With their eyes on the forthcoming 2009 Lok Sabha elections, the political parties intend leaving no stone unturned to play up their individual strategies to hook the voters!

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which released its election manifesto on the occasion of Ram Navmi on Friday, pledged to work for the purpose of bringing in 'Ram Rajya' in the country. Unveiling the party manifesto, which included the Ram Temple issue, the BJP prime ministerial candidate, L. K. Advani, said: "Ram Rajya is possible."

Amethi, Apr 4: Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi on Saturday filed his nomination papers from Amethi parliamentary constituency for the Lok Sabha elections.

Rahul was accompanied by his mother Sonia Gandhi, party candidate from Sultanpur Dr. Sanjay Singh and close family friend Captain Satish Sharma.

UPCC president Reeta Bahuguna Joshi was already present at the collectorate.

Rahul''s sister Priyanka Vadra and his brother-in-law Robert Vadra was not present because of death of Vadra''s father on Friday.

Kathmandu - Nearly a year after the country's politicians abolished the monarchy, former Nepalese king Gyanendra has begun talks to revive it, media reports said Saturday.

Gyanendra held talks with three influential Indian relatives and close aides at his residence in Kathmandu which focused on installing his grandson as new king, the Nepal Samacharpatra newspaper said.

"The four-hour meeting with his Indian relatives centred on how to install Hridendra, the grandson of former king Gyanendra, as the baby king," the newspaper quoted close aides as saying.

New Delhi, Apr 3: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday released its party''s manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

For Below Poverty Line (BPL) families, the party has promised to give 35 kg rice per month at Rs two per kg and wheat at Rs 3.5 per kg. This is seen as a counter to the Congress, which has promised to offer rice at Rs three per kg.

There is also a promise to provide a bicycle to school-going girls in BPL families.

Johannesburg  - South Africa's presidential front-runner Jacob Zuma on Thursday blasted what he called his country's "soft approach" on crime and hinted he was not adverse to vigilante justice.

Zuma was addressing leaders of the country's Afrikaner minority, whom he praised as the only "true South Africans" among the country's white population.

Zuma is campaigning for general elections on April 22 that his African National Congress (ANC) party is expected to win.

Bangkok  - Thailand's anti-government Red Shirt movement is ready for six months of countrywide protests to force a new election and defeat their critics, Jakrapob Penkair, a leader of political group loyal to fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, said Thursday.

Jakrapob's group - the National United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship - is now focused on a creating a huge show of popular anger against an "illegitimate government" next Wednesday, he said.