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April 1, 1998

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ISSUES '98
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ELECTIONS '96


Sonia tells Congress MPs to expect the worst from this government, and prepare for the best
Reiterating the party's resolve to be a constructive opposition which kept the interests of the people and the country foremost in its concerns, Sonia Gandhi told the Congress Parliamentary Party that the 'valuable lesson' provided by the ruling coalition would not cast aside the party's constructive approach.

Naidu holds the key to Cabinet expansion
If Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu demands more than two Cabinet berths, the BJP may ask him to surrender the Speaker's post.

Congress walks out of LS over Advani's 'reversal of stand'
Congress members led by Motilal Vora and Rajesh Pilot said BJP president and Home Minister L K Advani had cleverly reversed the position taken by the prime minister by saying that the party was not apologetic about the inclusion of issues like Ayodhya and Article 370 in its manifesto.

Sonia will ask Congress rebels to return
In an effort to revive and unite the Congress under one banner, party president Sonia Gandhi will formally invite all former Congressmen to rejoin the parent party during the special session of the All India Congress Committee on April 6.

Farooq's flirtation with Vajpayee kills Kashmiris's love for NC
"The National Conference," says Abdul Hamid, who, not so long ago, was a staunch partyman, "is a dead body that the Kashmiris have to carry on their shoulders. The next election will give them an opportunity to bury it."

The DMK is in desperate need of allies
Given the TDP's example, the DMK in Tamil Nadu too cannot be faulted if it chose its own environs to strike a political course that is most suited for it, which includes aligning with the BJP when the time comes.

AIADMK members walk out from RS over proposal on spreading Hindi
The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam walked out of the Rajya Sabha protesting against a suggestion by Samajwadi Party member Janeshwar Mishra that steps should be taken to promote the spread of Hindi as a national language all over the country.

Tamil Nadu Congress unit looks forward to Moopanar's re-entry
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K V Thangabalu today welcomed Tamil Maanila Congress president G K Moopanar's stand on unification of the two parties, and said the Congress high command had been urged to take steps in this regard.


The Big Picture
Seats Tally: 540/543 *
Footnote
Choose one and

'I do not believe in blind anti-Congressism or blind anti-BJPism'
V P Singh tells the Rediff Chat. Also featuring Congress leaders Salman Khurshid and K V Thangabalu, and BJP ideologues Brajesh Mishra and Sudheendra Kulkarni.
'UP will remain an aberration'
Sushma Swaraj jousts with V P Singh on the Rediff Chat. Also featuring Tamil Nadu leader Vazhapaddy Ramamurthi and commentator Babu Bhaskar.
'The country must taste the BJP "pudding" '
Congress leader Kamal Nath tells the Rediff Chat. Also featuring BJP leaders Aslam Sher Khan, K R Malkani and Rangarajan Kumaramangalam, and Janata Dal leader Wasim Ahmed.

'Many politicians who mourn the end of the licence-permit raj are keen on a return to the Nehru dynasty'
Commentator M D Nalapat tells the Rediff Chat. Also featuring BJP leader Bangaru Laxman, Congress leader Margaret Alva and former foreign secretary J N Dixit.

'Even when we get a majority on our own we cannot amend Article 370'
BJP ideologues Kushabhau Thakre and Govindacharya tell the Rediff Election Chat.

'Whichever government is formed will not last very long'
Commentators Inder Malhotra and T V R Shenoy tell the Rediff Election Chat.

'Long live the BJP's opportunism'
Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh, BJP ideologue Jagdish Shettigar and Congress leader Balram Jakhar joust on the Rediff Election Chat.

The Great Political Tamasha
The transcripts of the Rediff Election Chat, starting from when the counting of votes began to the time the horse-trading did. With the politicians coming online to answer, explain, hedge and prevaricate. Enjoy!

More Election Chats


Dilip D'Souza:
Two Cheers for Instability
Admiral J G Nadkarni (retd)
The Saffron Undervest
Saisuresh Sivaswamy:
Pawar and the art of turning defeat into victory
Shalabh Kumar:
Why not a composite vote?
Varsha Bhosle:
Democracy, by calculator
More Views


Dissidence hits Congress margin in Goa

The Left falls in Orissa

Polling Booth


'We will persuade Sonia Gandhi to become prime minister'
Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, the Tiger of Cuddapah, speaks!

'The days of the Shiv Sena, BJP are over. People are tired of all this drama and theatrics'
Congress leader Murli Deora on what next.

More Interviews


Coimbatore goes to polls under the shadow of the gun

Campaign Trail


Anand Mahindra:
'India needs a goal to aim for'

Justice A M Ahmadi:
'No party has focused on the issue of judicial reforms'

More Issues


Gautam Solanki:
'My biggest hope is the youth of this country'

India Speaks!


'Neither the Janata Dal nor the United Front will have a truck with the Congress in the event of a hung Parliament'

Overheard on the campaign trail


Their master's order

Yeh Hai India!

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