The Union Government has decided to send a Ministerial committee (GoM) to riot-hit Kandhamal of Orissa to take stock of the situation within a fort night.

Central Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar will head the team. Other members of the team are Social Justice Minister Meira Kumar, Tribal Affairs Minister P R Kyndiah and Transport Minister T R Baalu.

The team, during its visit, would inspect the relief camps and would also discuss the situation with the state Government.

According to sources, the Ministerial team is likely to apprise the Centre of its observation before the beginning of Parliament session. The session is scheduled to begin on 10 December.

V.K. Suri, Vice-Chancellor of Chandrashekhar Azad Agriculture University, who last month shut the campus doors on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, tendered his resignation on Tuesday.

In a surprising move, Nepal’s new Maoist government asked its ambassador to India, Durgesh Man Singh, to return to Kathmandu immediately.

The ruling BJP in Karnataka has won all the three seats in the bypolls held for the Legislative Council from local bodies constituencies.
This is seen as a crucial victory ahead of by-elections to eight assembly seats of State assembly.

BJP candidates-- former minister Sashikant Akkappa Naik won the Belgaum seat, while Shivraj Sajjanar was declared elected from Dharwad, and S G Medappa from Kodagu.

They all defeated their nearest congress rivals. Though the main opposition Congress got the support of JD (S) but it performed miserably in all the three seats.

JD(S) withdrew its nominees to support Congress candidates.