In a move replete with political significance, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tried to take the Opposition head-on on Monday by writing to the Public Accounts Committee to say he was willing to appear before the panel on the 2G scam issue. The PM made this offer in a letter to the PAC chairman, Dr Murli Manohar Joshi. The PM had said at the recent Congress plenary session that he was willing to appear before the PAC. There is no precedent for such a move by a Prime Minister.

Left red-faced by Union home minister P. Chidambaram’s strongly-worded letter, the Left Front government in West Bengal has decided to go on the offensive against the Centre. Mr Bhattacharjee’s reply, which he may send on Tuesday, is likely to be combative. Mr Bhattacharjee’s confrontation with Mr Chidambaram would be a significant development because the two shared a good rapport; Mr Bhattacharjee had always lauded Mr Chidambaram’s tough stand against the Maoists.

The strap-on boosters attached to the side of the GSLV-F06 are suspected to have failed, causing the rocket to veer off course within a minute of its launch. “We suspect the strap-on boosters and not the first stage, which is of credible pedigree and flown several times,” a top space scientist told this newspaper. Two space scientists

There was little impact on the retail prices of onion which remained high between `60-70 per kg across the country even as an anxious government kept a close watch on the situation. The only relief for the government was that the wholesale prices of onion came down in the major markets of Maharashtra and Gujarat following its move to ban exports indefinitely and allow duty-free imports of the commodity on Wednesday.

The Congress, on Thursday, sought to steer clear of what it called wrong interpretation of Rahul Gandhi’s statement on party regaining power in Tamil Nadu after a gap of more than 40 years.

The government on Wednesday abolished the five per cent import duty on onions, ordered fresh imports and extended the ban on exports for an indefinite period even as retail prices of onions continued to be high — between `70 and `80 per kg. Aware of the repercussions that galloping onion prices can have on the government’s image,

Chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa stumped his supporters and detractors alike by announcing his plans to pole vault into national politics on Wednesday.
The chief minister picked his home turf, Shikaripur, to speak about his imminent foray into national politics while campaigning for ruling party candidates in zila and taluk panchayat polls and repeated it at a press conference later on.

An “unscheduled” visit of MNS chief Raj Thackeray at BJP’s Mumbai unit office on Monday has caused tension between the BJP and its “old” NDA alliance partner Shiv Sena. The Shiv Sena, it was learnt, was so miffed with the incident that it told the BJP that it will boycott the BJP-led NDA’s protest rally on corruption issue on December 22. However, the BJP on Tuesday claimed the issue has been sorted out and Shiv Sena will attend the protest rally. MNS and Shiv Sena are considered bitter rivals.

The noose appeared to be tightening further around tainted former telecom minister A. Raja with the CBI sending him a notice on Monday asking him to appear before it for questioning in connection with the 2G spectrum allocation scam.

Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi on Saturday became the latest detractor of AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi for the latter’s alleged Hindu terror remark. Mr Modi, whom Rahul had called “an evil leader” and compared him with Mao Zedong, said that the Congress leader was responsible for the US’ support to Pakistan.