Delhi's odd-even scheme: Scare for Metro; doors won't shut due to crowding

On the very first day of the odd-even passenger vehicle scheme in Delhi, metro rail services at the key Laxmi Nagar station was affected as a huge number of passengers gathered at the station to board trains to various destinations. Due to the rush, the door of one of the compartments in a train would not close, forcing the train to be stopped for about half an hour. The odd-even scheme is one of the many efforts taken by the Delhi government to control air pollution in Delhi and adjoining areas. The scheme will remain in place till November 15.

United we oppose

Opposition parties plan to protest against the Centre over the continuing economic slowdown in and outside Parliament. The 13 Opposition parties that met on Monday at the Constitutional Club in Delhi discussed issues related to the economy and the implications of India's stand on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. The meeting was convened by Ghulam Nabi Azad who is the leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha. It was attended by Ahmed Patel, Randeep Singh Surjewala and R Shukla from the Congress; D Kupendra Reddy of the JDS, LJD's Sharad Yadav, DMK's TR Balu, Manoj Jha of RJD and TMC's Md Nadimul Haque, among others. Notable absentees were Congress president Sonia Gandhi and NCP chief Sharad Pawar. There was no representation from the Samajwadi Party, the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Aam Aadmi Party. 

Nath's optimism

After many early hiccups, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath (pictured) appears upbeat and not without reason, He told his partymen recently that the Congress party would increase its strength in the state Assembly with two-three more MLAs. He is pinning his hopes on winning the Pawai Assembly seat which fell vacant recently. The Madhya Pradesh Assembly Secretariat announced disqualification of Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from the seat, Prahlad Lodhi, following his conviction in a criminal case. It also informed the Election Commission that the seat was vacant and so a by-poll was in order. Recently, a Bhopal court sentenced Lodhi and 12 others to two years in jail for attacking a tehsildar (revenue official) in 2014.