WAR OF WORDS

The effect of the war of words between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Leader of Opposition L K Advani was evident as they came face-to-face in Parliament on Tuesday at a function to commemorate the birth anniversary of B R Ambedkar. The two leaders shook hands briefly but the warmth was clearly missing as Singh went about his business greeting others and later paying floral tributes to the portrait of Ambedkar. Singh was seen chatting with Vice President Hamid Ansari with a bemused looking Advani sitting between the two leaders. Advani has been attacking the Prime Minister calling him a "weak leader" in his campaign speeches for the Lok Sabha elections.

TODAY DALIT CONSTITUTE ABOVE 16 % OF INDIA'S POPULATION AND THE NUMBER OF SEATS RESERVED FOR SCHEDULED CASTE CANDIDATES HAS GONE UP FROM 79 TO 84

ISN'T THIS WAR OF WORDS BETWEEN THE LEADING PARTIES, SHOWING THE GROWING IMPORTANCE OF DALIT VOTES ?