Lokpal campaigner Anna Hazare will attend a rally in Uttarakhand organized by chief minister B C Khanduri after the BJP-ruled state became the first to adopt the Jan Lokpal bill advocated by the Gandhian and his group.  While Hazare's presence is likely to see Congress leaders (like Digvijay Singh) claim to be vindicated in accusing Team Anna of being a BJP catspaw, it could help recently-appointed CM Khanduri's bid to stem...

The Centre is preparing to introduce its own version of the Lokpal bill following its assessment that Team Anna’s Jan Lokpal bill does not enjoy as widespread a support among experts as assumed initially. A Parliament standing committee is looking into the bill now. Not all the panel’s recommendations may be accepted but the government has taken heart from the developments during the committee’s talks with various groups. “We have interacted with...

Team Anna is worried that it is increasingly coming across as the “B team” of the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Today, Anna Hazare said he wanted to restructure his team to include Muslims, Dalits, tribals and young people. It was the latest of many U-turns that Hazare has taken in recent days, on issues such as the shape of his core committee and whether his team would campaign specifically against...

-The Indian Express   Ahead of the panchayat polls, Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has declared his and his ministerial colleagues’ assets. With movable and immovable properties worth Rs 11.99 crore, Patnaik is the richest among all his ministerial colleagues. The assets were posted on the CM office web site Friday night. Patnaik was followed by Doon School mate AU Singh Deo, who had properties worth Rs 4.8 crore. Urban Development Minister Sarda Prasad...

Caught offering to publish scripted political interview as ‘news' for Rs. 86,400   “First we'll do one interview on TV on HCN [Herald Cable Network] and after that episode next week, we can carry the same kind of write-up [in the Herald] … how it appeared today, no ... for the HCN thing you have to make a payment of 50,000 [rupees] … and this particular size for Herald, it will be...