South

Banking operations in Tamil Nadu have been affected with around 55,000 bankers striking work pressing for their demands, said a top All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA) leader.

BJP leaders in Karnataka met Governor Vajubhai Vala on Monday to submit a memorandum against the charges filed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau against former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa.

After months of hard negotiations and several false starts, as two rival factions of Tamil Nadu's ruling AIADMK announced a merger, dissent rose from 18 party lawmakers who are opposed to the decision to expel VK Sasikala. The lawmakers say they will meet the Governor tomorrow to decide on their next course of action - a comment that is seen as a potential threat to the government of Chief Minister E Palaniswami, which has 134 members in the 234-member assembly. The expulsion of Ms Sasikala was a pre-condition of the faction led by O Panneerselvam for joining the larger group led by Mr Palaniswami.

The Centre has given environment clearance to a greenfield international airport at Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram district, Andhra Pradesh, which is estimated to cost Rs 2,260.73 crore.

Tamil Nadu's ruling party today abandoned its differences - or at least said it has - in an attempt to present a throwback to an older era, when it was a solid force grounded in its abject devotion to chief J Jayalalithaa, who died in December. Acknowledging "there are differences but we will work together," Chief Minister E Palaniswami shook hands with rival O Panneerselvam, who will now serve as his Deputy and No 2 in the government.