Hisar, May 5
Oozing unusual confidence, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and his son Deepender Hooda, Lok Sabha member from Rohtak, skipped campaigning in the latter’s constituency and chose to campaign for party candidates in other constituencies on the last day of campaigning today.

While the senior Hooda campaigned in the Hisar Lok Sabha constituency and addressed election meetings at Agroha in this district and in the Uchana Assembly segment, which is part of the Hisar Lok Sabha seat, the junior Hooda flew by helicopter from Rohtak to Karnal first and later to Kurukshetra to campaign for Arvind Sharma and Naveen Jindal. The 31-year-old MP has emerged as the party’s star campaigner in the ongoing Lok Sabha poll during the course of which he toured most of the constituencies.

The Chief Minister began his speech at Agroha saying he had preferred to conclude campaigning in the Hisar constituency and Agroha in particular skipping Rohtak as Hisar was as dear to him as his home district.

Thereafter he proceeded to counter Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s assertions during his tour of Haryana that his was the number one state in the country. Hooda claimed statistics showed that Haryana had the highest per capita income in India. Haryana was the food bowl of the country.

He appealed to the voters to vote for the Congress adding that neeti (policies), niyat (intention) and neta (leader) should be the criteria for exercising franchise. He said during the past 50 months that his government had been in power he had benefited every section of society through welfare schemes and had also ensured equal development of all areas.

Referring to Agroha, he said he had granted the model village status to Agroha. A new anaj mandi had been established and liberal grants had been given to Agroha Medical College.

Hooda described Sonia Gandhi as a selfless leader who was interested only in the welfare of the country’s entire populace.

Referring to Haryana Janhit Congress candidate Bhajan Lal, Hooda said it was his late father who had managed the ticket for the former Chief Minister in 1968.

This was Hooda’s fourth visit to the Hisar constituency during the three weeks of campaigning.

Bagpur (Palwal), May 5
On the last day of the election campaign, Union Minister Jyotiraditaya Scindia urged Rajputs in the area to support Congress nominee from the Faridabad parliamentary constituency Avtar Singh Bhadana, in a meeting held here today.

Bagpur is at the centre of a cluster of Rajput dominated villages. The area is known as Khadar.

Scindia praised Bhadana, who accompanied him on the occasion and said, “If the people of Faridabad voted for the Congress nominee, they would be electing two persons, one being himself.” He said his family had a historic association with people of the state and his forefathers had brought Marathas and the Jats on one side in the battle of Panipat.

The minister criticised BJP's Prime Ministerial canididate LK Advani saying that he was not a strong leader, as it was during his stint as Home Minister that so many terrorist attacks took place in the country.

He also referred to the Kandhar incident, wherein terrorists were “escorted” by then Minister for External Affairs Jaswant Singh out of jail.

He praised the UPA government and said the country had made rapid progress in the past five years of its rule. However, according to the observers, the turnout in the meetings was not as per the general expectation, especially when it was to be addressed by the Union Minister. This has happened on the heels of an apparently poor turnout in the meeting at Faridabad yesterday that was to be addressed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to canvass support for Bhadana.

Faridabad, May 5
After several failed attempts on part of the Congress bigwigs to bring the Haryana Urban Local Bodies minister, AC Chaudhary and the two other MLAs, Karan Dalal and Mahender Pratap and make them support the party nominee in the Faridabad Parliamentary constituency, the party high command has wielded the long handle against them.

Things came to a boil when the three, who are said to be not supporting Congress nominee Avtar Singh Bhadana, did not turn up at the public meeting yesterday that was to be addressed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. It was another matter that Singh could not address the meeting due to the unfavourable weather condition. Significantly, Chavan is the Minister of State in PM’s office.

The three rebels were called at the local circuit house yesterday after the meeting and were told by Chavan that either they support the Congress nominee or be prepared for an action against them.

The three tried to give excuses and put the blame on the Congress nominee saying that he had made offensive utterances against them in the past.

Chavan, one of the main strategy makers of the Congress, put his foot down and said the excuses were not acceptable to the party.

Later, all the Congress MLAs, including the three, gave an undertaking of assurance of support to the Congress nominee.

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, President of Haryana Congress Phool Chand Maulana and working President of the Haryana Congress Kuldip Sharma were also present in the meeting.

Sirsa, May 5
With electioneering coming to an end, an almost straight contest is expected between the Congress and the INLD in Sirsa, where AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi’s confidant Ashok Tanwar is aspiring to start his new innings.

Though in all 15 candidates are in fray, only BSP candidate Rajesh Vaid, HJC candidate Rajinder Dhanak and CPM candidate Ram Kumar will be able to make their presence felt, besides the two main rivals.

Though the task before Tanwar is not easy going by the stiff challenge the main rival INLD’s Sita Ram has been giving in his party’s citadel, the aura Tanwar enjoys being a lieutenant of the Gandhi family scion has helped him have all local Congressmen rally behind him in his fight.

Infighting in the Congress has been witnessed on many occasions, but it has been mainly to the level of scrambles for snatching mike or showing their loyalty to the young leader.

The support of Dera Sacha Sauda is a crucial factor for victory in Sirsa, where the sect has a considerable following.

Though both dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and the political affairs wing of the dera have sought to stay clear from being involved directly in the announcement of support, its followers have been asked to vote collectively after taking decision at the local level.

The Congress has claimed that followers of the dera have already started extending their support to Tanwar.

Bhupesh Mehta, block president of the Congress, maintained that he was asked to wait for campaigning in the dera’s Kalyan Nagar locality and the air-conditioned market of the dera three days ago, but was invited to those areas on Monday, after the block committee of the devotees took a decision to support the Congress candidate.

Meanwhile, INLD candidate Sita Ram’s campaign has also got a boost after the public meetings addressed by Sushma Swaraj on Sunday and by Shiv Raj Chouhan today.

The INLD poll managers have been so inspired by Sushma’s speech that they have been playing its record over and over again in the streets.

Whatever the results, Sirsa will definitely witness a fierce electoral battle on May 7 due to the high stakes involved.

Karnal/ Rohtak, May 5
BJP’s prime ministerial candidate LK Advani today blasted Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for indulging in horse trading and blamed financial mismanagement and corruption during the UPA regime for miserable plight of the people.

Addressing a rally at HUDA grounds here in support of INLD-BJP candidate ID Swami to end electioneering in the state, Advani said Manmohan Singh discredited the office of the Prime Minister by indulging in horse trading to win trust vote on the nuclear deal and alleged that about 80 to 90 MPs, who were likely to lose their seats in delimitation were offered between Rs 10 to Rs 25 crore.

Mannmohan Singh should have demonstrated courage to face the people and sought their approval on the Indo-US N-deal instead of “buying the trust vote”, he added.

Lauding the NDA government for making India a nuclear power, in spite of the threat of sanctions from the western world and opposition by some parties within the country, he said the country had resolved to go nuclear after humiliating defeat at China’s hand in 1962, but the successive Congress government could not gather courage.

Describing terrorism as a grave threat, he said only a strong and decisive leadership could curb terrorism in the country and the NDA alone was capable of taking up this challenge.

Advani promised complete computer literacy in all 60-lakh villages. He also promised “one rank, one pension” to ex-servicemen, launch “ladli Laxmi” scheme providing for grant of Rs 1 lakh on birth of girl child and waiving off all loans of the farmers. He made a special reference to the Kalpana Chawala medical college project for Karnal and said the project would be implemented if the NDA returns to power.

Earlier, while addressing an election meeting at the old bus stand premises in Rohtak, he said, “Farmers and the agriculture sector remained ignored during the tenure of the present government. We will introduce a pension scheme for the farmers, if the BJP led NDA alliance comes to power at the Centre.”

Advani, who was here to seek votes for INLD- BJP candidate Nafe Singh Rathi, said the country was facing extreme threat to its national integrity and unity in wake of the development of a corridor of extremism, which he described as ‘red-corridor’, extending from Kandhar (Afghanistan) to Pashupati Nath in Nepal that was in its immediate neighbourhood.

The speedy growth of terrorism and expansion of the Taliban impact in the region had led to an increased danger on the borders and there was no assurance of security of the common man in the country with the rise in number of terror attacks in the recent years.

He said the NDA if given a chance would take up the ambitious project of linking all the rivers of the country, so that there was an equitable availability of water for drinking and irrigation and no part in the country would become a victim of draught or floods.

Describing the Indian democracy as quite strong and stable, he hoped that the voters would definitely go for the change that would help to place the country on top in all the areas of development.

Sirsa, May 5
Congress candidate from the Sirsa parliamentary constituency Ashok Tanwar today suffered a twin jerk in the run up to the May 7 election when former MLA Balbir Singh Chaudhary and Amarjit Kaur, president of the District Football Association and daughter of sitting Congress MP Atma Singh Gill, bid adieu to the ruling party.

While Chaudhary joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in the presence of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shiv Raj Chouhan, Amarjit Kaur decided to join the Bahujan Samaj Party. Chaudhary (75) was elected MLA on the BJP ticket in 1987. Having joined the Jan Sangh in 1957, Chaudhary had left the BJP and decided to support Congress nominee Dura Ram in the 2005 Assembly elections.

While joining the BJP again today, Chaudhary termed it as homecoming and said he was leaving the Congress as it had failed to do any development activity in his area in the past five years.

“The demand of bypass is hanging fire. The demand of Chilli Lake, which was accepted in principle by former Chief Minister Bansi Lal, has been put under the carpet by Tourism Minister Kiran Choudhry. There is no progress in additional grain market and above all corruption is at its height in the state,” alleged Chaudhary.

Amarjit Kaur said she was bidding farewell to the Congress as Tanwar had not felt the necessity to seek her support, while BSP candidate Rajesh Vaid had come to her place several times. Though her father Atma Singh Gill maintained that he would persuade her to come back to the party fold, she said she had told her father that she would do her own independent politics now.

Fatehabad/Rania, May 5
The INLD wound up its election campaign for party candidate Sita Ram by organising two rallies at Rania in Sirsa district and another one in Fatehabad today on the last day of electioneering.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan was to address both the rallies, but his visit to Rania had to be cancelled due to delayed take-off of his chopper from Delhi.

He, however, reached Fatehabad slightly behind schedule, while former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala addressed the Rania rally.

Addressing a rally on Bhuna Road at Fatehabad today, Chouhan said it was a matter of shame that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, whose party had ruled the country for over 50 years, had been claiming they would eliminate poverty from the country.

“They ought to tell the country first as to what the party had done when it remained in power for over five decades,” he said.

He said it was the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) that cared for the poor and the downtrodden and that was why it had promised wheat and rice at Rs 2 per kg to the poor on coming to power.

Terming Manmohan Singh as the weakest Prime Minister India ever had, Chouhan said terrorists were targeting our people on the streets and the government was sitting idle.

He termed the UPA government as anti-farmers and said the NDA would decide the MSP of farmers’ crops after taking into consideration the cost of inputs.

Chouhan ridiculed the claims of the Haryana government of being the number one state in the country and said if Hooda wanted to see development, he should visit Madhya Pradesh.

Chouhan urged people to vote for Sita Ram for bringing Lal Krishan Advani as the next Prime Minister.

Meanwhile, addressing a rally at Rania, Chautala said the project of the Hansi-Butana Link Canal would never be realised if his party formed the next government in Haryana.

“The Hansi-Butana Link Canal has been constructed to ruin the farmers of this area and he would not allow this to happen,” Chautala said amid applause from local audience, mostly comprising farmers.

Chautala also criticised the mall culture and said all malls would be closed if the INLD came to power as these were leading to loss of employment for small shopkeepers.

INLD candidate Sita Ram urged people to cast their votes in his favour.

Jind, May 5
Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today said development and “good politics” would help Congress candidates in the state sail through in the Lok Sabha poll. He claimed that his party would win all 10 seats in Haryana. Hooda addressed meetings at Haat and Nagura villages. Interestingly, Finance Minister Birender Singh, who hails from here, was conspicuous by his absence. He is reportedly unhappy over the denial of the party ticket from the Sonepat seat.

Speaking in Haat village of Safidon subdivision, Hooda asked people to weigh all pros and cons before deciding in favour of any candidate.

A large number of women were present in both the meetings, which was a motivating factor for Congress candidate from Sonepat Jitender Malik.

Yamunanagar, May 5
Road shows by different parties, including the Congress, BJP-INLD and the HJC, were organised on the last day of the Lok Sabha campaign in the district here today.

Central minister and candidate for the Ambala constituency Kumari Selja and MLA Jagadhari Subhash Chowdhary accompanied by the party workers began their campaign in form of a road show from Chhappar Labha and ended it at Gognau.

The BJP-INLD followers, headed by senior BJP leaders Kamla Verma and Roji Malik, began road shows in favour of BJP candidate Rattan Lal Kataria from the fountain chowk and ended it at the starch mill gate. While HJC candidate Dalbir Balmiki, accompanied by former district president of HJC Satpal Kaushik, carried out a road show from the workshop road to Vishnu nagar. 

Gurgaon, May 5
Parties as well as candidates in the fray for the Lok Sabha poll slated for May 7 are an apprehensive lot. While they have to take care of a number of things, too many marriages on the polling day seem to be their latest cause of concern.

According to inquiries made by The Tribune, a large number of marriages are scheduled to be solemnised on May 7 — which happens to be the poll date — and on May 8.

The top contenders are obviously worried lest their voters - who would be engaged in various rituals and marriage preparations - should leave them in the lurch by not going to vote.

With nearly all banquet halls as well as farmhouses and party lawns booked for both aforesaid dates, the politicians’ concern seems justified.

Neeraj of Prakash Vatika and Deepak Gupta of Krishna Mangalam Garden confirmed that there was a heavy rush for bookings on May 7 and 8. “We had to turn away many prospective customers as we were fully booked,” he maintained.

The manager of another party lawn said after exhausting all available banquet hall and farmhouses, the marriage parties had booked tents as well.

“With my sister’s wedding scheduled for May 7, I don’t think I will have any time to stand in voting queues on that very day,” says Mayank, a resident of Sector 56 here. “I know voting is our duty, but a sister’s wedding is a greater responsibility, and a once-in-a-lifetime affair,” he maintains.

But why so many marriages on May 7 and 8? According to Pandit Lalit Shastri, an astrologer, May 8 is a really auspicious day for any work. “May 7 is also good, especially for those who do not want to wait for the next auspicious dates, which are quite away,” he adds.

However, Shastri asserted that his “professional” engagements notwithstanding, he would definitely cast his vote. Well, some consolation for the anxious netas, eh?