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Cong gets jolt in Majha
Babehali joins SAD, Samta Samaj Party merges with Akalis
Chandigarh, January 6
The ruling Congress got a big jolt today as its general secretary Gurbachan Singh Babehali and the president of the Gurdaspur district unit of the Indian Youth Congress, Mr Yogesh Bhandari, today joined the Shiromani Akali Dal in the presence of its president, Mr Parkash Singh Badal and his son, Mr Sukhbir Singh.
Mr Gurbachan Singh Babehali, who left the Congress to join the SAD, with SAD president Parkash Singh Badal on Saturday. Leaders of the Samta Party, which merged with the SAD, are also seen in the picture. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

Amritsar LS seat has a new demographic pattern
Amritsar, January 6
The demographic voting pattern of the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat underwent a change following the migration of a large number of Sikhs to urban area during terrorism days. They said goodbye to farmhouse culture and built houses in urban areas.

5 hurt as engine rams into stationary train
Ludhiana, January 6
Five persons were injured when a rail engine rammed into a stationary train, 7LF (Ludhiana-Ferozepore), at platform number 7 at the local railway station this evening.
Some of the passengers injured in a train accident at the Ludhiana railway station on Saturday. — A Tribune photograph.

SAD to form excesses commission if voted to power: Capt Kanwaljit
Dera Bassi, January 6
Vendetta politics is set to stage a comeback in Punjab. Riding on the wave of anti-incumbency, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today announced the setting up of the "excesses commission" headed by a retired judge of the high court if the party was voted to power.

With the election symbol, Scales, in the foreground, SAD workers at the “lalkaar rally” in Dera Bassi on Saturday. — Photo by J.S. Virdi

Badal fields ex-Tohra men in tough segments
Ludhiana, January 6
SAD president Parkash Singh Badal appears to be treading a cautious path while choosing candidates for various Assembly segments. Besides roping in prominent rebel leader Prem Singh Chandumajra, he has also tried to draw a perfect balance by accommodating most loyalists of late Gurcharan Singh Tohra.

SAD faces revolt as Ballian denied ticket
Sangrur, January 6
After revolt in three Assembly constituencies, Lehra, Dirba and Dhuri, by aspirants, who could not get the ticket, of SAD, it is now the turn of the Sangrur Assembly constituency to see such a revolt.

Brahmpura marginalised in Majha; lodges protest
Amritsar, January 6
Akali MLA from Naushehra Pannuan Ranjit Singh Brahmpura received a jolt when Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) did not accommodate his men from the Khadoor Sahib and the Tarn Taran Assembly constituencies in the second list of candidates issued here today.

Singla faces dissidence at Cong workers’ meeting
Bathinda, January 6
Unruly scenes were witnessed at the first Congress party meeting convened after the announcement of poll code and attended by Punjab Finance Minister Surinder Singla here today.


A view of unruly scenes at the Congress' first meeting after the annoncement of elections in Bathinda on Saturday. — Tribune photo by Kulbir Beera

Denied ticket, Padiala alleges betrayal
Kharar, January 6
After the formal announcement of Mr Jasjit Singh, son of SAD general secretary Capt Kanwaljit Singh, as the SAD candidate from Kharar in the second list, released by the party today, another strong contender for the party ticket Rajbir Singh Padiala alleged betrayal by the SAD chief Parkash Singh Badal and Capt Kanwaljit Singh with him for he being loyalist of the late Gurcharan Singh Tohra.

SAD cold-shoulders Garg, ex-MLAs
Bathinda, January 6
The SAD’s decision to deny ticket to ex-minister Chiranji Lal Garg, former MLAs Makhan Singh and Bhai Harnirpal Singh Kukku has been received with surprise in Bathinda, Pakka Kalan and Muktsar Assembly constituencies.

Cong leaders support Atwal’s candidature
Phillaur, January 6
The mass contact rally organised by the District Congress Committee, Jalandhar (Rural), at Noormahal yesterday turned out to be a virtual show of strength in support of the sitting MLA, Mr Gurwinder Singh Atwal.

SAD nominee Bhatti seeks sant’s blessings
Fatehgarh Sahib, January 6
With the announcement of party ticket by SAD to Mr Didar Singh Bhatti from the Sirhind constituency, his supporters and BJP workers today thanked Mr Parkash Singh Badal for giving the ticket to the “deserving candidate.”

Mr Rachhpal Singh, who has been appointed secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee.

Poll mood: Sachha Sauda forms panel
Barnala, January 6
To ascertain the mood of their followers a seven- member committee organised a meeting at Dera Sachha Sauda here today. A large number of workers and devotees of the sect took part in the meeting.

DC declares 73 booths sensitive
Barnala, January 6
Mr Surjit Singh Dhillon, Deputy Commissioner, has directed all political parties to follow the modal code of conduct in 73 sensitive and 14 hypersensitive polling booths of the district. As many as 355 polling booths have been established in Barnala, Dhanula and Bhadaurin Barnala districts.

Number of voters goes down
Abohar, January 6
The total number of electorate in the Abohar Assembly segment has gone down by 4,000 as compared to that in 2002. But this time 82 per cent have been covered under the voter I-card scheme, marking an increase of 22 per cent.

Poll bol
‘We will form excesses commission’
“If voted to power the SAD will form the ‘excesses commission’ headed by a retired High Court judge to probe the repressive policies of the Congress government in the past five years,” said Capt Kanwaljit Singh, SAD general secretary.

COMMUNITY

SDM flags off polio awareness rally
Abohar, January 6
Dr N.S.Brar, SDM, flagged off a polio awareness rally from Nehru Memorial Civil Hospital here today. It was organised to mobilise people for tomorrow’s polio eradication drive. Nearly 60 booths have been set up in this regard.
Students of Sardar Patel Nursing Institute take part in a polio awareness rally at Abohar on Saturday. — Photo by Raj Sadhosh

Shatabdi gets delayed by 3 hrs
Phillaur, January 6
Upline rail traffic on the Ludhiana-Jalandhar rail section remained suspended for about three hours as the engine of a goods train got stuck near the Phillaur railway station late last night.

Cancellation of train flayed
Abohar, January 6
The Railway Passengers Association (North Zone) has condemned the Railway Board for cancelling the service of 3007/3008 Howrah-New Delhi-Bathinda-Sriganganagar Udyan Abha Toofan Express on the New Delhi-Abohar- Sriganganagar section till the end of the month.

CRIME

Cops avert clash between two groups
Hoshiarpur, January 6
Timely intervention by the police averted a clash between two groups at Plahi village of this district today.

Petrol station looted
Abohar, January 6
Five masked men looted a petrol station on the national highway No. 15 in neighbouring Sriganganagar by pointing a knife at a salesmen, official sources confirmed this today.

Smuggling of narcotics on rise
Abohar, January 6
Demand for narcotics from Punjab has increased with the beginning of the election process, two smugglers reportedly indicated during interrogation today.

Two die in road mishap
Kharar, January 6
Two persons were killed in a road accident near Mullanpur Garibdas, here today. The mishap took place when the scooter of Angrej Singh (26) and Gurpreet Singh (20) hit a truck parked on the road.

EDUCATION

Computer teachers’ protest continues
Chandigarh, January 6
Relay fast of retrenched daily wage computer teachers today entered the 12th day. Protesting teachers alleged that despite the fact that condition of some of teachers had deteriorated, the state government had refused to budge from its stand.