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Politics Business Expressions General Sports Leisure States 16 January 1998   Rumblings in Cong over Rao's ticket Intense infighting has engulfed the Congress over the issue of giving a ticket to former Prime Minister Narasimha Rao. Going by the sharp polarisation which has already taken place in the party - Rao's supporters versus those of Sonia Gandhi and Sitaram Kesri - the Congress Election Committee which is to meet on January 17 to decide on the remaining candidates may well find itself in a bind.   Kanshi may go in for alliances Following the solid drubbing in the Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Parishad elections, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Kanshi Ram may now be willing to go in for seat-sharing arrangements with other parties in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. CPM has change of heart, keeps aces close to its chest Admitting a change in attitude, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) general secretary Harkishen Singh Surjeet yesterday indicated that his party was keeping its options open on joining a United Front (UF) Government. Kalmadi to go it alone, won't hitch on to BJP Former Union minister Suresh Kalmadi has put to rest all speculations over the likelihood of his joining BJP by announcing that he was going to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha election under the banner of his newly-formed Pune Vikas Aghadi. Kalmadi's announcement is significant as it comes in the wake of reports of Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde pressing him to join the BJP.   Diversity in unity is Front's curse Spirit is willing but action is weak. The United Front (UF) epitomises this rephrased Biblical wisdom in Maharashtra where its electoral strategy seems to be defeating its very raison d'etre -- combating communal forces. The constituents of the UF would only give electoral advantage to the BJP-Shiv Sena combine by putting up candidates in over 27 constituencies where their chances of winning are weak but the potential to divide anti Sena-BJP votes is strong. Sharad Joshi may join hands with Sena-BJP Avoiding to give any unequivocal statement, Shetkari Sanghtana leader Sharad Joshi yesteday indicated that his political front, Swatantra Bharat Party (SBP) might go in for a pre-poll alliance with the Sena-BJP. Joshi said though the only formal talks he had so far was with the United Front (UF) leaders, he was not averse to accepting support from any party.     Lakhubhai case hearing adjourned   Sonia dares Govt on Bofors papers   BJP sticks to potent caste formulae in Vidarbha   Campaign '98   Saffron wave strong in State   Ex-bureaucrat to be sworn in as Goa Governor   Rupee slide is disastrous   Laloo's party pledges to fight graft   Prodigal son Purohit gets feelers from Cong   Kalmadi's candidature   Gowda sees vested interest in BJP hype   Report will be submitted by month end, says Srikrishna   Govt cracks down on names in Hazare's list   From Vijaylaxmi to Vajpayee, Lucknow has seen them all