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Modi harps on Sonia’s foreign origin
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Badal ensured ticket for Baboo from Jabalpur NCP not to support
Sonia as PM BJP set to dent Cong citadel in Bastar Mulayam playing spoilsport, feel Congmen Steps to prevent
booth-capturing MP Diary EC challenges
CAT order Niece not in race for CM’s post, says Vajpayee
Ensure free poll, BJP memo urges EC Only
Cong can defeat BJP: VP Cong is the culprit, says Advani Cong, BJP on sticky wicket JHALRAPATAN Parties go all out for victory RAJASTHAN DIARY
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Modi harps on Sonia’s foreign origin Bhopal, November 27 Mr Modi scrupulously refrained from speaking on his pet subject of Hindutva but confined his speech to development issues with occasional barbs at Congress President, Sonia Gandhi’s Italian origin. He said Mahatma Gandhi had given a call to the British to quit India, but the Congress had brought a madam from Italy to preside over its affairs. Mr Modi referred to Ms Gandhi’s reported comment that “a country cannot be run by writing poems” and said she had insulted all poets by her remark. He dared Mrs Gandhi to cite even a single achievement of the Congress Party Government in Madhya Pradesh. Referring to Mr Digvijay Singh’s reported observation that he would not allow Madhya Pradesh to become Gujarat, Mr Modi said while his government in Gujarat had taken Narmada waters 900 km away to Kutch, the Digvijay Singh Government could not bring Narmada waters even up to Bhopal. The road conditions in Madhya Pradesh were as bad as the law and order situation in the state, he added. Nitish Bharadwaj’s apprehension
Mr Nitish Bharadwaj, who played Krishna in the TV mega-serial Mahabharata, has expressed the apprehension that yesterday’s incident at Banda might be an attempt on his life. While Mr Bharadwaj was addressing an election meeting in support of BJP candidate, Harnam Singh Rathore at Banda in Sagar district, a remote controlled plane hovered over the meeting for some time and then fell on the ground, injuring six persons, including three children. The plane was hired to sprinkle flowers on a rally organised in support of Congress candidate, Swadesh Jain. Talking to a group of reporters here today, Mr Bharadwaj said there might be a conspiracy to bump him off and demanded the registration of a criminal case against the Congress candidate. |
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Badal ensured ticket for Baboo from Jabalpur Jabalpur, November 27 According to BJP sources, Baboo was renominated only after former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had a word with the BJP’s Central leadership. Otherwise, the seat was proposed to be given to Ms Sushila Singh, wife of Ravi Nandan Singh, vice-president of the BJP’s MP unit. Other strong contenders were Sadanand Godbole, leader of the Opposition in Jabalpur Municipal Corporation, and Raj Kumar Mehta, an active BJP leader. However, Mr Baboo tries to down play the role of Mr Badal in his renomination. My father, Sadhu Singh, had good relations with BJP leaders, especially Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Mr L.K. Advani. After he was brutally killed in the anti-Sikh riots in 1984, “The BJP had associated me with the party and gave me the ticket in 1998 from Jabalpur (West) that I won by 3,226 votes. I have got the ticket on my merit and not through recommendation,” he asserts alleging that it is the Congress which is trying to spread such rumours ahead of poll. If Mr Baboo was the natural choice of the party, why was there a delay of 15 days in announcing his renomination? “This can be answered only by the Central leadership as I have served this constituency well in the past five years and I am confident that I will win this time also.” The Congress has again fielded its defeated candidate Sanjay Yadav, who is also the Youth Congress general secretary. In Jabalpur (West), having over 2.30 lakh voters, Sikhs and Punjabi voters, numbering about 30,000, will decide the fate of the candidates. Ever since the 1984 riots, they have identified themselves with the BJP. In Jabalpur district, having nine seats, the BJP ostensibly has an edge over the Congress with development and power cuts being the core issues for the battle of the ballot. Out of the nine seats, the BJP’s position appears to be sound in Jabalpur Cantonment, Jabalpur (West), Panagar, Majholi and Bargi, while the Congress appears to be in the forefront in Patan and Sihora. A photo-finish is on the cards in Jabalpur (East) and Jabalpur (Central) constituencies. In Jabalpur (East), the BJP has renominated sitting MLA Anchal Sonker, while the Congress has fielded Laxmi Prasad Ben. With the BSP fielding Sharan Chaudhary and the Janata Dal (U) making Soni Master its candidate, a keen tussle is on the cards. As far Jabalpur (Central) is concerned, a neck and neck fight is projected between sitting MLA of the Congress Naresh Saraf and BJP nominee Sharad Jain. The NCP has fielded Mohammad Saleem Khan. With the Muslims likely to vote en masse for the Congress, the BJP is trying to polarise the votes. |
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NCP not to support Sonia as PM Indore, November 27 “There is no question of supporting Sonia for the PM’s post under compulsions like the national interest as it would be against the national interest, besides it is the very basic issue on which the NCP was formed,” NCP General Secretary Tariq Anwar, who is here on poll campaign, told reporters. Mr Anwar, who was once a powerful leader of the Congress was responding to a query whether in the national interest the NCP would support Sonia as Prime Minister as it has done in Maharashtra by extending support to the Congress-led Government. When told that it was during her tenure that the Congress came to power in over 14 states in the country indicating her acceptability as a leader in the country, Mr Anwar countered by saying that “a leader is accepted as a leader only when he/she delivers in his/her own state” and cited the example of UP where the Congress base instead of progressing was eroding. He also alleged that the Congress had said it was open for alliance at the national level on the lines of the NDA, but so far no had been taken. On the issue of accepting Sonia’s offsprings Priyanka and Rahul as the leader of the party, Mr Anwar said first they had to serve the party and prove themselves like other Congressmen. —
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BJP set to dent Cong citadel in Bastar Jagdalpur, November 27 The BJP has made inroads into this traditional stronghold of the Congress. The presence of the Nationalist Congress Party is also causing worries for the ruling party. The BJP not only seems to be ahead of the Congress in the propaganda war, but is also working out strategies to put the Congress candidates on the defensive. It is distributing handbills about performance of Congress MLAs and ministers. BJP candidate from Keshkal Assembly seat Krishan Kumar Dhruv has brought out a 31-point chargesheet against local Congress MLA Phulodevi Netam, who had won the last poll by 343 votes. In Bhanpuri, BJP workers are moving about in the area distributing leaflets against Congress MLA Anturam Kashyap. The BJP had won the Bastar seat in the last Lok Sabha elections. The party is raking up the controversy over Chief Minister Ajit Jogi’s tribal origin as also problems faced by people in collecting forest wood due to new norms imposed by the Jogi government, sharp reduction in the market prices of tamarind, hike in electricity bills due to new meters and increase in bus fares. The party is distributing leaflets of its election manifesto, which promises a job and a cow to every tribal family, an unemployment allowance and giving forest land on lease to those people who had settled at the place by 1990. Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee addressed a public meeting in Jagdalpur yesterday to give a boost to his party’s campaign in the region. The Congress has not made any big promises, but Mr Jogi has been a regular visitor to the region. He addressed election meetings in the Bastar region today, two of which were in Naxalite-affected areas. The presence of the Nationalist Congress Party, the CPI and the CPM has made the contest multi-cornered. |
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Uma’s brother booked
Shivpuri (MP), November 27 |
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Mulayam playing spoilsport, feel Congmen New Delhi, November 27 This, they said, is evident from the whirlwind campaign that the Samajwadi Party (SP) leader has undertaken in the poll-bound state last week. Unhappy Congress leaders said that not only had Mr Yadav fielded a large number of candidates in Madhya Pradesh but he had also been campaigning exhaustively in the state although the SP had only negligible presence. He could, however, play the spoiler by disturbing the minority and backward caste vote, which would only end up damaging the Congress. “The manner in which he is visiting Madhya Pradesh everyday, it looks like he wants to ensure the Congress party’s defeat,” remarked a senior Congress leader. On the other hand, he said, Mr Yadav had not displayed the same level of interest in Rajasthan. Mr Yadav, he said, obviously believed he could do maximum damage to the Congress in this state, particularly as all reports suggested a BJP resurgence here. The Congress leaders maintained that this was yet another example of Mr Yadav’s tacit understanding with the BJP which had earlier facilitated the formation of the SP government in Uttar Pradesh. Angry over the SP’s attitude, senior UP leaders want the Congress leadership to renew its relations with the SP after these elections. At the same time, it is not in a rush to snap ties with the SP as it will not like to give an opportunity to Mr Yadav to blame the Congress. There has been a steady deterioration in the relations between the Congress and the SP ever since Mr Yadav took charge as Chief Minister. Things had come to a breaking point last week when the UP Government filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court, dropping the criminal conspiracy charges against senior BJP leaders, including Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani. However, the day was saved when Mr Yadav backtracked, sacked counsel and filed a fresh affidavit in the apex court. |
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Steps to prevent
booth-capturing
Bhopal, November 27 The presiding officers of polling centres have been entrusted with the responsibility of shuting down the control unit of EVMs in the case of any attempt at booth-capturing, state Chief Electoral Officer said yesterday. —
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MP Diary FOR the first time, hard-core RSS workers, who are not directly affiliated with the BJP, are openly hitting the streets and going from door to door to ensure victory of the BJP candidates in various constituencies. A majority of the poll agents for the BJP are from the RSS cadre. The RSS leadership is also keeping a close watch on electioneering. Heavyweights losing weight Heavyweights of all political parties are losing their weight thanks to ‘padyatras’ and door-to-door campaigning for votes. While some have become lighter by about 5 kg, others admit to have lost up to 8 kg. What a way to lose flab? Election fever Dipping mercury and the increasing heat of electioneering is having its toll on some candidates. In Indore, two candidates — one each from the Congress and the BJP — are running a temperature. But this has not affected their will power. With just five days to go for the poll, they are not willing to take chances and going ahead with their campaign programme as scheduled. Shortage of taxis Hiring a taxi is a difficult proposition when electioneering is at its peak as political parties engaging most of the vehicles. So, for hiring a taxi one should be prepared to spend a little more than the usual. But in Madhya Pradesh, the situation is even more peculiar. Even if you are ready to shell out more money, taxi drivers agree to deal with you only if the destination happens to be along the national highway, popularly called “Vajpayee road” and not if it falls along the state road, notoriously dubbed as “Diggi road”. —
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EC challenges
CAT order
New Delhi, November 27 The commission’s move comes in the wake of the ruling by CAT at Jabalpur on November 25 holding that the EC order on the transfers was “not only illegal, improper but against all settled tenets of law. CAT said it did not find anything prejudicial on the part of the Collectors to have violated the model code Of conduct.” The Election Commission on October 29 had ordered the transfer of Jashpur Collector B.S. Anant and Bastar Collector L.N. Suryavanshi for “violating the model code of conduct”. —
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Niece not in race for CM’s post, says Vajpayee
Lucknow, November 27 In a brief interaction with mediapersons on his arrival at the Amausi airport here, Mr Vajpayee described as baseless reports that Ms Shukla was in the race for the Chief Minister’s post. “She is not fighting the assembly poll there... there is no question of her becoming the Chief Minister,’’ he added. —
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BJP has broken records of graft: Sonia New Delhi, November 27 Continuing from where she left off her speeches in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, she said the BJP could not be trusted in protecting the unity, integrity and secular fabric of the nation. The choice before the voters, she said, was between “vikas” (development) and “barbaadi” (destruction). Ms Sonia Gandhi addressed three rallies and at every venue she reminded the crowds of how “corrupt” the BJP was and the numerous cases of corruption that come to light during its tenure. “Ghapla aur ghotala inki zindagi ka hissa ban gayeen hai”, she said. “Inflation and unemployment are on the rise and all the government does is blaming others.” The Congress chief also dwelled on local issues like water, electricity, roads, education and health-care. Delhi, she said, was not only the Capital but also the “pride of India” and the Congress fully understood the nuances of governing the metropolis. “Five years ago we made certain promises. I do not say we have removed all problems but I am sure Delhi that is today is better than what it was when the BJP was in power.” She spoke about 42 flyovers built in the past five years, introduction of Metro Rail, clean air and better facilities in the health-care sector. Training her guns on the Centre for the spurt of crime against women, Ms Sonia Gandhi said the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, which administers the Delhi Police, had done a little to re-instill confidence in the women. She said the Centre’s indifference was in sharp contrast with the Stri Shakti programme launched by the government for the empowerment of women. She ended her speeches by referring to the attempts made by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to clip the wings of the Delhi Government. The Chief Minister, Ms Sheila Dikshit, the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee President, Mr Prem Singh, Mr P.M. Syed, Mr Ahmed Patel, Mr Anil Shastri, Mr R.K. Dhawan, Mr Jagdish Tytler and Ms Nafisa Ali were present at the rallies, among others. |
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Ensure free poll, BJP memo urges EC New Delhi, November 27 It also listed complaints against the Congress-ruled governments of Rajasthan and Delhi, apart from Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, where it apprehends electoral malpractices. The party drew the commission’s attention to the reported large-scale distribution by the Congress and its state administration of blankets, sarees, cereals and liquor in various parts of Chhattisgarh. |
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Cong can defeat BJP: VP New Delhi, November 27 Only the Congress could defeat communal forces, the former Prime Minister observed just a couple of days before the assembly elections in four states. Mr V.P. Singh appealed to the voters not to support any third party as their votes would go waste and ultimately the BJP would benefit. Stating that the Congress was the main force which could fight and defeat the BJP in the four states, he said while the Congress appeared to be doing well in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Delhi, it was a neck-and-neck contest in Madhya Pradesh. “But the BJP is on a sticky wicket,”he pointed out. A good feature this time was that development was a major issue and not caste and religion. Observers are attaching significance to Mr V.P. Singh’s appeal as he has a credibility with the weaker and minority sections of the electorate. In Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan particularly, Mr V.P. Singh has a wide constituency which cuts
across the party lines, they said adding that it would have an impact on voters who not committed to either the Congress or the BJP. |
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Cong is the culprit, says Advani New Delhi, November 27 “The voters in Delhi and other states have to vote thinking not only for their areas alone but for the entire nation,” Mr Advani said at an election rally in Delhi. A concerted effort was needed to lead the nation on the path of development and realise the dream of making India one of the world’s three top economies. “The Congress has ruled for 45 years. What have they done ... we are still being called a developing nation,” he said. Mr Advani highlighted the achievements of the BJP-led NDA Government and said a renewed mandate would go a long way towards making the nation self-reliant and prosperous. Union Labour Minister Sahib Singh Verma and Delhi BJP President Madan Lal Khurana were among those present. |
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Cong, BJP on sticky wicket Jaipur, November 27 This has compelled the BJP and the Congress to take strong action against the rebels. Local leaders of both parties have not been able to bring the rebels around, forcing a large number of them being expelled from the party. Undeterred by the threats, the morale of the rebels is high. They are determined in working towards the defeat of those who have been foisted on them. According to Congress and BJP workers, around 70 rebels from both parties are in the fray for 200 Assembly seats. While the Congress has already expelled about 70 workers for anti-party activities, the BJP has thrown out 60. From Laxmangarh in Bharatpur district till Sadarpura in Jodhpur district, candidates close to senior leaders or relatives of Central and state ministers are facing tough competition. A close look at some of the constituencies reveals that despite all the money being spent and campaigning by senior leaders, such candidates remain on a sticky
wicket. Jagat Singh, son of former Union Minister and Rajya Sabha MP Natwar Singh is facing tough competition from Narsu Khan, who is contesting on the INLD ticket. While the Congress ignored the local claimant, BJP left Narsu Khan by the wayside. The situation seems to be so tough for Jagat Singh that his uncle and Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had camped along with Natwar Singh in Laxmangarh for a few days to ensure local Congress workers support. In
Laxmangarh, the BJP had initially announced the name of Hem Singh
Gurjar, who refused the ticket on the ground that he had nothing to do with the constituency. The BJP later announced the name of Dharamveer Sharma, but he is not considered very strong. Similarly, Congress general secretary Nawal Kishore Sharma’s son Brij Kishore Sharma is facing stiff competition from Congress rebel Abdul Aziz in the Jaipur rural constituency. The latter has the support of local Congress workers. The situation is quite the same in Taranagar constituency in Churu and Bhopalgarh in Jodhpur district. In
Taranagar, former minister and senior Congress leader Chandarmal Baid’s son Chandra Sekhar Baid is facing problems from local congressmen. In
Bhopalgarh, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Parasram Maderna’s son Mahipal Maderna is sailing in the same boat. In Sawai
Madhopur, MP Abrar Ahmed’s wife Yameen Abrar is stuck in a triangular contest where she is facing strong challenge not only from BJP candidate Kirori Lal
Meena, but also from INLD’s Motilal Meena. The BJP has further compounded the situation for itself at some seats. Central Minister Subhas Meheria’s brother Nand Kishora Meheria in Fathehpur has BJP rebel Banwari Lal against him. Another Central Minister Jaskaur Meena’s nephew Virender Meena has the entire local BJP cadre against him in Lalsot (ST) constituency. In Alwar district, Jaswant Yadav’s wife Kiran
Yadav, who is contesting from Tizara, and in Churu district, Ram Singh Kaswan’s wife Kamala Kaswan are facing heavy weather at the hands of the rebels. |
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JHALRAPATAN Jhalrapatan, November 27 Besides 54 per cent SC\ST votes, the Congress is also hoping to ride high on the 11 per cent Jat votes. Rama Pilot feels that if this Congress vote bank remains intact, she will emerge victorious. She has worked hard to bring together local Congress leaders. There is actually a new zest in them to see Rama Pilot through. However, Vasundhara Raje has maintained close links with the people from her constituency. This, the locals feel, is a quality which will be hard to overlook. Vasundhara’s trick of describing Rama Pilot as an outsider also seems to be working. The locals are actually seeing Rama Pilot as an outsider and feel that the Congress has foisted her on the constituency just to take advantage of the caste composition. They feel once the elections are over Rama Pilot will not be available in the constituency. Both candidates have been taking a daily rundown of the prevailing situation in the constituency through their campaign managers. Reports here also suggest that Jat leader Sujan Singh Gurjar may also play a vital role in the outcome. He is in the BJP and has previously fought at least twice on the Congress ticket. He had been close to Rajesh Pilot through whom he was able to secure the ticket twice without actually being able to win on both occasions. But this time, he is maintaining silence which the locals are seeing as an advantage for the Congress. Jhalrapatan will probably be the most closely watched election in the state. It can make or mar the image of the BJP. |
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Parties go all out for victory Nohar/Suratgarh, November 27 The BJP chief of Rajasthan, Ms Vasundhara Raje, was at Nohar and Suratgarh on her first visit to these parts today to address rallies. Besides concentrating on the failures of the Congress, she exhorted the people to vote for change and stability. She also urged the people to vote for women candidates as their win would be a stepping stone for greater reservation for women in the allotment of seats in the future. Mr Vajpayee and Ms Sonia Gandhi will again address rallies in some constituencies on the third and final leg of campaigning. Others who have been on the campaign trail included Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani, BJP chief Venkaiah Naidu, Mr N.D. Tewari, Mr Virbhadra Singh, Mr Narendra Modi, Ms Sushma Swaraj, Mr Bhajan Lal, Hema Malini, Dharmendra, Shatrugan Sinha, Dara Singh, Sunil Shetty and producer Mahesh Manjrekar. Senior Congress and BJP leaders from the minority community, including Meira Kumar, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Jaskaur Meena and Kailash Meghwal, too have been asked to visit areas where the minorities hold the key. Former Speaker Balram Jakhar and former Union Minster Ajit Singh and NCP chief Sharad Pawar too are touring the state. Apart from them, Capt Amarinder Singh is covering border districts with a sizeable Punjabi population and promising all possible help from his government. He has been addressing poll meetings besides asking his Cabinet colleagues and MLAs to camp and work for the success of the party candidates. More is at stake for Haryana Chief Minister O.P. Chautala, who is scheduled to address more election meetings across the state in the next two days. The Indian National Lok Dal is contesting more than 80 seats. |
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RAJASTHAN DIARY There is a festive atmosphere in most constituencies. People are turning out in large numbers to meet candidates. Candidates are also putting in an extra bit to woo voters. Number of rallies has gone up and flags adorn rooftops of various buildings.
Women get relief
While a large number of men have been seeking leave from election duty, women, for the first time, have got relief without actually having to seek it. With the Election Commission deciding that there will be no separate booths for the fair sex, women government employees have so far been exempted from the election duty. |
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In video: Political
parties hurl charges against each other in Rajasthan. (
