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VARUN GANDHI: Present. Had a question relating to child marriages.

MEENAKSHI NATRAJAN, JYOTI MIRDHA: Present. While Meenakshi was seen listening intently to a discussion on the Budget, Jyoti sat in the last row.

SUPRIYA SULE: Had written questions on various subjects including the use of surplus coal from captive blocks.

ANURAG SINGH THAKUR: Had written questions on many topics, including maternity and child care hospitals.

PRIYA DUTT: Had a written question about setting up of CSIR laboratories in universities.

DUSHYANT SINGH: Had a written question on cases of swine flu, green initiatives in SEZs.

NAVIN JINDAL: Had a written question concerning cases of tuberculosis and disinvestment.

SHRUTI CHAUDHARY, KAMLESH PASWAN: Both spotted for a brief period.

PRADEEP MAJHI: Had a written question regarding postgraduate medical colleges, missing children.

NILESH RANE: Had written questions regarding non-utilisation of funds by states under nutrition programme and cases of cancer.

KALIKESH N SINGH DEO: Had a written question on shortage of power.

JAYANT CHAUDHARY: Had a written question about setting up of primary health centres, irregularity in cooperative banks.

MILIND DEORA: Had a written question on health insurance schemes.

DEEPENDER HOODA, HAMDULLAH SAYEED, BHANWAR JITENDRA SINGH, RAHUL GANDHI, MANICKA TAGORE, P K BIJU, AKHILESH YADAV, ASHOK TANWAR: Present.

KANIMOZHI: Absent, but had two unstarred questions listed in her name.

A dream come true: (From left): The former Rajya Sabha Chairman, Najma Heptullah, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj

The Rajya Sabha on Tuesday took “a historic and giant step'' by voting (191 for and 1 against) to amend the Constitution, providing one-third reservation of seats in Parliament and State Assemblies for women.

The House recorded its vote at 7.25 p.m., with almost the entire House supporting the Bill. Sharad Joshi of the Swatanatra Bharat Paksh was the lone “nay” sayer when Chairman Hamid Ansari took the final count on the passage of the Bill after three hours of debate.

The Bill has to be passed by the Lok Sabha and ratified by 50 per cent of the States before it comes into effect.

While the passage of the Bill was smooth, the process itself started on a stormy note. Marshals ringed the Chair and the official table, target of attacks by dissenting members four from the Samajwadi Party (SP) and one each of the Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Lok Jan Shakti Party (LJP), who were physically evicted. Earlier, the House voted to suspend them for the remainder of the session for their behaviour on Monday.

“HISTORIC STEP”: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh speaks during the discussion on the Women's Bill

The Bahujan Samaj Party walked out before voting, disagreeing with the current Bill, while the SP and RJD members went out after discussions, demanding revocation of their party colleagues' suspension.

Conveying deep sorrow for the tumultuous scenes, including attacks toward the Chair on Monday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh apologised to the Chairman.

The Opposition criticised the floor management in the last two days that led to frequent disruptions and, asked the Congress not to take credit for a measure supported by political parties across the spectrum.

Present through the debate, Dr. Singh, intervened twice. Once when amid pandemonium voting was called without debate and later during the discussion, saying the “landmark legislation was a living proof that the heart of India is democratically sound and in the right place.''

Source: The Hindu By K.V. Prasad Rajya Sabha passes Women's Reservation Bill

SUPRIYA SULE: Present; d a written question regarding tting up of National Higher Edu tion Funding Corporation, PPP higher technical education and tting up of an independent ency for aam admi schemes.

PRIYA DUTT: Present; had a w ritten question regarding setting d of CSIR laboratories in universiN s and also on government assis t nce for Conservation of Monu c ents and Museums.

AKHILESH YADAV: Present; trooped into the well of the K ouse to protest against use of D arshals in Rajya Sabha.

MEENAKSHI NATRAJAN: Came only after the first J journment in the Lok Sabha; H as seen talking to Deepa Das t unsi..

JYOTI MIRDHA AND D SHOK TANWAR: Present; were seen sitting with B chin Pilot.

NAVEEN JINDAL: Had a written question regarding Chi D se assertiveness over India and also regarding PoW in Pak jails.

VARUN GANDHI, I AMESLH PASWAN: Present. Varun had a written ques P n regarding setting up Central R brary Fund and promotion of english language.

SHRUTI CHAUDHARY:  Had a written question regarding clusion of agriculture in school rriculum.

PRADEEP MAJHI: Had a ritten question regarding Chanrayaan-II.

NILESH RANE: Had a writ t en question regarding water onservation and management t nd also regarding interview for re-school admissions.

KALIKESH N SINGH EO: Had a written question s egarding irrigation projects in ibal and backward areas.

JAYANT CHAUDHARY: Had a written question regarding echnology development by CSIR.

DEEPENDER HOODA, AMDULLAH SAYEED, HANWAR JITENDRA INGH, ANURAG INGH THAKUR, DUSHYANT SINGH, AHUL GANDHI, MILIND DEORA, MAN ICKA TAGORE, P K BIJU: Present..

RAHUL GANDHI, AVEEN JINDAL, RIYA DUTT, JAYANT HAUDHARY, MILIND DEORA: Present.

KANIMOZHI: Absent

Addressing a conference of minority youths here, the young Congress leader did not for once mention the attacks on Biharis in other parts of the country. He, however, said no one could deny the contribution of Biharis towards economic rejuvenation of other states.

"You only need to look within and introspect why your own state has lagged behind during the last twenty years," he told the gathering while reminding it of the fact that Bihar contributed handsomely to the IAS and IPS cadres.

The Congress' youth icon, during his 50-minute stay at Asfaquallah Stadium at Khagra, said the party would henceforth not impose candidates and leaders on people. "Work sincerely and with dedication to make the Congress a cadre-based party," he said.

Source: Times Of India 'Make Cong a cadre-based party'

On a visit here to strengthen the Youth Congress in Tamil Nadu, where the party has not been in power for the last 40 years, he made it clear that the DMK-Congress alliance in the state as well as at the Centre was working well.

Asked whether the successful experiment by the Congress of not having any tie-ups in UP in the last Lok Sabha elections, where its numbers went from nine to 21, would be replicated in other states, he said, "the idea that the UP concept can be applied universally across the country is a shallow idea.

"I think you have to look at every state and look at the dynamics within each state," he said.

"UP has a particular balance, a particular politics and we were in discussions with the Samajwadi Party. Once we had assessed all options, it became clear to us that the better option for us is to fight alone," he said.

As far as the DMK is concerned, he said, "We have a good relationship with them both here and at the Centre". "The question whether we will fight it alone is not on the table. We are very happy with our alliance with the DMK."

Gandhi parried questions on why he has not met DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi during the current visit.

But Prime Minister Man- mohan Singh will have to worry about whether he will be able to run his government for the next four years after alienating some of the parties supporting the UPA from outside -- the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Samajwadi Party (SP) and pos- sibly even the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which are implaca- bly opposed to passing the bill.

These parties have 27 MPs in the 245-member Rajya Sabha (effective strength 233) and 46 in the 543-member Lok Sabha.
Their withdrawal of support would leave the UPA with 274 members in the Lok Sabha (excluding Speaker Meira Kumar and Madhu Koda, who is in jail).

With 272 members needed for a majority, any further loss in numbers could make the passing of financial bills, includ- ing the Budget, harder in the Lok Sabha.

Source: Hindustan Times HARD CHOICE: Women's Bill: Cong In Bind ,If Passed, Party Will Lose Allies It May Need Later

RAHUL GANDHI, DEEP- ENDER HOODA: Sat together during the Budget speech.
They left after the Prime Minister and the Congress president left the House after the Budget.

MILIND DEORA: Was seen talking to MoS RPN Singh before the Budget presentation. Later, was seen greeting the PM on his way out.

PRIYA DUTT: Came 15 minutes before the start of the House and was seen in discussion with JYOTIRADITYA SCINDIA before settling for the Budget.

SUPRIYA SULE: Came almost 20 minutes before start of the proceedings in the House and was busy chatting with some young MPs from Maharashtra, including NILESH RANE. Was also seen talking to DMK leader TR Balu and TMC leader and MoS Dinesh Trivedi.

AKHILESH YADAV: Present.Seen talking to his party MPs.

ANURAG SINGH THAKUR, VARUN GANDHI: Present. Both left the House together when the Op- position staged a walkout.

KAMLESH PASWAN: Present.

BHANWAR JITENDRA SINGH: Present. sat beside MoS SACHIN PILOT JAYANT CHAUDHARY: Came to the House within minutes after the start of the Budget speech.

SHRUTI CHAUDHARY, HAMDULLAH SAYEED, DUSHYANT SINGH, ASHOK TANWAR, MANICKA TAGORE, P K BIJU, PRADEEP MAJHI, NAVIN JINDAL, KALIKESH N SINGH DEO: Present.

KANIMOZHI: Present

RAHUL GANDHI, MILIND DEORA: Present. Sat together and chatted while party MP Sanjay Nirupam spoke over price rise. Seen looking towards Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister M K Stalin, who was sitting in the visitors' gallery.

DEEPENDER HOODA: Present. Seen chatting with Sachin Pilot during the discussion.

AKHILESH YADAV: Present. Seen touching Lalu Prasad's feet during the forenoon session.

ANURAG SINGH THAKUR: Present. Sat through the price rise discussion and raised his voice to counter the treasury benches.

VARUN GANDHI, KAMLESH PASWAN: The BJP MPs sat together for a while during the price rise discussion.

JYOTI MIRDHA, MEENAKSHI NATRAJAN, PRIYA DUTT, SUPRIYA SULE: Present. Sule listened intently when fa- ther, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar was replying to the discussion over price rise. She had an un-starred question about the setting up of Special Purpose Vehicle for speedy disposal of cases pending in courts.

P K BIJU: Protested when the treasury benches intervened while his party colleague Basudeb Acharia was speaking over price rise.

JAYANT CHAUDHARY, NILESH RANE, PRADEEP MAJHI: Seen sitting quietly during the price rise discussion. Majhi had an un-starred question regarding delay in trains due to fog.

SHRUTI CHAUDHARY, HAMDULLAH SAYEED, BHANWAR JITENDRA SINGH, NAVIN JINDAL, DUHSYANT SINGH, KALIKESH N SINGH DEO, ASHOK TANWAR, MANICKA TAGORE: Present. Jindal had an un-starred question regarding the failure of Radar System at IGIA, Delhi

KANIMOZHI: Present

Some members of Parliament, assemblies and other elected representatives have not sent in their share, forcing the party leadership to issue the warning.

Last week, treasurer Motilal Vora wrote a stern letter to all members, through general sec- retaries in-charge of states and the state unit chiefs, that the requisite sum be deposited either with the central office or the Pradesh Congress Committee, or the state party panel, as the case may be.

At present, party members from Bihar are vulnerable as the state goes to the polls this year.

"Such a sword should always hang," said All India Congress Committee (AICC) leader Keshava Rao, who is in charge of West Bengal, where elections are due next year.

Vora's letter, sent with party chief Sonia Gandhi's approval, is in line with the report of Manmohan Singh committee on party finances that was adopted in 2002. Party MPs, legislators and salaried mem- bers of boards and autonomous bodies are required to donate a month's salary for party fund, it says.

Every AICC delegate has to pay Rs 600 annually and a Pradesh Congress Committee member Rs 300. It is Rs 200 for a year for lower rung.

Source: Hindustan Times No ticket, Cong warns `defaulting' members

VARUN GANDHI, KAMLESH PASWAN sat together during the Railway Budget. Varun was heard calling it the "Bengal Railway Budget" before step- ping out.

JYOTI MIRDHA, MEENAKSHI NATRAJAN: Both listened in- tently to Mamata's speech. Jyoti once raised her voice to demand rail projects for Rajasthan.

P K BIJU: The CPM MP rose a couple of times and was heard asking: "What about Kerala?"

KALIKESH N SINGH DEO, JAYANT CHAUDHARY sat together and were seen talking during the Rail Budget.

SUPRIYA SULE, SHRUTI CHAUDHARY, PRIYA DUTT were seated.

RAHUL GANDHI, HAMDULLAH SAYEED, BHANWAR JITENDRA SINGH sat together during the Rail Budget.

ANURAG SINGH THAKUR was upset that the budget had nothing for Himachal. "In the past 62 years only 36 km railway line has been added in Himachal," he said.

NAVIN JINDAL: Present. Had unstarred questions relating to Indian projects in Afghanistan and Indian students in Australia.

MILIND DEORA: Present. Had unstarred questions relating to road map for carbon growth, Right to Education Act and voting rights to NRIs.

PRADEEP MAJHI: Present. Had unstarred questions relating to committee on biometrics, environmental clearance to coal mines, dual passport system and assistance to Haiti.

DUHSYANT SINGH: Present.Had an unstarred question on deemed universities.

NILESH RANE: Unlike other MPs raising their voice over rail projects, he sat quietly.

ASHOK TANWAR, AKHILESH YADAV, MANICKA TAGORE: Present.

DEEPENDER HOODA: Absent.

KANIMOZHI: Present.

Apart from them, the high-profile list includes parliamentarians, former MPs and bureaucrats. Details of unauthorised occupants of government accommodation were given by the Central Public Works Department in reply to a RTI query by activist Subhash Chandra Agrawal recently.

While the family of V P Singh continues to hold on to a bungalow in Teen Murti Marg, Mr Jethmalani, a minister in the NDA regime, retains a house on Akbar Road. Ms Chaudhury and Mr Ashwini Kumar, ministers in the previous UPA regime, and former Samajwadi Party MP MP Saleem Sherwani occupy bungalows in the posh Lodhi Estate. Mr Tytler is overstaying in a house on Gurudwara Rakab Ganj road. NCW member Manju Snehlata Hembrom is overstaying in government accommodation at Chanakyapuri.

The government has failed to get the occupants to vacate these accommodations even 10 months after the Lok Sabha elections. The RTI applicant had asked the government why it had not taken recourse to forcible eviction, as it was done in a couple of cases including that of RPI's Ramdas Athawale. The urban development ministry's directorate of estates replied that such steps would be "taken under the provision of Public Premises Act when considered necessary."

Source: Economic Times VIPs Turn illegal Occupants In Lutyen's

Nearly 800 out of the 4,400 BJP delegates who were made to put up in tents during the party's three- day national council and executive meeting in Indore felt under the weather.

A total of 518 party members visited the allopathic health centre at the conclave venue, while 225 participants sought ayurveda or unani remedies to treat their ailments.

The common complaints ranged from headache, body ache, cough and cold to diarrhoea as well as other gastrointestinal problems. Also, medical advice was largely sought by those who stayed in ordinary tents as against the VVIP ones.

" Most patients who suffered from fever, cold, body ache and gastro- related problems had come from faraway places such as Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Himachal Pradesh," L. R. Shrivastav, one of the doctors on duty, said.

During the three- day stay, many participants staying in tents had a harrowing time because of mosquitoes and the stiff breeze.

On Wednesday, the first day of the meet, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan was seen demanding more mosquito repellent to keep the bugs at bay. And BJP president Nitin Gadkari sought extra blankets to shield himself from the chill.

" I wish the mediapersons had stayed here to see how we have forsaken five- star comfort. I had to use two blankets at night," Gadkari said. He added that he was unable to sleep for two nights because the tent walls were too thin to provide protection from the cold winds.

Source: Mail Today By Anup Dutta Swollen Sickbay At BJP's Tent Meet

AHUL GANDHI: Present. Seen ntering the Central Hall of Parliament ith mother Sonia Gandhi. While Sonia ook a seat in the front row, Rahul seted in the back row, next to party MP atish Sharma.

UPRIYA SULE: Present. Was een sitting with Trinamool Congress Ps in the House.

AVIN JINDAL: Present. Laid the eport of the Standing Committee on ome Affairs on the table of the House.

ITIN PRASADA, BHAN- WAR JITENDRA SINGH, AMDULLAH SAYEED, ASHOK TANWAR: Present. All of them were seen sitting in the back around Rahul Gandhi.

JAYANT CHAUDHARY, AKHILESH YADAV, DHAR- MENDRA YADAV: Present. Akhilesh and Dharmendra were seen receiving the blessings of former Prime Minister Deve Gowda after the House was adjourned.

MAUSAM NOOR, PRIYA DUTT: Present. Priya arrived a little late to the Central Hall for the President's speech.

MEENAKSHI NATRAJAN, SHRUTI CHAUDHARY, NILESH RANE, SACHIN PILOT: Present. Were seen listening to the obituaries in the Lok Sabha.

M B RAJESH, P K BIJU: Seen sitting in the back and talking with the members.

ANURAG SINGH THAKUR, JYOTIRADITYA SCINDIA, JYOTI MIRDHA, MANICKA TAGORE, SANDEEP DIKSHIT, VIJAY INDER SINGLA, MILIND DEORA, RAVNEET SINGH BITTU, MANISH TEWARI, JAY PANDA: Present

VARUN GANDHI, DEEPENDER HOODA, DUSHYANT SINGH, AGATHA SANGMA: Absent

KANIMOZHI: Absent

Antony's re- election from Kerala is almost certain. But the same cannot be said about others such as highprofile Union ministers Ambika Soni, Jairam Ramesh, Anand Sharma and M. S. Gill.

This is because the Prime Minister may reshuffle his council of ministers to synchronise with the Rajya Sabha elections.

Intense lobbying for re- election has already started as the Congress does not have enough votes to get them re- elected from the states they come from.

This has put commerce minister Anand Sharma, who represents Himachal Pradesh and will retire on April 2, in a spot.

The party does not have the adequate strength in the state and hence he is trying to get into the Upper House from either Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra or Assam.

Former petroleum minister and 10, Janpath loyalist Satish Sharma, too, faces a similar predicament. The Congress does not have the numbers in Uttarakhand to get him re- elected.

From Punjab, information and broadcasting minister Soni, sports minister Gill, Ashwini Kumar, D.P. Sabharwal, Varinder S. Bajwa and Naresh Gujral will retire. The party can get only two of them re-elected.

Since Punjab has the highest Scheduled Caste population in India, Congress insiders want Sabharwal, a Dalit, to be re-nominated. This means only one more can get the ticket.

source: Mail Today By Kay Benedict Cong ministers face uncertain RS future