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Journalism of Courage
Soon after Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee’s visit to J-K, the Congress president Sonia Gandhi will be visiting the state on Saturday. During her one-day trip, Sonia is expected to visit Vaishno Devi temple and hold a public rally in the nearby Katra. The tour was planned after Vajpayee’s visit and was finalised today. Accompanying her will be JKPCC chief Ghulam Nabi Azad, Chief Minister Mufti Md Sayeed, Deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma and others.
JKPCC chief and Congress Working Committee member Ghulam Nabi Azad said: ‘‘The party president had promised that she would be visiting the state regularly after the elections but the plan was postponed. First, because of the Parliament winter session and now the Budget session, then the PM’s trip was announced.’’
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Cong to let Kerala rebels off on ‘technical grounds’
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| NEW DELHI: The Congress high command may issue a warning to the strife-torn Kerala unit of party, in particular to the 20 MLAs who signed the nomination papers supporting a rebel candidate for the Rajya Sabha elections. Though this is being seen by AICC leaders as a soft line on dissidence, it is being favoured by Kerala CM A.K. Antony’s stand for a ‘‘healing touch’’ and Karunakaran’s plea for ‘‘generosity’’ towards the dissidents.
Govindan Nair, the rebel candidate, was expelled by KPCC chief Muraleedharan. Since the 20 MLAs signed the papers before Nair was expelled, party sources said, technically that couldn’t count as indiscipline. (ENS) |
‘‘Now she is going to visit Jammu. In the coming months, she would be visiting Kashmir and also Ladakh,’’ Azad said.
Azad had represented the party and met Centre’s interlocutor N.N. Vohra. At the meeting, Azad had stressed the need for a dialogue with the elected representatives from the state, as mentioned in the party manifesto.
Congress’ coalition partner in Government, the PDP, may not figure in the public meeting. ‘‘It is not a government function. This has been organised by the party alone and Sonia will be attending it as party president.There will be no other party leaders at the function,’’ Azad said.
On the agenda for her visit, a senior AICC leader said: ‘‘We are waiting for follow-up action on various initiatives announced by the Prime Minister during his visit to the state.’’
