NEW DELHI: With the government struggling to craft its stance on the contentious question of withdrawal of Armed Forces ( Special Powers) Act from some parts of J&K, the BJP joined the debate by warning the Centre against diluting the law.

As the defence ministry insists that the views of the Army and the Unified Command need to be heeded on whether to withdraw AFSPA from certain areas in J&K, BJP weighed in to oppose withdrawal of the law which security forces consider a buffer against harassment in the name of protection of human rights.

Sources in the government confirmed that the Centre was unhappy with J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah's public announcement regarding partial rollback of the law currently in force across J&K. They said the Army has questioned the state government's decision on the ground of improved law and order situation in the state.

"AFSPA has been in force in swathes of Assam even when violence in the state never reached the level J&K has witnessed for decades," a senior defence ministry source said. In the deliberations, defence ministry also pointed out that Imphal, which is not under AFSPA unlike the rest of Manipur, has suffered more from extremist attacks.

Besides their appreciation for Army's viewpoint, many in the government and Congress advice caution on the sensitive matter also because of political considerations. They pointed out that withdrawal of AFSPA could encourage the BJP to repeat its charge of security being compromised because of political expediency; in this case to placate the J&K chief minister. They also said a rushed decision may create the same sort of complications that the party is faced with in Telangana.

The warning proved correct when leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley came out strongly to oppose the demand to scale AFSPA back. In a detailed note, the BJP leader argued that armed forces needed the protection of AFSPA in order to discharge their duties effectively.

Pointing out that AFSPA protected the security forces, including paramilitary troops, from prosecution or legal proceedings except those sanctioned by the Centre, Jaitley said withdrawal of the cover would leave the security forces hobbled. "When I visited the state last year, I was informed by the officers of paramilitary forces that more than 2,500 applications for prosecuting personnel of armed forces were pending with the central government," Jaitley said.

"If this protection (AFSPA) is withdrawn, it would empower various vested interests to prosecute officials of the armed forces and other paramilitary forces indiscriminately. Obviously, this would dis-incentivise personnel of these forces from taking adequate steps against separatist groups," he further argued.

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New Delhi: Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh, Thursday, claimed that after Baba Ramdev and Anna Hazare, ‘Art of Living’ founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar would start a ‘campaign’ soon.

Digvijay tweeted: “Plan A - Baba Ramdev. Crashed. Plan B- Anna. ? Plan C - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar soon to start his campaign.”

Later talking to reporters Digvijay said that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was trying to bring in Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in their campaign against the government, while urging the spiritual guru not to get involved in this.

Singh said that the RSS had earlier brought in yoga guru Baba Ramdev and social activist Anna Hazare in the campaign.

"First they brought Baba Ramdev, and when he was exposed they came with Anna. We have heard now they are trying to bring Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ji," he said.

“I have always been saying from day one that all these are over all plans of the RSS, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) combine. They want to divert the attention of the people of the country. From the issue of involvement of Sangh activists in terror act in Malegaon, Ajmer dargah, Hyderabad, Samjhauta express, so it’s overall plan to divert attention from corruption done by BJP members,” he added.

He further said that UPA government has taken all positive steps against issues of corruption under the leadership of Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to check corruption.

“Right to Information Act was brought by us, Money Laundering Act was done by us…have taken action against corrupt people,” he added.
Further criticising the BJP, Singh asked: “Why BJP did not register the case against Bangaru Laxman under the prevention of corruption act when he was caught taking money on tape.”

“Why BJP MP was not sent to jail when caught on TV or camera taking bribe. Why case was not registered against Jaya Jaitley when she was caught on tape striking a deal with arms dealer in Defence Minister’s house. BJP record on charges of corruption has been pathetic,” he added.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has responded to Digvijay’s ‘plan’ tweet by saying that his comment is not worth responding too and that he doesn’t fear any one and will continue to raise his voice against the malice of corruption.

The Bangalore-based spiritual guru also advised Digvijay to enroll for the ‘Art of Living’ course.

The BJP also responded to Digvijay’s comment. Party spokesperson Ravishankar Prasad said that the BJP must thank Digvijay for working to ensure the downfall of the Congress.

New Delhi, Oct 22 : A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) delegation led by party president Nitin Gadkari met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here Friday on the continuing economic blockade in Manipur.

The delgation, which also included Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley, along with BJP leaders from Manipur, demanded imposing president's rule in the northeastern state.


"Prices of essential commodities have sky-rocketed, petrol and diesel are being sold at arbitrary prices, potatoes and vegetable prices are so high that even the rich cannot afford them," Swaraj said.


"So we have demanded that first of all, dismiss the government there and impose president's rule in the state," she said.

The party also demanded compensation be given to affected families in Manipur and essential supplies be sent to the state through an "alternate route".


The main opposition party also wanted an all-party delegation to be sent to the state.

"The prime minister said he is aware of the situation and will think about sending an all-party delegation. He will talk to the home ministry and then inform us. He liked our suggestion. He also said he is in constant touch with Manipur but no solution is in sight at the moment. He was receptive to our suggestions and the talks were cordial," Swaraj added.


Friday was the 89th day of the blockade.

The Sadar Hills District Demand Committee (SHDDC) began an indefinite road blockade on the two crucial national highways that link the northeastern state with the rest of the country.

They are demanding that the Sadar Hills sub-division in the Naga-dominated Senapati district in northern Manipur be upgraded as a full-fledged district.

The United Naga Council (UNC), the apex forum of Nagas in Manipur, has also been organising a counter-road blockade in all Naga-inhabited areas in northern Manipur, demanding that these areas should not be carved out without their consent.

Bangalore: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa appeared before a Special Court here in connection with the disproportionate assets case on Thursday.
The AIADMK chief was forced to make a personal appearance in the court after the Supreme Court, yesterday, declined her plea and directed her to appear before the trial court to record her statement in the corruption case.

The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister is facing charges of accumulating assets worth over Rs 66 crore by her between 1991 and 1996 when she was Chief Minister for the first time. Jayalalithaa is accused No. 1 in the case.

The case was shifted to Bangalore by the Supreme Court.

Jayalalithaa flew in from Chennai today morning and directly proceeded to the court amid tight security. She is being accompanied by her close confidante and co-accused Sasikala.

Sasikala's nephew V Sudhakaran and her sister-in-law Ilavarasi have also been named in the case.

The Bangalore court will today record Jayalalithaa's final statements. The assets named in the case include farm houses and bungalows in Chennai and its suburbs, vast tracts of agricultural land in many parts the state, farm house in Hyderabad, tea estate in Nilgiris, jewellery, industrial sheds, cash in bank accounts and investments.
In view of the concerns regarding the security of Jayalalithaa, the Karnataka Police has left nothing to chance and has deployed around 1,000 police personnel, headed by a joint commissioner of police, at the court complex where the court is holding its special sitting.

The proceedings were shifted to a court hall located close to the Parappana Agrahara central jail premises on the city outskirts from the City Civil Court complex in the heart of the city in view of security cover needed for her.

Karnataka's Chief Secretary and its Director General of Police both filed affidavits in the Supreme Courts assuring the court of foolproof security measures in tune with her Z plus category status and elite National Security Guards (NSG) cover.

NEW DELHI: The bail plea of former Karnataka chief minister's BS Yeddyruppa was rejected on Saturdday in a land denotification case. The Lokayukta court issued an arrest warrant against Yeddyurappa.

In the complaint filed by city-based advocate Sirajin Basha, Yeddyurappa and five others including his sons and son-in-law were accused of irregularities in denotifying government land in Rachenahalli in Bangalore South taluk which caused an estimated loss of about Rs 40 crore to the state exchequer.

"It's my movement, I will take it the way I want," Kejriwal has been asserting this, rather brazenly and without spelling that out in words. AFP Photo
Arvind Kejriwal could well be the civil society’s version of Narendra Modi. He evokes extreme reactions, both negative and positive. You either like him or don’t; there cannot be halfway positions. He is also a go-getter — abrasive, at points seriously annoying, but still a go-getter. That the anti-corruption movement of Anna Hazare has stirred and shaken the establishment and stayed strong so far is a tribute to the man.
Combative, in your face, articulate, determined and good at rabble-rousing, he has been the brain and muscle behind the movement, while Anna has been its face. But that precisely are the qualities that could prove to be his undoing and take the movement down.
“It’s my movement, I will take it the way I want,” he has been asserting this, rather brazenly and without spelling that out in words, through his actions all through. That it is causing discomfiture among other civil society members is evident. He has manged to alienate mentors like Aruna Roy and Harsh Mandar through his aggressive positioning on the Lokpal issue already; now the core members of Team Anna are getting upset.
His decision to use the momentum in favour of the anti-corruption movement against the Congress in Hisar was more impulsive than rational. It has not gone down well among some members of Team Anna, though only Santosh Hegde has been vocal about it.

Kejriwal's mentors, of course, were not pleased to see the way their initiative was hijacked and the way things shaped up to be a mass movement. AFP Photo
“We jumped the gun in Hisar,” said Hegde in an interview to the Outlookmagazine. “I believe the (anti-corruption) movement is and should be apolitical. Even before Parliament could debate the Lokpal Bill, they went to Hisar and campaigned against the Congress. I don’t think it was the right thing to do,” he added.
He said if the need to intervene in the election was so compelling then members of Team Anna should have asked the people to choose the best candidate since corrupt people are not just in the Congress but in other parties as well. Hisar is the native place of Kejriwal.
In a hint that his disapproval was at a level deeper than that, Hegde, commenting on Kejriwal’s comment that Anna was above Parliament, told Outlook that such things happen when somebody talks “too much”. Clearly, things are deteriorating on the personal front. Signs of stress in the team does not augur well for the movement.
But Kejriwal, moving with the wave now, is not likely to stop. He has become bigger than the movement in some ways and the final arbiter of what direction it takes. The only force that can put the brakes is Anna himself. He is not inclined to do that at this stage.
His moves and rapid rise to this stature has surprised many of his comrades in the civil society and mentors. Under the shadow of Aruna Roy, Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS) leader, former civil servant and activist Harsh Mandar, his associate Shekhar Singh and Magsaysay winner Sandip Pandey for long, Kejriwal broke ranks with them over the Lokpal Bill. It was the former who had initiated the idea of the Lokpal Bill and made some progress till Kejriwal came up with a much more radical version of it.
He formed his own core team — including Prashant Bhushan, Shanti Bhushan, Kiran Bedi and Santosh Hegde — and moved on to enlist the support of Gandhian Anna Hazare for his cause after former president Abdul Kalam declined to take the lead role. The movement just got bigger and bigger with the media coming into the picture and the rest, as they say, is history.
His mentors, of course, were not pleased to see the way their initiative was hijacked and the way things shaped up to be a mass movement. Mandar criticised the developments unfolding over the Jan Lokpal Bill severely. “This is a right-leaning, fascist campaign to push for an extremely regressive legislation. It is painful to watch colleagues and friends take such unreasonable positions. The Lokpal Bill needs wider debate, consultations and reasonable debate,” he said in an interview with India Today.
But by then Kejriwal was unstoppable. The anti-corruption crusade had moved far beyond any civil society movement earlier. Anna was the symbol of the movement but he was the real driving force behind it. His personality traits, his combativeness, his understanding of the mass mood and his ability to use the media were working to making him larger-than-life.
However, indications now are that he is moving too fast and without a clear direction. There’’ a hint of recklessness too.
Will Kejriwal turn out to be his own enemy? Let’s wait and watch.

Bhopal: Senior BJP leader LK Advani's anti-graft road show, the Jan Chetna Yatra, has run smack into charges of cash inducements after reaching Madhya Pradesh on Thursday.

Reports said state BJP leaders tried to “bribe” journalists in order to do favourable coverage of the yatra, which is mainly targeting corruption and black money.

It was reported that envelopes containing money worth Rs 500-1,000 were given to journalists at a press conference called by local BJP MP Ganesh Singh at the district party office in Satna on Wednesday. That press conference was held a day before Advani’s press meet there.

State PWD Minister Nagendra Singh was also present at that controversial press conference.
One of the journalists present at the press meet returned the envelope given to him and carried a story in his paper ‘Nai Duniya’, thereby exposing the matter.
The opposition Congress in the state has also accused the ruling BJP of giving cash to journalists ahead of the yatra, at the Satna briefing.
"The party which is making hue and cry over black money is itself using black money for Advani's yatra," state Congress president Kantilal Bhuria said.
Both Ganesh Singh and Nagendra Singh denied that cash was distributed to newsmen by the party.
"Neither has it been a policy of the party nor was (cash) distributed by us," Ganesh Singh said. "But we will sure inquire."
Advani told reporters that the president of his party unit in Madhya Pradesh, Prabhat Jha, will investigate whether bribes were offered in exchange for coverage in Satna.
Advani's yatra reached Madhya Pradesh late Thursday evening and will remain in the state till Sunday. During these four days, his yatra will cover 45 Assembly constituencies and travel approximately 1,100 km.

New Delhi: Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh has announced that he will go public on Wednesday with the “proof” of RSS’ link with Anna Hazare’s movement.

Singh has for sometime been at loggerheads with Anna. Yesterday, he had written an open letter to the Gandhian in which he had warned Anna against the anti-Congress motive of some members of his team.

Later, speaking to a new channel Singh claimed to have documents to prove that RSS workers had actively participated in the Ramlila Maidan fast of Anna Hazare.

"I have got a letter from the RSS written to Mr Anna Hazare that they are extending full support to his campaign. I also have a copy of a letter written to all their workers asking them to support Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev's campaign. Ram Madhav came on dais supporting Anna Hazare,” Digvijay was quoted as saying.

“Govind Acharya ji gave a statement that most of the workers were from the RSS. Total management at Ramlila Grounds was done either by BJP or RSS cadre. Mr Mohan Bhagwat himself categorically made a statement that they are supporting Anna Hazare," he further said.

However, Anna Hazare has rejected any suggestion that he has links with the RSS.

The anti-corruption crusader’s war of words with the Congress intensified last week after he announced that he will campaign against the Congress if it doesn’t move ahead with passing of the Jan Lokpal Bill during the Winter Session of Parliament.

TEAM ANNA IS AN RSS..PROPAGANDA MACHINE

Team Anna’s politics: Campaign against Congress

New Delhi: Team Anna on Saturday launched a blistering attack on the Congress ahead of the October 13 Lok Sabha bypoll here, asking voters to inflict a "historic" defeat on the party for not bringing the Jan Lokpal Bill.

Addressing a gathering at Narnaund town of Hisar Lok Sabha constituency, Kejriwal sought support from the people of Hisar to vote against the Congress and others who indulged in corruption.

Kejriwal said Hazare twice sat on a fast for the Jan Lokpal Bill but the Congress-led UPA government was yet to bring it in Parliament.
"You will have to inflict a historic defeat on the Congress. If you defeat the party (in the bypoll), this will be Anna's victory," he told the gathering.

"The Congress party does not want to send corrupt people to jail. It does not want to take any action against them either. That is why they are opposed to the Jan Lokpal bill," he told a well-attended public gathering.
People in the gathering shouted slogans of support for Kejriwal and Team Anna as he listed various issues against corruption before them.
Kejriwal, who was accompanied by Hazare’s associate Manish Sisodia, said: “The Congress is afraid that if the Jan Lokpal bill comes, half of its ministers will go to jail (for corruption). That is why the Congress is trying to portray that the Jan Lokpal bill as against the country.”
Alleging that the Congress and corruption were synonymous, Kejriwal asked people to defeat the corrupt forces.
He said if the bill is not passed soon, team Anna would intensify its campaign against the Congress in poll-bound states.
Referring to RSS chief's remarks that Sangh volunteers took part in Hazare's movement, Kejriwal hit back saying those trying to seek credit should take credit for Gujarat riots and corruption that rocked the Karnataka Government under the BJP Chief Minister.
Earlier in Rohtak town, Kejriwal told reporters that Anna Hazare’s campaign against corruption was his own and not associated with any party or organisation.
He said that the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) could not take credit for Anna’s anti-corruption campaign in recent months.
Armed with a recorded message of the social activist, members of Team Anna Saturday began their anti-corruption and anti-Congress campaign from here ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha bypoll.
The by-election to the Hisar seat, to be held Oct 13, was necessitated after former chief minister and sitting MP Bhajan Lal's death in June.
Hazare himself is not scheduled to come here for the campaign though his recorded message will be played for the people in the next 2-3 days, activists of the anti-corruption forum here said.
In his video message, Hazare has called upon voters not to vote for the Congress as the party was opposed to bringing about an effective Lokpal bill.
Former police officer Kiran Bedi and lawyer Prashant Bhushan are likely to visit here in the next couple of days.
The ruling Congress in Haryana said it was not perturbed by Team Anna Hazare's campaign for the Hisar Lok Sabha bypoll.
"We are not perturbed by the campaign launched by Anna Hazare. RSS chief's admission that Sangh volunteers took part in recent movements against corruption has exposed his (Hazare's) lie and claims that he is non-partisan," Haryana Congress President Phool Chand Mullana said.
The contest for this seat is tough for the three main players -- Kuldeep Bishnoi of the Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) who is son of the late Bhajan Lal, Indian National Lok Dal's (INLD) Ajay Chautala who is son of former chief minister Om Prakash Chautala, and three-time former MP Jai Prakash of the Congress.
Stakes are high for all three parties and their candidates. Hisar was the only seat the Congress could not win out of the state's 10 Lok Sabha seats in the 2009 general elections.

New Delhi: The ongoing agitation for a separate state of Telangana in Andhra Pradesh may force the Central Government to impose President's Rule in the Congress-ruled state. Sources have told CNN-IBN that the Central Government is looking into the option of imposing President's Rule in Andhra Pradesh to tide over the crisis.
However, sources also added that the imposition of President's Rule in a state has to be ratified by Parliament and the Opposition may shoot it down with its combined numbers. There is tremendous pressure on the Congress to commit to the formation of Telangana state by dividing Andhra Pradesh from both within the party as well as from the Opposition.
But the party feels that creation of a separate state of Telangana may be difficult at the moment so the option of President's Rule is being considered.
The final call on the issue will be taken by the Congress Core Committee chaired by party President Sonia Gandhi.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy, Governor ESL Narasimhan are in New Delhi to discuss the issue with the Centre and the Congress High Command.
Narasimhan met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Saturday morning and discussed the law and order situation in Telangana, where the agitation seeking statehood for the region entered its 26th day on Saturday. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee was also present during the Narasimhan-Singh meeting.
Pradesh Congress Committee president Botsa Satyanarayana, too, has been called to New Delhi for a discussion with the party top leadership on the contentious statehood issue. All the Andhra ministers have also been called to New Delhi and will meet Mukharjee individually.
Mukherjee had met the Prime Minister, Sonia Gandhi and Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is in-charge of Andhra Pradesh, on how best to handle the agitation on Friday
Normal life in the region has been crippled following the agitation for a separate state of Telangana. The agitation has left all 10 districts of the Telengana region, including state capital Hyderabad, paralysed.

"Depending on my schedules, I shall go to Hisar and hold a couple of public meetings in Hisar. If not, I shall send a video message to the people of Hisar explaining how the Congress has blocked the Jan Lokpal bill and urge them not to vote for it," Hazare declared in his village in Ralegan Siddhi in Ahmednagar district.
To force the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government to live up to its promise of a strong Jan Lokpal bill, Team Anna's version of the Lokpal bill, this will be followed by taking the movement to Uttar Pradesh where assembly elections are due.
"If, as the UPA has assured, the bill is not passed during the ensuing winter session of parliament, we shall name the Congress and urge the people not to vote for it," Hazare asserted.
Three days before the actual polling in Uttar Pradesh, Hazare said he would sit on a three-day hunger strike in Lucknow to create awareness on the bill and the attempts by the Congress to scuttle it.
However, Hazare added that there would be no point in agitating against the Congress if the Jan Lokpal bill is passed.
Instead, they would appeal to the people to check the antecedents of the candidates and vote for the good ones only.

New Delhi: The Delhi Police on Monday filed its second supplementary chargesheet in the 2008 cash-for-vote case in a court here naming BJP MP Ashok Argal as an accused.
Argal's name was included in the fresh chargesheet after Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar granted sanction for his prosecution to the Delhi Police.
In the earlier two chargesheets, prosecution had not named Argal as an accused and had informed the court that it was awaiting the required sanction for his prosecution. Six persons, including Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh and BJP leader LK Advani's former aide Sudheendra Kulkarni, have been arrested in the case.
Argal was among the then three BJP MPs who had waved wads of currency notes in Lok Sabha ahead of trust motion in 2008, claiming that they had been offered bribe to save the UPA-1 government.
The chargesheet against the Argal was filed before Special Judge Sangita Dhingra Sehgal.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has dismissed as “bunkum” reports that he had offered to resign following controversy over a note of his Ministry on the 2G issue.

He also declined to comment on BJP leader Arun Jaitley's observation dubbing the "truce" between him and Home Minister P. Chidambaram after the controversy as "uneasy".
"These are all bunkum. If you do not have any serious question, then I am sorry," he said yesterday when asked whether he had offered to resign following the controversy over the note which suggested that Mr. Chidambaram could have prevented the 2G scam by insisting on auctioning of spectrum.
On Mr. Jaitley's remarks, Mr. Mukherjee said, "I am not commenting on anybody, any individual. If you have a general issue then ask me."

By: Kuldip Nayar

For the first time, the ruling Congress party is having dirty linen washed in public. The differences in the cabinet are not new.
They have been smouldering for a long time. But it had never come to a stage where one minister would leak out a note or a memorandum on the internal assessment against the ministry of other. India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has known all along who in his cabinet is trying to gun whom down.
Yet he has kept quiet because wrangling among ministers has strengthened his position and covered his casual attitude. You cannot be taking things lightly when you are the one who has to take the decision. The result is that people doubt his way of functioning, conceding that he is personally honest.
The two senior-most cabinet members, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Home Minister P. Chidambaram, whatever their posture of solidarity, are distant from each other. Chidambaram fears Mukherjee's political acumen and Mukherjee sharp intellect of Chidambaram.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi has advised both to make peace. But her word may not work because Pranab has damaged Chidambaram's stock. The finance ministry's note or the assessment was prepared after Chidambaram had quit the finance ministry and said that he could have saved the exchequer an estimated loss of Rs10.06 trillion if he had insisted on the auction of the 2G spectrum. Former Telecom minister A. Raja sold them in 2008 at the 2001 price. The note leaves no ambiguity and says that Mukherjee had seen it.
IMMENSE HARM
In fact, both ministers have been exposed - Mukherjee while trying to entangle Chidambaram and the latter coming to know of the trap that had been laid long after he had quit the finance ministry. Ironically, the note which has caused the furore has been obtained by a BJP activist under the Right to Information Act petition. Interestingly, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) gave the activist a ream of material that included the note.
The government's spokesman says in defence that it was signed by a junior officer. Does it matter whether it has the signature of the finance minister when it is a communication from the finance ministry? The harm that the note has done is immense. So much so that Chidambaram even offered to resign although Mukherjee probably shed crocodile tears saying that Chidambaram was "his valued colleague and a pillar of the government." The rift, however, has given ammunition to the opposition, ranging from the BJP on the right to the communist parties on the left. The media has been equally harsh to pounce upon it.
All this does not mean that the government is about to fall as is the rumour spread mostly by the BJP. True, the exterior of the government structure has been chipped but not in any way weakened. Ultimately, it is a question of numbers in the Lok Sabha, India's lower house. The BJP and its allies do not have a total of 273, the magic figure which gives a majority in the Lok Sabha of 545.
The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) that represents the government has remained intact. The UPA's own strength is 263 but has 27 members supporting from outside. Therefore the total comes to 290. The apprehension is that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) may falter in the south because Kanimozhi, daughter of the party leader, K.Karunanidhi, and his loyal follower A. Raja, are in jail. But the DMK's strength of 18 members is expendable. The loss of 18 does not bring the govt down.
Similarly, Mamata Banerjee of Trinamul Congress from West Bengal cannot oust the government by herself. She has 19 members in the Lok Sabha. Still the Manmohan Singh government is very solicitous towards her.
Problems of the Singh government may begin when Uttar Pradesh goes to polls early next year. Both Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Mulayam Singh's Samajwadi Party are on the side of the Congress, with the strength of 21 and 22, respectively. The two may find it odd when the Congress pitches its own tent against theirs for the assembly election and criticises them to make a dent into their support.
In fact, all the three parties have the same electoral base, that of Muslims, who have 15 per cent votes in UP. Again, the BSP and the Samajwadi Party do not by themselves pose a threat. They have to combine with the other Congress allies to oust the government. At present it faces criticism, not any challenge. However, the communists are trying their best to revive the third front. Even if it were to take place, it could be only after the polls in UP, Punjab, Uttrakhand, Goa, and Manipur next year.
Rising prices, the tumbling rupee, negligible growth of employment and the falling growth rate have essentially hurt the government. Yet the kicking point against the government has been the 2G spectrum scandal. The cracks in the government, particularly between Mukherjee and Chidambaram, have only become more visible.

New Delhi, Oct 2 : Expressing its concern over India-Bangladesh Land Transfer Agreement reached during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Dhaka last month, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Saturday called upon the government to place complete details of the land transfer protocols with relevant survey maps before parliament.

In a resolution passed at its national executive meeting, the BJP said the land transfer agreement had "ignored the feelings and sentiments of the people of the border states of Assam and West Bengal".

"In the name of rationalisation of adversely possessed lands and exchanging enclaves of Bangladesh in India and vice versa, the rights and interests of the local population have been severely compromised, leading to unrest throughout Assam and in many parts of north Bengal," the resolution said.

It said the BJP had warned the government during the monosoon session of parliament not to reach land transfer agreement without appropriate consultation with the affected people.

It said the party had constituted a committee under S.S Ahluwalia, deputy leader of the party in the Rajya Sabha, to visit the affected border districts in the two states.

"The team found widespread confusion and anxiety prevailing among the people because they had not been taken into confidence in this matter. The people are agitated because they rightly feel that the government of India has legitimised encroachment of Indian territories by Bangladesh, which amounts to formally transferring land illegally occupied by erstwhile East Pakistan and later Bangladesh over the years. Apart from Assam and West Bengal, there are anxieties in Tripura and Mizoram," the resolution said.

It said nearly 1,500 survey maps were exchanged between Indian and Bangladeshi officials before re-demarcation of the border but they were not in the public domain and security forces stationed on the border were also in the dark about the precise redrawing of the border.

"The BJP demands the government place the complete details of the land transfer protocols with all relevant survey maps before parliament. The party wants a comprehensive discussion in the winter session of parliament before the government takes any steps to part with Indian territories," the party said.

The resolution said while the party was in favour of improving ties with Bangladesh, it "cannot be at the cost of the livelihood and properties of Indian citizens living in the affected border regions".

The party said "demographic invasion of India by illegal Bangladeshi migrants has already severely affected the identity, culture and social cohesion of many parts of Assam and West Bengal" and "no further compromise with the country's national interests can be permitted".