CALCUTTA, June 30: The rebel Congress leader, Mamata Banerjee, on Monday said that there was no question of her attending the forthcoming plenary session of the AICC in the city from August 8 since grass-root Congress workers were denied the opportunity to participate in the organisational election.Asked whether she would participate in the plenary session if the high command requested her, Banerjee evaded a reply and said that as an MP she was entitled to attend the plenary ``But I will not go''.Banerjee, who stayed away from the organisational poll alleging massive irregularities also refused to recognise the newly-formed PCC headed by Somen Mitra, describing it as an ad-hoc body.Food poisoning claims 13 livesGUWAHATI: Thirteen people, including five of a family, died and over 100 fell ill after consuming prasada at a temple in Assam's Bongaigaon district, police said on Monday. The tragedy occurred on Thursday during a mela in Barpathar village. Those taken ill were treated at a makeshift medical camp in a school. A magisterial inquiry had been ordered into the incident, police said. It would be conducted by Bongaigaon additional district magistrate P K Kakati.EC ruling on convicted MPs, MLAsCALCUTTA: Election Commissioner G VG Krishnamurthy said on Monday that MPs and MLAs, serving jail terms as convicts, were barred from voting in the presidential elections. Krishnamurthy told newsmen at the Council Chamber of the State Assembly that MPs and MLAs, now under preventive detention, would, however, be able to vote in the presidential elections with special permission of the Election Commission. They could cast their votes by postal ballots.4 killed in group clashes in AndhraHYDERABAD: Four persons were killed in group clashes at two villages in Nalgonda district of Andhra Pradesh on Sunday. Police said S Sajiva Reddy of the Organisation for Protection of Democratic Rights (OPDR) was killed by Janashakthi activists of CPI (Marxist- Leninist) group at Apanagudem village in Atmakur Mandal in the district. In retaliation, some enraged OPDR workers went to meet K Rami Reddy, a local Congress activist who allegedly had links with Janashakti group and later killed him at Namavaram village. Infuriated at the killing of their party activist, a group of Congress workers attacked the houses of OPDR workers at Nimavaram village. P Ram Reddy (Cong) and S Venkatareddy (Janashakti) later died at the hospital, police said.Gopalpara SP escapes bid on lifeGUWAHATI: Goalpara district superintendent of police Sarat Phukan had a miraculous escape when suspected United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) militants made a bid on his life on Sunday. Official sources here said on Monday, the militants fired at Phukan's car at a place between Maladhara and Bharkar of Goalpara district when he was proceeding towards Lakhipur from Goalpara town. Phukan was unhurt and his escort party chased the scooter-borne militants apprehending two of them.Six awarded life imprisonmentNADIA: Six persons were on awarded life term, a fine of Rs 2,000 each and in case of a default two years of further imprisonment for killing a 17-year-old girl last year. The sentence was given on Monday by the Nadia Sessions Judge. The girl, was killed on June 29, 1996 following a land dispute at Nagarukhra under Haringhata police station.
