Next government won't be formed without AAP support: Kejriwal

KANPUR: Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal today claimed that his party will secure 100 seats in Lok Sabha election and that the next government cannot be formed without its support as he launched a fresh attack on Narendra Modi over his alleged links with Mukesh Ambani.

Addressing a rally here as part of a three-day road show in Uttar Pradesh, he accused Modi of maintaining silence on FDI in retail and accused BJP in Rajasthan of getting into a "setting" on the issue of Robert Vadra's land deal.

Kejriwal said he will visit Gujarat from March 5 to 8 to see the so called development claimed by Modi in the state.

He also did not spare the ruling Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh saying that there have been more than 100 riots in the state in the last two years. Targeting Mayawati's BSP, he said voting for it is a waste because it amounts to voting for Modi.

"Only AAP can give an honest government. If you all, Hindus, Muslims and people from other castes come together and do not come under the poisonous influence of other parties, then I can assure you that this time your (people's) government will be formed in the Centre.

"AAP is going to get at least 100 seats in the Lok Sabha elections. Moreover, we are going to get more seats than Congress. At least the government in Centre will not be formed without AAP's support.

"AAP will help in forming the central government and we will change the face of the country," said the 45-year-old former Delhi chief minister.

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No change in BJP's stand on FDI in retail: Jaitley

NEW DELHI: Against the backdrop of speculation about Narendra Modi's comments suggesting a rethink on the FDI policy, BJP today said their opposition to FDI in retail will not change.

"As far as FDI in retail is concerned, the BJP has genuine concerns against this and I don't think, it is quite likely, that policy is going to be changed," Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley told Karan Thapar on his Devil's Advocate programme on CNN-IBN.

"As far as present is concerned, I think it is quite unlikely that the BJP will change," he said noting that for the present, that door is closed as no policy is a policy for the next 100 years.

Addressing a traders' conference here on Thursday, Modi had asked the trading community not to run away from global challenges but adapt itself to modern practices like tying up with bigger stores and online trading, without referring to FDI in retail.

Jaitley admitted that the BJP was consciously trying to woo the Muslim community ahead of elections and said the party "will go full length" to implement its three underlined convictions of security, equality and economic progress towards them.

"There is nothing wrong in it. It's a good sign for India. It's a good sign for BJP. It's a good sign for the minority community members.... We are...Everybody has evolved... It's an appeal being made," he said admitting that the BJP was making an effort to reach out to the community.

He said as far as Muslims were concerned, BJP is not a party that will go on the track of vote bank politics and have religion-based reservation for Muslims.

On Pakistan, Jaitley said talks and terror cannot co-exist and BJP's desire to talk will not outweigh the other surrounding circumstances.

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Film industry faces heat while defending Sahara's Subrata Roy at news conference

MUMBAI: Members of the film industry faced the heat when they called a press conference to defend beleaguered Sahara chief Subrata Roy Sunday evening. The press meet was called off midway.

Director Ramesh Sippy, lyricist Sameer, actor Fardeen Khan, singers Nitin Mukesh, Sadhna Sargam, Saapna Mukherji and Rahul Vaidya, and actor Johny Lever waxed eloquent about "Sahara Shri's patriotism, philanthropy and his patronage of the arts" at a press conference in a company-owned recording studio in Andheri.

At the outset, Sippy said they would not take questions about the Supreme Court case related to the Rs 24,000 crore fraud which had peaked in the business tycoon's arrest Saturday. Each film personality recalled his private association with Roy, saying the businessman "loved and respected artistes".

Sippy was most vocal of all. Fardeen said "a man was innocent until proven guilty so Roy should be given a chance to defend himself". He said he felt proud to see the Indian flag fluttering atop Grosvenor House in London which Roy had purchased in 2010, while Rahul Vaidya marvelled how the industrialist had "built statues of Mother India on his properties". They said Subrata Roy was a "true Indian who would not commit fraud".

However, the media assembly posed uncomfortable questions which the celebrities could not answer, and the press meet was called off in a hurry. Reporters highlighted the plight of the victims of the Sahara fraud who they said were as Indian as the accused. They questioned Roy's "friends" about the source of his wealth and asked if the industry would stand up for film stars accused of other crimes as well.

Even as Hema Malini and Jeetendra were yet to arrive for the press meet, the organisers hustled out the celebrities seated on the dais.

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Lalu sticks to 11-seat offer to Congress

PATNA: Sticking to his offer of 11 Lok Sabha seats to Congress and one to NCP, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad today appealed to Sonia Gandhi to agree to the seat-sharing formula asserting that he would deliver results in Bihar and Jharkhand in the general elections.

"Through you (media), I appeal to the Congress president Sonia Gandhi, to agree to 12 seats being offered to the Congress and NCP in Bihar, and leave it to me to deliver the results in Bihar and Jharkhand in the general elections," he told reporters here.

Lalu was briefing media after nearly two-hour meeting of the RJD parliamentary board meeting at former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi's official residence here.

"I have no feeling of disrespect toward Sonia Gandhi," he said, appealing to her to ink an alliance with his party.

"I promise to you I will stop the communal forces from coming to power at the Centre," Lalu said.

Deefending the 12-seat offer, the RJD supremo argued that he had to accommodate his party leaders and workers who too wanted to contest the elections.

Lalu, in a veiled threat to the Congress, in the eventuality of it not concurring to the proposals, said, "It is not my responsibility alone to stop the communal forces... others too should be accommodating."

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SP, BSP, Congress looting the country: Rajnath

LUCKNOW: Alleging that SP, BSP and Congress are hand in gloves in looting the country, BJP President Rajnath Singh today said that India cannot be safe, if they existed.

"SP, BSP and Congress, which used to abuse each other are hand in gloves in looting the country... the country cannot be safe, if they existed. Despite price rise and corruption both SP and BSP are supporting Congress at the centre," Singh said at a rally here.

Taking potshots at the Samjwadi Party government in UP, Singh said people had given them majority and had expectations, but they are disheartened now.

"There is no law and order in the state... women are not safe... police becomes active when buffalo of a minister goes missing but nothing is done when a child is not found," he said.

In a reference to repeated violation of the Indian border by Pakistan and China and the death of two naval officers in INS Sindhuratana submarine mishap, Singh alleged that the UPA government was toying with the security of the country.

He appealed to the people to form majority government led by Modi at the Centre and said that once BJP led NDA came to power, lapses in national security would be rectified and concrete measures would be taken to provide high quality weapons and equipments to the defence services.

Highlighting increasing popularity of party's PM candidate Narendra Modi, he said that the number of political attacks made on the Gujarat CM were never made on any other person in the history.

The party president also welcomed former UP CM Kalyan Singh back in the party. Singh announced that an important responsibility would be given to Kalyan in the BJP soon.

Earlier, addressing the rally Kalyan targeted the third front formed by 11 parties, including SP and left parties and said that it was not a "third front", but a "failed front".

Taking names of AAP leader Arvind Kejariwal, SP supremo Mulayam and BSP chief Mayawati, he said that it was a season to dream and these people were "dreaming to become the next PM".

He said people have decided to make Modi the next PM and it would be a reality in the next 80 days.

Former army chief General V K Singh and Udit Raj also addressed the crowd at rally.

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Kejriwal launches road rallies by attacking Congress, BJP

MORADABAD: Seeking to broaden his appeal in Uttar Pradesh, AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal today attacked BJP and Congress, saying there will be no change in corruption and inflation even if Narendra Modi or Rahul Gandhi comes to power.

He also lashed out at the Samajwadi Party and BSP stating that both Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mayawati have corruption cases pending against them.

Addressing his supporters at a road rally undertaken by the party, the AAP leader said, "Whether (Congress Vice-President) Rahul Gandhi or (BJP's) Narendra Modi come to power there will be no affect on price rise and corruption. Beware of these two parties".

"And this BSP and SP, both Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mayawati have cases pending against them in CBI courts," Kejriwal said.

He also lambasted the Congress and BJP for staying mum over the Reliance gas price issue. The AAP government in Delhi had ordered the Anti- Corruption Branch (ACB) to register an FIR against Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani and Union Petroleum Minister Veerappa Moily over the alleged irregularities in the Krishna-Godavari gas pricing issue.

"Congress has given a partying gift to the Ambanis. I wrote to Modi on this issue seeking his opinion, but he has not replied to the letter," he said.

Kejriwal said that from next month there will be hike in the gas price and this will have an impact on everyone.

"From April 1 onwards there will be a drastic rise in the price. This gas will cost 1 dollar to Ambanis, but will be distributed at 8 dollars.

"This gas is used in manure, which means the cost of manure will go up resulting in the price rise of wheat, rice, fruits. This gas is also used in electricity and CNG, which means electricity rates and transport prices will go up," Kejriwal said.

Training his guns on Modi, Kejriwal said that while his government registered 5 FIRs against Sheila Dikshit, Modi did not register even one FIR against Robert Vadra, allegedly involved in land scams in Rajasthan.

"This means Modi has a setting with Sonia Gandhi," he alleged."

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UP CM must be removed, says schoolboy to Rahul

LUCKNOW: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi was addressing a group of anganwadi workers in Chinhat, Lucknow when he was left stumped by an honest confession from a small schoolboy.

Rahul was listening to the anganwadi workers when a boy, Gauriank Chaudhary, stood up and said that Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav must be removed from his post. "The amount of money that he spent on dance performances could have been used in a hospital or in a school. It could have been used for some poor kids," the boy said.

He said that parents of such children do not have money to educate their children. Such a difference between a rich kid and a poor kid must be reduced. Rahul, who was amused with the child's confession, asked him what he studied and what his ambitions were. The boy replied that he wanted to be an IAS officer.

Rahul then said if you want Akhilesh Yadav to go then someone has to fill his space. "Will you take Akhilesh Yadav's place," Rahul asked the boy and he replied, "you (Rahul) should take his place."

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Narendra Modi is daydreaming, says Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah

GUNDULPET (Chamarajnagar): Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Saturday termed BJP leader Narendra Modi as communal, who, he said, will never be the PM of the nation.

Though the polls to the Lok Sabha are yet to be announced, Modi is behaving as if he is the PM. He is just daydreaming, he told reporters. According to him, Modi is playing communal card ahead of the polls. He is seeking votes by driving wedge between people on the basis of religion and caste. People have always rejected such communal elements, he stated asserting that Modi will not be the PM.

Taking a jibe at Modi, he said the Gujarat has not presented the budget for the next fiscal but has gone for vote-on-account for four months starting April. Modi should explain the rationale, Siddaramaiah, who holds the finance portfolio, said.

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India, Iran and Oman go under sea to build pipelines, change geopolitics

NEW DELHI: India is contemplating energy pipelines from the Gulf again — this time running under the sea, rather than traversing Pakistan. With international sanctions on Iran fading as a result of a nuclear agreement, an energy pipeline may be the most positive regional consequence.

The new plan proposes to transport oil and natural gas through deep sea pipelines via Oman in a process where Iran, and even Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan energy can feed the pipeline for an ever-growing Indian market. Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Oman's foreign minister, raised the possibility with Salman Khurshid during their meeting on Friday.

Oman had invested $90 million on this project over a decade ago, but it got no traction then. But now, the technology has come of age, with pipelines being built under the Mediterranean Sea from Algeria to Itali, and under the Black Sea from Russia to Germany. Abdullah suggested the pipeline could transport gas from Iran, even Qatar, as well as Central Asian states.

Khurshid floated the prospect with Javad Zarif, Iranian foreign minister, who he met later in the day. The Iranians have revived talk of deep-sea pipelines to India after the failure of the IPI pipeline. Iran cancelled a $500 million loan to Pakistan in December. India had pulled out of the IPI several years ago citing price and security issues.

Those issues remain. In fact, as the US withdraws from Afghanistan, the TAPI pipeline from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan and Pakistan is fast losing its attractiveness.

Iran has reportedly jumped at the idea. Oman is India's most trusted partner in the Gulf, therefore comfort levels are high between New Delhi and Muscat, more than even with Iran. Zarif added to the Omani proposal __ Iran was negotiating separately with Turkmenistan for an overland pipeline to carry its gas to an Iranian terminal and thence to markets like India. If these negotiations succeed, Iran could be a beachhead for gas not only from its fields but from other Gulf suppliers, even Qatar, which is India's largest supplier of LNG.

"An undersea pipeline from Iran to India could be completed as quickly as 3-4 years. Our feasibility studies show they would cost in the region of $5 billion," said Subodh Jain, whose company, Sage is the best known Indian entity to acquire technology for such pipelines. Jain has proposed building an under-sea energy infrastructure corridor, which could be used by major gas suppliers to connect to terminals in India's west coast. Any such pipeline could transport about 31 million cubic meters of gas a day.

"India relies on LNG, but it's the equivalent of relying on champagne. If we stick to LNG, we will become addicted to expensive energy imports. Therefore, a gas pipeline particularly for the power sector, makes eminent sense," said a senior official. "Very soon, almost 20,000MW of gas-fueled power plants will go idle in India due to gas shortage. Pipelines are overdue here."

If energy trade is to resume between Iran and India, the Chahbahar port acquires greater important. Zarif and Khurshid agreed to get the final agreement on investment. India is putting in an affordable $100 million before the Nauroz holidays. The shipping ministry has already completed its studies and price estimates, so officials working on the project said this should not be a stretch.

The Iranian government has been flipping back and forth on this project, so officials reckon a deadline would focus attention in New Delhi and Tehran.

Once complete, Chahbahar would also be the entry point for Indian goods travelling to Central Asia and beyond through the international north-south transport corridor. In their conversation, Zarif made a determined pitch for the INSTC, though it has been Iranian tardiness that has delayed a project like this. In 2012, Turkey officially offered to join the north-south corridor, though with their recent troubles with Iran, no one is quite sure whether that still holds true.

In a related decision, India will conduct a dry run study in March on the INSTC, through Nhava Sheva (Mumbai)- Bandar Abbas (Iran)- Tehran-Bandar Anzali (Iran)-Astrakhan(Russia). This was agreed between India and Azerbaijan during the recent visit of Huseyngulu Baghirov, natural resources minister. Iran and Azerbaijan have to build Gazvin-Rasht-Astara (Iran)-Astara (Azerbaijan) railway route for connecting the railway lines of the INSTC.

What is clear is that Iran is returning to the geostrategic table in the region. It needs to have a credible nuclear agreement with the west before that happens.

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Manipulation of opinion polls: EC asks Centre to take action

NEW DELHI: Acting on a complaint by Congress on alleged manipulation of opinion polls by some organisations, the Election Commission has asked the Centre to take "appropriate action" in the matter.

In a communication to the ministries of Corporate Affairs and Information and Broadcasting, the EC has said the matter involves allegations of conspiracy to prepare false reports/polls for publishing misleading information on consideration of illegal payment of money in return.

"Therefore, it is requested that this complaint may be looked into urgently for appropriate action at your end," K Ajaya Kumar, the Principal Secretary of Election Commission of India wrote to the secretaries of the two ministries.

The EC said that it has received a complaint from Congress on a sting operation conducted by some of the organisations engaged in conducting opinion polls in connection with the elections.

"The allegation is that the organisations have agreed to manipulate the results of opinion polls by tweaking figures for publishing to the general public," the poll panel noted.

Taking exception to alleged manipulation of opinion poll results by leading agencies, Congress had on Wednesday knocked at the EC's doors seeking its intervention to register an FIR, invoke criminal charges and debar those involved.

Expressing happiness over the EC's decision, the Secretary of AICC Legal and Human Department cell K C Mittal said, "The action taken would expose the nexus, manipulations and the vulnerability of opinion polls and the manner in which the fake projections are being used to mislead the people of India to project certain individuals and parties."

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