Sonia may decide Rao ticket issue
Former Prime Minister Narasimha Rao's political future now lies in the hands of Sonia Gandhi. Yesterday, the Congress released its third list of candidates for the forthcoming polls. The 49-member list once again excluded Rao's name from contention, following deferment of the issue at the party's CEC meetings held recently. Rao's case has been strenghtened, however, with CWC member J B Patnaik making a vocal protest against the exclusion of Rao.
Observers can halt counting
The Election Commission has taken its poll reform process to a new height. The EC's latest step in this direction was taken yesterday. The EC has now authorised election observers to stop counting or declaration of poll results in their respective constituencies in the event of discrepancies in the poll process. This move marks a radical shift from previous polls when the observers were only able to complain to the Chief Electoral Officers of the state.
Norms for pvt placement to be delayed
The Securities and Exchange Board of India's plan to bring the booming private placement business under its regulatory framework is unlikely to materialise in the near future. The reason for the delay in SEBI's plans is the model code of conduct banning policy decisions by the present government. This means that several months will pass before a decision on the revised Companies Act is taken by the new Government.
Clinton denies affair, but Starr is after the body of evidence
Special prosecutor Kenneth Starr, who is pursuing United States President Bill Clinton's alleged affair with a former White House aide, sought her help to secretly tape-record private comments by President and Vernon Jordan and their advice to her to lie. According to reports, the independent counsel tried to persuade Monica Lewinsky to secretly tape-record private comments by Clinton and his friend Vernon Jordon on the alleged affair.
Congress sulks as Laloo Yadav releases RJD's first list
A proposed electoral truck in Bihar between the Congress and Laloo Prasad Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is now unlikely to take off. This is due to the announcement of a list of 39 candidates for the Lok Sabha polls by the RJD, in contravention of its earlier statement of releasing a list only after an agreement with the Congress.
Vajpayee kicks off UP poll drive on stability note
The BJP is now looking to attract voters with promises of a stable government. This, at least, seems to be the impression derived from the speech made by party leader Atal Behari Vajpayee while kicking off the BJP's electoral campaign in Uttar Pradesh yesterday. Vajpayee said that unless a stable goverment was formed, the political sitution in India would still be crisis-ridden. Vajpayee, however, skirted contentious issues like Ayodhya, Bofors and Sonia Gandhi's foray into politics.
