In brief

Maya calls meet of party MPs,MLAs
Chief Minister Mayawati has called a meeting of her party MPs,MLAs,MLCs and coordinators at her official residence in Lucknow on Wednesday. Sources said Mayawati is likely to discuss the current situation in the context of the High Court verdict to be delivered in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suits and the upcoming panchayat elections.

Varun gives Rs 1 lakh to veteran worker
The BJP national secretary and Pilibhit MP Varun Gandhi has given Rs 1 lakh as financial assistance to octogenarian worker Kaka Ram Kumar Singh. Party state secretary Ashutosh Tandon handed over the draft of the said amount to him on Tuesday. During his recent visit,Gandhi had met Singh at his Bakshi Ka Talaab residence. A core team member of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee,Singh is now bed-ridden due to ill health.

No formal Panchayat poll list: Congress
The state Congress announced on Tuesday that it will not release any formal list of candidates for the upcoming Panchayat elections. “Panchayat elections are not fought on party symbols,but parties do extend their support to the candidates. But the Congress has decided not to release any formal list. If workers plan to contest the elections,they would not be stopped and district units have been told that they can support a suitable candidate,” said a leader.

Cong to hold Dalit convention in Agra
After holding Minority,Kshatriya and OBC conventions in the past,the Congress is now heading for a Dalit convention in Agra on September 4. Apart from AICC General Secretary Digvijay Singh,senior Dalit leaders are also expected to be a part of this convention.