News Wrap: Cong hit back at Mamata; Inflation on the rise

- The Congress Party were largely silent after yesterday’s dramatic U-turn from Mamata Banerjee and Mulayam Singh Yadav. But they have now broken their silence to slam Banerjee for her lack of decorum. Main Congress spokesman Janardhan Dwivedhi gave the first indication of the party’s displeasure with both Mamata and Mulayam, when he said that the Congress could not spare Manmohan Singh to be elevated to the President’s post and would not back the two other suggested candidates.

The Trinamool Congress leader hit back however and said that there was no way that the ‘high handedness’ of the Congress party could continue. She added that Sonia Gandhi had given her sanction to make the names they had discussed public, and that she had not violated any decorum. She has also said that she will not be attending a key UPA meet of all its allies to decide the Presidential candidate.

- Over to economy and more bad news as the wholesale price index for May rose 7.55 percent, in line with expectation and higher than the April rate of 7.23 percent, making a rate cut by the RBI doubtful. The core inflation number came in at 4.99 percent, which excludes volatile food and fuel prices, giving the RBI room to cut its policy rate at a meeting on Monday. The government also upwardly revised the inflation rate for March from 6.89 to 7.69 percent, the highest in 2012.

- Controversial self-styled godman Nithyananda, arrested in an assault case, was today granted bail by a Ramanagara court.Nithyananda was sent to one-day police custody yesterday after he surrendered before the court. He is already facing criminal charges including rape and out on bail after his arrest in 2010, courted fresh trouble when police on 8 June booked him and his followers for allegedly assaulting a mediaperson during a press conference at his ashram at Bidadi.

- Washington wants India to fill up the post-US vacuum in Afghanistan and play a bigger role training Afghan security forces. This happens pretty close to a NATO deadline to withdraw all its combat troops from that country by the end of 2014. This is ironic as the same US administration wanted India to downsize its footprint in Afghanistan till a couple of years ago for fear of offending Pakistan. Now US criticism of Pakistan is no longer hush- hush.

- Over to sport and Euro 2012 results from last night. Silvestre Varela saved an out-of-form Cristiano Ronaldo’s blues after he scored an 87th minute winner against Denmark. The Danes had come back from 2-0 down to equalise, only to lose so late. In the other big match, the Netherlands are close to being knocked out after losing to Germany 2-1.

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