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Laloo calls back men from GovtPATNA: Rashtriya Janata Party chief Laloo Prasad Yadav today directed the three ministers from his party to re...

Laloo calls back men from Govt

PATNA: Rashtriya Janata Party chief Laloo Prasad Yadav today directed the three ministers from his party to resign from the Union Government. In another volte-face, Laloo now says he is not averse to Sonia Gandhi becoming Prime Minister. The RJD chief has reportedly decided to ask Kanti Singh, Jai Narain Nishad and Raghuvansh Prasad to put in their papers in the wake of the formation of his Jan Morcha.

Gwalior seat

BHOPAL: Senior Congress leader Madhavrao Scindia has indirectly challenged BJP8217;s prime-ministerial candidate Atal Behari Vajpayee to contest against him from the Gwalior constituency. The Congress leader threw the challenge while talking informally to reporters here last night. On being told that the BJP was planning to contest the election in Gwalior seriously this time, the Congress leader remarked 8220;I hope they fight in Gwalior as seriously as they did in 19848221;. In the 1984 elections, Scindia had defeated Vajpayee by a huge margin but in the 1996 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had not fielded a candidate in the Gwalior constituency.

Bihar JD rift

PATNA: The Janata Dal in Bihar is caught in the throes of a conflict over constitution of the state election committee with several senior leaders expressing their displeasure with party president Sharad Yadav accusing him of favouritism. State party president Ramai Ram boycotted the first meeting of the committee held on Sunday accusing Yadav of completely ignoring the 8220;vital aspect of maintaining social equilibrium and nominating the committee arbitrarily.8221;

Dalits warned

PALAKKAD: The CPM8217;s Kerala unit has cautioned minorities and dalits that the BJP would be the ultimate beneficiary if they cast their votes in favour of the party in the coming Lok Sabha elections. The political resolution, moved by former MP K Mohanan, expressed the hope that the people of Kerala would strengthen the CPM-led LDF.