 |
|
It is ‘ghar ghar ki kahani’ in UP Socialist Party to join Cong-led alliance 33 Cong rebels in fray in Karnataka Bihar stalwarts denied ticket Private TV channels join bandwagon EC order on assets unnerves contenders in Haryana Time for political migration in Andhra Ujjwala Shinde set to emerge from husband’s shadow Each vote counts in a democracy ‘Anti-Christian’ letter work of
Oppn, says Ronya 7 hurt in attack on Rajni fans Mani to file papers on Bard’s birthday In graphic:
How they fared
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Lasting peace Bhat’s poll plank The Baramula parliamentary constituency comprising the twin districts of Baramula and Kupwara has become a key constituency with both alliance partners, the Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). This is so even through the alliance has agreed to share the seats in the state. It goes to the polls in the first phase on April 20 and is in focus for various considerations. Its major area falls along the LoC, and is the home of senior separatist leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Abdul Ghani Bhat and several ministers of the coalition government. It also comprises 15 Assembly segments, 10 of Baramula district and five of Kupwara. Of the 10 seats in Baramula district, the National Conference has got four seats, PDP three, Congress two and one goes to an Independent. Of the five seats in Kupwara district, four are represented by the National Conference and the other by an Independent. The two Independents, Mr Ghulam Mohiuddin Sofi from Handwara in Kupwara district and Mr Usman Majeed from Bandipore in Baramula district are ministers in the coalition government. Three ministers belonging to the PDP and one to the Congress also belong to Baramula. The PDP candidate, Mr Nizamuddin Bhat, a popular figure from Bandipore who is contesting the elections for the first time, is in a three-corner contest against two candidates of the Congress and the National Conference. The National Conference candidate, Mr Abdul Rashid Shaheen, seeks re-election much to the resentment of some of his party colleagues against its leadership. The octogenarian Congress candidate, Mr Ghulam Rasool Kar, was elected from the constituency in 1996 when the National Conference did not participate in the elections. His candidature was made despite the PDP alliance partners agreeing that the two would share the seats with three valley seats to be contested by the PDP and three by the Congress. Mr Bhat, who returned to active politics after 14 years in journalism, has campaigned in more than 50 per cent of the area during the first week after filing his nomination papers. His priority is to put in efforts to expedite the process of peace and resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. The second priority would be to use “all my resources and influence” to remove hatred between the people of India and Pakistan that had been generated, triggered and perpetuated by unwise elements on both sides, he said. “It will also be my priority to influence the Union Government to extend full economic support to Jammu and Kashmir which has continuously been ignored by every government at the Centre,” he said.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Autonomy, employment Shaheen’s priorities While the Congress candidate, Mr Ghulam Rasool Kar, banks upon his traditional vote bank, his arch rivals, the National Conference (NC) and the PDP, claim that the Congress has no base in the constituency. The main contest is between the NC and PDP candidates who are facing each other for the second time since 1999. Mr Kar, with nearly five decades of political experience, has been a state minister, PCC president, and was elected from the Baramula Lok Sabha constituency in 1996. A former minister, Mr Abdul Rashid Shaheen of the NC with nearly four decades in active politics, was elected from Baramula in 1999. Earlier, the constituency had been represented by Mr Saifuddin Soz (NC) since 1977 and fell apart following his solitary vote against the Vajpayee government in 1999, leading to mid-term poll. Referring to his role, Mr Shaheen said there was a breakthrough by way of track II diplomacy for the restoration of peace between India and Pakistan. He had visited Pakistan twice during the recent years as a member of delegations from India and interacted with a cross-section of people there. “I am happy that we put forth our point of view and it is hoped that the suspicion created between the two countries is removed”, he said, adding that this would help in resolving all issues, including Kashmir. Even as the NC opted out of the NDA government at the Centre earlier last year, there was not much difficulty in facing issues. “I was engrossed in various activities within and outside the country putting our point of view across”, he said. It was a fruitful exercise and “I could talk frankly in the Lok Sabha for which I got support from the Opposition,” he said. The main issues that are being taken up by the NC candidate include reiteration of the party’s stand on autonomy. Other issues include misgovernance of the coalition government that had talked of eradication of unemployment, end to rights violations and basic facilities to the masses. He held that zero budgets presented by the coalition government since last year had ended in a fiasco and there was no money in the state exchequer. The issues to be addressed included unemployment. Horticulture had got a big jolt due to the WTO policies. He banks upon his achievements during his last term in education, health, and the rural development and communication sectors.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
It is ‘ghar ghar ki kahani’ in UP LUCKNOW: The elections seem to be a “ghar ghar ki kahani” in Uttar Pradesh with father, son, wife, stepson, mother and even sister-in-law gearing up for the battle of ballots. Ms Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi would contest from Rae Bareli and Amethi, respectively. Ms Sonia, who has successfully contested twice from Amethi has vacated the seat for her son Rahul, who would be cutting his political teeth from Amethi. Ms Sonia will contest from Rae Bareli, the seat represented by Indira Gandhi. Ms Sonia’s “saffron” sister-in-law, Ms Maneka Gandhi will contest from Pilibhit on BJP ticket. she had won thrice from Pilibhit but as an Independent candidate. Her sonVarun Gandhi will be her election manager. Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav, who had castigated the Gandhis for the dynasty rule is not far behind in supporting it himself. He will himself contest from Mainpuri, his brother Ram Gopal Yadav from Sambhal while his son Akhilesh Yadav will contest from Kannauj. He had earlier won from Sambhal. This time he has shifted base to Mainpuri where he will face Mr Balram Yadav of the BJP. In Uttar Pradesh, the Congress had fielded Mr Jatin Prasad from Shahjehanpur, a seat represented by his father, the late Jitendra Prasada. Ms Louise Khurshid, MLA and wife of Congress leader Salman Khurshid, is considered from Farrukhabad. The name of AICC secretary Mr R.P.N. Singh, has been shortlisted for Padrauna. He will be contesting the seat once held by his father, C.P.N. Singh, former Minister of State for Science and Technology. Mr Ummed Singh, husband of Phoolan Devi, will contest on Congress ticket from Basti. In the Ghosi constituency, nurtured by former Union Minister Kalpanath Rai who died a few years ago, his wife Sudha Rai will cross swords with her step son Sidhartah Rai. She is contesting on Congress ticket while he is a BJP candidate. In Azamgarh where Mr Baliram filed his nomination as the BSP candidate, his wife Kamali too filed her nomination papers today. Similarly, another couple Dr Aziz Ahmad and his wife Talat Aziz also filed their nomination papers from the Maharajganj
constituency.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Socialist Party to join Cong-led alliance
New Delhi, April 3 He said the party activists would take on the BJP-led NDA in Uttar Pradesh besides other states. He further called upon the secular and progressive forces to come forward and join the secular front to save the country from the forces which were out to ruin the secular fabric. Mr Pandey appealed to Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav and BSP leader Mayawati to back the secular front in the larger interest of the country.
— UNI
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
33 Cong rebels in fray in Karnataka
Bangalore, April 3 Mr Gundapppa Vakil, who represented Aurad in the dissolved House and now contesting as a JD (S) candidate, and Ms Anusuyamma
Ramaiah, widow of late senior Congress leader Y. K. Ramaiah, who represented
Huliyurdurga, also figured in it. Mrs Ramaiah, who was denied ticket, was now fighting as the BJP nominee from
Huliyurdurga. Party state president Janardhana Poojary told newspersons here that efforts were on to pacify the rebels who had not yet moved over to other parties and force them to withdraw from contest.
— UNI
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Patna, April 3 Mahendra Baitha, who had emerged victorious from Bagaha parliamentary constituency five times in a row since 1989 on Janata Dal and Samata Party tickets, has been denied renomination by JD-U which has instead fielded a political greenhorn, Kailash Baitha. However, Mahendra Baitha is likely to contest on a Samata ticket. In the 1989 General Elections, Mahendra Baitha won the seat defeating his BJP rival by more than 88,000 votes polling 59.5 per cent votes. Similarly, in 1991 he had defeated the BJP and in 1996 and 1998 the RJD nominees to regain the seat. In the elections to 13th Lok Sabha, Baitha defeated his nearest RJD rival Purnmasi Ram by over 54,000 votes. Similarly, Capt Jai Narayan Nishad, who has successfully contested from Muzaffarpur three times in a row since 1996 too has been deprived of a ticket by the BJP. Nishad switched over to the BJP recently on the assurance that it would nominate him for Muzaffarpur. But, under the BJP-JD(U) poll pact the seat went to the JD(U) and party chief George Fernandes decided to try his luck from there. Nishad won from the constituency on a Janata Dal ticket in 1996 and on an RJD ticket in 1998. In 1999, he fought the election on a JD(U) ticket and trounced his nearest RJD rival Mahendra Sahni by a margin of more than 60,000 votes. Fernandes, on the other hand, has shifted to Muzaffarpur to make his way to Lok Sabha for the eighth time. JD(U) has also denied a ticket to Manjay Lal who won the Samastipur seat thrice. Lal defeated his RJD rival Ashok Singh by a margin of little over 12,000 votes in 1999. Making his maiden entry to parliament in 1989 from Samastipur constituency, he had outclassed Ramdeo Ram of Congress and retained the seat in 1991. Apart from Fernandes, others who have shifted their constituencies are RJD leaders Kanti Singh and Ram Prasad Singh. While Kanti Singh swapped her Bikramganj seat with Ramprasad Singh who had won the last election from Ara, RJD supremo Laloo Prasad Yadav and Railway Minister Nitish Kumar are trying their luck from two constituencies.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Private TV channels join bandwagon
New Delhi, April 3 While All India Radio and Doordarshan were directed to allocate 125 hours for election broadcasts to the six recognised national and 45 state parties, NDTV announced that it would have Party Political Broadcasts in Hindi at 1000 hrs on NDTV India and at 1600 hrs in English every Saturday and Sunday beginning today. Earlier Prasar Bharati Chief Executive Officer K S Sarma had written to the Election Commission seeking permission to take payment for political party broadcasts as it was now an autonomous body which did not totally depend on budgetary support from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry. In its order on April 1, the commission had said the broadcasts by Prasar Bharati would include the ten minutes of telecasting or broadcasting time given to each state party on regional satellite services channel of Doordarshan available to viewers across the whole country and the national hookup of All India Radio. The commission said it had taken the decision in consultation with the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to extend the scheme of equitable time sharing on the electronic media through Prasar Bharati for the forthcoming elections to the Lok Sabha and some state assemblies. It said the policy of equitable time sharing for campaigning by recognised parties has statutory basis with the amendment to the Representation of Peoples Act 1951 in 2003 and the rules notified
there under. Under Section 39A of this Act, the Central Government has notified all such broadcasting media which are owned or controlled financially, wholly or substantially, by funds provided to them by the Centre, as the electronic media for the purpose of this session. The time will be given to those six national and 45 state parties which are recognised under the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order 1968. It would not be
available to registered unrecognised parties or any independent candidates. — UNI |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
EC order on assets unnerves contenders in Haryana Gurgaon, April 3 According to official sources, the EC sent the guidelines, a few days ago, specifying the incorporation of the affidavits disclosing the details of movable and immovable property at the time of the filing of nomination papers. The guidelines warn that those who do not comply will be rejected outright. An interview with a cross-section of personalities in the political spectrum reveals that although such a provision existed, it was followed only in breach in the state. However, with the commission clothing it with legal measures, the directive has set the cat among the pigeons. Haryana is high in the pecking order on the per capita index. Parties trend to field nominees with money or muscle power. A brief study of the profiles of candidates of various parties for the past three parliamentary elections in the state reveals that they were noveau riche. Although there is no documentary evidence to substantiate the point, in the majority of the cases, the subjects are very rich. Under the commission order, they have to give an account of their properties. Meanwhile, the Gurgaon election authorities have made it clear that the voters’ list is revised at various stages. Those whose names are not on the list should fill forms available at the offices concerned and submit their cases independently. The
distinct election officer, Mr Anurag Rastogi, said the allegations were on account of lack of awareness of rules.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Time for political migration in Andhra
Hyderabad, April 3 The most dramatic political migration was enacted by a sitting city Congress legislator D
Nagender, who switched over to the ruling TDP in a wee-hour high drama and was rewarded with the party ticket to contest the Asifnagar Assembly seat, which he had held in the dissolved House.
Nagender, the lone Congress legislator from the city which has 13 Assembly segments, was sulking after the party high command asked him to contest the Secunderabad Lok Sabha constituency where union minister and BJP nominee B Dattatreya is seeking re-election. After agreeing to obey the high command’s orders, the two-time MLA made a political somersault, approached TDP supremo and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and got himself inducted into the ruling party, hours before the closing of nominations for the first phase of polling on March 31. So swift was his baptism into the TDP that he was issued ‘B’ form by Mr Naidu even before the formalities of enrolling him as a primary member of the party could be completed. In a case of reverse migration, TDP legislator A
Chandrasekhar, who was denied renomination, promptly switched over to the fledgling Telangana Rashtra Samithi
(TRS) and secured the party ticket to seek re-election from Vikarabad in Ranga Reddy district.
Rayalaseema strongman M. V. Mysoora Reddy, who had quit Congress recently after a 25 year-long innings in the party, is contesting the prestigious Cuddapah Lok Sabha constituency on the TDP ticket. Mr Reddy, who raised a banner of revolt against the state Congress leadership, was embraced by the TDP in a move aimed at storming the opposition stronghold and cutting into the support base of Congress Legislature Party leader Y. S. Rajasekhar Reddy, who is widely seen as the Congress chief ministerial candidate. The defection of Mr Mysoora Reddy, whose differences with the CLP leader are well known, is likely to trigger political re-alignment in volatile, faction-ridden Cuddapah district. He is now pitted against his bete noire’s younger brother, Mr Y. S. Vivekananda Reddy, who is seeking re-election from the constituency. The Congress, on its part, has roped in NTR’s daughter Purandareshwari and is fielding her from the Bapatla Lok Sabha seat while her husband, Mr D. Venkateshwar Rao, a one-time comrade-in-arms of Mr Chandrababu Naidu, is set to enter the poll fray from the Parachur Assembly constituency in Prakasam district. Emerging from political hibernation, Mr Rao had recently joined the Congress. Another member of the NTR family and Chief Minister’s younger brother, Mr N. Ramamurthy Naidu, has also switched over to
at the Congress and is likely to be fielded from Chittoor district. The poll-eve defection of former Assembly Speaker P. Ramachandra Reddy from the Congress to the BJP was rewarded by the saffron party which fielded him from the Medak Lok Sabha constituency. Interestingly, he is pitted against Mr A Narendra, who had won the seat in the 1999 elections on the BJP ticket but had subsequently switched over to the
TRS. A prominent TDP leader from Nizamabad district, Mr G. Ganga Reddy, deserted the ruling party after his request for the party ticket for the Dichpally Assembly seat, represented by his bete noire and State School Education Minister M. Venkateshwar Rao, was rejected. He switched over to the TRS and was promptly made the party’s nominee from the Dichpally constituency. Similarly, the poll-eve defectors Narayanrao Patel (from TDP) and Damodar Reddy (from the Congress) secured the TRS ticket to contest from Mudhole and Nagarkurnool respectively. Similarly, the TDP has inducted into its fold prominent Congress leader Swamy Goud and fielded him from the Nalgonda LS constituency.
— PTI
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Ujjwala Shinde set to emerge from husband’s shadow
Solapur, April 3 She and her two elder sisters Smriti and Priti are understandably excited about their mother’s candidature from Solapur. If Mrs Shinde wins, she will be the first woman MP whose husband is Chief Minister. Though outside Solapur she may be known only as Mrs Shinde, she is a leader in her own right in her husband’s home turf. Known as ‘‘Ujjwalatai’’ to Congress party workers, she is busy these days meeting party workers, planning election strategy and at the same time, supervising the affairs of the kitchen in the Shinde household. ‘‘I still feel I am in a dream. I never imagined I would contest a Lok Sabha election even though I have been my husband’s constituency manager for the past 30 years,’’ the 55-year old Mrs Shinde said in a chat with mediapersons here yesterday. She said though the demand for her candidature for the Lok Sabha elections was not new, she and her husband were initially hesitant. Mrs Shinde recalled the inner turmoil while making up her mind to take the plunge. ‘‘My daughter gave me the confidence to go ahead’’, she added. ‘‘Besides, even Congress President Sonia Gandhi told Mr Shinde, when he was suggesting other probables candidates, that she wanted only me to stand for the poll from this seat,’’ she recalled. Mrs Shinde says health facilities for women and their empowerment would be among the priority areas she would focus on, if she won. Born and brought up at Dadar in the heart of Mumbai, Mrs Shinde said her husband understood poverty as he himself had struggled to make it big. “He has never forgotten his roots and is always there for the poor and deprived sections of society,’’ she said, affirming that she would follow his example.
— UNI
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Each vote counts in a democracy Babrala, April 3 We spotted him sprawled against a mud wall under a jamun tree. His condition would have reminded lovers of Urdu poetry about a couplet by Mir Taqi Mir in which he said: Hoga kisi dewar kay sayee kay taley Mir, Kya kaam mohabbat say us aram talab
ko? Election time is election time. How could Bhainsu have been important to anyone of us if he did not have a vote? In a democracy every vote counts, even one that is on the verge of starvation. He had no clue what we were talking about. Vote? Election? Party? Candidate? Lok Sabha? Although he did not understand a word of what we said, he agreed to give his vote or whatever to any one who gave him two samosas everyday. Western Uttar Pradesh is the most economically advanced region. Yet, there is a large section of the population who like Bhainsu has nowhere to go. The growth of wild bhaang plants on either side of the highway and the roads leading to the interior of the villages from Bulandshahr to Bijnor, Pilibhit to Baghpat has turned the underclass of western UP into drug addicts. Poverty and drug addiction are largely responsible for the high rate of crime in the region. Surprisingly, neither the people nor the politicians nor the district administration seem to be unduly worried about the easy availability of bhaang and charas in the entire belt. Everyone expresses concern over the problem, but no one ever suggests that the plants should be uprooted by farmers, orchardists and district officials for eliminating at least one reason for the high crime rate. Surprisingly, even Ms Mayawati has made no serious attempt to reach out to her people and lift them out of centuries of pointless existence. Her political life is essentially media-centric. Bhainsu and his tribe have not heard about the rise of the Dalits to power and glory under Behnji. Ms Mayawati is a name they have never heard. A single vote has no value. Talking to daily wage workers revealed that a contract system of sort decides who gets the Dalit votes. The thekedars have a minimum of 100 votes under their belt for negotiating a good deal for themselves. As for the workers, the promise of regular work is enough for them to follow the contractor to the party or the candidate that has made the highest bid for their votes. All talk about his right and his vote had evidently exhausted Bhainsu. He had gone back into his bhaang-induced stupor when we moved on in search of the elusive votes that want to be counted as the strength of Indian democracy.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Gill opposes publishing of exit polls before poll
New Delhi, April 3 “Such a practice is not accepted by any advanced western democracy. I fear some people will come up with exit polls of doubtful integrity just after the end of polling on April 20 and attempt to give the elections to one party and take it away from another,” he told PTI here. Gill, who was recently elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha on a Congress ticket, said “broadcast or publication of exit polls will gravely damage the voting pattern in the five-phased polls”. The former CEC appealed to the commission led by T. S. Krishnamuthy to take a clear-cut decision on the issue on April 6 when it holds an all-party meeting to discuss issues like personalised attacks against political leaders, political advertisements and opinion and exit polls. “I hope the commission will take a decision in favour of the voter or put the matter before the Supreme Court for an urgent directive,” he said. Gill, however, made it clear that he had no objection to exit polls being aired or printed after the close of polling on May 10. Gill said “in my time (as CEC) I had stopped (exit polls).” Observing that advanced western democracies did not allow airing of exit polls before close of polling, he said such a practice had bars in countries like the U S, Canada, France, Italy and Spain. Maintaining that as the world’s largest democracy, campaigning during a crucial election to the Lok Sabha should focus on serious issues like providing education, health facilities and employment, he said “let no party think it can get away without addressing them. No offer of religion can replace the roti. — PTI
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
‘Anti-Christian’ letter work of Oppn, says Ronya Itanagar, April 3 The letter allegedly written by Mr Ronya to senior BJP leader Mr Pyarelal Khandelwal requesting him not to give ticket to a Christian leader ‘‘responsible’’ for spreading Christianity in the state, had sparked sharp reaction from the Christian community, which demanded his ouster and even threatened to vote against the saffron brigade in the elections. ‘‘The letter bears a false signature. I am ready to go for signature verification by experts if somebody wants to challenge my integrity,’’ Mr Ronya told reporters. He alleged that the letter had been circulated to all sections of people, particularly to the Christian Community by some anti-BJP factors in order to win their confidence against the BJP. ‘‘In my long 27 years of political career, I never went against any particular community or religion and always worked for communal harmony and integrity of all sections of people in the state,’’ he said.
— UNI
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
AGP releases manifesto
Guwahati, April 3 The manifesto released by AGP president here stated that the regional party would press the Centre for scrapping the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) Act to be replaced by other prevailing legal provisions for detecting foreigners as applicable in the rest of the country. The party was also for a National Register of Citizens (NRC) to safeguard the religious, language and ethnic sentiments of the citizens based on the March 25, 1971, cut off year so nominated in the Assam Accord. The AGP promised to be a powerful lobby in Parlaiment for pressing the Centre to start a dialogue with the militant outfits of the state to solve their problems. .
— PTI
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
7 hurt in attack on Rajni fans
Madurai, April 3 PMK leader Dr S Ramadoss was on his way to address an election meeting when Rajni fans showed black flags to him in the Anna statue area, they said. Party workers, providing security to their leader, attacked the superstar’s fans. Two members of the lawyers wing of the fans’ association and two presspersons, including a cameraman, were among the injured, police and association members said. Two cameras of presspersons were damaged while another was snatched away by the PMK volunteers. Five of the victims had been admitted to a hospital here while the others received treatment for minor injuries. The police said some vehicles of the onlookers and press reporters were also damaged as the PMK men went on the rampage, hitting whatever they came across with their sticks. The police, in the process of registering a case, said action would be taken against the culprits according to law. They increased the security at the meeting venue and enroute after the incident.
— PTI
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Mani to file papers on Bard’s birthday
Vijayawada, April 3 “I have learnt most of my English from Shakespeare’s plays and chose to file my nomination papers on his birthday as a token of remembrance,’’ he told reporters here after flagging off a padayatra led by Congress leader L Rajagopal at Garikipadu yesterday.— UNI
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HOME PAGE |
Police to focus on Veerappan areas Militants’ threat
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Baramula parliamentary constituency comprising the twin districts of Baramula and Kupwara has become a key constituency with both alliance partners, the Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
