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Plan in place to keep eye on polling stations
Campaigning, Sonepat style
Fiza out to ‘expose’ Bhajan family
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Infighting hurting Cong: AICC secy
Govt dues against INLD nominee
3 Cong leaders join INLD
Poll scene hots up in Sirsa
221 booths hypersensitive
1984 Riots
Support Bhadana, Cong MLAs told
‘INLD camp a demoralised lot’
Plots in Gurgaon
BJP chants Rama for political gains: Hooda
MLAs can’t be poll agents: EC
Threat to eliminate Dera chief
Woman strangled by in-laws
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Plan in place to keep eye on polling stations
Gurgaon, April 28 Information from booth-level officer (BLO) appointed at each polling station would reach to the District Electoral Officer (DEO) after passing through various channels of communication. Similarly, any message or order from the DEO would percolate to each polling station through these channels. The District Information Officer (DIO) of the NIC, S.K. Rastogi, has been appointed Communication Team Leader for the DEO who would be receiving information from the Assistant Returning Officers (ARO) of all four assembly segments in the district. The ARO has been appointed communication team leader for his Assembly segment and he would be getting information from the BLO through the supervisors appointed for election duty on the day of polling. In the communication plan, the Deputy Commissioner-cum-DEO has been placed on the top in hierarchy and a district-level control room has been set up at the office of Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Electoral Officer Deepti Umashankar. The City Magistrate-cum-Deputy DEO Veena Hooda would be District Nodal Officer who would be supported by the DIO of NIC being the communication team leader for DEO. The administration has made two district communication circles (DCCs) for providing information to the communication team leader for DEO. The DCC-I would be receiving information from Patoudi and Badshahpur assembly segments through their AROs who are communication team leaders for their assembly segments. The ARO for Patoudi assembly segment is District Revenue Officer Ram Avtar Gupta while ARO for Badshahpur is District Development and Panchayat Officer Lalaram. Similarly, the DCC-II would get information from Gurgaon and Sohna assembly segments through their AROs. The ARO for Gurgaon assembly segment is SDM (north) Shakti Singh while ARO for Sohna is SDM (south) K.K. Gupta. As per the communication plan, each ARO would be assisted by six communication teams headed by the supervisors and each team has been allocated polling stations for giving and receiving information. For example, in Patoudi assembly segment, polling station no. 1 to 15 and 29 to 40 would be looked after by team no.1 for communication purposes. Team no.2 would keep vigil on polling station no. 10 to 24 and 77 to 83. |
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Campaigning, Sonepat style
No Bollywood biggies, no glib politicians, no glitz, no glamour, campaigning is virtually back to basics in Sonepat where Congress candidate Jitender Malik is up against Bharatiya Janta party’s Kishen Singh Sanghwan. Traditionally attired, a group of 10 youngsters, some from Sonepat and others who are theatre activists from Delhi, are wooing crowds with a song and dance show in the local dialect while showcasing the Haryana government’s achievements. “We are highlighting the achievements of the government right from the hiked old-age pension to compensation a farmer is getting for his land, education for all and the scholarships for needy students. While we have CDs playing in the rath, our artists give live performances to drive home the point,” explains Dheeraj Sharma who is managing the show. Each day, the troupe is given a list of 12 venues where it has to perform and the day is planned accordingly. “I can’t be at all the places at the same time. This troupe not only brings the performance of the government into sharp focus in a musical soiree, it is able to involve the public in its road shows also. To make it interactive, the artistes spend time with the public, inquiring if all showcased has actually reached them,” says Malik, the Congress candidate. In charge of the campaign in Sonepat, local Congress leader Sumitra Chauhan, says that this experiment was the result of the “campaign differently” strategy being advocated by the party. “We were not sure of the response when we initially started out. However, as the rath moved along, raising dust in villages and enthusiasm among the voters, we know its working. In fact, now, we get greater demand from our workers for the rath than for our leaders for its sheer novelty. A crowd gathers within minutes of the arrival of the rath,” adds Chauhan. The tug-of-war between Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Finance Minister Birender Singh over a ticket from Sonepat died a slow death after the party high command “blessed” the former’s protégé. Supported by the entire Congress top brass in the state owing to godfather Hooda, Malik’s campaign is on a roll with all leaders chipping in. |
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Fiza out to ‘expose’ Bhajan family
Hisar/Bhiwani, April 28 It may be recalled that she had announced after her divorce that she would campaign against any member of the Bishnoi family contesting an election. Immediately on arrival at a local hotel she told mediapersons that she was currently writing a book on the Bhajan Lal family to expose their misdeeds. She said the book would be completed in a few months. She said it was up to Congress President Sonia Gandhi to decide whether Chander Mohan should remain in the Congress any longer. She alleged that the entire family of Bhajan Lal had conspired against her and filled her life with darkness. She said the Bhajan Lal family had ruined her life. Chander Mohan alias Chand Mohammad was living in abroad with his family whereas the family had evicted Chand Mohammad. How Chand Mohammad got passport and visa without help of Bhajan Lal family, she said, adding that Chander Mohan had embraced Islam just to marry her but under a conspiracy, Chander Mohan fled to abroad along with his wife and children. There was no place for Chander Mohan in my life, said Fiza. She said Chander Mohan had made her life a hell and she had not played with anybody’s life. Fiza said she had no plans to revert to Hinduism and would live her life as a devout Muslim. “I do not believe in the philosophy of Aya Rams and Gaya Rams”, she said. She said she would campaign in the constituency extensively to expose the Bishnois. |
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Infighting hurting Cong: AICC secy
Chandigarh, April 28 Stating this at the Congress office, here today, AICC secretary and MP K Hanumanth Rao, also a state Congress observer, said workers directly brought forward this complaint, accusing Dharamvir of playing a double game in his campaigning for party candidate Shruti Chaodhary. “I will submit my report of the same to the party high command. There were other complaints also from Bhiwani where some other MLAs are not learnt to be campaigning for the party candidate at all,” he said. Claiming that staying away from campaigning or working against the party candidate would be detrimental to the MLA concerned since assembly elections were only six months away, Rao said the general election should be treated as a semi-final. “If an MLA stays away, he will be the sufferer. The worker today is very enlightened and aware. Any anti-party can invite some tough questioning by workers the way it happened in Bhiwani during my tour,” he said. Asked if Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda would tour the Bhiwani-Mahendergarh seat, which had not figured in his programme so far, Rao said the programme would be finalised shortly as there are still a few days to go for elections. Disclosing the programme of the Congress top brass, he said while Sonia Gandhi would visit the state on April 30 and Rahul Gandhi would campaign on May 1, the PM was expected to address a rally in Faridabad on May 4. |
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Govt dues against INLD nominee
Chandigarh, April 28 As per his declaration filed along with his nomination papers, he also has a pending payment of about Rs 65,000 as interest on his car loan. According to the District Election Officer as per the guidelines of the EC, it was necessary to inform the general public about the pending payment of the candidates towards the government. |
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3 Cong leaders join INLD
Kaithal, April 28 The leaders include former MP Tara Singh, former chairman of Zila Parishad Bachna Ram Gujjar and senior Congress leader from Kalayat Baldev Valmiki. Chautala welcomed the leaders in his party and assured them that his party would give them full respect. Chautala in his address made scathing attack on the Congress, calling it a “party of the capitalists”. He said the Congress had always backed out from its promises and left the people in the lurch. “The Congress should explain what steps it took to get the SYL canal completed during four years of its rule,” he asked. Chautala claimed that his government had forcefully pleaded Haryana case in the SC on this issue as a result of which the latter gave a verdict in Haryana’s favour. However, neither the Union government nor the Congress government in Haryana made any follow-up efforts to get the canal completed, he lamented. |
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Poll scene hots up in Sirsa
Sirsa, April 28 Sharma is related to the Congress nominee, as Tanwar’s wife Avantika is niece of Sharma’s wife. Addressing a meeting of traders organised by party leader Bhisham Pitameh in his cotton mills at Fatehabad, Sharma said the Hooda government had provided a fear-free atmosphere to the business community during the past four years. He said all sections of the society had been benefited by the policies of the government. Later, talking to mediapersons in Congress Bhawan at Sirsa, Sharma said the Congress was going to win all ten seats in the state. He said the candidates of no other political party would be able to reach anywhere near the Congress candidates in terms of number of votes. “They also ran,” will be the position of candidates of opposition parties in the state, he said. Ashok Tanwar’s wife Avantika campaigned among women in the Gandhi Nagar area and sought votes for her husband. She said women were pivotal to all kinds of development and could play a major role in the betterment of the society. Block Congress president Bhupesh Mehta campaigned from door to door in Sirsa town. Meanwhile, Rakesh Kamboj, former MLA from Indri and Veer Bhan, district president of the HJC campaigned in Natar, Bajekan, Phoolkan, Kawalpura and Darbi villages and sought votes for Rajinder Dhanak. The HJC leaders called upon people to vote for Dhanak so that Kuldeep Bishnoi could come to power in the state after the next assembly elections. Dhanak’s Anita Rani, accompanied by other women, campaigned in Guru Nanak Pura and Khairpur areas of Sirsa town. INLD nominee Sita Ram went door-to-door in Fatehabad town and sought votes for the parliamentary election. Later, talking to mediapersons in the Swami Nagar, Sita Ram ridiculed the claims of development by the Congress. “Chief Minister Hooda says he has made Haryana number one state, while Ashok Tanwar says Haryana will soon be number one. They should first decide who among the two is correct,” said Sita Ram. |
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Deepinder gives a boost to Arvind’s campaign
Jarosi (Panipat), April 28 Accompanied by Dr Sharma, Hooda visited around 23 villages fall under Samalkha, Panipat rural, Gharaunda and the Indri segments of the Karnal constituency. Claiming that both Dr Sharma and his father were brothers, Deepinder dismissed all “misconceptions” regarding their difference and said the Congress was one big family and there could have been personal difference. But, as the party was facing the elections, all its members had come together to fight as a united house. He said contest here was an “agnipariksha” not only for Dr Sharma, but also for his father. Reiterating the Chief Minister’s words that the fight was not to win all 10 seats, but to win with record margins across all constituencies, junior Hooda said the Congress candidates faced little or no opposition from the rival parties at most of the constituencies in the state. Dr Sharma also highlighted the development works carried out by the Congress government and stated that it was the only secular party that had stood for the welfare of all sections of the society. He also spoke about the nuclear deal, various infrastructural projects undertaken by the government and loan waivers for farmers. Meanwhile, Hooda said some people might find it strange that he was not campaigning for himself in Rohtak but was seeking votes for other contestants. He said he was quite hopeful that people of Rohtak would support him in the elections. Hooda also took the opportunity to assert that he would like to see Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Minister soon. |
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221 booths hypersensitive
Sonepat, April 28 According to District Electoral Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner Ajit Joshi, the highest number of 55 hypersensitive booths have been earmarked in Farmana, Bidhlan, Gorar, Silana, Khanda, Jharonth, Silsana, Matindu, Thana Khurd, Thana Kalan, Barona, Rohna, Pahladpur Kidoli and Rathdhana were in the Kharkhoda assembly constituency; whereas only 12 polling booths in Jatwara, Kalupur, Baba Colony, West Ramnagar, Ashok Vihar and Raipur village in the Sonepat assembly constituency are hypersensitive. Similarly as many as 45 polling booths in Khanpur Kalan, Gamri, Lath, Khandrai, Pinana, Tihar Malik, Badwasni, Juan, Guhna, Chatia Dewa, Bhatgaon, Salimsar Majra and Mehlana of the Gohana assembly constituency and 42 booths of Chhatehra, Baroda, Busana, Chidana, Shamri, Murlana, Katwal and of Bhainswal Kalan in the Baroda assembly constituency have been identified as hypersensitive. Besides, 27 hypersensitive booths in Ahulana, Purkhas, Udeshi Pur, Panchi Jatan, Gumar, Kailana, Bajan Kalan, Pipli Khera, Kurar and Rajpur village of the Gannaur assembly constituency, 40 booths in Deepal Pur, Mukimpur,Khewra, Aswarpur, Sewli, Jatheri, Patla, Nangal Kalan , Kundli, nahra, Nahri, Khurrampur and murthal in the Rai assembly constituency were in the category of hypersensitive. Maximum number of 10 booths in Baroda village of the Baroda assembly constituency is in hypersensitive category. |
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1984 Riots
Sirsa, April 28 Tarlochan Singh, who was talking to mediapersons during his election campaign for INLD nominee Sita Ram here, was reacting to media reports about yesterday’s Supreme Court orders to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that probed the 2002 Godhra train fire and subsequent riots to investigate a complaint against Gujarat Chief Minister Narender Modi, his cabinet colleagues and top police and administrative officers that they aided and abetted the mob violence. The Rajya Sabha MP said the Gujarat riots, in which about 1,000 persons of both communities were killed, were seven years old and yet the central government, the courts, the media as well as the NGOs had been showing much activism in this. But the anti-Sikh riots of 1984, during which over 3,000 Sikhs lost their lives in Delhi alone, had been conveniently put under the carpet by the government as well as other agencies. He also criticised the Congress for adopting double standards on communalism and said on one hand it described the BJP and its allies as communal, but on the other hand it had been projecting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as a Sikh PM. He also came down heavily on the UPA government at the centre for not lodging its protest against the levy of Jazia by the Taliban on the Sikhs living in Pakistan. He alleged that despite reports that the Sikhs had been forced to pay Rs 20 millions as Jazia to the Taliban, the Indian government had done nothing to save them from illegal tax. He claimed that more than 80 per cent of the Sikh population in Haryana would vote for the NDA candidates in these elections. |
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Support Bhadana, Cong MLAs told
Faridabad, April 28 The general secretary of the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) and in charge of party affairs in the state, Prithviraj Chavan, today held close door meetings with the MLAs and the office-bearers of the units in Faridabad and Palwal districts and urged them to extend unqualified support to Bhdana. The visit of Chavan literally brought a bounty for the Congress and gave a boost to the party’s election campaign as general secretary of the HJC (BL) Shayam Sunder Kapoor quit his party to join the Congress. The development is considered to be a big jolt to the HJC (BL) and to its credential as a party having base among the Punjabis in Faridabad district. Kapoor announced joining the Congress in the presence of Chavan. Chavan said the NDA was in total disarray and urged his party workers to work with renewed vigour in their election campaign of Bhadana. AC Chaudhary met the Congress MLAs and firmly told them that the parliamentary election had higher goals. |
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‘INLD camp a demoralised lot’
Sirsa, April 28 Addressing a series of meetings today in the Rania assembly segment to mobilise support for May 1 rally of AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi, Ranjit Singh claimed that the Congress nominee Ashok Tanwar has been getting unprecedented support from the people of the area. “The bitterness among common people against the INLD that came out during the last parliamentary and then the assembly elections, has not yet finished and people want to ensure that the INLD remains away from power,” he said. |
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Plots in
Gurgaon Chandigarh, April 28 Taking up a bunch of eight petitions by Air Marshal Loreto P Pereira (retd) and others, Justice Surya Kant observed: “The petitioners are successful allottees/re-allottees of plots in different Sectors of HUDA at Gurgaon. The possession of the allotted plots could not be delivered to them for one or the other reasons. “Some of them have been offered alternative plots, which due to their disadvantageous locations are not acceptable to them. Their grievance is alternative plots ought to have been allotted by holding a limited draw of lots in terms of the policy decisions taken by the HUDA on September 15, 2004, and February 15, 2007. “Some of the petitioners have also challenged the re-allotment of alternative plots to the private respondents by alleging various irregularities…. During the course of hearing, standing counsel for the HUDA states in order to obviate the hardship of those allottees/re-allottees, who are clamouring for allotment of alternative plots, the HUDA authorities have no objection in holding a limited draw of lots for re-allotment of the available plots. “The stand taken on behalf of the HUDA is acceptable to counsel for the petitioners. Counsel for the private respondents also has no serious objection provided that the mini-draw of lots is held without loss of time”. Justice Kant added: “These writ petitions are disposed of with a direction to the HUDA authorities that all available plots, including those already been allotted to the private respondents, be pooled together and put to a limited draw of lots, which shall be confined to all those allottees/re-allottees, who are eligible for allotment of alternative plots in their respective categories. “The previous allotments made in favour of the private respondents are accordingly set aside, as they will be entitled to fresh allotments in the manner, directed above. The mini-draw of lots shall be held under the supervision and control of Dipti Umashankar, IAS, DC, Gurgaon, who is requested to donate some time for this public cause. The mini-draw of lots shall be held as early as possible but not later than two months. HUDA counsel states this is a one-time concession and may not be taken as a binding precedent.”
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BJP chants Rama for political gains: Hooda
Hisar, April 28 Addressing election meetings at Barwala, Kharak Kalan and Baas villages of the Hisar constituency, he said he too revered Lord Rama but not for political ends. He said the 2009 Lok Sabha polls would prove a decisive moment in the history of democracy and the country had to decide whether it wanted the Congress to usher in more development and economic progress in the next
five years. Hooda said during his first four years in office he strove for benefiting every section of the society. The downtrodden were given housing plots, arrears of power bills were waived, compensation for land acquired by government was rationalised and women were empowered in many ways. The Chief Minister said the Congress was set to sweep the polls in the state, as there was no reason that why people should vote for any other party. He appealed the voters to come out on May 7 and exercise their franchise despite the heat wave conditions. Congress candidate from Hisar Jai Parkash said his party was seeking voters’ support on the basis of the performance of the governments in the state and the centre. He said only the Congress could keep the country on the course of progress. |
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MLAs can’t be poll agents: EC
Jhajjar, April 28 The Election Commission has banned them from performing the duty of any sort of poll agent in order to ensure free and fair poll. A communiqué in this regard has recently been sent to the Chief Election Officer (CEO) of all states and union territories. In its letter no 464/INST/2009/EPS, the EC has explained that “minister / sitting MP / MLA/ MLC, etc acting as an agent of a candidate will not be desirable from the point of view of maintaining level-playing field among candidates and political parties”. Besides, the prohibition of being election/polling/counting agent would also apply to the mayor of the corporation, chairman of the municipality/ zila parishad / and panchayats union, as a large number of employees of the local authorities are deployed on the poll duty. Therefore, a mayor of the corporation or the chairman of the municipality/ zila parishad and pancharyat union acting as an agent for a candidate would be improper and contrary to the spirit of level-playing field, maintained the EC.
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Threat to eliminate Dera chief
Karnal, April 28 The letter in Gurmukhi script, purportedly written by one Naveen Singh, who gave his phone number as 9255492009, accused him of deceiving the people and threatened to eliminate him within a month. The letter sent by post to Nam Charcha Ghar of Sachha Sauda at Kambohpur near Madhuban, 8 km from here, also challenged the Dera followers to save him if they can. SSP A S Chawla confirmed that a threatening letter had been received and said a case had been registered at the Madhuban Police station. He did not rule out mischief to vitiate the peaceful atmosphere during the polls and said the very fact that the sender has mentioned his name and telephone raises suspicion about the genuineness of the letter. Anyhow, the police was not taking any chances and security around the Naam Charcha Ghar was being beefed up. |
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Woman strangled by in-laws
Yamunanagar, April 28 Victim’s brother Lokesh Kumar in his complaint said his sister was married to Om Parkash in 2001. She continue to be harassed by her in-laws in demand of dowry. “We have fulfilled their many demands, however, later when unable to do so they killed my sister,” he further alleged. SHO, Bilaspur, Om Parkash Sharma, said: “We had registered a case of murder and dowry against victim’s husband and other four members of family acting on the complaint. We are investigating the matter and will soon arrest the accused,” he added. |
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Chandigarh, April 28