The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

No visible wave, parties on tenterhooks
Dera, PPP main factors
SP Sharma
Tribune News Service

malwa

Bathinda, January 29
With Malwa accounting for 68 of the total 117 assembly seats, this region is the main electoral battleground where the fate of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal, PCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh, CLP Leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and People’s Party of Punjab president Manpreet Singh Badal will be decided.

Key contest: The contest between the chief ministerial candidates, Parkash Singh Badal and Amarinder Singh, is being watched with interest. Malwa remained in the focus with the three main parties, the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), the Congress and the PPP-led Sanjha Morcha, concentrating their campaign in this region that extends from the borders of Rajasthan and Haryana to Patiala and the industrial hub of Ludhiana. The region is the key to the formation of government by any party.

The high-pitched campaign witnessed members of the Badal family making allegations against one another. The family suffered a split with Manpreet parting ways and his father Gurdas Badal contesting as the PPP candidate against his brother Parkash Singh Badal in the Lambi constituency where another Badal, Maheshinder Singh is in the fray as the Congress candidate. Amarinder Singh saw his younger brother Malvinder Singh parting ways with him on being denied the party ticket from Samana. He joined the SAD and campaigned against his nephew Raninder Singh.

During the last elections in 2007, the Dera Sacha Sauda played a significant role by asking its followers to vote in favour of the Congress. As a result, the party bagged 37 seats but was unable to form the government as it did not get adequate mandate in the Majha and Doaba belts. This time, 300 candidates of different parties, particularly from the Malwa region, visited dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh to seek his blessings.

Rebels: Rebels in almost every party have become a headache for every party. The Congress has expelled 12 rebels in the Malwa region and the SAD and BJP six each. Rebels Ravinder Singh Sandhu (Babbal) in Ferozepur, Hansraj Josan in Jalalabad, Parkash Bhatti in Baluana and Upinder Sharma in Kotkapura are posing problems for the Congress nominees.

The PPP factor is being keenly watched in the region where Manpreet Badal is expected to upset the SAD and the Congress calculations. However, he may eat into the Akali votes more. Several bureaucrats have jumped into the fray.

Among them are Darbara Singh Guru, who resigned as Principal Secretary to the CM. He is contesting on the SAD ticket from Bhadaur. Former Director-General of Police PS Gill is contesting from Moga. Malerkotla in Sangrur is seeing an interesting contest between Razia Sultana (Congress) and Farzana Alam (SAD). Former SAD leader Surjit Singh Barnala is trying to maintain his political roots in Dhuri where his son Gaganjit Singh Barnala is locked in a triangular contest with Arvind Khanna (Congress) and Gobind Singh Longowal (SAD). The BJP stalwart, Rajinder Bhandari, is trying his luck from Ludhiana .

Key issues: The issues that dominated the campaign were drug abuse among the youth, growing incidence of cancer, unemployment, corruption, nepotism and development. A galaxy of leaders, including Congress president Sonia Gandhi and AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi, BJP stalwarts Nitin Gadkari, Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley and INLD chief Om Parkash Chautala addressed election rallies.

Sensitive Booths: The election commission has declared the entire Lambi constituency as hypersensitive. Most booths in Muktsar, Faridkot, Kotkapura, Bathinda, Barnala, Mansa, Moga and parts of Patiala and Ludhiana have been declared sensitive and hypersensitive.

(With inputs from Archit Watts, Umesh Dewan, Kulwinder Sandhu and Minna Zutshi)

Rebels stand firm here
Perneet Singh and Ravi Dhaliwal
TNS

majha

Amritsar, January 29
While the SAD-BJP had swept the poll in the Majha region in the 2007 elections, winning 24 of the 27 assembly seats, the Congress is hoping for a turnabout. But with Congress rebels standing firm in six constituencies, this may not be so easy.

Key contest: Majha has a sizeable number of seats where heavyweights are in the fray. Among them are the CM’s son-in-law and Civil Supplies Minister Adesh Pratap Singh Kairon from Patti, the Deputy CM’s brother-in-law and Youth Akali Dal chief Bikram Singh Majithia from Majitha, Rural Development Minister Ranjit Singh Brahmpura from Khadoor Sahib, Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon from Fatehgarh Churian, Agriculture Minister Sucha Singh Langah from Dera Baba Nanak, Education Minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan from Qadian, Animal Husbandry Minister Gulzar Singh Ranike from Attari, former Congress minister Gurchet Singh Bhullar from Khem Karan, Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma from Pathankot, Charanjit Kaur Bajwa, wife of Congress MP Partap Singh Bajwa from Qadian and Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu, wife of BJP MP Navjot Singh Sidhu, from Amritsar East.

Rebels: The Congress rebels may play spoilsport, more for the Congress and to a lesser degree for the SAD. Leading the list of Congress rebels is former minister Sucha Singh Chhotepur from Qadian. He is pitted against official nominee Charanjit Kaur Bajwa and may damage the poll prospects of both Bajwa as well as her rival Education Minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan. Similarly, former Pathankot MLA Ashok Sharma may create problems for Congress official nominee Raman Bhalla. In Sujanpur, Naresh Puri, son of former minister Raghunath Sahai Puri, is pitted against the party’s official candidate Vinay Mahajan.

In Amritsar district, former District Congress (Rural) chief Sukhjinder Raj Singh Lalli Majithia is contesting as a rebel from Majitha against the party’s Shailenderjit Singh Shelly. In Baba Bakala, Baljit Singh Bhatti has entered the fray against the party nominee Ranjit Singh Chhajalwadi. In Amritsar (East) Simarpreet Kaur Bhatia has turned rebel after she was replaced with former Mayor Sunil Datti as the party candidate against BJP’s Navjot Kaur Sidhu. The only rebel that may pose a headache for the ruling alliance is Gurpartap Singh Tikka from Amritsar (South). In Tarn Taran, SAD candidate Harmeet Singh Sandhu is facing rebel Devinder Singh Sandhu alias Lalli.

Key issues: In the Majha region, comprising Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Pathankot and Tarn Taran districts, issues of development, unemployment, drug abuse, corruption, misuse of Central grants and “excesses” on Congress workers have dominated the poll campaign. The alleged excesses on Congress workers was a major issue in various constituencies. Being a border area, the problem of rampant drug abuse also figured prominently in the campaign with the Congress blaming the ruling regime of failing to curb the menace. The unemployment issue came to the fore with PCC chief Amarinder Singh blaming the state government for the 47 lakh unemployed youths in the state.

The Congress accused the SAD of controlling the cable, sand, and liquor trade in the state.The SAD chose not to touch Panthic issues. It spoke of inflation and the Congress “anti-aam admi” measures. The party focused on infrastructure development. Surprisingly, the parties cold-shouldered issues regarding farmers’ plight.

Sensitive Booths: Among the constituencies which have a large number of hypersensitive booths in Majha are Khem Karan with 37 booths, followed by Patti with 35, Majitha and Baba Bakala 30 each, Ajnala 27, Dera Baba Nanak 23 and Jandiala 22. Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Sujanpur and Bhoa constituencies have no hypersensitive booth. In the five urban constituencies of Amritsar, there are 32 critical, 98 hypersensitive and 138 sensitive booths.

Dalit votes hold the key
Varinder Singh
Tribune News Service

doaba

Jalandhar, January 29
Doaba, with 23 seats, has been a Congress stronghold. But in the 2007 elections, this region threw its weight behind the SAD-BJP alliance. It remains to be seen whether the ruling alliance will do as well this time too.

Key contest: Among the heavyweights in the fray in Doaba are Chaudhary Jagjit Singh of (Cong-Kartarpur), Amarjit Samra (Cong-Nakodar), Manoranjan Kalia (BJP-Jalandhar Central), Tikshan Sud (BJP-Hoshiarpur City), Bibi Jagir Kaur (SAD-Bholath), Sukhpal Khaira (Cong- Bholath), Avtar Henry (Cong-Jalandhar North), Pargat Singh (Jalandhar-Cantt) and Jagbir Brar.

Kartarpur will see an interesting fight between Congress and SAD heavyweights Chaudhary Jagjit Singh and Sarwan Singh Phillaur, respectively. Swapping of candidates in Phillaur and Kartarpur may prove costly for the SAD.

In Bholath (Kapurthala district), all eyes are on former SGPC chief and SAD candidate Bibi Jagir Kaur and her young Congress rival Sukhpal Khaira. Here caste factor will be crucial. Khaira had wrested the seat from Bibi in 2007 despite the SAD-BJP wave in Doaba. Bibi is a Lobana by caste and Khaira a Jat Sikh. Of the total 1,18,512 voters, as many as 39,176 are Jat Sikhs.

Former Jalandhar MP and Congress’ Rana Gurjit Singh, known for his poll management skills, is locked in a tough battle with SAD’s Sarbjit Makkar. Three-time MLA and Congress candidate Amarjit Samra is pitted against SAD’s Gurpartap Singh Wadala in Nakodar. Samra is a poll veteran who retained his seat in 2007, despite the anti-Congress wave. Wadala’s father SGPC member Kuldip Singh Wadala is a well-known figure in the area.

In Hoshiarpur City, there is a direct fight between BJP heavyweight Tikshan Sud and his Congress rival Sham Sunder Arora, a former DCC president. Sud has won the constituency three times in a row.

Arora had contested in 2002 as an Indpedendent. In Mukerian, there is a triangular contest among Congress’ Ajit Narang, a first-timer, BJP leader Arunesh Shakar and Independent Rajnish Babbi, son of late Vidhan Sabha speaker Dr Kewal Krishan. In Dasuya, BJP MLA Amarjit Singh Sahi faces Congress veteran Ramesh Dogra. In Chabbewal, Dr Raj Kumar of the Congress, Sohan Singh Thandal of the SAD and Dr Dilbag Rai, an Independent are in the fray. Unemployment, bad roads and poor state of Kandi areas were the key issues here. In Nawanshahar, the contest is among Satinder Kaur Kariha of the SAD, Guriqbal Kaur of the Congress and PPP’s Abhey Singh Sandhu.

Rebels: Turncoat Jagbir Brar, who had defeated late Beant Singh’s daughter and former minister Gurkanwal Kaur as the SAD candidate in 2007, is believed to have been hand-picked by PCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh after he bade goodbye to the People’s Party of Punjab. On the other hand, former Jalandhar DCC president Rajinder Singh Johal, who was denied the Congress ticket, is contesting as a PPP candidate.

Key issues: Development, unemployment and drug addiction are the key issues in Doaba. Dalit votes (about 46 per cent) can tilt the scales either in favour of the Congress or the SAD-BJP alliance in the region. All political parties have gone overboard to win this section of voters. Dera Sach Khand, headed by Baba Niranjan Dass in Ballan village, has considerable influence over the Dalits in Kartarpur, Adampur, Jalandhar South and Nakodar. A majority of Dalit voters in these constituencies are dera followers. The Radhasoami sect, the Damdami Taksal at Sarmastpur and Sant Baba Murale Wale at Begowal command a vast following in the rural areas of Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Nawanshahr and Kapurthala districts.

Sensitive Booths: As many as 211 polling booths in nine constituencies of Jalandhar district have been declared sensitive. Of these, 104 have been declared sensitive while and 107 ultra-sensitive.

It was a colourless campaign
Naveen S Garewal
TNS

Ludhiana, January 29
Punjab has witnessed one of the most colourless campaigns in history with the state's villages, towns and cities showing no special signs to indicate that the elections to the state assembly are going to take place tomorrow. All conventional ways of electioneering like putting up posters and banners, use of loud speakers and political parody have been done away with due to a strict vigil of the Election Commission of India.

The Representation of People Act and the model code of conduct have been implemented in letter and spirit, leaving a sense of fear in the minds of the candidates who have avoided most violations. But for strict warning and careful monitoring by the EC which suspended many erring officials and transferred others, the implementation of election reforms would not have been possible.

But much to the disappointment of many, the fun, frolic and festivities that accompany social life whenever elections are held were missing. The tight vigil on the flow of cash and strict monitoring of election expenses has also substantially curtailed the use of money and muscle power. Be it Bathinda, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Patiala, Ludhiana or any other place, voters are not getting any feeling that the polls are due tomorrow.

Though the use of plastic flags was nearly done away with, the last three or four days have seen mushrooming of big hoardings in Amritsar, Jalandhar and Ludhiana with pictures of candidates along with their state and central leaders. But hardly any Independent candidate followed the suit.

The parties and candidates had kept their budget tight in getting party flags and other election material printed as an expense beyond Rs 16 lakh by a candidate could invite disqualification.

Everything, from posters and flags to ladoos was added to the election expense. So there had been no free lunches or dinners nor was there any weighing of candidates against sweets or coins. If ladoos were distributed, the EC has ordered to add Rs 80 per kg of ladoos to the expense of the candidate.

Besides poll officials, candidates also kept a close watch on their own expenses as well as of their opponents.

Getting a star campaigner or a big leader was an expensive affair. If they came by helicopter, the cost got added to the candidate's expenses. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal travelled by road, although he was a star campaigner and his travel expense was added to party's expense and not to his own account.

To hoodwink the EC, most parties had declared a majority of their candidates as "star campaigners" so that the expense incurred on these candidates was added to the party expense and not their personal as exceeding the Rs 16 lakh limit could have proved fatal.

Though the system has been cleansed, the people have gone through these elections without savouring much flavour of the traditional polls.

EC Watching

l Much to the disappointment of many, the fun, frolic and festivities that accompany social life whenever elections are held were missing

l The candidates had to keep their poll budget tight as an expense beyond Rs 16 lakh by a candidate could have invited disqualification

l But for strict warning and careful monitoring by the EC, the implementation of election reforms would not have been possible

SP, DSP stationed in Lambi to keep watch on ‘duplicate voters’
Kanchan Vasdev
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 29
The Lambi constituency of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is under the Election Commission’s scanner with a Superintendent of Police and a Deputy Superintendent of Police specially stationed in the constituency declared hypersensitive.

Three companies of paramilitary forces (300 personnel) have been deployed in Lambi out of the total nine companies stationed in the four constituencies of Muktsar district. Muktsar DSP (Headquarters) Jaswinder Singh, has been assigned the task of keeping an eye on the possibility of “duplicate voters” sneaking in from Haryana and Rajasthan borders.

Chief Electoral Officer Kusumjit Sidhu said each of the 1,708 voters in two polling stations (number 146 and 150) in Bhullarwala and Fattakhera villages, will be photographed even as all the 152 polling stations in the constituency will be under e-surveillance. Bhullarwala and Fattakhera have 917 and 791 voters, respectively.

“The Muktsar Deputy Commissioner has been asked to instruct the presiding officers of these two polling stations to ensure that each voter is recorded on the digital camera with his marked finger. After polling, we will match the pictures of these voters with those in the electoral rolls of Sirsa, Dabwali and Hanumangarh. Anybody found to be a duplicate voter will be booked,” said Kusumjit. These measures have been taken following a representation by Congress candidate from Lambi Maheshinder Singh Badal to Chief Election Commissioner SY Qureishi.

“I have also asked Muktsar SSP Harsh Bansal to ensure fair and peaceful polling. He is free to deploy more BSF personnel if need be and even divert them from other constituencies,” she said.

Himmat Singh Shergill, Maheshinder’s lawyer, who personally submitted a representation to Qureishi, said: “There are a number of voters registered in Sirsa, Dabwali and Hanumangarh. We are not sure whether or not they have voted in the past.”

As many as 11 candidates are in the fray in Lambi with 1,39,675 voters. Besides Maheshinder, the Chief Minister’s estranged brother Gurdas Badal is contesting from Lambi. In the 2007 elections, the CM had defeated Maheshinder by 9,300 votes.

Acting on several complaints in Lambi, Gidderbaha, Rampura Phul and Jalalabad constituencies, the Election Commission has directed an IG and two DIGs to ensure peaceful polling in these constituencies.

IG (Zonal) Nirmal Singh Dhillon has been assigned the task in Lambi and Gidderbaha; DIG Lok Nath Angara in Jalalabad and DIG Paramraj Singh Umranangal in Rampura Phul.

Meanwhile, HS Chameli, an SHO who was reportedly present at the Chief Minister's rally yesterday, has been summoned by Punjab CEO Kusumjit Sidhu.

Cong objects to ads

Chandigarh: The Media Monitoring Committee has sought information from three vernacular papers on the party who gave advertisement seeking votes in the name of religion. Joint CEO Gurkiratkirpal Singh said the Congress had made a complaint in this regard and asked the EC to book SAD chief Sukhbir Badal. “The advertisement has been issued by the Sant Samaj, a non-political entity. We are waiting for a reply from the newspapers,” he said. — TNS

Security beefed up

Killianwali (Lambi): Security has been beefed up on the Punjab-Haryana border at Killianwali village in Lambi constituency of Muktsar district. A large posse of police personnel has been deployed on all roads leading to the border. Intelligence sources said there was a possibility of notorious elements entering the state in the night hours. — Archit Watts

POLITICS

Parties shun Panthic agenda
Perneet Singh
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, January 29
While the campaigning for the assembly elections came to an end today, all the major political parties, including the ruling SAD, gave a cold shoulder to the Panthic as well as the Punjab issues during campaigning in the last couple of weeks.

Talking to The Tribune, Sikh scholar Ashok Singh Bagaria said, "While the Congress and the BJP are the national players and it is not expected from them to raise Punjab or Panthic issues. As far as the Shiromani Akali Dal is concern, it has raised the bogey of 'Panth in danger' only when it is out of power."

According to him, the SAD had turned from a Sikh party into a Punjabi party way back in 1996. "It is now like any other Punjabi political party." He said it was worrying that Punjab issues were totally eclipsed in the campaign. "No political party raised the issues like Chandigarh or Punjabi which I think is alarming and needs serious consideration," he added.

Gursharanjit Singh, Head of Department of Guru Nanak Studies, GNDU, said the development has only proved that the SAD is no more a Panthic party. "Earlier, the SAD's rival used to level this allegations against the party, but now the SAD itself has corroborated that it has nothing to do with Panthic matters." He said the Congress never supported the demands that were in Punjab's interests and it was only the SAD that used to struggle for Punjabiyat. However, it is unfortunate that now there is no party to fight for Punjab and Punjabiyat. It is painful to see this fate of Panthic and Punjabi issues. "Nobody could have imagined that within 20 to 25 years of putting up morchas and making sacrifices, the SAD will bid adieu to these issues," he added.

Former SGPC secretary Manjeet Singh Calcutta said it was no more the same SAD as it used to be once. "How could they call themselves Akali Dal when they have forgotten the Akali issues like Anandpur Sahib resolution, Punjabi speaking areas, Chandigarh and water issue. It has turned into a party of one family," he added.

Radical Sikh outfit Dal Khalsa leader said it was a major cause of worry that the Panthic agenda has gone missing from the SAD's election campaign. He dubbed the development as the last straw for the "final burial of the basic character of the SAD".

He said the SAD under Badals have said final goodbye to the Panthic agenda and hence the transformation of the SAD that started in 1995 from Panthic to Punjabi party is complete now. "As Punjab goes to the polls on Monday, the political landscape of the state is devoid of issues confronting Punjab and Panth. All parties in the poll fray be it SAD, Congress or PPP are resorting to populism of the worst kind, mocking the population of the state. A proud Punjabi people, believing in "Kirat" -honestly doing one's duty to earn a living, have been reduced to holding the begging bowl for freebies and largesse from a state," he added.

On the other hand, SAD Secretary Dr Daljeet Singh Cheema said, "These issues are very much a part of the party's agenda and they have got the place in its manifesto. The SAD leaders have been raising the issue in the campaign and it is only that development and local issues are in the forefront during the assembly polls."

bibi versus khaira
Anybody’s game in Bholath
Naveen S Garewal
Tribune News Service

Bholath, January 29
Located along the banks of the Beas, the Bholath assembly segment has a large portion falling in the "bait" area that is directly affected by the changing course of the river. The issues of the constituency are different from other segments in Doaba. Besides, caste in this pre-dominantly Sikh constituency plays an important role in deciding who represents it in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha.

Congress candidate Sukhpal Singh Khaira made headlines when he routed SAD heavyweight and former SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur in the 2007 assembly polls. In the state assembly, Khaira had raised issues of this underdeveloped segment, familiarising the House with the problems of Bholath.

In all, there are eight candidates in the fray, including BSP's Jagpreet Singh and PPP's Gurmeet Singh Nadala. However, the direct contest is likely between Khaira and Bibi. The main opposition against Bibi is the alleged police highhandedness against Congress workers to "avenge" her defeat.

Addressing Congress workers near Bibi's Sant Baba Prem Singh Dera at Begowal village, Khaira claims that the constituency has seen no development because "the Akalis wanted to punish the people for voting against them".

Bibi, in an adjoining rally, rubbishes the claims and says the roads and other infrastructure that came up in the area is because she belongs here. However, the biggest setback to her is the seizure of liquor from a truck with her posters and banners on it. The police has registered a case against her and her relatives. The people here have a strong resentment against liquor and drugs that have ruined many families.

The constituency has 140 villages and 150 polling stations. A majority of these have been declared sensitive or ultra-sensitive by the EC. In all, there are about 1.8 lakh voters, comprising mainly of Jat Sikhs, followed by Lubanas and SC and backward classes. Nearly one-forth of every village has a population settled overseas, so awareness is quite high.

Last time, Khaira had won by 9,000 votes. He hopes to double his margin this time, says Congress worker R. Cheema. SAD workers, who have similar claims, put Bibi ahead of the Congress. By and large, this once Akali-dominated constituency has turned favourable towards the Congress in the last five to 10 years.

The main issues here are release of 12 acres of land under illegal occupation, cancellation of about 500 "false cases" against Congress supporters, upgradation of local schools and health centres and other developmental activities.

The constituency has a large following of Dera Sant Baba Prem Singh run by Bibi Jagir Kaur. The "misuse" of dera funds has also become a major issue in these elections. Though there seems to be no clear wave in favour of either party, the visit of Rahul Gandhi to the area has made Khaira's task a little easy by making people believe that the promises made by Rahul will be fulfilled.

Vote rate:Rs 2,000 in Moga
Kulwinder Sandhu
TNS

Moga, January 29
Despite a strict vigil by the district administration, there has allegedly been free flow of liquor to woo voters by candidates in Moga district. Besides a few popular brands of Indian-made foreign liquor, country-made brands have also allegedly been distributed.

Furthermore, there have been reports of purchasing of votes by influential candidates in Moga and Dharamkot constituencies, which have already been declared sensitive with apprehensions of use of money and muscle power.

The rates of votes vary from Rs 500 to Rs 2,000 for a single vote and Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 per family of five to 10 members. It is learnt that candidates have taken into confidence local leaders and handed over money to them for distribution by getting assurance of calculated number of votes.

During a round of Dalit colonies in Moga, Dharamkot and a few villages, the people admitted that they had been given money and liquor by the candidates through their supporters.

Direct fight in Qila Raipur
Naveen S Garewal
TNS

Dakha, January 29
The newly unreserved Dakha constituency is a purely rural seat with 110 villages and a small township Mullanpur. It is witnessing a direct contest between the Congress and the SAD even as other parties and Independents are also trying to make their presence felt.

Jassi Khangura of the Congress is locked in a direct contest with Manpreet Singh Ayali of the SAD. PPP's Daljit Singh Sardarpura and BSP's Surinder Singh are also in the fray.

Dakha was earlier a reserved constituency. Darshan Singh Shivalik of the SAD is the sitting MLA, who has been shifted to Gill (reserve) seat. In the past, the seat has been won by both the Akalis and the Congress. The largest votes at one place (around 15,000) are in Mullanpur. The Congress, which has an edge here, is banking on the issue of lack of development and around 500 "false cases" registered against Congress workers.

Talking to The Tribune at Mini Chappar, a small village on the outskirts of Ahmedgarh, Khangura said, "I can only promise you that my agenda of development will start from Mini Chappar". An Oxford graduate in medicine, this Congress nominee tells people that Rs 172 crore was received by Ludhiana Zila Parishad Chairman Manpreet Singh Ayali, but it was not used for development, where did it go?

The constituency has seen little development and it takes a bumpy ride on virtually non-existent roads to move from one village to another.

Khangura points out to supporters from Qila Raipur, "Tell the voters here how I have transformed that constituency in the past five years. Get the Congress back and I promise the same will be repeated here".

Ayali, on the other hand, rubbishes the claims of the Congress, saying the constituency is mainly rural which gives him an edge. Even as Ayali is received well in villages like Mandiani, Ayali Khurd etc, the voters in Dakha are keeping their cards close to their chests, giving all the candidates sleepless nights in a contest that appears quite even at the moment.

Migrants in fray from Ludhiana
Mohit Khanna
TNS

Ludhiana, January 29
One can feel pity for the plight of 2,000-strong migrant community that is forced to live in inhuman conditions in Bihari Colony in Industrial Area near Cheema Chowk here.

But this dingy locality could become new address of MLA from Ludhiana South as two residents of the colony are fighting the electoral battle.

Sita Devi (56) and Lal Chand (49), from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, respectively are contesting against SAD candidate and Mayor Hakam Singh Giaspura, Congress candidate Ashok Prashar Pappi and an Independent Balwinder Bains in the assembly elections.

They may not have the money like their counterparts to run an aggressive election campaign, but their aim is to do something for the migrants.

"Filthy conditions and continuous ignorance of the area by successive governments prompted me to fight the elections. Just spend some time here and you will realise what we have to go through each day. This area has always been used as dumping ground, basic enmities like portable water is something unheard of in the area," said Sita.

Sita along with her husband Raghu Nath (65) came to the industrial city from Dharbanga in Bihar way back in 1970.

"Area residents and my children Amit, Sanjay and daughter Baby encouraged me to fight the election. Though, we lived in poverty, but we managed to educate our children. My daughter studied till Class XII. My younger son has completed his B Com. Amit is looking after my election campaign. The constituency consists of huge migrant population so I manage to relate with them easily," she said.

She could be the only candidate who has spent least amount on electioneering. "I have deposited Rs 10,000 as security money with the election office and Rs 5000 I have spent on election campaigning. Since I did not have money, area residents collected funds for my elections," she said.

Barely 50 metres away from the house of Sita, Lal Chand, who runs a small grocery shop, is fighting on the election symbol of ceiling fan. It is not the first time that he has jumped into the election fray. During the Lok Sabha elections in 2009 he stood against Congress MP Manish Tiwari.

"We have suffered enough. I have to face lot of difficulty in marrying off my three daughters. Family members of prospective grooms refused to formulate alliance on visiting the area. I have a strong belief that nothing will change till the time you do not stand up and fight for your rightsa," he said.

Young candidates prove suave campaigners
Ruchika M Khanna
TNS

Chandigarh, January 29
Most of the youths contesting the assembly elections have been drawn into politics just by sheer luck. From agriculturists to student leaders, astrologer to immigration consultant, the young and restless have joined the political bandwagon not just to enjoy power, but to bring good governance.

Ending corruption, better education and job opportunities and to do away with caste and class politics are on top of their agenda. They are more systematic in reaching out to the voters.

Rajwinder Singh Lucky, a former Panjab University Students' Union president, who is contesting from Balachaur on Congress ticket, at each public meeting, this 32-year-old hugs young men and goes about touching the feet of the elders saying, "I am a son of this soil. Give me a chance and I will ensure good education facilities and job opportunities.”

In Dinanagar, Raman Kumar (29), an immigration consultant, who is contesting on the BSP ticket, his election campaigning is based on person-to-person contact. "No public rallies for me. People here are sick of politicians, who have continued to divide them on the basis of caste and class. The reason why I am getting a good response is that we are taking up the issues that concern them. No big promises, only BiPaSa (bijli, paani and sadak), and assurance of taking their cause in the assembly," he says.

Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, 34-year-old general secretary of the All-India Youth Congress and party's candidate from Gidderbaha, says, he is not promising the moon to the voters. Pitted against heavyweights like PPP president Manpreet Badal and SAD's Sant Singh Brar, he strikes a chord with voters by promising to end vendetta politics in the constituency. "I am a farmer like you, not a politician. Since I have been at the receiving end from politicians, just like you, I want to change things by representing you," he says, as he goes to door-to-door.

These youngsters may not have enough money or muscle power, but they have brought freshness to politics.

Anand Sharma, the PPP candidate from Ludhiana North, who runs a small-time construction firm besides being an astrologer, says that unlike his political opponents he does not have a huge group of supporters for campaigning. "But one thing that attracts people to my campaign is the promise of removing corruption," he says.

While these greenhorns are finding it tough to sail through, the young 'political scions' too are not finding it easy.

In Amritsar East, SAD candidate Inderbir Singh Bolaria is facing a tough fight from Congress candidate Jasbir Singh Dimpa. Dressed in designer jeans, jacket and sneakers, Bolaria is using the development card and his family's name in politics to woo voters. Knowing well that people want direct access with him, he is relying on door-to-door campaign. "People are happy with the development work initiated at my behest," he says.

Like Bolaria, Jagjit Singh Honey Fattanwala, the PPP candidate from Muktsar, and cousin of Manpreet Badal, too is relying on his family name.

Descendent of the Fattanwala family, he broke away from the SAD and joined hands with Manpreet to contest the elections. Having remained chairman of the Muktsar Market Committee, he says that he knows the problems of the people much better than his opponents, who have never bothered to stay in the constituency in the past five years. "I have stood by the people just like my elders. This will be the plus point for me and gives me an edge over my opponents," he says.