| |
No
‘voter cards’ for ‘mini-Bharat’ residents
Chhehrata (Amritsar),
February 10
Unity in diversity prevalent here
has given the status of “mini-Bharat” to this satellite town of
Amritsar which is only 16 km from the Indo-Pak border. Though 55
residents of Chhehrata were killed during bombardment by Pakistan in
1965, it continues to be the second home to thousands of migrants.
Campaigning
ends today
Chandigarh, February 10
On the penultimate day of the
fierce poll campaign for elections-2002, the ruling Akali-BJP combine
made yet another effort to tilt the scales in its favour by having the
Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, address a poll rally in
Bathinda today.
Rai
Sikhs hold the key in Jalalabad, Guru Har Sahai
Jalalabad, February 10
Unlike other areas in the state,
caste factor is still alive in the Jalalabad and Guru Har Sahai
constituencies of Ferozepore district. The Rai Sikhs hold the key as a
majority of the population here is dominated by them. In Jalalabad,
out of 1,50,753 voters, more than 75,000 belong to this community.
KEY CONSTITUENCY
Triangular
contest in Zira
Zira, February 10
There is no single party bastion
in this constituency. The voters do not seem to be in a mood to reveal
their opinion at this juncture. When the election campaign is in full
swing. It may be because two Akali stalwarts of the area, the sitting
MLA, Mr Inderjit Singh Zira, and a former minister, Mr Hari Singh
Zira, are both contesting on the Panthic Morcha and the SAD ticket,
respectively.
KEY CONSTITUENCY
Rebels
ensure multi-cornered contest
Talwandi Sabo, February
10
This Assembly segment, housing
the fifth Takht of Sikhs, Takht Shri Damdama Sahib, located in the
farthest corner of south Punjab, bordering Haryana, is likely to
witness a multi-cornered contest as both official candidates of the
Congress and SAD, Mr Harminder Singh Jassi, sitting MLA, and Mr Mohan
Singh Bangi, respectively, are facing rebels.
KEY CONSTITUENCY
Rebels
may play spoilsport
Kharar, February 10
A four-cornered contest has
emerged in this key constituency of Kharar where the Congress
candidate, Mr Bir Devinder Singh, the SAD candidate, Mr Kiranbir Singh
Kang, the Panthic Morcha candidate, Mr Rajbir Singh Padiala and rebel
Congress leader, Mr Balbir Singh Sidhu, are locked in a close fight.
FACTORS AT PLAY
Afghani
wife, unpopular secretary
Patiala, February 10
The erstwhile princely town of
Nabha is witnessing a triangular contest with an Afghani wife, a
‘‘Secretary’’ who no one likes and a grassroot leader who is
squirming in the new party he helped launch in the State after leaving
the Congress being the main factors at play.
Election scene hots up in Banur
Dera Bassi, February 10
It was a day of rallies in Banur, a key constituency of the state, for the February 13 Assembly
elections. Thousands of supporters of three political parties — the Shiromani Akali Dal, the Congress and the Bahujan Samaj Party — and an Independent candidate organised massive rallies.
Sukhbir:
weigh up our performance
Sardulgarh (Mansa),
February 10
Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, a Rajya
Sabha member and General Secretary of the SAD (B), while addressing an
election rally for the party nominee, Mr Balwinder Singh Bhunder, here
today called upon the people to compare the performance of the Badal
government with that of the previous Congress governments before
casting votes.
Sekhon’s
man eludes arrest
Ferozepore, February 10
The police has failed to arrest a
local Municipal Commissioner, Mr Joginder Singh, alias Jindu, against
whom a case was registered in the cantonment police station on Friday.
Manmohan
projects Singla as FM
Bathinda, February 10
A former Union Finance Minister,
Dr Manmohan Singh, while addressing a rally here late last night
blamed the SAD-BJP alliance for the poor state of the Punjab economy
and asked the people to vote for Mr Surinder Singla.
CM:
alliance alone can deliver the goods
Gurdaspur, February 10
Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief
Minister, while addressing a rally here today in favour of Mr Munawar
Massih, SAD-BJP candidate for the Gurdaspur Assembly constituency,
accused the Congress of depriving Punjab of adequate power, drinking
water, railway lines and other projects during its long stint in
power.
Amarinder
vows to probe Badal’s assets
Kapurthala, February 10
Capt Amarinder Singh, President
of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, has announced that the
Congress, if voted to power, will form a commission of eminent jurists
to inquire into the huge wealth and property “amassed” by Mr
Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister, and his family.
 Darshan
Singh dares Badal to open debate
Phagwara, February 10
Prof Darshan Singh Khalsa, a
former Jathedar of Akal Takht, today dared the SAD President and Chief
Minister Parkash Singh Badal to an open debate and claimed that he
would prove that during Mr Badal’s five-year rule, he and his party
had proved neither to be custodians of Sikhs and the Panth nor of
Punjab but only of “parivarwad” (family fiefdom) and nepotism.
Pretty
Priety pulls people
Bhawanigarh, February 10
Film actress Priety Zinta and
Kunal Goswami, film actor and son of renowned film personality Manoj
Kumar, drew crowds at a Congress rally here today, organised to boost
the election campaign of Mr Arvind Khanna, the Congress candidate for
the Sangrur Assembly constituency.
Poonam,
Govinda lend glitz
Jalandhar, February 10
To counter the poll strategy of
the BJP to invite film stars like Vinod Khanna for attracting crowds
at rallies in Punjab, the Congress today formally had former Miss
India and film actress Poonam Dhillon and Govinda campaigning for its
candidates in the state.
Film actress Poonam Dhillon
addresses a Press conference at
Jalandhar on Sunday.
— PTI photo |
 |
Gharuan hopeful of victory
SAS Nagar, February 10
A former Congress minister, Mr Harnek Singh Gharuan, who is contesting as an Independent, today dismissed reports of his withdrawing from the elections. Talking to mediapersons, he said certain vested interests were spreading rumours against him.
YOUTH POWER
Banking
on youngsters
Sangrur, February 10
The youth are a force to reckon
with as the election fever in Punjab reaches a zenith. The cynosure of
all political parties looking for propaganda and publicity sans
investment, the youth are having a ball absorbing the various hues of
life in the spectrum of the elections as they campaign for candidates
and rub shoulders with the party top brass.
YOUTH CONCERNS
Dejected
students seek negative voting
Ludhiana, February 10
Notwithstanding hectic
electioneering and crisp campaign styles adopted by the political
parties, the youth of this region consider Punjab elections to be of
little significance.
Sons
of 2 Akali stalwarts in fray
Chandigarh, February 10
The Sunam and Dhuri Assembly
constituencies of this district are the centre of attraction in the
current Assembly elections as sons of two Akali stalwarts, Mr Surjit
Singh Barnala, Governor, Uttaranchal, and Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa,
Union Cabinet Minister, are contesting from there.
Five
Congressmen expelled
Chandigarh, February 10
The Punjab Pradesh Congress
Committee chief, Capt Amarinder Singh, today ordered the expulsion of
five office-bearers, including a district president, for their
anti-party activities, including opposition to official party
candidates in the February 13 Assembly elections.
Congressman joins
SAD
Amritsar, February 10
Shiromani Akali Dal led by Chief
Minister Parkash Singh Badal today got a shot in the arm when a senior
Punjab Congress leader and Chairman, Punjab Dalit Council, Mr Amrik
Singh Marari joined SAD along with hundreds of his supporters.
Uma
Bharti campaigns in Sangrur
Sangrur, February 10
Ms Uma Bharti, Union Minister for
Youth Affairs and Sports, today called upon the Punjabis to not let
the Congress come to power in Punjab keeping in view that it had sown
the seeds of terrorism in the state about 20 years ago.
| POLL
BRIEFS |
|
- ‘ACTION AGAINST PAK’
- ‘CONG WAVE’
- KANGAR HOLDS RALLY
|
- GARG JOINS CONG
- CORNER MEETINGS
- PROTEST MARCH
|
- DUTY
- RETIRING FOR SENA
- TEACHERS & POLL
|
Poll
activity hits municipal work
Amritsar, February 10
Workers of different political
parties, especially Municipal Councillors, seem to be in a fix with
residents of their areas asking for ‘‘special ’’ favours in
return for their votes. Many of those who are contesting the
forthcoming Assembly elections are also expected to try their luck in
the next municipal council polls.
Seven
killed in road mishap
Ropar, February 10
Seven persons were killed when a
Tata Estate collided with a truck coming from opposite direction near
Bharatgarh, about 20 km from here, yesterday, police sources said here
today.
|
