P U N J A B

Punjab Votes' 07 | Community | Courts | Crime

PM promises Green Revolution II
Amritsar, February 5
Setting the political agenda for Punjab, the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, today urged the state to go the Congress way so that it could work in tandem with the UPA government at the Centre to accelerate its economic development and for regaining its number one position in the country.

Beware of communal parties: PM 

Jalandhar, February 5 Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has urged the electorate to beware of communal forces. Manmohan Singh during his Jalandhar visit. — A Tribune photograph

It’s dharam yudh, says Sushma Swaraj

Patiala, February 5 Mrs Sushma Swaraj, BJP general secretary, addressed a rally in support of the SAD-BJP combine candidate, Mr Surjit Singh Kohli, here today.  She stated that the main factors which would go against the Congress would be failure of the government to provide employment and end corruption within the rank and file of the Congress as well as the inaccessibility of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh in his own segment.

BJP leader Sushma Swaraj waves from a helicopter in Ambala as she heads for the election campaign in Punjab on Monday. — PTI photo

Rajnath speaks for the jobless Kharar ( Mohali), February 5 The President of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Mr Rajnath Singh, today called upon economists of the country to study factors that led to rise in prices whenever the Congress came to power. BJP president Rajnath Singh and SAD nominee for Kharar Jasjit Singh at an election rally in Kharar on Monday. — Tribune photo by Vicky Gharu

BJP units clash over welcome to Rajnath
Chandigarh, February 5
Minutes before the BJP President, Mr Rajnath Singh, was to arrive here for canvassing in favour of the party, an altercation broke out between activists of its Punjab and Chandigarh units over according him welcome.

Vote for change: BJP chief
Fatehgarh Sahib, February 5
The SAD chief, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, and the president of the BJP, Mr Rajnath Singh, addressed an impressive election rally in support of Mr Didar Singh Bhatti, SAD candidate from the Sirhind Assembly constituency, here.

Doors open to upper castes: Maya

Malerkotla, February 5 Ms Mayawati, president of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), today stated that her party had never been against the upper castes or the Hindu religion. She said we were branded as anti-upper castes and anti-Hindu by “manuvadis”. BSP candidate Gurmel Singh Pehalwan greets Ms Mayawati on her arrival in Ludhiana on Monday. — Tribune photo by Sayeed Ahmed

Badal women do their bit

Amritsar, February 5 After Ms Preneet Kaur, Congress MP and wife of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, it is the turn of another Parneet Kaur, popularly called “Biba Ji”, daughter of Mr Parkash Singh Badal, who has launched a door-to-door campaign in favour of her husband, Mr Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, former Akali minister, in the border constituency of Patti. Ms Harsimrat Kaur Badal campaigns for her brother in Majitha. — Photo by Rajiv Sharma

dhanaula
Rosy Bhattal may spoil party
Dhanaula (Barnala), February 5
Though there seems to be a triangular contest in the Dhanaula Assembly constituency among sitting MLA Gobind Singh Longowal of the SAD, Mr Simranjit Singh Mann of the SAD(A), and Mr Kuldip Singh Bhattal, Congress candidate and younger brother of Ms Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Deputy Chief Minister, there is another Independent candidate, Ms Rajwinder Kaur, alias Rosy Bhattal, a niece of the Bhattals, who has attracted the attention of many by jumping into the poll fray after the denial of the party ticket to her by the Congress.

Debate: Anything but Patiala
Patiala, February 5
Honours were shared between the Patiala Member of Parliament, Ms Preneet Kaur, and the SAD candidate, Mr Surjit Singh Kohli, in what turned out to be an intellectually hollow debate organised by a private TV channel at the Gymkhana Club here today.

CODE UNCODE
Sacha Sauda: CPI complains against Cong
Chandigarh, February 5
The Communist Party of India (CPI) has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission of India (EC) seeking disqualification of some Congress nominees for using religion to further their electoral prospects.

EC reviews law and order New Delhi, February 5 The Election Commission today reviewed the law and order situation in Punjab and order sealing of its borders close to the election day.  Punjab Chief Secretary K.R. Lakhanpal and Director-General of Police Rajdeep Singh Gill met the three-member poll panel headed by Chief Election Commissioner N. Gopalaswami. Sources said the commission inquired about specific instances incidents of violence reported from Beas and the sale of photo identity cards in some parts of Punjab in general and Ferozepore in particular. Punjab Chief Secretary K.R. Lakhanpal and DGP R.S. Gill come out of Nirvachan Sadan in New Delhi on Monday. — PTI photo

SUNAM
Cong caught in family tussle
Sunam, February 5
In this Assembly constituency, Mr Rajinder Deepa is contesting against his brother-in-law (saala) as an Independent after being denied the Congress ticket. Mr Aman Arora, son of late minister Bhagwan Dass Arora and younger brother-in-law (saala) of Mr Deepa, has been allotted the Congress ticket.

POLL CHASE
Resolute Sultana goes door to door

Malerkotla, February 5 As the only Muslim MLA in the region, and that too a woman, Ms Razia Sultana of the Congress is least affected by the fact that she enjoys a power that many in her religion would be envious of. She, however, doesn’t feel that she had to struggle very hard for it. Born and brought up in Malerkotla, she says the people only gave her a chance to give something back to them.

Congress nominee for Malerkotla Razia Sultana canvasses on foot with her supporters.

It is razor sharp in Guru Har Sahai 
Guru Har Sahai( Ferozepore), February 5
It is an enthralling contest here with caste, money power and development issues proving as decisive factors. The Congress nominee here is Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s close ally Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, sitting MLA and a former Chief Parliamentary Secretary.

Money: Some have it, some don’t
Manse, February 2
The four Assembly constituencies in Mansa district has candidates with varied financial health. Records with the district election office reveal that Mr Balwinder Singh Bhunder, SAD-BJP candidate from Sardulgarh, has assets worth Rs 3.91 crore. He owns a Santro car, a bungalow in Chandigarh, 36 acres of land and plots.

Exclusive
Nepal, Bhutan to send poll officials
Chandigarh, February 5
Two countries will be sending their election officials to oversee the ensuing Punjab Vidhan Sabha elections so as to get a feel of how the democratic system works towards free and fair elections.

The panch who snatched voter cards
Chandigarh, February 5
The Punjab Police has booked three persons, including a former panch, for their involvement in the alleged snatching of Election Pictoral Identity Card (EPIC) in the Jalalabad constituency on February 1.

Protest against Harbhajan, the campaigner: Members of the Lok Janshakti Party burn posters of cricketer Harbhajan Singh in protest against his “campaign” for a Congress candidate despite being a government employee, in Jalandhar on Monday. — PTI

Nirpal’s useful work on Indian diaspora
Chandigarh, February 5
With dedication and zeal, Mr Nirpal Singh Shergill has been working in a most difficult area. He has been collecting data with regard to the Indians abroad. To accomplish the task, he has visited several countries. Though settled in London, Mr Shergill is a frequent visitor to India. He belongs to Patiala district. He started his career in London by publishing a monthly magazine in English, “The Politics”. Political issues concerning India were given prominence in that magazine.

Nirpal Singh Shergill

COURTS

Badal case hearing put off
Ropar, February 5
The hearing in the corruption case against the SAD chief Parkash Singh Badal, his family members and others, was today adjourned by the Special Court Judge, Mr GS Sarna, for further arguments of the defence on the framing of charges for February 9.