Swaraj to counter Sharif in UN

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will address the United Nations General Assembly on Monday. She will not merely rebut every point made by Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif (who, in his speech on September 21, strongly criticised India for its conduct in Kashmir) but will assert that no human rights violations have taken place in Kashmir, which is part of India by democratic choice, having participated in every Lok Sabha election since 1947.

Swaraj – who might speak in Hindi – will have to traverse a difficult path. Without internationalising Kashmir, she will have to highlight Pakistan’s hypocrisy when it talks of India’s human rights record and call upon the world to back India’s position on Kashmir. She will also tell world leaders that it is Pakistan, via its dubious role in fomenting Islamic radicalism in Afghanistan and Bangladesh, that should be held accountable by the world community, even as the country grumbles about having to suffer a refugee influx from Afghanistan. Swaraj will say Pakistan is not part of the solution, but part of the problem in South Asia.

EC team to visit Lucknow
Kick-starting the process of holding Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh early next year, an Election Commission (EC) team led by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Nasim Zaidi, will visit Lucknow on Monday.

An EC spokesperson said in New Delhi that the EC team, comprising the CEC and fellow Election Commissioners A K Joti and O P Rawat, will visit Lucknow on September 26 and 27. “The EC would review poll preparedness of Assembly elections in the state. They would meet state police and administration officers and district magistrates as well as representatives of political parties before coming back to Delhi on September 27 evening.”

Rahul’s roadshow to reach Mathura
Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi’s roadshow will enter Mathura on Monday as part of his ongoing 'Deoria to Dilli kisan yatra'. Mathura is one of the biggest towns in western Uttar Pradesh. The rally will pass through the major areas of Vrindavan and Mathura before converging into a general gathering at the Jubilee Park in Mathura.

Gandhi and other party office-bearers will address the gathering, party district unit President Aabid Hussain said. Hussain said three different roadshows were going on in the state. Besides Gandhi, Congress' chief minister nominee Sheila Dikshit and party state unit President Raj Babbar were also touring the state as part of the 27 saal - UP behaal (27 years on, UP in dire straits) campaign.  

What kind of crowd that Gandhi is able to draw in a region that saw a huge meeting by the Bharatiya Janata Party addressed by Narendra Modi when the government completed two years, will give an indication of the Congress’ popularity in the area.   
Bengaluru mayor, dy mayor polls this week
Amid all the tension over the sharing of Cauvery waters, election for the posts of Bengaluru mayor and deputy mayor will be held on September 28. This time, the post of mayor is reserved for backward class (women) and deputy mayor for general category candidate.

Normally, it would not have been a significant election but it could mark the coming together of old foes – Janata Dal (Secular) and the Congress.

In the 198-member Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, one post is vacant after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) councillor from Lakkasandra ward, Mahesh Babu, died in an accident a few weeks ago. The by-election is being held to fill that vacancy. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah chaired a meeting of Congress legislators from Bengaluru to discuss the possibility of continuing the pact with JD(S) and clinching the mayor’s post while leaving the deputy mayor’s post to JD(S).

JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda, too, held a meeting with his party corporators and legislators to discuss the poll pact as the party has kept its options open with regard to joining hands with either the Congress or the BJP to ensure it gets the best deal.

The meeting decided to authorise JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy to take the final call on the alliance.