Chandigarh, October 9
Nearly five years after Haryana Janhit Congress MLAs Satpal Sangwan, Vinod Bhayana, Narendra Singh, Zile Ram Sharma and Dharam Singh joined the Congress, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today disqualified them from the Assembly on the ground of defection.

Congress failed to get the required majority of 45 in the 90-member Assembly in the 2009 poll Bhupinder Hooda initially managed to form the government after the five MLAs merged with the Congress The Speaker accepted the plea for merger and to recognise the MLAs as Congress members in the House The HC said there was no proof of merger of the party and the Speaker’s decision was against constitutional mandate Bishnoi hails HC decision Karnal: HJC supremo Kuldeep Bishnoi on Thursday hailed the HC decision and said it has increased the confidence in judiciary. “It is the win of truth. Now, people's court will decide my fate and that of the five MLAs, who betrayed me,” he said. Bishnoi demanded the suspension of the government as now it was in minority. — TNS

The court said the Speaker’s decisions in the matter of switching sides “were not vitiated merely by error in reasoning”, but were rather “egregious”.

Justice Kannan also disqualified the MLAs from holding “any remunerative political post” from November 9/10, 2009 for “a period provided under Article 361B of the Constitution”, that is the date on which their term as members expires, or till the date they contest the elections to the House and are declared elected, whichever is earlier.

The five MLAs won the election on the HJC ticket in 2009. Soon after, four of them claimed a decision had been taken to merge the HJC with the Congress.

The slur of defection can be effaced in case of merger. The Speaker, in his order dated November 9, 2009, accepted the plea for merger and to recognise the legislators as Congress members in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha.

On January 13, 2013, the Speaker rejected an application for their disqualification, resulting in the filing of the petition. The matter was first raised in 2010 and the Speaker took more than three years to come out with his decision.

The order, with larger political ramifications, comes as a major embarrassment for the Congress in Haryana just before the Assembly poll. The present government initially earned legitimacy only after addition of the “defecting” MLAs.

The High Court, at one point of time, observed that the present government could not have been formed without the MLAs. “If it is found that respondent MLAs have incurred disqualification, the very existence of the government would be in jeopardy,” it said.

Delivering the verdict on HJC president-cum-MLA Kuldeep Bishnoi’s petition, Justice K. Kannan this morning held that the Speaker’s decision of accepting the merger was against the constitutional mandate.

“The order accepting the merger on November 9, 2009, was hasty, sans basis and without undertaking the minimum of collection of data regarding the decision of the original political party.”

At the same time, Justice Kannan asserted that enough material was not there to “affirm that the Speaker was spirited by any mala fide in the decision” he ultimately took. “With the discontinuity of the persons who held the office of Speaker, I cannot find that one was supporting another for the mala fide cause”.

Referring to the contentions that four of the five MLAs had been made ministers under the Congress regime, Justice Kannan added: “That probably brings to truth what the bargain was to defect, but will not give room for inference of mala fides for the Speaker’s decision.”

In his detailed order, Justice Kannan ruled there was “absolutely no proof of merger of the original political party”. Justice Kannan asserted: “If I say that the decision of the Speaker in the first instance on November 9, 2009, was against the constitutional mandate, I say so because the letter written by the legislators on November 9, 2009, and the decision taken on the same day were literally on no evidence produced…..

“The Speaker, who received the letter from the Congress Party that HJC (BL) had merged with them, did not think it necessary surprisingly to look for a similar letter even from the leader of that political party which had merged…..

Chandigarh, October 9
The BJP today demanded the resignation of the Bhupinder Singh Hooda Government on ‘moral grounds’ against the backdrop of the disqualification of the five HJC legislators, who helped the Congress to form the government in Haryana in 2009, by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Addresssing a press conference here today, Kailash Vijayvargiya, BJP election in charge for Haryana, said that the High Court decision had exposed the ‘unconstitutional and unethical act’ of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh, who indulged in horse-trading to form the government in 2009.

“The Chief Minister should resign immediately as the government had been reduced to a minority. Anyway the people of Haryana had already decided to throw out the corrupt and inefficient Congress government after the October 15 poll,” he said.

Coming in support of statistics given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his rallies in Haryana, the BJP leader claimed that the law and order situation had gone for a toss in the state. According to the statistics released by the National Human Right Commission (NHRC), there were 25,363 cases of human rights violations in Haryana from 2012 to 2014 as against 4,371 cases in Punjab, he alleged.

Even a report of the parliamentary committee, which toured Haryana during the UPA regime last year, has alleged large-scale atrocities on Dalits, specially women, he alleged.

New Delhi, October 9
The adage ‘politics makes strange bedfellows’ appears to have come alive, and that too by a long shot, in Haryana. Bitter political foes, Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) president Kuldip Bishnoi and Ajay Singh, elder son of INLD supremo Om Prakash Chautala, met here thrice, a few days ago.

The development is loaded with political significance, a straw in the wind indicating new political equations in the poll-bound state.

The meetings assume added significance on account of their timing and context; they took place when the process for the election kicked in.

According to a well-placed source, the meetings were held on three different dates within a span of a week at a farmhouse near Chattarpur. The INLD, HJC parleys are understood to have prior approval of Om Prakash Chautala.

Although the two leaders met around September-end and the start of this month, the matter came to light only today.

The discussions between the two leaders centred round steps to defeat the BJP nominees in the elections. The source added former Home Minister of Haryana and chairperson of election campaign committee of HJC Subhash Batra, who acted as intermediary between the two leaders, was also present in the meetings.

Ajay Singh and Bishnoi were not accessible for their comments on the issue. When contacted by TNS here, Batra evaded a direct reply on the matter. When prodded, he quipped, “The HJC can join hands with anyone to thwart communal forces.”

He dubbed BJP as “communal” and “opportunistic”. “All secular forces must unite”, he said. According to political pundits, Ajay Singh-Bishnoi meetings, Batra’s appeal to unity of secular forces assumes added significance and suggests broadening of anti-BJP pattern when juxtaposed with Om Prakash Chautala’s recent statement that the INLD could accept support of any quarters, post-elections to stop communal forces from coming to power in the state.

Chautala nod to talks The meetings were held within a span of a week at a farmhouse near Chattarpur The INLD, HJC parleys are understood to have prior approval of Om Prakash Chautala The discussions between Kuldip Bishnoi and Ajay Chautala centred round steps to defeat the BJP nominees in the elections

Baas (Hisar), October 9
Upbeat over the recent pats on BJP spokesperson Capt Abhimanyu’s back by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah, the captain’s camp is going all out to convince the voters of the Narnaund Assembly constituency that if they elect him as MLA, he would occupy the coveted chair of the state chief minister.

“BJP president Amit Shah has projected Capt Abhimanyu as the would-be chief minister and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also backed it. This is a golden chance for you to vote for him and earn the pride and privileges of being members of the Chief Minister’s constituency,” says a speaker while addressing villagers at the chaupal of Badala village in the Assembly segment.

Abhimanyu may not have won a single election to the Lok Sabha or the state Assembly, but he is now seeking votes, telling the villagers that they should support him to ensure a bright future for their children.

“Please ignore my shortcomings; you can reprimand me for those later…But once you miss this opportunity, you won’t get it back,” said the BJP leader, who is locked in a tough triangular contest with Independent candidate Ram Kumar Gautam and INLD’s Raj Singh Mor.

Citing how incumbent Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has changed the fortune of his constituency, Abhimanyu promises the local voters that he would bring the “chaudhar” to their “chaukhat” (doorstep). He promises that there would be no scarcity of water or jobs once he was voted to power.

“Water shortage and unemployment are the biggest problems in the constituency,” he said while talking to The Tribune on his way to Baas, the next village. Narnaund, a predominantly rural constituency comprising 58 villages.

The captain’s cavalcade occupies an internal road of Baas, a big village of the constituency, where a meeting of youths is called by the BJP leader’s supporters.

“Ib ke SP ar kaptan mein takkar sai, par Gautam bhi seat kaadh sakey hai (This time there is a direct contest between INLD candidate and former SP Raj Singh Mor and BJP’s Capt Abhimanyu, though independent candidate Ram Kumar Gautam may also emerge victorious),” says a villager on being asked about the poll prospects.

Faridabad, October 9
Five constituencies — NIT (New Industrial Township), Badkhal, Ballabgarh, Tigaon and Prithla — form a major part of the urban and rural populace of Faridabad.

However, these segments suffer from a tardy pace of development and this aspect has resulted in resentment among the voters and a feeling of anti- incumbency against the ruling party.

While Prithala, Tigaon and Badkhal came into existence post delimitation in 2009, Ballabgarh and the NIT are old segments. The Congress, which won from Badkhal, Ballabgarh and Prithla, is finding the going tough due to the non- development factor.

The NIT is the only seat which was won by an Independent candidate and he will give a tough time to the Congress, the BJP and the INLD opponents. Tigaon is the lone seat which was won by the BJP candidate Krishan Pal Gurjar who was subsequently elected to the Lok Sabha is now a minister in the Modi cabinet.

But the residents of Tigaon, primarliy a rural belt, are not satisfied with pace of the development work in the past five years. While nearly all the roads in the segment are potholed, Gurjar failed to get any major project sanctioned for this segment,'' claims Virender Kumar, a local resident.

He said while there was no regular bus service causing inconvenience to the residents. The people are not only fed up of the development claims of the government but also the charges of discrimination levelled by the opposition candidates.

“In the Badkhal Assembly, famous for the lake, civic amenities continue to elude the residents though the seat was represented by Mahender Pratap, a minister in the government,” claimed Rajiv, of Sector 48. He said while the lake had dried up long ago, the functioning of illegal tubewells had depleted the water table.

Prithla has benefitted due to an industrial zone by the present government. However, Rajbir, a resident, said the pace of development had been slow.

As for NIT, this constituency was perhaps one of those few segments which benefitted the most although it was represented by an Independent MLA, Shiv Charan Lal Sharma. He extended support to the Hooda government and became a minister.

Ganaur, October 9
An aggressive Congress today took on the BJP in poll-bound Haryana, accusing the BJP-SAD government in Punjab of promoting drug culture leading the youth astray.

“The youth in Punjab has failed to make a mark in sports and education. Instead of building stadia, the youth has taken to drugs,” Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi said at an election rally here.

He addressed two more in Firozepur Jhirka and Rewari during his first election tour of the state. Haryana Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Sharma is the Congress candidate from Ganaur.

Rahul lashed out at the BJP for saying that the Congress had failed to bring any development to the state in the past six decades. He rattled out dozens of development projects undertaken by the Hooda government.

Giving out a new slogan in the praise of sportspersons from Haryana who have brought laurels to the nation, the scion of the Gandhi family said: “Haryana is proud of its sportspersons, farmers and soldiers guarding the borders. Hence, the slogan in this state should be — ‘Jai jawan, jai kisan and jai pehalwan’ (wrestlers) — for the service they render to the nation.”

Terming the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre as anti-poor and anti-farmer, Rahul told a gathering at the Indian Institute of Horticulture Marketing that as opposed to “pro-poor” actions taken by the Hooda government, the BJP was working at the behest of big business houses and industry whose motive was profit. To drive home his point, he cited the example of PM Narendra Modi signing an agreement with American pharmaceutical firms. The deal, he claimed, would “take medicines out of the reach of common man”.

Taking on Modi, he said: “Marketing is an easy job, but working for people is difficult. The BJP has failed to fulfill promises it made to the nation prior to the Lok Sabha elections. Do you see any black money being brought to India from abroad? The Chinese have intruded into Ladakh and Pakistan is shelling India as it has done never before. The past few days have seen heavier shelling that India saw in the entire two terms of the UPA regime.”

Hooda accompanied by Rahul took a dig at the INLD and BJP, saying that both parties were misleading people. “Om Parkash Chautala says he will become the Chief Minister. Who is he trying to fool? The law has no such provision,” he said to a thunderous applause. The Chief Minister called BJP leaders “Chinese maal” (Chinese goods of poor quality).

New Delhi, October 9
The BJP today accused the Haryana government of not sharing the complete facts with the Election Commission in connection with the Robert Vadra-DLF land deal.

Responding to a question whether the BJP would cancel the contentious land deal if it comes to power in Haryana, senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said an objective and fair inquiry would be carried out.

Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary, Haryana, had said in its reply to the Election Commission that the request for renewal and transfer of licence in favour of DLF was pending with the department.

However, the Deputy Commissioner, Gurgaon, in an order issued in July had clearly stated that DLF was the owner of the land as per revenue records.

Questioning why this fact was not disclosed by the Haryana government in its communication to the EC , Prasad asserted that the commission’s clean chit that there was no violation of the model code of conduct in the land deal did not mean that there is no corruption in it.

He also alleged that the Hooda government was trying to close the case as he knows that the Congress would not come into power again in the state. “Why is the CM (Hooda) mortgaging propriety of governance for the sake of one individual (Robert Vadra),” he wondered

On irregularities in land allotment to Vadra in Rajasthan, the BJP leader said a thorough probe was conducted and FIRs had been lodged and four officers suspended in this regard.

‘Will probe deal’ Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad (pic) said the Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary, Haryana, told the Election Commission the request for renewal and transfer of licence in favour of DLF was pending with the department However, the Gurgaon Deputy Commissioner had in July said DLF was the owner of the land as per revenue records He said an objective and fair inquiry would be carried out into the deal if the BJP came to power

Karnal, October 9
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today released its second list of 13 ‘tainted’ candidates contesting the assembly elections. Earlier, it has released a list of 13 candidates a few days ago.

AAP national executive member Yogendra Yadav said: “Under the party’s campaign ‘Aap Ki Awaaz,’ they have identified candidates facing charges. The party workers will hold protests against these candidates and also exhort the electorate not to vote for them.

The list was based on information received from the Election Commission and other sources as part of the party’s ‘Aap ki Awaaz’ campaign,” Yogendra Yadav said.

Clearing his party’s stand on support to any party, Yadav said his party would not extend support to any party or candidate. “Party workers should cast their vote on the basis of their conscience. If they don’t find any perfect candidate, they should adopt the NOTA option,” he said.

I asked him (Vigilance officer) if he could tell me which note was missing and he showed me a copy of it. I wondered how the noting in his possession could be termed as missing. This means the government is only trying to arm-twist me into signing the appointments and is hounding me to do its bidding Pradeep Kasni, administrator, cada

Chandigarh, October 9
The controversy dogging the appointment of Information Commissioners and Right to Service Commissioners in Haryana refuses to die down.

Two months after the then Secretary, Administrative Reforms, Pradeep Kasni, red-flagged the appointments, he shot off a letter to Chief Secretary Shakuntala Jakhu claiming he was being “harassed”.

Sources said the officer, presently posted as Administrator, CADA, has alleged that he is being victimised for objecting to the manner in which the appointments were made.

He had stated that no appointment letters were issued and that some of the appointees continued to hold offices of profit when they took oath, He had suggested that the government should seek the approval of Haryana Governor Kaptan singh Solanki in this matter.

Following Kasni’s allegations, various political parties had taken up the issue and submitted representations to Solanki demanding the scrapping of the appointments. The Governor forwarded the same to the government and had sought a reply within a fortnight, causing embarrassment to the government.

The officer wrote that the SP, Vigilance, visited him earlier this week to question him about a missing note. “The note was the state’s reply to Kasni’s noting’s in which he had specifically mentioned that the Governor’s approval should be sought. The government had over-ruled this and said that the officer’s observation was wrong and that the appointment letters had been issued,” a source said.

The Vigilance officer informed him that the note in which the government had over-ruled his observations was “missing”. “I asked him if he could tell me which one and showed me a copy of it. I wondered how the noting in his possession could be termed as ‘missing’. This means the government is only trying to arm-twist me into signing the appointments and is hounding me to do its bidding,” Kasni said.

He said he had written a letter to the Chief Secretary seeking her intervention. The CS was not available for comment.

Fatehabad, October 9
With both the INLD and the HJC promising to abandon or shift the controversial Gorakhpur nuclear plant if voted to power, detractors of the project are now looking for a commitment on the issue.

Residents of villages around the proposed site will meet Union Minister Sushma Swaraj, who is coming to Fatehabad tomorrow to address a rally for BJP nominee Swatantar Bala Chaudhary.

“BJP leaders Maneka Gandhi and VK Singh and their close associate Baba Ramdev had come to us and pledged to back our demand to shift this hazardous plant from Gorakhpur, if voted to power. They have not spoken a word on this issue after that. We will give a memorandum to Swaraj and ask her to specify the party’s stand,” said Vinod Karwasara, an animal right activist, whose organisation Jeev Avm Paryavaran Morcha has been opposing the project.

The state government got the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to lay the stone of the project in haste in January in view of the impending Lok Sabha polls, though some clearances were pending before the National Green Tribunal. Many locals had held protests opposing the project during the PM’s visit.

Residents of villages around the project, most of whom are from the Bishnoi community, accuse the Hooda government of giving this “hazardous” and “water-guzzling” project to Fatehabad, while major projects that benefit local residents were located in his own Rohtak and Jhajjar districts.

Parmanu Virodhi Morcha, a coalition of organisations opposed to nuclear power projects, has given a call to the people to vote for parties that promise to scrap the project. The morcha headed a campaign against the project in Fatehabad and Hisar district, as the project could affect the people of at least six Assembly segments (Fatehabad, Ratia, Tohana, Uklana, Adampur and Barwala) even in case of a minor disaster.

Chandigarh, October 9
With the election campaign reaching a feverish pitch, the BJP has gone all out to woo the non-Jat vote bank in a bid to replicate its Lok Sabha success in the Assembly elections.

In fact, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attack on INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala for the ‘bahubali’ (muscleman) image in the recent rallies pointed to the party’s direction of a new strategy ahead of the polls.

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Chautala still enjoy considerable influence over the Jat vote bank as they had raised the bogey of ‘chaudhar’ (supremacy) of community in the state.

Since the BJP does not have a Jat mass leader, the party seem to be relying on non-Jat votes and urban votes to be in the reckoning to form the next government.

“In the parliamentary elections, the urban non-Jat voters played a major role in the victory of party’s seven MPs. If the same experiment is repeated then the party could get absolute majority as it led in 52 of the 90 Assembly segments in the Lok Sabha elections,” a senior party leaders told The Tribune today.

INLD still enjoys a considerable influence in rural Jat-dominated areas where the BJP did not have strong organisational set-up in place. While Hooda is being attacked for alleged shady land deals by BJP’s star campaigners, including Modi, were attacking Chautala for conviction in the JBT teachers’ recruitment scam besides his strong arm tactics in the past.

Sources in the BJP said since INLD and Congress were fighting for the Jat vote bank, which constituted around 25% of the total electorate, the non-Jat voters could be polarised favour of the party. “This development, coupled with the ‘Modi wave’, would go a long way in the victory of the party candidates in multi-cornered contests,” the sources asserted.

However, BJP election in charge for Haryana Kailash Vijayvargia claimed the BJP was getting support from all sections of society. “The anti-incumbency against the Hooda Government coupled with the ‘Modi wave’ will work wonders for the BJP in the upcoming elections,” he claimed.

Sources, however, claimed that after severing of ties with its alliance partner HJC, the need for the polarisation of urban and non-Jat votes would be felt more in the elections.

Changing tack Modi's sharp attacks on Jat leaders — Hooda and Chautala, points to change in strategy Non-Jat, urban voters could be perfect anti-dote to the Jat vote bank of Congress, INLD Jats constitute only 25% of total votes; according to the BJP, the remaining 75% are up for grabs Modi wave, non-Jat vote bank may work wonders for BJP

Ambala City, October 9
Veteran actress turned politician Hema Malini today harped on the ideology of development by PM Narendra Modi to garner support for the BJP candidate Aseem Goyal.

Addressing a jam-packed rally in the narrow lanes of Baldev Nagar, the BJP MP from Mathura said that the people of Haryana should vote for good governance and development.

Under Modi, the country was fast gaining acceptance at the international level. Despite being an agrarian state, the status of farmers had deteriorated in the past decade. The law and order situation was in the doldrums as rapes and atrocities on Dalits had become the order of the day, she alleged.

Hema said that BJP leaders were working selflessly for the prosperity of the nation and to further strengthen Modi the people of Haryana should vote for the BJP candidates. Her party was committed to serve the nation by rising above caste politics, she added.

She said that during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s government the party had started a number of development projects, but some of these could not be completed at that time. But now the time has come to complete those projects, she said.

The PM intends to stop brain drain by generating world class employment opportunities for the youth in the country. 

Kachwa (Karnal), October 9
Bollywood star Hema Malini today campaigned for Manohar Lal Khattar, the BJP candidate from Karnal at Kachwa village.

She assailed the Congress for failing on all fronts and urged the people to give a clear mandate to her party. Cast your vote for a safe Haryana as the women were not safe at present, she alleged.

The BJP will give good governance in the state as it is doing the Centre, she added.

The star campaigner said, “We are fortunate that we have a PM is working for the overall development of the country and wants to make India a super power. Speaking about her constituency Mathura, she said, “I want to develop it as it is revered by the people for its spiritual value.”

Safidon, October 9
Cine star and Gurdaspur BJP MP Vinod Khanna today sought votes for party candidate Dr Vandana Sharma, a younger sister of Union Minister Sushma Swaraj here today.

He urged the voters to elect her so that the people could benefit from Swaraj for the development of this backward constituency.

“The state has been lagging behind because of corrupt politicians. The leaders of various parties showed interest only in minting money and never thought about the development of state,” he alleged during a road show from Jaamni village to Pillukhera.

Star struck fans stood on the roadside for many hours to have a glimpse of the MP who obliged his fans by posing for photos.

”The support of the people shows that BJP is going to form next government in Haryana with a majority. PM Narendra Modi in his 100 day rule has proved that he could affect a major change across the country, “Khanna said.

He further alleged that the people had voted the Congress out of power at the Centre and now it was the turn of Haryana people to follow suit. 

Dabwali (Sirsa), October 9
Former Punjab Chief Minister and Congress Deputy Leader Capt Amarinder Singh today challenged the INLD and the BJP to name their CM candidates if they really had any.

“Bhupinder Singh Hooda is and will be our Chief Minister, you name who is going to be your chief ministerial candidates”, Capt Amarinder said while addressing a public meeting in support of party candidate Dr KV Singh here today.

Capt Amarinder today addressed a series of meetings in Dabwali in support of KV Singh. Later, he campaigned for Ranjeet Singh and Jarnail Singh in Rania and Ratia, respectively.

He said Hooda had proved himself as a man of development during the last 10 years.

Terming Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala as opportunist leaders, he said while Badal claimed to be supporting the BJP , he was opposing the saffron party here just for personal interests.

Earlier, Amarinder Singh told The Tribune that the alliance between Om Prakash Chautala and Parkash Singh Badal was more for personal gains than for the mutual interest of Haryana and Punjab. The former Punjab Chief Minister pointed out that the two parties they represented had always adopted hostile stands against each other. He said the people of Haryana must ask Badal and Chautala to clarify their respective stands on various contentious issues like the transfer of Chandigarh and water-sharing between the two states. “They will have no answers as their alliance is for providing mutual protection to each other in their respective states”, he remarked.

He expressed confidence that the Congress was set to score a hat-trick in Haryana. “People are wise and they have five years of the Chautala regime and 10 years of Hooda rule to choose from,” Amarinder said.

Faridabad, October 9
Touted as the country’s best emerging cities till a few years ago, Faridabad may have lost out to Gurgaon. But when it comes to politics, this industrial city remains far ahead and the campaigning here is very aggressive.

Exploited by politicians and bureaucrats given the high value of land and mining interests, the voters of Faridabad are in no mood to let the candidates take them for granted.

The main contestant is Vipul Goyal of the BJP. BJP leaders have boosted his campaign. A local businessman, Goyal has the advantage of being backed by the business community as well as his liaison with industrialists and traders. Since the majority of the voters here have an urban profile, he fits into bill of the voters.

However, he is a greenhorn but this deficiency is being fulfilled by senior leaders. Party workers feel that he may bag an important post if the BJP is voted to power.

The Congress nominee, Anand Kaushik, is the incumbent MLA for the second consecutive term. Though he appears confident but the remarks of the party leadership that not all sitting MLAs will get the ticket delayed his campaigning. He has a clean image and is also credited with carrying out development works. However, he is facing anti-incumbency.

The INLD’s Parvesh Mehta is an experienced politician but faces the tag of a turncoat. He was with the BJP for 25 years but resigned after being denied the party ticket. His attack on the BJP for ignoring him is actually consolidating votes in favour of the saffron party.

However, Faridabad is not an INLD bastion.

Chandigarh, October 9
Unimpressed by the tall promises being made by political parties in their party manifestos to woo voters, the Haryana Insaaf Society, in a novel attempt, today, released a “People’s manifesto” showcasing what the public really wants.

Times when parties are promising “unrealistic” benefits, ranging from a monthly old-age pension of Rs 5,000, gas cylinders in every home and winding up of the Haryana Public Service Commission, the society came out with a manifesto seeking “realistic and achievable” goals in various fields that touch the life of a common man directly.

“We want to do away with the practice of the public exchequer funds being used to pay the income tax of legislators. We want the provision of a bunglow in Chandigarh to former chief ministers for life scrapped, withdrawal of the extra car to families of ministers, security to former MLAs and MPs besides relatives,” DR Chaudhary, general secretary of the society, said.

Maintaining that the society worked on the manifesto for two months, seeking inputs from various stakeholders and incorporating the opinion of experts, SP Singh, society joint secretary, explained that a team of academicians and experts was drawn up to prepare the blueprint.

“In the education sector, there is a need for radically transforming the curriculum. The recruitment process has to be made transparent and a rational transfer policy needs to be framed. In the health sector, the facilities need to be strengthened while diagnostic facilities need to be provided to the poor besides access to medicines. The referral facilities need to be strengthened and new multi-speciality hospitals and palliative care units along with trauma centres are urgently needed in every town,” Chaudhry said.

Strongly advocating the implementation of the Swaminathan report, the society members, in their manifesto, have stated that only low productivity land should be diverted to non-agricultural use and GM crops and hybrid varities should be rejected.

In a state where women’s rights are always an issue of concern, the manifesto recommends adoption of a code of conduct to disqualify electoral candidates who commit gender violence, besides a separate legal mechanism to deal with honour crimes. “The dictates of caste panchayats should be dealt with sternly and 33 per cent reservation should be given to women at all levels,” the manifesto says.

“We want the parties to realise that what they promise will drain the exchequer halfway through their term. Instead, they should focus on quality to improve lives,” the members said.

Chaudhary said the society would send its manifesto to all political parties and later hand it over to the newly elected government to implement and find solutions of the real issues that Haryana is dealing with.

The demands Do away with the practice of the public exchequer funds being used to pay the income tax of legislators Scrap the provision of a bunglow in Chandigarh to former CMs for life Withdrawal of the extra car to families of ministers, security to former MLAs and MPs Transparency in recruitment process A rational transfer policy Implementation of the Swaminathan report

Adampur, October 9
The usual atmosphere and din during poll time, associated with this high-profile Assembly constituency that has seen the clash of titans on a number of previous occasions, is clearly missing this time.

The dull and subdued electioneering is in sharp contrast to the enthusiasm among the state that used to wait for the result from this seat.

Adampur is the pocket borough of former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal, whose son Kuldeep Bishnoi in fray against INLD’s Kulbir Beniwal, Congress’s Satender Singh and BJP’s Karan Singh Rajolia.

Bishnoi is trying to defend the seat for the 14th consecutive time. “We have witnessed several such high profile fights when stalwarts such as Devi Lal, Bansi Lal, Ranjit Singh Chautala, Ganesh Lal had taken on local strongman Bhajan Lal at his home turf. Even during the strongest anti-Congress undercurrent in 1987, when Devi Lal-led Lok Dal won 85 seats, Adampur was among the five seats the Congress had won,” recalled an old-timer from Dharoli village.

Bhajan Lal’s arch rivals Devi Lal and Bansi Lal used to put all efforts every poll, but they failed to break his winning streak. In 1972, Devi Lal challenged Bhajan Lal, but lost. Even during the anti-Congress wave in 1977 and 1987, the Bhajan Lal clan emerged victorious. Again, during 1996 when Bansi Lal in alliance with the BJP rode to power, Bansi’s son Surender Singh contested against Bhajan Lal, but lost by 20,000 votes.

A farmer, Raj Singh from Bagla village, said the ongoing harvesting of Kharif crops has also taken the sheen off the poll time fervour. “Cotton picking and reaping of guar and bajra is at peak these days.”

At Dharoli village, an INLD supporter maintained, “Compared to Bishnoi, his rivals are lightweight. While INLD’s Beniwal had been a Bhajan protégé, who first deserted him and then the Congress to join forces with INLD, other rivals are novices who have made the contest almost predictable.”

New Delhi, October 9
The Congress today appointed a former MLA from Punjab, Dr Satwant Singh Mohi, as its senior observer for the ensuing Assembly elections.

He has been given charge of the crucial Jind district, which encompasses five Assembly segments. They are Julana, Safidon, Jind, Uchana Kalan and Narwana (SC). He has been asked to immediately take charge.

AICC general secretary and in charge of Haryana affairs Shakeel Ahmed, who issued the appointment letter, hoped the party would improve its performance with Mohi’s support.

Jind is crucial as it constitute the core of Jat heartland of Haryana. The Congress and the INLD are locked in a fierce battle, especially in the Jat-dominated areas. Also, senior Congress leader Chaudhary Birender Singh, who joined the BJP during the run up to the Assembly elections, hails from Jind.

With Mohi’s appointment, the Congress has deepened the footprints of Punjab with regard elections in Haryana.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son Sukhbir Singh Badal, who is also head of the SAD, are campaigning for the INLD and their party nominees. Congress stalwart and former Chief Minister of Punjab Capt Amarinder Singh, among others, has been roped in by their party for the election campaign in the state. 

Sirsa, October 9
It’s 8.30 am. Haryana Lokhit Party (HLP) president Gopal Goyal Kanda comes out of his palatial house in Tarkeshwar Dham, also known as Tara Baba Kutiya, on Sirsa’s Rania road and drives to the sanctum sanctorum of the temple run by the family trust.

Kanda removes his shoes and enters the tunnel-like corridor leading to the main kutiya where the remnants of Tara Baba, who the family worships, are placed. After paying obeisance for 15 minutes, the millionaire-Sirsa MLA emerges in an adjoining park. He leaves for the party office near his residence in his waiting Land Cruiser.

At the office, supporters patiently wait for Kanda. Most of them are from different wards of the town. They promise him support from their areas. Many speak to him privately. After nearly two hours of interaction, Kanda leaves for his Shoe Camp Office in the market. The shoe shop he once owned is now the party camp office.

Before reaching the second office, he halts for a quick close door meeting with some residents. A worker tells supporters at Shoe Camp Office that Kanda is in a meeting. Many people from outside Sirsa are also waiting for him.

A party worker says Kanda has perhaps left for Kalanwali near Sirsa to campaign for his candidate there. He is known not to follow a schedule and leave for campaigning without prior notice.

Inside the office, women members of the Kanda family are busy with arrangements for the Mahila Nukkad Sabha scheduled to be held later in the evening. Outside, there is a massive traffic jam. A worker says Kanda’s son Lakh Ram is leading a procession of young workers in his red Hummer.

It is 5 pm and people have started gathering at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Chowk near his office for the Nukkad Sabha where ‘Daadi’ and ‘Bua’ of ‘Comedy Nights With Kapil’ fame and some other artists are coming to perform. After day-long closed door meetings, Kanda arrives at the Nukkad Sabha venue around 6.30 pm and the programme begins.

In her trademark style, ‘Daadi’ greets Kanda with a peck on the cheek and leaves behind a lipstick mark. TV actors Sonarika Bhadoria, who plays Parvati in ‘Mahadev’ and Mouni Roy, who recently earned fame in ‘Jhalak Dikhla Ja’, are also on stage.

Geetika Sharma, an airhostess with Kanda’s now-defunct MDLR Airlines, had shared stage with him in a similar Mahila Nukkad Sabha organised during his 2009 campaign. He is now accused of abetting her suicide and is currently out on bail.

Addressing the gathering, most of whom are women, Kanda promises woman empowerment. “Women employees will get 13 months salary for 12 months of work after my party comes to power,” he says.

He says party would launch the ‘Beti Ghar Ka Chirag Scheme’ to improve sex ratio. Under the scheme, the government would give Rs 5,100 on the birth of a girl child, scholarship of Rs 1,000 a month till the girl turns 18 and Rs 1.51 lakh at the time of her marriage.

The programme ends around 9.30 pm. Then begins a fresh round of meetings with people that continue late into the night.

Bhalauth (Rohtak), Oct 9
Former Chief Minister and INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda at the latter’s home turf here today.

Coming down heavily on the Chief Minister at a public meeting at Bhalauth village in the district this afternoon, Chautala alleged that a large number of farmers had committed suicide during Hooda’s successive tenures.

He maintained that Hooda was a man of “club culture” and had no idea of the hardships faced by common people.

“How would he come to know about the condition of your roads when he flies in aeroplanes,” said Chautala, who had himself reached the venue by a helicopter.

The former Chief Minister asserted that he was not afraid of jail as he had been jailed on several occasions earlier as well. He said being sent to jail on criminal charges was definitely a matter of concern though the allegations of corruption were levelled by those who were themselves neck-deep in corruption.

“If giving jobs is a crime, I will do it again,” Chautala stated amidst a thunderous applause. He sought votes for Satish Nandal, INLD candidate from Garhi Sampla-Kiloi, the constituency represented by Hooda.

In a personal attack on Hooda’s late father Ranbir Singh, Chautala said he had formed a cooperative society, collected money from local people and bought land for himself.

He claimed that the INLD would win all seats in 14 of the 21 districts across the state in the coming assembly elections.

Playing the Jat card, Chautala pointed out that like the Brahmins of Kashi, Rajputs of Rajasthan, Punjabis of Majha and Banias of Marwari belt, the Jats of Rohtak were considered the best of the lot.

“Yes, you are considered the best but what good did you see in Hooda? It seems you have not taken a wise decision while electing him…” he observed.

The INLD chief said the farmers were the worst-affected during Hooda’s tenure as even the basic farm inputs like water, electricity, seeds and fertilizers were getting out of their reach.

Buoyed by the crowd’s response, Chautala took on Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well. Having a dig at him, he said before Modi’s rally, the assembly seats in Karnal district seemed out of reach for the INLD.

Jind, October 9
Hisar MP Dushyant Chautala has accused Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda of favouring his daughter and son-in-law in becoming directors of several companies.

“After Hooda became the Chief Minister in 2005, his daughter Anjali and son-in-law Kunal Bhadoo minted crores of rupees on account of being directors of many companies,” he told the media here today.

“On May 26, 2008, Hooda’s daughter and son-in-law became directors of Royal City Landmark Developers Limited and on December 1, 2008, Havlock Developers made them the directors,” he claimed.

Anjali and Kunal were holding the same post in other companies as well and misusing Chief Minister’s influence to get benefits worth crores of rupees, alleged the INLD nominee from Uchana Kalan.

Dushyant, meanwhile, claimed BJP’s Narnaund candidate Capt Abhimanyu had business connections with Hooda’s family and both were cheating voters by giving speeches against each other. “There’s a tacit understanding between the two leaders.”

“Anjali and Kunal, along with one Vivek Verma, are directors in Navyug Private Limited. Verma is also a director in another company, Indus Education Management Private Limited, which is owned by Capt Abhimanyu’s brother,” the MP alleged. “This shows that Hooda’s family and Capt Abhimanyu share business relations through Verma.”

“I challenge both Hooda and Capt Abhimanyu to answer the people of Haryana about their business interests. The BJP, for its part, must ask its leader about these facts. It accuses the Congress of land frauds, but its leader has business connections with Hooda’s family,” Dushyant said.

Capt Abhimanyu could not be contacted in spite of repeated attempts.

The INLD leader also alleged that Hooda had violated laws to sanction a petrol pump to his son-in-law in an area under a green belt.

Sounding confident of forming the next government in the state, he said the INLD would conduct a high-level inquiry in all scams and take strict action.

Nissing, October 9
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president and Punjab Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal today said, “The INLD-SAD alliance is an inseparable bond that would pave the path for prosperity in Haryana.

Addressing a massive gathering at Nissing, in support of INLD candidate Mamu Ram from Nilokehri, the SAD chief said, “The alliance between the INLD and SAD is intact and no one can break it.”

He said Chaudhary Devi Lal and Sardar Parkash Singh Badal had always lived among the people and had taken each and every community along with them during their long political innings. “This is why people repose faith in Badal sahab and they will give a thumping majority to Chautala sahab now,” he said.

Sukhbir outlined how the earlier Congress government in Punjab had tried to finish the Badal family politically by registering false cases against its family members. “The Congress used the CBI for this task to persecute the Chautala family too”, he said adding Chautala and the INLD had only emerged stronger after this ordeal.

The SAD president said the state was witnessing a wave in favour of the INLD and it now seemed the INLD-SAD alliance would achieve its Mission 60 plus target easily.

Jhajjar, October 9
Terming Prime Minister Narendra Modi's frequent visit to Haryana as 'beneficial' for the INLD in the Assembly poll, former Haryana Chief Minister and INLD supremo OP Chautala said Modi's statements against the INLD were creating political atmosphere across the state to boost the electoral fortunes of the INLD candidates.

Chautala was addressing a poll meeting in favour of INLD nominee from Beri Dr Santosh in Matanhel village here today.

"We expect Modi's more visits to Haryana before the Assembly poll, as he is ensuring the victory of INLD candidates wherever he addressed the poll meetings and criticises us by making illogical statements," said the INLD leader, adding that poll campaign of INLD nominees had received a great boost in those districts where Modi had so far addressed rallies.

Chautala said the BJP high command should arrange Modi's public meeting in all 90 Assembly segments of the state, so as to facilitate the INLD's way of forming the state government.

Striking an emotional chord with the party workers, Chautala said, "I had promised you that I would campaign for the party candidates in the Assembly poll. I have fulfilled my promise, hence now it is your turn to ensure the victory of INLD candidates with comfortable margin."

He slammed the Congressfor allegedly spreading corruption, promoting crime and adopting biased approach in terms of development in the state.

Kalka, October 9
It’s a gathering of over 300, mostly women, waiting to hear Shakti Rani Sharma at the post-dinner address in the rear lawns of White House, the Haryana Jan Chetna Party (HJCP) headquarters on Kalka road at Pinjore. Six free gas cylinders, scrapping of the service selection board and empowering of women promised by the party has brought these voters here.

Rani to family and friends, Shakti Rani Sharma is HJCP chief Venod Sharma’s wife and the party’s official nominee from Kalka, Haryana’s biggest assembly segment spread over 120 villages. The constituency starts from Himachal border at Parwanoo and runs all along the Shivalik foothills. Kalka once voted Chander Mohan, son of former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal who became Deputy Chief Minister in Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s first term. Despite being a “kingmaker”, this segment still cries for development.

Kalka is witnessing a keen contest among Rani, INLD nominee Pradeep Chaudhary, BJP’s Latika Sharma and Manvir Kaur of the Congress.

A “mela” of sorts goes on at White House. The nip in the air from the adjoining hills serves as an appetiser adding to the tasty langar of puri-chana, palao-raita, suji halwa, besan barfi and chajja (butter milk) that flows throughout the day. After all, “workers have no time to eat at home as they are busy canvassing. So, arrangements have been made so that they do not go hungry”, says Ashwariya (Rani’s daughter-in-law). “Shakti Rani may be a new entrant to politics but she has struck an emotional chord with voters here”, says Kamlesh Kumari, a housewife, who is here along with her children to hear the HJCP candidate. “I have yet to make up my mind on whom to vote, but the poll promises of the HJCP are appealing “, says Kumari.

Ashwariya is Haryana Speaker Kuldeep Sharma’s daughter, married to media baron and businessman Kartik, younger son of Venod and Rani. “Mummy (mother-in-law) needs me more here so I have not gone to Gannaur where papa (her father and Congress nominee Kuldeep) is re-contesting. I feel pulled to Ghannaur but my duty is to ensure that the HJCP wins the Kalka seat”.

As the waiting crowds get restless due to the delay in Rani’s arrival from canvassing in villages around Raipur Rani and Naraingarh, Kartik takes to the mike. Coming from the corporate world, politics is not his cup of tea. But he is suave and strikes a rapport with the waiting crowds. Six years at Oxford has taught him how not to panic. “Hope you all have had your dinner, Raniji is on the way and will be here soon. If you are convinced about the manifesto of the party, please vote for the party,” he says.

Chandigarh, October 9
Venod Sharma, former union minister and a close confidant of the Chief Minister, who recently severed his over four-decade old ties with the Congress to float his political outfit Haryana Jan Chetna Party (HJCP), claims that no party will be able to get majority in the state elections.

Venod, who entered into an alliance with Kuldeep Bishnoi-led Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) for the Haryana Assembly elections, is optimistic about the performance of the alliance in the poll. In an interview to The Tribune, Venod expresses confidence that the HJC-HJCP alliance will be instrumental in the formation of the next government in the state. Excerpts:

Q: How do you visualise the October 15 elections?

A: There is going to be a four-cornered contest in the elections with the Congress, BJP, INLD, and the HJC-HJCP alliance. Individual candidates’ winniability will matter the most in the absence of any clear wave in favour of a political party.

Q:How do you see the post-poll scenario in Haryana?

A: No single party will get majority in the elections. While there is strong anti-incumbency against the Congress, the INLD and the BJP are also expected not be do well. In such a scenario, the HJC-HJCP alliance is set to play a decisive role in the formation of the next government.

Q: What are the major issues on which the current election is being fought?

A: There is great resentment on the issue of development bias in favour of one particular region against the Hooda government. Besides, re-employment and extension to the government officers is also an issue in the elections. Worsening law and order conditions, atrocities on Dalits and women, and lack of civic amenities to the residents are some of the issues in the upcoming Assembly poll.

Q: Your party advocated the abolition of interview system for the government jobs. Can you be more specific?

A: The interview system in government is plagued with nepotism and favouritism. While no other mainstream political party has taken a categorical stand on the interview system, ours is the only party which has batted for transparency and fairness in government jobs, so that the meritorious and deserving candidates can get jobs. In fact, Vinay Sharma, our Yamunanagar candidate, quit as member of the Haryana Staff Selection Committee to express her resentment against the prevailing system of recruitments.

Q: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also flagged the issue of nepotism in government jobs and transparency in administration as issues in the Lok Sabha elections. Since AAP is not contesting the Assembly poll, how do you see AAP vote bank voting in the elections?

A: The HJC-HJCP alliance shares AAP’s agenda of providing alternative system of governance where transparency in the administration and recruitments are hallmarks of governance. The 4 per cent voters, who voted for AAP in the Lok Sabha elections, should vote for the alliance this time to realise the dream of providing a clean and transparent administration.

Q: You have a keen observer of political developments in the region for over four decade. How do you the voting pattern this time around?

A: With increased awareness, a heavy voter turnout is expected in the October 15 elections. The heavy turnout will certainly go against the Congress. In a multi-cornered contest, victory will depend on the merits of individual candidates irrespective of the party affiliations.

On abolition of interview system
The interview system in government is plagued with nepotism and favouritism. While no other mainstream political party has taken a categorical stand on the interview system, ours is the only party which has batted for transparency and fairness in government jobs, so that the meritorious and deserving candidates can get jobs