on us and demanding adequate security, we decided not to file nomination today. The district LF has decided to contest all seats in three-tier rural polls if the administration can ensure adequate security measures.”
The district Trinamul Congress president, Mr Rabindranath Ghosh, said the CPI-M-led LF leaders staged a drama to earn political dividend maligning our party image.

statesman news service
KOLKATA, 7 JUNE: Tata Communications Limited today announced that it will delist its American Depository Shares (ADSs) from the New York Stock Exchange with effect from today.
"Tata Communications Limited confirms that the delisting of ADSs, as evidenced by American Depository Receipts (ADRs), from the New York Stock Exchange will become effective at the close of business today," the company said in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange.
This follows the filing by the company of a form 25 with the Securities and Exchange Commission on 28 May this year.
Holders of the company’s ADRs can surrender those to the depository in exchange for the underlying ordinary shares in the company at any time prior to 13 August 2013, the company said. As soon as practicable after that date, the depository will sell the shares underlying any outstanding ADRs and the ADRs will represent only the right to receive the cash proceeds from such sale, it added.
As a consequence of the delisting becoming effective, termination of the deposit agreement under which the ADRs were issued, will become effective on 14 July 2013, Tata Comm said.
The company’s equity shares, however, will continue to be traded on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange in India.

statesman news service
NEW DELHI, 7 JUNE: Launching a fresh attack on the CIC over its order to treat political parties as “public authorities”, the CPI-M today said it had “exceeded its brief” under the RTI Act and sought changes in the law on the issue.
“The CIC has exceeded its brief under the RTI Act by setting out a new definition of political parties. When Parliament adopted the Right to Information Act in 2005, which was supported by the CPI-M too, the intention was not to bring political parties as ‘public authorities’ under its purview.
“Therefore, it is necessary for the government to discuss with all political parties and get the necessary clarification incorporated in the RTI Act itself by Parliament,” CPI-M General Secretary Prakash Karat said.
Terming the CIC decision “to extend the purview of the RTI Act” as “misconceived and wrong”, he said the order stemmed from “a lack of understanding and a basic misconception about the role of political parties in a parliamentary democracy.”
“Political parties are not governmental organisations or state-funded entities. There is no constitutional provision for a political party. A political party is an association of citizens who come together voluntarily to form a party” on the basis of an ideology, programme and leadership, Mr Karat said in an article in the CPI-M organ People’s Democracy.
He also pointed out that the new CIC order would enable anyone to ask for internal deliberations of a party which “will harm the very mode of inner-party functioning. Within a party, discussions are held on the basis of confidentiality that certain decisions are taken.”
“To demand that such deliberations be made available will be a serious infringement on the nature of inner-party discussions and the way decisions are taken by a political party,” Mr Karat said, adding that the new law could be used as “an instrument” by one party against another as the former could demand information on internal matters of the latter.
On RTI demands regarding selection of candidates which could be made under the new CIC ruling, he said: “How a party selects its candidates is its own business. How is it a concern of others? In a democracy, the people are free to judge and decide which candidate to vote for or not.
“In a democratic system, a political party has the right to decide whom to put up as a candidate. According to whatever criteria they wish to adopt which are within the legal framework.” He said under the existing laws, a person convicted of a serious crime cannot be put up as a candidate as he or she will be disqualified.
“If there is any need for a change in the law, it can be discussed. But the intrinsic right of a political party to put up candidates on the basis of its own criteria cannot be questioned or subjected to any public scrutiny.”
In a similar vein, the CPI also disagreed with the latest CIC ruling, saying “political parties are independent, autonomous voluntary organisations.
The CPI wanted CIC to reconsider its decision and said it would discuss with like-minded parties and decide the future course of action on the issue.

press trust of india
PALAKKAD (Kerala), 6 JUNE: The Centre will come out with a Rs 112 crore comprehensive development package for the Attappady tribal belt in the district from where infant deaths due to malnutrition were reported in recent days, Union Minister for Rural Development Jairam Ramesh today said.
Speaking to reporters here after visiting the tribal villages along with Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Mr Ramesh said a special machinery would be set up to monitor the implementation of schemes under the package.
An amount of Rs 50 crore would be sanctioned for three panchayats in Attappady in the coming five years through the self-help group ‘Kudumbashree’, he said. Steps also would be taken to provide houses to the tribals under the Rajiv Aavas Yojana, he added.
Mr Chandy said land would be provided to all landless tribals in the area. Skill training would be given to selected 500 tribal youths, he said adding “jobs would also be provided to them.”

statesman news service 
NEW DELHI, 7 JUNE: The information and broadcasting ministry plans to launch an SMS campaign to create awareness among cable TV subscribers in phase I and phase II cities about the need to fill the consumer application form (CAF). 
Through the CAF they can exercise their choice of channels and make the payment only for channels of their choice.  Officials said the ministry had set 31 March 2013, as the deadline for digital transition of cable TV in 38 cities in phase II of digitisation. Phase I of digitisation covered Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata.  The ministry has been monitoring the availability of set-top boxes with the multi system operators (MSOs). Broadcasters are already running scrolls on TV channels to inform the public about the importance of filling the CAF forms. 
 The ministry has been consistently monitoring the progress made towards digitisation during phase II. 
As per the data received from the MSOs and direct-to-home (DTH) operators, 22 cities have already achieved 100 per cent target in phase II of digitisation. Another 14 cities have shown considerable progress, and only in Coimbatore and Visakhapatnam the figure was less than 50 per cent, an official release said.

statesman news service
NEW DELHI, 6 JUNE: If the posters in and around the venue of the BJP national executive meeting in Goa are any indication, Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi appears set to take the centre-stage at the meeting beginning on 8 June.
On 7 June, BJP office-bearers would meet and take stock of issues confronting the party leadership and the proposed strategy for the coming assembly elections in five states and the general elections scheduled for next year.
At the closed-door meeting of senior party leaders and office-bearers, some of them could do some plain speaking and raise controversial issues like the initial silence of the party on the cricket fixing scandal.
“The allegation that BJP elements in BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) connived with or had a good understanding with Congress leaders in the cricket body has left our ally JD-U disturbed,” a key BJP leader said.
“Leaders these days both within BJP and outside are talking more about IPL and cricket than issues concerning the common man,” veteran party leader Dr Murli Manohar Joshi told The Statesman. 
The focus at the Goa conclave would be also on party unity. “It is most essential that we put up a united front and if the impression is gaining ground that it is not a united front, we should try and correct that and move forward together,” BJP leader Mr Yashwant Sinha said here today.
Other leaders, too, believe that the BJP has not done enough either to project the right issues or show a united face of the party.
The BJP is likely to pass strong political and economic resolutions in adherence to the suggestions made by the Gujarat chief minister.
Party sources said a strongly-worded resolution could be passed on internal security and the Maoist menace.
“It is time the other face of the Congress is shown,” said a key party strategist, alleging that Congress leaders have called themselves ‘sipahis’ of the tribal community without  understanding the import of such statements in Maoist-infested regions. “They have never taken a strong stand against the Maoist menace,” he said.
 One party leader spoke about the ‘ambition-crazy’ leaders harming the Opposition party. He said, “It’s not internal democracy but rather misplaced ambitions of individuals that have hit the party.”
Against the backdrop of the party cadres’ clamour for announcing Mr Modi as the PM candidate or at least naming him as chairman of the election panel, Mr Sinha said no such announcement is likely in Goa as a meeting of the party’s highest policy making body, the central parliamentary board, is not scheduled.
“The national executive of the BJP is too large a body to discuss leadership issues. The BJP has already made it very clear that these issues will be decided in the parliamentary board,” Mr Sinha said. However, party insiders dropped broad hints that the office-bearers meeting tomorrow could take a crucial decision.
The clean sweep by the BJP in the bypolls in Gujarat, wresting two Lok Sabha seats and four Assembly seats have put Modi detractors on the defensive. Peace has also been bought between Mr Modi and Mr L K Advani, who has not been so enthusiastic in accepting Mr Modi as the ‘most popular leader’.
It is not clear whether the BJP would also discuss other individuals like Mr Ram Jethmalani and Mr B S Yeddyurappa.

‘Coalition not a compulsion, but religion’

PANAJI, 6 JUNE: The BJP today said the coalition for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls is not a compulsion for the party, but it is a “religion”.
To a query, the party also said there is no pressure from the NDA partners to keep Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi away for the next parliamentary polls.
“Coalition is not a compulsion for us. We have proved the credibility and stability of a coalition during our erstwhile tenure. We consider alliance as a religion,” BJP national Vice President Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said. The BJP is all set to hold its office bearers’ and National Executive meeting in Goa from tomorrow. Mr Naqvi recalled that different questions were raised when the NDA had come to power under the leadership of Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
“But we proved our credibility and stability by running the government through common minimum programme and agenda for development,” he added.
Mr Naqvi said the NDA alliance will be stronger and will be expanded in the coming days. “We will inform you at the right time (about the expansion of NDA),” the BJP leader said.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had earlier expressed his reservations over projecting Mr Modi as the Prime Ministerial candidate. pti

Seema Mustafa

A great deal is being made of the by-election results, but perhaps the only significant outcome has been in Gujarat, where the BJP not just trounced the Congress but also wrested the seats it had held in the state Assembly and in Parliament earlier. There were a sufficient number of by-elections in Gujarat to indicate a pattern, in that voters chose to repose faith in the BJP and Narendra Modi at all levels, as opposed to the Congress. It is almost clear that the latter has lost ground in the state to the point of decimation.
It will be a little foolhardy to use the results of  by-elections in Bihar, Maharashtra and West Bengal to draw national-level conclusions. A couple of by-elections in a state have never denoted a pattern with any degree of accuracy, more so as these are decided entirely according to local compulsions, and in the absence of state or national level factors that have a bearing on Assembly or Parliament results. So headlines in the media claiming that the Rashtriya Janata Dal has trounced the Janata Dal (U) in Bihar are erroneous to say the least, particularly as the reference is to just one Lok Sabha by-election and that too for a seat held by the RJD. In such a case, the candidate matters, and clearly RJD&’s Prabhunath Singh has managed to win the election because of his personal popularity, along with the fact of course that even in the wave that swept it aside earlier, the RJD was able to hold on to the Maharajganj parliamentary constituency.
Similarly, a great deal cannot be made of the fact that the Trinamul Congress was able to retain the Howrah Lok Sabha seat in West Bengal, albeit by a slightly reduced margin. In fact, the trend of these polls, except in Gujarat, has allowed incumbent political parties to retain the seats with voters clearly not in a mood to bring about major changes at this stage.
The results amount to evidence really that except for Gujarat, where there appears to be a perpetual Modi wave, there has been no such impact in the other states. The BJP, in fact, failed to win a single seat outside Gujarat, with the Modi charisma clearly not working wonders outside his comfort zone. The regional parties continue to hold their own, with the Congress seeking solace in the one seat it secured in Maharashtra.
However, for Narendra Modi, the Gujarat results serve as a Goa sweetener, where the battle for supremacy and control will be fought in earnest. Modi might not need a formal announcement, but is certainly looking for unqualified support from all sections of the BJP as the ‘Prime Minister designate’. Given the opposition from within, even this position is not assured, and while there are vocal sections of the BJP who feel that an immediate decision is necessary, there are others who prefer playing for time. The top leaders’ meet in Goa is expected to bring about some clarity on this, but then, the going might not be as smooth as Modi and his cronies hope.
Meanwhile, Modi has started preparing for the Lok Sabha polls. Rumours that he will contest the Lok Sabha election from Lucknow to acquire a ‘national’ profile are crowding the grapevine. The fact that he insisted on ensuring that his close aide Amit Shah was given the state of Uttar Pradesh to look after as BJP general secretary does give some credence to this. Modi needs desperately to dispel the notion that his popularity is limited to Gujarat. Besides, this has three added advantages: one, a UP contest will place Modi at the centrestage of the Lok Sabha elections; two, it will help galvanise a dormant BJP, and unite the factions for a serious contest for the 80 parliamentary seats from UP; and three, it will have an impact on the adjoining north Indian states helping create, or so Modi and his supporters hope, some sort of a wave for the BJP in the next general elections.
However, there is many a slip betwixt the cup and the lip, as the old adage goes. And here too, Lucknow might be a long way off for Narendra Modi, particularly as both Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mayawati will not take kindly to the entry of powerful political poachers. But there can be no second opinion that the BJP in Uttar Pradesh is in dire need of a shot in the arm. Currently, it is a miserable, apathetic organisation of individuals who do not see eye to eye on any one issue, particularly now that there is no Hindutva symbol like the Babri mosque to unite them.
It is ironic that a leader who really helped the BJP rise from the insignificant two seats in Parliament to form the government, LK Advani is amongst those straining to make his voice heard in the party. He is perhaps the one leader who has worked around the clock, putting his waking and sleeping hours into strengthening the party across the country. But instead of getting respect in the twilight years of his life, he is under constant attack from his thankless colleagues who question his every move, and counter his every statement.
In other words, his writ is not allowed to run, with his status being reduced within the BJP to that of just another leader. Somehow, the BJP has ensured that Advani does not realise his ambitions, with his rise in government effectively stalled by then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, and his ambitions now curtailed by Narendra Modi and his clique in the BJP.
All in all, a messy picture, with the Goa meet in all likelihood providing some space to the various leaders to position themselves for the finale. It is unlikely that issues of leadership will be resolved, but then, who knows, the BJP might surprise itself in the final reckoning.

The writer is Consulting Editor,
The Statesman
The trend of the bypolls, except in Gujarat, shows voters are not in a mood to bring about major changes at this stage