At the release of the Congress Manifesto, Rahul Gandhi was optimistic that the BJP's 'Balloon will burst'. The Congress President was equally affirmative that the opinion polls will prove wrong.

During the past few days, I have read statements of various political groups in the Kashmir valley suggesting that the NDA government in the past was more honest in addressing the issues of Jammu & Kashmir rather than the UPA government.

Indian security agencies have yesterday arrested a top Indian Mujahideen terrorist who was a Pakistani national and busted a Rajasthan based module which had planned to attack senior leaders during the elections.

Sunday, March 23, was the birth anniversary of Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia. I visited the Parliament House Central Hall to pay floral homage to Dr. Lohia, one of the most eminent personalities of India’s freedom struggle and socialist movement. (Read In Hindi: जब डॉ. लोहिया और पं दीनदयाल उपाध्याय की हुई मुलाकात...)

Yesterday, I started the day by attending large rally organised by the Akali Dal in Attari Assembly segment of the Amritsar Parliamentary Constituency. Parkash Singh Badal and senior Akali Ministers, Bikram Singh Majithia and Gulzar Singh Ranike were also present alongwith State BJP President Kamal Sharma.

P Chidambaram, the Union Finance Minister, has decided not to contest the Lok Sabha election. His is a pragmatic decision since a politically isolated Congress is hardly likely to win any seat from Tamil Nadu.