Abohar, April 30
“If the Badals think that their ‘private limited company’ can gag the Lok Sabha elections in Punjab, they must be living in a fool’s paradise,” said Captain Amrinder Singh, former chief minister of Punjab and in-charge of the Congress election campaign.

Speaking to the media at the the South Avenue residence of legislator Sunil Jakhar here after finishing his nearly two hours’road show this afternoon, the Captain said countdown for the "Badal Parivar's rajpaat" has begun. “Only five days are left for campaigning for the first phase of polling in Punjab, I am going to cover all the constituencies and am fully confident that Congress will win all 13 seats,” he said.

Reacting to the "aspersions" reportedly cast by the SAD president and the deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal during the rallies, the Congress campaign manager said, "It will not be correct to comment on the utterances of an unwise person like Sukhbir".

On being asked to comment on the media reports that quoted CM Parkash Singh Badal asking "Who is Amarinder", the former CM said, "As of now, I am his political father. The Badal family and their in-laws are scared of me. They know that they will have to pack off after losing badly not only in Bathinda but also in all other constituencies. 

They murmur due to frustration and depression." Giving logic for his claims Amarinder Singh said the electorate is determined to teach the SAD-BJP a befitting lesson for the excesses faced during the PRI and Municipal Council polls.

As many as 42 Congress workers were killed but the principal accused in 41 cases have not been arrested. “Non-performance is the second major factor that had washed off the sympathy and support for the alliance. 

The Punjab Electricity Regulatory Authority has through public notices indicated that the state is going to face power cuts again. The false claims on enhancing power generation are going to fall flat."

Ridiculing the controversies over allotment of Congress tickets to Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar as "SAD drama", the former CM questioned that Sukhbir Singh Badal had been in Parliament for 10 years, why had he not pursued the case against the Delhi leaders? Sukhbir has been officially quoted as having attended the parliament session only for 80 days. The CBI is a large independent organisation and our government cannot dictate terms to them, he said.

Assuring that all the BPL families will be covered by the health insurance scheme when the UPA government is formed after the polls, Captain Amarinder Singh revealed that even a person owning a bicycle is not eligible for the BPL card in Punjab since the terms vary in different states. “We will try our best to get such lapses ratified. Farmers will be given relief by launching crop insurance scheme,” he said. 

Ferozepur, April 30
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is making the issue of credibility of its leaders vis a vis those of the Congress as well as sops to farmers and backward segments of the society, the main poll issue in this seat, where real issues like opening the Hussainiwala border and giving a boost to the industrial sector are taking a backseat.

SAD president and deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal, while addressing a large rally of the party workers in the Cantonment today, ridiculed Congress candidate Jagmeet Singh Brar to the hilt. Calling the Congress candidate "Jagmeet Gappi", he alleged that Brar was fond of making promises but never kept them.

Comparing Jagmeet to SAD candidate Sher Singh Ghubaiya, he said it was for the people to decide whether they wanted a candidate who was never there for them earlier and would "disappear" after the polls vis a vis Ghubaya who was one among them.

Sukhbir was accompanied by the Irrigation minister Janmeja Singh Sekhon, Sukhpal Singh Nannu CPS Revenue, Surjit Jiyani, Gurtej Singh Ghuriana both MLA's, Paramjit Singh Sandhu, Mantar Brar, Ram Kumar, all ex-MLA's besides scores of other senior SAD-BJP leaders.

"On the one hand you have a person who mixes with you and even reaches your doorsteps to listen to your grievance,” Sukhbir said of his father, adding Amarinder was completely out of touch with reality in his "castle".

The rural audience from the Assembly segment of Irrigation minister Janmeja Singh Sekhon was also regaled with the dietary preference of Sonia Gandhi (pizza) over that of Badal senior "who can have an onion with his 'chapati' for a meal" or the fact whether Sonia could tell the difference between American cotton and the 'desi' variety.

Besides these digs, voters were promised the moon by Sukhbir "once we grab power at the centre". These include an assurance that all loans taken from banks will be waived off and any future loans will attract an interest of four per cent only. 

Abohar, April 30
Former chief minister Captain Amrinder Singh today led a road show that passed through the city bypass and all the main roads of the town taking 115 minutes. Notably, the opposition parties had a dig earlier as the Captain had participated in the road show from Ferozepur to Guruharsahai only when the party candidate Jagmeet Singh Brar filed his nomination.

Most of the 100 vehicles that participated in the road show here today were not carrying party flags and displayed "My vehicle" stickers only on the glass panes to escape the videography being done for the Election Commission.

Scorching heat forced Amarinder to avoid standing in the specially prepared "Rath''. He travelled by an air-conditioned luxury van, which halted at about 50 tents erected by party workers on the road side during the show.

Interestingly, "Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh" slogan was raised while showering flower petals on Amarinder Singh when the cavalcade halted near Gurdwara Nanaksar Tobha. Later, enthusiastic workers shouted slogans like "Captain teri balle, balle, baaki saare thalle, thalle.” — OC

Bathinda, April 30
The Punjab Brahman Sabha, affiliated to the All-India Brahman Sabha Federation, has decided to extend its support to the Congress in the forthcoming parliamentary elections in the state.

Sarup Sharma, president of the state unit of the Sabha, announced this in the presence of former CM Amarinder Singh here today. Sharma claimed that the decision to extend support to the Congress had been taken with the consent of an 11-member political committee meeting of the Sabha held in Bathinda on April 16. 

He said the Congress was the secular and patriotic party and this was the main cause of extending support it. — TNS

Bathinda, April 30
To train the Red Cross volunteers (RCVs) to handle major disaster and meet emergency situations effectively, the "Strengthening Red Cross Volunteers Network Capacity Project" started today from Faridkot.

The project has been launched with the support of the International Federation of Red Cross and Indian Red Cross Society, national headquarters. Under the first phase, Faridkot, Muktsar and Ropar districts are being taken up.

The project aims at training the volunteers for engaging them in community health activities and developing a cadre of the state and district-level trainers. In this regard, the District Red Cross Branch, Faridkot, organised a training camp for the community volunteers on April 29 and 30. — TNS

Bathinda, April 30
Telecom major Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) today launched its 3G services in Mansa city. Offering the service to customers of Mansa city, the general manager BSNL Bathinda Vinod Prakash said that the main advantage of the 3G service would be to the customers, requiring high-speed data services on mobile phone.

3G users will always remain online, even while on the move, at home or at work and could download at much higher speed than 2G network, at 2Mbps in ideal conditions, he added.

During the inaugural function, live demo of video call, mobile broadband and live TV channels was given to all. Speaking on the occasion, Gautam, DGM CMTS Chandigarh, informed that the 3G service was planned in 20 district HQs of Punjab circle.

The project cost is around Rs 275 crore using equipment supplied by M/S Ericsson for 3G services. The service will be rolled out in all the cities during in a phased manner. The 3G service has been launched in Jalandhar, Bathinda, Pathankot and Kapurthala cities. In May, it is proposed to cover Amritsar, Chandigarh and Patiala.

Pradeep Kumar DGM (P&A) Bathinda told the media that the BSNL was offering 3G services in both prepaid and postpaid segments. The tariff plans in prepaid segments is from Rs 350 per month upwards, whereas in postpaid segment from Rs 500 per month and upwards.