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Slugfest
at Maghi Mela LS polls: Battle for Bathinda
Capt missing at Maghi fair
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Mann declares support for state farmers
Two killed as train rams into tempo
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Slugfest at
Maghi Mela Muktsar, January 13 The occasion turned into a trial of strength between the two camps, but the SAD took a lead with a large attendance in its pandal. The BSP and Akali Dal (A) also organised separate conferences. On the other hand, his supporters observed the absence of former chief minister Capt. Amrinder Singh in the Congress show. He had injured his leg as a result of which he was unable to come. However, the MLAs belonging to his group were present. SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar and the BJP minister Manoranjan Kalia were present in the political conference of SAD. They urged the people to vote for the SAD-BJP coalition candidates in the Lok Sabha elections. Thousands of people particularly from various parts of the Malwa belt thronged the mela and had a dip in the holy sarovar of the Gurdwara Tuti Gandi. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, Manoranjan Kalia, finance minister Manpreet Badal, Cooperatives minister Capt.Kanwaljeet Singh and others in the ruling camp urged the people to vote for the SAD-BJP candidates so that a BJP-led NDA government at the Centre came to power to remove the miseries of the farmers of Punjab. He criticised the Congress-led UPA government of providing "step-motherly" treatment to the farmers of Punjab who were producing food for the entire country. Remunerative prices were not being given for their produce and problems in procurement process were not being removed by central agencies. Moreover, unrealistic minimum support price (MSP) for grains and cotton were fixed as no formula has been set for this purpose. He demanded that the Centre should fix at least Rs 1400 per quintal as MSP for wheat as farmers were suffering high losses due to escalation in input prices. Badal said that two central universities, in Bathinda and Amritsar district, would be set up. The CM said the Centre has provided special industrial incentives to the neighbouring states of Himachal Pradesh and J&K resulting in flight of industry to these states from here. He said that the SAD-BJP coalition was farmer-friendly. Sukhbir Singh Badal blamed the Congress for the electricity crisis in the state and other problems. Within three years, Punjab would become power surplus as four big thermal power stations were being established. A sum of Rs 3,200 crores was being spent on re-lining irrigation canals to benefit the farmers. He said that potable drinking water would be made available in every village and the problem of waterlogging in Malwa belt was being tackled. He criticised the UPA government for not reducing the diesel price. Manpreet Badal called for strict measures to tackle corruption. Capt. Kanwaljeet Singh asked the Congress to identify its leader in Punjab as the party was badly divided here. Kalia said the financial problems of Punjab would end in case NDA was voted to power.
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LS polls: Battle for Bathinda
Bathinda, January 13 Sukhbir Badal is here almost every day feeling the pulse of the people before finally announcing the party's candidate for the Bathinda Lok Sabha seat. Although his wife, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, has already completed two rounds of mass contact campaign here that gives an impression of her candidature for the seat being almost certain. However, the Badals do not appear to be in a hurry in announcing her name and might think twice before doing so as the SAD had suffered a severe setback in the Malwa region in the last assembly elections. They were probably waiting for the Congress to announce its candidate here. Meanwhile, Harsimrat Kaur on Saturday visited the Mansa district that forms part of the Bathinda Lok Sabha seat. She visited 26 municipal corporation wards here during her mass contact campaign and listened to the problems of the people. The remaining wards would be covered in the later rounds. During his visit here on Saturday, Sukhbir Singh Badal met about two dozen social and religious organisations and also went to Goniana to hand over a piece of land to a temple committee. Office-bearers of welfare societies of various localities also called on him. It is learnt that he tried to seek their opinion about who should be the SAD candidate for the seat and also muster their support. So far, Sukhbir Singh and Harsimrat Kaur have refused to open their cards and have only gone to the extent of saying that someone from the Badal family would be the SAD candidate. The Bathinda Lok Sabha seat is likely to emerge a VIP constituency of Punjab as the Congress also has high stakes in the Malwa belt. Harsimrat Kaur showed her strength yesterday at Muktsar by organising a largely attended public meeting against female feticide. Raninder Singh, who is son of former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, was also making trips here and mobilising the party workers by organising rallies. He followed Sukhbir Singh Badal to Goniana on Sunday and addressed a largely attended rally there. He sarcastically said that the Badals have made the government and the SAD a family affair and were now preparing ground to field Harsimrat Kaur for the Lok Sabha seat. Most of the Congress MLAs in the Malwa belt have urged the Congress high command to give the ticket to Raninder Singh. Amarinder Singh has regained confidence among the top party leadership as a result of which he has been entrusted with the job of leading the election campaign. Ravneet Singh, newly elected president of the state Youth Congress and grandson of the assassinated chief minister Beant Singh, was also supporting Raninder Singh.
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Capt missing at Maghi fair
Muktsar, January 13 Former MP Jagmeet Singh Brar lashed out at SAD and blamed the Akali regime for the "severe financial crunch" in the state. He said that SAD leadership had unleashed a reign of terror in the state by targeting the Congressmen. Sunil Jakhar, Abohar MLA, said it was the UPA government under the leadership of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that tremendously benefited Punjab. While pointing to his re-emergence in the last year's Assembly polls, Jakhar also dubbed the Akalis, in his rhetoric, as the enemy of the people of Punjab. At the Congress congregation, Jagmeet Brar, Mohinder Singh Kaypee and Rajinder Kaur Bhattal remained the key speakers. Former CM and chairman of the Congress campaign commiittee Captain Amarinder Singh was absence at the congregation due to foot injury.
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Mann declares support for state farmers
Muktsar, January 13 Among others, Mohsina Kidwai, AICC general secretary, Surinder Singla, former finance minister, Maheshinder Singh Badal, former minister, Ravneet Singh Bittu, president, Youth Congress Committee, Avtar Singh Brar, Faridkot MLA, Harmandar Singh Jassi, Bathinda MLA, were also present at the fair.
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Two killed as train rams into tempo
Ferozepur, January 13 The deceased have been identified as Nishan Singh, driver of the vehicle and Gurpreet Singh (2), who was sitting on a bed with his father Chinder Pal near the railway crossing. Nishan Singh and Gurpreet died on the spot. He was rushed to a local private hospital where his condition is still serious.
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