Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has congratulated Barack Obama on his election as the president of the United States and said his "journey to the White House" would inspire people around the world.

"Your extraordinary journey to the White House will inspire people not only in your country but also around the world," Manmohan Singh said in his congratulatory message.

It was a high political drama in full public, where Bhratiya Jan Shakti party (BJS) President Uma Bharati slapped a top party functionary, then kissed him on the forehead and later gave up food to atone for her loss of control, but eventually the party worker resigned from his post on Wednesday evening.

All this high-drama occurred at Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh. Anil Rai, the BJS Chhindwara general secretary has announced to resign from the party

Punjab Government has refused to allow former Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) chief A P Pandey available for a Central posting. Union Government has sent a letter to Punjab in this regard. But the state govt. is not replying to that one.

"We wrote to the state Govt.on September 11, asking if 1974-batch IPS officer AP Pandey, who stands empanelled as Director-General, could be made available for Central deputation. The letter categorically said the Government's response should reach us by September 16. However, we have still not received any reply," said a senior officer in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

The Union Government has decided to send a Ministerial committee (GoM) to riot-hit Kandhamal of Orissa to take stock of the situation within a fort night.

Central Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar will head the team. Other members of the team are Social Justice Minister Meira Kumar, Tribal Affairs Minister P R Kyndiah and Transport Minister T R Baalu.

The team, during its visit, would inspect the relief camps and would also discuss the situation with the state Government.

According to sources, the Ministerial team is likely to apprise the Centre of its observation before the beginning of Parliament session. The session is scheduled to begin on 10 December.

V.K. Suri, Vice-Chancellor of Chandrashekhar Azad Agriculture University, who last month shut the campus doors on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, tendered his resignation on Tuesday.

In a surprising move, Nepal’s new Maoist government asked its ambassador to India, Durgesh Man Singh, to return to Kathmandu immediately.