Jagan to take mom to meet Sonia on yatra

Now that his Odarpu yatra has been derailed at least temporarily, the Kadapa MP, Mr Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, is planning to go on a “sentimental yatra” to Delhi to meet Congress president Ms Sonia Gandhi and get her approval to resume his aborted yatra.

Mr Reddy, who returned to Hyderabad on Tuesday night, was closeted with his family members and well wishers till midnight. On Wednesday, he held discussions with MLAs close to him and with MP, Dr K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao.

According to sources, Mr Reddy is keen to resume his Odarpu yatra from June 8, from Srikakulam district, but only after getting the go-ahead from the Congress party in Delhi, which had directed him to abandon the yatra last week.

In an interesting development, the Majlis chief, Mr Asaduddin Owaisi, met Mr Reddy on Wednesday and according to sources advised him to fall in line with the party's wishes and adopt a wait and watch policy.

There were rumours on Wednesday that Mr Reddy was going to resign both his Lok Sabha seat and his membership of the party and take up the Odarpu yatra, but this was denied by sources close to him.

It is fairly certain, though, that the Reddy clan, including Mr Reddy’s mother, the MLA, Ms Vijayalaxmi, will be going to Delhi to try and meet the Congress president.

Mr Reddy has told his supporters that he has met the Congress political secretary, Mr Ahmed Patel, and the law minister, Mr Veerappa Moily, and explained his position with regard to the Odarpu yatra and the incidents in Warangal district on May 28, but he feels a meeting with Sonia Gandhi to give her the “real picture”, is essential. “Let me see her reaction and direction to me, I will go according to that,” he told his supporters.

Delhi on high terror alert

An alert was issued for the national capital and the areas falling within the National Capital Region by the Union home ministry on Saturday following fresh advisories issued by the US, UK and Australia warning of “imminent” terror strikes in Delhi.

The home ministry, however, stressed there is no need to panic and that “it is aware of terror threats which are not specific to Delhi”. The home ministry said an alert has been issued for Jammu and Kashmir too on the basis of intelligence inputs regarding the designs of terrorist outfits to strike over the weekend.

The Delhi Police, in response to the advisories and the alert issued by the home ministry, said it was taking “appropriate measures” to prevent any terror strikes.

The US embassy said on its website: “Terrorists have targeted places in the past where US citizens or Westerners are known to visit. Markets, such as those located in Chandni Chowk, Connaught Place, Greater Kailash, Karol Bagh, Mehrauli, and Sarojini Nagar, can be especially attractive targets for terrorist groups.” In a similar advisory, the UK government said, “There are increased indications that terrorists are planning attacks in New Delhi.” The Australian advisory said, “Reliable reporting indicates that terrorists may be planning to attack markets in New Delhi.”

 

Petrol prices to rise by up to Rs 2.67 a litre

Petrol and diesel prices will go up by Rs 2.67 a litre and Rs 2.58 per litre, respectively, after Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Friday raised customs and excise duties on the two, virtually putting the Kirit Parikh Committee report on fuel price in cold storage.

Customs duty on petrol and diesel were hiked to 7.5 per cent from 2.5 per cent while excise duty was raised by Re.1 a litre to Rs 14.35 and Rs 4.60 per litre on non-branded (normal) petrol and diesel respectively.

The incidence of customs and excise duty would result in petrol prices going up by Rs 2.67 a litre in Delhi and diesel by Rs 2.58 per litre with effect from midnight tonight.

Petrol, in Delhi currently costs Rs 44.72 a litre and diesel Rs 32.92 per litre.

Mr. Mukherjee also imposed 5 per cent import duty on crude (currently nil), a move that would impact refiners like Reliance Industries and Essar Oil with their input cost going up.

Reliance Industries’ 33 million tons a year refinery catering to domestic market would alone have to bear Rs 5,100 crore because of higher rates. Its other 29 million tons unit is only for exports and does not pay customs duty.

The rates hike virtually put the Parikh report on fuel pricing reforms in cold storage as implementing the expert group report on freeing petrol and diesel prices would mean a further Rs 4.94 a litre increase in petrol and Rs 3.20 per litre hike in diesel rates.

IM had hand in Pune blast: Intel

Intelligence agencies suspect that alleged Indian Mujahideen (IM) operative Mohsin Choudhary, wanted in connection with the Ahmedabad and Delhi serial blasts, masterminded Saturday’s bomb blast in Pune.

Intelligence sources said there are reports that Mohsin recently visited Pune and reconnoitered several important places in the city. The sources added that Mohsin was the main operative of the IM’s west zone group and was in regular touch with other operatives of militant outfits.

The investigating agencies are trying to gather more details about the recent movements of Mohsin Choudhary.

Saturday’s bomb blast occurred in an area also visited by David Coleman Headley, the US citizen of Pakistani origin, who is in custody for alleged links with the Lashkar-e-Tayyaba.

Meanwhile, the Centre has decided to adopt a wait-and-watch policy on handing over the blast case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Jayalalithaa leaves for Delhi to take part in EC’s jubilee celebration

AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa on Sunday declined to comment on reports that she would be meeting Congress President Sonia Gandhi during her visit to Delhi to take part in the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of the Election Commission.

“I do not want to comment on the reports,” she told reporters before emplaning for Delhi.

There was a huge crowd of AIADMK workers at the airport to see her off and party headquarters secretary Sulochana Sampath fainted during the melee.

Police had made tight security arrangements and several media personnel were prevented from meeting Ms. Jayalalithaa even though she was prepared to talk to them. Only a few managed to talk to her.