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Political Notes

	December 06, 2004

Thackeray exonerated in contempt of court case



The Supreme Court on Monday set aside a Bombay High Court order of 1997 convicting Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray of contempt of court for levelling bribery charges against a judge. Thackeray had been sentenced to one week’s imprisonment and asked to pay a fine of Rs.2000 by the Bombay High Court which held him guilty of making the contemptuous remarks which were also published in the party mouthpiece, Saamna.



Sangma set to return to NCP fold

One of the original opponents of Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s leadership is on the verge of returning to his roots through a political repositioning. P.A. Sangma who had even split the NCP on the eve of the May general elections to protest against Sharad Pawar “compromising with Sonia Gandhi” and aligning his party with the Congress, is now all set to return to the NCP and thus the Congress-led UPA fold.



Sangma has recently talked to Sharad Pawar about his desire for a homecoming to which the NCP chief responded enthusiastically. Sangma then held a meeting with the NCP leaders, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel and NCP general secretary D.P. Tripathi in Mumbai where the modalities of his rejoining the party were finalised.



The formal return of Sangma is expected to take place after the winter session of Parliament.



Uma Bharati to remain suspended from BJP

The revocation of the suspension of former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma

Bharti from the BJP seems to have been put on hold after the leaking of the “confidential letter” allegedly written by her to the party president L.K. Advani, criticising a number of second-rung party leaders.



Uma Bharati has however denied having written the letter, but a number of party leaders simply do not believe her. After all, her defiance of Advani himself was there for all to see on television on November 10 at the office-bearers’ meeting at the party’s central office in New Delhi. She had also described one of the senior party leaders as a “power broker,” again on camera.

Advani himself maintained a studied silence on the issue. However, those close to him hinted that Uma’s return to the party, if at all it materialises, could be put off for several months.



Meanwhile, Uma Bharti has said that she has expressed “regret” over her decision to storm out of a meeting of BJP office bearers which led to her suspension from the party. She said that she had conveyed this to the party president.



Supreme Court asks Centre for speedy trial of politicians

The Supreme Court has issued notice to the Centre on a PIL seeking speedy trial of criminal cases against influential persons including politicians.

The PIL filed by an advocate V.K. Ohri, cited the 25 year old case against Union Coal Minister Shibu Soren to show inordinate delay in adjudication of such cases across the country. A Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice R.C. Lahoti and Justice G. P. Mathur, issued the notice only to the Centre even though the petitioner had made all the states and Union Territories as parties in his petition.



CBI to file individual cases involved in Tehelka expose

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will file individual cases against those caught taking bribe on Tehelka tapes, including former BJP president Bangaru Laxman. It is also examining legal evidence against Samata party leader Jaya Jaitly. This will be the first criminal case to be filed in the Tehelka expose which rocked the Vajpayee Government in its early innings.

The agency will also use documents collected by the Phukan Commission which was recently wound up by the UPA Government. Initial examination of suspects will begin in the second week of December. Sources said while the case against Bangaru Laxman and other senior Army officers is clear, certain legal issues needed to be clarified before lodging a case against Jaya Jaitly. The CBI’s legal wing is already on the job.