P U N J A B

Punjab Votes ' 07 | Community | Education

MANIFESTO
Cong talks of farmer-friendly acquisition policy
Chandigarh, January 29
In an apparent “please all” manifesto released here today, the Congress has focused on the poor and the lower middle class by offering rice and wheat flour (atta) at Rs 2 per kg and pulses at Rs 20 per kg for the poorest of the poor. For families below the poverty line, this will be available at Rs 4 per kg.

General secretary of the AICC Janardhan Diwedi releases the Congress manifesto at Punjab Congress Bhavan in Chandigarh on Monday. Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and PPCC chief Shamsher Singh Dullo are also seen in the picture. — Tribune photo by Vinay Malik

POLL CHASE
Mann speaks up for peasants, Dalits
Dhaula, January 29
"Mann Sahib has left for Dhaula village. You can meet him there ", says a Simranjit Singh Mann supporter at his party office here. Mr Mann is contesting from the Dhanaula constituency against Mr Kuldeep Singh Bhattal, younger brother of Deputy Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal.

                                                             Simranjit Singh Mann

YOUTHSPEAK
Do they trust the netas? No
Chandigarh, January 29
Frustration writ large on their faces, a section of educated unemployed youth see no hope for a better future , whosoever comes to power after the Assembly elections.

An ageing House
Chandigarh, January 29
Though Census figures state that 70 per cent of the electorate in Punjab is below 40, hardly any party has given the “growing youth power” its due share while distributing tickets for the Assembly elections.

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Chandumajra, Bhattal fined
Sangrur, January 29
In a case of violation of the Model Code of Conduct, an amount of Rs 1,725 will be recovered by the administration from Ms Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Congress candidate from the Lehra Assembly constituency.

1,034 left in the fray
Chandigarh, January 29
A total of 1034 candidates have been left in the fray for the elections to 117 seats of the Punjab Assembly. Today, last day for withdrawal of nominations, saw 151 contestants bowing out of the race. The total number of candidates who had filed their nomination papers was 1664.

Kharar seat: 12 candidates left in the fray
Mohali, January 29
Only one candidate withdrew from the Kharar constituency here today in connection with the Punjab elections, leaving a total of 12 candidates in the fray.

Cong buying voter cards from the poor: Badal
Babehali (Gurdaspur), January 29
The Congress is using cash to influence the electorate. Certain Congress leaders are buying voter identity cards from the poor whom they suspect will vote for against the party.

Chautala woos Gujjars for Kanwaljit
Congress steps up campaign
Dera Bassi, January 29
The election campaign for the Banur Assembly segment today picked up momentum with charges and counter-charges flying thick.

Mr Om Prakash Chautala and the SAD-BJP candidate from Banur, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, discuss a point during a rally in Mukandpur village, near Dera Bassi, on Monday. — Photo by J.S. Virdi

Cong, SAD expel rebels
Chandigarh, January 29
The Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal today expelled rebel candidates who failed to withdraw in favour of the official nominees.

Phoney affair: Dogra leaves no stone unturned
Dasuya, January 29
The Punjab Technical Education Minister, Mr Ramesh Chander Dogra, has been accused of going all out on a foundation stone-laying spree in the Dasuya Assembly segment where he is locked in a direct contest with the BJP-SAD candidate, Mr Amarjit Singh Sahi.


A foundation stone allegedly laid on January 1, 2007, at Cinema Chowk, Dasuya, but bearing the date of December 28, 2006.

CPI candidate dies in mishap
Amritsar, January 29
The CPI candidate from the Valtoha Assembly constituency, Mr Balwinder Singh (42), succumbed to his injuries at a private hospital here today.

Dal Khalsa to contest 2 seats
Hoshiarpur, January 29
The Dal Khalsa has decided to contest two seats and support the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar).

Direct clash between alliance, Cong nominees
Ropar, January 29
Out of the three Assembly segments in Ropar district, the Nangal and Anandpur Sahib Assembly segments are all set to witness a direct clash between stalwarts of the Congress and SAD-BJP alliance in the coming Assembly elections.

Shiromani Akali Dal activists hold a protest ; and (right) policemen resort to a lathi charge to disperse the agitating SAD workers on the Beas-Jalandhar highway on Monday. — Tribune photos by Rajiv Sharma

Wipe out SAD: Sarna
Patiala, January 29
The former president of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, Mr P.S. Sarna , has urged voters to wipe out the SAD-BJP combine in the forthcoming Assembly elections.

COMMUNITY

Giving new directions to farm economy
Chandigarh, January 29
"Obviously, I am happy as the Union Government has for the second time recognised my work in the field of agriculture", says Dr Gurcharan Singh Kalkat, Chairman of the Punjab Farmers Commission, on receiving the news that he has been awarded Padma Bhushan.

Dept of Posts offers to disburse pension
Chandigarh, January 29
The Department of Posts, Punjab Circle, has asked the Punjab Government to utilise the vast network of post offices in the state for disbursal of pensions.

Charitable dispensary opened
Fatehgarh Sahib, January 29
With a view to resurrecting the therapies of ayurveda and to spread it in villages, the Desh Bhagat Ayurvedic College & Hospital, a unit of Desh Bhagat Group, opened a charitable dispensary at Badali Aala Singh village in collaboration with Punjab National Bank.