Politics

Advani is likely to talk to Jayalalithaa and Patnaik to explore if Sangma can be a joint candidate in the presidential elections.

The multi-colour posters had a large image of Sanjay Joshi and described his exit from the BJP as "bullying".

It was left to the Election Commission to decide on declaring early polls, Gowda said.

Senior Congress Rajya Sabha member V Hanumantha Rao said party workers need not be demoralised over the poor results.

Congress is also giving signals that it wants to keep Mamata Banerjee's party firmly in UPA.

The party said it has proposed PA Sangma's name for the top post considering his stature as a tribal leader.

Karunanidhi said DMK will not go back on its assurance already given to Congress to back its nominee.

The UPA's troubeshooter for the last eight years, the 77-year-old leader is variously described as a walking encyclopedia and chronicler of Congress history.

In all 79.69 per cent polling was recorded on an average in the by-elections.

BJD's Rajya Sabha MP Sashi Bhusan Behera also said the party wants Sangma as the Presidential candidate.

Mamata Banerjee and Mulayam Singh Yadav have proposed the names of APJ Kalam, PM Manmohan Singh and Somnath Chatterjee for the President's post.

18 Assembly seats went to polls on Tuesday, with the elections being seen as crucial for YSR Cong Chief Jagan Mohan Reddy and the Congress.

The Samajwadi Party chief said he was not aware if the Congress had named Pranab Mukherjee as the party's candidate.

The BJP leader has been demanding that the Amarnath yatra be allowed for two months.

In 2008, 19 banks violated RBI and FEMA guidelines to sell 'engineered' forex derivatives to Indian corporates.

Jagan has been in the Chanchalguda prison since Monday following his arrest by CBI in the disproportionate assets case.