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TOP STORIES

SAD-BJP common programme awaited
Chandigarh, January 18
Though the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Bharatiya Janata Party are all set to release their manifestos for the February 13 assembly elections, their leadership is yet to meet to finalise a “common minimum programme”.

FACTORS AT PLAY
Zamindar-Dalit divide hard to circumvent
Patiala, January 18
Mr Ram Singh, Mr Jeet and Mr Ramu are a perfect picture of inter caste interaction of present day Punjab. All the three seem perfectly at ease with each other when a journalist approaches them on the outskirts of Mardaheri village near Dakala in the district where Mr Ram Singh is getting some rooms constructed close to the road.

DISTRICT PROFILE-KAPURTHALA
Chances even for Akalis, Cong
Kapurthala, January 18
This erstwhile princely state has always proved to be a mixed bag for the two major political parties — the Akali Dal and the Congress — who, however, could never claim it to be their stronghold.

CPM blames Badal government for all ills
Chandigarh, January 18
Holding the SAD-BJP government led by Mr Parkash Singh Badal responsible for bringing Punjab to the brink of the financial bankruptcy, the CPM has attacked the ruling alliance on the issue of corruption, unemployment, suicide by farmers and “sale” of posts.

‘Victimised’ GND varsity Lecturer quits
Says ‘proper’ action not taken against guilty
Amritsar, January 18
An alleged victim of “sexual harassment” who was working as a Lecturer in one of the departments of Guru Nanak Dev University has resigned, thereby putting the authorities concerned in spot.

CM seeks 174-cr relief for the displaced
Chandigarh, January 18
In its bid to extend help to those who have migrated to safer places following tension on the Indo-Pak border, the Punjab Government has sought compensation to the tune of Rs. 174 crore from the Centre.


Children, displaced from frontline villages on the border with Pakistan, huddle together near a small fire as a woman prepares food at a camp near Amritsar, on Friday.  — Reuters photo

2 Babbar Khalsa activists arrested
Ropar, January 18
The Ropar police has arrested two activists of the Babbar Khalsa who were allegedly trying to revive the activities of its group in the state. The SSP Ropar, Mr G.P.S. Bhullar, while talking to this correspondent said the two accused were arrested during a routine naka near Rasoolpur village. On a tip-off a police team led by the Inspector, Mr Gurmail Singh of the local CIA branch, laid a naka near the village.

POLITICS

Lok Bhalai Party activists wrapped in party colours lead a rally in Jagraon. — Photo Jasbir Shetra

Cong men quit over ticket issue
Hoshiarpur, January 18
The Congress received a big jolt today when many office-bearers of the Hoshiarpur district and city units resigned from the party in protest against its failure to allot ticket to Mr Sunder Sham Arora, member, PPCC, from the Hoshiarpur Assembly segment.

75 nominations filed
Chandigarh, January 18
A total of 75 new nominations to various Assembly constituencies were filed today, as per information released by the state election commission.

PMLD, RJD release lists of candidates
Amritsar, January 18
The Punjab Masih Lok Dal (PMLD) today released a list of candidates for the Assembly elections.

CPI asks Cong to curb dissidence
Budhlada, January 18
“The Congress has to come down heavily to quell the large scale dissidence in various parts of the state following the distribution of assembly ticket,” says Dr Joginder Dayal, Secretary of the Punjab unit of the CPI.

Dhindsa flays Cong remarks on SYL
Sunam, January 18
Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Union Minister for Fertilisers and Chemicals and Secretary General of the SAD, today, criticised the AICC treasurer and in charge of Punjab election affairs, Mr Moti Lal Vora, for his statement that if the Congress was voted to power in Punjab, it would complete the SYL Canal.

JD(U) releases list of 20 nominees
Barnala, January 18
Mr Sukhchain Singh Tuli, Chairman, Parliamentary Board of the Punjab unit of the Janata Dal (United) in a press note issued here today released a list of 20 Janata Dal (United) nominees who would contest ensuing Assembly elections in Punjab on February 13.

Randhawa, Mann file papers
Patiala, January 18
Senior Congress leader and a former minister, Mr Jasjit Singh Randhawa, and a former District Congress (rural) chief, Mr Harinderpal Singh Mann, who resigned from the party to contest as an independent, filed their nomination papers here today from Ghanaur and Samana Assembly constituencies, respectively.

I’m not an outsider: Bir Devinder
SAS Nagar, January 18
The Congress candidate from the Kharar seat, Mr Bir Devinder Singh, today said he was trying to sort out differences with the dissidents in the party, who had sought the party ticket from Kharar. Mr Singh, who kicked off his campaign in the town, said he would try his best to bring the dissidents back into the party fold.

Protest against ‘outsider’ nominee
Kharar, January 18
To protest against the allotment of ticket for the Kharar assembly constituency by the Congress to “an outsider” about 2,000 supporters of Mr Harnek Singh Gharuan, a former MLA and member of the PPCC, marched in a procession in his support here today.

Brahampura files nomination papers

Party poll offices opened

Sacked panchayat secys’ plea
Mansa, January 18
Members of the Farag Panchayat Secretaries Union led by its state president, Mr Ravinder Singh, were stopped while trying to reach the venue of a public meeting of the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, here today.

Kirtan darbar by SPICMACAY
Amritsar, January 18
More than 2,000 students from all over Punjab participated in “Gurmat sangeet kirtan darbar at Manzi Sahib Diwan Hall in the Golden Temple complex here today.

Acting Jathedar of Damdama Sahib

BKU leader among 6 hurt in mishap

69 observers deployed
Chandigarh, January 18
A total of 69 observers is proposed to be deployed in the 117 Assembly constituencies of Punjab going in for elections in February. The Election Commission has sent 17 observers in advance for coordinating EVM arrivals and their movement within the state.

Four central observers for Muktsar
Muktsar, January 18
Four central observers have been appointed for the district for conducting the February 13 elections. These are Mr Sanjeev Saran (electronic voting machines), Mr N.R. Banerjee and Mr T.S. Appa Rao (both general observers) and Mr Rajesh Kundan (expenditure).

80 polling stations supersensitive
SAS Nagar, January 18
The District Electoral Officer has identified at least 80 supersensitive polling stations in the five assembly segments — Morinda, Kharar, Chamkaur Sahib, Anandpur Sahib and Nangal — in the Ropar segment. The number of sensitive booths in the Ropar district were 117.

Ban on posters
Sangrur, January 18
In view of the forthcoming Assembly elections, the Sangrur District Magistrate, Mr Sarvjit Singh, has ordered that no person shall deface public or private property by pasting posters or painting slogans without a written consent of the owner.

CRIME

Policeman’s wife found murdered
Ropar, January 18
The wife of a head constable, Mr Paramjit Singh, was today found murdered at their residence.

Sacked ASI held on theft charge
Bathinda, January 18
The Bathinda Police has arrested a dismissed policeman for his alleged involvement in the theft of vehicles.

EDUCATION

Punjab to have 5 more Navodaya Vidyalayas
Chandigarh, January 18
Punjab will have five more Navodaya Vidyalayas in Mansa, Moga, Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana and Faridkot districts this year, said Mr S.P. Gaur, Commissioner, Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, while laying the foundation stone of the regional office building in Sector 31 here today.

Admit migrants’ wards, schools told
Ferozepore, January 18
The district administration has urged the government to change the dates of examination of primary, secondary and senior secondary classes keeping in view the large-scale migration of people from the border areas.

Varsity told to stop appointments
Patiala, January 18
The Punjab Education Department issued a notice here today to Punjabi University to stop all appointments in view of the model code of conduct for the Assembly elections.