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H A R Y A N A |  |
 Thursday, May 20, 1999 |
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Move to make Ram Bilas next CM? GURGAON, May 19 — A strong lobby in the Haryana unit of the BJP and the RSS has initiated moves to make the Education Minister of the State, Prof Ram Bilas Sharma, as the next Chief Minister after the possible fall of the Bansi Lal government. BJP rebels pin hopes on high command CHANDIGARH, May 19 — While all eyes in Haryana are set on the BJP high command in Delhi which has been authorised to take a final decision on the BJP state unit's alliance with the Haryana Vikas Party in the state, the HVP dissidents are quite hopeful that their number would soon cross the magic figure of 12, which has so far been eluding them. |
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Haryana Cong wants House
dissolved CHANDIGARH, May 19 — In a move which may turn out to be a blessing in disguise for the crisis-ridden Bansi Lal Government, the Haryana Congress today demanded that the Assembly should be immediately dissolved and President's rule imposed in the state. Morality
of BJP questioned CMs’ resignation ‘poll
gimmick’ Left
to highlight people's problems HAU
admissions commence Chautala
predicts Bansi govt's fall |
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Move to make Ram Bilas next
CM? GURGAON, May 19 — A strong lobby in the Haryana unit of the BJP and the RSS has initiated moves to make the Education Minister of the State, Prof Ram Bilas Sharma, as the next Chief Minister after the possible fall of the Bansi Lal government. The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) sources said that the chief of their party, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, will not be the Chief Minister in case the Bansi Lal government fell. Sources in the Sangh Parivar said that the move to install Prof Sharma was initiated at a meeting of the state executive of the party. The move to make a BJP leader the Chief Minister for the first time in the state has got momentum with the possibility of the Bansi Lal government becoming a minority in the Vidhan Sabha. According to reports, the election committee of the Haryana BJP and the legislative wing of the party have supported the withdrawal of the support to the Bansi Lal government at their yesterday meeting in Delhi. Although the move is being kept as a closely guarded secret by the BJP camp, the lobby in the state unit of the party headed by Mr Om Prakash Grover has started selling the idea that now even if dissidents in the HVP effected a split in the party, none of them should be given the post of Chief Minister. The sources said the BJP had almost come to a conclusion to pull out from the coalition government in Haryana during an informal meeting of its senior leaders on May 14. Incidentally, May 14 was said to be the deadline set as per understanding between the INLD and the BJP. The understanding was part of "give and take" policy by the two sides for INLD’s support to the Vajpayee-led government during the motion of confidence in the Lok Sabha after the withdrawal of support by the AIADMK. According to reports, the BJP had made it known to the INLD and dissidents in the HVP that it was not averse to splitting HVP and causing a fall of the Bansi Lal government. The BJP had also made it known that it would not like to soil its image by pulling down the government without any provocation. The BJP leaders are confident that apart from support of 23 MLAs of the INLD, the party would get the support of eight out of 10 Independent MLAs in an effort to form a government. They also feel that once the Bansi Lal government is reduced to a minority, the dissidents would be able to increase their flock and effect a split in the HVP and support the BJP’s effort to form a government. The magic number required on the floor of the House to form a government is 46. Sources said that the
dismissed minister from Gurgaon district, Rao Narbir
Singh, and Jagannath, still a minister, were in the race
for the post of Chief Minister. |
BJP rebels
pin
hopes on high command CHANDIGARH, May 19 — While all eyes in Haryana are set on the BJP high command in Delhi which has been authorised to take a final decision on the BJP state unit's alliance with the Haryana Vikas Party in the state, the HVP dissidents are quite hopeful that their number would soon cross the magic figure of 12, which has so far been eluding them. The BJP MLAs led by the state's Education Minister Mr Ram Bilas Sharma, has conveyed to the party high command, corroborated by the party's senior functionary here last evening, that the relations of the two alliance partners in Haryana have now reached a stage from where going back is not difficult but also quite unworkable. The BJP MLAs have not only disapproved the reportedly "dictatorial" style of functioning of the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, but have also impressed upon the party leadership that their election promises have remained unfulfilled and that they have had three-year long humiliating experience. In this situation, a second look on the poll adjustment may also become necessary to gain credibility. Whatever decision the BJP high command takes, it is clear that the two alliance partners can no longer work together for the rest of the term. Workers as also the HVP dissidents, expect the BJP high command to honour the wishes of the state BJP MLAs anytime. Surprisingly, at least two BJP ministers, for whom holding the ministerial seat is, perhaps, more important than anything else, are reluctant to go with the BJP's mainstream represented by Mr Ram Bilas Sharma. However, when a party high command decision comes, they too will have no choice. With intensified activities of the HVP dissidents, the withdrawal of support by the BJP will certainly put the HVP leadership in a tight corner, but the BJP may still have some takers. While HVP dissidents may try to make the best of the opportunity, leaders of the Haryana Lok Dal (R) are too eager to make use of the situation to bring down the Bansi Lal-led government. Whoever comes out as
partners in the new state government, the Vidhan Sabha
elections in the state would not be far and would rather
come about with the Lok Sabha poll. The fight then will
be for a caretaker term of the government till the
elections to be held in September. |
Haryana Cong wants House
dissolved CHANDIGARH, May 19 — In a move which may turn out to be a blessing in disguise for the crisis-ridden Bansi Lal Government, the Haryana Congress today demanded that the Assembly should be immediately dissolved and President's rule imposed in the state. The Congress demand may make HVP fence-sitters jittery and force them to think again before crossing over to the dissidents' camp. The demand was made by the party when a six-member delegation led by a former president of the state unit and an AICC member, Mr Birender Singh, called on the Governor, Mr Mahabir Prasad, here this morning. The other members of the delegation were Mr Khurshid Ahmed, Mr Jai Singh Rana, Capt Ajay Singh, and Mr Satvinder Rana, all MLAs; and Dr Ram Prakash, general secretary of the Haryana Congress. Later briefing newsmen Mr Birender Singh said the delegation told the Governor that the HVP-BJP Government in the state had been in a minority for past few months because of "permutations and combinations" taking place in the ruling alliance almost everyday. There was total collapse of government machinery and development works had come to a standstill. The administration had become directionless. Mr Birender Singh said the confusion about the stability of the Bansi Lal Government had been further confounded by the threat of withdrawal of support by the BJP. Under the circumstances, the party requested the Governor to either place the Assembly under animated suspension and take over the administration for proper governance or the House should be dissolved and fresh elections ordered. Mr Birender Singh said
after the fall of the Bansi Lal Government any
alternative government would be more fragile than even
the present one. To avoid such a situation and save the
state from unnecessary financial burden, a fresh popular
mandate should be sought for the state Assembly along
with the Lok Sabha elections. |
Haryana move to promote tourism CHANDIGARH, May 19 — Haryana Tourism has approved 48 tourism projects so far with an estimated investment of Rs 351 crore with a view to encouraging private entrepreneurs to set up hotels and other tourism projects in the state. While stating this, here today, the Haryana Minister of State for Tourism, Mr Ram Bhajan Aggarwal, said of these 25 had already been completed and commissioned. The major process for modernisation and upgradation of tourism complexes had been started to meet the growing demand of tourists. At present, Haryana Tourism has a network of 45 tourist complexes , which cater to about 70 lakh tourists every year. Mr Aggarwal said to give an impetus to tourism in the state Haryana Tourism had decided to give sites to entrepreneurs for 10 years. The Haryana Government had also approved the policy of collaboration venture with the private sector to promote tourism in a big way. Entrepreneurs would be selected through offers received by way of global tenders. He added that the entrepreneurs should have sufficient experience in this field. He said the state government had formulated a new policy for taking up tourism promotion work in the joint venture or collaboration with the private sector. Under this policy land would be provided to private entrepreneurs on licence for a period of 33 years. The minister said the
project joint venture scheme would be implemented at
Heritage Hotel Madhogarh in Mahendragarh district at Raja
Nahar Singh Fort , Ballabgarh; Health Club SPA at Sohna,
Ski Resort at Uchana, Amusement Park at Hodal and at
resorts at Kalesar and Dundahera. |
Morality of BJP questioned CHANDIGARH, May 19 — A number of leaders of Haryana have questioned the morality behind the decision taken by the state BJP to withdraw support to the Bansi Lal Government. The independent MLA from Ambala cantonment, Mr Anil Vij, who supports the HVP-BJP Government, said in a statement here today that the people of Haryana had given the mandate jointly in favour of the HVP-BJP to rule the state for five years in 1996. The mandate was not in favour of the two parties separately. He said if the BJP withdrew support to the Bansi Lal Government before it completed its tenure of five years, the party, which professed to be a "paragon of virtue", would expose itself to the charge of "political immorality". Mr Vij said the BJP should not behave like its AIDMK allay did with it with the Centre. Just as Ms Jayalalitha betrayed the mandate of the people by withdrawing support to the Vajpayee Government, similarly the BJP would betray the people by withdrawing support to the Bansi Lal Government. If the BJP was unable to go along with the HVP, its MLAs should resign from the Assembly and seek a fresh mandate to know whether the people approved of its stand. Dr Ram Prakash, general secretary of the Haryana Congress, also accused the BJP of "political immorality and double speak." He said the BJP on the one hand blamed the Congress for destabilising the Vajpayee Government and on the other it was trying to topple a government which was formed after the BJP contested the elections in alliance with the HVP. Dr Ram Prakash alleged that after having failed in engineering a split in the HVP, the BJP had now threatened to withdraw support to the Bansi Lal Government, which, he said was clear instance of political immorality. He urged Mrs Sonia
Gandhi to withdraw her resignation and continue to lead
the Congress. |
CMs’
resignation ‘poll gimmick’ FARIDABAD, May 19 — Senior leaders of the SAD and the BJP in Punjab have alleged that political bankruptcy in the Congress has led to mid-term Lok Sabha poll in the country. They added that it would not only impose an extra burden of Rs 1000 crore on the nation but also further affect economy of the country. They further alleged that the recent resignations of four Chief Ministers of Rajasthan, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa, besides senior functionaries of the AICC in support of Ms Sonia Gandhi was another step to befool the people. Addressing a political conference at Kotkapura today, organised by the SAD-BJP alliance, to muster support of the people in the forthcoming parliamentary elections, the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, said he was the first person who objected to a foreign-origin person being projected for the post of the Prime Minister. Now the same question had been raised by senior Congress leaders like Mr Sharad Pawar, Mr P.A. Sangma and Mr Tariq Anwar, he said. Mr Badal made it clear that it will be a matter of pity if Ms Sonia Gandhi led the country, who had no knowledge about the problems being faced by the country. The Chief Minister ridiculed that opposition parties who were raising a hue and cry in the Lok Sabha during the no-confidence motion against the BJP-led central government failed to garner the support of even 240 MPs. The Chief Minister flayed senior Akali leader Gurcharan Singh Tohra for trying to disrupt the celebration of the tercentenary of the Khalsa. He further said Thein Dam was likely to be commissioned in the second week of July. Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee will inaugurate it. Bibi Jagir Kaur,
President, SGPC, also spoke on the occasion. The Finance
Minister, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, blamed the Congress for
encouraging militancy and committing atrocities on people
of the state. He said the Congress had tried to lower the
status of the Sikhs who had fought for the unity and
national integration. Among others who addressed the
conference included Mr Madan Mohan Mittal, Food and
Supply Minister, Agriculture Minister, Mr Gurdev Singh
Badal, cine star-turned-politician Vinod Khanna, Mr
Ganeshi Ram, Food and Supply Minister, Haryana, and Mr
Jagdev Singh Talwandi, Senior Vice-President, SAD. |
Left to highlight people's
problems ROHTAK, May 19 — The CPM and the CPI have decided to hold joint conventions to highlight people's problems and efforts being made by the BJP and its allies at the Centre and in the state to push these issues to the background. The coordination committee of the two parties at its meeting at Panipat yesterday decided to hold rallies before entering into an alliance for the forthcoming Lok Sabha poll. State secretary of the CPM Inderjit Singh presided over the meeting which was attended among others by Dr Harnam Singh, Mr Raghuvir Singh (CPI) and Mr S.N. Solanki (CPM). The first political convention of the Left parties would be held at Kurukshetra on June 11 and at Fatehabad on June 13. The two parties also proposed to hold similar conventions at Rohtak and Panipat. Describing the situation
at the Centre and in the state as fluid, Mr Inderjit
Singh blamed the BJP for creating uncertainty in the
country. He charged the party with entering into
opportunistic alliances with the sole purpose of grabbing
power at the Centre and in Haryana |
HAU admissions commence HISAR, May 19 — Chaudhry Charan Singh Haryana Agriculture University has announced its admission schedule for various Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses. The last date for receipt of application forms has been fixed for May 24. The university offers both Undergraduate and Postgraduate degree courses in veterinary sciences, agro-engineering, home science, animal science and basic science, besides agriculture. The university offers Postgraduate degrees, including a PhD degree, in over 45 disciplines through its nine constituent colleges. The college at Bawal has been established to meet the educational requirement of southern Haryana. The Vice-Chancellor, Prof J.B.Chowdhury, said the course contents had been revised and updated. He said an Employment Information and Guidance Bureau had been set up on the campus, in association with the Department of Employment, Haryana. The bureau apart from guiding students about competitive examinations, scholarships, etc, would conduct coaching classes for various entrance examinations and arrange campus interviews. The admission to all undergraduate courses as well as AMBA and M.Sc. in Food/Science Land Technology would be made on the basis of performance in the common entrance test (CET), scheduled for June 12. In rest of the
postgraduate courses merit will be the sole criterion for
selection. However, admissions to B.Tech
(agro-engineering) shall be made on merit in CET-1999,
conducted by Regional Engineering College, Kurukshetra.
To facilitate aspirants in getting prospectuses and
admission forms, the university had set up sale counters
at all its Krishi Gyan and Vigyan Kendras located at
district headquarters in the state, besides agriculture
colleges at Kaul and Bawal. |
23 wagons of goods train derailed ROHTAK, May 19 — Rail traffic on the Rohtak-Bhiwani section was disrupted following the derailment of a goods train near Kalanaur town, about 20 km from here today. Movement of all express, passenger and goods train on the 45-km-long track has come to halt since 1 a.m. this morning. According to railway sources, senior officials have reached the spot to monitor the restoration work which is likely to be over by late this night. Officials have requisitioned special cranes to put wagons back on the track. It is learnt that as many as 23 wagons of the Jhakhal-bound goods train coming from Malda town in West Bengal got derailed near Lahli village. The train was carrying bags of chemical fertilisers. The derailment has left a large number of passengers bound to Delhi, Rohtak, Bhiwani and other junctions stranded. Several of them had to take other means to reach their destination. Scores of long-route passengers have to wait at the station for several hours as the Ekta Express from Bhiwani to Chandigarh and the Bhiwani Express from Bhiwani via Rohtak to New Delhi were cancelled. The train carry thousands of daily passengers, who are mostly employed in Delhi or engaged in business there. It is learnt that a
technical snag led to the derailment. |
Measures to check malaria
outbreak FATEHABAD, May 19 — The district administration has made elaborate arrangements to check the outbreak of malaria under its Malaria and Dengue Eradication Programme. According to the Deputy Commissioner Mr V. Rajashekhar, the Health Department tested blood samples of 3588 persons in the district last month. Fifteen of these were found carrying malaria parasite. Anti-malaria drugs had been distributed among patients, he said. He said none had died in the district of malaria or dengue in the last month. The Deputy Commissioner
appealed to the people to ensure proper spray of
insecticides in houses and at the places where they kept
animals. He also appealed them to make sure that there
was no stagnant water in the pits near house. |
Chautala predicts Bansi govt's
fall YAMUNANAGAR, May 19 — Mr Om Parkash Chautala here predicted fall of the Bansi Lal government any moment after the ruling party MLAs were freed from the custody of Mr Bansi Lal. Mr Chautala demanded dismissal of the Bansi Lal government. Mr Chautala disclosed that 16 MLAs of the Haryana Vikas Party (HVP) could defect from the party any moment as they were frustrated. He added that his party would extend unconditional support to those MLAs who were ready to quit and interested in forming government. Mr Chautala asked the
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to withdraw the support to
the Bansi Lal government in the interest of the people of
the state. He said that in the coming Lok Sabha election
the INLD would go for an alliance other than with the HVP
and the Congress. Mr Chautala said that he had already
named party candidates for five parliamentary seats i.e.
Kurukshetra, Sonepat, Sirsa, Hisar and Bhiwani. When
pointed out that why the INLD had left five seats, he
said that very soon the party would have meetings at
those constituencies to know about the views of
electorate. |
Power quota for Sonepat raised SONEPAT, May 19 — The Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam (HVPN) has not only restored the power quota to its Sonepat operational circle, but also increased it from 16 lakh units a day to 21 lakh units with immediate effect. Mr S.K. Handa, Superintending Engineer (Operations), HVPN, told this correspondent here yesterday that the step would not only check the over loading of the existing transformers, but would also ensure uninterrupted power supply. Sonepat city and several
villages had witnessed a series of protests,
demonstrations and traffic blockades in protest against
the power crisis. The civil and police authorities had to
intervene to maintain the law and order situation in the
district. |
Electric engines for UT Shatabdis AMBALA, May 19 (PTI) — The New Delhi-Kalka and the New Delhi -Chandigarh Shatabdi will take about 15 to 20 minutes less to reach Chandigarh as the diesel engines of both the trains will be replaced by electric engines by the first week of July. At present the New Delhi-Kalka Shatabdi reaches Chandigarh at about 9 p.m. while the New Delhi Chandigarh Shatabdi reaches at 10.30 a.m. According to railway sources here today, the electrification work between Ambala and Kalka is almost complete. The work on the power houses at Shahbad (Haryana) and Dera Bassi (Punjab) had also been completed. The sources said
electrification work between Ambala and Saharanpur had
finished. Traffic on this rail section would start by
June 15. |
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