Quicktakes

Pro-Kremlin party surges ahead in polls
MOSCOW: In their best-ever electoral performance in the post-Soviet era, the pro-Kremlin Unity Party was today breathing down the neck of the Communist Party, pushing up Russian premier Vladimir Putin’s presidential aspirations. The Centrists group was just 0.7 per cent votes behind the Communist Party, who have 24.38 per cent.

Oppn walkout over Women’s Bill
NEW DELHI: AgitatedGITATED members of the Congress, SP and the Left walked out of the Lok Sabha after they failed to get a concrete assurance from the Government over the fate of the Women’s Reservation Bill.

SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav said his party would even sacrifice its membership to ensure that the Bill was not brought in the House.