Get PNR status

Kenya terror attack: A Indian killed as he couldn’t name Prophet Muhammad’s mother

Kenya terror attack: An Indian killed when he could not name the mother of the Prophet Muhammad

Nairobi : The attackers Westgate Mall Kenya who spoke Swahili and targeted non-Muslims , killed an Indian just because he could not tell what was the name of the mother of the prophet Muhammad.

According to a report in the Guardian , one of the survivors named Joshua Hakim narrated the events of the horrific attack , saying how the Indian was killed.

" Can an Indian man came and said : " What is the name of the mother of Muhammad when he could not answer , they shot him , "said Hakim owes its survival to its name, which sounds like a Muslim .

The attackers were of Somali origin and speak Swahili. They called on Muslims to identify themselves and leave .

When the turn of Joshua , he managed to hide his Christian name by putting his thumb on the ID, simply exposing the Muslim-sounding name and escaped terrorists.

Another survivor , a computer engineer told the Guardian that the militants fired indiscriminately on people like "throwing corn to the chickens ."

Among those killed , there were two Indians , one was an engineer from Chennai, Sridhar Natarajan and the other was a boy of eight years Parmanshu Jain - the son of the director of the National Bank of Baroda .

In addition, two Canadians , two French , three Britons and an Australian were among those confirmed .

Although Kenya mall impasse which cost 68 lives, entered the third day today, al-Shabab militants who claim to be behind the attack remain locked inside the mall chic Westgate Nairobi .

Gunfire erupted Monday morning as fresh troops of the army of Kenya stepped up the fight against the militants.

The mall is very popular with expatriates and wealthy Kenyans and was targeted by Al Shabab militants ' s , in retaliation for the support of the Kenyan army to the UN mission in Somalia.

A Millitant Group Claims Responsibility For Twin Suicide Bombings At All Saints Church

A Millitant Group Claims Responsibility For Twin Suicide Bombings At All Saints Church

According to the Associated Press, Ahmad Marwat , who branded himself as the spokesman of the wing of the Pakistani Taliban has claimed responsibility for the twin suicide bombings outside the Church.

"All non-Muslims in Pakistan are our target , and they will remain our goal as long as America fails to stop drone strikes in our country," Marwat told AFP by telephone.

" We carried out suicide bombings in PeshawarChurch and we will continue to strike foreigners and non-Muslims until stop drone attacks ," he warned.The spokesman for the militant group said: "They are the enemies of Islam , then we target them. We will continue our attacks against non-Muslims on Pakistani soil . "

Previously, the group has claimed responsibility for attacks on minority Shiites in the south -western Balochistan. Earlier this year in June , the group also claimed responsibility for the killing of 10 foreign climbers in base camp of Nanga Parbat , the second highest mountain in Pakistan after K -2.

According to official records , there were 17 incidents of drone attacks have been reviewed this year, killing 122 and injuring 20 .

Until that time, an agreement was approved earlier this month by the main political parties have given their consent to the government to hold talks with militants , but he did not show the way to any cuts in attacks . The anti- terrorist analysts believe , " peace initiative is destined to fail because the aggressive fundamentalist ravaging Pakistan Pakistani government and reject the Constitution as un-Islamic .

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said in a statement, " terrorists have no religion and target innocent is contrary to the teachings of Islam and all religions. Cruel acts of terrorism reflect the brutality and inhumane mentality of terrorists. "

While talking to reporters outside the hospital, the Pakistan Tehrik e Insaf chief Imran Khan said that the attack was a deliberate plot to undermine peace talks . "Is not it strange that whenever peace talks continue, these attacks take place , and I want to emphasize that there was also a drone strike today," he said . For a long time , Imran Khan was to blame the drone campaign as the derivation of the current turmoil of Pakistan.

Images of Twin Suicide Bomb attack on St. John church in Pakistan

Images of Twin Suicide Bomb attack on St. John church in Pakistan

Twin suicide bombers attack Peshawar St. John church

Twin suicide bombers attack Peshawar  St. John church in Pakistan, 56 killed

Peshawar: Two suicide bombers blew themselves outside a church in Pakistan’s Peshawar killing 56 people and injuring dozens, reports said Sunday. 

The suicide attack targeted St. John’s church in Peshawar’s Kohati gate area as Sunday services came to an end. 

According to Commissioner of Peshawar Sahibzada Muhammad Anis, the attack took place when worshippers were coming out of the church after Sunday Mass. 

The commissioner added that 600-700 people were inside the church at the time of the attack. 

Those injured have been rushed to the nearby hospital and more doctors have been called to the respond to the patients. 

The intensity of the blast was such that the windows of the nearby buildings were shattered. 

The police has cordoned off the area and the bomb disposal squad has also reached to the site.

The church is situated in a very congested locality which is always jam packed with the people mostly women as the area is the hub markets and shopping centres. The Christian community lives in the vicinity and visited the church for Sunday service in large number. 

No group claimed responsibility for the attack, but radical Islamists have been blamed for previous attacks on the country's minority communities, including Christians. 

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the attack, saying terrorists have no religion and targeting innocent people is against the teachings of Islam and all religions. 

He said such cruel acts of terrorism reflect the brutality and inhumane mind set of the terrorists.

Delhi Gangrape controversy

Delhi Gangrape controversy: Will burn my daughter alive if she had premarital sex, says Defence lawyer

New Delhi: In a shocking display of the decayed mentality of Indian society, AP Singh, the defence lawyer in the Delhi gang-rape case said he would have burnt his daughter alive if she was ever involved in love affairs or indulged in premarital sex.

"...If my daughter was having premarital sex and moving around at night with her boyfriend, I would have burnt her alive. I would not have let this situation happen. All parents should adopt such an attitude," AP Singh said referring to the gang-rape case infront of mediapersons.

This shocking statement came a day after the verdict in the December 16 gang-rape case was announced by a Delhi fast-track-court yesterday. The court had given death sentence to four accused who had gang-raped a 23-year-old paramedical student in a moving bus in the capital city on the fateful night of December 16, 2012.

AP Singh, lawyer of two of the convicts even said that he would have burnt her daughter even if she was caught moving around at night with her boyfriend.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Bar Council has taken a serious view of lawyer AP Singh's statement after it received many complaints from NGOs and other organisations condemning the statement made by him.

Murari Tiwari, Secretary of the lawyers' body said he has been receiving verbal complaints from NGOs and various other organisations condemning Singh's statement.

"I have asked the complainants to give their complaints to us in writing. In case we don't receive any complaint in writing, then the DBC would suo motu take up the issue at its September 20 meeting. Agenda of the meeting will be prepared soon and circulated among the 45 members," he said.

Tiwari also said Singh's statement comes under "professional misconduct" and the lawyers body can take action against him.

DBC's President Surya Prakash Khatri also condemned the statement and said "it doesn't call for any advocate to make such a statement."

The irresponsible remarks of AP Singh even put a question mark on the mindset of people that if educated once are so degraded then what can we say about those who are poor, uneducated, deprived of proper family guidance and bad parenting.

Indian judicial system says that every accused should be given a chance to put forward their point before the announcement of the verdict so that no innocent get punishment. But in the Delhi gang-rape case it looks like the Defence lawyer has lost his mind including the case which is pricking him the most. 

IPL spot-fixing

IPL spot-fixing case: BCCI imposes life ban on Sreesanth, Chavan

New Delhi: Cracking the whip on corrupt players, the BCCI today slapped life bans on Indian Test pacer S Sreesanth and spinner Ankeet Chavan for being involved in the IPL spot-fixing scam while handing out lesser punishments to some others in the scandal which rocked the Twenty20 league this year.

Amit Singh, a former Rajasthan Royals player, was handed a five-year ban while another RR cricketer Siddharth Trivedi got away with a lighter one-year suspension after the BCCI disciplinary committee met here to discuss anti-corruption chief Ravi Sawani's report on the scam.

"After considering the evidence on record and hearing each of the Players in person, the Disciplinary Committee has passed the following order...Mr Amit Singh is banned for a period of five years from playing any representative Cricket, or in any way being associated with the activities of the BCCI or its affiliates," BCCI Secretary Sanjay Patel said in a statement.

"Mr. Siddarth Trivedi is banned for a period of one year from playing any representative Cricket or in any way being associated with the activities of the BCCI or its affiliates.

"Mr. Ankeet Chavan is banned for life from playing any representative Cricket, or in any way being associated with the activities of the BCCI or its affiliates.

"Mr. S. Sreesanth is banned for life from playing any representative Cricket, or in any way being associated with the activities of the BCCI or its affiliates," the statement added.

Young spinner Harmeet Singh was, however, let off for lack of strong evidence against him.

"The case against Mr. Harmeet Singh has been closed in the absence of evidence against him."

The release had no mention of Ajit Chandila, who allegedly lured the cricketers into the spot-fixing net, but a BCCI official said a decision on him will be taken at a later stage.

Since Chandila has just been released on bail, the BCCI would like to give him an opportunity to depose in front of the committee before deciding the quantum of punishment.

The life bans on Sreesanth and Chavan were expected after Sawani had found them guilty of spot-fixing and had himself recommended a life ban.

The scandal, which broke out in May, had shaken the cash-rich Twenty20 event and led to a massive churning within the Board.

"All the disciplinary committee members were very cooperative and it went off well. I gave them my side of the story. All I have dreamt from childhood is to play for India and I will never cheat the game," Sreesanth said today after appearing before the committee.

"I have full faith in the judiciary as well as the BCCI and I will come clean on this whole issue," added the 30-year-old former Test pacer, who was clad in a white shirt and blue denim jeans and was accompanied by a friend, Manoj.

The five players' deposition came even as Sawani's report was discussed by the BCCI committee, headed by BCCI President N Srinivasan and comprising Board vice-Presidents Arun Jaitley and Niranjan Shah.

Sawani has held Sreesanth, Chandila and Chavan guilty of conceding a "pre-determined number of runs per over in exchange for bribes."

Trivedi and 21-year-old Harmeet were cleared of the spot-fixing charges, but were found guilty of not reporting the approaches made by bookmakers.

Sawani has recommended bans ranging from five years to lifetime for the players, who even served jail time before being granted bails.

"The disciplinary committee may consider my report and impose such sanctions as considered appropriate to send out a strong signal indicating the zero tolerance policy of the BCCI to any corruption in the sport that is so dear to millions of Indians and fans abroad," Sawani has said in the report.

"Obviously, the anti-corruption education given to the players had no impact on the conduct. Therefore, the players deserve no leniency whatsoever," he asserted.

A fourth player who did not appear before the committee but was found guilty is Amit Singh. Singh, part of the IPL till last year, was described by Sawani as "the bad fish that spoils the entire pond".

Today's meeting also assumed significance because of the presence of Srinivasan, who stepped aside as BCCI President after his son-in-law and Chennai Super Kings Team Principal Gurunath Meiyappan was arrested for alleged betting.

Srinivasan's company India Cements owns CSK.

The day-to-day functioning of the BCCI is currently being handled by former Board President Jagmohan Dalmiya but Srinivasan has rarely missed an opportunity to make his presence felt. By chairing today's meeting, he has once again tried to assert his position in the Board.

The spot-fixing scandal broke out when Sreesanth, Chavan and Chandila were arrested on May 16, along with 11 bookies, and were charged under the Indian Penal Code section 420 and 120B, which deal with fraud, cheating and criminal conspiracy.

The scandal led to an overhauling of the guidelines for players and owners in the IPL. The BCCI drew up an action plan called 'Operation Cleanup' which envisaged a series of measures to curb corruption in the IPL.

The cheerleaders were barred along with the after-match parties for players and support staff. It was also decided to restrict the movement of owners in the players dug-out and dressing room. 

Delhi gangrape: Denth sentence awarded to all  four convicts.

 The December 16 gang rape-cum-murder case Four convicts  was on Friday awarded death penalty by a Delhi court which said the gravity of the offense cannot be tolerated.

“Death to all,” Additional Sessions Judge Yogesh Khanna said while delivering the verdict in the case that had evoked nationwide outrage and led the government to bring in a stringent anti-rape law.

“Besides discussing others offences, I straightaway come to section 302 (murder) of IPC. This falls under inhuman nature of the convicts and the gravity of offence they committed cannot be tolerated. Death sentence is given to all the four convicts,” he said.

The offense committed by Mukesh (26), Akshay Thakur (28), Pawan Gupta (19) and Vinay Sharma (20) falls under the rarest of rare category warranting capital punishment, the judge said.

The four were convicted by the court on September 10 for the gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old paramedic student.

“Court cannot turn a blind eye to such a gruesome act,” the judge said, while handing down the maximum punishment.

He said, “When crimes against women is rising on day-to-day basis, so, at this point in time court cannot keep its eye shut.”

“There should be exemplary punishment in view of the unparalleled brutality with which the victim was gang raped and murdered, as the case falls under the rarest of rare category. All be given death,” the court said while reading out a portion of the order.

“This is a time when a serious crime against a woman has come to the fore and now its judiciary’s responsibility to instill confidence among the women,” it said.

Besides murder, the four have been also convicted for offences including gangrape, unnatural offences, attempt to murder, dacoity, destruction of evidence, conspiracy, kidnapping or abducting in order to murder, while acquitting them of the charge of murder in dacoity.

Immediately after pronouncement of sentence, the victim’s mother expressed satisfaction over the verdict.

“’Halak mein saans atki thi, jo ab bahar nikli hai. Mein dhanywaad karti hu desh ke logon ka aur media ka’ (We were waiting with bated breath, now we are relieved. I thank the people of my country and the media),” she said.

Besides her, the victim’s father and two brothers were also present in the jam-packed courtroom when the sentence was pronounced.

Hearing that he will face the gallows, Vinay started crying in court while the other three convicts -- Mukesh, Pawan, Akshay -- started shouting for pardon, with one of the defense lawyers A.P. Singh also joins them in seeking mercy.

Advocate V K Anand, who appeared for Mukesh, said he has regard for the verdict and he will file an appeal in the Delhi High Court.

Special public prosecutor Dayan Krishnan said, “I have done my job and we (prosecution) are happy with the verdict.”

Soon after the verdict was delivered, people waiting outside the courtroom started clapping.

Parents of the 23-year-old gang rape victim on Friday expressed happiness over a court ordering the four convicts to the gallows for the brutal attack, saying their daughter has finally got justice.

“We are happy with the verdict. Our daughter has finally got justice. I would like to thank all those who supported us,” the girl’s mother said at the Saket court complex, with her husband by her side.

A Delhi court has awarded the four convicts death penalty for the brutal assault on the 23 year-old-girl on a moving bus on December 16, 2012, a case that had triggered nationwide outrage and massive protests forcing the government to bring stringent anti-rape laws.

The father of the girl also expressed satisfaction over the verdict. “I would like to thank all those who stood by us. I am happy,” he said, minutes after the fast-track court pronounced the verdict in the case.

The parents of the girl have been demanding death sentence for the convicts.

The court said the offense committed by Mukesh (26), Akshay Thakur (28), Pawan Gupta (19) and Vinay Sharma (20) falls under the rarest of rare category warranting capital punishment.

The parents of the girl were present in the courtroom when the court pronounced the verdict.

The mother of the girl said though justice has been done to her daughter, the fight was not yet over. “Our fight is not over. We will always stand with the people in their fight against crimes against women.”

One of the accused Ram Singh was found hanging in his prison cell in high-security Tihar jail on March 12 while the juvenile involved in the crime was given three year term by the Juvenile Justice Board 10 days ago.

One of the accused—Ram Singh, the driver of the bus in which the gruesome act took place and one of the main instigators of the crime— was on March 12 found hanging in his prison cell in Delhi's Tihar jail.

The other four are — 

Mukesh Singh

29-year-old Mukesh is the younger brother of Ram Singh. They had to Delhi from Rajasthan in search of livelihood. He often worked alongwith his brother on the bus and did odd jobs. He is unmarried and reports suggested that he vehemently denied the charges throughout the proceedings.

Vinay Sharma

Unlike the others, who are school dropouts, 20-year-old Vinay worked as a help at a gym in the locality and wished to appear for an entrance test of Indian Air Force. While in jail he was assaulted in the jail and suffered a fractured left hand.

Pawan Gupta

19-year-old Pawan Gupta sold fruits for a living but worked as labourer on roads and construction sites. He was known as a friend of Ram Singh and was arrested from the Ram Das Camp area, where he lived with his cousin, the morning after the rape incident.

Akshay Thakur

The 28-year-old resident of Bihar's Aurangabad is married and has a two-year-old son. He had fled from Delhi on December 17, but was arrested from his father-in-law's village in Bihar. He too worked as a helper with Ram Singh and at a brick kiln and local liquor factory.

Those in his village said they were angry over the heinous deed, but also felt bad looking at his innocent wife and two-year-old son whose long and insecure journey in life will be riddled with hardships.

The 'juvenile'

As he was only 17-year-old at the time of the attack, the minor was not named for legal reasons and was sentenced to three years in a correctional facility.

He had run away from his poverty-stricken home in Uttar Pradesh at the age of 11 and while in Delhi cleaned Ram Singh's bus and slept inside the vehicle.

His mother told the police that he was the eldest of her six children and that she had no contact with him during his time in the capital where he had no fixed job or address and often slept rough.

Narendra Modi BJP PM candidate

BJP to anoint Narendra Modi as PM candidate tomorrow, say sources

After a go-ahead from RSS, BJP on Thursday decided to hold a meeting of its Parliamentary Board on Friday on the issue of declaring Narendra Modi as the Prime Ministerial candidate for 2014 Lok Sabha polls despite opposition from L K Advani and some other senior leaders. 

Despite hectic efforts to bring Advani round by Parliamentary Board members BJP President Rajnath Singh, Ananth Kumar, M Venkaiah Naidu and Nitin Gadkari, the patriarch refused to toe their line. 

Not wanting to delay the announcement any further, Rajnath Singh has convened a meeting of the Parliamentary Board tomorrow at 5 PM when a decision on Modi is expected to be announced. 

At 8:00 pm BJP parliamentary board members to be in Delhi 

All BJP parliamentary board members to be in Delhi by tonight, said a news agency. 

at 7:37 pm: Ramdev says Modi best for PM's job 

Yoga guru Ramdev came out openly in favour of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for the Prime Minister's post, describing him as the "most suitable person". 

Taking a dig at Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, Ramdev said that not every Pappu comes equipped to run a government. 

"People like Pappu don't have the ability and experience to run the government”. 

at 7:30 pm: Rajnath-Sushma meeting ends 

One-hour-long meeting between Rajnath Singh and Sushma Swaraj ends. Sushma has asked for meeting of BJP's top leaders to be deferred to Monday, reports a channel. 

at 7:15 pm: Don't think Advani can win even an election now, says Jethmalani 

I don't think he (Advani) can win even an election now. He is playing a role I didn't expect him to play at this age, said former union law minister and Rajya Sabha MP Ram Jethmalani. He further said that although he is more qualified than all other PM candidates put together, he feels Modi is the best option. He is an Avatar, said Jethmalani. 

at 6:20 pm: JD(U) terms Sushil Modi as 'kalyugi' child 

Estranged NDA partner, JD(U), took a dig at former Bihar chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi for his anti-Advani comments, saying he is acting like a "Kalyugi" child out to abuse parents. 

"He is acting like a Kalyugi child out to abuse parents," JD(U) leader in the Rajya Sabha Shivanand Tiwari told a news agency, reacting to Sushil Modi's comment that the veteran BJP leader has failed to gauge public mood in favour of Narendra Modi. 

at 6:15 pm: Rajnath Singh meets Sushma Swaraj 

BJP chief Rajnath Singh meets Sushma Swaraj on Narendra Modi's elevation. 

at 6:10 pm: Sukhbir Singh Badal vows allegiance to BJP 

Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said it is upto BJP if they want to announce (Narendra) Modi ji or anyone else as PM candidate, we are with them in all decisions. 

at 5:30 pm: BJP a 'confused' party, says Congress 

Congress taunted the BJP, terming it as a "confused" party for "not being able to handle its internal conflict" over naming Narendra Modi as its Prime Ministerial candidate and said that Gujarat Chief Minister is "not politically relevant outside" that state. 

"The entire country is watching what kind of pulls and pressures are happening within the BJP. A party, which is trying to come power to rule the country, is not being able to handle its internal conflicts. 

"It's a confused party with a confused agenda and confused people. Those who are confused behave only this way," party spokesperson Meem Afzal told reporters. 

at 5:05 pm: Modi to be named BJP's PM candidate tomorrow? 

Officials of all state BJP units have been reportedly directed to remain in office tomorrow amid indications that the party will announce Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial candidiate.

at 4:07 pm: Murli Manohar Joshi backs Modi, says report 

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Murli Manohar Joshi, who was opposed to announcing Narendra Modi as the party’s PM candidate, has now reportedly extended his support to the Gujarat CM. Now, only Sushma Swaraj is left in the Advani camp, which is against the anointment of Modi. According to a news channel, Joshi has asked Rajnath Singh to end uncertainty. 

at 3:45 pm: Modi irrelevant outside Gujarat, Shakil Ahmad 

Congress general secretary and Punjab party affairs incharge Shakeel Ahmad called Narendra Modi as irrelevant outside Gujarat. “Wherever he has gone, BJP has lost. He is no one outside Gujarat,” said Ahmad. 

at 3:20 pm: Ananth Kumar meets Sushma Swaraj 

BJP general secretary Ananth Kumar meets Sushma Swaraj over declaring Modi as PM candidate. 

at 3:05 pm: Can’t advise Advani, says Meenakshi Lekhi 

BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi said Advani is her senior and she can’t advise him on the issue of Narendra Modi. 

at 3:00 pm: 'Announce Modi as PM candidate' 

Senior BJP leader CP Thakur urged BJP Parliamentary Board members to keep in mind the mood of nation and announce Narendra Modi as PM candidate. 

at 2:15 pm: Rajnath-Sushma meeting postponed 

BJP chief Rajnath Singh's meeting with Sushma Swaraj has been shifted to 6 pm. The duo were earlier supposed to meet at 2:30 pm. 

at 2:10 pm: Never criticised LK Advani, says Sushil Kumar Modi 

Senior BJP leader and Bihar’s former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi tried to water down the controversy over his tweet on Wednesday night, saying he never criticised LK Advani, who is his mentor. Last night, the 85-year-old party doyen had tweeted: “Adavaniji has failed to gauge the public mood. Advaniji himself declared Atalji as Pm candidate now also he could have done the same for Namo (sic).” 

Underlining the massive support enjoyed by Narendra Modi in Bihar as well as across the nation, Sushil Kumar Modi said BJP and RSS workers want Advani to come forward and support the Gujarat CM. 

We will succeed in nominating Narendra Modi for PM's post, Sushil Kumar Modi told a news channel. 

Speaking with another news channel, Sushil Kumar Modi said the era of LK Advani is over and the entire country wants Narendra Modi. 

at 1:50 pm: 'No difference within BJP over Narendra Modi' 

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan told a news channel that there was no difference within BJP over Narendra Modi. He also vowed to support whatever decision the BJP takes. 

at 1:30 pm: 'Won't let Modi become next PM' 

Janata Dal (United) spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member KC Tyagi said his party won't let Narendra Modi become next PM. 

at 1:20 pm: Rajnath to meet Sushma Swaraj 

BJP chief Rajnath Singh to meet Sushma Swaraj at 2.30 pm to discuss the declaration of Narendra Modi as the party’s Prime Ministerial candidate. 

at 1:00 pm: 'No unanimity within BJP' 

What is happening in the BJP on declaration of PM candidate shows there is no unanimity within party, says BJP leader LK Advani's former aide Sudheendra Kulkarni. Taking a jibe a Modi, Kulkarni called the Gujarat Chief Minister as someone who is socially polarising and now is polarising party. 

The question is whether can this leader (Narendra Modi) provide a stable government, the answer is no, added Kulkarni. 

Saying that he doesn’t think Narendra Modi is the right person to lead the country, Kulkarni underlined that the control of the RSS on the BJP is increasing by every passing day now. 

The major decisions in the BJP are taken outside the party. The RSS decides who should be PM and when to announce, added Kulkarni. 

at 12:55 pm: No problem in BJP, says Rajnath Singh 

Amid hectic efforts to convince LK Advani to give up his opposition to Narendra Modi as Prime Ministerial candidate, BJP president Rajnath Singh said there was no rift in the party over the issue. 

"There is no problem...I want to say," Singh said here when asked whether there is any hitch in declaring Modi as BJP Prime Ministerial candidate. 

Asked when the parliamentary party meeting will take place, Singh said, "It will be conveyed to you. It will be announced." When asked repeatedly whether there is any unhappiness in the party over Modi issue, he said, "No one is unhappy in the party." 

at 11:45 pm: My inner voice doesn’t allow me to support Modi, says Advani 

LK Advani is reported to have told senior BJP and RSS leaders that his inner voice doesn’t allow him to support Narendra Modi for the post of prime minister. 

According to sources, Advani conveyed this during his meetings with BJP president Rajnath Singh and RSS leaders earlier this week. The BJP veteran is further reported to have told Rajnath that projecting Modi as the party's PM candidate would turn out to be a "disaster" and will "destroy the party's prospects" in the 2014 polls. 

The BJP is likely to hold its parliamentary board meet tomorrow to decide on naming Modi as the PM candidate. 

BJP's prime ministerial nominee for the 2014 General Elections would be announced after "talking to everyone", party president Rajnath Singh said. 

"We will decide after talking to everyone," Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Rajnath Singh told a news channel. 

Party spokesperson Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi added: "Discussions are going on and we will announce the nominee soon. There is no contradiction in the party on who will be the prime ministerial candidate. All is well." 


at 1:00 am: Sushil Modi criticises Advani 

Amid efforts to convince LK Advani on declaring Narendra Modi as BJP's prime ministerial candidate ahead of 2014 Lok Sabha polls, party leader from Bihar Sushil Kumar Modi on early Thursday morning said the veteran leader had failed to gauge the public mood in this regard. 

The former Bihar deputy chief minister said Advani had declared Atal Bihari Vajpayee as the party's face in the past and he could have done the same for Narendra Modi today.