After the defeat, the exodus?
Seven MPs from the BJD and five from the Samata Party are reportedly on the verge of walking over to the Opposition ranks when the new ruling coalition emerges next week.
Congress wakes up to reality of Opposition politics
While Mulayam Singh has refused to accept Sonia Gandhi as PM, the Forward Bloc and the RSP, with seven MPs between them, have declared that they will not support any government in which the AIADMK is a partner.
Corrupt should be kept out: Moopanar
The Tamil Maanila Congress president said such ministers should not be allowed to "go out of one door and re-enter the government through another".
Samajwadi Party worried about Congress plans
"As a major party, the Congress has the responsibility of carrying along all those secular parties which voted to bring down the government," general secretary Amar Singh said.
BSP, SP plot Kalyan Singh's removal
Emboldened by the Vajpayee government's ouster, the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party have trained their guns on the BJP-led coalition government in Uttar Pradesh.
Mulayam confident of alternative government
The Samajwadi Party has authorised its chief to hold discussions with 'friendly parties' to form a new government at the Centre.
Congress expects defection from Samata, BJD
The BJP, meanwhile, has claimed that the country is heading for election. "We expect elections soon, maybe by June. The Opposition cannot last since they are such a hotch-potch combination," party general secretary Narendra Modi said.
Woman power knocked government off its pedestal
While not many are sanguine about the stability of the new coalition that will emerge, the coming together of Sonia Gandhi, Jayalalitha and Mayawati has lent a new angle to Indian politics.
What forced the BSP to vote?
Where the BJP erred is in not following up with the BSP and ensuring its abstention. The Opposition worked the other way. According to sources, when the Opposition realised it lacked the numbers, it went all out to woo the BSP.
CPI-M politburo to review developments
Party general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet and West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu feel the Congress should head any alternative government.
OTHER REPORTS
Tamil Nadu set for political realignment
The TMC may have to swallow its pride and help Jayalalitha share power at the Centre. If that happens, the TMC's honeymoon with the DMK will be as good as over. This will also spell danger for the coalition government in Pondicherry.
GSLV to fly in 2000
ISRO chief Kasturirangan said work on the launch vehicle would begin immediately after the launch of the PSLV-C2, which is scheduled to take off from Sriharikota in the last quarter of May.
Aides urge Bhutto to stay away from Pakistan
They suggested the step so that she could avoid imminent arrest after her conviction and sentencing by a court in a corruption case.
Student shoots principal in Multan
The killing occurred after the principal refused to declare a holiday to allow students attend a Muslim League rally.
Survey ordered into radiation from uranium mines
Many people in the area are afflicted with cancer, physical disabilities and other diseases, allegedly owing to the radiation from the Uranium Corporation of India Limited's mines.
For Clinton, China can do no wrong
'The endless list of export licences granted to China presents a sharp contrast to the "deny, deny, deny" policy toward India. While sophisticated technology is sold directly to the Chinese military, even paper clips are denied to the Indian defence department after last May's nuclear tests,' says Seema Sirohi.
THE REDIFF COLUMNISTS
Jaya was ready for compromise!
The last straw was, sources say, the Vajpayee Cabinet's formal rejection of her demands. "She took that as a personal affront," says former AIADMK minister M R Janarthanam. Capital Buzz. Gossip from the Delhi Durbar.
Bring back 'untouchability'
'In his eagerness to stay put in his prime ministerial chair, Atalji had counted on the abstentious support of a woman who is possibly even less reliable than Jayalalitha: delightful Mayawati. Sure enough, when it came time to vote, she pulled the wool from over his eyes to spectacular effect,' says Dilip D'Souza.
Jammu and Kashmir: Two militants killed in encounter Manipur: Minister escapes attempt on life
April 17
THE VOTE OF CONFIDENCE
Government looks set to weather the storm
With the confirmed support of the DMK's six MPs and the Lok Dal's four, the BJP-led coalition government is on a strong wicket. In fact, it does not even need the favourable votes of the TMC (3) and BSP (5). It needs only ensure that they abstain.
BJP managers win over DMK, Lok Dal
Vajpayee is reported to have offered them important posts in a Cabinet expansion soon after the vote. The PM also accepted Chautala's demand to reverse the cut in the urea subsidy and Karunanidhi's request for central support to pursue Jayalalitha's prosecution on corruption charges.
BSP decides to abstain
That leaves only the TMC to make its stand known. The party will announce its decision tomorrow, but sources said it too is likely to abstain.
'DMK has to respond to the danger posed by Jayalalitha'
Chief Minister Karunanidhi released a set of demands placed by Jayalalitha before the Vajpayee government, consisting mainly of reinstatement of top officials suspended on corruption charges.
National Conference also backs BJP
"The country is passing through a crucial phase of political instability," Farooq Abdullah said and regretted that instead of thinking about strengthening the country, everyone is "trying to strengthen himself".
Congress to stake claim if government falls
Arjun Singh dismissed the "disinformation campaign" that the party is opposed to forming a coalition and said the Pachmarhi Declaration made it clear that the party could go in for such an alliance without compromising its ideology.
Congress will form next government: Basu
Asked whether Jayalalitha's AIADMK would join a Congress-led coalition government, he said, "Some parties will join the government and some will support it from outside."
RJP MP to vote for Vajpayee
"We are for the confidence motion because if Mr Vajpayee goes, Mrs Sonia Gandhi comes and that will be very dangerous for the country," Anand Mohan said.
THE AGNI II MISSILE TEST
Surface-to-air missile Trishul test-fired
The missile, having a range of 50km and specially designed for the Indian Navy, hit the targets dropped from the pilotless aircraft Nishant.
ULFA contacts army for talks
Lt Gen D B Shekatkar, the army commander in Assam, said, "I can assure that if ULFA takes one step towards negotiation, then we will take four in the same line."
'If Bhutto can be jailed, why not Jayalalitha?'
C Gnanasekaran of the Tamil Manila Congress demanded that the AIADMK politician, who is mired in corruption cases, be also jailed. "If a former prime minister could be convicted in Pakistan, why not in our country?" he asked.
Striking AIR, DD employees call off stir
Prasar Bharati workers called off their 11-day-old indefinite nationwide strike "in view of the prevailing political scenario".
Maharashtra assembly scraps mayor-in-council
The amended bill proposes to make the office of mayor a statutory municipal authority by giving him additional powers. It also seeks to strengthen the corporation and its committees by making it mandatory for the commissioner to implement their decisions.
'God has indeed answered all our prayers'
"My husband has often got into trouble one way or the other while dealing with all kinds of issues, which I suppose is any honest and hardworking officer's bane, but I am grateful that people can always knock the doors of the court to get justice," Arun Bhatia's elated wife Preeti said.
Bengali prepares to whistle into Guinness Book
The name is Bose. Prahlad Kumar Bose. The crack whistler, who will take on the German record of whistling non-stop for 24 hours, is confident of doing 72 hours.
THE REDIFF COLUMNISTS
India's most despised politician
'Every party -- not just the BJP, but the Communists, the TMC, and even the Congress -- is trying to avoid Jayalalitha's company. The only one willingly seen with her is Subramanian Swamy, but that is a bad portent. Everyone who accepted his advice has suffered,' says T V R Shenoy.
The debating liars
'Divisions of the world into sects, identified variously by crosses, crescents, marks on the forehead or colours on a flag are all artificial when compared to the single yearning that binds us in one human community: The desire to live a safe and decent life,' says Manjula Padmanabhan.
Heat wave in Andhra
The weather office said severe heat wave conditions prevailed in Prakasam district and moderate conditions in Nellore and Guntur.
April 16
THE VOTE OF CONFIDENCE
Jaya meets Sonia, sorts out differences
"They were unanimous that they would work together to unite all the Opposition parties and achieve the numbers to vote out the Vajpayee government," a Congress leader told Rediff On The NeT.
Trust vote at 1200 hours on Saturday
Asked why he chose to move a confidence vote today itself, when the President had not stipulated any time frame, Vajpayee said, "We don't want to delay because we are confident."
Government has the edge in the numbers game
BJP officials insist that no underhand deal is being struck for the support of other parties, but that assertion is being taken with a handful of salt.
RSP, Forward Bloc oppose plan to put Congress in power
The rigid stand of the two parties, which together have eight MPs in the Lok Sabha, is a jolt to the Left Front's move to cobble together an alternative government.
DMK for BJP, TMC options still open
"The TMC may vote with Vajpayee if it will help it survive. The party may not want its votes to go waste, should the government lose the vote."
Karunanidhi attacks Left parties
The Tamil Nadu chief minister criticised the Left parties for not consulting the DMK and the TMC while taking decisions on the political crisis at the Centre.
Paswan falls in line with Opposition
The Janata Dal politician made it clear that he would not compromise on secularism. He said his opposition to the corruption of Laloo Yadav was at the state level.
Madras HC orders Jaya's trial in coal import scandal
The court set aside the special judge's order that the case be kept in cold storage till the investigation in foreign countries is completed, observing that the prosecution could file a supplementary charge-sheet.
THE AGNI II MISSILE TEST
US blames India for Pakistani test
Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs Karl Inderfurth said the US places the responsibility for unleashing a nuclear and missile arms race in the sub-continent at India's door.
Pakistan launches another missile
Shaheen I, the first in a new series of surface-to-surface missiles, has a reported range of 750km, considerably less than that of Ghauri II, which was tested earlier.
Tendulkar involved in car accident
The master batsman and his wife escaped unhurt as a car jumping a traffic light banged into their vehicle.
'This is the first time that I am being reinstated'
'The sheer scale of support and sustained crusade for me has wiped out all the injustices I have suffered earlier as a bureaucrat.' An encounter with Arun Bhatia who was reinstated a Pune's municipal commissioner on Tuesday.
Trivial Questions
'The course of political developments had already been set to de-link progress from the "nationalistic approach of the BJP-led coalition". No matter what Atalji may or may not have accepted, the entire nationalist party had to go...' says Varsha Bhosle.
Millennium Fuss
'I understand the Indian government has denoted this year of the Hindu calendar as the Year of Sanskrit. Maybe in some of those crumbling palm-leaf manuscripts rotting away unsung, unwept, and unhonoured, there are other ancient treasures like the astronomical observations from 5,000 years ago,' says Rajeev Srinivasan.
THE WEATHER
Madras swelters as temperature soars
Nungambakkam in the heart of the city registered 41.6degrees Celsius while suburban Meenambakkam recorded 42.5 degrees, the highest yet this year.
April 15
THE JAYALALITHA CRISIS
Jaya meets President, withdraws support
"We prefer to bring in a no-confidence motion and defeat the government," she said. But she categorically denied being a candidate for the post of prime minister.
President tells PM to prove his strength
After a week of wooing the five-member BSP, six-member DMK and four-member Indian National Lok Dal, Vajpayee and his colleagues are yet to get any positive signal.
Government agrees to seek trust vote
Prime Minister A B Vajpayee will table the motion of confidence in his year-old government in the Lok Sabha at 11am on Thursday.
Government 15 short of majority
Barring the six-member DMK, which has made it clear that it will not back an alternative government, the ruling coalition is yet to secure the support of smaller parties.
The numbers game begins in earnest
"There is so much confusion among the main opposition players that the smaller parties are worried. They don't want elections and with no stable opposition emerging, we are sure they will support the government," BJP sources said.
BSP will decide stand during trust vote
BSP chief Kanshi Ram said he favours a mid-term election, but added that he would not be against any interim arrangement at the Centre for two or three months.
Thakre sees a foreign hand
Certain "external forces", upset with the BJP-led government's "assertion of national will", are behind the current political turbulence in the capital, the party president said.
Allies close ranks against Opposition onslaught
Following a meeting at the prime minister's residence, the government sent out the message that it is determined to foil the Opposition's design, "whatever it may be".
Mamata stands by Vajpayee
The Trinamul Congress leader said, "I am very happy Jayalalitha has ultimately done it. But the government led by Vajpayeeji will survive."
George meets President
The Samata Party charged the Opposition with being either ignorant or dishonest about security-related matters while making the defence minister the butt of their attack.
Congress trying to form alternative led by Sonia
Despite the differences of opinion in the opposition parties, the AIADMK's withdrawal of support to the ruling coalition has infused new energy in them.
Vajpayee should quit, says Congress
The party said the prime minister's resignation has become imperative since the 13-month-old government has been reduced to a minority.
Left demands confidence vote
CPI-M politician Biplab Dasgupta said that since the government had assumed power only after receiving a formal letter of support from Jayalalitha, it is duty-bound to seek a vote of confidence now that she has withdrawn support.
Centre's modified stand on special courts puts Jaya in a spot
Said an AIADMK source, "The Centre's notification gave us the impression that it was foolproof and would stand judicial scrutiny. But now we have the attorney-general saying it's all leaking."
US may reinforce sanctions against India
The US has denied 400 to 500 import licences to India since May 1998. Some 700 Indian applications are pending in commerce department. In 95 per cent of the cases, licences are being denied. And the threshold for granting licences will be further lowered after Sunday's tests.
Pallone defends Agni II
Democratic Congressman Frank Pallone defended in the House of Representatives India's test-launch of the Agni II missile, saying, "The United States should look at India's action in the light of China's threat to the subcontinent."
Badal, adversaries joust as Khalsa fete ends
Ranjit Singh described Badal as a "qaum ka gaddar (a traitor to the faith) who deserves to be punished for breaking Sikh tradition by daring to unseat an Akal Takht jathedar".
OTHER REPORTS
Split verdict on plea against judge's retirement
While acting Chief Justice N K Jain dismissed the PIL as not maintainable, Justice K P Sivasubramaniam said it was maintainable but dismissed it saying only the Supreme Court can decide on the article's validity.
Why The Monkey Monkeys On
'These brave hawks are no more than wimps. They were proud to be India's only government that found the 'guts' to conduct nuclear tests. The truth is they lack the stomach for the real task: building a strong, flourishing India,' says Dilip D'Souza.
The Art of Besharmi
'Is Jayalalitha really as big and important as she is being made out to be? The media is going overboard in projecting her, that most Indians are almost on the verge of forgetting that she has the largest number of corruption cases against her,' says Pritish Nandy.
Bhagwat has become a political football
'It requires no intelligence to figure out the Bhagwat strategy: A multidimensional riposte against Fernandes using the media, Parliament and public. Going to court would have made it sub judice, acting as a guillotine on Bhagwatpuran. Obviously, Vishnu Bhagwat didn't want that,' says Major General Ashok Mehta (retd).
Sonia gets an attack of nerves
The Congress president, who has been holding powwows with senior associates, thinks it will be "unreasonable and politically unsustainable" to jump at the chance to form a government.
Congress prefers 'third front' taking the lead
In fact, sources said the party would even prefer an election right away to leading a coalition, believing that its performance in a snap poll now will be better than after heading a volatile coalition.
Sonia names Arjun Singh 'political spokesman'
He clarified that till now no Congress politician has had any talks with any AIADMK politician, least of all general secretary J Jayalalitha.
BJP exerting pressure on President over floor-test, says Sathe
The veteran Congress politician said that in case a stable, secular coalition does not come about, the only sensible alternative will be to form a "national coalition" under a "nominee" of the President.
RJD MPs to decide strategy on Wed
All 25 members of Parliament have been told to be present at the meeting to be chaired by former Bihar chief minister Laloo Prasad Yadav.
Vajpayee will pull through -- Bansi Lal
The Haryana CM said the "numbers game" in the Lok Sabha would prove that the prime minister enjoys majority support.
CPI will not join Congress-led government
The Communists will only extend issue-based support if an alternate government is formed in the event of the fall of the BJP-led coalition.
THE KHALSA TERCENTENARY
Tohra lists conditions for making peace with Badal
The SGPC ex-chief said he was ready to bury the hatchet if the Punjab CM recognises suspended Akal Takht jathedar Ranjit Singh as the head of the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs.
Pakistan gets ready to reply
The Cabinet Defence Committee, due to meet when Prime Minister Nawaz Sharief returns from Lahore tomorrow or on Thursday, will take the final decision.
THE CONVERSIONS ROW
Court stops father's conversion attempt
Giridhari Raul hoped to grab the mother's property by sending the children away, say neighbours who were given custody of the children.
Another IAF MiG crashes
The fighter crashed at Ranian in Sirsa, Haryana, on Tuesday morning, injuring two persons on the ground.
J&K autonomy reports tabled in assembly
The reports, Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah hoped, would be a model for other states to emulate, provide for equitable progress and development, and forge unity and strengthen national integration.
Human Rights Watch charges India with failing to protect dalits
The New York-based organisation has urged the World Bank and other lending institutions to build anti-discrimination measures for aided projects in areas with severe problems of caste violence and discrimination.
Why, my beloved country
'The fractured mandate of 1998, if at all, was for the BJP to form the government, period. It was not for one-MP parties, six-MP parties and the like to become prime minister, to fulfil their private ambitions at the expense of the nation,' says Saisuresh Sivaswamy.
The Battle of Raisina Hill
'Both Jayalalitha and Sonia Gandhi have succeeded in sidelining Admiral Bhagwat himself, who is now reduced to making weak noises from his residence,' feels Admiral J G Nadkarni.
Heat wave continues over north India
Heat wave conditions prevailed in Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh and parts of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, east Rajasthan, Vidarbha, coastal Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Better late than never, say experts
"To make our deterrence truly effective, we must have the entire range of delivery systems. We must now go for the Agni-3, which has a range of 4000km, and ICBMs," a member of the National Security Council said.
A blow to peace, says Pakistan
Foreign Minister Sartaj Aziz said his country would take effective measures within two or three days to counter the improved missile.
Army chief welcomes test
"Our policy is to react only when we are attacked. Nobody should consider it a threat," Gen Ved Malik said.
China says test may spark arms race
The Chinese foreign ministry said India had violated a UN Security Council resolution that called on it to stop developing nuclear weapons and the missiles to deliver them.
Neighbours, G-8 informed on April 9
Envoys of these countries were summoned to the South Block where they were informed of the test-firing. Officials said none of these countries pressed the government to abandon the test.
THE BHAGWAT DISMISSAL
Bhagwat claims government sacked him without consulting President
He also said the President's consent was not taken for the appointment of his successor, Admiral Sushil Kumar, who, he claimed, does not have the experience to command the navy and is only a hydrographer.
American Sikhs congregate in Anandpur Sahib
"We felt we were coming back home to the place of our holy Guru," says Gurnam Kaur, a Catholic who embraced Sikhism under Harbhajan Yogi's influence.
THE REDIFF INTERVIEW
'Tohra is welcome to come...'
"I am willing to go to his house and request him with folded hands to attend our function and participate in the tercentenary celebrations of the Khalsa Panth. But he seems adamant," says Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.
April 10 declared Asha Bhosle Day in US
Democratic Congressman Gary Ackerman issued the 'proclamation' to recognise the playback singer as an "impeccable cultural ambassador promoting better US-India relations".
THE REDIFF SPECIAL
'The ward boys left me in a corner near the urinals'
"It is indeed ironic that in a democracy like India, there isn't even one day in the year when we can peacefully demonstrate without being arrested, beaten up, or dragged off the streets." Baba Amte, in an exclusive first-person account.
THE REDIFF COLUMNISTS
Welcome Chaos
'Forget how just or unjust each of Bhagwat's claims may be -- even if they include very grave charges against a defence secretary, a vice-admiral and a defence minister. The crux is that Democracy cannot be maintained without a solid structure upholding it. And that structure is sustained by civilian authority over the military,' says Varsha Bhosle.
The Flip-Flop Commissar
'With Sonia Gandhi heading the Congress, Comrade Surjeet and his party have no problems collaborating and co-operating with those whom they had accused of endangering the country's integrity and sovereignty, of kowtowing to imperialist powers,' says Kanchan Gupta.
Oh, not to be in Calcutta
'In Calcutta any procession can be held anywhere, at any time. All this is made worse by a peculiarly Bengali innovation: the propensity to agitate in single file. Everywhere else in the world, demonstrators crowd together. In Calcutta, they walk in single file,' says Vir Sanghvi.
Andhra Pradesh: Naxals blow up minister's house Tamil Nadu: Speaker refuses to pardon AIADMK legislators
THE WEATHER
Snow in Kashmir, heat wave in Jammu
Severe heat wave conditions prevailed in some parts of Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu.
Heat wave conditions also prevailed in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, some parts of the hills of west Uttar Pradesh, north-central Maharashtra, Vidarbha, Telangana and the remaining parts of Haryana.
