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14 civic body members join Cong
75 nominees in Haryana are ‘tainted’
Mandate for BSP can change Manuvadi
system: Mayawati
EC stalls move on appointment
Cong, BJP ‘sponsoring’ poll surveys
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Campaign
Trail
Fax sparks row on Bhajan’s stand
Sikhs threaten stir against Modi
Proclaimed offender held in fraud case
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14 civic body members join Cong
Bhiwani, January 30 Condemning the murder of an ex-municipal committee member of Hansi Prem Papneja yesterday, Mr Pratap sought a CBI inquiry into the murder from the Governor Mr A.R. Kidwai. Terming it a revengeful act, he said that since the deceased had left the INLD two days back to join the Congress, it smell to conspiracy behind the murder. He further urged the Governor to impose President’s Rule in Haryana. He said that 16 members of the 31-members Municipal Council had joined the Congress. Those present were Mr Satya Narain Yadav, Mr Rajender Kumar, Ms Usha Bagri, Ms Prakash Devi, former MC president Som Prakash Arora, Mr Dev Raj Mehta, Ms Patash Kaur, Ms Rajni Devi, Mr Dharm Bhushan Saraf, Ms Kailash Rani, Mr Rohtash Jogi, Mr Bhim Singhal, Ms Om Pati Dai, Mr Ram Avtar Devsaria, Mr Nand Lal Chawla, and Mr Subhash. Mr Pratap said that he had taken the consent of the in charge of Haryana affairs in the party, Mr Janardana Dwivedi and the co-incharge, Mr Vivek Bansal, and administered the primary membership to these members. Mr Pratap said that now the Congress had got full majority in the civic body and added that he would meet the Deputy Commissioner along with these members and ask to call an emergency meeting of the council as the present chairman had no right to hold the post now. The AICC observer said that he would send a fax message to the Chief Election Commissioner to send additional observers for Bhiwani Assembly constituency. Former president of the Vaish College Students Union Kuldip Singh also joined the party on the occasion.
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75 nominees in Haryana are ‘tainted’
Panchkula, January 30 Though 20 of these candidates are contesting as Independents, the Congress has given ticket to 19 such candidates. The BJP has fielded 10 candidates facing criminal charges, the BSP six, the Samajwadi Party four and the INLD three. Most party leaders, cutting across political lines, are united in defending the “tainted” candidates fielded by them. The plea is that political vendetta is behind the cases. However, two of the candidates— Ram
Kishan (Congress candidate from Naraingarh) and Kartar Singh Badhana
(BJP candidate from Sohna) have been indicted by the CBI in a case of illegal mining in Faridabad. Another candidate, Nafe Singh Rathi, who is contesting on INLD ticket from
Bahudargarh, was convicted by a lower court in a murder case but was exonerated by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Even working HPCC president and candidate from Narwana Randeep Singh Surjewala is facing criminal charges in nine cases. The charges are mainly related to rioting
and disobedience to orders promulgated by a public servant. Of a total of 90 Assembly segments in the state, these candidates are contesting from 52 segments. The maximum number of candidates—three each—who are facing criminal charges are making a bid to enter the Vidhan Sabha from
Badhra (Bhiwani district) and Hisar seats. In 18 seats, as many as two such candidates each are in the fray. In
Badhra, it is Mr Dharambir (Congress), Mr Dharampal (BJP) and Mr Dalbir
(Independent) who have been booked for various criminal offences. Charges have been framed against Mr Dharampal in a case of rioting and assault and against Mr Dharambir under the Representation of People’s Act. Mr Dalbir has been booked on charges of rioting and under various Sections of the Excise Act. In Hisar, the Congress candidate, Mr O. P. Jindal, has been booked on charges of assault and criminal intimidation though the legal proceedings were stayed by the high court. Mr Rakesh Sethi of the BJP has been charged under the Negotiable Instruments Act but the charges have not been framed by court while the RJD candidate from this constituency, Mr Virender Singh, has been booked and subsequently chargesheeted by a court in Hisar for causing grievous hurt. Ms Prassani Devi from the Naultha seat and Ms Sharda Rathore from the Ballabhgarh seat are also facing criminal charges. Mrs Prassanni Devi, a former minister in the Bhajan Lal government, is facing four corruption cases while Ms Rathore has been booked in a case of rioting and assault on public servant. |
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Mandate for BSP can change Manuvadi
system: Mayawati
Rewari, January 30 She said she had been assiduously working for total the transformation of this “Manuvadi” system which had persistently patronised such gross inequalities in the Indian society. She also extended an open invitation to members of economically weaker sections belonging to the upper castes to join her in this herculean task. She also exhorted members of the bahujan samaj not to fritter away their energies in staging dharnas and demonstrations but to strengthen the crusade launched against the “Manuvadi” forces to ensure the installation of BSP-led governments at the Centre as well as the state. In an oblique reference to the BSP legislator Raju Pal’s recent murder in Allahabad, the BSP chief said law and order machinery had collapsed in Uttar Pradesh and the people had now started remembering the good times when she was Chief Minister of the state. The BSP chief also sought support for party nominees-Rao Manjit Singh (Rewari), Rao Balbir Singh (Jatusana), Ms Lalita Bharti (Bawal), Mr Ved Prakash (Ateli) and Mr Birju Singh (Mahendergarh). |
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EC stalls move on appointment
Chandigarh, January 30 When the full commission had come here on January 25 to review the poll arrangements, various Opposition parties had said the ruling party was giving an impression to the voters that it would appoint already-selected persons after the polling day. The Chief Election Commissioner, Mr T.S. Krishnamurthi, had told newsmen that the commission would not allow the government to do so because it would be a violation of the model code of conduct. According to informed sources, the Secretary to the commission, has written to the Chief Secretary, Haryana, Mr Sunil Ahuja, that no appointments could be made till the election process was completed on March 5. He wrote on January 28 that no government advertisements could be published or payments were to be made before that. |
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Cong, BJP ‘sponsoring’ poll surveys
Chandigarh, January 30 These surveys have projected a comfortable win, with a two-thirds majority, for the Congress in Haryana and the rout of the ruling party in the ensuing assembly elections. In a joint statement issued here today, three Haryana Ministers, Mr Ashok Arora, Mr Jaswinder Singh and Dr M.L. Ranga, said the INLD had no faith in such election surveys “because these were being organised to mislead the voters by paying money”. They said the surveys had pointed a finger on the credibility of a section of the media. They asserted that the INLD would win over 50 seats on its own and no other party was “hopeful” of winning even a single seat in seven districts of the state. They, however, did not name these districts. The INLD ministers also ridiculed the Haryana Congress President, Mr Bhajan Lal, for asserting that he would quit politics in case his party was defeated in the elections. They said Mr Bhajan Lal was in habit of making such assertions. Even when the INLD government was formed in 2000, Mr Bhajan Lal had said he would topple it within three months or otherwise he would commit suicide. Meanwhile, the Finance Minister, Prof Sampat Singh, has described the Congress manifesto as misleading. He said the Congress had said it “would make efforts
(paryaas)” or “review (samiksha)” of important issues concerning the state but did not make any firm commitment to the people. |
Campaign Trail Ruchika M. Khanna Tribune News Service
Panchkula, January 30 And the Indian National Lok Dal candidate is certainly not exercising to keep in shape. "The exercise (election campaigning) is to keep me in reckoning," he jokes. With barely three days left for the canvassing to conclude, Mr Pradeep Chaudhary has hardly any time to think about exercising. Dressed in a chaste white kurta and hands folded, he moves about from one flat to another. Gone are the days when he had almost cut himself off from public life during his tenure as a member of the Haryana Public Service Commission. It is now a much more humble Mr Chaudhary, who believes in a personal contact programme with the voters of the urban segment of Kalka constituency. Accompanied by his trusted Municipal Councillors — Mr Balwinder, Mr Sunil Talwar, Mr Gomti Prasad and senior party leader, Mr Dilbagh Singh Nain, he exhorts people to vote for him on the issue of development. "Earlier, we were lagging behind in the urban sectors. So I am concentrating in the urban areas during the last leg of campaigning. I am getting a good response and people will vote for us because of the massive development done in Kalka constituency," he says. If it is door- to-door campaigning in Panchkula and Kalka town, it is election meetings in the villages of the constituency. Mr Chaudhary says that other than door-to-door campaigning in four to five sectors/ colonies, he holds about 18 to 20 election meetings a day. Within an hour-and- half, he has finished with his campaigning in BEL Colony, where he is presented with a thaili of Rs 5100, and moves on to HUDA Colony in Sector 15. An advance announcement is made in the colony through the public address system on an autorickshaw, which plays the rustic tunes blaming Congress for the price rise "... Italy se aayi lugai mar gai, chini hui mehangi to mithai mar gai, gas ki bharwai mar gain, mehangai mar gai... ." He again goes from one flat to another, touches the feet of elderly and lovingly caresses the cheeks of children, while seeking votes. Ask him if corruption and "goondagardi" allegations levelled against the INLD government could mar his electoral prospects, he is quick to retort, "Can anyone prove any charge of corruption? It is the Congress candidates and former Ministers who have indulged in corruption, and they have been booked by the police, he adds. He finishes the campaign in the colony, talks to some people standing on the roadside, and is off for the next round in Sector 4.
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Fax sparks row on Bhajan’s stand
Hisar, January 30 A message faxed from phone no. 01662-244595 at 12.32 pm today issued a statement of Mr Bhajan Lal's son and Congress MP from Bhiwani, Mr Kuldeep Bishnoi, on the SYL issue. However, another message, faxed from the same telephone number at 12.33 p.m., had a complaint by some local leaders against Mr
O.P. Jindal, the Congress candidate for the Hisar Assembly seat, to the party high command . Mr Bhajan Lal was not available for comments. On being contacted, the press secretary of Mr Kuldeep Bishnoi, said the Haryana Congress president had nothing to do with the matter. He maintained that some local municipal councillors had come to the residence of Mr Bhajan Lal, from where they faxed a copy of their statement. Nonetheless, the consecutive fax messages seem to substantiate the rumours that the state President of the Congress is backing an Independent candidate from the Hisar constituency, who is contesting against the Congress nominee. |
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Four-cornered contest in Ambala Cantt
Ambala, January 30 Ambala Cantt seat is the smallest constituency in terms of size and number of voters within Ambala district. Not a single village falls within this constituency. While this seat has alternately been won by the Congress and the BJP since 1967, for the past two terms Independent candidate Anil Vij has won. Moreover, Ambala Cantt seat is the only seat in Haryana where INLD has not fielded its candidate in this poll. A tough fight is on the cards this time. Candidates are leaving no stone unturned to ensure their victory. While Mr Vij is banking on the work done by him in his tenure, the Congress and the BJP candidates are promising better civic amenities and other development projects. Congress candidate Devender Bansal has said in his election meetings that if elected, he will fulfil the dreams of the local residents. “I will undertake projects which will transform Ambala Cantt,” he said. “Under Mr Vij, Ambala Cantt has not got its due. Voters are intelligent and well aware of the ground realities. There has been complete lack of employment generation and even for Government jobs local residents have been ignored. I am confident that they will vote for the Congress, “
he added. BJP candidate Ravi Sehgal has stated that the BJP is the best alternative. He said Mr Vij has failed to live up to the expectations of the voters while there has been a sharp hike in the prices of basic commodities under the Congress-led UPA government. He stated that the issue of Mahesh Nagar colonies was a clear case of misgovernance. “First, the colonies were declared unauthorised, then authorised and then again unauthorised. Just before the election they have again been made authorised. This is a cruel joke on the people,” he said. The common issue being taken up by both Congress and BJP candidates is the lack of compensation to those affected by floods last year. They have both promised to take up the issue if elected. Another common ground for both candidates is the no-objection certificate (NOC) issue which has been the bane of Ambala Cantt residents. On his part, Mr Vij said the people were well aware of his hardwork and the long list of development projects undertaken by him. He is approaching the people with his slogan “kaam kiya hai, kaam karenge”. Criticising the Congress and the BJP, he said political parties only make hollow promises through their manifestos. “I have not released any manifesto. Instead, I have released a document containing details of the work along with photographs so that people know that we only believe in working and not false promises,” he added.
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Elaborate security for PM’s rally
Ambala, January 30 A posse of police personnel today undertook security measures, including sanitising the area. A large contingent of policemen is going to be put on duty to ensure that no untoward incident takes place. Barricades are being erected. There will be some traffic diversions. Congress candidates are making an all-out effort to ensure that there is a large turnout at the rally. People from Ambala Cantonment, Ambala City, Naggal, Mullana and Naraingarh are expected to attend the rally. |
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INLD candidate harps on development
Ambala, January 30 Talking to mediapersons at Khojkipur village, he said some people were trying to spread mis-information about him, but the people understood these tactics. He said he was getting good response from voters of Boh, Babyal and Dalipgarh villages and some outer colonies. Mr Mallour said Congress leaders were trying to woo voters by organising a rally of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in Ambala district. “Perhaps they are not aware that people are unhappy with the Congress-led UPA government. There has been sharp increase in prices of basic commodities under the Congress rule,” he said. He said when the INLD came to power, a new chapter of development was started in Haryana and particularly in his constituency, Naggal. “The previous governments had ignored Naggal, but we have ensured that there is peace and development in the constituency,” he stated. He said Naggal was a flood-prone area and the INLD government had taken several steps to ensure that the flood affect was considerably reduced. He said Amipur and Badhouli drains were ready while money had been sanctioned for Sullar and Udaipur drains.
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Jindal highlights Cong role in freedom struggle
Ambala, January 30 Addressing a public meeting at Bazaza Bazaar, Mr Naveen Jindal appealed to the voters to cast their votes in favour of Congress candidates if they wanted a prosperous Haryana. Mr Naveen Jindal said the Congress party had played a major part in the freedom struggle. “Luminaries like Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Subhas Chandra Bose and Sardar Patel have been a part of Congress. Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi made the supreme sacrifice,” he said. He stated that the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, was a highly educated person with a spotless image. “There is not a single charge against Dr Manmohan Singh. He will be addressing a rally in Ambala tomorrow and it is a significant development,” he said. Mr Jindal said there is a Congress wave in Haryana. “Mr Om Prakash Chautala has pursued anti-people policies. “The Congress is going to register a historic win. The people of Ambala must contribute to the Congress victory by ensuring Mr D.K. Bansal’s win. Once elected, Mr Bansal along with other Congress leaders will ensure that the dreams of Ambala residents are fulfilled,” In a reference to the Ambala Cantt MLA and Independent candidate, Mr Anil Vij, Mr Jindal said an Independent MLA cannot be successful in implementing projects in his constituency. “Experience has shown that an Independent MLA is not effective while an MLA belonging to the ruling party is very effective,” he said. The Congress candidate, Mr Devender Bansal, said he would work hard to fulfil the aspirations of the people. “I have a deep understanding of the needs, hopes and dreams of the local populace. Once I am elected, I would work with single minded devotion for bringing about overall development in Ambala Cantt,” he said. |
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Voters keen to oust Chautala: Laxmikanta
Ambala, January 30 Talking to mediapersons after campaigning for the BJP Ambala Cantt candidate, Mr Ravi Sehgal, Ms Chawla said the BJP was contesting all 90 seats in Haryana. “We have not entered into any alliance. We are determined to form our own government,” she said. To a query, she said in her opinion it would have been better if Akali leaders had supported the BJP in Haryana. She added that perhaps the national leadership would be in a better position to reply to the query. Ms Chawla said the people of Haryana were keen to oust Mr Om Prakash Chautala. “People even do not want to hear the name of Mr Chautala due to the wrong policies pursued by him. Mr Chautala has brought about an urban-rural divide,” Dr K.D. Sharma of the BJP Ambala Cantt unit said the Ambala Cantt MLA and Independent candidate, Mr Anil Vij, did not have any manifesto of his own since he adopted the manifesto of the party that he supported.
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BJP will ensure industrial growth, says
Bhardwaj
Panchkula, January 30 This was stated by the Himachal BJP president, Mr Suresh Bhardwaj, while addressing mediapersons here today. He said the industrial development of Baddi, Barotiwala and Parwanoo, done by the BJP government, had led to the development of Kalka and Panchkula, he added. He said the voters of Haryana were dismayed with the Congress for failing to keep its promises and with the INLD because of corruption and ‘goonda raj’ during the INLD regime. This would ensure a smooth win for the BJP during these Assembly elections, he added. Mr Bhardwaj said senior party leaders from Himachal and former Chief Ministers Prem Kumar Dhumal and Shanta Kumar were also holding election meetings and rallies in Haryana. He said once the BJP was voted to power in Haryana, they would ensure all round development of the state, generate employment and control price hike.
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Bibi making false promises, says HSGPC
Chandigarh, January 30 In a press note issued here today, the secretary, Mr Surjit Singh Bajwa, has alleged that she was luring the Sikh voters by offering them jobs in the SGPC-run institutes, promises to open more modern schools and other educational institutions in the constituencies from where the INLD candidates would win. Taking note of these developments, the members have challenged Bibi Jagir Kaur to specify the employments given to the Sikhs, particularly in the gurdwaras of the state since its formation in 1966. Even, the proposed medical college to be set up at Shahbad ( Kurukshetra) was shifted to Amritsar and is functioning from there since April, 2002. The members have appealed to the Sikh voters of Haryana not to be misled by the false promises of Bibi Jagir Kaur. |
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Ex-MC shot; bandh in Hansi
Hansi, January 30 All markets in the township remained closed in protest against the murder. The candidates for the assembly poll have condemned the incident and cancelled all engagements and poll meetings. Papneja had recently left the INLD and joined the Congress. He had been provided police security after he received several threats. However, the security was withdrawn a day before the incident. Papneja was returning to his house last night when he was attacked. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead by the doctors. Following this, the local residents went on the rampage. They blocked traffic and raised slogans against the administration and the state government. |
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Sikhs threaten stir against Modi
Karnal, January 30 Representatives of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee (HSGPC), the Haryana Sikh Forum (HSF), the Haryana Sikh Sangat (HSS), the Gurpurb Prabhandak Committee, the Sukhmani Sahib Society and managing committees of various local gurdwaras gathered at Gurdwara Dera Kar Sewa this afternoon and passed a resolution condemning the
decision of the BJP government headed by Mr Narendera Modi to cancel the Gurpurb holiday. Chaudhary Dalip Singh, patron of the HSGPC, said that these Sikh organisations would send a memorandum to the President and the Prime Minister with a copy to the BJP President, Mr L.K. Advani, and the CM of Gujarat, seeking immediate restoration of the holiday. He alleged, “The sentiments of the Sikh community throughout the world have been hurt by this unfortunate decision”. Mr Bhagat Singh Rahi, president of the HSF, Mr Sunder Singh Chawla, president, Gurpurb, Prabhandak Committee, Mr Nawab Singh, senior vice-president of the HSGPC, Mr Rajinder Singh Sachdeva and Mr Pratap Singh Randhawa, both executive members of the HSGPC, have threatened that if the Modi government in Gujarat did not withdraw this unfortunate decision, the Sikhs of Haryana would be compelled to launch an agitation against the BJP government. |
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Proclaimed offender held in fraud case
Sonepat, January 30 She was produced before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr A.D. Gaur, here today who remanded her in 14-day judicial custody and sent to the mahila jail at Rohtak. The number of arrests made in this connection has now risen to six, including three women employees of the Head Post Office. However, the main accused, Manohar Kumar, is still at large. Police sources reveal that some more arrests of postal employees will be made in a couple of days who are said to be involved in this racket. Meanwhile, all the arrested employees of the Head Post Office, involved in the racket, have been placed under suspension, pending departmental inquiry against them. |
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2 highway robbers arrested
Sonepat, January 30 According to a report, the arrested culprits were identified as Anand of Bhainswal village and Jatinder of Dewru village. The police recovered a stolen motor cycle, a country made pistol and two live cartridges from the arrested persons. The police has also launched a hunt to apprehend a criminals, Shyamla, who is wanted in this case. Shyamla is already involved in the cases of murder and theft. The police has registered a case of theft against them which was committed on January 26 on the premises of the Santsai Ashram, near Bhigan village, in the district. |
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Youth injured
Sonepat, January 30 |
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