In Andhra Pradesh, thirty five people died and several missing due to the heavy rains. The deep depression crossed the coast yesterday morning leading to torrential rains in the area. Rescue and relief operations are on in full swing. The authorities evacuated around 30 thousand people from the low lying areas and set up 68 relief camps in Prakasham, Kurnool and Guntur districts, which were worst hit.

The Chief Minister has announced excreta of two lakh rupees to the victims. According to Met department, heavy to moderate rains likely in parts of Rayalseema and Telengana, while thunder showers likely in coastal areas for the next 24 hours.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi led the party leaders in paying rich tribute to the late leader at his samadhi “Shanti Van” in the Capital; Maneka Gandhi, his wife and son Varun also paid floral tributes.

Sanjiv Gandhi (December 14, 1946 –- June 23, 1980) was an Indian politician, the younger son of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and politician Feroze Gandhi.

Strong political background, an indulgent and a powerful mother, influential contacts, loyal supporters and oodles of personal charisma. He had been elected to the Parliament of India five months before his death.

Sanjay, just like his elder brother late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, studied first at Welham Boys' School, Dehra Dun followed by The Doon School, Dehra Dun, as well as in England.

Sanjay never attended college, but took up an apprenticeship with Rolls-Royce.

He was very interested in sports cars, and he also obtained a pilot's license.

While his brother Rajiv was building a career as an airline pilot independent of politics, Sanjay chose to remain close to his mother, Indira.

Four businessmen of upper Assam's Sibsagar district have been arrested for alleged links with the banned ULFA.

Superintendent of Police Shyman Prasad Saikia said three of them hailed from Sibsagar town while the fourth was from nearby Moran town.

They were identified as Pradip Khandelia, who owns the largest kitchen utensil business, Manish Chandra Kedia, who has a steel business, Radhey Shyam Sharma, the owner of a shopping mall at Sibsagar, and Bikash Agarwal, a cloth merchant from Moran.

The four were in contact with ULFA's strike force, the 28th battalion "B" company second, and the rebel commanding the unit, Ram Singh, to whom they provided information about other businessmen, Saikia said.

The four businessmen were arrested yesterday and produced before the district chief judicial magistrate, who remanded them to police custody for three days

The drive against unauthorised commercial establishments in Delhi continued for the fourth day with authorities sealing 24 shops in a colony in south Delhi.

The sealing sqauds of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) took action against 24 businesses operating out of residential premises in B K Dutt Colony, near Sarojini Nagar, an NDMC official said.

The NDMC action comes in the wake of a Supreme Court directive asking the civic body to take action against unauthorised commercial activities in the elite Zone.

The action began this Tuesday and the civic body has sealed 258 shops on the first three days in Indraprakash Building, Sagar Apartments, Hanuman Road and Antariksha Bhavan.

Meanwhile, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) also continued with its sealing drive against violators on non-notified roads, taking action against 56 commercial units across the capital.

The major action was seen on two roads in Najafgarh Zone where 20 shops were sealed. While 16 shops were sealed in Shahdara-North, eight shops were sealed in South Zone, an MCD official said.

In Rohini, six units were sealed while three shops each were sealed in Shahdara-South and West Zones.

The Congres high command on Friday brokered a peace deal between Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rjasekhara Reddy and the Left parties which are holding agitation in the state demanding distribution of land to the poor.

Reddy, accompanied by Digvijay Singh, AICC General Secretary and incharge of party affairs in the state, had a meeting with CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat and Politburo member Sitaram Yechury in New Delhi.

During the talks, the two sides reached an understanding that the state leaders of both CPI(M) and CPI would join a panel and monitor the implementation of government schemes.

Depending on the progress of talks, Yechury and Digvijay Singh would also join "negotiations" in the state at a later stage to take the process forward.

"We worked out some sort of a modalities. First, at the state level, the Revenue Minister and the state secretaries of CPI and CPI(M) would sit togther and arrive at some conclusions.

This will be followed by Yechury and Singh coming over to Hyderabad and pursing things futher to sort out he entire issue," Reddy told reporters after the meeting.

"The first step is that the discussion would take place at the state level. After that, whenever it is necessary, we will intervene to help settle the process," Yechury said.

However, the CPI(M) has not give any assurance that it will stop its ongoing agitation. "The state committee will decide on the basis of the discussions," Yecury said.

The agenda for talks is the implementation of the recommendation of Koneru Rnga Rao committee which went into the land isse, alleged irregularities in the 'Indiramma scheme of the state govenment among other issues, he said.