Celebrated Singer, Padam Shree Hans Raj Hans joined Shiromani Akali DAl (SAD) on Sunday. And in return the party has awarded him a ticket to fight the Lok Sabha polls from for Jalandhar (Reserve) parliamentary constituency.

"Hans Raj Hans has formally joined SAD today and he will be party's candidate from Jalandhar (reserve) constituency", Sukhbir Badal party President, accompanied by Hans, announced at a Press Conference.

External Affairs Minister, Pranab Mukherjee said that India would resolve the Kashmir dispute through dialogue and would not accept any third party mediation. Commenting on the stance likely to be taken by U.S. President-elect Barack Obama on Kashmir issue and tax breaks, the minister said that Kashmir is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan and both countries are discussing it according to the Shimla Accord and the Lahore agreement. He, however, declined to comment on the tax issues.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has raised objections over spectrum allocation policy of the UPA government. The party wants enquiry into the 2G spectrum allocation by the union telecom ministry. CPI alleged that spectrum is allotted at very lower prices than the prevailing market prices causing loss of about Rs. 60,000 crore to the national exchequer.