New Delhi, November 19
It is the changed face and image of the city that is going to make the basis in the manifesto of Delhi Congress for the assembly elections. The party manifesto, to be released tomorrow, will promise to accelerate the pace of development in the national Capital, said Public Works Department Minister Rajkumar Chauhan.

"The Congress government in Delhi has changed the face and image of the city during the last 15 years. We have 24x7 power supply, world-class infrastructure, 130 flyovers, new universities and a large number of welfare schemes," Chauhan said.

The minister unveiled the vision of party for the next five years. This includes nutrition security through the improved food security, vending machines at Public Distribution System shops, hawker zones, doubling the gross domestic product and per capita income, construction of 20 exclusive women toilets in each assembly segment, skill development of women and youth, Kabil Laadli scheme, setting up of a single command for Delhi and development of a common economic zone for Delhi and NCR.

He expressed confidence that the Congress government in Delhi can do much better in the time to come as it has strength of people behind it. The next Congress government would commission Mono Rail apart from expanding the Metro route length, he said.

"The Congress government of Delhi has become a role model for all other states,” he said.

However, according to party sources, leaders are also of the opinion that the party will have to look beyond the infrastructural development. "Infrastructure alone is not going to be enough. It is time to empower the common man. Initiatives like Bhagidari have provided an excellent opportunity to involve people in the decision-making process," said party sources.

Talking about allegations by the opposition parties, Chauhan said, "The principal opposition party has nothing to talk about other than corruption. They have been levelling charges without proof."

"Our achievements during the last 15 years are an open book. We worked hard to lay a strong foundation for the future," said party president.JP Aggarwal.

New Delhi, November 19
BJP chief ministerial candidate Harsh Vardhan today wished to have more women candidates in the fray, but 'winnability' came in the way that discouraged the party from giving tickets to them. In these elections, the BJP has given tickets to six women out of 70.

"I love to have more women candidates but winnability is the cause that stops the party. But in the organisation, the BJP has taken 33 per cent women. Gradually in the elections also, 33 per cent women will be given tickets," Vardhan said while participating in a discussion at Women Press Corps.

"BJP has a dignified woman as the leader of the opposition in Parliament," he made these comments when asked how many women have been given tickets by his party.

Vardhan also expressed concern for women security saying, "Though the city has a woman Chief Minister for the last 15 years, crime against women is on the rise. Ninety-five per cent women in Delhi feel insecure when they go out of their houses. I, as a father of 22-year-old daughter, become tense when she comes late or do not respond to my calls."

He said, "If my party comes to power in Delhi as well as at centre, I myself will go to Narendra Modi with a proposal for full statehood to Delhi that is the only solution to this problem.

Talking of transparency at the highest level of governance, BJP's chief ministerial candidate said that if his party was voted to power, a system would be developed in which the working of the government would be transparent.

"I believe in the lesson of Gita. I just do my work without caring for its result. When as a Health Minister I had started polio eradication programme, many people said it was not possible. But later people appreciated the programme. At that time, East Delhi had the maximum number of polio cases in the world," he said.

Taking on the Congress government in Delhi, Vardhan said that citizens had given Sheila Dikshit 15 years to rule over the city, but she failed on all fronts whether it be power, water, education, health, environment, women security, job opportunities, development in unauthorised colonies, PDS system, flats for the poor under Rajiv Ratan Awas Yojna.

Whenever election takes place, Dikshit talks of development, Metro, flyovers, etc. As far as Metro is concerned, the idea was conceived by Madan Lal Khurana when he was Chief Minister. Projects of flyovers were made by the late Chief Minister of Delhi, Sahib Singh Varma. At present, thousands of teachers' seats are vacant in government schools, 50 per cent doctors' posts are vacant, paramedical staff and medicines are not available in government hospitals, Vardhan said. 

New Delhi, November 19
Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) president Manjit Singh (GK), who is also heading the Delhi unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Badal, has been spending five to eight hours every day to campaign for the SAD candidates ensuring their victory in the assembly elections.

He has addressed public meetings and met people door-to-door in Rajouri Garden where DSGMC's general secretary Manjinder Singh Sirsa is in the fray and Hari Nagar where a non-Sikh, Shyam Sharma, is the SAD candidate.

Rajouri Garden is the constituency where for the past 20 years, Congress had been wining the seat. Manjit claimed that the SAD candidate is getting a good response. In the last assembly elections, Avtar Singh Hit had contested on the SAD (Badal) ticket. But he lost with just 46 votes.

Manjit says that in this election, people want to vote in favour of the SAD candidate.

The Hari Nagar seat has always been in the pocket of the BJP and Harsharan Singh Balli is the sitting MLA. But, Balli has joined the Congress now and contesting the election on its ticket. Manjit Singh yesterday campaigned in Kalkaji where SAD candidate Harmit Singh Kalka is in the fray. He is facing Congress stalwart Subhash Chopra.

New Delhi, November 19
Three men allegedly beheaded a 24-year-old man and cut his body into parts in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, a few days ago, for having an affair with a girl who was the girlfriend of two of the culprits.

The Delhi Police today arrested one of the accused named Deepak (31) for the murder. His two friends, Noori and Hamid, both in their thirties are also wanted for the murder. They are unemployed, except Hamid who works at a bar in a red light area, G B Road, Delhi.

The victim, Vishwajeet, was murdered at Shahjahanpur about 10 pm on November 15. The Uttar Pradesh Police found his body the next day. "The head was found on one side of the road and the trunk was lying on the other side," said a Delhi Police officer.

The officer said that the motive behind the murder was a girl. "Noori was having an affair with the girl. Later, Hamid also had an affair with her and now it was Vishwajeet who was having an affair with her. Noori and Hamid had a grudge against Vishwajeet for this reason," said the officer.

On the other hand, Deepak earlier had a fight with the victim over a petty issue. "Deepak was also a drunkard," added the officer.

Deepak stays at a shelter home in old Delhi, while the other two men stay separately. Vishwajeet was the caretaker of the shelter home.

On November 14, the accused took Vishwajeet to Shahjahanpur for visiting a Tazia procession. According to the police, they murdered him the next day and dumped the body near a road in Shahjahanpur. "They had stabbed him with a knife and cut his head off with it," said the officer.

The UP Police found the dismembered body on November 16. They brought their dog squad to the site of the incident and found his clothes containing a mobile phone. "They dialled a saved number on the phone and informed a man about Vishwajeet's murder. The man immediately called his son, who said that Vishwajeet was his friend and was using his mobile phone," said the officer.

The UP Police traced the victim's family with the help of the man whom they had called. They informed Vishwajeet's family about his murder today. The UP Police have registered a case of murder. They are likely to take Deepak's remand, according to the police.

New Delhi, November 19
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has restored its train operations at the Noida City Centre Metro station from today, which means both the platforms of the stations are now being used for passenger services as was the practice earlier.

With the opening of India International Trade Fair (IITF) for general public today, the DMRC has also decided to run peak hour frequency of about 5 min 20 sec on Noida section of Line-3 for passenger convenience which till yesterday was around 8 minutes due to the maintenance work. Eight-coach trains are also being inducted into service in this section to cater to the rush.

Besides, the DMRC is running peak hour frequency of 2 min 40 sec on Line-3 from Dwarka to Yamuna Bank throughout the day from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm from today till November 27. Also, two trains on each Line are being kept as standby during the trade fair.

"The DMRC has started selling IITF entry tickets for general public from today from the Customer Care Centres of all the Metro stations from 08:30 am to 04:00 pm. General public is advised that to avoid the last-minute rush of purchasing tickets at Pragati Maidan Metro station, they can purchase the tickets from their originating station," said a senior DMRC official.