Partyline

MNF MLA joins CongAIZAWL: Mizo National Front MNF legislator Lalkhama submitted his resignation as an MLA and joined the Congress on Wedne...

MNF MLA joins Cong

AIZAWL: Mizo National Front MNF legislator Lalkhama submitted his resignation as an MLA and joined the Congress on Wednesday. In his resignation letter to Speaker Vaivenga, Lalkhama said that he had decided to resign as he was elected by MNF voters. He joined the ruling Congress after submitting his resignation to the Speaker. A former Indian Administrative Service IAS officer, Lalkhama served in Mizoram as Chief Secretary.

Aspirants ebb

BANGALORE: The number of aspirants for the Lok Sabha seats in the 28 constituencies in Karnataka has dropped drastically from 978 in 1996 to a mere 200 this time. Belgaum, which had a record number of 456 candidates in the last polls, has only six contenders for this month8217;s hustings, which would witness a triangular contest 8211; between the Congress, Janata Dal and BJP-Lok Shakti combine.

Arms licences

GAYA: The Gaya district administration has asked all the arm licensees to deposit their arms with therespective police stations in the district, week before the first phase of Lok Sabha polls, the district magistate S M Raju said on Wednesday. A decision to this effect had been taken to ensure quot;free, fair and peacefulquot; polls in the extremist hit district, Raju told newsmen here.

Plea to Sonia

PATNA: Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee BPCC president Sarfaraz Ahmed on Wednesday urged Sonia Gandhi to promise creation of a separate Jharkhand state during the second-leg of electioneering in south Bihar. Sonia, in her second-leg of electioneering, was scheduled to address election rally in south Bihar on Friday. Ahmed said he had already made a request to Gandhi to express her views on the demand for a separate state to be carved out of Bihar as quot;it will further boost the pary8217;s electoral prospects in Jharkhand region.quot;

Arjun files papers

HOSHANGABAD: Senior Congress leader, Arjun Singh filed his nomination papers for the February 22 Lok Sabha elections from Hoshangabadconstituency in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday. The senior Congress leader, who came in a rally with his supporters, filed two sets of nomination papers before the Hoshangabad collector Ajay Tirkey. Those present on the occasion included Madhya Pradesh Finance Minister, Ajay Narayan Mushran, Urban Welfare Minister Hazarilal Raghuvanshi, Energy Minister Narmada Prasad and Minister of State for Housing, Indrajeet Kumar Patel.