Democratic leaders revamp anti-war plan

House Democratic leaders are developing an anti-war proposal that wouldn't cut off money for U.S. troops in Iraq but would require President Bush to acknowledge problems with an overburdened military.

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The plan could draw bipartisan support but is expected to be a tough sell to members who say they don't think it goes far enough to assuage voters angered by the four-year conflict.

Bush "hasn't to date done anything we've asked him to do, so why we would think he would do anything in the future is beyond me," said Rep. Lynn Woolsey (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif., one of a group of liberal Democrats pushing for an immediate end to the war.

Democratic protests to the war grew louder in January after they took control of Congress and Bush announced he planned to send 21,500 more troops to Iraq. Earlier this month, House Democrats pushed through a nonbinding resolution opposing the buildup.

Since then, Democrats have been trying to decide what to do next. Some worried that a plan by Rep. John Murtha (news, bio, voting record) to restrict funding for the war would go too far. Murtha, D-Pa., is extending his support to the revised proposal.

The tactic is more likely to embarrass Bush politically than force his hand on the war. He would have to sign repeated waivers for units and report to Congress those units with equipment shortfalls and other problems.

In the Senate, a group of senior Democrats wants to repeal the 2002 measure authorizing the war and write a new resolution restricting the mission and ordering troop withdrawals to begin by this summer. But Majority Leader Harry Reid (news, bio, voting record), D-Nev., said Iraq would have to wait until the Senate finishes work to improve homeland security.

"That would mean we would hold off the Iraq legislation for a matter of days, not weeks," he said.

The House Democratic proposal brought a sharp response from Republicans on Wednesday.

Rep. Adam Putnam (news, bio, voting record), R-Fla., called the plan a "fig leaf" to distract the public from what he said was Democrats' ultimate goal of cutting off funds for troops in combat.

"We support full funding for our troops who are in harms way — without strings attached," said Putnam, R-Fla., after emerging from a closed-door conference meeting.

As Democrats met behind closed doors to discuss their options Tuesday, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the Bush administration would talk to leaders from Iran and Syria on stabilizing Iraq.

Rice announced U.S. support for the Iraq meeting, to be held in Baghdad next month, at a Senate hearing in which Democrats pressed her and Defense Secretary Robert Gates to explain what progress is being made in the Baghdad security crackdown and how soon U.S. troops will be coming home.

The decision to engage Iran and Syria on the war in Iraq is a major departure for U.S. policy. The bipartisan Iraq Study Group in December recommended U.S. dialogue with Iran and Syria, but until now the administration has resisted that course.

Former Secretary of State James A. Baker III, Republican co-chairman of the panel, welcomed the shift in a speech Tuesday night. But he went further, urging the administration to include Syria in Mideast peacemaking with Israel and the Palestinians.

Baker and his Iraq Study Group co-chair Lee Hamilton, a Democrat, are expected this spring to participate in a new study on constitutional war powers. Baker will co-chair the independent panel along with Warren Christopher, who was President Clinton's secretary of State.

Dennis Ross, a former U.S. Middle East negotiator, noted that Rice and other officials had taken pains to stress that the talks were an Iraqi initiative, which he said the administration might be using as cover to downplay suggestions of a major policy shift.

"This is a way for the administration to have discussions under a different umbrella but in a way in which they can say that they are not changing course," said Ross, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East policy.

The administration said its decision to take part in the Iraq conference did not represent a change of heart, although the White House has accused both Iran and Syria of deadly meddling in the war.

"We've always been inclined to participate in an Iraqi-led conference," White House counselor Dan Bartlett said.

Democratic leaders revamp anti-war plan

House Democratic leaders are developing an anti-war proposal that wouldn't cut off money for U.S. troops in Iraq but would require President Bush to acknowledge problems with an overburdened military.

ADVERTISEMENT

The plan could draw bipartisan support but is expected to be a tough sell to members who say they don't think it goes far enough to assuage voters angered by the four-year conflict.

Bush "hasn't to date done anything we've asked him to do, so why we would think he would do anything in the future is beyond me," said Rep. Lynn Woolsey (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif., one of a group of liberal Democrats pushing for an immediate end to the war.

Democratic protests to the war grew louder in January after they took control of Congress and Bush announced he planned to send 21,500 more troops to Iraq. Earlier this month, House Democrats pushed through a nonbinding resolution opposing the buildup.

Since then, Democrats have been trying to decide what to do next. Some worried that a plan by Rep. John Murtha (news, bio, voting record) to restrict funding for the war would go too far. Murtha, D-Pa., is extending his support to the revised proposal.

The tactic is more likely to embarrass Bush politically than force his hand on the war. He would have to sign repeated waivers for units and report to Congress those units with equipment shortfalls and other problems.

In the Senate, a group of senior Democrats wants to repeal the 2002 measure authorizing the war and write a new resolution restricting the mission and ordering troop withdrawals to begin by this summer. But Majority Leader Harry Reid (news, bio, voting record), D-Nev., said Iraq would have to wait until the Senate finishes work to improve homeland security.

"That would mean we would hold off the Iraq legislation for a matter of days, not weeks," he said.

The House Democratic proposal brought a sharp response from Republicans on Wednesday.

Rep. Adam Putnam (news, bio, voting record), R-Fla., called the plan a "fig leaf" to distract the public from what he said was Democrats' ultimate goal of cutting off funds for troops in combat.

"We support full funding for our troops who are in harms way — without strings attached," said Putnam, R-Fla., after emerging from a closed-door conference meeting.

As Democrats met behind closed doors to discuss their options Tuesday, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the Bush administration would talk to leaders from Iran and Syria on stabilizing Iraq.

Rice announced U.S. support for the Iraq meeting, to be held in Baghdad next month, at a Senate hearing in which Democrats pressed her and Defense Secretary Robert Gates to explain what progress is being made in the Baghdad security crackdown and how soon U.S. troops will be coming home.

The decision to engage Iran and Syria on the war in Iraq is a major departure for U.S. policy. The bipartisan Iraq Study Group in December recommended U.S. dialogue with Iran and Syria, but until now the administration has resisted that course.

Former Secretary of State James A. Baker III, Republican co-chairman of the panel, welcomed the shift in a speech Tuesday night. But he went further, urging the administration to include Syria in Mideast peacemaking with Israel and the Palestinians.

Baker and his Iraq Study Group co-chair Lee Hamilton, a Democrat, are expected this spring to participate in a new study on constitutional war powers. Baker will co-chair the independent panel along with Warren Christopher, who was President Clinton's secretary of State.

Dennis Ross, a former U.S. Middle East negotiator, noted that Rice and other officials had taken pains to stress that the talks were an Iraqi initiative, which he said the administration might be using as cover to downplay suggestions of a major policy shift.

"This is a way for the administration to have discussions under a different umbrella but in a way in which they can say that they are not changing course," said Ross, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East policy.

The administration said its decision to take part in the Iraq conference did not represent a change of heart, although the White House has accused both Iran and Syria of deadly meddling in the war.

"We've always been inclined to participate in an Iraqi-led conference," White House counselor Dan Bartlett said.

Indian women score easy victory

Openers Karuna Jain and Jaya Sharma scored fluent half-centuries and medium pacer Amita Sharma grabbed four wickets for 16 runs as India scored an eight-wicket victory over England in the Quadrangular women's international limited-overs tournament in Chennai on Wednesday.

Put in to bat, England's four batswomen fell to Amita Sharma, who had a brilliant single spell of 10-3-16-4.

Priti Dimri claimed two wickets for 26 runes, while Jhulan Goswami and Sunetra Paranjpe claimed a wicket each.

For England, only Lydia Greenway resisted the Indian attack and remained unbeaten on 50 (6x4, 1x6) as the visitors were dismissed for 143 in 45.5 overs.

In reply, Karuna and Jaya put on a rollicking 126 runs for the opening wicket off 184 balls as India achieved the target, scoring 144 for 2 in 38.5 overs.

Karuna Jain was the first to go, caught by Jenny Gunn off Isa Guha for 51 (79 b 6x4), while Jaya Sharma scored 66 (109 balls, 8x4, 1x6) before being caught by Laura Newton off her own bowling.

In the other match, Australia defeated New Zealand by 49 runs.

Australia, batting first, scored 232 for 8 in 50 overs while the Kiwis were dismissed for 183 in 45 overs.

The easy victory gave India a bonus point. At the end of four matches they have 13 points, followed by New Zealand 12 and Australia 10.

England lost all their matches.

Prosecutor: Athletes received illegal steroids in online ring

Athletes were involved as customers of an illicit steroid distribution network that led authorities to raid two facilities and arrest four company officials, a New York prosecutor said.

Albany County District Attorney P. David Soares refused to name any steroid recipients, saying prosecutors were focused on producers and distributors.

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"I understand that the involvement of athletes and celebrities makes this a sexy story, but I assure you we are not, at this point, we are not concerned with the celebrity factor," Soares said. "Our focus here is to shut down distribution channels."

Soares was in Florida on Tuesday for raids conducted by federal and state agents at two Signature Pharmacy stores. Four company officials, including a married couple who are both pharmacists, were arrested. They were charged with criminal diversion of prescription medications and prescriptions, criminal sale of a controlled substance and insurance fraud.

Soares refused to answer most questions about the case, which involves sealed indictments.

"I cannot elaborate any more and I cannot provide you with any more details without compromising an investigation which even at this point is at a very sensitive stage," he said.

The Times Union of Albany, N.Y., first disclosed the steroid investigation in a report citing unidentified sources. The newspaper said investigators found evidence that testosterone and other performance-enhancing drugs may have been fraudulently prescribed over the Internet to current and former Major League Baseball and NFL players, college athletes, high school coaches, a former Mr. Olympia champion and another top contender in the bodybuilding competition.

Customers include Angels outfielder Gary Matthews Jr., according to the Times Union, which cited unidentified sources with knowledge of the investigation.

Angels spokesman Tim Mead told The Associated Press the team was aware of the story, adding, "That's the only information we have."

Mead said manager Mike Scioscia told Matthews about it, and that general manager Bill Stoneman and Mead spoke to Matthews. An attempt by the AP to reach Matthews by phone Tuesday night was unsuccessful.

"We strongly recommended that Gary inform his agent and make sure he's aware as well," Mead said. "The information is sketchy at best."

The paper said a New York investigator flew to Pittsburgh last month to interview a physician for the Pittsburgh Steelers about why he allegedly used a personal credit card to purchase roughly $150,000 in testosterone and human growth hormone in 2006.

The physician, Richard A. Rydze, told the investigator the drugs were for his private patients, the paper said, citing an unidentified person briefed on the interview.

There are no allegations Rydze violated any laws.

Steelers spokesman Dave Lockett told the AP that Rydze works for the club mostly on game days. He is listed among the seven doctors under the "medical staff" designation on the official team employment roster.

"We can't comment any further because we are still gathering information," Lockett said.

A message was left seeking comment from Rydze.

Arrested on Tuesday were Stan and Naomi Loomis, who own the Signature Pharmacy in downtown Orlando, Stan's brother Mike Loomis and Kirk Calvert, Signature's marketing director. Soares' office identified Signature as a "producer" of the illegally distributed drugs.

Also arrested as a result of the New York investigation were three people Soares' office described as "distributors" from a Sugarland, Texas, company called Cellular Nucleonic Advantage.

Before the investigation is complete, Soares' office said, up to 24 people could face charges, including six doctors and three pharmacists.

The Loomis' downtown pharmacy contains a small retail store that sells bodybuilding supplements, a drug laboratory and executive offices.

Investigators loaded boxes into a truck and seized drugs, including anabolic steroids and human growth hormone, said Carl Metzger, narcotics commander for Orlando's Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation.

"I can't tell you what percentage of their business was legal and how much involved stacking steroids, but there was a mix," Metzger said.

Metzger said the search revealed a "raid card" at numerous Signature Pharmacy employees' desks with contact information for lawyers. The top of the documents identified it as a Food and Drug Administration/Drug Enforcement Agency telephone list, but only lawyers were on the card, Metzger said.

"We found that to be somewhat interesting," Metzger said. "Why would you need to have something entitled a phone call list for the DEA and FDA with lawyers' names if you have nothing to hide?"

Soares' office alleges that Signature filled prescriptions, in some cases from unlicensed doctors, knowing they had not met patients. The office said at least $250,000 in illegal and controlled substances were sold directly into Albany County, and New York state sales exceeded $10 million.

Soares said his investigation began after an Albany doctor was arrested for allegedly trafficking in narcotics online.

"We're glad HTPL has succeeded in all quarters" - Ritesh & Farhan

Studio 18, the motion picture division of Television Eighteen, India’s leading media conglomerate, has created history of sorts overseas, with its maiden outing, “Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.” (Directed by Reema Kagti).

In a market known to accept predominantly star-studded routine Bollywood titles, the International Distribution Division of the Studio has been able to make a mid-range romantic comedy with an unconventional narrative, garner an enormous opening.

Produced by the makers of blockbusters like “Dil Chahta Hai”, “Lakshya” and “Don”, “Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.” has pulled a successful opening weekend, particularly in the UK & UAE. The innovative marketing efforts of Studio 18 have ensured that enough buzz was created around the film, the success of which should augur well for the industry.

Released in the UAE on 22nd February, the four-day gross on eight prints was AED 287,082 (USD 78,183). Released in the UK on 23rd February, the three-day gross on fourteen screens was £45,945 (USD 90,287), with an impressive screen average of £3,282.

This has been the highest opening in the UK for a film in this bracket released on a similar number of prints.

Fuelled by positive reviews from mainstream media such as The Times UK, Time Out London and BBC Online to name a few and most Indian entertainment websites, “Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.” is poised to replicate its strong multiplex run in India in the international market as well.

"This was the first mid-range film done by Excel Entertainment,” say producers Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar. “We're glad the film has succeeded in all quarters, including the overseas. This is a big achievement. Our international distributor, Studio 18, took a chance and did a splendid job of giving the film a credible theatrical release and left no stone unturned in marketing and promoting it to the target audience. The strong figures it has delivered overseas will give an impetus to films with alternative genres and concepts. We look forward to working with Studio 18 on our forthcoming film projects."

1983 - An Indian summer in England

India had toured the West Indies just before the World Cup in 1983 and lost the three-match ODI series 1-2. Many considered the solitary win good enough… after all, the West Indies were the reigning two-time world champions. And India had failed to progress beyond the first round in both World Cups.
India's campaign got off to the best possible start. Facing the West Indies in opening match, they put up 262 in their 60 overs thanks largely to an innings of 89 from Yashpal Sharma. The West Indian reply got off to a stable start with an opening partnership of 49, but thereafter, the wheels came off thanks to Roger Binny's 3/48 and a fine spell of left-arm spin bowling by Ravi Shastri (3/26). Andy Roberts and Joel Garner scored 37 each and this was the highest West Indian contribution apart from the 25 extras! A rude wake-up call to the World Champions that this World Cup was not theirs for the taking.

India kept up the momentum in their second match against Zimbabwe. Bowling first, they restricted the Zimbabweans to just 155 with Madan Lal (3/27) the star. In reply, the Indians recovered from a slightly shaky 2/32 thanks to Sandip Patil (50) and Mohinder "Jimmy" Amarnath (44) and registered a 5-wicket win. The stage had been set for India's all-rounders to make a mark.

Unfortunately for India, two losses in the next two games meant they were falling behind the pace. In the first of these two matches, India played Australia and three big contributions led by a 110 from Trevor Chappell, 66* to Graham Yallop and 52 to Captain Kim Hughes saw Australia pile up a massive 320. Even a 5/43 to Kapil Dev wasn't good enough to save India. In reply, Kapil Dev's 40 and Kris Srikkanth's 39 were the only notable contributions. India was bowled out for just 158 in 39 overs and lost by a huge 162 runs.

The next loss was not as huge, but had a bigger psychological impact. Playing the West Indies again, India would have been high on confidence after their win in the first round. But King Viv stepped up and smashed a 119 that took the wind out of India's sails! 282 was not an easy score to chase with four of the fastest bowlers in the world to face! India tried through Mohinder Amarnath (80) and Kapil Dev (36) but was bowled out for 216 falling short by 66 runs.



Needing to win the remaining two games, India was facing Zimbabwe and would have fancied their chances. But a top order collapse left them staring down the barrel. At 5/17, it seemed like all was lost. But then, that's why all-rounders are so valuable in cricket. Kapil Dev, the captain, decided it was time to play a captain's innings. And he set about resurrecting the Indian campaign with a sublime yet powerful 175* that came off just 138 balls and included 16 fours and 6 sixes. Useful support from Roger Binny (22), Madan Lal (17) and Syed Kirmani (24*) helped him along the way. More than the target of 266, it was the sheer savage nature of the counter-attack by Kapil Dev that beat Zimbabwe. Kevin Curran (73) stood out for Zimbabwe, but it was always going to be a tall order. Madan Lal chipped in with 3 wickets and Roger Binny with 2. India won by 31 runs and the campaign was back on track.
The last match for India and Australia presented both teams with a chance of going through to the semi-final. India had three wins to their credit and Australia two, but a big win here could have put India out and Australia through. India won the toss and chose to bat first. This time, the batting came together and India looked good putting up a score of 247. The largest individual contribution came from Yashpal Sharma (40), but the effort was so combined that 247 was achieved easily. In reply, Australia had no answer to Roger Binny and Madan Lal (4 wickets each) and were bowled out for just 129. Allan Border topscored for Australia with 36 but India ran away with the match and into the semi-final winning by 118 runs.

In their last two World Cups, India had not progressed beyond the group stages and here they were in the semi-final playing the home team. England won the toss and batted first. A good opening partnership of 69 set them on their way, but as had often been the case through the tournament, India's medium pacers pegged the opposition back with some good controlled bowling. Kapil Dev (3/35) led the way and was ably supported by Roger Binny (2/43) and Mohinder Amarnath (2/27). England had been restricted to 213 and India had a real chance of making it through. Although India lost both openers by the time they were 50, no further alarm bells were allowed thanks to good partnerships of 92 between Amarnath (46) and Sharma (61) and later between Sharma and Patil (51*). India won comfortably by 6 wickets and had done the unthinkable.



In the final, India may have played Pakistan but could not! The Windies beat Pakistan and set up a clash against India for the third time in the tournament. With honours even from the previous two matches, this was a match for one-upmanship in addition to winning the biggest prize in cricket. Needless to say, the West Indies were overwhelming favourites and when the restricted India to just 183, a hat-trick seemed inevitable. No one apart from Srikkanth (38) could get going for India as Roberts (3/32) led the pace attack.
In reply, West Indies was cruising at 1-50 when yet another medium pace attack from India turned things around. But it took a moment of brilliance from the Indian Captain Kapil Dev to give India the confidence it needed in this big match. Running backwards, Kapil caught the rampaging Richards and stemmed his innings at just 33 before he could turn the match completely. Three more wickets within the next 20 runs saw the West Indies slump to 6/76 and India's dream had almost come true. A late partnership between Dujon (25) and Marshall (18) gave the West Indies some hope, but Mohinder Amarnath (3/12) made sure there were no comebacks. The West Indies was bundled out for 140 and India had achieved the impossible.

Till date this remains one of Indian cricket's biggest moments. This win catapulted India into the big league and under Kapil Dev's captaincy, a new face for Indian cricket had been born. 'Kapil's Devils', as they were known, had turned India into a cricketing superpower overnight.

Brains behind Lalu's Railway Budget

While Lalu Prasad often walks away with the accolades for turning around the Indian Railways, it is his core team of three -- Railway Board Chairman JP Batra, Railway Board Financial Commissioner R Sivadasan and Officer on Special Duty Sudhir Kumar -- that burns the midnight oil and helps in giving shape to his vision.

Sivadasan, who was the General Manager of South Central zone before he took over the current assignment, plays the significant role of the chief accountant of the Railway Board.

He is the chief architect behind formulating the annual plan of the Indian Railways. He keeps a tab on the market borrowings, internal and extra budgetary resources and also the capital support to the annual plan.

All these transactions help the financial commissioner in revising the size of the annual plan every year.

Sivadasan also advises the railway minister on populist measures (pertaining to new trains or passenger amenities) to be announced in the budget. He cautions about the financial repercussions of any new announcement.

Thus, all announcements are made after thorough discussions between the financial commissioner and the minister.

Batra, who heads the Railway Board, plays a supporting role in the entire exercise. An ex-army captain, Batra was the General Manager of the East Central Zone before he was brought to Rail Bhavan.

The preparation of the railway budget being largely a financial exercise, the financial commissioner and the budget cell of the railway board play the main role.

However, as the administrative head of the board, Batra plays a crucial role of communicating with all the members of the board handling areas like traffic, mechanical, electrical, and engineering. He conducts periodical meetings with all the members and collects important inputs about requirements of various departments.

All these inputs are forwarded to the financial commissioner, who keeps them in mind while preparing the railway budget.

Sudhir Kumar, the officer on special duty (OSD) to the railway minister, has an unconventional role to play in the budget exercise. This is because under Prasad's regime, it is for the first time that a minister's OSD has been involved in the entire process.

Kumar being a product of Delhi School of Economics, was specially brought in by Prasad to help the financial commissioner in improving the fiscal health of Indian Railways.

All the inputs and opinions collected through the Railway Board chairman are compiled by the OSD, who then presents it to the financial commissioner for consideration.

Along with him, the OSD then tries to inculcate these into the budget document as per the guidelines of the ministry. As the official voice of the railway minister, he tries to include the minister's personal views also in the railway budget.

At the same time, he prunes these demands to suit the finance of the ministry. But by and large, his role remains secondary to the financial commissioner.

Unconventional roles excite Bachchan

Iconic Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan, whose new film about the obsessive love of an old man for a teenage girl will be released in March, said unconventional roles excite him, an Indian newspaper reported on Friday.

"Nishabd" (Silence) has drawn comparisons with Vladimir Nabokov's controversial 1955 novel "Lolita".

The 64-year-old superstar has played unconventional characters before like "Sexy Sam" -- a widower romancing young girls -- in the hit 2006 film "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna".

"I'm still the same man, the same actor. But circumstances have changed, unconventional subjects are being attempted," Bachchan was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times daily.

"And the more varied the roles for an actor, the more exciting the day at the studio".

PREVIEW - India's famed quartet eye last shot at Cup glory

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - A quartet of India's golden generation of cricketers will aim for glory in West Indies in what is expected to be their last World Cup.

The game's ultimate prize is still missing from the trophy cabinets of stalwarts Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Saurav Ganguly and Anil Kumble.

Leg-spinner Kumble (36), India's most successful bowler, skipper Dravid and fellow batsmen Ganguly (both 34) and Tendulkar (33) have displayed their class for more than a decade and the next edition in 2011 could be a bridge too far.

Tendulkar, who will play in his fifth World Cup, holds the records for most one-day runs (14,783), hundreds (41) and caps (381). Ganguly and Dravid are also among only six players to aggregate more than 10,000 one-day runs.

On pitches expected to help batsmen, India can hope to make amends after champions Australia thrashed the 1983 champions by 125 runs in the 2003 final in South Africa.

FORM SLUMP

However, India face questions over their fielding, the poor form of explosive batsman Virender Sehwag and 22-year-old seamer Irfan Pathan and the team's slump before they won the recent home series against West Indies and Sri Lanka on batting tracks.

Sehwag has managed one fifty in 13 innings since May last year. Chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar has urged the instinctive player to show focus and preserve his wicket.

Pathan was emerging as coach Greg Chappell's trump card with batting heroics up the order to help India claim a record 17 successive wins chasing a target in 2006.

However, his bowling form has deserted him since the West Indies tour in May-July and the management, in an unprecedented move, sent him home from South Africa late last year asking him to regain his form in domestic tournaments.

However, he played just one game in the twin one-day series at home complaining of shoulder strain.

Key middle-order batsman Yuvraj Singh has only just returned after he tore knee ligaments in October while Ajit Agakar, the most capped seamer in the side, has a history of breaking down.

The team management could also face a dilemma over Kumble -- who has rarely played one-dayers since 2003 -- with off-spinner Harbhajan Singh holding the edge if only one specialist spinner is fielded for key games.

However, India can breathe easy over two comeback men.

Former skipper Ganguly and left-arm paceman Zaheer Khan have looked in fine touch since making strong comebacks late in 2006 after being sacked last February over form and fitness.

A window of opportunity has also opened following Australia's sudden form dip following defeats to England and New Zealand.

Dravid has urged his players to show consistency and feels his team are capable repeating their 2003 run when they overcame a sluggish start to reach the final.

Millions of fickle Indian fans will hope their sporting idols would finally end their 24-year wait for success.

Sri Lanka at best ever for World Cup: de Silv

Former batting great Aravinda de Silva believes the current Sri Lankan side go into the World Cup with better chances of winning the title than their champion 1996 team.

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"I honestly feel this side have a better chance than we had in 1996. When you compare the eras, I feel this team have got a better combination. We didn't have experience in 1996, but this team have," de Silva told AFP.

Arjuna Ranatunga's Sri Lankans stunned the world in 1996 when they won the Cup in the sub-continent after being considered underdogs, with de Silva scoring a match-winning century in the final against Australia.

Sri Lanka are in Group B with former champions India, Bangladesh and first-timers Bermuda, with the top two sides advancing to the next round of the Caribbean extravaganza.

"The bowling looks good. The batting has depth and fielding looks sharp. Things are in favour of us and if we don't win this time, then it'll take some time to do it. My money is on Sri Lanka," said de Silva, 41.

"The conditions (in the West Indies) will suit our players and the combination we are going in with looks good. It's the most experienced bowling outfit in the world and it has got variations which we lacked in 1996."

De Silva said the presence of veteran batsmen Sanath Jayasuirya and Marvan Atapattu, and bowlers Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas made Sri Lanka a formidable outfit.

"In batting, Sanath will be the key. He's a dangerous player," said de Silva, who figured in five World Cups and is only the fourth batsman to score a century in the final.

"Murali is a world-class performer and a lot of people under-rate Vaasy. He's a quiet achiever and played a vital role in the last World Cup.

"The only issue with this team is its middle-order batting, but Marvan's presence should sort things out. He brings experience and should be able to bat according to the situation."

De Silva said Australia would find it difficult to retain the title, as they had several weak links.

"Australia are an ageing side," said de Silva, who quit the game after the 2003 World Cup as Sri Lanka's top scorer in both Tests (6,361 runs) and one-day internationals (9,284).

"There's pressure on most of their players. Their bowling is questionable and it is not what it used to be. (Glenn) McGrath can probably contain, but the traditional bounce won't be there in the Caribbean.

"Brett Lee can provide a bit of variation, but the rest of the bowling looks very average. Even scores of 275 or 280 can be chased against the Aussies."

Australia recently suffered their worst one-day run in a decade as they lost five successive matches, two against England in a home tri-series final and three in New Zealand.

Iraq insurgents again use 'dirty' attack

Insurgents exploded a truck carrying chlorine gas canisters Wednesday — the second such "dirty" chemical attack in two days — while a U.S. official said ground fire apparently forced the downing of a Black Hawk helicopter. All nine aboard the aircraft were rescued.

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The attacks offer a sweeping narrative on evolving tactics by Sunni insurgents who have proved remarkably adaptable.

Military officials worry extremists may have recently gained more access to firepower such as shoulder-fired anti-aircraft rockets and heavy machine guns — and more expertise to use them. The Black Hawk would be at least the eighth U.S. helicopter to crash or be taken down by hostile fire in the past month.

The gas cloud in Baghdad, meanwhile, suggests possible new and coordinated strategies by bombers trying to unleash toxic — and potentially deadly — materials. "Terrorists are using dirty means," said Brig. Gen. Qassim Moussawi, an Iraqi military spokesman.

Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a U.S. military spokesman, said initial reports indicated the chopper was brought down by "small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades" north of Baghdad, but gave no further details. All nine aboard were taken away on a rescue helicopter, he said.

In Baghdad, a pickup truck carrying chlorine gas cylinders was blown apart, killing at least five people and sending more than 55 to hospitals gasping for breath and rubbing stinging eyes, police said.

On Tuesday, a bomb planted on a chlorine tanker left more than 150 villagers stricken north of the capital. More than 60 were still under medical care on Wednesday. Chlorine causes respiratory trouble and skin irritation in low levels and possible death with heavy exposure.

In Washington, two Pentagon officials said the tactic has been used at least three times since Jan. 28, when a truck carrying explosives and a chlorine tank blew up in Anbar province. More than a dozen people were reported killed.

A third Pentagon official said the United States has been concerned about Iraqi militants' ability to get weapons like chlorine bombs and use them effectively. But the official cautioned that chlorine bombs are just one threat on a long list of possible attacks that Iraqi fighters may try to carry out.

It was unclear whether the confluence of new insurgent tactics — attacking isolated combat posts, targeting helicopters more intensely and using chlorine bombs — was coincidental or in response to the U.S. troop increase.

W. Patrick Lang, a former official at the Defense Intelligence Agency, said the insurgents are always "seeking to achieve higher levels of effectiveness" and these new tactics are part of the normal "evolution of sophistication."

Lang said trucks filled with chlorine gas are "really quite deadly" because the gas is potent and spreads easily.

Some authorities believe militants could be trying to maximize the panic from their attacks by adding chlorine or other noxious substances.

"It is an indication of maliciousness, a desire to injure and kill innocent people in the vicinity," said Garver, who also predicted militants may begin to launch similar attacks because of the widespread mayhem caused by this week's chlorine clouds.

"If there is a particular success, we'll see copycats. ... They certainly pay attention to what they think is successful," he said.

In Najaf, meanwhile, a suicide car bomber killed at least 13 at a police checkpoint. The attack fit a pattern that's believed to drive much of Iraq's recent violence: Sunni militants seeking to provoke majority Shiites into a full-blown sectarian conflict that would leave Washington's plans in ruins.

It was the first major bombing in more than six months in Najaf, an important Shiite pilgrimage site 100 miles south of Baghdad and also the headquarters of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, head of the Mahdi Army militia.

The Najaf blast hit while streets were filled with morning shoppers. At least seven of the victims were police and the rest civilians near a checkpoint — part of the city's security cordon that includes Mahdi Army militiamen, who battled U.S. forces in the area in 2004.

More than 40 people were wounded in the blast, which sent body parts and blood over a wide boulevard. Crews stuffed limbs and bits of flesh into cardboard boxes.

In Baghdad, another Mahdi Army center was hit. A car bombing in the teeming Sadr City district killed at least three.

More than 10 people died in blasts across Baghdad — adding to the more than 100 victims of bombings in attacks in and around the capital since Sunday. The toll cast a long shadow over authorities marking the first week of the U.S.-Iraqi security sweeps.

Moussawi, the Iraqi military spokesman, said the campaign to reclaim control of the city "has achieved very important goals despite the expected criminal reactions."

"God willing, the plan will continue to uproot terrorists and outlaws across Baghdad and other areas," he told a news conference. He added that 42 "terrorists" have been killed in the sweeps and more than 250 suspected militants arrested, but gave further details.

An American military spokesman, Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, told a news conference that U.S. and Iraqi forces were focusing on "belts" of extremist activity in Baghdad and suggested talks are ongoing over when and how to move into Sadr City.

It is believed that al-Sadr has ordered his forces not to challenge the security operation up to this point.

"Anytime you can find a political solution instead of a military one it is better," Caldwell said.

Meanwhile, the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq may soon be shrinking.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair said about 1,600 troops will leave Iraq in the coming months if Iraqi forces can secure the southern part of the country. Currently, Britain has about 7,100 soldiers in Iraq. Denmark also announced it would withdraw its 460-member contingent from southern Iraq by August, and Lithuania is "seriously considering" bring home its 53 troops.

The British decision, however, is not likely to seriously shift the power balance in Iraq. The British are stations in the mostly Shiite south and are not directly involved in the sectarian struggles in Baghdad and other parts of Iraq.

A U.S. Marine was killed in fighting in the volatile Anbar province and a soldier was killed by gunfire in a neighborhood of Baghdad, the military said Wednesday.

The Marine was killed Tuesday during combat operations in the insurgent stronghold. The soldier was hit by small arms fire in a northern district of Baghdad on Tuesday, a statement said without giving further details.

At least 3,149 members of the U.S. military have died since the Iraq war started in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.

Iraq insurgents again use 'dirty' attack

Insurgents exploded a truck carrying chlorine gas canisters Wednesday — the second such "dirty" chemical attack in two days — while a U.S. official said ground fire apparently forced the downing of a Black Hawk helicopter. All nine aboard the aircraft were rescued.

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The attacks offer a sweeping narrative on evolving tactics by Sunni insurgents who have proved remarkably adaptable.

Military officials worry extremists may have recently gained more access to firepower such as shoulder-fired anti-aircraft rockets and heavy machine guns — and more expertise to use them. The Black Hawk would be at least the eighth U.S. helicopter to crash or be taken down by hostile fire in the past month.

The gas cloud in Baghdad, meanwhile, suggests possible new and coordinated strategies by bombers trying to unleash toxic — and potentially deadly — materials. "Terrorists are using dirty means," said Brig. Gen. Qassim Moussawi, an Iraqi military spokesman.

Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a U.S. military spokesman, said initial reports indicated the chopper was brought down by "small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades" north of Baghdad, but gave no further details. All nine aboard were taken away on a rescue helicopter, he said.

In Baghdad, a pickup truck carrying chlorine gas cylinders was blown apart, killing at least five people and sending more than 55 to hospitals gasping for breath and rubbing stinging eyes, police said.

On Tuesday, a bomb planted on a chlorine tanker left more than 150 villagers stricken north of the capital. More than 60 were still under medical care on Wednesday. Chlorine causes respiratory trouble and skin irritation in low levels and possible death with heavy exposure.

In Washington, two Pentagon officials said the tactic has been used at least three times since Jan. 28, when a truck carrying explosives and a chlorine tank blew up in Anbar province. More than a dozen people were reported killed.

A third Pentagon official said the United States has been concerned about Iraqi militants' ability to get weapons like chlorine bombs and use them effectively. But the official cautioned that chlorine bombs are just one threat on a long list of possible attacks that Iraqi fighters may try to carry out.

It was unclear whether the confluence of new insurgent tactics — attacking isolated combat posts, targeting helicopters more intensely and using chlorine bombs — was coincidental or in response to the U.S. troop increase.

W. Patrick Lang, a former official at the Defense Intelligence Agency, said the insurgents are always "seeking to achieve higher levels of effectiveness" and these new tactics are part of the normal "evolution of sophistication."

Lang said trucks filled with chlorine gas are "really quite deadly" because the gas is potent and spreads easily.

Some authorities believe militants could be trying to maximize the panic from their attacks by adding chlorine or other noxious substances.

"It is an indication of maliciousness, a desire to injure and kill innocent people in the vicinity," said Garver, who also predicted militants may begin to launch similar attacks because of the widespread mayhem caused by this week's chlorine clouds.

"If there is a particular success, we'll see copycats. ... They certainly pay attention to what they think is successful," he said.

In Najaf, meanwhile, a suicide car bomber killed at least 13 at a police checkpoint. The attack fit a pattern that's believed to drive much of Iraq's recent violence: Sunni militants seeking to provoke majority Shiites into a full-blown sectarian conflict that would leave Washington's plans in ruins.

It was the first major bombing in more than six months in Najaf, an important Shiite pilgrimage site 100 miles south of Baghdad and also the headquarters of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, head of the Mahdi Army militia.

The Najaf blast hit while streets were filled with morning shoppers. At least seven of the victims were police and the rest civilians near a checkpoint — part of the city's security cordon that includes Mahdi Army militiamen, who battled U.S. forces in the area in 2004.

More than 40 people were wounded in the blast, which sent body parts and blood over a wide boulevard. Crews stuffed limbs and bits of flesh into cardboard boxes.

In Baghdad, another Mahdi Army center was hit. A car bombing in the teeming Sadr City district killed at least three.

More than 10 people died in blasts across Baghdad — adding to the more than 100 victims of bombings in attacks in and around the capital since Sunday. The toll cast a long shadow over authorities marking the first week of the U.S.-Iraqi security sweeps.

Moussawi, the Iraqi military spokesman, said the campaign to reclaim control of the city "has achieved very important goals despite the expected criminal reactions."

"God willing, the plan will continue to uproot terrorists and outlaws across Baghdad and other areas," he told a news conference. He added that 42 "terrorists" have been killed in the sweeps and more than 250 suspected militants arrested, but gave further details.

An American military spokesman, Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, told a news conference that U.S. and Iraqi forces were focusing on "belts" of extremist activity in Baghdad and suggested talks are ongoing over when and how to move into Sadr City.

It is believed that al-Sadr has ordered his forces not to challenge the security operation up to this point.

"Anytime you can find a political solution instead of a military one it is better," Caldwell said.

Meanwhile, the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq may soon be shrinking.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair said about 1,600 troops will leave Iraq in the coming months if Iraqi forces can secure the southern part of the country. Currently, Britain has about 7,100 soldiers in Iraq. Denmark also announced it would withdraw its 460-member contingent from southern Iraq by August, and Lithuania is "seriously considering" bring home its 53 troops.

The British decision, however, is not likely to seriously shift the power balance in Iraq. The British are stations in the mostly Shiite south and are not directly involved in the sectarian struggles in Baghdad and other parts of Iraq.

A U.S. Marine was killed in fighting in the volatile Anbar province and a soldier was killed by gunfire in a neighborhood of Baghdad, the military said Wednesday.

The Marine was killed Tuesday during combat operations in the insurgent stronghold. The soldier was hit by small arms fire in a northern district of Baghdad on Tuesday, a statement said without giving further details.

At least 3,149 members of the U.S. military have died since the Iraq war started in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.

Is Moto the phone for you?

Paris Hilton has hers in hot pink; Abhishek Bachchan prefers his in gold. In case you are wondering, We are talking about the Motorola range of cell phones flooding the market.
Since its entry into the Indian market in 1987, Motorola, the number two phone maker in the world, has come a long way. With new, eye-catching models every now and then, Motorola has been giving Nokia, the number one phone maker, a run for its money. Tie-ups with telecom giants like Bharti would only extend its customer base.


But are these phones the one for you? Here's the rundown on some of the popular models and their pros and cons.

C-115 and C-117

There are Motorola's offerings to the Rs 2,000 segment. Being bundled with prepaid connections from Airtel and BSNL and with a starting price of Rs 1,500, these phones make up for almost 35 per cent of the Motorola handset sales in India.

Cons: Apart from providing the minimal functions, these handsets have nothing much to boast about.

Indonesia floods leave 100,000 homeless

AKARTA, Indonesia - Flooding has killed at least five people and left more than 100,000 others homeless in the Indonesian capital, officials said Saturday as neck-high waters submerged large sections of the city.

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The country's meteorology department forecast more rains Saturday and over the next two weeks.

"We must be on guard. The weather is still our enemy here," said Hendri, an official monitoring water levels on major rivers. "Those who live in flood prone areas, please seek refuge."

Two days of incessant rain caused rivers to burst their banks across Jakarta on Friday, inundating more than 20,000 homes, government buildings and businesses, and forcing authorities to cut off electricity and water supplies.

Waters from the worst flooding to hit the city in five years had receded slightly Saturday in some city-center districts, but continued to rise in outlying areas, media reports and witnesses said.

Several main roads leading to the city of 12 million people were blocked, and the rail network was crippled. Scores of callers to local radio station el-Shinta reported they were trapped in their houses.

Sunardi, from the National Coordination Agency for Disaster Relief, said that five people had died since Friday, having been either electrocuted or drowned. More than 106,000 people had been made homeless, said Sunardi, who goes by a single name.

Those left homeless were staying with family or in mosques, schools and government buildings on higher ground, officials said.

Seasonal rains cause flooding each year in Indonesia, including the capital, but Friday's were the worst since 2002, when waters washed into the presidential palace and the lobby of a five-star hotel.

Shilpa in Bombay Dreams?

Would it be the movie star-turned-politician Vinod Khanna or the fabled composer, impresario and producer Andrew Webber Lloyd? Shilpa Shetty will have to decide soon if she is going for the saffron flag or the sexy outfit and get drenched while lip-syncing to the song Shakalaka Baby.

It would be a choice between politics, following Khanna's invitation for her to contest elections as a BJP candidate, or accept a role in the London revival of the revamped musical hit Bombay Dreams.

It could even be the lead role of an idealistic film director who falls for a new movie star who is hiding a secret from her and the public.

The Evening Standard ran a piece two days ago saying Webber has offered Shilpa a plum role in the musical. The Big Brother winner has become a celebrity across the United Kingdom partly due to the controversies involving a rival candidate in the show.

Bombay Dreams with A R Rahman's music and featuring newcomers Priya Kalidas and Raza Jaffrey ran over 18 months in London after premiering in 2002 at the prestigious Apollo Victoria Theatre with more than 2,000 seats.

The London tabloid also added that Webber had offered Shilpa a role in a TV series he intends producing following the success of his talent-search program, How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?

Shilpa's spokesman Max Clifford has confirmed that Webber had been in touch with her directly to discuss an offer.

Shilpa is expected to spend many days this month in London on negotiating endorsement deals for a raft of products ranging from perfumes to jewellery. British publications have also said that she has offers to write her memoir focusing on her experience of being bullied and insulted on the Big Brother.

But the most important thing on her mind would be offer from Webber.

Clifford told Evening Standard that the 31-year-old actress was keen on a theatre career. "She's had 15 years of Bollywood now and it would be tremendous for her as an actress to look for new challenges," he said.

Webber wanted to have a celebrity attached to the show when it opened on Broadway, and his associates in New York had tried to woo the Grammy winner Norah Jones, the daughter of sitarist Ravi Shankar. But she declined the offer saying she was preoccupied with her recording and a couple of film projects.

Webber, whose hits include The Phantom of Opera, wanted Jones to play Priya, the lead.

Sources in London said yesterday that Webber would want to make sure Shilpa could sing well for the musical. If she cannot, he would offer her the role of Rani, the aging film actress who is quite a seductress. The role was made famous at London's West End and New York's Broadway by Ayesha Dharker. Rani gets to sing two songs, one of them being Shakalaka Baby. Since the latter number is also a commentary on the lip-syncing in Bollywood movies, the voice of another artist (Priya Kalidas) was used. If that practice were repeated in the revival, Shilpa would not have to worry about getting drenched and singing at the same time!

Both Rahman and Webber will have to decide about Shilpa's singing abilities.

It is possible the stage offer may fetch her the same role be in the moderately budgeted (about $10 million) screen version of Bombay Dreams that Webber wants Farah Khan to direct. She co-choreographed the London and New York version of the musical, getting a Tony nomination, a first for an Indian.

J&K: Senior cops arrested for fake encounters

Jammu and Kashmir police on Saturday arrested two senior police officers in connection with the disappearance and subsequent murder of Abdul Rehman Paddar, a south Kashmir carpenter.
"We have arrested H R Parihar, former senior superintendent of police Ganderbal, and Bahadur Ram, deputy superintendent of Police in connection with the disappearance and subsequent murder of Abdul Rehman Paddar, "S M Sahai, Inspector General of Police, Kashmir zone told newsmen in Srinagar on Saturday.

Parihar and Ram had been removed from their duties after the unearthing of the fake encounter scandal early this week.

Paddar's body was exhumed by the authorities from a north Kashmir graveyard in north Kashmir Baramulla district on February 1 and his father had identified the body after the exhumation.

Authorities are carrying out three more exhumations in Srinagar on Saturday. Of these, two are being carried out at a graveyard in Ajas village, 42 km from Srinagar in the Baramulla border district and the third at Kangan town, 30 km north of Srinagar district.

An assistant sub-inspector of police, Farooq Ahmad Guddoo and a Farooq Ahmad Paddar, a selection grade constable of Special Operations Group have already been arrested in connection with the forced disappearance and subsequent murder of the south Kashmir village carpenter.

Jump this Traffic Signal

This one's a strange film -- a series of staccato, punctuated episodes and incidents about folk living around a traffic signal. When you hear of it, it sounds like an interesting concept. But however you may try stretching it, it just does not have enough meat for a full length feature film.

It might have been great to explore in a short telefilm, but how many incidents and how many times can you see and be interested in about a traffic signal community of sorts. That's the inherent problem with the concept.

Now comes the execution, which has Madhur Bhandarkar-gone-wrong written all over it. All the usual suspects are there -- the pedophile, the gay (Bobby Darling, surprised?), rough language, the pretence of showing a behind-the-scenes glimpse and so on. Thing is -- the audience has grown up and the same things don't shock or surprise anymore. So when the film mentions that begging is a multi-crore business, and we see a beggar-during-day go to a multiplex at night, we are amused, but it doesn't rock our world. Again, we are too familiar with films showing the gritty underworld-politician nexus to gape anymore.

The film rambles on with a series of disconnected happenings -- an executive and his wife fight in their luxurious car at the signal, a regular believes giving money to beggars will help his prospects, flower girls fight in the middle of the road, a beggar boy lies about his father being dead, just when the 'dead' man sits up behind him.

The stories are entertaining in themselves, like the one where a beggar child spends his hard earned money on a fairness cream. But at some point, one wonders when the disconnected episodes would stop and the film would begin.

Interspersed among all this, are superficial glimpses at the lives of our protagonists. The good-hearted goonda Silsila (Kunal Khemu) who's more street cool than underbelly, Rani (Neetu Chandra) who's come to Mumbai to make a living selling ethnic clothes, a junkie Dominique (Ranvir Shorey) who fleeces money from ordinary folk giving a sob story, a prostitute Noorie (Konkona Sen Sharma), Jaffar the local hafta collector who works for big boss Haji (Sudhir Mishra), and a series of beggars who make a living at the signal.

If you know the characters, you know the story. But till the very ending, this film has no semblance of a narrative. Perhaps the director thought that 'snapshots from the lives at a traffic signal' would be amusing enough for the audience, but it is not so. As was the case with Corporate, Traffic Signal begins to get involving towards the very end and a few scenes from the second half are moving.

What saves this film is the cast that has given noteworthy performances. Kunal Khemu manages to shoulder the film, and Neetu Chandra is graceful and watchable. Sudhir Mishra, with his towering personality and evocative eyes, looks every part the enigmatic mafia don. Konkona Sen Sharma is dependably good. Ranvir Shorey is truly impressive, and one hopes to see him in meatier and more challenging roles. Even the actors who have done bit roles as beggars (most of them stage actors), including the kids, are astonishingly good. Bhandarkar shines again at extracting great performances from his actors.

Technically the film is okay. There is not much effort made to make the film look exceptionally good or shoot it differently. It's functional, as is the background music. The songs are strictly okay, but the one song Yehi Zindagi, picturised with montages of the protagonists' lives, is where the film comes alive for a few minutes.

Traffic Signal also has a major drawback in that it's been dubbed, where a story like this was asking for the more-real sync sound.

This is Madhur Bhandarkar's final of the trilogy that began with Page 3 and Corporate. It's sad to observe that his films have gone progressively below par. You watch this film glazed, get amused at times, entertained at others, but when you leave the theatre exactly the way you entered it, with no new thoughts or feelings, you wonder at the point of it all. And really, there's nothing more disappointing than a pointless film.

Sena-BJP Set To Retain Mumbai

n a stunning comeback after a series of electoral debacles and splits in the party, Shiv Sena on Friday surged ahead with its ally Bharatiya Janata Party to retain power in the cash-rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and was tipped to capture three other cities while Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party may bag four towns.
In Mumbai, the Shiv Sena-BJP combine secured 111 seats, 3 short of majority in 227-member civic body, official sources said.

Congress, stung by feud between Union Minister Vilas Muttemwar and Maharashtra Minister Satish Chaturvedi, has been voted out of power from Nagpur Municipal Corporation as BJP-Shiv Sena emerged as the single largest alliance in the civic body and was poised to capture power.

The BJP-Sena secured 40 seats in the Nashik Corporation but failed to muster a majority, resulting in a hung House.

The Congress-NCP combine is set to win the Akola Municipal Corporation polls, dislodging the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance from power.

In the 144-member Pune Municipal Corporation, no party could muster absolute majority and the state's ruling Congress put up a poor performance.

In Pimpri-Chinchwad, adjacent to Pune, NCP won 60 of the total of 105 seats on its own and was in a position to run the civic body without the support of Congress.

Overcoming revolt in its ranks, Shiv Sena emerged as the single largest party with 48 seats but failed to get majority in its stronghold Thane Municipal Corporation.

In the 76-seat Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation, Sena-BJP combine bagged 27 seats compared to 20 of the Congress-NCP combine, which was in power.

In Amravati, the Congress-NCP combine looked set to retain power. Congress secured 22 seats while the NCP bagged 16, BJP 15 and Sena 11. Four candidates from BSP were also elected along with 13 Independents.

Congress emerged as the single largest party in the Solapur Municipal Corporation with 40 seats but failed to secure majority in the 98-member body.

Hitting out at his detractors, Shiv Sena executive president Udhav Thackeray said his party had proved everybody wrong and emerged victorious in the civic polls and credited victory to party supremo Bal Thackeray and the voters of the state.

"This was an election fought for the very existence of Mumbai and voters have shown that they still want Mumbai to be part of Maharashtra," he said.

Congress blamed division in secular votes as the root cause for its poor show in Maharashtra civic polls, but did not rule out post-poll tie-up with like-minded forces, including Nationalist Congress Party, to capture power.

"The sole reason behind this result is division among secular votes," party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi told reporters when asked to comment on the poor performance of the party.

The Nationalist Congress Party said it was open to post poll alliances and would try to work along with secular parties for development of the state.