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Politics Business Expressions General Sports Leisure States Tuesday, March 17, 1998   Pawar sidelined in Sonia sweep With the precision of a well-oiled machine, the pro-Sonia group in the Congress succesfully plotted her election as the chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) yesterday thus denying Congress Working Committee (CWC) member Sharad Pawar the post he coveted and consolidating Sonia's control over the party.   Govt introduces bill to make way for mayor-in-council The Maharashtra government yesterday finally introduced the much-touted bill to amend the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act to provide for a Mayor-in-Council system in the corporation. The bill sought to enhance the mayors' powers as compared to those of the municipal commissioner. BJP hopes to float a national water policy Bharatiya Janata Party General Secretary Venkaiah Naidu yesterday said that the Vajpayee government that would be sworn in on March 19 would strive for a national river water policy. Naidu said a river water policy would be discussed threadbare with the friendly parties and it would find place in the national agenda being formulated by the party in consultation with its allies. AGP seeks BJP's help to fight Congress The ruling AGP-led alliance in Assam has sought the help of the BJP in the state to defeat former Union Minister Santosh Mohan Deb in the Rajya Sabha elections. While the AGP-led alliance is to contest from one of the two seats, it has fielded Drupad Bargohain of CPI as part of an alliance in the second seat, for which the Congress has named Deb.   Patnaik blamed for law and order breakdown, starvation death The Biju Janata Dal and Bharatiya Janata Party have stepped up their campaign for the removal of J B Patnaik Government in Orissa by urging upon Governor K B Raghunath Reddy to advise the government to step down following the debacle of Congress in the Lok Sabha polls. Oppn interrupts Alexander's speech Giving an indication of the storm to follow and belying Maharashtra chief minister Manohar Joshi's hopes of sailing smoothly the Opposition engaged in a war of sloganeering yesterday, kicking off the five-week Budget session of the State Legislature on a turbulent note disrupting Governor PC Alexander's address to the joint session of the Legislature.     Secretariat working displeases Congress   I won't give headaches   Tribal head swears by Congress ideals   RPI to extend tie-up with Congress   HC reserves order on plea against Punjab RS poll schedule   Bhandari takes cue and quits   BJP stoops to "conquer" Jaya   Sonia's new face comes to the fore   Sena's first post-poll test   AP Governor forced to halt speech midway   Congress walkout in Kerala Assembly   Assam invites ultras for talks   Orissa BJD, BJP boycott speech by Governor   Vajpayee plans single-tier team   Front may throw Naidu out