http://www.mathrubhumi.org Mathrubhumi English News Feed en-us http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124097 Thrissur: Thrissur Vigilance court asked the state government why it was intentionally delaying the prosecution proceedings against Tomin Thachankary in disproportionate wealth accumulation case. Though the government filed an explanation that it had not delayed the prosecution, the court refused to accept it The Vigilance, after completing the probe, filed the report in January 2011. Though permission from the government was sought for prosecution, the government had not given it. In this public activist PD Joseph filed a petition alleging the government was deliberately delaying it and in this the court asked for an explanation. The case would be considered again on June 25. http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124097 http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124095 Kannur: CPM Thalassery area commitee member P P Ramakrishnan was held for conspiring and promoting crime in the T P Chandrashekaran murder case. Police have information that the conspiracy for killing TP was hatched by the Thalassery CPM party members. Investigations following this led to Ramakrishnan's arrest. Two CPM workers, including the CPM area commitee secretary, were earlier taken into custody by the police. CPM district commitee member and CPM Onchiyam area secretary and former state secretray of the NGO union C H Asokhan (60), Onchiyam area commitee member and former president of the Vadakara block panchayat K K Krishnan (60) were the ones arrested earlier. http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124095 http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124093 Vadakara: Socialist Janata (Democratic) party chief MP Veerendrakumar began his fast in Vadakara on Friday to protest against political murders. He will hold fast from 10 am to 5 pm. The CPM commiting a crime and later saying they would punish the guilty is the beginning of a fascist rule, he said. Veerendrakumar also blamed himself for aligning with them earlier and feels guilty for that. Dr, M G S Narayanan inaugurated the fast and Socialist Janata district president Manayath Chandran presided. M K Bhaskar welcomed the gathering. http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124093 http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124092 Thiruvananthapuram: Home minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said that he would directly probe the allegations raised against DySP Rasheed who is enjoying a luxury life in jail. Rasheed was accused in the Mathrubhumi reporter Unnithan attack case. Rasheed who is hale and hearty is accommodated in the hospital ward of jail. He is given special food too. He was shifted to Poojappura from Kakaknad as per his request. http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124092 http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124091 Kannur: In the raids conducted by the police in party villages, chemical powders used for making bombs were seized. Explosive powders, sulpher powder, ammonium chloride were seized from the house of CPM activist Pradeep from Vattoli. The raids were held prominently in Kottayil, Narikkod Mala and Kannavam. The raids were conducted based on information that many accused are hiding in party villages. Police said Pradeep is an expert in bomb making. Police held him with a country gun on Wednesday night. Based on the information given by him, police held raids in his home. The gun possessed no license. Police took Pradeep and his friend into custody. Police also conduced searches in Kannavam forest. http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124091 http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124090 Kozhikode: Union minister Mullapally Ramachandran said that big sharks are yet to be caught in the police net and those arrested were only minnows. The probe in the T P Chandrashekaran's case is going in the right direction, he said. Mullapally also objected to Pinarayi Vijayan's statement that terror groups or the quotation gangs were involved in the murder of TP. http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124090 http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124089 Kozhikode: Veteran communist leader in the district and noted trade union leader M Vasu passed away here on Thursday. He was 84. He died in his home in Panniyankara . He acted as CPM district secretariat member and as CITU general secretary for a considerable period. Vasu who began his life as a beedi worker and later played a greater role in uniting employees of the Gwalior Rayons and Tiles. He was Kozhikode taluk secretary of toddy tappers union and vice president of toddy tapper federation. Also acted as chairman of Calicut Development Authority (CDA), district council financial standing committee chairman and RTI member. Wife is Karthyayani. Children Beena, Seena and Neena. http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124089 http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124088 Thiruvananthapuram: Opposition leader V S Achuthanandhan said those not convinced with the probe progressing in the T P Chandrashekaran's murder should approach the court and not resort to obstructing the investigation process. VS also added that if the police probe fails to yield satisfactory result, then he would definitely intervene. He wanted the probe to move ahead in an impartial and able way. VS said he would not remain silent if anyone tries to mislead it. http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124088 http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124087 Kumili: Kerala on Thursday blocked Tamil Nadu's move to fill in the boreholes at the Mullaperiyar dam. It is for the third time that TN is making attempts to fill the boreholes. The boreholes were drilled to collect the surki mixture as per the direction of the SC- appointed empowered panel. TN is trying to fill these boreholes with concrete even before the test results are out. Prior to this too, TN's attempt to fill the boreholes was prevented by Kerala police. It was on hartal day on Thursday that TN PWD department SDO Kalyanasundaram came with a team of engineers and workers. Kerala is of the stand that the boreholes should be filled only after getting a written permission from SC-appointed empowered committee. Kerala is of the suspicion that TN is trying to curb further examination of boreholes and strengthen the dam. http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124087 http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124086 New Delhi: The Mullaperiyar dam is situated in a ecologically fragile land. This was stated by the Madhav Gadgil Report and recommended decommissioning of such kinds of dam which is over 50 years old. The Gadgil Committee Report has been entrusted by the Union Environment Ministry to study about the biodiversity of the Western Ghats. This was as per the Delhi High Court directive. Any objections to the report should be filed in writing within 45 days to the commission. The report also states that Athiripilly hydro electric project too should not be given approval. Minister P J Joseph said the report will be taken seriously and a reply will be given only after discussions with the chief minister. The committee has been appointment by the Environment Ministry to safeguard the environmental zones in the Western Ghats. The 14-member panel is headed by Prog. Madhav Gadgil and V S Vijayan, member of the Biodiversity Board in Kerala, is also included in the panel. http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124086 http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124084 Kunnamkulam: In Thirssur-Kozhikode route, the private buses will be on strike on Friday. All the trade unions have jointly have called for the strike to protest against traffic regulation in the cities. http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124084 http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124083 Bangalore: Another patch up is on the cards for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with former Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa stating Friday that he would be going to Mumbai where the national executive of the party is meeting. Yeddyurappa told reporters here that he was going to Mumbai to congratulate party president Nitin Gadkari, who will be getting a second term on his post. 'I am going to congratulate Gadkariji, he is getting another term as president,' Yeddyurappa told reporters. 'He has stood with me like a stone in every situation, so I must go and meet him,' he said. The Lingayat leader, however, also aired his displeasure to party leader Ananth Kumar, and said he would work in the state to make BJP stronger. 'I will brief the party about the developments of last few days, and I will work in the state to make the party stronger,' Yeddyurappa said. Yeddyurappa has been upset with the party leadership after he was removed from the chief minister's post following graft charges. He has been at loggerheads with his hand-picked successor Sadanand Gowda, whose ouster he is now demanding. The BJP Thursday settled differences with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, after his rival Sanjay Joshi resigned from his post in the national executive of the party. Modi was in Mumbai Thursday for the national executive meeting that ends Friday. The main opposition party is ironing out all differences with its regional leaders -- eyeing the next general elections, and also anticipating a mid-term poll. The party Thursday pitched itself as the 'solution' to 'problems' created by the Congress-led government, much ahead of 2014 Lok Sabha polls. http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124083 http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124082 Thrissur, Thursday, May 24, 2012: Rejecting the petitions filed by Opposition leader VS Achuthanandan and BJP leader Alphons Kannanthanam in the 1992 palmolein import corruption case, the Thrissur Vigilance Court today gave a clean chit to Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. Declaring its verdict the Court observed that there was no evidence at all to include Chandy as an accused in the case. The Court also accepted the Vigilance further probe report which rules out Chandy's involvement in the case. The case relates to loss to the tune of Rs 2.32 core allegedly caused to the exchequer by import of palmolein in 1991-1992 when late Congress leader K Karunakaran was the chief minister and PJ Thomas, the Food Secretary and a member of the Board of the Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124082 http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124080 YSR Congress chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will appear before the CBI in connection with the disproportionate assets case on Friday. The special CBI court at Hyderabad rejected Jagan's anticipatory bail plea on Thursday. On Wednesday, the Andhra Pradesh HC turned down his plea to delay appearance before the CBI till June 15. Party leaders refuted the charge by the Congress and Telugu Desam Party that Jagan was afraid of being arrested. 'He is not scared. He only wanted to be free to campaign for party candidates in the by-elections,' said a party leader. The case claimed its first victim with the CBI arresting state excise minister Mopidevi Venkata Ramana on Thursday. Mopidevi, 48, was a close ally of Jagan's father YS Rajasekhara and had helped in deals with the firms that funded Jagan's companies. The MLA from Repalle in Guntur district was arrested soon after he arrived at the CBI office for questioning and was later remanded in police custody till May 30. Later, he resigned from the government. His supporters have issued a call for a bandh on Friday. The arrest has spread panic among the YSR era ministers and officers who favoured firms that invested in Jagan's companies. Sources said five other ministers were on the CBI radar. http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124080 http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124079 The two Italian marines, lodged in the Central Prison in Thiruvananthapuram for allegedly shooting to death two Indian fishermen, would be shifted to Kochi. The two marines will be taken to the Borstel School of the Kakkanad jail on Friday. They will be produced before the Kollam Magistrate court and then taken to Ernakulam from there. The state government on Wednesday decided to shift the marines in view of the Supreme Court direction to it to take a stand on the plea of the Italian authorities to move the marines away from the Central Prison. Borstal school, where the two marines will be kept in Kochi, is normally used to lodge delinquent offenders. The Italian officials, as part of this move, had reached the jail premises and inspected the facilities. Their visit comes after the marines had filed a plea earlier for additional facilities. The 4-member Italian team led by the Italian consul general Jiyo Paulo Quitteo visited the Borstel School situated in district jail complex. The marines, Latore Massimilliano and Salvatore Girone, have been in judicial remand for the last three months and lodged in the Poojappura Central Prison here. They have moved the High Court for bail after the district court in Kollam rejected their plea. The naval guards onboard Italian oil tanker Enrica Lexie were arrested on February 19 and charged with murder of fishermen Valentine Jalastine and Ajesh Binki, who took to sea from Neendakara in Kollam, after they fired at them apparently mistaking them for pirates. http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124079 http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124078 Kochi : The dawn-to-dusk hartal called by the CPI(M) and BJP in protest against the hike in petrol price evoked mixed response in this business city of Kerala today. Since all private buses, major transport system in the city, stopped plying, commuters faced hardships. Though state owned Kerala State Transport Corporation (KSRTC) operated long distance buses, it could not solve the problem of common people. Business establishments and hotels remained closed in view of the hartal. Reports from Alappuzha, the backwater city, said private buses, autos and taxies were not operated, causing hardship to the tourists, who flocked to the city for house boat cruise. Though the boat service was suspended, the house boats were operated as usual, sources said. In Idukki and Pathanamthitta districts also, the normal life was affected, though partially, as private buses, autos and taxis remained off roads, causing hardship to common man. (UNI) Subscribe RSS Feeds http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124078 http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124077 Thiruvananthapuram : A day after the petrol price hike, the Kerala government at a special cabinet meeting Thursday decided to forgo the sales tax on petrol, reducing its price by Rs.1.63 per litre. 'This will cost the exchequer Rs.218 crore,' Chief Minister Oommen Chandy told reporters here. 'I have also written to the prime minister, UPA chairperson and petroleum minister, saying that the hike will affect the people badly.' He said the petrol price in Kerala, after the cabinet decision, will come down by Rs.1.63 per litre. A litre of petrol here will now cost Rs.74.11. (IANS) http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124077 http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124076 Thiruvananthapuram : Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has urged the banks in the state to adopt liberal and practical approach in granting educational loans. Speaking at a meeting of the state-level Banker's Committee here, he said, 'Students of the same colleges taking loans from same bank have to pay different interest. Twelve to 17 per cent interest is being levied on educational loans. This is no way can be justified.' 'Banks are not providing loans for those who take admission in management quota and also for those who pass exam in their second chance,' he added. 'Resentment from parents and students are rising. Banks should take notice of that,' he pointed out. He said banks should be more liberal and function with social commitment. The Government is ready to take necessary action for problems of banks. He also pointed out that banks are not providing educational loans to children of fishermen and added that Government is committed to providing good education to them. (UNI) http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124076 http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124075 Puducherry : Defending champions Kerala girls had an easy outing in a league match of the 63rd Junior National Basketball Championships when they defeated Uttar Pradesh 81-37 here today. Kerala, which meant business, exhbited a fast paced game and scored at will capitalising the defence lapses of their rivals. Jena scored 23 points for Kerala while Preethi scored 11 points for UP. In another match, Punjab girls outplayed Karnataka 62-42 with Nirma Kaour scoring 25 points for the winners. Following are the results-:Kerala 81(Jena 23) beat UP 37(Preethi 11),Punjab 62(Nirma Kaour 25) beat Karnataka 42 (Simonelle 24), Madhyapradesh 78 (Aayushi 22) beat Puducherry 11, Jharkand 33 (Balhi Naradi 11) beat Jasmmu and Kashmir 6 rpt 6, Uthrakand 54 (Biyasidhu 18) beat Bihar 14, Odissa 30 beat Goa 14. Boys;- Madhya pradesh 86 (Abdul Khan 20) beat Kerala 50 (Sriraj 16),West Bengal 56 (Joshi 18) beat Gujarat 22 (Raju Sapra 10), Andhra Pradesh 46 (Jagapathyram 11) beat Goa 12, Rajasthan 83 (Sharad 21) beat Haryana 49(Himanshu 10). (UNI) http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124075 http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124074 Thiruvananthapuram : Chief Minister Oommen Chandy today urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to reconsider the decision of the petrol price hike. The Chief Minister faxed letters in this regard to the Prime Minister, the Finance Minister and the Petroleum Minister and requested them to reconsider the decision of hiking the petrol charges. Briefing on Cabinet decisions here, the Chief Minister said the Government today decided to withdraw the additional tax, obtained from the increased price of petrol resulting in the price coming down by Rs 1.63 per litre in the State. Due to the decision, the government would have a tax revenue deficit of Rs 218 crore, he added. (UNI) http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124074 http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124073 Thiruvananthapuram: The Monsoon session of the Kerala Legislative Assembly will be held here from June 11 to July 31. Briefing on Cabinet decisions, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said a decision in this regard was taken at today's Cabinet meeting. The Cabinet also recommended the Governor to convene the Monsoon Session from June 11, he added. The session would take up discussion on budget allocation for each department. (UNI) http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124073 http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124072 Thiruvananthapuram : The Kerala Cabinet today sanctioned a special package of Rs 5.85 crore to the police in the Kasargod district. Briefing on Cabinet decisions here, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said as per the package, 175 new posts will be created and measures will be taken to buy vehicles and improve communication facilities of the police in the district. It has been decided to form a special commission to look into the backward status of Kasargod and come up with developmental plans, he said. Former Chief Secretary P Prabhakaran will head the commission and would table the report before the Cabinet within six months, he added. The Government has given approval in-principle for implementing the recommendation of Human Rights Commission in the Endosulfan issue. This will incur an additional commitment of Rs 100 crores, half of which would be met by the plantation corporation. As per the decision of the previous Government the whole expense was to be taken up by the corporation. As per Human Rights Commission recommendation, Rs 5 lakh will be given to the families of those dead and bedridden patients and Rs 3 lakh for disabled people. (UNI) http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124072 http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124071 Cuttack : Five times winners Kerala will lock horns with sturdy Services in the first semifinal match of the 66th National football champiopnship for Santosh Trophy at Barabati Stadium here tomorrow. Kerala coach M N Jacob said, 'Though I am confident about the ability of my boys but I told them to exploit the opportunity after judging the opponents first.' 'In such a match, (especially against the military men) there is no room for complacency,' Jacob maintained. 'The flanks stay an important proposition in our plans,' he added. 'It's hard to play consecutive matches but the positive it helped us sort out the perfect combination. We've no complaints.' But the Services had different take on the crucial match. 'We will play attacking football. That has been our style and we will stick to it,' said Servcies coach V Sajith Kumar. 'We will stick to the same combination which played in our last match,' he said. The vastness of the country and commitment to one's service often pits an individual planning the downfall of his own home state. Sajith, himself a Keralite, laughs it off. In fact, it isn't him alone. Services also boast of four footballers from Kerala in their first XI. But the game would take its turn in the efficient of the players capacity and endurance to withstand the nearly heat-wave condition now facing whole Odisha. The match will start at 1830 hours. (UNI) http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124071 http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124070 Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Cabinet today accepted in principle the proposal for setting up a Medical College for Scheduled Caste (SC) in Palakkad District. Briefing on Cabinet decisions here, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said a special purpose vehicle will be formed to look into the matter. The Cabinet also decided to appoint a Special Officer to speed up the matter, he added. Karyavattom University Campus, which is the main venue for the 35th National Games,will be treated as a special labour zone. The works of the Green Field Stadium in the campus will be completed in a time bound manner. A Deputy Labour commissioner will be posted to expedite the works, he said.As sum of Rs 10 lakhs has been sanctioned for placing the statues of Malayalam cine stars Satyan and Prem Nazir. (UNI) http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124070 http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124066 London: Yahoo has entered the browser wars with the release of an iPad and iPhone app and a desktop plug-in that spruces up your current browser, Daily Mail reported Thursday. The PC world is dominated by Internet Explorer, Firefox and Chrome, as well as Safari on the Mac, and rather than try to break this stranglehold, Yahoo has created a plug-in that installs into these browsers and brings a new visual style to the table. Once Yahoo Axis is installed, users get a search-box at the bottom-left of their browser, and when you type a query in, thumbnails pop up along the bottom, giving you an at-a-glance look at your potential destinations. Bookmarks also get the visual flavour - similar to the home-screen of Chrome or the way most smartphones display your shortcuts. If you are sporting an iPad or iPhone, Axis will also sync with your desktop browser, meaning a browsing session can be picked up seamlessly where you left off, the newspaper added. http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124066 http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124065 New Delhi: Former Commonwealth Games (CWG) Organising Committee (OC) chairman Suresh Kalmadi Thursday told a Delhi court hearing a corruption case related to the 2010 sporting event here that he was not involved in procurement of equipment. He said that the OC only gave recommendations for buying timing, scoring and result (TSR) system for the Games and was not involved in the purchase. Kalmadi's counsel Harshad Ponda told Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Special Judge Talwant Singh that neither Kalmadi nor the OC were involved in the process of procurement of equipments. He said that Swiss Timing was held to be the best and reliable TSR system by various committees, consisting of senior government officials and members of the national and international federations. 'There was a recommendation by members of international federation in a meeting held in March 2009 that Swiss Timing had the best and reliable system,' said the defence counsel. Ponda said various committees were constituted and they took the decision after going through all the details. Kalmadi will continue his arguments on charge May 26. The CBI in its first charge sheet in the case against Kalmadi and 10 others described him as a prime accused and the mastermind in the corruption case related to financial irregularities in awarding the Rs.141 crore contract for a scoring system. The accused officials and two companies were charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code for cheating, criminal conspiracy and forgery and under the Prevention of Corruption Act. http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124065 http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124064 New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh goes to Myanmar Sunday on a three-day visit during which the two countries are expected to seal a pact on a landmark bus link between Imphal and Mandalay and unveil new initiatives in expanding trade and energy cooperation. This will be the first trip by an Indian prime minister to the Southeast Asian country by an Indian prime minister in a quarter century. Ahead of the visit, the cabinet Thursday cleared the bus service linking Imphal in Manipur to Mandalay in Myanmar, setting the stage for the signing of the pact after talks between Manmohan Singh and Myanmar president Thein Sein in the Myanmarese capital Nay Pyi Taw Monday. The cabinet meeting, chaired by Manmohan Singh at his official residence, approved, in principle, the much-awaited bus link, government sources said here. The bus link will be a signature initiative that is expected to enhance people-to-people interaction and trade between Myanmar and India's northeastern states. Improving regional connectivity and expanding bilateral trade will be key highlights of Manmohan Singh's visit. A slew of accords is expected to be signed after the talks between Manmohan Singh and Thein Sein. These could include a revised aviation agreement to scale up the number of flights between the two countries. India is also likely to announce a fresh line of credit for development projects in the oil-rich country. Manmohan Singh will meet pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi in Yangon Tuesday and invite her to visit India. Suu Kyi has not travelled to any foreign country or outside of Myanmar in the past 24 years. Announcing the visit Thursday, the external affairs ministry said that the prime minister will be accompanied by his spouse Gursharan Kaur, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna and senior officials. A delegation of CEOs of major Indian companies will be also in Myanmar during the prime minister's visit. The delegation will be led by Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman & Group CEO of Bharti Enterprises, and Rajya Vardhan Kanoria, Chairman & MD of Kanoria Chemicals & Industries Ltd. Manmohan Singh will speak on the theme 'India and Myanmar: A Partnership for Progress and Regional Development' at a function organised by the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce & Industry and the Myanmar Development Resource Institute. A visit to the historic Shwedagon Pagoda and the tomb of Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal emperor of India, in.... http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124064 http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124063 Mumbai: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Thursday passed an amendment to its constitution which will now enable party president Nitin Gadkari's term to be extended by another three years. The amendment was brought by former party president Rajnath Singh, and seconded by another former president M. Venkaiah Naidu. Announcing the amendment, party's general secretary J.P. Nadda said it will also enable extending the tenure of district and state presidents of the party. 'Earlier, a president could have only one term of three years at a time. Now a president can have two consecutive terms of three years at one stretch,' he said. Nadda added that the amendment was passed 'unanimously' by voice vote. No discussion was held on the amendment. Asked if Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi or any other member expressed an opinion otherwise, Nadda said 'all members act objectively in such issues'. Gadkari, who enjoys the backing of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), became the party president in 2009. His term was to expire in November this year. The extension is being seen as an effort from the party to reconcile before the 2014 general elections, and be prepared in case of a mid-term poll. Sources, however, say that not all leaders are happy with Gadkari, but the party president is now being seen making efforts to increase his popularity. Gadkari's decision to let go Modi's old foe Sanjay Joshi is also being seen as a part of efforts to settle differences. The party also initiated its process for admitting workers to the party and holding elections for the posts in the party. Uttar Pradesh BJP leader Radha Mohan Singh was selected as the incharge for admitting new members, while Rajya Sabha member Thaawar Chand Gehlot will be incharge of elections. The two-day national executive meet of BJP ends Friday. http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124063 http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124062 Mumbai/New Delhi: The agitating pilots of Air India Thursday sought a meeting with Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh to end the 17-day-old strike that has crippled the airline's international operations. 'We have sent a letter to the minister seeking a meeting with him, so that we can explain our situation to him personally. The letter was delivered to his aide,' Rohit Kapahi, committee member, Indian Pilots Guild (IPG), told IANS. 'We want a chance to put across our views to him in a fair and transparent manner, so that we can find a way to end the impasse. But till now we have not received any reply.' The letter, which was sent to Singh on behalf of IPG's general secretary E.A. Kapadia, said 'an earnest dialogue will help resolve all issues in the interest of the country, the airline and its employees'. The IPG also pointed out that despite the ongoing agitation, it requested one of its eight recently returned Boeing 787-trained pilots not to join the stir and instead go to Seattle May 25 to take delivery of the new aircraft joining the Air India fleet. On Wednesday, Singh had appealed to pilots to return to work unconditionally and assured them that no victimisation would follow. He said that the 101 sacked pilots will be reinstated on a case-by-case basis. 'We have taken back one sacked pilot. But taking back sacked pilots will be decided on a case-by-case (basis). First they have to come back to work unconditionally,' the minister had told IANS. The pilots have said they will end their strike if the sacked colleagues are taken back and the management starts negotiations on the issues raised by them. The strike has left the national carrier with a revenue loss of Rs.270 crore. 'Losses are around Rs.270 crore on account of ticket cancellations, unused labour and bulk of Boeing-777 fleet being grounded,' a senior Air India official told IANS. 'Losses per day are being contained to downwards of Rs.10 crore in the current contingency plan,' he added. Air India, however, says it has enough executive pilots who are not on strike to operate long-haul destinations in the US and Europe. 'An interim schedule has been decided keeping into account the economics, load factor and importance of the destination,' the official added. Air India is now operating a bare minimum number of flights by clubbing flights to Europe and the US. The beleaguered airline has come out with a truncated interim schedule for June. It will effectively.... http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124062 http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124061 Nilambur : Five children drowned while taking a bath in the Chaliyar river at Nilambur Chinikkadav, in Malappuram district on Thursday, police said. All the bodies have been fished out, they said. The deceased are Aleena, 13, twin bothers Amal, 10 Ajay, 10 children of Vinu and Lisa from Athikad and Jinu Mathew, 15 and Jaini Mathew, 11, children of Mathew and Philomina. Philomiona is Lisa's sister. The incident occurred at 3.30 pm on hartal day. The five kids went to the pond along with Philomina, which is near Athikkad temple. Amal drowned first and Philomina jumped into the water to save him. Not seeing them the other kids too jumped into the water. By this time Philomina rescued Amal. Not seeing the other children, she called out for help. The natives rushed and fished out the children and rushed them to the hospital. But they could not be saved. The children were alive when they were taken out of the pond. The bodies of Aleena, Amal and Ajay would be laid to rest at Nilamboor Little Flower Pheorna church on Friday and Jinu and Jainy would be laid to rest Friday at Vazhavaytta St Sebastians church cemetery. http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/story.php?id=124061