Kang blames it on stress; EC notice to Johar
Chandigarh, February 1
The Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Sports Minister, Punjab, Mr Jagmohan Singh Kang, has blamed “natural stress on mind” and “hectic election schedule” for the alleged violation of the election code of conduct on January 26.

Kanwaljit fighting on two battlefronts Chandigarh, February 1 In the run-up to the February 13 battle royal, the former Finance Minister, Mr Kanwaljit Singh, is struggling on two electoral fronts-Banur and Kharar. The battle in the Kharar Assembly segment ,from where his son Jasjit Singh is locked in a tough contest against Mr Balbir Singh Sidhu of the ruling Congress, will be an acid test for the Akali stalwart's popularity in Punjab politics.

Kanwaljit Singh

Vote for change: Nitish Jalandhar, February 1 Opposing the concept of special economic zones (SEZs), the Bihar Chief Minister, Mr Nitish Kumar, has sought to change the common perception about Bihar by asserting that unlike in the past, Bihar is a "changed, relatively developed and crime-free state". The Bihar Chief Minister, Mr Nitish Kumar, makes a point in Jalandhar on Thursday as the BJP candidate from Jalandhar Central, Mr Manoranjan Kalia, looks on. — Photo by S.S. Chopra

power game
Sidhu grows bigger within BJP
Chandigarh, February 1
With less than a fortnight to go for the Assembly elections in Punjab, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Punjab unit is seeing a clear power shift- towards Mr Navjot Singh Sidhu. He is having more and more say in managing the affairs of the party in the state.

I’m the right man for Amritsar: Singla
Amritsar, February 1
The Congress candidate for the Amritsar Lok Sabha byelection, Mr Surinder Kumar Singla, hopes that the charisma of the Prime Minister, who belongs to Amritsar, would help him improve his victory chances. Mr Singla said that if voted to power, he would make this holy city an international tourist hub.

Singla, Sidhu just won’t stop
Gurdaspur February 1
The Congress and BJP candidates for the Amritsar parliamentary seat, Mr Surinder Singla and Mr Navjot Singh Sidhu, carried their mudslinging match to Gurdaspur. Batala and Quadian Assembly constituencies of Gurdaspur are part of the Amritsar parliamentary seat.

CPI blames it on Amarinder
Chandigarh, February 1
The general secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI), Mr A.B. Bardhan, today blamed the Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, for the break-up of the alliance between the Congress and the CPI in Punjab.

Sohi joins Rakesh Sharma's campaign

Dera Bassi, February 1 A day ahead of the election rally of the Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amrinder Singh, in support of the Congress candidate from Banur, Mr Rakesh Sharma, here, the Congress campaign got a shot in the arm today with a senior leader, Ms Seelam Sohi, joining the campaign. Senior Congress leader Seelam Sohi campaigns for the Congress candidate in Banur on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

Lawyers put weight behind Sidhu

Mohali, February 1 A large number of lawyers have extended support to the Congress candidate from Kharar constituency, Mr Balbir Singh Sidhu. Attending a meeting organised by Chairman of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (Legal Cell) S.K. Pipat, lawyers decided to go all-out to ensure the victory of the Congress nominee. Mr Balbir Singh Sidhu addresses a press conference in Mohali on Thursday. — Tribune photo by Vicky Gharu

Ghanaur: Rebels may rock Cong, SAD-BJP boats
Ghanaur, February 1
The rebel candidates may rock the boat of the candidates of the two mainline political parties in the predominantly-rural Ghanaur segment in Chief Minister Capt Amrinder Singh's home district in the coming Punjab Assembly elections.

SAD extends support to Congress rebel in Ropar
Ropar, February 1
While extending his party support to Congress rebel Independent candidate Amarjeet Singh Saini from Anandpur Sahib, the president of SAD (1920), Ravi inder Singh today said that the next government in the state would only be formed with the help of a third front.

Adding colour to campaign

Women activists of the Congress attend an election meeting of party candidate Amrik Singh Dhillon in Samrala on Thursday. — Tribune photo by Vinay Malik

Chautala embarrasses SAD
Amritsar, February 1
In a major embarrassment to the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Mr Om Parkash Chautala, former Chief Minister of Haryana who has come here as a star campaigner for the SAD-BJP combine, has said Chandigarh belongs to Haryana.

Study: Freebies don’t sway voters
Chandigarh, February 1
Do women go by the diktats of their husbands who accept intoxicants from political parties to vote in favour of their candidates?

Dialling up support
Chandigarh, February 1
All lines on the election route are busy. Over 500 non-resident Punjabis are busy in long distance canvassing. Back “home” from Canada in a run-up to the poll, they are dialing up support, asking friends across the seas to call up their native villages and seek votes in the name of development.

DIST REPORT
It’s neck & neck in Moga
Moga, February 1
With the Congress and the Akalis going all out to woo the voters, and the Left parties gearing up for a spirited fight, the district is all set to witness a neck and neck contest for the electoral mandate.

EC told to rein in Akali leaders: YC
Patiala, February 1
The president of the Punjab Youth Congress, Mr Vijay Inder Singla, urged the Election Commission to intervene and stop the intimidation of bureaucrats by Akali leaders responsible for conducting elections in the state.

Drug trade picks up
Langroya, February 1
The district administration and the police have failed to keep tabs on drug sale, which has shot up here ever since campaigning. Despite the fact that the hub of the drug trade-Langroya village on the Bagroan village road- is barely 4 km from the District Administrative Complex, members of the 500-plus Sansi community continue to operate the business from their homes openly.

Never-say-die Khaira Bholath, February 1 Despite two defeats in a row, Kapurthala district Congress president Sukhpal Singh Khaira is giving a tough sight to SAD candidate Bibi Jagir Kaur the Bholath Assembly constituency of Kapurthala district. Mr Khaira is trying to make his debut in the Assembly on different development works done in the constituency with his efforts, despite his defeat in the two previous elections.

Sukhpal Singh Khaira

Verma foresees victory
Sangrur, February 1
With a view to giving a boost to the election campaign of the candidates of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) , Mr Sahib Singh Verma, senior BJP leader and former Delhi Chief Minister, along with Mr Parkash Singh Badal and Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, president and secretary general, respectively, of the SAD, today campaigned in the Sangrur and Dhuri segments.

Vote for the honest, say employees
Chandigarh, February 1
After farmers, it is now the turn of employees to resume their agitation against the Punjab Government. Employees will hold a rally at Dhuri on February 3 and will stage a march in Jagraon the next day after holding a convention there.

• Tinu is PPCC organising secretary
• AICC observer

Beas case: SP told not to leave UT
Deputy EC to visit Beas today

Sukhbir charm fails
Disabled at rally thrashed by policemen
Patiala, January 31
The charm of SAD’s main campaigner Sukhbir Singh Badal failed to work on youths at a Students Organisation of India (SOI) rally at Dana Mandi Ground here this evening, leaving Akalis flummoxed.

Members of the Students Organisation of India at a rally in Patiala on Wednesday. — Tribune photo by Rajesh Sachar

Going tough for Lal Singh
Dakala (Patiala), January 31
Despite the fact that this constituency is represented by minister Lal Singh of the Congress, the Dakala Assembly segment remains one of the most industrially backward constituencies in the state. It is on this issue that the might of Mr Lal Singh-a four-time MLA from Dakala-is being challenged by the SAD nominee, Mr Harmail Singh Tohra.

Poll duty: EC banks on banks
Chandigarh, January 31
Several extension counters and small branches of nationalised banks in Punjab face temporary closure as their employees have been asked to report for election duty.