Mr Modi's 95-year-old mother Hiraben could not make it to Delhi and watched her son being sworn in as Prime Minister on television at her home in Gandhinagar.

Forty four ministers are being sworn in along with Mr Modi; BJP president Rajnath Singh will be his number 2 in government as Home Minister. Among the top ministers is Arun Jaitley who will be Finance Minister and will also have the additional charge of Defence.

Sushma Swaraj, senior BJP leader, will be Minister for External Affairs. Twenty three Cabinet rank ministers, 10 Ministers of State with Independent charge and 11 Ministers of State will take oath today.

Last night, Mr Modi promised that he would head a lean Cabinet with a focus on "minimum government and maximum governance". He is expected to merge and restructure several ministries.

The Prime Minister-designate's swearing-in ceremony on Monday evening can not only be watched on television screens but can also be heard live on mobile and landline phones.

A statement from mobile marketing company VivaConnect has said that the ceremony can be heard live by calling +91 022 4501 4501, IANS reported.

The statement said it was in partnership with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), to provide easy access to the oath-taking ceremony.

Users can dial the number 6 pm onward on Monday.

The event is also being telecast live on the Rashtrapati Bhavan website.

Guinness announced Dr Alexander Imich, a parapsychologist and retired chemist, from the New York City as the new oldest living man.

The latest record was verified after the previous title holder Arturo Licata of Italy passed away last month aged 111 years and 357 days.

Imich was born in present-day Czestochowa, Poland, which was then part of the Russian Empire, on February 4, 1903.

In 1951, he and his wife, Wela, immigrated to the US from the Soviet Union and Imich has lived in Manhattan alone since she passed away in 1986, Guinness said.

While his own longevity has surprised even himself, Imich credits his life to good genes and an overall moderate, healthy lifestyle by which he has eaten very leanly his entire life.

Imich's passion and curiosity about parapsychology shaped his motto, which is that one should "always pursue what one loves and is passionate about."

Robert Young, Senior Gerontology Consultant for Guinness World Records, verified the latest achievement by utilising Imich's birth record, immigration papers and university records.

Stuart Claxton, a Guinness World Records Official, visited Imich in his home in Manhattan's Upper West Side to present him with his official plaque.

Imich's history and recognition encompasses a variety of milestones, Guinness said.

"He is both the oldest living war veteran and the first 'oldest living man' to hold a doctorate," Young said.

Misao Okawa of Japan, who is aged 116, is currently recognised by Guinness as the world's 'Oldest Living Person' overall. She was born on March 5, 1898 and lives in Osaka.

The greatest fully authenticated age to which any human has ever lived is 122 years, 164 days by Jeanne Louise Calment of France, said Guinness.

“We will give a kilo of fresh fish free of cost to the public on May 26 as part of celebrations to mark our leader Modi assuming the office of the Prime Minister,”S Satishkumar, State president of BJP’s fishermen wing told PTI.

Fish varieties to be distributed include popular ones like ‘Sankara’ and ‘Kola’ and would be given to 200 persons, he added.

Using a collective term “NaMo fish” to denote several varieties, the BJP leader said each beneficiary would be given one popular variety.

During the LS poll campaign, apart from the popular ‘Namo tea stalls’, the TN BJP held a novel election drive -‘NaMo’ mobile fish stalls—to reach out to the electorate.

These stalls were set up in cargo vans through which BJP campaigned that the ‘inaction’ of the UPA regime had resulted in no safety for fishermen of Tamil Nadu, with frequent attacks and arrests by the Sri Lankan Navy.

BJP had also promised a separate ministry for the welfare of fishermen and all issues affecting them during electioneering.

The company informed the Bombay Stock Exchange, citing "very low productivity, growing indiscipline, critical shortage of funds, lack of demand for its core product ... and large accumulation of liabilities".

“The company’s best efforts to revive the unit have failed. Given the circumstances, it has no alternative but to declare suspension of work at the plant with effect from May 24, 2014,” a spokesperson from the CK Birla Group company said in a statement on Saturday.

Modeled on British Morris Oxford III, the Ambassador was the first car to be made in India, and once held huge share in India’s passenger vehicles market of the ‘70s and early ‘80s but lost its lead when companies like Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai and Ford came to India, relegating it to a mere ‘sarkari’ (government) vehicle.

The design of Ambassador, easily the most recognisable car on India's roads, has not changed in nearly sixty years. Though still used as a taxi in some Indian cities, the Ambassador has long been a preferred choice of a dwindling share of bureaucrats and politicians, usually in white with a red beacon on top and a chauffeur at the wheel. Though it is still the official vehicle for some of the country’s elite, including the Army chief and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, a lot of politicians have moved on to SUVs and sedans from the likes of Mercedes Benz, Audi and BMW.

From a high of 24,000 units a year in the mid-1980s to under 12,000 a decade later, Hindustan Motors was able to sell about 2,200 Ambassadors in the fiscal year ended in March 2014, a tiny share of the 1.8 million passenger cars sold during the year in India, according to industry data.

In the final days of the Uttarpara plant, the 2,600-odd workers were manufacturing just five cars a day; while Maruti Suzuki manufactures 5,000 vehicles daily.

Industry watchers say chances of revival of the "grand old lady" of the Indian car market are slim. 

it would be difficult for the "grand old lady" of the Indian car market to make a comeback. HM has been referred to the Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction (BIFR) which is meant for sick units. 

“Efforts to find strategic investors have not materialized and the company faces a critical shortage of funds. The company’s efforts are falling short of the large liabilities that have been accumulated,” the statement issued by HM.

The mission was launched after the declaration of the election results and within 10 days, 20,000-odd BJP and RSS activists had joined hands. The party has also plans to form a ten-member team of journalists to rebrand the image of the party and is all set to rope in several top journos.

The BJP has created two separate Facebook pages and a group to spread the message. The tag line of the promotion is “Let us work together to make mission 71+ Kerala a reality. Join Mission 71+ and support Kerala BJP.”

The pages were launched immediately after Mr Modi won the majority. The party claims that the Left parties have almost lost their power in the state which is evident in the six percent vote share they got in the last polls. BJP supporters also hope that the decay of the Left and the Congress parties will fuel the growth of the BJP in the state. It has posted several posts exposing the groupism in the Congress and Left parties.

According to top sources, the BJP is planning to enhance the visibility of the party’s activities in the media. For this, it has approached several like-minded senior journalists also. Sources hinted that a cell will be formed soon for promoting the party in the state.

At first I felt like a fish out of water. I had lived and studied on a university campus for five years before marriage, attending classes wearing T-shirts, shorts or pyjamas and even bathroom slippers. And here I was, in the Indian Army, among the best-dressed and finest ladies one can ever find.

The most important lesson I learnt was ‘humility’. Even on a bad day, if there is a social event you may have to attend by compulsion. Your humility is put to test when you have to put on a cheerful face at the party, even if you are frowning inside. There is no room for impatience or arrogance here.

Packing and unpacking household stuff during posting in and posting out, usually once every two years, can be really frustrating. We ‘live out of the box’. And when your husband is attending a course, it becomes all the more hectic, with frequent movement from one place to another. I have lived in three make-shift arrangements plus a modified field area (near a forest), the same year my daughter was born, since my husband was undergoing training at that time. All that travelling without getting rest post partum, cleaning up the ‘quarter’ which was teaming with insects and other creepy-crawlies, a baby in my hand but no help from a busy husband, and no other help around, was nerve-racking. It tested my physical and mental strength. But over the years, I have learned to cope.

There is such a time in every Army wife’s life when her husband is in field tenure, foreign posting or on exercise. You double up as both father and mother to your children. You have to manage everything on your own. Even if you want to crib eloquently about your problems to your faraway husband on the phone, you may not do it because you feel he shouldn’t be bogged down by your worries. He needs peace of mind to do his duties well, amid difficulties and danger. You know he is a soldier first and a husband only next. Then there is always the fear looming at the back of your mind over your husband’s safety. There is the inevitable long wait for his safe return, which is a test of patience.

There are so many of us ladies who have given the go-by to career opportunities for the sake of being with our husbands. Many of us are content teaching in schools nearby. The more enterprising ones amongst us might find a 9-to-5 job in the private sector locally. It may be less than satisfactory, and sometimes may not fetch enough money for even the monthly expeditions to the beauty parlour. You still may have to depend on your husband for pocket money. But at least you get to remain engaged for the day. I have met many highly qualified women who have left good jobs for the sake of being there for the husband and children.

We have learned to live in any kind of situation that life in the Army throws at us. For us, home is where the Army sends us. And behind every strong soldier, there is an even stronger braveheart — who is the Army wife.

The ceremony will have a number of foreign dignitaries in attendance including SAARC leaders. 

The swearing-in ceremony of the 15th Prime Minister of India would be attended by nearly 4,000 guests, including leaders like Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

President Pranab Mukherjee will administer the oath of office and secrecy to 63-year-old Narendra Modi and his Council of Ministers in the presence of a host of leaders, including outgoing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and party Vice President Rahul Gandhi, besides leaders of various other parties and Chief Ministers of a number of states. 

Mr Modi's mother Hiraben is also expected to attend the ceremony.

Besides Mr Sharif and Mr Rajapaksa, Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, Nepal Prime Minister Sushil Koirala and Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom will be among the foreign dignitaries attending the ceremony. 

Bangladesh will be represented by Speaker Shirin Chaudhury as Premier Sheikh Hasina is travelling to Japan at the time of the swearing-in ceremony.

This is the first time that the heads of states of SAARC nations have been invited to attend the swearing-in ceremony of an Indian Prime Minister.

Following in the footsteps of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Mr Modi had expressed his desire to be sworn in at the forecourt so that a large number of visitors can be accommodated for the ceremony.

The historic Durbar Hall of the Rashtrapati Bhawan is the usual venue for such ceremonies. But since it can accommodate only about 500 people, the forecourt was decided as the suitable venue.

Malia, 16, currently the best known among them, is President Obama's daughter. Although she has shown no political inclination - unlike Chelsea Clinton - one never knows how things will pan out once she gets rid of those braces. Mila is President George "Dubya" Bush's granddaughter from his sororal twin daughter Jenna. She is just over a year old. Perhaps too early for a political debut, but again, you never know. Five generations of political lineage starting with her great, great grandfather Prescott Bush can't be ended so easily, now that her granduncle Jeb Bush seems likely to take a shot at the White House in 2016. 

And Miraya? That's closer home - she is Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's daughter, only 12 and still in boarding school, but surely on the lips of some desperate Congress workers blessed with the survival instincts of the order Blattaria? The US and India rid themselves of colonial rule derived from monarchial expeditions with the pledge to give power to the people; political power had to be earned, not inherited. Notwithstanding such idealistic sentiments , dynastic succession took root in both countries from the get-go . John Adams served as the US' first vice president and second president, and after a couple of other founding fathers had their turn, his son John Quincy Adams served as the country's sixth president. 

In India, Jawaharlal Nehru, scion of Motilal Nehru, began grooming his daughter Indira very early on. She in turn groomed her son Sanjay Gandhi, and when he died, persuaded his elder brother Rajiv Gandhi to take up the mantle. When he died, it "fell" on his widow and son to continue the family banner even as Sanjay Gandhi's widow and her son too rode in from the BJP side - all four Gandhis are now in Parliament, an institution that is home to nepotism - on all sides, in all parties. 

After tailing off for a bit, the US is now catching up. After the Adams succession, it took the country more than a century to repeat the fatherson feat in the White House when George H W Bush became the nation's 43rd President after his father served as the 41st. Now his brother Jeb Bush could be shooting to become the 45th President, with a likely challenge from the wife of the 42nd President, Hillary Clinton, making it a Bush-Clinton match-up for the second time in less than 25 years. 

It may not even be the last time, considering there are several other Bushes in the country's political shrubbery. Jeb Bush's son George Pierce Bush won an election in March this year to become Texas Land Commissioner to start his career as an elected official. Meanwhile , Chelsea Clinton has said she might run for office some day, after marrying into another political family . Her husband, investment banker Marc Mezvinsky, is the son of Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky , a former Pennsylvania Democratic Congresswoman , and former Iowa Democratic Congressman Edward Mezvinsky. 

Of course, the most famous political clan in America is the Kennedys, who count one president (John F. Kennedy), one attorney general (Robert F. Kennedy), three senators (John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy and Edward Kennedy) and three congressmen (Patrick Kennedy, Joseph Kennedy II and his son Joseph Kennedy III), one lieutenant governor (Kathleen Kennedy Townsend) and three ambassadors (family patriarch Joseph Kennedy, who served as ambassador to England in Franklin Roosevelt's administration, his daughter Jean, who was an ambassador to Ireland during the Clinton administration ; and JFK's daughter Caroline Kennedy, the Obama administration's US ambassador to Japan), among other minor luminaries. 

Every time the Kennedys threaten to fade away, a new Kennedy pops up. This is something the Rockefellers could be hoping for. Like the Kennedys, the Rockefellers have been a constant in American politics and public life, and the decision by Senator Jay Rockefeller, a West Virginia Democrat, to retire in 2014 means the US will be without a Rockefeller in high office for the first time in four decades and just the second time since the 1950s. But no need to panic; help is on the way. In addition to the proliferating Bushes and Clintons, America is blessed with several political dynasties, including the Landrieus of Louisiana (who include two New Orleans mayors and one senator), the Hutchinsons of Arkansas (one congressman and one senator), the Pryors of Arkansas (two senators), the Meeks of Florida (two members of Congress), the Kilpatricks of Michigan (one congresswoman and one mayor), the Carnahans of Missouri (two congressmen, a governor and a senator), and the Udall family, which includes multiple members of the Senate, the House, city councils and various other offices spanning both major political parties over more than a century. 

Some Americans find this disturbing . Former First Lady Barbara Bush herself has expressed dismay that the country cannot look beyond the Bushes and a few other elite American families. "I think this is a great American country, great country, and if we can't find more than two or three families to run for high office, that's silly, because there are great governors and great eligible people to run," she said once, hoping that Jeb Bush would not run for the White House despite his excellent qualifications because he would inherit all the enemies of his father and his brother. (" What date is Mother's Day this year? Asking for a friend," Jeb Bush tweeted in response). 

But others, like the Clintons, have been more sanguine about extending the family tradition that is now only into the second generation. In fact, some commentators think the whole issue of dynastic succession has been overhyped. "Please, let's give the hyperbole a rest. America has repeatedly lived up to its ideal as the place where anyone from any background can become president," Bill Scher, a political analyst, wrote recently, arguing that one race between two impeccably qualified people with familiar last names (Bush and Clinton) "is not going to suddenly shut out all the community organizers, peanut farmers, and haberdashers who dream of being president some day." 

By Scher's reckoning, of the 17 presidents the US has had in the last 100 years, only four came from wealthy, aristocratic, politically connected families, and two of those were Bushes (plus a Roosevelt and a Kennedy). The other 13, he says, came from "earthier stock." None had parents in national politics, and the fathers of future presidents were mostly a mix of farmers, grocery store owners, and salesmen. "The American electorate has been meritocratic, and not aristocratic . One race isn't going to change that," Scher maintains. 

But critics of the system point out that dynastic succession is becoming more common - not less - in US elected office. As it often happens in South Asia, at least 18 American women have been elected to the House or the Senate to fill seats left vacant by the deaths of their husbands . This is now such a common political practice that such elections and appointments have a term: widow's succession. And nearly 10% of the members of US Congress had relatives enter Congress ahead of them. So while a Clinton vs Bush is quite likely on the cards in 2016, it is not improbable again in 2032.

There no more exists an affair-proof marital concept. Why women mostly cheat, well is a matter of introspection for men as partners, at least a lot of times.

According to a leading website ‘Marriage is not the issue. Commitment and loyalty or the lack thereof is at the crux of this. After all, marriage is a legal and/or spiritual binding of two people, but if commitment isn’t there and loyalty becomes a matter of subjectivity or convenience, the marriage is already nonexistent. Cheating then becomes a symptom of a secretly failed marriage.’

It is not in fact a matter of all white or all black any more. The territory is more often considered grey. The very first sorts that strike your head would be: Do people who cheat want to leave their current marriage? Are they secretly trying to get caught so they’ll have an excuse to get out? The answer lies in either cheating on your partner or introspecting before taking the big leap.

Consider an example: A woman becomes nothing more than a mother, housekeeper and wife who keeps the family running smoothly. She probably enters a phase where she constantly feels frumpy and unattractive. Her self-esteem is in the gutter and she no longer feels sexy, beautiful or desirable. Enters a man who compliments her, shows interest in her emotionally, tells her she is beautiful. A man who looks at her and sees something other than a mother, housekeeper and wife. She finds the much needed validation, and well, begins to waver even though deep down she might not want to.

Even as some approaches reek of negativity and vulnerability, other approaches fathom manipulation and adultery with the drop of a hat.

Women weep in possible corners for filling in the vacuum present in their current relationship. Some exceed and re-gain the lost soul of the relation, and others brush off into treachery.

Recent reports state that an Online dating website Ashley Madison has a community that is comprised of 70 percent men and 30 percent women. 

But the only sane and probably the only wise thought behind the audacity of wavering trust was to find an answer from within.

Yes, unflinching faith and consistent admiration for women work wonders! And whilst it works very well for the Venus community, it stands true for the Martians counterparts.

The website further mentions "Men in established relationships and marriage need to remember that women are women first and foremost—and the take up the roles of wives and mothers second. If a man stops bringing passion and effort to his relationship and stops treating her as a desired woman, he shouldn’t be surprised when she feels forced to fill her needs elsewhere."

For many it is initially like asking the newly-vegetarian fox to guard the henhouse, but that is what it is supposed to be. Period!

New Delhi: Gujarati popular dish kela methi nu shaak, mouth-watering 'Chicken chettinad' from Tamil Nadu, Punjab's Dal makhani and Bengali dish Potol Dorma will be served at a private dinner hosted by President Pranab Mukherjee for visiting foreign dignitaries on Monday .

The visiting leaders from SAARC countries and Mauritius, who will be here for the swearing-in of Narendra Modi as country's 15th Prime Minister, will have a lavish spread out at 'Yellow Drawing Room' of Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Dishes for the menu which are popular in different parts of the country were finalised by Rashtrapati Bhavan and External Affairs Ministry officials in consultations with in-house chefs.

The dishes to be served in the main course to the foreign dignitaries include 'Prawns Sukka' or 'Chicken chettinad' Birbali Kofta curry (Mughlai), Jaipuri Bhindi (Rajasthan), Dal makhani and Potol Dorma.

Gujarati dish 'kela methi nu shaak' has bitterness of the methi which is complemented by the sweetness of bananas.

The VVIP will be served with chilled melon soup with snacks including chicken and mutton tikka, tandoori aaloo and arabi kebab as starters. For desert, they will be served with mango 'shrikhand', Sandesh and fruits.

At their departure from the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the VVIPs will be given a 'Paan' as mouth freshener.

The visiting VVIPs include Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, Prime Ministers of Bhutan and Nepal Lyonchen Tshering Tobgay and Sushil Koirala and Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom.

Speaker Shirin Chaudhury will represent Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as she will be traveling to Japan.

Besides the SAARC nations, Mauritian Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam will also attend the swearing-in ceremony.

The dinner will also be attended by the new Prime Minister and his ministerial team.

After the swearing-in, refreshments will be provided to nearly 4,000 guests where six snacks, including 'dhokla' - a Gujarati vegetarian food, will be provided.

Asked whether 'dhokla' was being served keeping in mind the fact that the new Prime Minister is from Gujarat, Omita Paul, Secretary to President Pranab Mukherjee, said in a lighter vein, "No, no, it is a voluntary action."

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan ruled the red carpet this year at the Cannes International Film Festival in all looks and impressed everyone. She left the city in even more glamorous avatar. Adding to her stunning appearance was her two and a half year old daughter Aaradhya Bachchan who walked with her mom.

The Miss Universe was spotted alongside her mother Brinda Rai and daughter Aaradhya Bachchan at the Nice Airport. The actress looked a stellar show in a deep neck dress paired with black leggings and an overcoat. She completed the look with yellow Gucci bag.

The yummy mummy lost all the weight she was criticised for last year at the Cannes and dropped jaws this year in five of the best looks she has carried pretty well.

Aaradhya looked a cute sight in floral top, light blue denims and pink shoes as she held her mom's hand throughout.

When Narendra Modi takes oath on Monday, he will be the first Indian prime minister perhaps whose inauguratioon will become a globally-watched event. The invite sent to the regional leaders is being seen as a show of strength for the new dispensation. 

It would be history in the making, in more senses than one. A man who once helped his family make ends meet by vending tea at a railway station in between his classes, and who once wandered around the country to find his spiritual moorings, will take his oath as India's 14th prime minister on Monday in what would be a momentous occasion for India's polity, its neighbourhood and its global outreach, IANS reports.

In the presence of government heads and leaders of eight countries, Narendrabhai Damodardas Modi, 63, will be sworn in by President Pranab Mukherjee at a grand, open air ceremony, attended by about 4,000 guests, including foreign diplomats, in the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan, the presidential mansion, that will be watched throughout India and in international capitals.

Modi scripted history by getting the Bharatiya Janata Party a full majority in the Lok Sabha, the House of People in the Indian parliament, for the first time. After his meteoric rise from a party functionary to chief minister of Gujarat, where he ruled for 13 years, and then to prime minister-designate, Modi embarked on a foreign policy initiative that left even his bitter critics disarmed.

Sharif on Saturday confirmed he will attend the oath-taking ceremony of Modi, a move that has created anticipation among people in both countries. Bilateral relationship has been bedevilled by what India views as Pakistan's hesitation in taking action against the perpetrators of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.

Modi, who got congratulatory messages from several world leaders, is apparently keen to hit the ground running in his foreign policy outreach by demonstrating his government's keenness to improve relations with the neighbours and beyond.

Apart from Sharif, the dignitaries who would be present include Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, Nepali Prime Minister Sushil Koirala and Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom.

Bangladesh will be represented by Speaker Shirin Chaudhury, as Sheikh Hasina will be away on an official visit to Japan, while Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam will also be present, representing a nation with a large Indian ethnic population.

Official sources said it is the first time leaders from the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation had been invited for the swearing-in of an Indian prime minister. Ambassadors and high commissioners of countries present in the capital are being invited, again in a first for an oath-taking.

Former presidents Pratibha Patil and A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, outgoing prime minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, and Bollywood celebrities including Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan and Lata Mangeshkar are among those invited for the swearing in of Modi and his council of ministers. All MPs are also on the guest list, the sources said.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the event with Delhi Police putting in place multi-layered security around the venue. The Indian Air Force will be on high alert with an "impregnable" air defence system having been put in place as the event is in the open.

The only spoilsport, besides the hot summer weather, could be a squall and dust storm, or even sudden rain.

But Rashtrapati Bhavan officials are keeping their fingers crossed.

"We're hoping the weather will hold," said Omita Paul, secretary to President Mukherjee, briefing the media on the arrangements.

It it the third time the swearing in of new prime minister will take place in the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan, the earlier occasions being oath taking of former prime ministers Chandra Shekhar and Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Thrissur: In a tragic incident, two Plus One girl students were found dead in a well at Chovalloorpadi near Guruvayoor on Sunday.

The deceased were identified as Greeshma and Anjali, natives of Thaikkadu, but what caused their death is yet to be known.

Family and relatives started the search on Sunday morning after realising that the girls were missing. The search party located the bodies of the two girls in a well.

The corpses were taken out by the police, who have filed a case.

An anti-Modi Facebook post has landed Devu Chodankar, a shippig engineer from Goa, on the wrong side of the law as he remains absconding after being summoned twice by the court.

An FIR was lodged against Devu Chodankar for posting inflammatory comments on March 23 on the Facebook group page Goa+, which has a following of 47,000 people. On Thursday, Chodankar's anticipatory bail plea was rejected by a trial court in Goa.

Goan businessman Atul Pai Kane, a former head of the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) in Goa, filed the FIR against Chodankar claiming that the Facebook post was a larger gameplan to promote communal and social disharmony in the state.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister of Goa Manohar Parrikar ruled out any role of government in the case, saying on Twitter that the anticipatory bail was rejected by court as per evidence, after Chodankar's lawyer Jatin Naik alleged that the case was a political revenge after his client had stopped supporting the BJP.

They may not have shared the same roof over their heads for decades, but as Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi prepares to move to Delhi from Gujarat, his wife Jashodaben could find herself under the same security cover as her husband.

SPG rules say 62-year-old Jashodaben is 100 per cent entitled to elite Special Protection Group (SPG) cover and the force will have to provide security to her as Modi is set to take over as the Prime Minister, said a former senior IPS officer.

Former secretary (security) and ex-director general of police of Madhya Pradesh, Subhash Chandra Tripathi, told PTI that the SPG Act clearly states it will have to provide security to the immediate family members of the Prime Minister.

The rule thus applies to Jashodaben as well, irrespective of the status of the ties between herself and her husband, he pointed out.

Tripathi had served as the secretary of security during the tenure of former Prime Minister IK Gujral.

Jashodaben lives with her two brothers in a small village called Ishwarwada in Mehasana district of north Gujarat. The SPG Act, which was enacted in 1988 and amended in 1991, 1994 and 1999, provides for 'Proximate Security' to the Prime Minister and the members of his immediate family.

Any former prime ministers or members of their immediate families are also entitled to SPG security for a period of 10 years from the date on which they cease to hold office.

Those in the establishment said that a protectee may refuse security cover, but only if there was no threat perception against him or her. It was pointed out that security may be mandatorily provided in case of the slightest apprehension over the safety of a protectee.

Modi had for the first time acknowledged Jashodaben as his wife while filing his nomination papers for the Vadodara Lok Sabha seat.

Modi and Jashodaben were married in 1968 when they had been teenagers. According to media reports, when they first met, Modi had spoken to her about his dream of serving the country and also advised her to pursue her studies. Jashodaben retired as a school teacher and now leads a quiet life.

Social activist Kiran Bedi has said that she is ready to be BJP's chief ministerial candidate. She also said that the people of Delhi need a Gujarat model.

"If they ask me then I will accept it. I had refused earlier when they asked,but now I will accept," she said.

Former IPS official and Team Anna member Kiran Bedi, who has been heaping praise on Narendra Modi in the past couple of months, on Tuesday dropped hints of joining politics.

"I no more rule out entering Indian political service on capability basis. I am moving towards some flexibility in this," Bedi tweeted.

When asked whether she was contemplating joining BJP, Bedi refused to answer.

Bedi, who was part of core team of Anna Hazare during his agitation for a strong Lokpal legislation, has openly been hailing Modi's leadership saying he could lead the country effectively.

"Feel as if the country was orphaned past several years.

It finally has a guardian who is caring and capable! We can now focus on creativity," she tweeted after election results were declared on May 16.

"All who were spreading lies and apprehensions about @narendramodi got punished! Indian Voter saw it all! It's a victory of good intentions!," she said in another tweet.

On Monday, expelled AAP MLA Vinod Kumar Binny had called upon BJP, AAP and Congress to consider Kiran Bedi for the post of Delhi chief minister, saying holding fresh Assembly elections would be a wastage of public money.

Odisha Raj Bhavan is all set to conduct the swearing-in ceremony of the new council of ministers under the leadership of Naveen Patnaik today, a Governor's Secretariat release said.

"The swearing-in ceremony of the new council of ministers led by Sri Naveen Patnaik will be held on May 21 at 10.10am in the Raj Bhavan premises, Bhubaneswar," it said.

Adequate security arrangements in and around the Governor House has been made, Commissioner of police R P Sharma said.

With a large turnout of people expected to witness the oath taking ceremony, LED screens have been installed outside the Raj Bhawan.

Governor Dr SC Jamir would administer the oath of office and secrecy to Patnaik at Raj Bhawan.

Bollywood's reigning queen Deepika Padukone will add a dash of glamour to the the UEFA Champions League to be held in Lisbon, Spain, Saturday. She is "honoured" to be a guest at the event's finale.

The final will be played between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.

"(I am) Honoured to be UEFA's guest for the Champions League final in Lisbon. Looking forward to a competitive game of football with two of Europe's best teams," Deepika said in a statement.

The match will be shown live on TEN Action.

There was a buzz in the social media that the 48-year-old actor had apparently tweeted that he will leave India if Modi becomes Prime Minister, a claim that Shah Rukh denied.

The actor took to Twitter to clear the confusion.

"Good time to tell all fools who are talking of a tweet that I didn't tweet, you suck as much as the grammar of that fake tweet & I'm being kind," he posted on Monday.

In fact, on May 16 SRK tweeted, "What a solid mandate given by the people. It proves again that the only constant is change. Now to move forward with strong and active faith, India."

The confusion arose when TV actor Kamaal R Khan, who uses shortened version of his name KRK on Twitter, boasted that he was leaving India following Modi's electoral win.

"So I am leaving India forever as I promised. I don't know if SRK and others will keep their promise but I will keep," Kamaal, a former 'Bigg Boss' contestant, had posted.

Continuing with her shake-ups in the government and the party ranks post-Lok Sabha elections, AIADMK supremo and Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Tuesday sacked Labour Minister K P Munusamy from the cabinet and from the party's two key posts.

Rural Industries Minister P Mohan would hold additional charge of the Labour portfolio held by Munusamy, a Raj Bhavan statement said.

Earlier, in a brief statement, Jayalalithaa, also the party General Secretary, said Munusamy was being relieved as Krishnagiri district secretary.

AIADMK Headquarters Secretary and Higher Education Minister P Palaniappan will handle the party affairs in Krishnagiri till someone is appointed to the post.

In a seperate release, Jayalalithaa said Munusamy was also being removed from the party's disciplinary committee, an elite league which has only three other members, including Finance Minister O Panneerslevam, and replaced him with Salem Rural Secretary and Highways and Minor Ports Minister Edappady K Palanisamy.

Thiruvananthapuram: The state will not sanction new Plus Two schools this year.

The decision not to sanction Plus Two schools came at a UDF meeting after Finance Minister K.M.Mani opposed the sanctioning of Plus Two schools.

Mani told the meeting that without considering the financial aspect, schools cannot be sanctioned.

The differences of opinion with regard to the list of schools was another reason behind the decision.

The ace director posted a message on his Twitter handle saying, "My prob with Kochhediyan is I luv Rajnikant's boobs how they r n I really don't undrstand why he wants to enhance thm through 3 D animation."

Soon, fans reacted to the director's post. While some fans laughed it off, some others were not happy with the comment. One person asked the director if he was drunk. However, Varma has not reacted to any of the remarks posted by the fans.

This is not the first time that the director has taken digs at film stars. Few years back, Varma drew flak for his comment on Amitabh Bachchan. "Just watched Bbhuddah and I am. angry with Bachchan that he is such a ch**iya not to do films like this and am such a l**** not to realize this. Just saw some scenes of Bbhuddah and I am fu***g super angry with the f****g angry man for not doing more films like this all these f****g years," he had tweeted.

Later, he tweeted, "For the people who took offence to my language I am rephrasing my compliment...Bbhuddah is a very nice film and Amitji has acted very well."

The director was going through a rough phase with many of his films failing to set the cash registers ringing. However, his last release "Rowdy" starring Mohan Babu and Vishnu was critically acclaimed as well as commercially successful. He is ready with his next project "Patta Pagalu," a horror flick, starring Rajasekhar and Swati Dixit. The film is expected to hit the screens soon.

Thrissur (Kerala): Popular Malayalam film actor Innocent said here on Tuesday that if Narendra Modi does good, then it should be appreciated.

Independent candidate Innocent, 69, is the centre of attraction after his giant killing feat in the Lok Sabha election with his victory over Congressman P.C. Chacko in Chalakudy constituency.

"I am of the opinion that if prime minister-designate Narendra Modi does good, it should be appreciated. May be as a party, there might be difference of opinion, but for me if a person does a good job it deserves praise," Innocent said.

Incidentally, while Innocent was addressing the media here, Modi was being elected the BJP parliamentary party leader in Delhi, thereby paving the way for his becoming the country's next prime minister.

"The problem is if Modi does good and we oppose it, people will go with him," added Innocent, whose poll victory has left many baffled.

Last week when he came to receive the official winner's certificate from the returning officer after getting elected from Chalakudy constituency, he told onlookers: "Yes, people might be wondering how I managed to win," prompting them to burst into laughter.

Innocent heads the powerful Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) and is expected to continue as its chief till the next general body meeting scheduled in June.

When asked if he will essay movie roles, pat came the reply, "My first priority is to work for people and if I get time after that, I will act," says the comedian who has featured in more than 500 films in a career spanning over four decades.

Innocent, who hails from Iranjalakuda near Thrissur, has studied only till Class VIII. But he takes pride in his poor educational status.

Ahead of the poll results, he said that failure is nothing new to him as he failed in almost every class till he stopped studying.

He is now gearing up to be in Delhi and take his seat in the Lok Sabha. He says, "I have been to Delhi a few times, but never been in the Lok Sabha. Of course, I have seen the Kerala Assembly."