Partyline

Security for Jamp;K pollsJAMMU: Nearly 250 additional companies of para-military forces will be deployed for poll duties in each phase of t...

Security for Jamp;K polls

JAMMU: Nearly 250 additional companies of para-military forces will be deployed for poll duties in each phase of three-phased elections in Jammu and Kashmir starting from February 16, chief electoral officer S V Bhave said on Saturday.

8220;Each phase of polls in the state will be manned by nearly 250 companies of the security forces other than the already existing number of security forces,8221; Bhave told newsmen.

Gujral8217;s caution

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister I K Gujral said on Saturday that criminals had found refuge in the political process and warned that people would lose faith in the efficacy of democracy if decency and basic virtues were not restored in public life. 8220;Some of those who should have been in jail are today in State Legislatures and even in Parliament. Such a situation makes a mockery of the very freedom which democracy nurtures,8221; he said.

Jan Morcha polls

HYDERABAD: The Rashtriya Janata Dal RJD led Jan Morcha would contest all the 42 seats in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections from Andhra Pradesh, according to M V Bhaskara Rao, president of the Andhra Nadu Party, a constituent of the Morcha. He said the front was formed to fight the ruling Telugu Desam, Congress and BJP. 8220;Seat adjustments among the constituents is totally an internal matter as ideology of the parties of the morcha is the same,8221; he said.

TMC exodus

COIMBATORE: Thousands of Tamil Maanila Congress supporters have decided to quit the party and join the Congress in the presence of Sonia Gandhi at Sriperumbudur, where she is to kick off the Congress8217; election campaign on Sunday, said P R Natarajan, leader of Annai Indira National Trade Union Congress trade union wing.. The exodus was in protest against the party8217;s decision to ally with the ruling DMK and give M Karunanidhi the upper hand in the alliance, Natarajan claimed.