H A R Y A N A

Caste desertion ruins INLD
Chandigarh, February 27
The grand success of the Congress at the hustings has come with its own contradiction. The party has been propelled to power by a historic tally, thanks to the full-bodied support lent to it by the Jats. However, the most powerful claimant to the chief ministership is not a Jat.

Expel Bhajan from Cong, says O.P. Jindal
Hisar, February 27
The rift between rival factions of the Congress came to the fore when the party’s winning candidate from the Hisar Assembly constituency, Mr Om Prakash Jindal, said the HPCC President, Mr Bhajan Lal, should be expelled from the Congress for his “anti-party activities.”

Easy win for Chander Mohan, Venod Sharma

Panchkula, February 27 Mr Chander Mohan, sitting MLA and son of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee chief, Mr Bhajan Lal, has won the Kalka Assembly seat for the fourth time.

Mr Chander Mohan being congratulated by his supporters after the election results for the Kalka Assembly seat on Sunday. —A Tribune photograph

We will keep poll promises: winners
Ambala, February 27
The winners from all Assembly segments in Ambala district today promised to fulfil their poll promises. The Congress candidate from Ambala City, Mr Venod Sharma, who has won by a record margin of 35,316 votes, was elated with the poll result.

Stories from Haryana towns falling in the National Capital Region are put in
 Delhi & neighbourhood.

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Ambala Chandigarh Hisar Panchkula Panipat Yamunanagar

	INLD leaders perplexed over next CM February 27, 2005
	Panipat mechanic was kidnapped: SP February 26, 2005
	HCS exam results in the eye of storm February 25, 2005
	Repolling passes off peacefully February 24, 2005
	Factionalism within Cong takes ugly turn February 23, 2005
	EC deprives Chautala of chance for recruitment February 22, 2005
	Vote count in evening risk-prone: parties February 21, 2005
	Haryana Vikas Morcha seeks annulment of poll February 20, 2005
	Chautala plans meeting on code of conduct February 19, 2005
	CBI books Haryana IAS official February 18, 2005

Dream come true for this poor MLA
Yamunanagar, February 27
A man, who worked on daily wages and his wife picked rags, has won from Radaour Assembly seat at a time when even his party supremo Mr Om Prakash Chautala, lost the elections from Narwana constituency.

Teacher shoots three of family
Jhajjar, February 27
A schoolteacher allegedly shot his wife, daughter and mother-in-law at his house in Bahadurgarh this evening. The accused fled the scene after committing the crime. According to information, Balwan Singh, a science teacher posted in Tandaheri village of the district, lives in Dayanand Colony of Bahadurgarh.

Man robbed of Rs 10,000, jewellery
Panipat, February 27
Two armed robbers took away motor cycle, cash and golden jewellery from Rajiv Kaushik’s house at Bishan Swarup Colony on today morning.

Caste desertion ruins INLD
Ashwini Bhatnagar
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 27
The grand success of the Congress at the hustings has come with its own contradiction. The party has been propelled to power by a historic tally, thanks to the full-bodied support lent to it by the Jats. However, the most powerful claimant to the chief ministership is not a Jat.

For Mr Om Prakash Chautala, the results have their own mysteries, too. His party, the INLD, is down from 47 seats to a mere nine. On the face of it, it appears that Mr Chautala has lost his electoral space among the people of Haryana. But, ironically, INLD’s vote share has gone down by 2.5 to 3 per cent only, if the first estimates of the voting pattern are to be believed.

Similarly, the BJP appears to have been humiliated as much as the INLD as it lost four of its six seats in the current poll.

The Congress, on its part, has maintained its vote share that it secured in the 2004 Lok Sabha poll. It was 42.1 per cent then. It is 42.47 per cent now. When compared to the 2000 Vidhan Sabha elections, it has fattened the figure by a whopping 10 per cent or more. In 2000, it had secured 31.25 per cent of the votes.

A part of the increase, it is said, is because of the merger of the HVP with the Congress and the consequent consolidation of the Jat vote.

The Jats constitute about a quarter of the total electorate in Haryana. But more than their numerical strength, their power lies in the clout that they wield in the electoral dynamics of the state. For the first time perhaps in the history of the state’s Vidhan Sabha, the Jats have leaned so heavily in favour of the Congress. This has resulted in the party notching up the highest-ever seat count in the House.

An interesting aspect of the analysis of the Jat factor is that in the 2005 poll, the literate and young Jat voter has played a decisive role in swinging the tide in favour of the Congress. This is evident from the nail-biting fight and finish for the Narwana Assembly segment wherein a Jat, Mr Randeep Singh Surjewala, was pitted against a clansman, Mr Om Prakash Chautala.

The pre-poll tours of constituencies had also revealed a distinct swing away from the aged hardboiled Jat politician to the younger lot. The trend, though good for the Congress which tried to present the younger face of the party through the installation of Mr Surjewala as working president had created dissensions in the state leadership over the choice of the next chief minister.

In a manner of speaking, Mr Surjewala bearded the lion in his den and also led the party to a historic victory. His claim to the top spot is also buttressed by his clean image, age and the wholehearted support of the Jats.

Mr Bhajan Lal, on the other hand, has been the Congress’ strongman over the years. He has also shown his popularity by winning his seat by a record margin of 76,000 votes. His son has followed his father in recording a very impressive victory from Kalka, his being the second highest margin in the state.

Expel Bhajan from Cong, says O.P. Jindal
Tribune News Service

Hisar, February 27
The rift between rival factions of the Congress came to the fore when the party’s winning candidate from the Hisar Assembly constituency, Mr Om Prakash Jindal, said the HPCC President, Mr Bhajan Lal, should be expelled from the Congress for his “anti-party activities.”

Talking to newspersons soon after being declared victorious, Mr Jindal asserted that he was a contender for the Chief Minister’s post. “As per the policy of the Congress and the criteria laid down by the party high command, an honest Congressperson, with a clean image, will be made the Chief Minister...I fulfil these conditions...while Mr Bhajan Lal is nowhere near the CM’s chair,” he maintained.

However, Mr Jindal’s son and Congress MP from Kurukshetra, Mr Naveen Jindal, who was accompanying his father, observed that the party high command had information about the activities of all party leaders and it would take action in this regard.

On being questioned on Mr Jindal’s demand of expelling the state Congress President from the party, Naveen replied that it was his father’s “personal remark.” At this, Mr Jindal also quipped that it was his personal opinion.

Both Naveen as well as O.P. Jindal expressed gratitude towards all voters of the constituency for the overwhelming support.

Easy win for Chander Mohan, Venod Sharma
Tribune News Service

We will keep poll promises: winners
Tribune News Service

Ambala, February 27
The winners from all Assembly segments in Ambala district today promised to fulfil their poll promises. The Congress candidate from Ambala City, Mr Venod Sharma, who has won by a record margin of 35,316 votes, was elated with the poll result.

He said he would work hard to fulfil his poll promises. “He will encourage industrialisation in Ambala city so that the local people get employment,” he said adding that sewerage and drainage system need to be considerably improved.

He said he would also pay attention to the villages falling in the Ambala City constituency. Drinking water supply system has to be effective in villages bordering the city, he added.

The Congress candidate from Mullana (reserved) seat, Mr Phool Chand Mullana, said he was delighted with the result. He said he would ensure that Barara was declared as a subdivision. Also, a bridge is required in Mullana for better connectivity and a railway line flyover needs to be constructed at Barara. He said the Saha Growth Centre needs to be improved to encourage industrialisation.

The Congress candidate from Ambala Cantonment and first time MLA, Mr Devender Bansal, said people had reposed faith in him and in the Congress policies. “Undoubtedly, I will fulfil my election promises so that there is overall development in Ambala Cantonment,” he said.

Mr Bansal said scientific industry should be further encouraged so that more people get employment. Also, some modern industries can be set up. “I will also take up the NOC issue and steps will be taken to ensure that Ambala Cantonment does not remain flood-prone,” he stated.

The Congress candidate from Naggal, Mr Nirmal Singh, said he would strive for overall development of the area. “We need to evolve a system by which floods does not affect Naggal villages every year. Also, the Mansoorpur lift irrigation project needs to be completed at the earliest. Issues like roads, power and drinking water have to be improved,” he said. “Besides the local issues, I will also continue to raise my voice against discrimination of North Haryana,” he added.

Dream come true for this poor MLA
Nishikant Dwivedi
Tribune News Service

Yamunanagar, February 27
A man, who worked on daily wages and his wife picked rags, has won from Radaour Assembly seat at a time when even his party supremo Mr Om Prakash Chautala, lost the elections from Narwana constituency.

Mr Ishwar Singh Palaka, who was allotted INLD ticket after it was denied to the sitting MLA Banta Ram on the last moment, defeated the Congress candidate Mr Lehri Singh.

Mr Palaka lives in a one- room house with thatched roof with his four children and wife.

“It’s a dream come true. I had never imagined that I would be an MLA”, was the reply of Mr Palaka when this correspondent asked him to comment on his victory. He said his victory was the result of party workers.

Born in 1964, Mr Palaka had to leave studies after Class XI as he had no money to pay his examination fee. After dropping school, he went to Pinjore and worked at HMT. After two years, he returned home and got job as a motor cycle driver to a nambardar of his village.

He joined the INLD in 1991. In the next seven years, he was made the district president of the SC, ST Cell of the party.

It is being said that Mr Palaka was pulling a cart, when someone came and told him that Mr Chautala had allotted him the party ticket from Radaour. He did not have proper clothing. His friends and party supporters bought him new clothes. “My party workers did everything for my victory. It was they who took care of all elections expenses”, said Mr Palaka and added, “I well never forget what they had done for me and the party”. He had recently taken a Rs 20,000 loan under the Indira Awas Yojana to construct another room for his family.

Teacher shoots three of family
Our Correspondent

Jhajjar, February 27
A schoolteacher allegedly shot his wife, daughter and mother-in-law at his house in Bahadurgarh this evening. The accused fled the scene after committing the crime. According to information, Balwan Singh, a science teacher posted in Tandaheri village of the district, lives in Dayanand Colony of Bahadurgarh.

Neighbours heard gunfire from the house around 5 pm. On reaching the house, they found it locked from outside.

They spotted three bodies in the verandah and informed the police.

The deceased have been identified as Minakshi, wife of the teacher, their one-year-old daughter Pinki, and his mother-in-law.

Balwan Singh was living with his second wife here, while his first wife, a clerk in the Income Tax Department in Delhi, lives separately with her two children.

The neighbours said the family was not familiar with neighbours. The police said the accused apparently escaped from the backdoor.

The motive behind the killing has not been ascertained and neighbours have denied having any information about any dispute in the family.

Man robbed of Rs 10,000, jewellery
Tribune News Service

Panipat, February 27
Two armed robbers took away motor cycle, cash and golden jewellery from Rajiv Kaushik’s house at Bishan Swarup Colony on today morning. The victim told The Tribune that two robbers broke in his house at around 8 am and asked him to hand over the cash and jewellery at pistol point. Despite looting Rs 10000 cash and jewellery, they also took his motor cycle with them.

Mr Kaushik said he and his family members had been threatened to be eliminated if they made any cry for help. Even then, he tried to resist them but they stabbed him twice. The matter was reported to the police.