A local BJP leader was on Sunday seriously injured after he was accidentally hit by a bullet fired to welcome party's newly-appointed General Secretary Narendra Singh Tomar at a town near Morena in Madhya Pradesh.

Four months after being appointed BJP President, Nitin Gadkari faced his first challenge as discontent grew over composition of his new team with atleast three senior leaders from Bihar making their unhappiness known.

Upset over being ignored by BJP president Nitin Gadkari, actor-turned-MP Shatrughan Sinha today became the first party leader to publicly criticise the composition of the new team of office bearers, saying it was "new wine in old bottle".

Facing opposition's flak for wearing a huge currency garland at a BSP rally, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Wednesday accused her political rivals of conspiring to turn the event into a damp squib and announced a phased agitation from March 27 to expose them.

In a brazen act of defiance, Mayawati on Wednesday ignored the opposition outcry over her being adorned with 1000-rupee notes and was again garlanded with currency notes to the tune of Rs 18 lakh.