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Three Mizo candidates kidnapped on poll eve
Cong blames BJP for EC notice |
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Sonia’s foreign origin main issue, says Advani MP failed to utilise Central funds, says PM Jaitley dares ‘Raja’
to a debate Cong to cash in on Judeo episode BJP releases
Chhattisgarh manifesto
2,171 in MP poll fray
VHP not
to back any party
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Three Mizo candidates kidnapped on poll eve
The HPC (D) is an armed insurgent group that broke off from its mother organization, the Hmar People’s Convention, when an agreement was signed by the Mizoram Government and the HPC in 1994. Sources said the three candidates, Dr H. Ngurdingliana (INC), Vaninmawia (MNF) and H. Laltanpuia (MPC-ZNP), were in a meeting at the quarters of the Block Development Officer at Phullen village, 70 km from here, to discuss the recent threats made by the HPC (D) to them and the rumours that these people were distributing bullets when masked men, armed with guns, entered the house at around 2:45 pm this afternoon. The ources said Aizawl district SP L. T. Hrangchal has cautiously confirmed the kidnappings, though he is reported to have said that the “authenticity of the report is yet to be confirmed”. Sources in the Congress said they had filed a report to Aizawl District Deputy Commissioner and Chief Election Officer Lalmalsawma. In all, there are six candidates contesting from this contituency. The other candidates are H. Lalsangzuala, an Independent candidate supported by the HPC, C. Ramkinlova, JDU, and A Siama, CPI. Meanwhile, last night, a blast, heard all over central Aizawl, occurred near the City Park gate located just opposite the Raj Bhavan lawns here. When Raj Bhavan was contacted after the blast, this correspondent was told that no damage was done to the Governor’s residence and that everything was calm, though guards were on full alert. This is the third blast that Raj Bhavan has been subjected to this year. Reports this morning said a series of blasts had also occurred last night in the western part of the state, where Mamit town, the headquarters of Mamit district, was subjected to three blasts. Blasts also occurred in three other villages within Mamit district. Kanhmun village, the designated polling station for the displaced Brus, now living in Tripura, Tuipuibari village, where Brus and Chakmas are abundant, and another Bru-dominant village, Damparengpui, were the targets. These blasts have not inflicted any damages or caused casualties, though the blast in Damparengpui occurred near a polling station, breaking several windowpanes. As most blasts in the state have been from industrial dynamite, the police believes last night’s blasts to be of the same kind too. The stage is all set for the tomorrow’s poll here with most of the polling parties having reached their destinations. Over five lakh voters will caste their vote in 798 polling stations across the state. While a majority of the voters will have only five parties, the Congress, the MNF, the ZNP, the MPC and the JDU, to vote for, there are as many as eight candidates in some seats of the state. To contest the 40 seats in the state, there were 192 candidates till yesterday. However, with the ZNP-MPC combine announcing the withdrawal of two candidates, one MPC candidate from the Phuldungsei constituency in favour of the ZNP candidate and one ZNP candidate from the Vanva constituency in favour of the MPC candidate, and the JDU candidate from Aizawl North I pulling out in favour of the ZNP-MPC combine, there are now 189 candidates left in the fray.  |
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Cong blames BJP for EC notice Raipur, November 19 It accused the main Opposition party in the state of trying to mislead the EC by levelling “baseless allegations.” Congress leaders here maintained the plane had been sent only on official duty outside the state on the dates mentioned by the EC. “Mostly government officials travelled in it,” party spokesman Shailesh Trivedi said. He said the state unit had sent a detailed response to the All-India Congress Committee and the party’s reply would be made public once the AICC submitted it to the EC. Mr Trivedi said the BJP was “getting nervous over its impending defeat” in the assembly poll. “Since the BJP is scared of facing the masses, the party is resorting to lies to boost its campaign,” he said. The EC notice has dampend the Congress rejoicing over the BJP’s discomfiture over the Judeo tape episode. The Congress, which had gone on the offensive over the issue, now has to tackle questions raised by the EC notice. The BJP plans to derive the maximum political advantage from the development and hopes to take off some heat over the Judeo episode. The Congress held a late evening briefing today to contain the damage. The party seems to be working on a strategy to lay all blame on its main adversary. But Congress leaders in private say that Chief Minister Ajit Jogi has not been wise in his dealings with the EC. “These controversies could have been easily avoided,” a state party leader remarked. The state leaders are more worried over Ms Gandhi having to answer queries over “certain steps of the state government.” They feel that Mr Jogi’s stock with the high command has been going down over the past few months and the latest incident will have a bearing on the decisions of the central leadership after the poll. Meanwhile, releasing its manifesto for the Chhattisgarh Assembly election, the BJP today promised to introduce schemes like waiving the loans of small and marginal farmers, providing unemployment allowance to all higher secondary pass youths, supplying salt at 25 paise per kg and abolishing of professional tax. The manifesto was released by BJP President M. Venkaiah Naidu in the presence of senior state party leaders. State BJP President Raman Singh said more than 1500 ‘’rice dal’’ centres would be opened in 146 development blocks where the people would have ‘’stomach-full’’ of rice and dal at Rs 5.
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Sonia’s foreign origin main issue, says Advani Bhilwara, November 19 Mr Advani said had anyone else been the leader of the Congress in place of Ms Gandhi in the 1999 elections, the party could have stood a chance to win. He denied the allegation of having raised the issue of her foreign origin, saying that it was one of the Congressmen who had raised the issue, which resulted in a split in the party. When asked what policy would the BJP adopt if Priyanka Gandhi was made the leader of the Congress, he replied: “Let the people decide and do what they think is best.’’ He added that before assigning the highest post of the country to a person of foreign origin, the issue should be thoroughly discussed and analysed by the media. The Deputy Prime Minister said there was no proposal to advance the Lok Sabha election and it would be held as per schedule. On the Assembly elections being held in five states, Advani referred to BJP President Venkaiah Naidu’s request to party members to treat these as the “semifinals”. Defending Dilip Singh Judeo who resigned as Union Minister in the wake of bribery allegations against him, Advani described him as a great fighter against forcible conversions,” Chhattisgarh. “Judeo has no dearth of money. He actually spends money on others and in fact fights against forcible religious conversions,” he said at an election rally. The video CD that purportedly showed Judeo accepting money from a representative of an Australian firm for mining could have been doctored by Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi, he hinted. “People are terrorised in the state and they say Jogi can do anything,” Advani said. Advani added that immediate resignation from ministry by Judeo, who himself sought a CBI inquiry into the episode, showed that “we stand on a high moral pedestal.” Ridiculing the Congress for its statements against corruption, Advani said Jayaprakash Narayan had described the party as fountainhead of corruption in the country. Talking about Ayodhya, he said the BJP joined the temple movement only to counter vote bank politics of the Congress. While on the one hand some Congress leaders were helping in “shilanayas” after opening of locks to the temple, others were supporting Babri Mosque Action Committee.
— UNI, PTI
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Derecognise Congress, demands BJP New Delhi, November 19 The chairman of the BJP’s election campaign committee Prof Vijay Kumar Malhotra, told reporters here that a notice issued by the Election Commission for gross violation of the model code of conduct by Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi by using a plane and a helicopter of the state government 10 times had exposed the party’s involvement in electoral corruption. The recognition to the Congress should be withdrawn for the violation of the model code of conduct, he demanded. Earlier also, the EC had taken exception to violation of the code of conduct and had to intervene to put a check on the scam of distribution of school bags with Mr Jogi’s photograph on them. Many district collectors and high police officials had to be removed by the EC with the help of the Governor of Chhattisgarh because they were working as Congress party workers, he said. Mr Malhotra demanded the dismissal and arrest of Mr Jogi for misuse of power. Meanwhile, Textiles Minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussain has accused the Congress of toeing the soft Hindutva line in a bid to win majority support ahead of elections. Addressing a gathering of Muslims here last night, he said the Congress was spreading communal hatred in the country for “petty” gains in the coming assembly elections in five states.
— UNI
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MP failed to utilise Central funds, says PM Jabalpur (MP), November
19 "Foreign investors want to come to India and open factories and
companies but they feel that there could be a threat to their life and
property," he said launching the BJP’s election campaign in the
state. Coming down heavily on the MP Congress Government, which is
completing 10 years in office, Mr Vajpayee said the Centre had given Rs
4,000 crores during the past four years to the state but a large chunk
of it remained unutilised. "The Madhya Pradesh Government has to
give a reply about its failure to make use of funds given by the Centre
for improving the living conditions of the people and development of the
state," he said. "India cannot move forward unless it is
backed by strong and developed states. We cannot afford to lag behind in
the developmental race," the Prime Minister said. Emphasising
that crime must be checked, Mr Vajpayee recalled the recent incident of
rape of a Swiss diplomat in Delhi and said "we were embarrased to
meet the Swiss President when he was in India recently." But he
had all praise for the Swiss President who said that the incident would
not jeopardise the relations between the two countries and wanted the
guilty to be punished, the Prime Minister observed. Mr Vajpayee said
he would like to know why states like Madhya Pradesh and UP had remained
backward and why the investors were shying away from coming to them.
On the law and order front, he said the number of incidents of
atrocities and rapes on women was higher in Madhya Pradesh. In his
further attack on the MP Government, Mr Vajpayee said while the state
had a power generation capacity of 2200 MW, it was only producing 1200
MW which was a key input for development. Ridiculing Congress
President Sonia Gandhi for making fun of his last year’s statement
that the NDA Government would create one crore employment opportunities
that it was like "Mungerilal ke sapne (a TV serial)," Mr
Vajpayee said he furnished a figure in Parliament the very next day that
88 lakh job opportunities had been created to silence her. "Now the
figure has crossed the one crore mark," Mr Vajpayee claimed. Accusing
the Digvijay Singh government of neglecting women in all walks of life,
the Prime Minister said the status of women could be elevated in the
state by having a dynamic leader like Uma Bharti at the helm of affairs.
Pointing out that Madhya Pradesh never had a woman Chief Minister, he
said people of the state now had an opportunity to fulfil their
long-pending "requirement". The BJP had fielded Uma Bharti as
its chief ministerial candidate. — PTI
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Jaitley
dares ‘Raja’ to a debate Aron Raghogarh (MP), November 19 “This election is a peculiar one because for the first time development has become a main poll issue and the Congress would bite the dust in Madhya Pradesh as Digivjay Singh government had failed in all fronts, whether it was rural roads, electricity, employment or agricultural production, Mr Jaitley said launching the party’s campaign here from where BJP MP from Vidisha Shiv Raj Chauhan was crosses swords with the Chief Minister. He said this time the BJP campaign was being done by the people themselves, thanks to the decade-old non-performing Congress government. “Our biggest campaigners are the families hit by power cuts, unemployed youths and farmers, Mr Jaitley said amid applause. Accusing Mr Digvijay Singh of winning the past two elections in Raghogarh through booth-capturing, Mr Jaitley said this time voting would take place on electronic voting machines (EVMs). “Digvijay kabil nahin tho chalak zaroor hai. Par is bar vote ki chori nahin ho sakti kyonki matdaan machine se hoga” (If not capable, Digvijay is shrewd. But this time he can’t steal votes as voting will be held through EVMs), Mr Jaitley. The BJP effort to put on a good show against Mr Digvijay Singh was evident from the fact that senior BJP leader and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Sunder Lal Patwa, who remained out of action for months now due to prolonged illness, also addressed the rally. It was Mr Patwa’s first public address after several months. Earlier, Mr Chauhan urged the people of the constituency to vote for the BJP and teach a lesson to the Congress, which had despite 10 years rule, failed to meet the basic needs of the people. “You vote BJP to power, I assure you we will change the face of Madhya Pradesh”, Mr Chauhan, General Secretary of the BJP and a Lok Sabha MP from Vidisha, said.
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Digvijay
backs out Aron Raghogarh: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh, who was supposed to participate in a one-to-one debate with Union Law Minister Arun Jaitley in a television channel on Thursday is understood to have backed out of it under the pretext that he would to debate any issue with the BJP’s chief ministerial candidate Uma Bharti.
— TNS
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Cong to cash in on Judeo episode New Delhi, November 19 Mr Tytler was talking to reporters at a luncheon meeting organised by the DPCC to introduce to the media the party’s 70 candidates contesting the December 1 poll. It was a gathering to project the united image of the Congress against reports of rebellion before and after the ticket distribution. “We are all one and are fighting elections
unitedly,” said DPCC president Chaudhary Prem Singh, a Dalit candidate from Dr Ambedkar Nagar, who is seen as a power centre within the party and has not hidden his unhappiness over the “skewed distribution” of the party ticket. “We will unitedly win the elections.... The rebels are of no consequence...,” he said. Chief Minister Sheila
Dikshit, who is facing 18 rival candidates including Poonam Azad of the BJP in Gole Market, said her party would romp home easily.
— UNI
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Judeo still crowd-puller: BJP New Delhi, November 19 Party spokespersons Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Prakash Javadekar said Judeo had addressed four rallies yesterday and drew huge crowds. If the crowd strength was any indicator of support, the party was poised to do well and the developments augered well for the BJP, they said adding that the people perceived the pictures telecast in the media as a conspiracy of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister. The spokespersons also said the statement of Judeo admitting to have received money was in no way related to the controversial CDs issue on which he had to quit. “He was replying to a question if he ever received money for the party,” they said. They said the party was the first to seek a probe after the CDs became public and the government had ordered an inquiry by the CBI and the entire episode was being probed by the investigation agency. The decision to resign was purely that of Judeo’s and probably he could not continue in power like Congress leaders in Maharashtra and Karnataka, they said. —
UNI
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BJP releases Chhattisgarh manifesto Raipur, November 19 The manifesto was released by BJP President M. Venkaiah Naidu in the presence of senior state party leaders. State BJP President Raman Singh said more than 1500 ‘’rice dal’’ centres would be opened in 146 development blocks where the people would have ‘’stomach-full’’ of rice and dal at Rs 5. Besides, the party has promised to provide two hectares of undisputed land to members of the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and the economically weaker sections, Members of the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and the poor would be given housing loans at a 5 per cent rate of interest. Pointing out that ‘Kisan Nayayala’ (Farmer’s court) would be set up in the state, the manifesto also promised to set up a farmers welfare commission and a farmers welfare fund. Besides, farmers would be given a subsidy on purchase of generators upto 10 horse power.All high secondary passed youths would be provided with Rs 500 as an unemployment allowance and each tribal family would be given a cow. Launching a scathing attack on the Congress over the corruption issue, BJP President M. Venkaiah Naidu today asked the party to clarify whether it still stuck to its stand that the charge-sheeted people should not continue in office. Addressing presspersons here after releasing the manifesto Mr Naidu said the Congress should also tell the people how many of its leaders, including some former Prime Ministers, quit their posts after allegations of corruption were made against them. “Allegations of corruption were made against former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, and
P.V. Narasimha Rao and even former Congress President Sitaram Kesri but none of them quit the posts,” he said. The BJP President said the Congress must also explain as to why it was opposed to a CBI inquiry into the Rs 30,000-crore Telgi stamp paper scandal in Karnataka and Maharashtra where the party was in power. Referring to the new states of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Uttaranchal carved out at the initiative of the BJP-led government at the Centre, Mr Naidu said the centre had provided adequate funds under various schemes for Chhattisgarh but apparently the money did not percolate down to the people. Pointing out that it was at the initiative of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee that a new state of Chhattisgarh was created, the BJP president said Chief Minister Ajit Jogi had insulted Mr Vajpayee by organising demonstrations and burning his effigies. ‘’We will take this issue to the people ‘’, he added. The manifesto also promised to give free bicycles to all tribal girls to high schools
— UNI
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Low-key campaign in Rajasthan Naggi (Karanpur), November 19 This change is the result of strict directives of the Election Commission (EC). And with no wave or slogans to woo the voters, the parties are finding the going tough for the game of one-upmanship. But there is little they can do to change it. As a Tribune team travelled through the dusty countryside in the constituencies of Karanpur and Kesrisinghpur, it seemed that the hustle and bustle of electioneering is missing in Rajasthan. The stern stance of the EC has restricted the number of vehicles accompanying a candidate, the number of flags to be displayed and even the pamphlets, posters and other paraphernalia to be circulated among the electorate. Even the expenses incurred on the visit of any senior leader is added to the expenditure. As such the candidates too are playing safe, but is cramping their style. The current ceiling is Rs 10 lakh, up from the earlier Rs 6 lakh. At a village, some people are seen sitting on cots in the village square and on enquiring they say they are waiting for their candidate. There is no dais and only a chair has been placed for the candidate and the refreshments are on them. A lone flag on a vehicle nearby indicates the party they are supporting. But the villagers are not complaining. Inder Singh, a villager, says although it is good that the expenses have been curtailed, the fizz has been taken out of the election. “In the past, drinks and a sumptuous meal were a must after a meeting. Now, it is tea and biscuits only, as even the refreshments provided by us are added to the candidates’ expenditure,” he revealed. The same scene was repeated in the countryside. At Naggi village, the team runs into Congress candidate
G.S. Kooner. He informs about the issues — mainly the availability of canal water and lack of employment avenues for the youth — and says that the electioneering is definitely low key this time and the emphasis is on village-to-village meetings.
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2,171 in MP poll fray Bhopal, November 19 The final figures of the contestants were released to the media by Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) D.S. Mathur today. There are a total of 2,171 contestants for the 230 seats, 197 of whom are women. Only the BJP has fielded candidates on all 230 seats. The Congress is contesting in 229 constituencies, having left one seat for the RPI. The Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party have fielded 161 and 157 candidates, respectively. As the BSP’s breakaway group, led by Phool Singh
Baraiya, is not registered with the Election Commission, its candidates are being treated as Independents. The total number of Independents is 878. Madhya Pradesh has 155 general constituencies, 41 constituencies reserved for the Scheduled Tribes and 34 for the Scheduled Castes. Over 42,000 polling stations are being set up for the state’s total electorate of 3.79 crore. The Election Commission has deputed 164 observers for the 230 constituencies of the state. Mathur said 24 officials and employees, including one Inspector General of Police and two Collectors, had been transferred as the complaints against them had been substantiated.
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VHP
not to back any party Jaipur, November 19 “We are not extending poll support to any party since we are opposed to all “secular parties”, including the BJP, as none of them had made Hindutva as a poll issue”, the VHP leader Acharya Dharmendra said here. On the VHP distancing itself from the BJP, Mr Dharmendra, a member of the Kendriya Margdarshak Mandal, alleged that the party had given up the Hindutva agenda. In the Gujarat Assembly elections, the VHP had exposed anti-Hindutva forces, helping the BJP to retain power under the leadership of Mr Narendra Modi. This should be a lesson to all parties, he maintained.
— UNI
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3 eunuchs
trying luck in Delhi The third eunuch, Anita, is contesting from Mehruali against Mr Balram Tanwar of the Congress and Mr Brahm Singh of the BJP.
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Shiv Sena to contest 27 Delhi seats New Delhi, November 19 This was stated by Delhi Shiv Sena President Jai Bhagwan Goyal and party’s leader in Lok Sabha Chandrakant Khaire while addressing a press conference. The press conference also attended by Union Minister Subodh
Mohite. — PTI
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Aizawl, November 19
New Delhi, November 19