Akalis defer decision on support
The Akali Dal has deferred a final decision on the withdrawal of support to the BJP Government at the Centre over Udham Singh Nagar in view of the talks with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to be held in Delhi. At the same time it was made clear by SGPC chief Gurcharan Singh Tohra that any electoral tie-up in the forthcoming Assembly elections hinged on a resolution of the Udham Singh row.

PM may reshuffle Cabinet to tackle allies
Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee is likely to go ahead with the promised expansion of his council of ministers to silence the fractious voices within his coalition and his own party. The expansion is scheduled to take place on October 10 but is contingent on Vajpayee's discussions with the allies on the number of inductees and portfolio distribution.

Pawar's role under cloud over Bihar
The rumblings in the Congress haven't ceased over its handling of the recent Bihar crisis with party president Sonia Gandhi having to do some damage control following the dissent voiced by some Congressmen on the support to Laloo Yadav. Two days ago, former minister S S Ahluwalia dashed off a letter of protest to Sonia and on Tuesday Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee head Sadanand Singh and his predecessor Sarfaraz Ahmed too are believed to have angry letters to Sonia.

Letters to the editor

LEISURE
  Diet gurus add fat to the flame on slimming
  Art collectors: Aficionados or Shoppers?

SPORTS
  Agassi plans to re-emerge as leading light
  Taylor, Mark Waugh firm on charges

EXPRESSIONS
  Those inscrutable Indians
  Selling the reel India

BUSINESS
  EU takes India to WTO
  100% FDI in ad firms

GENERAL
  Centre to ban recyled plastic bags in 2 years
  Zhu, Blair give South Asia the go-by

POLITICS
  CPM asked to spell out issues for supporting Cong
  Speaker against HC reviewing House orders