Modi for PM? Advani quotes US report on his blog

New Delhi:  Amid speculation that BJP leader L K Advani is undertaking his yatra to be in the fray for the next Lok Sabha polls, the senior leader on Friday endorsed a US Congressional report that says Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi may be the next prime ministerial candidate of the party.

"Now, American lawmakers and the State Department are being primed for the return of the BJP to power in New Delhi, with Modi at the helm as prime minister, following what US analysts say is a 'precipitous' decline in the Congress party's fortunes due to a string of corruption scandals," Advani wrote on his blog on Friday.

The senior BJP leader was quoting from the recent report of the US Congressional Research Service, an independent research wing of the US Congress.

Though Advani did not state categorically whether Modi will be BJP's PM candidate in the general elections slated for 2014, he agreed with the claims of the report which praises Modi's performance as Gujarat chief minister. "Although still in some disorder in 2011, there are signs that the BJP has made changes necessary to be a formidable challenger in scheduled 2014 polls. These include a more effective branding of the party as one focused on development and good governance rather than emotive, Hindutva-related issues," Advani said, quoting the report.

Modi, who has been accused of not taking appropriate action to control the 2002 Gujarat riots, has since then tried to project himself as a chief minister committed to development and good governance. Advani also stated that in July 2009 he had taken up with US secretary of state Hillary Clinton the issue of Modi's visa denial in 2005, and told her that the chief minister had not even applied for the same. "I haven't been able to understand how and why your government has announced that Narendra Modi has been refused a visa, when Modi has not even applied for one?" Advani had asked Clinton. A surprised Clinton had then asked her officials whether this was true, he said.

Advani wrote on his blog that one of the officials told Clinton this was true, and added: "a senator had written to government making this enquiry about Narendra Modi's probable visit, and the official reply saying that a visa would be denied had been publicised." The senior BJP leader said he pointed out to Clinton that it was "unfair and improper" to give such a reply without even a request being made, and then to publicise it.

Advani has showered Modi with praises in recent times and risen to his defence whenever situation demanded.

The most recent example was on September 12, when the Supreme Court had passed an order referring the Gulbarg Society riots case of 2002 to a lower court in Gujarat.
Stating that this order had come as a relief to the BJP, Advani had said, "I have not seen any political person maligned in the way Modi has been. In the political history of India, there hasn't been such misinformation propaganda against any other political leader."

The senior BJP leader will attend Modi's three-day fast in Ahmedabad starting on Saturday for peace, unity and harmony in Gujarat. The timing of his blog today is significant in this regard. Advani, who is Lok Sabha MP from Gandhinagar, is also likely to start his rathyatra against corruption from Gujarat.

Azharuddin's son dies of injuries from bike accident

Hyderabad: Five days after he was rushed to a Hyderabad hospital after a road accident, Ayazuddin, son of former cricketer Mohammed Azharuddin, has died. He was 19.

"Ayazuddin, son of former Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin, has died five days after being critically injured in road accident," doctor said.

Last rites of Ayaz were performed at 5 pm. His body was taken to Mecca Masjid for prayers and it was a private affair.

Ayazuddin was riding a sports motorcycle along with his cousin, Ajmal, on Sunday morning, when their bike crashed on Hyderabad's Outer Ring Road.

Ajmal, whose mother is Azharuddin's sister, died a few hours later. He was 16.

On Monday, doctors at Apollo hospital were reported to have removed one of Ayazuddin's kidneys. He was monitored by a multi-specialty team round-the-clock and his vital parameters were being maintained with supports.

On Thursday, neurological tests showed severe brain damage, said senior doctors attending to the teenager. "Brain function tests conducted on Ayazuddin (in the past few days) indicate brain dysfunction," Dr K Hari Prasad, Apollo Hospitals (Central Region) CEO, said.

Ayazuddin had played in the under-13, under-15 and under-19 side and was considered a promising talent.

Harsha Bhogle, cricket commentator, tweeted: "...and memories of the azhar I knew when he was 19. it is an age to begin life not to end it."

Actor and social activist Rahul Bose also offered his condolences on Twitter. "Very very sad to hear the passing away of azhar's son. No parent should ever have to face such a tragedy. May he have the strength to go on," he posted.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy, who played cricket along with Azhar, has also arrived at the hospital.

After intel alerts, anti-hijack drill at Mumbai airport

Mumbai:  With intelligence alerts warning of a possible terror strike at Mumbai's airport, a special drill was conducted there today. It was described by airport officials as "an anti-hijack exercise."

The drill began shortly before 2 pm and ended 90 minutes later. It was conducted near the secondary runway which remains closed on Fridays for maintenance. Flights were therefore not affected.

Recently, intelligence agencies have said that terrorists may hijack a small plane or helicopter to target the Chattrapati Shivaji airport.

A statement by the Mumbai International Airport (Private) Limited (MIAL) said that a bus was used to represent a hijacked plane; security guards and members of the airport staff pretended to be hostages.

"The exercise, which was to assess the preparedness of all Security teams at the airport in dealing such crisis situations, ended successfully," claims MIAL.

Jayalalithaa supports Narendra Modi's fast, will send reps

Chennai:  Narendra Modi's three-day fast, which starts tomorrow, has provoked debate and in some corners, fierce criticism. Not from Jayalalithaa. The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu has deputed two senior leaders from her party, the AIADMK, to attend the first day of Mr Modi's fast in Ahmedabad. Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal will also join Mr Modi in Ahmedabad tomorrow at the state-of-the-art Convention Centre of Gujarat University. So will senior BJP leaders LK Advani, Sushma Swaraj, Rajnath Singh and Arun Jaitley. Actor-politicians Hema Malini and Smriti Irani will also be present. 

No wonder Mr Modi tweeted today, "Glad to see overwhelming solidarity for #Sadbhavana Mission. People also joining in large nos. thru' missed call on 022-61550770 (toll-free)."

The Gujarat Chief Minister announced his fast on Tuesday in an open letter. The declaration came as both he and his party declared a Supreme Court verdict related to the Gujarat riots of 2002 had vindicated Mr Modi.

On Monday, the court refused to take a stand on whether there is enough evidence to merit the Chief Minister's trial for alleged complicity in the riots, in which 1200 people died. The Supreme Court referred the matter to a local court in Gujarat, which will scrutinise records and interviews on the riots collated by different people commissioned by the Supreme Court.

Mr Modi saw in this a victory. "For the past ten years, it has become fashionable to defame me and the State of Gujarat," he wrote in his open letter. "These elements who could not tolerate any positive development of Gujarat have not left any stone unturned to defame Gujarat. It is difficult to say whether this campaign of defamation will stop even after the judgment of the Supreme Court. But one thing is certain that the credibility of those who have been spreading lies and defaming Gujarat has come to its lowest ebb."

His will not be the only fast Gujarat will witness on Saturday. Shankersinh Vaghela, who quit the BJP 15 years ago and is now with the Congress, has said his fast will begin before Mr Modi's and end two hours later. Mr Vaghela says his fast hopes to dispel the notion that Mr Modi has been given a clean chit by the Supreme Court.