In a surprise move, the BJP in Madhya Pradesh has decided to field well-known TV actor Nitish Bhardwaj for Rajgarh Lok Sabha constituency in the state against chief minister Digvijay Singh's younger brother Laxman Singh. Bhardwaj, who arrived this afternoon from Mumbai, would proceed to Rajgarh for filing his papers on Tuesday, the last day of nominations.

BJP still committed to pet issues

BJP is still committed to certainissues, including abrogation of Article 370 of Constitution and a uniform civil code, but is not insisting on them as it is part of NDA, party spokesman Arun Jaitley said in New Delhi on Monday. "We have great amount of faith in issues like Article 370," Jaitley said. He, however, said his party was not insisting onthose issues as "we are contesting the election as an alliance. We are part of NDA."

NCP may support Cong sans Sonia

Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar on Monday gave broad indications that hisparty might support a Congress-led government without Sonia Gandhi as its leader. "Let us see. It is too early to say. I don't say no. I don't say yes," he told reporters here when asked if his party would support Congress minus Sonia Gandhi.

BJP clarifies on NDA

BJP on Monday said even if it secured a majority on its own in the Lok Sabha polls, it would form the government at the Centre along with its allies in NDA. "The BJP has fielded 330 candidates and hopes to get comfortable majority but since the party was a partner of NDA there would be no question for his party to form the government alone," general secretary KN Govindacharya told reporters in Jaipur.

Sonia makes veiled attack on BJP

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday made a veiled attack on Vajpayee government for "blatantly trying" to derive political mileage from the sacrifices made by Indian soldiers in Kargil conflict for the coming Lok Sabha elections. Without making any direct reference to the Vajpayee government,Sonia said, ``It is shamelessly trying to derive political mileage by paying tributes to the soldiers who selflessly laid down their lives in defence of the country's sovereignty, unity and integrity.''