The "party with a difference" split wide open and the cracks were evident for all to see as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) patriarch, L.K. Advani, stood firmly against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) support for an extension to the present party chief, Nitin Gadkari.
A day after the BJP passed a resolution to amend the party's constitution to give Gadkari a second term, a miffed Advani conspicuously gave a miss to the party rally in Mumbai at the end of the two-day national executive meet on Friday evening.
Though for cameras the BJP portrayed a pretty picture of togetherness, the party seemed desperately trying to smooth over its own differences. Be it Vasundhara Raje, Narendra Modi or B.S. Yeddyurappa, these strong regional leaders have been raising the banner of revolt from time-to-time.
The BJP would surely find it difficult to sidestep the latest fire that has hit it because in this big fight on one side is the veteran like Advani and on the other is the party's parent organisation RSS. And the man who brought things to a head is Gadkari.
Thanks to the BJP's steps to award Gadkari an unprecedented second term when the current term as party president gets over in December, Advani has gone into a big sulk deciding to skip the rally.
Advani was given company in this boycott by the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj. She too gave the BJP's show of strength, a miss.
BJP sources said that Advani felt aggrieved that he was not consulted on a decision as important as amending party's constitution. He feels that the decisions like this were being imposed on the BJP by the Sangh.
However, on record the BJP rubbished talks of resentment in its fold. They rejected reports of Advani and Swaraj boycotting the rally as mere speculation and attributed it to their "prior commitments".
Party spokesperson Nirmala Seetharaman said, "There is no controversy. I don't know where you can see it. Advaniji has just commenced his address to the national executive. His absence is due to a prior commitment. To link it to something else, there is no connection. Sushmaji has been there since yesterday morning without a break."
She rubbished talks of RSS interference in BJP affairs saying, "I don't want to comment on it. What is the interference?"
Advani's Jinnah praise
Gadkari's proposed re-election might have been the flashpoint, but the Advani-RSS spat was brewing for quite some time. In 2005, Advani made his now infamous trip to Pakistan, where he called Muhammad Ali Jinnah a secular leader.
On June 4, 2005, Advani said in Pakistan: "There are a few people who make history. I believe Muhammad Ali Jinnah was one such person."
From there on, the divide between Advani and the RSS only became more pronounced, signalled by the senior leader's demotion in the BJP's order of importance.
To get Gadkari a second term the RSS brokered a deal between him and Modi. That saw the matter worsen. But the truth is that in the recent past, Advani has been snubbed by the RSS on at least three occasions as his opinion was not sought on crucial decisions. This time, Advani seems in no mood of letting his unhappiness remain hidden.
Eurovision: I was misquoted, Spanish entrant insists - BBC News
Spain's Eurovision entrant has denied reports she was asked not to win by her country's public television channel.
Pastora Soler told the BBC she had been misquoted by a "very bad" journalist.
Her comments followed a widely circulated story that quoted her as saying Spain would struggle to host the event if she were to win this weekend.
Speaking on Friday, she insisted that "Spanish public television want to win and me too".
"We want to win this Eurovision," Soler told the BBC World Service. "If we win, Spain be very happy with us."
It is written in the contest rules that the public broadcaster of the nation that wins must host the following year.
"Spain have a lot of place to have the competition," the singer went on. "It's not a problem for us."
Her remarks followed an earlier interview she gave to ABC Punto Radio in which she said Spain's TVE channel would find it "really difficult" to stage the contest.
"If we were to win, it will be impossible because of the costs," she said, in an interview translated from her native tongue.
During the interview she joked that the broadcaster had asked her not to win, but immediately added that "of course" they had not actually done so.
FavouritePastora Soler will sing her ballad Quedate Conmigo (Stay With Me) at Saturday's final, to be held in the Azerbaijan capital of Baku.
Spain last won the competition in 1969, when it shared a four-way tie with the UK, the Netherlands and France.
Thursday saw 10 more countries named finalists in the second semi-final held ahead of Saturday's main event.
Swedish entrant Loreen, considered by some to be the favourite this year, was among the successful acts to go through.
Lithuania, Malta, Norway and Turkey were among the other nations to join the 26 finalists.
The evening saw eight countries eliminated from the competition, among them Bulgaria, Croatia, Portugal and the Netherlands.
Elton John cancels Vegas shows on doctors' orders - BBC News
Sir Elton John has pulled out of three performances of his current Las Vegas residency, after being taken to hospital with a respiratory infection.
The singer was admitted to Los Angeles' Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre on Wednesday, but released the same day.
Doctors have advised the 65-year-old star against working while he completes a course of antibiotics.
The remaining 11 concerts of his Million Dollar Piano residency at Caesars Palace take place in October.
"Elton developed a serious respiratory infection last weekend while performing at The Colosseum on Sunday, May 20," said a statement by his publicist, Fran Curtis.
"This week the condition worsened, even with medication and rest, resulting in Elton being hospitalised."
The statement added that the singer underwent "extensive tests" and was recommended to take "complete rest" for "approximately seven days... to cure his respiratory infection and prevent any damage".
Sir Elton added his own apologies: "All I can say to the fans is 'sorry I can't be with you'."
"I love performing the show and I will be thrilled when we return to the Colosseum in October to complete the 11 concerts."
Sir Elton was previously forced to cancel two concerts in February, after he came down with food poisoning.
Gibb dedication
The singer, whose hits include Your Song and Candle in the Wind, began his three-year headlining stint in Las Vegas in September last year.
Earlier this week, he dedicated his track Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me to Bee Gees singer Robin Gibb, who died at the weekend.
"The Bee Gees were part of my life when I was growing up; they were a huge influence on me as a songwriter," he told the audience. "Travel well Robin - you were amazing. God bless you."
The singer is expected to perform at The Queen's Diamond Jubilee concert at Buckingham Palace on 4 June, before embarking on a tour of Europe in June and July.
He returns to the United States and Canada for a series of concerts in September, before completing the Las Vegas residency.
A brief history of Vermont's quirky State Championship - Burlington Free Press
Because he earned the most points in the state of Virginia, Morris was also that states NASCAR champion. Rocco was the same in Connecticut, and Amy Catalano, as an example, bested drivers at five tracks to become the New York state champion.
NASCAR first entered Vermont at Otter Creek Speedway in Vergennes in 1960, and Dick Nephew of Mooers Forks, N.Y., was the track champion. Because the dirt half-mile was the only sanctioned track in the Green Mountains, he was also named the NASCAR Vermont State Champion. Drivers in one NASCAR-sanctioned class or another won state championships up through the 1980 season, and the same concept applied for Ron Proctor when NASCAR returned to sanction Devils Bowl Speedway last year, thereby crowning Proctor both the track and NASCAR Vermont State Champion.
The state championship series, however, is completely different. Thunder Road and Miltons Catamount Stadium held a Vermont State Championship point battle independently from 1982-87 running it with the Flying Tiger division. The series crowned a champion based on who earned the most points in a select schedule of races. Joey Laquerre, Clem Despault, Larry Caron, brothers Chuck and Dan Beede, and Bob Bigelow each won state titles, but Catamounts final race in 1987 also meant the end of any sort of state championship series.
The new Vermont State Late Model Championship Series that begins this weekend harkens back to those Tiger days, when drivers had a limited number of chances racing at two very different tracks to become the state champion. Thunder Road a tight, high-banked, quarter-mile bullring hosts Sundays 100-lapper to start the series off. Devils Bowl a long, wide, very fast half-mile welcomes the series on Friday, June 8 for 100 laps before Thunder Roads Vermont Governors Cup 150 in July and the series September finale at Devils Bowl.
Official entries have been received from drivers in four states, and a buzz has centered around the series since it was announced in January. What remains to be seen is whether or not Thunder Roads drivers will be comfortable in the wide open spaces Devils Bowl offers, or whether Bowl racers can get used to the imposing Widowmaker wall at Thunder Road.
Phil Scott, the states lieutenant governor and a three-time Late Model track champion at Thunder Road, filed the first entry.
I think this is a great thing for Vermont, Scott, a racer as much as a politician, said. I know talking with people throughout the state that many people are excited about it. I think it will be a lot of fun for both the fans and drivers. It would be an honor to the first Late Model champion of Vermont.
Thunder Roads gates swing open on Sunday at 10:00am, racing begins at 1:30pm.
Justin St. Louis is a motorsports journalist, publicist, broadcaster, and former driver. Email: jstlouis1315@gmail.com. Twitter: @Justin_StLouis
Huddersfield V Sheff Utd at Wembley Stadium : Match Preview - Football
Published: 25 May 2012 - 18:01:25
Rhodes focused on task in handHuddersfield's Jordan Rhodes appears in no hurry to leave the club and, on the eve of his side's npower League One play-off final against Sheffield United, has more pressing matters on his mind.The 22-year-old's record-breaking 40-goal season has helped propel Huddersfield to their third straight play-off campaign and second successive final, while alerting a host of Barclays Premier League clubs to his prodigious talent.Fulham are the latest to reportedly make an offer for a player who has registered five hat-tricks this season, including all four against Sheffield Wednesday - for whom father Andy is goalkeeping coach - and five in a 6-0 rout at Wycombe in January.When told of Fulham's #3.5million offer, Town manager Simon Grayson quipped: "Which leg is that for?", while Rhodes himself is equally dismissive of a big-money move away from West Yorkshire."It's not in my powers or in my thoughts for anything to happen in the future," he said."I'm just concentrating on being a Huddersfield Town player and concentrating on the game on Saturday against Sheffield United."You guys can make up the stories or whatever they might be, rumours or whatever. They don't tend to affect my mindset."I can only affect what happens on the field and I've tried to block everything else out really and treat it all very much the same."I just try and do as well as I can in training everyday and give my all. I try to keep learning and better myself, whether that's physical or mental, and I try to make myself a better person as well."Midfielder Scott Arfield appears set to return to contention, but goalkeeper Ian Bennett is struggling.Arfield missed the return leg of Huddersfield's semi-final win over MK Dons due to an ankle problem, while Bennett injured his hand in the same match and was replaced by Alex Smithies, who is likely to continue in goal.Grayson has no other injury or suspension problems and is unlikely to make any unforced changes to the side that started against the Dons.Skipper Peter Clarke is expected to continue alongside Sean Morrison in central defence, with Tommy Miller and Damien Johnson in central midfield, Danny Ward and Kallum Higginbotham on the wings and 40-goal striker Jordan Rhodes continuing his partnership with Lee Novak up front.Sheffield United captain Michael Doyle believes the club's poor record in play-off finals will have no bearing on Saturday's showdown.The Blades have lost all three of their previous play-off finals - all in the Championship - losing 1-0 to Crystal Palace in 1997, 3-0 to Wolves in 2003 and 1-0 to Burnley in 2009, but Irishman Doyle is unmoved by the record books as Danny Wilson's side bid to bounce straight back to the second tier at the first attempt."There's a good few in this squad that weren't a part of the previous play-offs," said the 30-year-old."There's not many left that went through the heartache of losing to Burnley, so we're pretty positive and focused on what we've got to do. We're ready."We've one game to do this and that's what you want at the start of the season. We've got ourselves in this position and that's all we asked for, so it's up to us to go and take it."Doyle, a free signing from Coventry during the January transfer window in 2011 and installed as skipper this season by boss Wilson, also insists the Blades have shaken off the crushing disappointment of missing out on automatic promotion to city rivals Sheffield Wednesday."Going into the semi-final Stevenage were really confident and I don't think too many people gave us a chance of getting through those games, but we picked ourselves up and showed a lot of character with two great performances," said the former Leeds midfielder, who won automatic promotion with the Whites from League One under current Huddersfield manager Simon Grayson in 2010.United's injured pair Richard Cresswell and Kevin McDonald both hope to be in contention.Cresswell missed the second leg of the Blades' 1-0 semi-final win over Stevenage due to an eye infection understood to have been caused by his contact lenses.The striker could make his 100th start for the club if he is passed fit and will be looking to notch his 11th goal of the season, while manager Danny Wilson must decide whether to start with him alongside Chris Porter.Midfielder McDonald aggravated the hamstring that kept him out for seven matches in February and March and was withdrawn during half-time in the second leg against Stevenage.The Scot has responded well to treatment and will be given until the last minute, but if he fails to make it Nick Montgomery will return to the starting line-up.
Huddersfield V Sheff Utd - view commentary, squad, and statictics of the game live.
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