Karnal, April 3
Karnal, a constituency where bigwigs such as Bhajan Lal and Sushma Swaraj suffered defeat, is all set to witness a multi-corner fight.

Congress representative Arvind Sharma is eyeing a hat-trick from the seat while others who are in the fray are — Ashwini Kumar Chopra (BJP-HJC), Maratha Virender Verma (BSP), Jaswinder Singh Sandhu (INLD), Paramjeet Singh (AAP) and 18 others.

Maintaining a strong hold on the Karnal seat, Congress candidates have emerged victorious on seven occasions in the past 30 years.

Assembly segments: 9

5 (under Karnal district): Indri, Nilokheri, Karnal, Gharaunda and Assandh

4 (under Panipat district): Panipat (urban), Panipat (rural), Samalkha and Israna

In numbers

Total voters: 16,84,321

Total booths: 1,559

First-time voters: 60,000

Mewat, April 3
Rao Inderjit Singh, who has represented Gurgaon for 15 years, claims that he has received a grand welcome this time which he hasn’t got earlier.

The dusty lanes of Mewat villages are not new to Singh, but the flag that he carried for 36 years has changed its colours, making his campaign more interesting.

He is now a member of the Modi saffron brigade, the colour and the party to which this backward area inhabited by Meo Muslims has always been averse to.

It has just been days when villagers have gleefully lauded CM Hooda’s comments on Singh being a traitor and today, they show eagerness to meet and greet Singh and cheer about the Gujarat model.

“There are talks about the region being averse to the BJP. Of late, the Congressmen have been calling me a traitor and are saying that the party has played a role in my past victories. Initially, it made me apprehensive, but I know that people love me and not the flag I carry,” says Singh as he moves to a Punhana village chaupal to interact with villagers.

Here, he calls upon the villagers to fight for honour and win their due.

“They (Congressmen) call me a traitor and I have no qualms in admitting that yes, I left them. I did this for my people as I have pledged to be loyal to them. The Congress had made false promises, so I had to shift to secure the rights of my people,” Singh says while addressing the crowd.

Interestingly, he has spent 30 years fighting against the BJP and stood representing the same today, the fact seems to be negligible for him and his listeners who seemed more interested in dreams of development and tales of how and why projects for the region have failed to make any headway.

Criticising the Opposition, he says, “How can they project the Mewat model of development against the Gujarat model when Mewat lacks all basic facilities?”

On being questioned by a villager as to why he failed to provide the facilities even when he was at the helm, he says, “I was the MP and got projects such as railway line, Kotla lake development, ITIs and other grants for the region. The CM has hampered their execution. Hooda pompously announced that he would bear half of the cost of the rail project, but it had no mention in the state Budget. Despite local MLA Aftab Ahmed being the Transport Minister, the region is deprived of proper transport connectivity.”

Singh traditionally enjoys Ahir support and political analysts predict Meo loyality to INLD Zakir Hussain or AAP Yogendra Yadav, but he enjoys an overwhelming response during his visits to Mewat villages.

If experts are to be believed, his campaign with a new slogan — “property dealeron ki sarkaar” will help him to reconnect with the new class of determining voters — the Meos.

Jammu, April 3
It is secularism versus communalism in the Udhampur-Doda parliamentary constituency of Jammu and Kashmir, which is going to polls on April 17.

Several communally sensitive areas falling under this constituency have been on the target of politicians who benefit from polarisation.

However, peaceful atmosphere with all-round development continues to be a major issue here and political parties are trying to hit on those areas.

The Udhampur-Doda segment has become the most important seat in the state this time as the Congress heavyweight from the state, Ghulam Nabi Azad, is making his maiden attempt to enter the Lok Sabha from Jammu and Kashmir. Currently a Rajya Sabha member, Azad was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1980 from Washim in Maharashtra and again from the same constituency in 1984.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which was hopeful of winning the seat before Azad's candidature was announced, is facing a tough competition now.

Political observers say that Azad has the charisma of getting people on his side and minimising polarisation.

"With Azad in the fray, it has been observed that the Modi wave has died down in the area. But, in a few pockets where the BJP has its traditional vote bank, it has become a prestigious contest for Azad," says Rekha Choudhary, a Jammu-based political analyst.

The BJP has fielded Jatindra Singh against Azad and like other parts of the country the party is relying heavily on Narendra Modi's charisma to woo voters here as well.

Modi had addressed a rally in Hiranagar town of Kathua district on March 26, where Jatindra talked about the Kishtwar clashes, but Modi preferred to talk about development and employment for youth.

Meanwhile, Azad, who was on a campaign trail to Reasi and Ramban districts of south of the Pir Panjal region, talked about strengthening secularism and development carried out by the UPA.

Azad is seen as the face of development in this part of the country and during his two-and-a-half-year tenure as the J&K Chief Minister from 2005 to 2008, the state in general and Udhampur-Doda constituency in particular have seen massive development in terms of road connectivity, building tourism infrastructure, upgrading schools and much more.

With a special focus on development and efforts to minimise the "Modi wave", the Congress candidate is raking up the issue of secularism in the backdrop of Kishtwar violence and Gool killings to convince people of all religions to vote for him.

The constituency, which has been a Congress stronghold since 1967, comprises 17 Assembly segments. It is huge in terms of area as starting from Lakhanpur, bordering Punjab, it ends at Jawahar tunnel in Banihal, which is the gateway to the Valley. On the other side, Marwah and Dachan areas, where road connectivity is still a distant dream, and Bhambla village of Reasi district, bordering Rajouri, are part of the constituency.

As many as 1,412,794 voters will decide the fate of 13 candidates in the fray from this constituency. Of the 17 Assembly segments, eight are with the Congress, four with the BJP, two with the NC, two with the JKNPP and one with an Independent.

Karnal, April 3
Riding high on the perceived “Modi wave”, BJP's state president and former Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma is seeing these elections as a "yug parivartan (change in era)" and not just a "change of the government".

Sharma, in conversation with The Tribune, claims the BJP will emerge as the “single largest party” in the country and will form the next government at the Centre.

How do you see your partnership with the Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC)?

In 1999, there was a wave in favour of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the BJP won five seats in Haryana. And now in 2014, it's our prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's name all over. I am hopeful that the BJP-HJC tie-up will help us win all the seats in the state.

What kind of response have you got from voters?

It's a positive one. The UPA is facing a strong anti-incumbency. Everybody knows that Narendra Modi will become the next PM and will come up with a solution for issues like unemployment and corruption, which the present UPA government failed to address in 10 years.

Major factors your party is banking on?

Besides discrimination in development and employment, our party will ask the people to rout the UPA Government for their "role" in graft and price hike.

Is all well between the BJP and the HJC?

The HJC is our alliance partner in Haryana and we have struggled together against the Congress Government in the state for over two-and-a-half years. The BJP has no rift with the HJC. And if anyone is talking about it, it's a lie and has no base. The workers of both the parties are working hard for victory.

The BJP's partner, SAD, is supporting the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) in Haryana. Your comments?

The open support of the SAD to the INLD candidate in the state is a serious matter and also the violation of the coalition “dharma”. We have brought the matter to the notice of our party high command. It is not accepted that our alliance partner works against our candidates in the state.

What sort of atmosphere do you see in Haryana during the elections?

Law and order in Haryana has taken a toll. Youth are wondering in search of jobs, women and girls feel unsafe as the graph of rape and eve-teasing is increasing continuously, anti-farmer land acquisition policies have posed a threat to farmers. Traders are facing losses on account of heavy taxes. I feel none is happy with the working of the state government and they will be ousted this time.

The BJP is being accused of selling tickets and preferring outsiders over veterans. Pardeep Sangwan has recently quit the BJP.

These allegations are baseless and I condemn them. The BJP is a disciplined party with ethics. There is no issue among our workers regarding ticket allotment. Pardeep's joining the Congress was scripted. Our candidates are strong and will win all seats in Haryana.

Mumbai, April 3
Few would have heard about the Awami Vikas Party (AVP) except those who travel by Mumbai's "local" trains where the party has put up posters asking people to vote for "change".

Constituted by retired police officer Shamsher Khan Pathan who once arrested gangster Chotta Shakeel, the AVP has tied up with 17 little-known parties under the banner of "Force 1" to forge a "united" front in Maharashtra. "We seek to improve the lives of the poor, the impoverished Dalits and Muslims who are ignored by the mainstream parties such as the Congress and the BJP," Pathan said at an event where the leaders of all outfits shared the dais.

Pathan had hit the headlines after he teamed up with the Raza Academy to organise a protest by the Muslim community at Mumbai's Azad Maidan, which ended in violence. Pathan's latest venture to unite Dalits and Muslims in pockets of Maharashtra has drawn the ire of the Congress, which is banking on this segment to defeat the BJP-Shiv Sena combine in the state.

"During elections many such parties crop up with vested interests. But voters will not be fooled because this government has done a lot to uplift Dalits and Muslims in the state," says Maharashtra's Minority Affairs Minister Arif Nasim Khan.

Farmers' leader Raju Shetti formed the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS) to protect the interests of farmers against sugar co-operatives controlled by the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party. After winning his seat in the last Lok Sabha elections, Shetti is contesting two seats as part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.

BJP leaders here are optimistic that Shetti will help swing at least six to eight seats in the sugarcane belt in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Another small party of significance is the Peasants and Workers Party (PWP) that enjoys some influence in Raigad district outside Mumbai. With four MLAs in the Maharashtra Assembly, the PWP is contesting the Raigad and Maval Lok Sabha seats much to the discomfiture of the Shiv Sena, which had won the two seats in the last polls. For good measure, PWP leader Jayant Patil is in talks with Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena for a joint front.

Joining the PWP is the Jan Surajya Party (JSP), which has just two MLAs in the Maharashtra Assembly. Led by dairy baron Vinay Kore, who heads the Warna Milk Co-operative, the JSP is also looking at joining the Third Front with the MNS.

Though most of these small parties have little chance of making a mark in the Lok Sabha elections, they are looking for a bigger role in the Maharashtra Assembly elections due later this year. "The SSS will contest a number of seats under the NDA banner during the Assembly polls," Shetti said, while stitching up the alliance with the Shiv Sena and the BJP.

Jind, April 3
Jind is the only district in Haryana which has four MPs — three from the Lok Sabha and one from the Rajya Sabha — but still lacks basic amenities. It has not received any big projects as all MPs are busy focusing on their fixed territories and have never taken any initiative for its development.

Records say the district has 8.52 lakh voters. About 4.48 lakh of them are in Julana and vote under the Hisar constituency (sitting MP Kuldeep Bishnoi) having the Assembly segments — Safidon, Jind city and Uchana, 1.87 lakh are under the Sonepat constituency (sitting MP Jitender Singh Malik) while remaining 1.85 lakh voters form the part of the Sirsa segment (sitting MP Ashok Tanwar). Rajya Sabha MP Chaudhary Birender Singh also belongs to the district.

Once, Jind was the centre of Haryana politics as many senior politicians started their career from here. Now, it seems that it has lost its prime importance among the parties.

“Being the oldest district, it should have all facilities, but it even fails to compete with other developing areas of the state,” said one of its residents.

The district lacks basic amenities, including health centres, road, sewage and potable water facilities. The majority of development works for the district were announced just a month ago in view of the elections and many were still pending.

Reports said the state government had announced many bypasses and a ring road to prevent accidents in the internal parts of the city by diverting heavy traffic to the outer area, projects to upgrade hospitals, construction of a stadium, sewage projects, GNM training school and others, but all are lying pending for reasons best known to officials concerned.

“Since all MPs belong to other districts, they have never taken initiatives to develop Jind district. The Haryana Chief Minister has discriminated against Jind as there are INLD candidates on all five Assembly seats,” said Jind city INLD MLA Harichand Middha.

Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) spokesperson Karmbir Saini denied the allegations of discrimination. He said the HPCC had worked hard for the development of the state.

“In a recent road show, CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda claimed to have spent hundreds of crores to develop Jind district. But no one knows when and where the money has been utilised as the district still lacks basic amenities,” said Ram Kishan, a local shopkeeper.

Former Union Congress minister Jaiparkash, who won from Jind as an MP in 1989, 1996 and 2004, alleged that the delimitation of the Jind constituency was not done properly.

“Only a local candidate can bring the district on the path of development,” he said. 

Idea of Internet is 2 b free. UPA govt's efforts at curbing Internet are short-sighted & dangerous for our democracy! 
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Who are Congress' Chowkidars? Those involved in Fodder & Adarsh scams? Will India's coffers be safe under them? 
— Narendra Modi

Sonia Gandhi has looted her 'sasural' and filled the coffers of her 'peehar'
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Sonia Ji's meeting with Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid is a clear indication of Congress mentality which treats minorities only as a votebank. 
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Amethi's per capita income is amongst the 10 poorest in Uttar Pradesh 
— Smriti Z Irani

SNAPSHOTS

Expulsion threat looms over Jaswant’s son

Jaipur: The Rajasthan BJP on Thursday escalated pressure on sulking party MLA Shiv Manvendra Singh, son of expelled leader Jaswant Singh, asking him to quit the party or face disciplinary action and disqualification proceedings for alleged anti-party activities. "Manvendra Singh, who is campaigning against the party's official candidate Sona Ram in Barmer, should quit the party on moral grounds," state BJP vice-president Onkar Singh Lakhawat said. — PTI

Modi misleading nation: Sonia

Sasaram: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday accused BJP’s PM candidate Narendra Modi of misleading the nation. Sonia said this during a rally in Sasaram in Bihar from where the Congress has fielded Meira Kumar. — ANI

Rahul’s application cancelled

Amethi: The local administration has cancelled application of Congress vice-president and local MP Rahul Gandhi for issuance of domicile certificate. — PTI

Khurshid declares assets

Farukhabad: Union Minister Salman Khurshid on Thursday declared assets worth Rs 5.44 crore, while his wife Louise worth Rs 5.17 crore. As per his affidavit, Khurshid has Rs 1 lakh cash, while Rs 1.02 crore as savings, shares. — PTI

I-T case: Setback for Jaya

Chennai: Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa on Thursday suffered a setback when a court ordered her to appear before it on April 10 to face trial in an IT return case but escaped a similar fate in her assets case after the special court in Bangalore revised its directive and exempted her presence on security grounds. — PTI