BJP national general secretary Govindacharya said on Monday that his party's alliance with other parties for the Lok Sabha elections had been finalised, except in Andhra Pradesh and the names of party candidates would be declared in two phases. The first list would be announced by August 3 and the second by August 11, he added. He said the national agenda for governance would be announced prior to election. The BJP would contest 360 seats.

CWC meet today

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) will meet on Tuesday to prepare guidelines for selection of candidates in the coming Lok Sabha elections and Assembly elections in some states. This will be the first meeting of the CWC, which is the highest policy making body of the party, after the announcement of the Lok Sabha polls. The AICC has already given indications that most of the party members in the dissolved Lok Sabha would be renominated.

Cong not to support trust vote in Haryana

The fate ofHaryana chief minister Bansi Lal government hung in balance with the 12-member Congress legislature group deciding not to support him in the confidence vote at a special session of the state Assembly on July 21. However, the Congress has not decided whether it will vote against the motion or abstain from voting in the trial of strength ordered by Governor Mahabir Prasad following withdrawal of support by the party to the HVP ministry reducing it to minority.

Selection of Cong candidates underway: Jogi

The process of selection of Congress candidates for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls was underway and the list might be released by month end, party spokesman Ajit Jogi said. Talking to reporters in Raipur on Sunday, Jogi admitted that there was difficulty in selecting Congress nominees for 30 out of 40 seats in MP.

Press Council says no to exit polls

Press Council of India (PCI) on Monday asked the newspapers not to publish any exit poll survey till the coming Lok Sabha poll is over. In itsguidelines issued to the media on election reporting, the council said no newspaper shall publish exit poll surveys "however genuine they may be", till the last date of the poll is over. About pre-poll surveys, it said the newspapers should take care to preface such surveys conspicuously by indicating the institutions which have carried them.