M A I N   N E W S

Dayal asks Cong to tame rebels
Varinder Walia
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, January 31
With a view to smoothen matters between the Communist Party of India and the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, a closed door meeting was held between Capt Amarinder Singh, PPCC chief, and Dr Joginder Dayal, CPI state chief. The differences had come to fore after both the parties released separate election manifestos which adopted opposite stands on certain significant issues, while the parties had forged a coalition in the state.

Disturbed by the rebel Congress candidates, who are contesting against the CPI candidates and the ‘intrigues’ going on within the Congress leadership, Dr Dayal said such an approach of their alliance partner was bound to benefit the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal and BJP. He also declared that the agreement between the CPI and Congress was applicable only till the elections. The post-election scenario would be discussed only then.

Giving specific instances of rebel Congress candidates fighting against his party candidates, Dr Dayal said that Capt Rajinder Singh, who is a close confidant of Mr R.L. Bhatia, MP and Chairman of the election campaign, was pitted against the CPI candidate, Mr Amarjit Singh Assal, in Amritsar West. Though Mr Rajinder Singh had got ticket of the National Congress Party led by Mr Sharad Pawar, yet he was neither asked to withdraw nor expelled from the Congress so far. Replying a question, Dr Dayal said close confidants of many senior leaders of the state Congress had not withdrawn from the contest due to infighting in the party. Such a situation never happened even when cracks had appeared between the two alliance partners, as the CPI had reached an alliance with the Congress in 1972, 1977 and with the Shiromani Akali Dal, he said.

Dr Dyal said it was unfortunate that no action had been initiated against the Congress councillors, who were openly supporting Capt Rajinder Singh. Not a single leader of the Congress had addressed an election rally in the Amritsar West segment in support of the CPI candidate. The veteran CPI leaders, Mr Satya Paul Dang and Mr Pardumman Singh, had also taken a serious note of callous attitude of the senior Congress leaders.

Dr Dayal said he had already spoken to Mr Moti Lal Vora, a senior All-India Congress Committee leader and in charge, Punjab affairs, for not implementing the poll agreement between both the parties in letter and spirit. He said if corrective steps were not taken immediately it would help the communal forces during the elections. Dr Dayal asked Mr Amarinder Singh to prevail upon the Congress dissidents, including those who have been expelled from the party for six years to retire in favour of the CPI candidates. He said since the alliance was not a state-level but at the national level, any act of non-implementation could harm the relations between the partners.

However, the district Congress president (urban), Mr Jugal Kishore Sharma, said Capt Rajinder Singh had been expelled from the primary membership of the party for six years.

MC floats tenders in code violation
Chander Parkash
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, January 31
In a blatant violation of the model code of conduct, the local Municipal Council floated tenders for various development works in the city on January 26.

Though the Municipal Council authorities got a corrigendum published in a vernacular daily published from Jalandhar today, cancelling the tenders, it has generated much heat in this Assembly segment, where the Congress candidate, Mr Surinder Singla, and the sitting MLA and SAD candidate are among the main contenders.

Official sources said an advertisement in the vernacular daily for floating of tenders was issued by the municipal engineer, Mr A.K. Singla, without the prior permission of the Executive Officer, Mr S.K. Mittal. When the controversy erupted, a corrigendum cancelling the same was arranged immediately.

Mr Kewal Krishan Aggarwal, general secretary, DCC, said the Congress had decided to take up the matter with the Election Commission and would seek the disqualification of the SAD candidate.

He alleged that Akali workers had been distributing photostat copies of the tender to seek votes on the pretext of the proposed development schemes.

He pointed out that the development works mentioned in the tenders pertained only to those areas and wards which were represented by the SAD and BJP councillors.

According to a copy procured by The Tribune, the tenders were to open on February 19, six days after the polling on February 13. About 33 development works, worth more than Rs 1 crore, were mentioned in the tenders.

Mr Shiv Kumar Mittal, Executive Officer, when contacted, said as soon as the violation came to his notice, a corrigendum was published for the cancellation of the tenders. He was not aware how the tender notice was published on January 26 without his prior permission, he added.

Mr A.K. Singla, municipal engineer, when contacted, said a resolution for carrying out all development works mentioned in the tender had been passed in the Municipal Council and it was to be opened on February 19, after polling.

Mr R. Venkat Ratnam, District Election Officer, when contacted, said the ongoing development works could be continued as per the directions of model code of conduct, adding that if the Municipal Council authorities had floated the tenders with the aim to fetch votes, action would be taken against the guilty and a notice issued to them.