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Lankan Tamil woman held in Madras

Rajiv's death fails to dampen Cong mania
NEW DELHI. May 28: Sobtl Prakash always votes for India s Congress Party. His father did. and so did his grandfather, reports Reuter.
And he doesn't expect the bomb blast that killed party leader and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi is going to change that
"I believe tn the party very much," he said as he hid from the blistering 40 celahis-plus (104 fahrenheit) heat in a cramped bookstore tn the old quarter of Delhi.
"In the near future things don't seem so good. The other leaders are Just not the same. But what is the use of saying anything more? It Is my party."
India's weary voters, cynical after months of caste and reh gious violence, the country's bloodiest election campaign and Gandhi's assassination, are resigned to three more weeks of campaigning before the postponed elections are completed and a new government formed.
But even as India's political system wobbles under the pressure, voters said Gandhi's death, while shocking, hasn't changed their political views.
There are no good choices now. but there weren't any before either," said ballpoint pen-maker Vipin Mehra as crowds swarmed through the sweltering alleys of old Delhi on Monday, the first day of business since Friday's cremation ceremony.
If Gandhi's Italian-born widow, Sonia, had yielded to pressure and become party leader, it would have created a surge of popularity for Congress, he said.
"We Indians are very emo tional people We would haw been easily carried away on a wave for her." he said
But Mrs Gandhi has refused all efforts to draft her into leading the party
Instead, senior party lead ers are expected this week to
ask veteran politician Naraslmha Rao. 70. a former Foreign Minister, to take over as Acting President
That would mark a formal end to the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty that ruled India for all but five years since independence.
Rajiv's grandfather. Jaws hartal Nehru, was India s first Prime Minister. His mother. Indira, was Prime Minister until she was gunned down by her Sikh bodyguards as she strolled tn the garden of her New Delhi home in 1984
"After Indira died, everyone said "what will happen to In dtaT Mehra said
India Just went on. Now it will be same I've seen It even the last few days The first day everyone was shocked. Now thing are back to normal."
K A Prakash, a jewellery store owner in old Delhi, said he voted for the right-wing Hindu revivalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP1 when Delhi went to the polls in the first round of voting last week.
The final two stages of the voting. postponed by Gandhi's assassination, will be on June 12 and 15.
The BJP, seen as Congress’ chief rivals, should be given a chance to show what It can do. he said.
Even before Gandhi's death. Prakash said. "Congress was always fighting with each other and dld't seem to want to do anything."
Congress had been locked in a bitter struggle with the BJP, which was eroding its traditional upper caste support, and the left-leaning National Front alliance, which was capturing some of its Mus lim and low caste voters.
J P Agarwal, a Congress Member of Parliament representing the old quarter of Delhi, said he was confident the party would not be weakened In the long term by Gandhi's death.
"The party has a strong base." he said, as a fan gently cooled his office off a narrow courtyard
"Without Rajiv Gandhi was have to face some problems, but we are much stronger than anyone else. The workers are very enthusiastic to get out the votes tn his memory." he said.
But one fabric-seller, who asked not to be identified, said it would not matter who won.
The people of India have lost Interest in this election," he said.
"People arc very tired. Most of the people of India are not very worried about the election right now- What happens will happen.
Another report from Madras adds: A Sri Lankan Tamil woman is being held for questioning in southern Tamil Nadu State in connection with the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, police said.
The 40-year-old woman, identified only as Vasanthl, was picked up in Cuddalore town, about 150 km south of the State Capital Madras, police said.
"We are questioning the woman," a police official said without giving details. Police are looking for a woman and two men believed to be accomplices of a woman who blew up herself Gandhi last Tuesday during an election rally tn Srfperampudur.
An Indian supreme court judge is to probe security aspects of the circumstances in which former Premier Rajiv Gandhi was killed in a bomb attack, a government announcement in New Delhi said Monday, reports AFP.
Justice J S Verma forming the one-judge commission was to submit his report within three months, the announcement said.
Gandhi, 47, was killed when he arrived to address a poll rally of his opposition Congress (I) party at the Southern Stath of Tamil Nadu's Snperumpudur township last Tuesday night.