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2009 Poll Prospects And Alignments-2 - acharya - 07-14-2008
<b>Our support is based on PMâs assurances: Amar Singh</b>
Arunkumar Bhatt
âWe are not with UPA on price riseâ
Amar Singh
MUMBAI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singhâs categorical assurances that the India-U.S. nuclear deal would not affect the countryâs sovereignty and independent foreign policy and the U.S. would not invoke the Hyde Act made the Samajwadi Party support the UPA government on the issue, according to its general secretary Amar Singh.
Addressing journalists here on Sunday, Mr. Amar Singh said the Prime Minister had also assured his party that Indiaâs friendly relations with Iran would continue.
âThe SP will vote for the deal on July 22 on the basis of the Prime Ministerâs assurances,â he said, but hinted that the relationship could deteriorate if the government went back on its assurance about Iran.
He said that after a meeting with the former President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, his party was convinced that the deal was in the national interest. But, the SP was not with the UPA on the issue of price rise and jacking up of petroleum prices, he said.
Another objective of Mr. Singhâs meeting with the media-persons was to reply and retaliate against the party âbete noire,â Ms. Mayawati. The latter has alleged that the cases against her have been revised at the behest of the SP following rapprochement between the Congress and SP. She also accuses the Union Government of having set the CBI after her. Mr. Amar Singh said that Ms. Mayawatiâs statements were baseless and maintained that actually it was she who misused the police.
He showed a video clip at the press conference which he said he had shot secretly when the police had come to his residence.
On the charge by BSP chief Mayawati that cases against her had been revised at the behest of the SP following its rapprochement with the Congress, Mr. Amar Singh said her statements were baseless. He alleged that instead it was Ms. Mayawati who misused the police.
At the press conference, Mr. Amar Singh showed a video clip which he shot secretly when the police came to his residence. The clip showed a police officer, whom the SP leader identified as K.K. Dwivedi of Uttar Pradesh police, stating that the police were asked by Ms. Mayawati to have him (Mr. Amar Singh) framed. The SP leader criticised the Uttar Pradesh government and the State police for their âgoof upâ in the Aarushi murder case.
2009 Poll Prospects And Alignments-2 - Guest - 07-14-2008
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Our support is based on PMâs assurances: Amar Singh<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
WHat a lie?
Here is reason
<b>Mukesh Ambani meets PM, to call on Sonia too</b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Ambani's visit assumes importance in the wake of SP leader Amar Singh raising a number of issues, including a demand for withdrawal of EOU (export oriented unit) status for RIL's Jamnagar refinery along with a suggestion that Prime Minister should intervene to bring peace between Mukesh and younger brother Anil.
.....
Mukesh Ambani's RIL and Anil Ambani's RCom have been involved in a tussle over the South African cellphone major MTN. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
2009 Poll Prospects And Alignments-2 - Guest - 07-15-2008
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Going rate of MPs is Rs 25 cr, alleges Bardhan </b>
Pioneer.com
PTI | New Delhi
Posted online: June 14, 2008
With political parties bracing themselves for the trust vote, CPI general secretary AB Bardhan on Monday accused the Congress-led UPA of horsetrading and alleged that the going rate of an MP was Rs 25 crore.
"No one has principles anymore. It is not a question of few crores but Rs 25 crore for horsetrading," Bardhan said addressing a meeting here to launch Left parties' nationwide campaign against the Government.
<b>"I have never seen Rs 25 crore in my lifetime. I am sure that none of you (audience) have seen it either," </b>the top CPI leader said.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Very cheap, if you consider amount Queen and Moron Singh are making.
2009 Poll Prospects And Alignments-2 - Bodhi - 07-15-2008
Bainsla to tour across states to campaign in support of BJP
2009 Poll Prospects And Alignments-2 - ramana - 07-15-2008
If the UPA survives due to SP's vote, then Mukesh Ambani's goose is cooked as chotu will use sarkar raj to get him. I dont understand earlier that all those- windfall profit tax, Murli Deora and the directive to not interfere in the MTN takeover all demands to support chotu. So Mukesh has to deliver some MPs for the vote and fast. Most likely some of the SP will back off due to the Mukesh involvement in the vote. THey will give reasons like- anti secular etc.
2009 Poll Prospects And Alignments-2 - Guest - 07-15-2008
ramana,
Someone had informed Mukesh about whole deal between Queen and SP, so Mukesh went and met some smaller spies at sec level to PMO and finally Queen and her puppies who gets free ride on Mukesh planes as n when they pleased.
I don't think Queen will deliver SP 100%, she will take hafta from both parties and will distribute half chapati to one and rest to other.
Mukesh can deliver some MPs from Jharkhand or take away some from NCP.
2009 Poll Prospects And Alignments-2 - Guest - 07-16-2008
The Magic Numbers
Undecided
Independents 6
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha 5
Janata Dal-Secular 2
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen 1
Bharatiya Navshakti Party 1
People's Democratic Party 1
Mizo National Front 1
National Loktantrik Party 1
Sikkim Democratic Front 1
=========================
TOTAL 19 MPs
2009 Poll Prospects And Alignments-2 - ramana - 07-16-2008
i posted in BRF that it reminds me of the Panchatantra of the two quarreling monkeys and the cat who benefits in the end. Yuour half chapati ref shows you are thinkign on same lines.
I think the windfall profit tax, axing Deora and admonishment of Mukesh for blocking the MTN takeover all demands show its an Anil Ambani attack on his brother using Sarkar Raj. Mukesh represent the lal baccha enterprise while little brother is pattar giravu enterprise. SO that fight ofr infleunec is also going on.
Where is old money like Tata and Birla and new money like Infosys?
2009 Poll Prospects And Alignments-2 - acharya - 07-16-2008
<!--QuoteBegin-ramana+Jul 15 2008, 06:53 AM-->QUOTE(ramana @ Jul 15 2008, 06:53 AM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->i posted in BRF that it reminds me of the Panchatantra of the two quarreling monkeys and the cat who benefits in the end. Yuour half chapati ref shows you are thinkign on same lines.
I think the windfall profit tax, axing Deora and admonishment of Mukesh for blocking the MTN takeover all demands show its an Anil Ambani attack on his brother using Sarkar Raj. Mukesh represent the lal baccha enterprise while little brother is pattar giravu enterprise. SO that fight ofr infleunec is also going on.
Where is old money like Tata and Birla and new money like Infosys?
[right][snapback]84241[/snapback][/right]<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Read the whole thing here
http://specials.rediff.com/news/2008/jul/14sld02.htm
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Mr Ambani, Mr Birla, share the pain of the middle class'
July 14, 2008<b>
It is being said that your recent missives on issues like spectrum, windfall profit tax and scrapping the export-oriented unit status granted to Mukesh Ambani's petroleum refinery are due to your proximity to his estranged younger brother Anil. What do you say to that?</b>
Let me be very clear that I am only echoing the views of Ratan Tata, the telecom regulator and the editor of Business Standard. If these views are identical to the views expressed by my friend Anil Ambani, what can I do?
<b>On the question of levying a windfall profit tax, well, even the democratic presidential candidate Barak Hussain Obama favours such a tax.</b>
Not only that, the International Energy Agency has come down heavily on the Centre's decision to award export-oriented unit status to the Reliance refinery. I could hardly be using the arguments put forward by the Left, the US democrats, the IEA and even regulatory agencies, all together for Anil Ambani's benefit.
<b>Your proximity to Anil Ambani leads to a lot of talk whenever you intervene on policy matters.</b>
If I had been talking of things that would lead to wealth creation for certain individuals, I would understand the hue and cry. Here I am saying that those who have profited so much must share the pain of the common man burdened by poverty. In the good old days, my erstwhile friend Mukesh Ambani used to say, "Papa tells us we must share our gains to relieve the pain of the people." So I say: Mr Ambani, Mr Birla, you must share the pain of the middle class. If Anil Ambani falls in this bracket, I will ask him as well. Let me make it clear that Anil is no one to guide me vis-a-vis the Congress. Yes, my future holidays or our evening dinner plans can be the subject of his likes and dislikes and that is my personal affair. I will say that I will be careful because of this perception of proximity with Anil and Amitabh Bachchan in accepting assignments pertaining to their interests and profession. That is, hypothetically, if ever, I become a minister I will not accept either the telecom or information and broadcasting ministry.
I am quite self-conscious that such accusations will be levelled against me because of the great love the media harbours for me. Therefore, I was the only one who, as a member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee dealing with the second securities scam, gave gory details of my corporate connections to the chairman. I requested other members - Prem Gupta and Praful Patel (both ministers in the UPA) - to do the same. I don't know if they did.
<b>There are reports that you asked for Murli Deora, P Chidambaram and RBI governor Y V Reddy's heads and set it as one of the conditions to support the UPA. Is that correct?</b>
I want to make it clear that there are no conditions for removing Murli Deora, or the finance minister or RBI governor. In fact, I recently met Chidambaram at his residence and spent over an hour with him. He is a friend. Unfortunately, criticism of policy is often confused with criticism of an individual. I accepted his explanation that he gave in Parliament when I attacked him in the House on his connections to Vedanta. I have certain concerns with regard to rupee depreciation that I wanted him to act on in the absence of action from the RBI governor. There is a provision that if the RBI does not act, then the finance ministry can. So, I want the rupee rate to be allowed to strengthen to Rs 39 (against the US dollar) as it will bring down the inflation rate by at least 2-3 per cent.
<b>What about Reserve Bank Governor Y V Reddy?</b>
People allege that I have been after Reddy since the RBI came down on Subroto Roy's Sahara Parivar. Let me make it clear that I was on the board of the Sahara India media group and I was asked to resign. They were well within their rights. At that time Subroto Roy said financial institutions here and abroad are sceptical of politicians and the group was facing a hard time as a result. So, Jaya Bacchan and I resigned. Following that there was a function at Lucknow, which was held by Sahara to communicate that they are no longer connected with me. Shah Rukh Khan, Rajiv Shukla [a Congress MP] and the Moranis [the movie exhibitors] were there.
An announcement was made by Abhijit Sarkar, Subroto Roy's sister's son-in-law, that I was not present nor connected with them. What more is to be said? I refrain from speaking against them, since I believe in what Henry Kissinger said that in life when you grow and go up, please look after those who are left behind. I hope to meet Sahara somewhere on my way down.
<b>What about all that you have said in the past about the Congress?</b>
My past pronouncements on the Congress hurt me now. It was a mistake, committed on both sides. The Congress was more mature than us and opposed us with silence, while my opposition was loud. I have learnt a lesson from the Congress that silence is golden. And it is this golden silence that should be one's weapon.
<b>How did the entire Congress-SP alliance begin and get cemented, given that things were so bitter between the two?</b>
My personal relationship with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been constant. It became public with the UPA dinner on May 14 this year [when he shared the dinner table with the PM]. Let me now reveal a little-known fact - the prime minister personally invited me to his swearing-in ceremony in 2004.
There are three reasons for this proximity with the Congress. One is our relationship with the prime minister. The second is Rahul Gandhi's gesture in writing to me when my father died. I don't know him and the gesture touched me. And lastly, Dr Kalam's view that the nuclear deal was, in fact, in national interest
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
2009 Poll Prospects And Alignments-2 - acharya - 07-16-2008
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>CPI(M) wants Govt. to snap military ties with Israel
</b>
New Delhi (PTI): Appreciating the government for its "timely" reaction to the US reportedly asking Israel to prepare for an attack on Iran, the CPI(M) on Tuesday demanded that the UPA dispensation should immediately snap all military collaboration with Tel Aviv.
"The grave concern expressed by the Government about statement from Israel and the US threatening military action against Iran is timely...(but) this concern would have been credible only if the UPA Government had not helped Israel's military capabilities," the CPI(M) Polit Bureau said here.
Noting that the ISRO has launched Israeli spy satellite TecStar and two more satellites in the series were being planned to be launched, it said, "If the Government is really concerned about the military attack on Iran, it should forthwith cancel the launch of these satellites."
The CPI(M) noted that the advanced spy satellite produced by Israel and US jointly is being used to conduct surveillance of Iran and if there would be an attack on the Persian country, the "TecStar facilities will be invaluable" for them.
With the US reportedly asking Israel to prepare for an attack on Iran, India yesterday voiced its opposition to any military action against the Persian country, saying it would constitute "unacceptable international behaviour" and will have "disastrous consequences" for the region.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
2009 Poll Prospects And Alignments-2 - Guest - 07-16-2008
Now US law applies on Indian Industries, If queen dog wave his tail in front of me I will never forget Queen dog's gesture and will support every policy of Queen's government.
2009 Poll Prospects And Alignments-2 - Shambhu - 07-16-2008
Re #300:
Not a mention by the CPI(M) of Ahmedinijad's rhetoric about wiping out Israel.
CPI(M) fools need to be ankle-locked to a bag of cement and thrown into the Red Sea.
Yeah, I know we need Iran. But that does not give you the license to ignore existential threats to Israel. Titus! <!--emo&:angry:--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/mad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='mad.gif' /><!--endemo-->
2009 Poll Prospects And Alignments-2 - acharya - 07-16-2008
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>
Propriety demands Somnath should resign: Trinamool Congress</b>
Kolkata (PTI): The Trinamool Congress on Tuesday said propriety and parliamentary convention demanded that Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee to quit his post as he is a lawmaker belonging to CPI(M) which has withdrawn support to the UPA government.
"I don't have any personal enmity against him but propriety and parliamentary convention demand that he should resign", TC leader Mamata Banerjee said and added "if he is not a partyman, then why did he meet Jyoti Basu?"
Banerjee said since Chatterjee's name was given to President Pratibha Patil in the list of CPI(M) MPs withdrawing support to the UPA government, why was he not resigning. "What is behind it?"
Rejecting the point that Chatterjee was unanimously elected Lok Sabha Speaker, the Trinamool Congress leader said "I did not support his candidature. I may be alone but I did not support him. It can't be said that his election was unanimous".
The Trinamool supremo said that even in the NDA meeting, "I had opposed BJP's suggestion to support Chatterjee's candidature".
She alleged both the UPA and CPI(M) were doing 'immoral politics'.
Banerjee said CPI(M)'s "political hyprocrisy" over the Speaker issue had come to light, adding that while the party had included Chatterjee's name in the MPs list, the party had also been clamouring that it had left the resignation decision to the Speaker himself.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
2009 Poll Prospects And Alignments-2 - Guest - 07-16-2008
<b>Celebrate the Left's exit </b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->And to strut about with Ms Sonia Gandhi's backing and with Mr Rahul Gandhi working the phones to gather the numbers for the trust vote. Meanwhile, the Congress big-wigs are catering, as only they can, to their beloved your-wish-is-my-High Command. The party has got Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mr Amar Singh on board, too<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd--><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->And while Mr Amar Singh may want to settle a score or two on behalf of his friends, what we are witnessing its good old fashioned corporate lobbying, and there's nothing sinister or cloak-and-dagger about it. What a relief and contrast it is to be spared the inquisitorial torture of Communist ideology in the only country with a Stalinist organisation left in the world. It does take some getting used to, this sudden lightness of being<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd--><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->This just might be a new season of learning unexpected lessons for many, besides the Prime Minister who has suddenly risen above codpieces and cassocks. As for evil, it's back to school for it -- regrettably, China has already put up the 'No vacancies' sign. One hears the Chinese are busy printing their nuclear reactor plans in Hindi!<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
2009 Poll Prospects And Alignments-2 - acharya - 07-16-2008
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>A dangerous precedent, says Left</b>
Special Correspondent
âPrime Minister being dragged into corporate warâ
NEW DELHI: The Left parties on Tuesday indicted the Prime Ministerâs Office (PMO) for setting a âdangerous precedentâ with the Prime Minister being asked to personally intervene to mediate between the Ambani brothers.
âThe corporate houses are openly in the fray to lobby their interests in the run-up to the confidence vote [being faced by the Manmohan Singh government in the Lok Sabha on July 22],â the Communist Party of India (Marxist) said in a statement. The CPI(M) Polit Bureau said: âThe PMO should not become the conciliation office for warring corporates, however desperate the ruling party may be to retain power.â
The CPI said it was shocking the Prime Minister and the PMO were being dragged into the corporate war. âThis grossly demeans the Prime Minister and his office,â the party Central Secretariat said.
âThis is a dangerous trend that has surfaced after the Left parties have withdrawn their support to the government and certain other forces have been co-opted by the government to rescue itself. The CPI holds that this is detrimental to our democratic polity.â
All India Forward Bloc general secretary Debabrata Biswas described the development as âunfortunateâ in the polity of the country.
Mr. Biswas said big industrial houses and multinationals of India and the U.S. were interested in seeing the civilian nuclear deal through. He said corporate houses were âdisturbedâ over the past four years when the Left parties supported the UPA government from outside and effectively blocked a dozen economic measures relating to banking, insurance, etc.
âThe Congress is adept in playing such politics and now it would push through all these measures which will make the corporate houses happy,â the Forward Bloc leader said.
PMO denial
Rejecting the Leftâs allegation, the PMO said there was no question of the Prime Minister getting involved in corporate affairs. The PMO said Dr. Singhâs meeting with Reliance Industries chief Mukesh Ambani on Monday was part of his regular interaction with industry leaders.
âPeople of India know Manmohan Singh better than to believe that he would get involved in corporate affairs,â said the Prime Ministerâs media adviser, Sanjaya Baru.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
2009 Poll Prospects And Alignments-2 - acharya - 07-16-2008
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->
<b>Manmohan will move a one-line confidence motion on July 21
</b>
Special Correspondent
To be moved under Rule 184, it will not make a specific reference to any issue
NEW DELHI: In accordance with parliamentary procedure and practice, the Prime Minister will move on July 21a one-line motion seeking the confidence of the House in the Council of Ministers. With possible minor variations, the motion will read: âThis House expresses its confidence in the Council of Ministers.â
The Lok Sabha secretariat made it clear on Tuesday that the motion to be moved under Rule 184 would not make a specific reference to any issue. It would be up to the members of different parties to raise any issue during the debate preceding the vote on July 22.
Official sources said the withdrawal of support by the Left parties was on the nuclear issue and the support extended to the United Progressive Alliance by the Samajwadi Party was also on the same issue.
Even if the specific issue is not mentioned in the one-line motion, the context will make it clear where the House stands, an official pointed out.
The presiding officer of the day will be entitled to cast his vote only in the event of a tie. In the event of Speaker Somnath Chatterjee resigning, it is the Deputy Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal who will chair the two-day proceedings.
At the start of this 14th session of the 14th Lok Sabha, seven recently elected members will take oath â Indira K. Reddy (Congress) from Adilabad, K. Chandrasekhara Rao (Telangana Rashtra Samithi) from Karimnagar, B. Vinod Kumar (TRS) representing Hannam Konda and E.D. Rao (Telugu Desam Party) who won from Warangal (all these four from Andhra Pradesh); Agatha Sangma representing Tura in Meghalaya from the Nationalist Congress Party; Anurag Singh Thakur of the Bharatiya Janata Party from Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh; and Anand Paranjape who won the Thane seat in Maharashtra on Shiv Sena ticket.
Total votes
There are currently 543 MPs in the Lok Sabha, including the seven who will take oath on July 21, and the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker.
With one person in the chair, the effective strength comes down to 542. Of these, one MP cannot vote as a result of a court order. His appeal against disqualification is pending. If all MPs are present and voting on July 22, 541 votes will be cast.
The rules of procedure prohibit the moving of a motion of no-confidence in the same session in which a trust vote has been sought. If the House is not prorogued at the end of the session, scheduled to end on July 22, the monsoon session will be considered an extension of the same session â with a recess in between â for the purpose of this rule.
However, if the House is prorogued, any MP will be free to move a motion of no-confidence in the monsoon session expected to start in early August.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
2009 Poll Prospects And Alignments-2 - acharya - 07-16-2008
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->
âAccord will help end nuclear apartheidâ
Special correspondent
New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said the proposed safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency âwill enable India to cooperate in civil nuclear energy development with all the 45 member countries of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, including USA, Russia, France and China,â according to a press release by the Prime Ministerâs media advisor.
Briefing a group of selected journalists from the electronic media here, Dr. Singh referred to âopportunities for international cooperation in civil nuclear energy, in addressing the challenge of energy security and high technology development.â
The Prime Minister said that âconcluding the agreements would end the era of nuclear apartheid against India. He said the agreement will in no way impinge on our strategic programme, which is entirely outside the purview of the IAEA safeguards agreement.
âStating that India would never allow any extraneous interference in the conduct of our independent foreign policy, the Prime Minister said that India would continue to seek good relations with all our Asian neighbours.
âThe Prime Minister expressed confidence that the people of India understood the significance of the initiatives being taken by the UPA Government and endorse them.â
The release said the Prime Minister outlined the steps taken by the government to sustain the growth momentum and curb inflation in the face of external pressures on account of rising crude prices. He referred to the various government initiatives to make the growth process socially inclusive, including the measures taken to insulate the poor to the extent possible from inflation.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
2009 Poll Prospects And Alignments-2 - acharya - 07-16-2008
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Agreement will not impinge on strategic programme: PM
</b>
New Delhi (PTI): In an expression of confidence that Government will win the July 22 trust vote in Lok Sabha, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said that people understand the significance of the initiatives taken by it and "endorse them".
"The Prime Minister expressed confidence that the people of India understood the significance of the initiatives being taken by the UPA Government and endorse them," a brief note, issued by PM's media advisor after Singh's meeting with a group of editors at his residence here, said.
In his first public comments after the Left parties withdrew support to the Government, the Prime Minister dismissed allegations by the Left and the main opposition BJP that the IAEA safeguards agreement would compromise India's strategic programme.
"The agreement will in no way impinge on our strategic programme, which is entirely outside the purview of the IAEA safeguards agreement," he said.
Highlighting the opportunities for international cooperation in civil nuclear energy to meet the challenge of energy security and high technology development, Singh said the IAEA accord would enable India to cooperate in this sector with all the 45 members of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
These include USA, Russia, France and China, he said adding concluding the agreements with IAEA and the NSG would end the era of nuclear apartheid against India.
The Prime Minister also used the occasion to reject charges by the opposition and Left that Government was compromising the country's foreign policy.
"India will never allow any extraneous interference in the conduct of our independent foreign policy," he asserted while making it clear that New Delhi would continue to seek good relations with all its Asian neighbours.
Facing criticism over inflation and rising prices, the Prime Minister outlined the steps taken by his Government to sustain the growth momentum and curb inflation "in the face of external pressures" on account of rising crude oil prices.
He also spelt out measures to insulate the poor "to the extent possible" from inflation.
The Prime Minister also spoke about the initiatives being taken to boost agricultural production and farmers' welfare.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
2009 Poll Prospects And Alignments-2 - acharya - 07-16-2008
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Amar Singh hits back at Advani</b>
New Delhi (PTI): Stung by BJP leader L K Advani's comment on "dalal (broker)" in politics, SP leader Amar Singh on Tuesday hit back at the Leader of the Opposition for making a "direct attack" on him.
"I consider that Advani has made a direct attack on me through his comment that Congress earlier did 'Lal Salaam' (a reference to Left), while now it was doing 'Dalal Salaam'," Singh told a press conference here.
Displaying a copy of Advani's autobiography "My Country, My Life", Singh said the BJP leader had gifted him an autographed copy of the book carrying his compliments on March 21 this year. "I was not a Dalal at that time. How can I become one within three months," Singh wondered.
He accused the Left parties, BJP and BSP of trying to finish him. "But I am not the one to be cowed down. I have no fear," SP general secretary said.
He said Advani was making such remarks out of "sheer frustration" as he could not become the Prime Minister so far and said his sympathies were with the BJP leader. He said he was "very very obliged" for Advani's comments on him.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
2009 Poll Prospects And Alignments-2 - acharya - 07-16-2008
Undecided
Independents 6
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha 5
Janata Dal-Secular 2
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen 1
Bharatiya Navshakti Party 1
People's Democratic Party 1
Mizo National Front 1
National Loktantrik Party 1
Sikkim Democratic Front 1
TOTAL 19 MPs