Facing brickbats over administrative lapses over the Muzaffarnagar riots, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Monday claimed that “some main political parties are trying to dangerously disturb the communal harmony in the state ahead of Lok Sabha elections”.

Union minister and chairman Madhya Pradesh Congress campaign committee Jyotiraditya Scindia on Monday launched the Congress party’s campaign for the coming state Assembly election by declaring a full-throated attack on the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led state Bharatiya Janata Party government at a huge public rally at this district headquarters, which happens to be the parliamentary constituency of leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has no mechanism in place to “convince” retired Test umpire, Asad Rauf to go to Mumbai to face spot-fixing charges, an official said on Monday.

With Assembly election fast approaching, senior leaders of the Congress and BJP are holding meetings on ticket distribution. Sources say both parties are worried about those MLAs who won last elections with thin margins.

If the BJP termed the bonhomie between its veteran leader L.K. Advani and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar at the National Integration Council meet on Monday as “established political protocol”, it surely raised many eyebrows in political circles.

Buoyed by three senior leaders — one each from JD(U), RJD and BSP — joining the BJP in Bihar on Monday, the saffron party renewed its attacks on chief minister Nitish Kumar on his flagship poll issue of special status for the state, saying it may reduce Bihar’s share in central grants.

Dale Steyn does not want the standoff between the BCCI and CSA to result in a curtailed series between India and South Africa later this year as the speedster says the two teams share a “great cricketing rivalry”.

An Ordinance to protect convicted MPs and MLAs from facing immediate disqualification was approved today by the Union Cabinet, in effect negating an order of the Supreme Court.

Jawaharlal Nehru University has decided to increase the number of women security guards on campus following the violent attack on a girl student by her classmate.

Telugu Desam Party supremo and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu on Monday walked out of the National Integration Council (NIC) meeting protesting against the decision of the UPA government in disallowing him to raise the issue of the bifurcation of his state.