George, and some home truths behind Jaya's volte face
J Jayalalitha's volte face is learnt to be the result of a compromise formula offered by Defence Minister George Fernandes on behalf of the BJP-led government. The compromise formula comes on the heels of two demands that Jayalalitha has been making to settle scores with her political rivals in Tamil Nadu: action on the Indian Bank scam and suspected FERA violations by Sun TV.

Is Prabhu in or out, Congress asks Government
Raising the issue of arrest warrants against Environment and Forests Minister Suresh Prabhu, Congress members yesterday demanded that the Prime Minister clarify whether he continued in the council of ministers. The matter was raised by N Bhaskara Rao who flashed a copy of The Indian Express which had carried an item on the Prabhu case.

Desmukh sore at being made scapegoat
The Maharashtra crisis in the Congress appears to be just beginning for the party with MPCC chief Ranjit Deshmukh's sacking threatening to undo Congress unity in the crucial state. Deshmukh met party president Sonia Gandhi yesterday before leaving for Nagpur and was given the news that his resignation had been accepted.

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