After Congress meeting, Azad consults Owaisi on Rayala-Telangana

NEWSPAPERS HEADLINES
With the Congress core group deliberating on the demand for a separate state, the Telangana statehood issue is prominently noticed on the front pages of many papers. On Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad's talk with Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, the Indian Express writes "After Congress meeting, Azad consults Owaisi on Rayala-Telangana". The Times of India reports "Telangana may get two Rayalseema districrts". The Pioneer highlights opposition to the Telangana demand as it observes "Anti Telangana Congressmen ask PM not to split the state".

The papers keenly notice the opposition to the Planning commission's poverty figures, this time from a senior Congress leader and a government minister. "Poverty row: Sibal, Digvijay slam plan panel" reports the Statesman. The Times of India cites National Sample Survey Organisation data to write "Income disparity between rich and poor growing rapidly".

Senior BJP leader L K Advani's projection of a positive outcome for the party in the 2014 elections is highlighted in many papers. "Advani predicts early poll, record breaking results" writes the Tribune. After the very public displeasure Advani had shown on Narendra Modi's elevation as campaign committee chief, the Mail Today observes "Mollified Advani predicts BJP landslide under NaMo".

The Indian Express in its front page lead reports "Pak proposes dates for talks, India cautious". The paper goes on to add "New Delhi holds back response to offer, waits for Nawaz Sharif government to take steps to expedite 26/11 trial process in Pak".

The British government's decision to go ahead with its controversial visa bond scheme whereby Indian visitors to the UK will have to furnish a 3000 pound or 2.7 Lakh rupee bond before they are granted a six month visa is the lead in the Tribune.

And finally, the Times of India reports that a Dadar based institute in Mumbai has discovered two Urdu ghazals written by Freedom fighter Veer Savarkar. The paper notes the 'surprise' element that Urdu has been used by a champion of political hindutva.