A Correspondent In Ahmedabad

Stories by A Correspondent In Ahmedabad

Exclusive: STOP AP's mining, Cong minister tells guv

Exclusive: STOP AP's mining, Cong minister tells guv

Rediff.com   20 Apr 2012

In a startling development, a Union minister and Congress leader has dashed off a letter to the Andhra Pradesh governor, urging him to take action against the state government ruled by his own party

PM's talk on restoring Ganga promises nothing: Expert

PM's talk on restoring Ganga promises nothing: Expert

Rediff.com   17 Apr 2012

Expressing displeasure at the prime minister's speech on the issue of the Ganga river basin, Himanshu Thakkar says that such sermons from the Centre have come and gone hundreds of times without any impact.

Modi, Patnaik meet Jayalalithaa

Modi, Patnaik meet Jayalalithaa

Rediff.com   16 Apr 2012

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa assumed the centre stage in the national scene on Monday by attacking Centre's policies on internal security during the chief minister's conference in New Delhi.

Govt holding off RS deputy chairman elections?

Govt holding off RS deputy chairman elections?

Rediff.com   13 Apr 2012

The United Progressive Alliance government is planning to put off the elections for selecting the deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha until the monsoon session, a source has said.

Cabinet repeals Tamil Nadu Legislative Council Act

Cabinet repeals Tamil Nadu Legislative Council Act

Rediff.com   12 Apr 2012

The Union Cabinet on Thursday repealed the Tamil Nadu Legislative Council Act, thereby laying the foundation of a political strategy to woo the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. After Home Minister P Chidambaram proposed the agenda and sought the views of other ministers in the Cabinet, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh gave his go-ahead for the repeal.

Swaraj to lead parliamentary delegation to Sri Lanka

Swaraj to lead parliamentary delegation to Sri Lanka

Rediff.com   11 Apr 2012

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj will lead a fourteen-member Parliament delegation to Sri Lanka on Monday to study the alleged human rights violation during the operations against Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in the north eastern province of the island nation.

Indian American cartoonist wins Kerala honour

Indian American cartoonist wins Kerala honour

Rediff.com   3 Apr 2012

Colorado-based cartoonist Dr Thomas A Kodenkandath, also known as Thommy, has won a prize for his cartoon headlined 'Indian Rupee gets a Symbol' from the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi.

Miss India 2012: Candigarh girl wins top spot!

Miss India 2012: Candigarh girl wins top spot!

Rediff.com   31 Mar 2012

At a function held in Mumbai, three beauties were crowned Miss India.

Is Congress trying to woo Jayalalithaa via water grant?

Is Congress trying to woo Jayalalithaa via water grant?

Rediff.com   30 Mar 2012

In a move to apparently woo All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, Congress leader and Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh has offered an additional grant of over Rs 93 crore to her government, under the National Rural Drinking Water Programme. In a letter written to the CM, Ramesh mentions that the state government had utilised 60 per cent of the over Rs 273 crore allocated under the NRDWP.

EC likely to conduct by-polls in 17 Andhra constituencies

EC likely to conduct by-polls in 17 Andhra constituencies

Rediff.com   29 Mar 2012

The Election Commission is set to conduct 17 by-polls in Andhra Pradesh, according to highly-placed sources. The impending president election is the main reason for the hurry is conducting the assembly by-polls, said the sources, as protocol demands that no assembly or Parliament seat should be vacant during the election of the President of India.

BJP in the line of fire in Jharkhand

BJP in the line of fire in Jharkhand

Rediff.com   25 Mar 2012

The money play in Jharkhand in the Rajya Sabha elections appears to be destabilising the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government, with its ally Jharkhand Mukti Morcha even threatening to pull it down if its candidate loses.

'Inviting Mulayam to join govt may result in more trouble'

'Inviting Mulayam to join govt may result in more trouble'

Rediff.com   25 Mar 2012

Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav's talk of early Lok Sabha polls to his party cadres shocked Congress leaders engaged in backroom talks for the last two weeks to rope in his party to join the United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre for giving it a stability to carry on till 2014.

Who will head the govt during PM's South Korea visit?

Who will head the govt during PM's South Korea visit?

Rediff.com   23 Mar 2012

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has not chosen any of the top ministers in his Cabinet to head the government during his visit to South Korea between March 24 and March 27. "The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs may decide on issues of national urgency. The CCPA will, in the prime minister's absence, be presided over by the senior-most minister," says a 'Secret/Most Urgent' note sent out by Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth to nine senior ministers.

Adarsh scam: Bombay HC satisfied with probe, says CBI

Adarsh scam: Bombay HC satisfied with probe, says CBI

Rediff.com   22 Mar 2012

After being rapped for 'sloppy investigations' in the Adarsh society scam case, the Central Bureau of Investigation finally seems to have got its act together. After several high profile arrests, the CBI joint director has now informed that the "Bombay high court is satisfied with the investigations so far."

Is Cong desperate to clean up the Bengal mess?

Is Cong desperate to clean up the Bengal mess?

Rediff.com   21 Mar 2012

The Congress was in a tizzy trying to clean up its own mess in West Bengal, worried that it will have to get its own candidate defeated in West Bengal in the Rajya Sabha elections, or else face Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee rocking the United Progressive Alliance government's boat.

7 manufacturing zones identified in India, Maha gets 2

7 manufacturing zones identified in India, Maha gets 2

Rediff.com   21 Mar 2012

NIMZ is conceptualised as integrated industrial townships with all-important elements to help the growth of infrastructure, clean and energy efficient technology, simplified business regulations and the necessary social and institutional infrastructure.

NIA creates template to interrogate terror funding suspects

NIA creates template to interrogate terror funding suspects

Rediff.com   21 Mar 2012

The National Investigation Agency has prepared a template for interrogation of suspects of terror funding, which has been circulated to the concerned authorities in all states and Union territories.

Sri Lanka war crimes: DMK to withdraw five Union ministers

Sri Lanka war crimes: DMK to withdraw five Union ministers

Rediff.com   14 Mar 2012

The Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam is all set to withdraw its five Union ministers from the United Progressive Alliance-2 by the weekend to express solidarity with the Sri Lankan Tamil issue. The step is expected to be taken to put UPA-2 on notice if India voted in favour of Sri Lanka in Geneva where the United Nations Human Rights Council is currently in session.