Shekhawat Refuses to Budge, BJP Worries Growing

In a yet another reflection of the widening worries of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat reaffirming his resolve to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha election, went a step further on Thursday and said he had not felicitated L K Advani when he was elected the NDA alliance’s PM candidate.

Attempting to take the fight further into the BJP camp Sheakhawat said: “Other senior leaders in the BJP, including Atal Bihari Vajpayee, too, should contest the coming election.”

Shekhawat was scheduled to hold a meeting with Vajpaye with Thursday but, his statements invoking scorching temperatures in the BJP, the meeting was cancelled.

Perhaps seeking a greater say in Rajasthan politics for his family, Shekhawat addressed a packed press conference during the day and embarrassed the BJP by demanding a probe into “the Rs 22,000-crore scam during the previous Vasundhara Raje Government in Rajasthan,” the probe was initially called for by the Congress in its election manifesto.

By evening, Shekhawat was waxing eloquent on the “on the significance of allies in the coming elections” and trumptete his secular credentials by adding he had made three of his ministers resign because they wanted to take party in the Ram Janmabhoomi stir in early 90s.

“He may not be technically in the BJP, but he is definitely one of the tallest leaders in the party and his voice means a lot in north India,” Rajasthan BJP leader Narpat Singh Rajvi, who’s also Shekhawat’s son-in-law, was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

Later in the day Shekhawat met Rajnath Singh after Jaswant Singh took the former vice-president to his place where Rajnath was already waiting.

Shekhawat was, however, far from satisfied with the meeting, and reportedly wanted “firm assurances on Rajasthan”. He was also dissatisfied by Rajnath’s explanation that “he bore no ill-will towards the elder leader”.

In no mood to relent Shekhawat probed further by launching a frontal assault against the BJP national executive alleging “Tickets beche gaye hain, paise ka durupyog hua hai. BJP ka shudhikaran hona chahiye,” he said.

“The role of money power and casteism have led to irrelevance of democracy. This should be a matter of concern for the entire political system,” he added.

2009 is ostensibly the best and last chance for BJP stalwart LK Advani to fulfill his long sanding ambition of assuming the top office in the country, and Shekhwat, if not delicately handled, may well turn out to be the nemesis it failed to calculate.

Protests Seek End to Israeli Excesses

International condemnation of Israel's two week assault on Gaza has continued, with tens of thousands of protesters calling for an immediate end to the military offensive that has killed scores of civilians including children and damaged thousands of lives beyond repair.

In Norway on Thursday, at least 40,000 people marched in the capital Oslo, as well as in five other cities, in a protest called by an alliance of about 80 organisations.

The demonstration was called after two Norwegian doctors working in Gaza sent messages to Norwegian media about Israel's assault there.

"Our hope is that this gathering will be felt in the Middle East. We want to show the world that people can stand together in peace, no matter what their religious or political view," Svein Tore Bergestuen, one of the event organisers, told Al Jazeera.

The largely peaceful protest was marred by the detention of at least 27 people after clashes between pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian demonstrators.

Shop windows in the city centre were shattered and police repeatedly used teargas to break up groups of activists.

The violence started when about 1,000 pro-Palestinian supporters showed up at a rally sponsored by Norway's largest opposition party in support of Israel.

Television pictures showed them burning Israeli flags and throwing projectiles at police.

"This has nothing to do with the situation in Gaza," Johan Fredriksen, chief of staff of the Oslo police, told the website of the Aftenposten newspaper.

"These people came to the protest with knives, bats and Molotov cocktails," he said, speaking about the pro-Palestinian side.

Demonstrations were also held in Venezuela, Tehran, Khartoum and Sarajevo.
Protesters in Venezuela protesting against Israeli attacks [AFP]In an address to thousands in Tehran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, criticised some Muslim majority states for not supporting the Palestinians.

Thousands also gathered in the Sudanese capital Khartoum to express their solidarity with Gaza, some brandishing models of rockets.

Several hundred people gathered in freezing conditions in front of the US embassy in Sarajevo and called for Washington to use its influence to stop Israeli attacks on Gaza.
In Venezuela, protesters condemning Israel sprayed graffiti and hurled shoes at the country's embassy, backing the decision by Hugo Chavez, Venezuela's president, to expel the Israeli ambassador.

About 1,000 demonstrators waved Palestinian flags and chanted "Gaza, hold on! The world is rising up!"

The protest came two days after Chavez ordered Shlomo Cohen to leave in protest over the war and Israel says it is considering expelling Venezuelan diplomats in response.

Closer home in Bhopal, lakhs of Muslims will walk in protest against the excesses committed by the Israeli forces in Gaza, after prayers on Friday in response to a call issued by Shahr Qazi Abdul Lateef.

India Condemns Gaza Invasion

Nearly a fortnight after Israeli forces launched an excruciating attack on the Gaza Strip killing hundreds of civilians, New Delhi on Thursday finally broke its silence over the matter to issue a strong condemnation and called for an immediate end to the hostilities and a reinstatement of the dialogue process.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressed India's strong condemnation of hostilities in Gaza and favoured immediate halt to them so that a settlement based on dialogue can be arrived at.

Speaking for the first time on the current violence in Gaza, he also reiterated India's "unstinted and unwavering" support to the just Palestinian cause.

The prime ministerial statements came after media reports on Wednesday said that a conclave of the CPM to be held in Kerala was likely to blister the ruling Congress led coalition for its silence over the massive and disproportionate use of force by Israeli forces in Gaza.

Left parties view the silence as a pointer towards a clear shift in India’s foreign policy.

Speaking on the sidelines of a function marking the opening of the Naval Academy near Kannur in Kerala Premier Singh said: "We call for immediate cessation of hostilities so that a settlement based on dialogue can be arrived at."
Singh expressed dismay over the huge civilian casualties in the bombings by Israeli forces.

"I reiterate our unstinted and unwavering support to the just Palestinian cause. This is an area of special priority for India and over the next decade and more this focus would only intensify further," Singh said.

The Prime Minister said the Gulf is part of India's extended neighbourhood, separated only by the Arabian Sea, of which the Indian Navy is one of the sentinels.

Noting that India and the Gulf countries have a shared view of peace and prosperity in the region, he said many of these countries look upon India as a friendly and benign neighbour on which they can depend in times of difficulty and need.

While inaugurating the Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas in Chennai, Singh expressed hope that the international community would get together and help restore peace in the region as soon as possible.

France, Egypt and several other nations have been pushing for an immediate ceasefire in the region.

BJP Asks Who, Pranab Says Rahul

Attempting to take the wind out of the Congress sails and taking an apparent dig at Rahul Gandhi for his prime ministerial aspirations, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday questioned the UPA principal on its choice for the top post, this on a day when senior Congress leader and Minister Pranab Mukherjee said Rahul would soon take over as PM.

The BJP tongue-lash came in wake of the lampooning comments it was targeted with following former vice president and party senior Bhairon Singh Shekhawat's expressed aspirations to contest the next General Elections.

Taking the sting out of the Congress attack BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad questioned: "Our single question in reply to the questions asked by Congress is that they should come out clear on their Prime Ministerial candidate's name. Let the Nation know who they should vote for."
Congress had on Wednesday ridiculed the BJP by commenting that the saffron party should first seek to decide among themselves who their leader is before talking of taking on the grand old party.

On being asked about Shekhawat's plans to fight the Lok Sabha polls, Prasad said, "Shekhawatji is a senior leader and president of the party has commented whatever he had to."

Meanwhile Congress stalwart, foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee, said that Rahul Gandhi may soon take over as the country's prime minister.

"The days are not far off when Rahul Gandhi may follow his father's footsteps," Mukherjee said at a conference of overseas Indians, adding that late Rajiv Gandhi had become PM at the age of 40.

The statements were loaded with connotation especially as political pundits have been suggesting that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh may have lost favour and the implicit trust invested in him by the top Congress leadership when he dug in his feet over the Indo-US nuclear deal, which he aggressively sought as the high point of his present term in office.

The Congress rubbishing speculation as just that has declared that it would be lead to the hustings by premier Singh.

Though the party had rapped HRD minister Arjun Singh when he had first said that Rahul should take over the reins from Manmohan Singh, minister Mukherjee’s claims found support from a significant section in the Congress including former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh and party spokesman Shakil Ahmed.

Suicide Bomber Kills Five in Kandahar

At least five people including two US soldiers were killed when a suicide car bomber blew up his explosive laden vehicle near a busy market in Maywand district of Kandahar on Thursday. The NATO on Friday said the Taliban had claimed responsibility for the bombing.21 civilians were also wounded in the incident.

"The bomber's target was a busy market. We strongly condemn this attack ... This attack shows the real face of the Taliban, who have claimed responsibility for this barbaric action," General David McKiernan, commander of NATO-led troops in Afghanistan, said in a statement.

NATO forces in Kabul said a Taliban spokesman posted a statement on a website, claiming responsibility.

Kandahar, one of Afghanistan's most dangerous provinces, is home to the headquarters of NATO-led forces for their operations in the south, where more than 18,000 mainly Canadian, British, Dutch and U.S. troops are locked in a battle against a resurgent Taliban.

Icon Sanjay Breaks Dutt Traditions

In a clear break away from family traditions Bollywood icon Sanjay Dutt is all set to make his political debut contesting the Lucknow Lok Sabha Constituency on a Samajwadi Party ticket. The decision was announced by SP general secretary Amar Singh.

Lucknow is presently represented by former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Hoping to capitalise on his huge fan following, the decision to field the 49-year-old superstar at the SP central parliamentary board meeting held in New Delhi on Thursday.

After the meeting SP general secretary Amar Singh announced the names of 26 other candidates, including party president Mulayam Singh Yadav, from Mainpuri.

Sanjay's late father, Sunil Dutt, also a Bollywood star, was a five-time Congress MP while his sister Priya was elected to the Lok Sabha on a Congress ticket in a bye-election after Dutt's death.

In 1980, Sanjay's mother Nargis Dutt, a renowned actress, was nominated to Rajya Sabha.

While Sunil Dutt and Priya entered Lok Sabha on Congress tickets, Sanjay will contest as a SP candidate, a key ally of Congress.

Reacting to the decision, Sanjay's sister and Congress MP Priya Dutt said in Mumbai that "he (Sanjay) has a desire to serve people and I think the best platform is politics. This is the choice he has made and I wish him all the best."

Sanjay's late father, Sunil Dutt, also a Bollywood star, was a five-time Congress MP while his sister Priya was elected to the Lok Sabha on a Congress ticket in a bye-election after Dutt's death.

Sanjay, convicted under the Arms Act, is currently out on bail and the SP will have to seek permissions, to field Sanjay, from the Election Commission and the Supreme Court, where the matter is pending.

Swinger Imran Nails Zardari, Gilani

Master of the reverse swing former Pakistan speedster and president of the Tehreek-e-Insaf party, Imran Khan on Thursday attempted to bowl over television audiences by putting on a crafty display of his much sought after art saying, Pakistani involvement in the Mumbai attacks cannot be ruled out..
Khan’s politically loaded and liability shunning statements came a day after Islamabad fired National Security Adviser Mahmud Ali Durrani for admitting that captured Mumbai attacker Ajmal Amir Kasab is a Pakistani national.

"I think it's possible. I don't know what exactly has happened but I do believe that it is possible. I believe that if it is the case (then) these are non-state actors," the suave heart throb said in an exclusive interview to CNN-IBN.

In what is an ostensible hint toward growing anti-incumbencies in the Islamabad establishment, Khan iterated that President Asif Ali Zardari was having a tough time dealing with the multiple crises faced by Pakistan.

"We move from one crisis to the other. I don't know what will happen. I think Zardari is getting weaker by the day and I don't think he is in a position to get rid of the Prime Minister (Yousuf Raza Gilani) that easily," said Imran.

Reports appearing in the media for several weeks have suggested that premier Gilani has fallen out of favour with Zardari and may be dumped as soon as the current diplomatic crises blows over.

Indicating that there is little cohesion between Zardari and Gilani, Imran said, "We have no idea basically what's going on because we have mixed signals coming in. Prime Minister says one things, President says another.”

“Various ministers come up with statements. Then we have this anomaly which is this National Security Advisor (Mahmud Ali Durrani). Basically he is a Musharraf (former president Pervez Musharraf) man who is going to be replaced once he is sacked. Who comes in his place that's the other question mark?"

However, Imran backed that Pakistani Government's decision not to hand any terror suspects to India.

"If India makes the same demands as the US and Pakistan violates its own Constitution and its own law by actually handing over the suspects, there is going to be such a backlash in Pakistan. All it's going to do is it is going to exacerbate the situation," he said.

He also claimed that Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani was asserting himself.

"Frankly no one in Pakistan is sure how much power Gilani has got right now because clearly he is asserting himself," he added.

Imran's views on Kasab's nationality were seconded by Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Mushahid Hussain.

The western (Oxford) educated Khan, for years, has attempted to levitate his huge fan base in cricket crazy Pakistan to fulfill political aspirations, and with his acceptance in the west as unquestionable as ‘foreign’ involvement in Pakistani politics, the Khan saga is far from over and his statements a mere attempt to score brownie points.

Army Continuing Search for Militants in Poonch

The army on Friday continued to search for militants who taking advantage of the rough terrain and weather conditions escaped into a dense forest in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir marking the end of a bitter eight day gunfight with security forces, the army said late on Thursday.

There was a "possibility of terrorists having slipped out taking advantage of the rugged terrain and prevailing climatic conditions", the army said late Thursday night.

Seven people, including four militants and three security personnel, were killed in the first three days of the battle that began Jan 1. But the army has not yet recovered the bodies of the killed militants.

A source in the army said no exchange of fire had taken place with the hiding terrorists throughout Thursday, though the troops had been on alert.

The soldiers had busted three hideouts and all they found were edible oil, dal, rice and cooking gas cylinders. "All the caves where the militants were hiding had two openings," the army source said.

The battle started when terrorists killed two army men - a junior commissioned officer and a soldier - while they were laying a cordon.

The militants had taken away the rifle of the JCO, whose body was found two days later.

The Brigadier General Staff (BGS) of 16 Corps Brig Gurdeep Singh told the media Wednesday: "Weather and terrains were the main hindrances in the progress of the operations."

He said there was no idea how many militants were inside the forest, "but one thing is sure that there are no bunkers. The terrorists are using natural caves as their hideouts".

Singh had said the militants tried to breach the cordon Tuesday night "but the troops fired at them pushing them back into the jungle".

(Internet Inputs)

Soren Loses Crucial By Poll, Resignation to Follow

Yet again triggering a political turmoil in tribal dominated Jharkhand, Chief Minister Shibu Soren on Thursday lost a must-win assembly by-election, prompting the main Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to demand his resignation and fresh assembly polls.

Soren a candidate of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) lost the Tamar constituency by-election to Raja Peter of the Jharkhand Party a constituent of the ruling coalition that had rebelled against the veteran politician.

Peter won the electoral battle with a comfortable margin of 9,062 votes.

Soren, not a member of the of the legislative assembly, took over as Chief Minister on August 27 last year, his appointment required him to be elected to he House within six months of assuming office.

Soren, a former central minister, is yet to comment on the outcome, but an understandably delighted Peter, who secured 34,186 votes, said his victory belonged to the people of Tamar, where he has worked for last 10 years.

With the debacle coming months before the General Elections the BJP has sensed opportunity and was prompt to issue the demand for Soren's resignation and urged that president's rule be invoked in the state.

"The only option left is imposing president's rule. Then elections should be conducted to seek people's mandate. People of Jharkhand now do not want an experiment," said Arjun Munda, former Chief Minister and BJP leader.

BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy speaking to the media in Lucknow said: "Not only Soren but his allies the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal are also defeated."

The state has seen a long period of political instability and now there should be fresh elections, he said.

Sources in the state's ruling alliance say, central UPA leaders have summoned Soren and former Chief Minister Madhu Koda to Delhi to discuss the emerging scenario.

The central alliance leadership is likely to ask Soren to resign and support the new UPA government to be formed under Koda.

Jharkhand Party President and former Rural Development Minister Enos Ekka had fielded Peter going against the wishes of the state UPA leaders, who fielded Soren as their candidate.

With Ekka digging in his feet over the matter, Soren sacked him and Harinarayan Rai, citing a corruption case filed against them by the vigilance department.

The polling took place on January 5 amid tight security.

The Tamar seat had fallen vacant after former Minister and Janata Dal-United (JD-U) legislator Ramesh Singh Munda was killed by Maoists last July.

Pak Efforts Not Enough: US

A day after Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari’s spokesman, Farhatullah Baber lauded him for playing a pivotal role in improving Pak-India ties, US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Richard Boucher on Thursday said that the steps taken by Pakistan so far "have not eliminated the terror threat."

As part of America's ongoing efforts to defuse Indo-Pakistan tensions escalating in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror strikes, Boucher met Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon in Delhi on Thursday evening.

Pakistan's initiatives are promising but there is a long way to go, he said, adding: "People responsible for Mumbai attacks have to be brought to justice. The US is determined to find out who carried out Mumbai attacks."

His remarks come soon after he was decorated with Pakistan's civil award Hilal-e-Quaid-e-Azam as recognition of his services towards easing Pak-India tensions.