Union minister Sriprakash Jaiswal on Thursday kicked up a major controversy when he said in Kanpur that if the Congress failed to get a majority in the UP elections, the state would head for President’s Rule.

In Goa, the BJP is banking on anti-incumbency and corruption charges against the ruling Congress to bring itself back to power. The party is also highlighting the “dynastic politics” of the Congress in its poll campaigns. In its poll manifesto, BJP has not only promised regulation of legal mining and reviewing of the industrial policy, it has also promised a monthly allowance for the unemployed.

Uttar Pradesh recorded a 59.2 per cent peaceful voter turnout in the fifth phase that went to polls on Thursday spread across 13 districts comprising Ferozabad, Kanshi Ram Nagar, Etah, Mainpuri, Aurraiya, Etawah, Kanpur, Jalaun, Ramabai Nagar, Jhansi, Hamirpur, Mahoba and Lalitpur, thereby maintaining a high percentage of voter turnout in every phase and that too in the absence of any major untoward incident.

The Mehrangarh Museum Trust, formed by Jodhpur’s former royal family, has asked the jail authorities to hand over the wreckage of an aircraft that had crashed in 1952 killing Jodhpur’s Maharaja Hanwant Singh and his “mistress” Zubeida.

India and Italy continued to tussle Wednesday over the two Italian marines who shot dead two Indian fishermen last week as Italy’s deputy foreign minister Steffan de Mistura met minister of state for external affairs Preneet Kaur, who reiterated New Delhi’s firm line on the law taking its course.

Punjab has declined Union government’s directive to make direct payment to farmers for food grains procured for the Central pool.

Cardinal of Syro Malabar Church Mar George Alencherry on Wednesday clarified that he did not offer to mediate between Italy and India in the firing case involving Italian merchant ship Enrica Lexie. In a statement issued here, Cardinal Alencherry, who was elevated as a cardinal on Saturday by the Vatican, said he did he talk to any Kerala minister regarding the matter.

The huge iron gates of Lakshmi Ratan Cotton Mills in Kopadganj are completely hidden by makeshift shops selling pan masala and fruits.

The CBI sought shifting of high profile accused in murder of Bhanwari Devi case from Jodhpur to some where else as the agency noted that witnesses receive threats and in turn become hostile.

A court here has issued an order permitting the police to search the Italian vessel Enrica Lexie and seize the weapons used by the Italian Marines to shxoot two Indian fishermen off the Kollam coast last week.