Chandigarh, May 27
The entire region’s gain has been Haryana’s loss. Against three berths in the previous Cabinet (one cabinet and two Ministers of State), Haryana, which goes to the polls next year, has “earned” only berth in Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s new team.

While the elevation of Selja as Cabinet Minister from minister of state is on expected lines, the dropping of former minister of state for defence production, Rao Inderjeet Singh, has come as a “rude shock” to the state and Congress leaders. Former Law Minister Hansraj Bhardwaj, a member of the Rajya Sabha, too, has been dropped in tune with Rahul Gandhi’s philosophy of phasing out the old guard.

Speaking to The Tribune, Selja, a member of team Sonia, gave the entire credit to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and the Prime Minister who “reposed faith in her”. In her last term as Minister of State for Urban Poverty Alleviation, Selja has been instrumental in bringing the Ashiana scheme for rehabilitation of slum dwellers among various other schemes.

A prominent Dalit leader, Selja, who has also been a deputy minister in the Narsimha Rao government, won from her constituency against all odds and her elevation was almost a certainty.

However, the dropping of Rao Inderjeet Singh has come as a shock especially when he has a non-controversial clean image. While Selja’s phone rang a congratulatory note, Rao Inderjeet Singh’s phone, too, rang. However, it was a call from the Prime Minister to express his regret over his non-inclusion in the Cabinet.

A representative of the Ahirs, his exclusion is bound to further anger the community, which is still to come to terms with “unfair” delimitation, which distributed them over two constituencies.

While some leaders attributed his exclusion despite his clean track record to “sabotage” by local leaders, others said he lost out in the race with a fellow MP from Haryana who, too, tried to “emerge” as the young face from Haryana but missed the target.

With the Congress trying to project a “young India” in the Cabinet and Rahul Gandhi’s influence increasing in the party affairs, Bhardwaj’s inclusion was under a cloud from day one of the new government taking charge especially after the party indicated that leaders like Arjun Singh and Sis Ram Ola would be dropped.

Sources said while the share of J&K, Rajasthan, Delhi and Himachal Pradesh has increased in the Cabinet, Haryana has been given a raw deal in the exercise. Though leaders have welcomed the elevation of Selja, depriving the state of its “fair share” has not gone down very well with the state.

Kaithal, May 27
All offices of Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam in the district will start functioning from Rajeev Gandhi Vidyut Bhawan to be constructed at a cost of Rs 6 crore at Pehowa Chowk here. The construction work on this eco-friendly building will start immediately and it will be completed in a record time of six months.

This was stated by Power, Water Supply and Sanitation Minister Randeep Singh Surjewala while addressing a press conference after performing “Bhoomi Poojan” at the construction site of the bhawan here today.

He said the building would have four storeys, including the basement, and it will be spread over 51,188 sq feet. He said latest techniques keeping in mind the environmental aspect would be used in the construction of the building.

Surjewala on the first day of his five-day tour of Kaithal Assembly constituency told mediapersons that a sum of Rs 6. 85 crore would be spent to strengthen power distribution system in the district.

As many as 165 new power transformers would be installed at a cost of Rs 3.27 crore and 200-km-long old wires would be replaced at a cost of Rs 60 lakh, he added. Besides, 200 iron poles would be replaced by concrete poles to ensure public safety.

Later, Randeep Singh toured Bishangarh Gamri, Chiranjeev Colony, Dera Karnail Singh, Guga Mari, Radha Swami Colony, Depban Gamri, Balmiki Basti, Arjan Nagar, Mahadev Colony, Dogran Gate, Partap Gate, Shakti Nagar, Patel Nagar and other areas.

He thanked the people for voting overwhelmingly in favour of Congress party candidate Naveen Jindal in the recent Lok Sabha elections.

He said the development of the state was the top priority of the present government under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. The minister announced to start a number of construction works, including roads and chaupals, in these localities.

Chandigarh, May 27
Who after ML Tayal? This question is engaging the attention of the Haryana bureaucracy these days following reports that principal secretary to Chief Minister may soon move to a new assignment as a member of the newly constituted Competition Commission of India (CCI), which is to ultimately replace the Monopoly and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission.

The CCI is headed by another former IAS officer of the Haryana cadre Dhanendra Kumar. The tenure of the member of the CCI is five years. Tayal, an IAS officer of the 1976 batch, will retire on February 28 next.

According to sources, Tayal’s selection was made by a committee headed by a former Supreme Court judge. The issue is pending before the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), which comprises the Prime Minister, the Home Minister and the minister in charge of the department concerned. Since no one has been given the portfolio of the company affairs yet, the ACC meeting is likely to be delayed.

The officers in the “zone of consideration” for being Tayal’s successor include Urvashi Gulati (1975 batch), Financial Commissioner, Revenue; Krishan Mohan (1977 batch), presently Home Secretary in the state; Chhatar Singh (1980 batch), Additional Principal Secretary-I to Chief Minister; Anuradha Gupta (1981 batch), Health Secretary; and KK Jalan (1982 batch), PWD Secretary.

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda may not pick up Gulati, senior-most IAS officer after Chief Secretary Dharam Vir in the state, as his principal secretary because she is in line for the top post after the present incumbent retires on October 31 next.

The hot contender for the prestigious post seems to be Chhatar Singh, who has been working in the Chief Minister’s office for the past more than four years. Hooda is believed to be greatly impressed with his thoroughness in dealing with the files. So is the case with Anuradha Gupta and Jalan.

Sources say if Chhatar Singh is to step into the shoes of Tayal, Hooda may appoint someone from those who are in the “zone of consideration” as his replacement. In that case, Krishan Mohan will have to remain outside the Chief Minister’s office because of his being senior to Chhatar Singh. Therefore, Anuradha or Jalan are likely to move to the fourth floor of the Haryana secretariat, which is considered as the seat of power. The Chief Minister’s office is on this floor.

Kaithal, May 27
Hundreds of followers of Dera Sachkhand held a procession in Kaithal town today in protest against the killing of Sant Ramanand of the dera in Vienna. The protesters, carrying placards and raising slogans, marched in procession through roads in the town.

Later, they submitted a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner Amneet P Kumar demanding the arrest of those involved in the crime.

The procession was organised under the banner of the Guru Ravidass Sabha and the BAMSEF.

YAMUNANAGAR: Following Tuesday’s violence, two companies of the ITBP, three companies of Haryana police commandos, besides the district police, on Wednesday held a flag march in Yamunanagar, Jagadhri and Bilaspur in the district to instill confidence among the people.

The situation remained peaceful as no case of violence was reported from anywhere.

Meanwhile, fifty-one persons have been booked for Tuesday’s violence in which angry protesters damaged government and private property, besides torching vehicles.

Yamunanagar, May 27
Aggrieved villagers of Parwalau today damaged the Civil Hospital property alleging that a 17-year-old girl, Shallu, of their village died due to doctors’ negligence.

Shallu had been operated upon for removal of stones in April in the Civil Hospital. Later, she was referred to the PGI. She was again brought here to a private hospital, where she died today.

The violence took place when the body was brought to the Civil Hospital for a postmortem. Darshan Lal, father of the deceased, alleged that his daughter’s surgery had not been conducted properly that led to her death.

SDM HC Jain and DSP Ashok Arora reached the site to pacify the villagers. The SDM said the villagers should have submitted a complaint instead of taking the law into their hands.

Ambala, May 27
Former IAS officer of Punjab and Chief Information Commissioner Rupen Deol Bajaj appeared in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Parveen Gupta at Ambala City in a defamation case today.

Senior INLD leader Abhey Chautala had filed a defamation case against Rupen Deol for giving a statement against his father Om Prakash Chautala and his family in 2001, which was published in an English daily. Abhey Chautala had also filed a defamation suit against the editor and the correspondent concerned of the newspaper.

Initially, the case was filed in Sirsa. Later, on a request of Rupen Deol, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had transferred the case to Ambala City in 2003. Abhey Chautala and the correspondent of the newspaper were also present in the court.

Umreesh Gandhi and Sartaj Singh, counsel for Abhey Chautala, said the court had adjourned the hearing for August 1.

Sirsa, May 27
An expectant woman and her mother-in-law were allegedly thrashed by their neighbours over a minor dispute here last night.

The victims have been identified as Sunita and her mother-in-law Raj Rani. They were taken to the local general hospital, where Sunita suffered a miscarriage.

In her statement to the police, Sunita alleged that the accused - Surinder, Kalia, Balia, Sukha, Rinku and Sandeep - barged into their house at about 9 last night, ransacked the house and assaulted her and her mother-in-law over an old dispute of repair of a fan with her husband.

The police has registered a case.