Karnataka Bypolls Underway, P Chidambaram Meets Sonia Gandhi & Other Top Stories

1984 Riots Could’ve Been Avoided If Gujral’s Advice Was Heeded By Narasimha Rao: Manmohan Singh

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday said that Inder Kumar Gujral's advice to then home minister Narsimha Rao would have prevented the 1984 massacres, if later had heard and acted over it. "When the sad event of 1984 took place, Gujral ji that very evening went to the then Home Minister Narsimha Rao and said to him that the situation is so grim that it is necessary for the government to call the army at the earliest. If that advice would have been heeded perhaps the massacre that took place in 1984 could have been avoided," news agency ANI quoted Singh as saying. Read here…

Pearl Harbour Shooting: Close Shave For IAF Chief, Who Was Present At Shipyard To Attend Pacific Meet

The Indian Air Force has confirmed that Air Chief RKS Bhadauria and his team were present at the time of shooting incident at Joint Base Pearl Harbour Hickam, the US Navy and Air Force Base, in Hawai, USA. All the IAF personnel, including the chief are safe and unaffected by the incident, the official statement said. Bhaduaria is in Hawaii to attend the mega Pacific meet where air chiefs of 21 countries are meeting to deliberate on new defence strategies in modern world. Read here…

Karnataka Bypolls: Voting For 15 Assembly Constituencies Underway, Outcome Will Decide BJP’s Fate

The crucial byelections to 15 assembly constituencies in Karnataka that will determine the fate of Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa led BJP government began on Thursday at 7 am amid concerns of political parties of a possible low voter turn out. A total of 37.78 lakh electors are eligible to cast their votes and all arrangements have been made for the exercise, officials said. Read here…

Out On Bail, P Chidambaram Meets Sonia Gandhi, Says 'Breathing Air Of Freedom’

Soon after walking out of jail, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Wednesday met party president Sonia Gandhi, who has extended complete backing to the former Union minister. Speaking to reporters after meeting Gandhi, Chidambaram said: "I am happy that Supreme Court has passed an order granting bail and I am happy that I have stepped out and breathing the air of freedom after 106 days." Read here…

NCP Gets Additional Cabinet Berth After Sharad Pawar Insisted For Changing Power-Sharing Formula: Sources

Within a week after Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government proved its majority in a floor test in Maharashtra Assembly, the Maha Vikas Aghadi has been forced to change its initial power-sharing formula, sources said. According to the sources, the power-sharing formula was renegotiated after Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar insisted on an additional Cabinet berth. Read here…