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STOCK-TAKING: Sandeep Dikshit (East Delhi)
After Venod, UP leader Jagdambika Pal quits Congress
Only a fraction of forces votes
BJP gaining, but no Modi wave, says Akhilesh
Despite Sushma’s opposition, BSR Cong may merge with BJP
EC takes up NOTA, steps up efforts for transparent voting
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Yesterday once more is what SAD wants, but will it be?
Post-2012 Assembly win, Akalis feel recharged. But ticket distribution, Manpreet-Cong tie-up are worrying factors Sarbjit Dhaliwal Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 7 The other significant change in its character is the growing hold of a few families over the party structure.
The party is now in the firm grip of the Badals - Parkash Singh Badal and his son Sukhbir Singh Badal. In fact, the SAD faces no major political challenge from other Akali factions. From the outside, the party seems to have kept dissent under check. Decisions made by the Badals are often implemented within the party without opposition. Owing to this, the party was amongst the first to announce its list of candidates for the 10 Lok Sabha seats being contested by the party in Punjab. Most other parties are engaged in procedural wrangles to finalise the names.
Ticket distribution
The party battles unease at the district level over the allotment of party ticket. The fielding of Sher Singh Ghubaya from Ferozepur has irked the supporters of Vardev Singh Mann, son of former MP Zora Singh Mann. Vardev had sought the ticket during the last Lok Sabha elections as well. Sher Singh and Vardev Mann have a separate support base in the constituency. Ajit Singh Shant was a strong contender for the party ticket in the Faridkot Lok Sabha constituency. He was believed to have been brought into the party fold from the Congress on the assurance that he would be given a Lok Sabha ticket. But this has not happened and his supporters are upset. In Majha's Khadoor Sahib constituency, the party has refused ticket to Dr Rattan Singh Ajnala and fielded Ranjit Singh Brahmpura. Peeved, Ajnala is staying away from party meetings. In fact, there is a race for supremacy in the Majha region, where Bikram Majithia, brother-in-law of Sukhbir Badal, calls the shots. Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, son-in-law of Parkash Singh Badal, is another major political player in that region. The persistent cold war between two groups has been a talk of the town in especially in Majha belt. Moreover, the SAD leadership is running a feud with the BJP's fire brand leader Navjot Singh Sidhu, who won the Lok Sabha elections from Amritsar three times in a row. Clan rivalry
The biggest challenge for the SAD leadership, especially for Parkash Singh Badal and Sukhbir Singh Badal, seems to be Manpreet Singh Badal, who belongs to the Badal clan. If Sukhbir has successfully lured Congress men into the SAD fold, the Congress has created problems for the Badals by propping up Manpreet against Sukhbir's wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal from the Bathinda seat. Manpreet, who started his political career as an Akali and remained its MLA for 15 years, recently joined hands with the Congress, a political party against which his uncle Parkash Singh Badal has been fighting a political battle for the past five decades. Though members of the extended Badal family have contested against each other earlier too but the battle between Manpreet and Harsimrat is being keenly followed. Anti-incumbency
The party will also have to fight anti-incumbency within the state, though the Congress is battling an apparent wave at the Centre. The SAD is upbeat especially after creating history by winning the Vidhan Sabha elections for the second time in a row in 2012. While Sukhbir has proved to be a good political strategist in the Assembly elections, the Lok Sabha elections have thrown a fresh challenge at the young leader to prove his acumen in the bigger arena. Candidates in the fray
The old guard
Young blood
Battle for prestige
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INLD looks to riding sympathy wave
Sees Cong-CBI conspiracy in sending party chief OP Chautala, his elder son Ajay to jail Geetanjali Gayatri Tribune News Service
As the top brass of the party's first family, the faces of the INLD, was behind bars, various political parties were looking at poaching the INLD cadre. The morale of the workers was at its lowest ebb. Onus on Abhay
The party chief's younger son Abhay Chautala, so far the party's war-room manager heading various sports bodies with a role confined to managing the districts entrusted to him, suddenly found himself at the centre-stage. The crisis in the party was as big as it could get. With a string of challenges and the first-rung leadership gone overnight, the Chautala scion, a third-generation politician himself and Ellenabad MLA, hit the tarmac, to turn around the indictment to the party's advantage and cash in on the workers' anger against the verdict. On January 25 last year, the party, having decided that it couldn't wallow in self-pity, was out in the field, holding its first meeting in Jat heartland of Jind, the constituency that had sent back the party supremo to the Vidhan
Sabha. Conspiracy theories
The party leadership went all guns blazing against the ruling Congress, alleging a Congress-CBI conspiracy. The leaders covered all 21 districts in the immediate aftermath of the "tragedy" that had shaken the party to its roots and immediately followed it up with a rally campaign to cover all 90 Assembly segments in the state. Since then, the party's aggressive style has shown no let up whether it came up with the release of "cash for change of land use" CDs against Congressmen or went all over the state with memorabilia of former Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal to mark his 100th birth anniversary, providing the INLD another chance to cover all 90 Assembly segments. Better known for his management skills, Abhay Chautala, in consultation with state unit chief Ashok
Arora, prepared a blueprint of micro-planning that went down to the booth-level in every constituency and set up a 3.5 lakh strong "agent" force as part of a public-outreach programme. Unlike the Congress, there are no dissident leaders in the INLD where only the Chautalas call the shots and their decision is final. Fourth generation
With Ajay Chautala in jail, his sons Digvijay and Dushyant assumed a more active role in the party as did Abhay's sons Karan and Arjun. In their 20s and with a generational gap separating them from Abhay's thinking, rumours of some differences within the family began doing the rounds. But they were quickly scotched after the Chautalas, realising their strength lay in staying united, quickly came under one umbrella where Abhay Chautala plans and distributes duties and the younger lot follows directions. Allocating specific agenda, Digvijay is primarily focusing on the party's student wing, INSO, while Dushyant is working to woo the youth and Karan looking after the family's Sirsa bastion. With nothing to lose since the INLD did not get even a single seat in the 2009 General Elections, the leadership feels that it is in a win-win position. On AAP radar
As a number of leaders from various parties are flocking to join the INLD, the initial challenges may have been over for the party but a new crisis stares the leadership in the face. The issue of corruption is being raised at the national-level by the Aam Aadmi Party, forcing other parties to exercise caution when it comes to choosing candidates and alliance partners. With its top leadership in jail for graft charges, the INLD is up against a lot since. Also, a lot of the party's political fortunes hinge on an alliance with former partner BJP. Though the BJP currently has a tie-up with the Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC), the INLD is making all efforts to win back the BJP leadership and forge an alliance. So far, there has been little success on that front, though the INLD has not given up yet. Abhay Chautala is learnt to be in touch with the BJP leadership. Poll pact with BJP?
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STOCK-TAKING: Sandeep Dikshit (East Delhi) With locals looking forward to a change, AAP's Rajmohan Gandhi may give him tough competition Himani Chandel Tribune News Service
New Delhi, March 7 Though the BJP has not announced a candidate from the constituency yet, Dikshit will be challenged by Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Rajmohan Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi.
In the past 10 years of his political career, Dikshit, son of former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, has failed to live up to expectations of residents of trans-Yamuna area. "We have not seen any development in the area in the past five years. The roads are in bad shape and we don't have a community centre here. I would rate him 10 out of 100 as an MP," said Sanjay Saxena, president, Resident Welfare Association, Mandawli. He said apart from installing semi-high-mast-light poles in some areas, there had been no other major project launched by the MP in East Delhi. "His 10-year rule failed to solve our basic problems, including parking, water shortage, unauthorised colonies and builder mafia," Saxena said. Dikshit's popularity might suffer a dent due to his apparent inaccessibility and unfriendliness towards voters. Local residents complain that he had never lent an ear to their problems. Anil Bajpai, president, Federation of more than 70 Resident Welfare Associations in East Delhi, said Dikshit never tried to reach out to people and redress their grievances. "In the past 10 years, he has not visited his constituency even 10 times," he said. Bajpai, who played an important role in the protest against Delhi Electricity Regularity Commission for increasing power tariff last year, said Dikshit never supported the Federation for the cause. "We approached Dikshit several times during 'Bijli Andolan', but he never responded. Rather, he asked us to meet the local MLA," Bajpai said. Dikshit's name was also dragged in the allegations levelled by those protesting against increase in electricity tariff, claiming that he had teamed up with the firms involved in the business of manufacturing electricity and water meters. Congress's 15-year rule in Delhi came as an advantage for Dikshit and helped him bag an easy victory in both 2004 and 2009 Lok Sabha elections as most of the Assembly seats in his constituency were ruled by the Congress. In both the elections, Dikshit defeated his BJP rival by nearly 2 lakh votes. However, in 2013 Assembly polls, the major chunk of Congress's vote share was taken by debutant AAP, giving only two of 10 seats in East Delhi to the Congress. This can also be an indication of the party's exit from the constituency in the upcoming elections. "The mood of voters has changed this time. There are issues such as inflation, corruption and law and order on the basis of which people will choose their candidates," said BJP's Chetan Chauhan, who was defeated by Dikshit in 2009 Lok Sabha polls. He said: "If we talk about development projects, Dikshit has failed to properly utilise the funds allotted to him under the Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS)." Where he stands Party Congress Current Profile Entered Lok Sabha in 2004 Constituency break-up In Parliament MPLADS funds Total voters in constituency 15,57,229 Opponentspeak
Harsh Vardhan, Delhi bjp president Voterspeak
We have not seen any development in our area in the past five years. I will rate Sandeep Dikshit 10 out of 100 as an
MP. Sanjay Saxena, president, Resident Welfare Association Dikshit never tried to reach out to people to redress their grievances. In the past 10 years, he has not visited his constituency even 10
times. Anil Bajpai, president, federation of 70 resident welfare associations
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After Venod, UP leader Jagdambika Pal quits Congress
New Delhi, March 7
Said to be in touch with the BJP ahead of the polls, Pal quit the Congress citing lack of opportunities to communicate with the emerging leadership. He apparently referred to Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and his style of functioning. Pal said: "I am not going because I want something on the eve of polls. I have been feeling left out in the Congress affairs for a while. There is no way of speaking to the leadership or communicate what one feels. I was feeling increasingly unwanted in the party. The sense I was getting was - no one wants seniors like me." Pal quit two days after Congress MLA from Ambala Venod Sharma left the party. Though the party named Pal as one of the members in the prestigious committee of presiding officers of the Lok Sabha (MPs who preside over the House in the Speaker's absence), Pal was feeling sidelined at being denied a ministerial berth. The tipping point in the Pal-Congress relationship was the recent decision of the Congress to give the RS ticket to Sanjay Singh, the sitting LS MP from Sultanpur, who had threatened to join the BJP and fight Rahul from Amethi. Pal had embarrassed the Congress in the LS when he questioned "indifferent" treatment to his constituency by the then Railway Minister Pawan Bansal. Pal, 65, said he was leaving with a heavy heart as he was finding it difficult to function "under the new leadership of the party". D Purandeswari joins BJP
Former Union Minister and TDP founder NT Rama Rao's daughter D Purandeswari today joined BJP after quitting the Congress. Purandeswari, who joined the party in the presence of former BJP chief M Venkaiah Naidu at his residence, said she wanted to contest from the Visakhapatnam LS seat. "Former Union Minister D Purandeswari joined the BJP today. I welcome her into the party fold," BJP president Rajnath Singh said after she met him at his residence. - PTI
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Only a fraction of forces votes
Chandigarh, March 7 Under the law, armed force personnel have three options to vote - postal ballot, proxy voting and registering themselves as "service voters" at their current place of posting. During the 2009 general election, there were 11.32 lakh registered service voters, including 3.32 lakh women. The total number of votes received through the postal ballot was 4.42 lakh, accounting for 39 per cent of the service voters. The average national voter turnout was 58.19 per cent, with the highest being 90 per cent for Nagaland. There were just 187 proxy votes. Voters who can avail postal ballot include not only Defence personnel and members of the armed police forces and their families but also government functionaries posted aboard, voters on election duty, persons in detention and other notified voters. There are about 13 lakh personnel in the armed forces and about nine lakh in the Central armed police forces. Taking into account eligible family members, the strength of prospective voters would be more than double this figure. In the armed forces, there are about 5,870 women officers, including those in the medical stream and roughly 6,000-7,000 women personnel in the central armed police forces, which is less than one per cent of their overall strength. Given the fact that women comprised about 30 per cent of the registered service voters in 2009, it can be presumed that civilian postal ballots could have well outnumbered those from the uniformed forces. With armed forces and paramilitary personnel posted in remote and far flung corners the method of voting through postal ballot has not proved to be effective due to transit delays or non-registration or updation of electoral rolls at their native place. Technical matters and secrecy issues also affected the proxy voting introduced in 2003 that mandated a designated certified voter casting a vote on behalf of a service voter. Under Section 20 of the Representation of the People's Act, any person having a "service qualification" is deemed as an ordinary resident of the constituency in which he resides and can be registered as a voter under by filling up Form-6. This process, however, has been given the cold shoulder by the authorities as Defence personnel residing in cantonments, military stations or remote outposts have never been surveyed and enumerated by the electoral officials. Limited options
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Jaya cosies up to Didi
Kolkata, March 7 The two leaders discussed the Lok Sabha elections and the post-poll alliance possibilities, Trinamool sources said. During an interview to a national television channel, Banerjee was asked whether she was open to backing Jayalalithaa if the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister wanted to become Prime Minister. "I have no problem. I don't bother about the chair," Banerjee replied. Jayalalithaa's call also came a day after the collapse of the seat adjustment talks in Tamil Nadu between the AIADMK and the two communist parties. — IANS
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BJP gaining, but no Modi wave, says Akhilesh
New Delhi, March 7 Yadav took a dig at BJP's PM candidate Narendra Modi for his "petty" statements like giving lions from Gujarat to Uttar Pradesh and said only somebody with a big heart can become the Prime Minister. He responded to Modi's barb that UP saw over 100 riots in the last two years against none in Gujarat in 10 years, alleging that it was Modi government which starts communal violence in Gujarat while he was working to stop it in UP. The rallies of Samajwadi Party have been bigger than those of BJP, Yadav claimed at India Today Conclave, adding that BJP supporters make their gathering appear bigger by leaving empty space around them while SP supporters sit together closely. "This is true that BJP has increased its numbers among people by some margin. People in some measure are attending their rallies. But to say results will be in their favour is difficult," he said in what appeared to be a reluctant admission of the challenge a resurgent BJP is posing to SP in UP, which sends the largest contingent of 80 MPs to Lok Sabha. Asked if there is a Modi wave in UP, he rejected it, saying "there is no such atmosphere so far". Yadav also attacked BSP Chief Mayawati and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal and said he has no wish to meet the former Delhi Chief Minister, who recently held a rally in Kanpur and roadshows across towns of UP. "AAP won't have much impact in UP," he insisted. Mayawati, he said, wasted public money in self-promotion and gave an impression that she was a bigger leader than Bhim Rao Ambedkar as her statues were taller than that of the Dalit icon. He, however, hinted at SP's willingness to do business with the Congress, saying it is said among 'Samajwadis' that they will stand by the Congress, when it is at its weakest. — PTI
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Despite Sushma’s opposition, BSR Cong may merge with BJP
New Delhi, March 7 Sources say the merger was "a matter of time" considering party's PM candidate Narendra Modi's keenness in view of Sreeramulu's popularity in the Valmiki Nayak community of the Bellary region. Apparently Sreeramulu announced the merger after an unofficial go-ahead from the BJP. Soon after the announcement, Sushma went public with her opposition to bring in Sreeramulu and along with him he tainted mining barons of Bellary-the Reddy brothers-into the saffron fold. "I am opposed to the BSR (Congress) alliance or merger with BJP in Karnataka," she tweeted on Thursday, causing discomfort among party members trying to shore up numbers in order to send Modi to the PMO. Trying to present a picture of united BJP amid speculations of divide in the senior leadership, all that party spokesman Prakash Javadekar said was "the party is united on all issues". However, sources say that party president Rajnath Singh and senior leader Venkaiah Naidu met Sushma at the residence of veteran leader LK Advani to bring the dissenting member on board. Sreeramulu is a close associate of jailed mining baron Janardhana Reddy. Defending her action, Sushma's supporters say her stance against the BSR Congress stems from her unwarranted portrayal as a patron of the Bellary brothers-who at one point in time she referred to as her sons. However, she started distancing from the Bellary group after Janardhana Reddy and BJP legislators were indicted for allegedly helping the mining mafia. On Sushma’s tweet
Sushma's opposition to Venod Sharma left party spokesman Prakash Javadekar fielding questions on the BJP's right to interfere in internal matters of its coalition partner. On whether the BJP could dictate terms to an ally, Javadekar said: "Pyar mein kuch bhi kaha ja sakta hai". Sushma had on Thursday tweeted saying: "I am strongly opposed to this. I have conveyed my views to Shri Kuldeep
Bishnoi".
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EC takes up NOTA, steps up efforts for transparent voting
New Delhi, March 7 In its effort to reduce "abuse of money power" during the elections, the EC will deploy flying squads and static surveillance teams to keep a vigil on distribution of cash or inducing voters through bribes to voters. Separate committees will keep an eye on election advertisements and politically funded reports in the media known as "paid news", while the candidates will have to be wary breaching the expenditure limits as the Election Commission of India will deploy expenditure observers including at the micro-level. A recent amendment increased the limit to Rs 70 lakh in majority of states from earlier ceiling of Rs 40 lakh per candidate in the Lok Sabha elections. Spurred by the success during the recent elections to the five Assemblies, the EC directed the government's financial intelligence to look out for movement of cash during elections. During the November-December 2013 polls, the Central enforcement agencies seized Rs 58 crore unaccounted cash from political workers. The EC will also monitor production, storage and distribution of liquor during elections since complaints of candidates supplying them to induce voters has been a scourge that the authorities are aware of. On the controversy over conduct of opinion polls, Chief Election Commissioner VS Sampath said it was for the lawmakers to take a call. Currently, broadcast/telecast and publication of exit polls results are banned till the end of polling hour on the last day. While use of EVMs is not new, the EC has put in place administrative safeguards, including sealing of control units and ballot units with pink paper seals specially manufactured by the Security Printing Press, Nashik, and carrying out a two-stage random check. The check includes mock poll casting 1,000 voters in at least 5 per cent EVMs among other measures in the presence of representatives of political parties and candidates. Several candidates and some political parties have in the past complained that the EVMs can be tampered with and programmed to transfer the votes from the person in whose favour it is cast to another pre-determined candidate, even though the ECI has denied such a possibility. The EC will use Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) system this time in some of the constituencies, subject to availability of number of units. At present it has 600 units of VVPAT and another 20,000 units have been ordered and are likely to be received the end of the month. Measures adopted
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Turned 18? Get registered as a voter till March 15 BJP leaders meet Raj Thackeray Rama Rao’s daughter may join BJP
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The Shiormani Akali Dal (SAD) headed by Sukhbir Singh Badal is not the same old political party that it used to be a few decades ago.
The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) was nearly written off after the pronouncement of the January 22, 2013, indictment of party chief Om Prakash Chautala.
After the Congress got a drubbing in the last year's Assembly elections, East Delhi's Member of Parliament Sandeep
Dikshit, if given the party ticket once again, might face a tough battle in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Though the BJP has not announced a candidate from the constituency yet, Dikshit will be challenged by Aam Aadmi Party's
(AAP) Rajmohan Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi. Dikshit, who was elected to the 14th Lok Sabha in 2004 and re-elected in 2009, headed a social development group and worked on rural and human development issues before joining politics.
Days after bunking the farewell dinner hosted by Congress president Sonia Gandhi at her 10 Janpath residence in Delhi, senior leader from Uttar Pradesh and Lok Sabha member from
Dumariyaganj, Jagdambika Pal, today quit the party he had been serving since former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was at the helm. Pal also resigned from the Lok
Sabha.
While the Supreme Court is adjudicating the issue of implementing an effective voting procedure for armed forces personnel and their families, electoral data available and contentions raised by several ex-servicemen's associations suggests that only a miniscule amongst the uniformed personnel able to exercise their right to franchise.
The Shiormani Akali Dal (SAD) headed by Sukhbir Singh Badal is not the same old political party that it used to be a few decades ago. In the recent years, it has shed its predominantly Sikh character and opened up to other communities. The party now has MLAs from almost all major communities in the state.
In the past, figures such as Sant Harchand Singh Longowal and Sant Fateh Singh, who had no family stakes in politics, ran
the party. But that
has changed.
Sher Singh Gubaya (Ferozepur), Manpreet Singh Ayali (Ludhiana), Harsimrat Kaur Badal (Bathinda), Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa (Sangrur), Paramjit Kaur Gulshan (Faridkot), Kulwant Singh (Fatehgarh Sahib), Deepinder Singh Dhillon (Patiala), Prem Singh Chandumajra (Anandpur Sahib: in pic), Pawan Tinu (Jalandhar) and Ranjit Singh Brahampura (Khadoor Sahib)
Only a few within the old guard have a real say in the party. Parkash Singh Badal, the
oldest leader in the party, wields absolute power. Another veteran Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa has some influence in the party. Leaders such as
Jagdev Singh Talwandi, who at one point was known as "Loh Pursh" (iron man) has almost disappeared from the political scene.
In the Majha area, Ranjit Singh Brahmpura has some influence but only at the local level.
Sukhbir Singh Badal is by far the most powerful leader in the party amongst the younger lot. His brother-in-law Bikram Singh Majithia comes next on the list. Sukhbir's wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa's son Parminder Singh Dhindsa and Sikander Singh Maluka also have a say in
The party top brass — Parkash Singh Badal and Sukhbir Singh Badal — will have to focus hard on the Bathinda Lok Sabha constituency from where Manpreet Singh Badal takes on party candidate Harsimrat Kaur Badal. In the last Assembly elections, Manpreet was almost a loner. But he is being backed by the Congress now. For Badal and his son, it is a battle for prestige.
Chandigarh, March 7
After the Congress got a drubbing in the last year's Assembly elections, East Delhi's Member of Parliament Sandeep Dikshit, if given the party ticket once again, might face a tough battle in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Dikshit, who was elected to the 14th Lok Sabha in 2004 and re-elected in 2009, headed a social development group and worked on rural and human development issues before joining politics.
The LS polls will not be a competition between the BJP and the Congress, but between 10 years of Congress misrule and the common people who are bearing the brunt of inflation, unemployment, poor growth and rampant
corruption.
While the Supreme Court is adjudicating the issue of implementing an effective voting procedure for armed forces personnel and their families, electoral data available and contentions raised by several ex-servicemen's associations suggests that only a miniscule amongst the uniformed personnel able to exercise their right to franchise.
RJD fields Lalu’s wife, daughter in LS polls