When the Tamil Maanila Congress merged with the Congress on the eve of Independence Day 2002, ending its six-year tryst with regional identity, AICC President Sonia Gandhi gave a clarion call to her partymen: "History is beckoning us again. Let us re-emerge as a major political force in Tamil Nadu. We can do it. We will do it."

TOKEN MARCH: Sonia opted out at the last minute

Seven months since, Congress leaders in Tamil Nadu are doing what they do best: fight each other. Bickering between TNCC President S. Balakrishnan and Working President E.V.K.S. Elangovan is out in the open after Balakrishnan sacked a few district chiefs considered to be Elangovan loyalists. He retaliated by declaring that "Balakrishnan is being manipulated by another person." The unnamed person being former TMC president and AICC General Secretary G.K. Vasan.

Vasan had played a vital role in getting his TMC mate Balakrishnan to replace Elangovan as TNCC chief and the post of working president was created to accommodate Elangovan. But the formula did not work. During the recent Sathankulam by-election, Elangovan tried to avoid sharing the dais with Vasan. But things came to a head over appointment of block and district unit heads. The Elangovan camp demanded that the working president's approval be mandatory, but Balakrishnan was dismissive.

Sonia has summoned both the leaders to Delhi, and troubleshooters Oscar Fernandes and Ramesh Chennithala may contrive a temporary truce. But faction feuds are bound to remain the hallmark of the party.

— Arun Ram

Advani Headed for Washington

With some luck, the Iraq war would be over by June. The jousting for post-war reconstruction would have begun and the contours of a new regime would be emerging in Baghdad. It will be, according to Washington officials, the best time for Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani to embark on "a high-profile" visit to the US for a series of meetings to discuss Iraq and Pakistan's terrorism.

At the invitation of US Vice-President Dick Cheney, who has been described as the "heartbeat of the US presidency", Advani's visit will be interesting not so much for the people that he will meet as much as its timing. India has already presented the US a "non-paper" on its interests in Iraq ranging from two oil fields to about $1billion in outstanding receipts and 30 per cent of oil (pre-1991) imports. Also by June, the Government expects to have a clearer picture of Pakistan's strategy. Advani has already hinted that India will handle Pakistan on its own.

— Indrani Bagchi

War of Words

The US-Iraq war may be half a globe away but the Akalis have been quick to pick up war terminology. In the budget session in the Punjab Assembly, Shiromani Akali Dal President Parkash Singh Badal threatened to put on trial "war criminals"-Congress rulers and police officials harassing Akali leaders. Badal was responding to Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's vow that he would not put Badal in a resthouse-type jail when arrested. Badal's war rhetoric is fine, but to carry out his threat he first needs to win the next election.

— Ramesh Vinayak

SUED: Stumped director Raveena Tandon, for copyright violation, by a college student alleging the film was based on an article he wrote in a Malayalam daily.

DIED: Krishanu Dey, 41, former football player, in Kolkata. He was captain of the Indian team in the 1986 Asian Games.

DIED: Rehmat Ali Khan, sarod maestro, in Bhopal. He is brother of sarod player Amjad Ali Khan.

DIED: Shivani, Hindi litterateur, 79, of liver failure, in Delhi.

WON: Abhinav Bindra, shooter, the air rifle gold and Sportland NRW Cup, in the ISAS 2003 competition, at Dortmund, Germany.

REPLACED: P.H. Pandian, as the leader of the AIADMK in the Lok Sabha, by Dr V. Saroja.