Major parties lock horns over farmer suicides. The crisis of farmer suicides in Vidarbha has triggered a bitter political confrontation between the BJP and the Congress. Meanwhile, the suicide toll in Vidarbha since June 2005 has crossed 1,000. Ironically, around 400 deaths have taken place after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced a special relief package at Nagpur on July 1.

Manmohan Singh shuffles his pack a little Finally, Pranab Mukherjee comes to the job as a Foreign Minister. With a wealth of experience he has not only handled Commerce, Finance and Defence portfolios, but has also been the External Affairs Minister in 1995-96. with him. Three-time Kerala Chief Minister and former Union Minister A.K. Antony has stepped into his shoes in the Defence Ministry. One unpalatable consequence of these pulls and pressures is the coming back of Jai Prakash Narain Yadav, who had to quit in November last year when a non-bailable warrant was issued against him for allegedly aiding the escape of his brother from police custody. If he owes his re-induction to the RJD chief Laloo Prasad Yadav, actor-politician M.H. Ambareesh comes in because he is from Karanataka and a Vokkaliga to boot.

Sheila targeted for her stance Even as Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit maintained that it was for the Supreme Court to decide on the controversial sealing issue in the Capital, she came under fire from various traders' associations agitating on the city's roads and became the target of mob fury during three days Delhi bandh.