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Haryana
Anna chooses Didi over Kejri, Modi
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STOCK-TAKING: Ravneet Singh Bittu Anandpur Sahib
Maharashtra
STOCK-TAKING: Rajan Sushant Kangra
Jharkhand civil servants
quit jobs to fight polls
Highest no. of voters in UP, least in Sikkim
Poll snapshots
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With AAP around, caste may not count
Plagued with graft & dynastic politics, Jat-dominated state offers party a fertile ground to replicate Delhi success Pradeep Sharma Tribune News Service
To undermine the importance of caste in the electoral politics, the AAP top brass — including its convener Arvind Kejriwal —will kick off its nationwide anti-corruption campaign from Rohtak, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s home turf, on February 23. In fact, the AAP rally will also try to flag the issue of dynastic politics in Haryana as Rohtak is represented by Hooda's son, Deepender Hooda, in Parliament.
To succeed in the rough and tumble of Haryana politics, the AAP leadership must field "good candidates" and not succumb to the pull of the caste factor, Chaudhry says. In “Khapland”, Jats dominate and rule the roost, virtually monopolising political power and government jobs. Since the re-organisation of the state in 1966, all chief ministers have been Jats barring Bhagwat Dayal Sharma, Rao Birender Singh and Bhajan Lal. The dominance of the Jats in the political arena explains the ambivalent attitude of the major political parties, especially the Congress and the INLD, towards the influential khaps, which play a significant role in Haryana's socio-political system. In fact, the attitude of the AAP towards the khaps has not been much different than other political parties. In 1977, 1985 and 1996, caste did not dominate the poll as other "big" issues took centrestage. In fact, Yogendra Yadav — considered to be AAP's chief ministerial candidate in the state — recently underplayed the role of caste, arguing that people wanted an "alternative" that mainstream parties had failed to provide. While Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and INLD supremo Om Prakash Chautala scramble for Jat votes, the BJP-HJC alliance is eyeing the non-Jat vote bank. Ironically, two of the tallest AAP leaders who trace their roots to Haryana — Arvind Kejriwal and Yogendra Yadav — are non-Jats. Given their clean image, this may prove to be beneficial for the party in a multi-corner contest. While Yadav belongs to the Yadav caste, Kejriwal is from the Vaish caste.
Interestingly, the issues raised by the AAP in the run-up to the Delhi Assembly election — corruption, dynastic politics, nepotism in government jobs, red-beacon culture and absence of basic amenities — are major issues in Haryana as well. Besides, the state has a sizable chunk of dissatisfied sections of youth, women and Dalits, which may help the AAP minimise the caste factor as well as make a mark in state politics.
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Anna chooses Didi over Kejri, Modi
New Delhi, February 19 The 76-year-old anti-graft crusader cleared all air as he declared that he would not support his former protégé Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal. "I did not get any reply from him (Kejriwal) so there is no question of supporting him," he said. He said: "Neither will I support Narendra Modi and Arvind Kejriwal nor will I oppose them. I will support good issues." Hazare said: "Banerjee leads a simple and disciplined life. She has not accepted government cars or bungalow. She is known for her passion and sacrifice." Noting that Mamata is the only one who replied to his 17-point missive (on eradicating corruption, passing the Citizen Charter Bill and Whistleblower Bill, empowering the gram sabhas, restoration of land rights of tribals through new Land Acquisition Act and Forest legislation, recovery of black money stashed abroad and declared as national asset among others) sent to all political parties four months ago and agreed to implement them, he noted: "I will campaign for her and all her candidates." He said his support was only till elections and later his aim would be to bring good non-party candidates to Parliament in 2019. Attacking the Congress-led Centre, Banerjee said: "The Constitution is being bulldozed and our country is being run by feudal lords and before elections they talk about people's benefits but after polls everything is forgotten. The common man is burdened with numerous tax systems. We want a politically and economically stable government. We would not allow the FDI in retail and we even stepped down two years ago in people's interest." Ahead of polls, she promised to reduce power tariffs in her state with the money collected due to her government's "austerity and efficiency". Apart from Bengal where the TMC would contest 42 seats, she said her party would also contest from Delhi, Assam, Manipur, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh and for Maharashtra and southern states she would go as per Hazare's advice. "I am grateful to Anna ji for his support. Our party is already doing many things mentioned in his letter. Whatever Anna ji has said, we will do together," she added. Women, Left flay him
Women activists and Left-backed organisations questioned Anna's support and asked him to reconsider his decision of supporting Mamata in an open letter addressed to him. They expressed disappointment over the move while pointing out the TMC government's "insensitivity and indifference" over the recent acts of violence against women. |
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STOCK-TAKING:
Ravneet Singh Bittu Anandpur Sahib Claims to have brought a host of Central projects to develop his constituency, but his political rivals think otherwise Arun Sharma Tribune News Service
Ropar, February 19 Though Bittu claims to have brought numerous projects to his constituency from the Centre and raised issues related to Punjab in Parliament, a section of society, including his rivals, feel the MP failed to live up to expectations. Their main grouse: the MP failed to bring in any major industry to deal with unemployment. Being a youth leader and given his proximity with Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, local residents had high hopes from Bittu. They said he remained absent from the constituency for long periods during the initial years and failed to change the economic condition of the area. However, Bittu has his share of admirers. Rajinder Saini from Ropar said Bittu was the first politician in the district to respect all elders, but could not give much time to his constituency during the first two years. “Being the Punjab Youth Congress chief, he had to look after party affairs throughout the state, but his efforts and achievements to develop the area could not be ignored completely.” Eye on better marginBittu, who won by a margin of nearly 70,000 votes defeating his nearest rival and Shiromani Akali Dal candidate Daljeet Singh Cheema, is confident of repeating his performance, that too with a bigger margin. Bittu claimed the people in the constituency — which spans the districts of Rupnagar, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar and Mohali — had witnessed tremendous development with funds he got sanctioned from the Centre. He said more than a dozen projects related to health, education and generating employment had been set up after he took over as MP in 2009 or were in process. In Parliament, the number of questions raised by me was the highest among MPs from Punjab, Bittu claimed. "Those who are pointing out my absence from the constituency during the first two years of my tenure are probably unaware that I was busy with party work. As the state Youth Congress president, I organised a 45-day 1,500-km padyatra across the length and breadth of the state and went on an indefinite hunger strike in Ludhiana to force the state government to form the Drug Prevention Board and check the drug trade," he said. The projects
Bittu said the PM Manmohan Singh had recently laid the foundation stone of the Rs 500-crore Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre at Mullanpur Garibdass in Mohali. “The Rs 500-crore Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali, Rs 380-crore National Agri-Food Bio Technology Institute, Rs 100-crore bio-processing unit, Rs 60-crore National Animation Institute, Software Technology Park of India and the Institute of Hotel Management at Mohali were some projects I started to develop the area,” he said. An NCC academy was set up in Ropar and work on the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology would start soon in the district, Bittu said. “Farmers of the Kandi area were benefited when I took up the issue of restrictions imposed on them under Section 4 of the Punjab Land Preservation Act, 1897, with the Centre. The Union Government went on to lift the restrictions on the cultivated land of around 51,000 hectare,” he added. "Sri Hazur Sahib Express and Gurmukhi Express were started during my tenure. A new train from Kalka to Katra with a halt at Mohali and Kharar will be started soon. The Railway Ministry has decided to re-open the Bhanupali railway halt near Anandpur Sahib," he said. In Lok Sabha
I was one of the most successful Members of Parliament to raise different state-related issues in the Lok Sabha, Bittu claimed. "I have asked 453 questions, the maximum by any leader from Punjab, and participated in 18 debates. That is why I was nominated party whip in the Lok Sabha," he said. Bittu said the issues raised by him in Parliament included the need to accord Punjabi the status of official language of Chandigarh; Punjab's share in revenue collection from Chandigarh; and need to resume 50 per cent quota for local students of Punjab in Thapar University. "I highlighted the plight of Kandi farmers; concerns of 800 small-scale truck and bus body builders of Punjab; and the need to open a defence or rail coach factory at Nangal," he said. MPLADS funds
"Besides purchasing suction-cum-jetting machine for the Nawanshahr Municipal Committee and an ambulance for a community healthcare centre, I recommended construction of community centres, cremation grounds, streets, drains and installation of solar lights," he said. Rivals’ take
Ropar MLA and SAD spokesman Daljeet Singh Cheema termed Bittu's tenure an utter failure. The MP neither has a vision nor the seriousness to serve the constituency, he said. SAD nominee for the seat Prem Singh Chandumajra said: "I have been staying in Mohali since 1978 and have served the area in different capacities, including member of the School Education Board and Cooperation Minister. I believe that people will give me another chance to serve them."
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UPA banks on ‘spoiler’ Raj Thackeray
Needs isolated MNS leader to cut into BJP-Sena vote share as it battles anti-incumbency & graft Shiv Kumar Tribune News Service
Mumbai, February 19 While the Congress-NCP combine desperately needs the help of Raj Thackeray, the latter has been let down by the Shiv Sena rank and file standing solidly behind his estranged cousin Uddhav Thackeray in the post-Bal Thackeray era. Except for a presence in parts of Mumbai, Pune and Nashik, there is little to show for Raj's attempts to build a replica of the Sena after he broke away eight years ago. On its part, the ruling front is doing more than enough to lend a helping hand to Raj Thackeray so that the MNS emerges as a viable opposition to the BJP-Shiv Sena. In the past few weeks, the ruling coalition watched benignly as MNS leaders orchestrated a protest against high levies by toll operators on major roads in Maharashtra. Thackeray's men ran riot smashing toll booths and getting arrested before Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan called the MNS leader for talks and assured him that levies on vehicle users would be reduced. The jury is still out on how much the anti-toll agitation would help the MNS emerge as an alternative opposition to the Shiv Sena-BJP in the state. In retaliation, Uddhav Thackeray unleashed a high-voltage campaign through party mouthpiece 'Saamna' to highlight what he calls "match-fixing" by the MNS and the Congress. To pre-empt Raj from hurting the saffron combine's prospects, the BJP and Shiv Sena have stitched up an alliance with smaller outfits such as the Republican Party of India (Athavale), the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS) and the RSP. While RPI (Athavale) has a strong following among a section of the Dalits, the SSS and the RSP are farmers outfits with pockets of influence in about half-a-dozen seats in Western Maharashtra, the traditional stonghold of Sharad Pawar's NCP. For a change, both the BJP and the Sena are magnanimously accommodating their new allies. RPI faction leader Ramdas Athavale has been elected to the Rajya Sabha by both parties while SSS will get at least two seats. RSP leader Mahadev Jankar, who was locked in a bitter battle with the SSS over seat-sharing, will be accommodated during the state Assembly elections later this year, sources said. The saffron alliance is also looking to repeat the hugely successful rally addressed by PM candidate Narendra Modi in other parts of Maharashtra as well. Understandably, MPs from the Congress and the NCP are running scared at the real possibility of defeat. North Mumbai Congress MP Sanjay Nirupam held protests against his own government over high power tariffs levied by Anil Ambani's Reliance Infrastructure, which supplies electricity in suburban Mumbai. Nirupam and others are demanding that the state government immediately regularise all slums in Mumbai built till the year 2000. "We had promised to regularise slums built till the year 2000 before the last elections. This promise has to be implemented," Nirupam told reporters earlier this month. Mumbai's 70 lakh slum dwellers account for most of the Congress party's support base in the city. Dissenting voices among its own MPs has also forced the ruling coalition to postpone a rally by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The rally planned for the last week of February has been postponed by a week as the Maharashtra Government scampers to rush a package for the poor before the Election Code of Conduct kicks in. The ruling coalition is also dealing with fresh worries from the fledgling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is likely to cut into its traditional support base among the poor. In Mumbai, AAP's decision to field noted activist Medha Patkar from the Mumbai North-East seat is seen as a major coup. Patkar has been working against slum dwellers who face eviction threats from the builder mafia, which is seen to be backed by the ruling coalition. Though few of AAP's candidates are seen as tough contenders, the party is seen to be occupying the moral high ground. AAP's leaders say they have acquired plenty of incriminating documents against leaders of both the UPA and the NDA using the Right to Information Act, which will be used in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections.
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STOCK-TAKING: Rajan Sushant Kangra Had levelled graft charges against Dhumal after his wife was denied BJP ticket from Fatehpur Lalit Mohan Tribune News Service
Dharamsala, February 19 He had levelled corruption charges against former BJP Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and organised public meetings against him. However, the party took disciplinary action against him and expelled him from the Parliamentary Board.
This placed both the BJP and Rajan in a Catch-22 situation. In case the BJP decided to expel Rajan, he would have retained his seat as an MP and caused more trouble to the party. Had he not resigned, he wouldn’t have quit as MP. Both the BJP and Rajan continued their uneasy relationship during the length of the entire UPA-II term from 2009 to 2014.
However, soon Rajan parted ways with the HLP, allegedly over not being offered a significant position in the party. During the 2012 Assembly elections, his wife was again in the race for the BJP ticket from Fatehpur. However, she was denied the ticket following which she contested as an Independent and lost. Peeved, Rajan allegedly cancelled certain grants to the Fatehpur area from his MPLADS funds. In January this year, Rajan announced his resignation as MP and also from the BJP. Sources said he resigned after it became obvious that the BJP had decided to field former CM Shanta Kumar from Kangra, ignoring him. However, his resignation also turned out to be a political gimmick as he continued functioning as the MP. He later claimed his resignation was conditional and could come into force only after his MPLADS funds were exhausted. It was inferred that Rajan was going to complete the remaining two months of his term as MP. Rajan started his political campaign by levelling corruption allegations against former BJP CMs Prem Kumar Dhumal and Shanta Kumar. At his rallies, he accused Shanta Kumar of betraying the cause of BJP rebels. He also claimed to have exposed Dhumal and Shanta Kumar’s “corrupt acts”. He is planning to contest as an Independent in the upcoming Parliamentary elections. Sources said Rajan tried to join the Aam Aadmi Party, but his request was turned down. In Parliament
Rajan refused to give details about his performance in Parliament and issues raised by him in the House. The Tribune team tried to contact him over the phone and in person during a rally in Jawalamukhi, but he refused to divulge any detail.
MPLADS funds
Details available with the Planning Department of Kangra district till February 2014 show Rajan was yet to disburse around
Rs 1 crore from his MPLAD funds. In 2012-13, he had utilised his entire MPLAD funds by allotting it for 372 development works in his constituency. In 2013-14, till the first week of February, Rajan had disbursed Rs 3.97 crore out of his Rs 5 crore MPLAD funds for 297 works in the constituency. Kangra Deputy Commissioner Paul Rasu said Rajan had allotted funds considering people’s needs.
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Jharkhand civil servants
quit jobs to fight polls
Ranchi, February 19 Vimal Kriti Singh, a principal secretary rank official, has applied for voluntary retirement. Sources close to Singh, who hails from Bihar's Siwan district, said he may fight the Lok Sabha election from his home district. He, however, has neither admitted nor denied joining politics. "My option to contest the Lok Sabha polls is open. I have not decided which party to join and from where to contest. I make it clear that I will fight from Jharkhand," he said. "I am a lawyer and I will open a law firm in New Delhi." Arun Oraon, an IPS officer of inspector general rank, has also applied for voluntary retirement. Oraon, who hails from Jharkhand, is from the Punjab cadre and was here on a five-year deputation. His wife Geeta Sri Oraon is Jharkhand Education Minister. Oraon's father Bandi Oraon was also an IPS official who quit his job and later became a legislator. Sources close to Arun Oraon said he may also fight the Lok Sabha poll from Lohardagga constituency on a BJP ticket. Amitabh Chaudhary, an IPS officer of additional director general of police-rank, and president of the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA), took voluntary retirement last year to join politics. He wants to contest the general election from Ranchi on a BJP ticket. Civil servants quitting their jobs to join politics is not new in Jharkhand. Senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha was also an IAS officer. Rameshwar Oraon, an IPS officer of additional director general of police rank, quit his job before the 2004 Lok Sabha polls, and was elected to the lower house on a Congress ticket from Lohardagaa seat. He later became a minister.
— IANS
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Highest no. of voters in UP, least in Sikkim
New Delhi, February 19 Among the UTs, the National Capital Territory of Delhi accounts for 1.48 per cent, the other six UTs constitute 0.253 per cent of the Indian electorate. Among states, Uttar Pradesh with more than 13.43 crore electors or 16.49 per cent of the national electorate has the largest number of electors, while Sikkim with around 3.62 lakh electors or 0.044 per cent of the national electorate has the smallest number of electors. In north, Punjab's share is 2.358%, Haryana 1.914%, Himachal Pradesh 0.574%, Jammu and Kashmir 0.851%, Uttarakhand 0.833% and Chandigarh 0.071%. Of the total electors, men constitute 52.4 per cent, while women form 47.6 per cent. The category of "Other gender" constitutes 0.0035 per cent. Among 28 states and seven Union Territories, 21 states and UTs have a higher proportion of women electors than that of the national proportion of 47.6 per cent. In eight states and UTs, the number of women electors exceeds that of men. Puducherry (52.01 per cent) has the highest proportion of women, followed by Kerala with 51.90 per cent. Delhi has the lowest proportion of women electors at 44.57 per cent, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 45.20 per cent. Manipur, Mizoram, Daman and Diu, Meghalaya, Goa and Arunachal Pradesh are the other states where women outnumbered men.
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Gul Panag’s father, ex-Infy board member join AAP
New Delhi: With the Aam Aadmi Party spreading its base among social activists, many renowned faces joined the party today. Actor Gul Panag's father Lt Gen HS Panag (retd), Infosys former board member V Bala, Lt Gen TK Chadha (retd) and former IPS officer BL Vohra joined the party today. — TNS All options open, says Congress on TRS tie-up: New Delhi: With Telangana set to become a reality, the Congress is angling for an understanding with the Telangana Rashtra Samiti to maximise its gains in the region to offset losses in Seemandhra. "All options are open to Congress. All options will be examined. Final decision will be intimated when such a decision is taken," party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said. — PTI AAP likely to contest seven seats in Bengal: Kolkata: The Aam Aadmi Party has decided to fight at least six to seven seats in West Bengal in the coming Lok Sabha election. The party is currently running membership drives in the districts as well as parts of Kolkata, which, it claims, has generated a "positive and exciting" response. — PTI Groupism in party won’t be tolerated: Kerala PCC chief: Thiruvananthapuram: Making it clear that groupism in the party would not be tolerated, KPCC chief V M Sudheeran today said action would be taken against those who continue with such activities. Action would be taken as per organisational rules against persons who continue with groupism, Sudheeran told a press meet here after a meeting. — PTI
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Caste has traditionally played a predominant role in Haryana politics, but the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) arrival on the political scene may force the caste factor to take a backseat in the Parliamentary and Assembly elections this time around.
Mumbai, February 19
AAP provided no alternative to neo-liberal policies, which spawned crony
capitalism
— Prakash Karat, CPM Gen Secy
Chandigarh, February 19
“If the AAP is able to effectively flag big issues such as corruption in land acquisition, nepotism in government jobs, skewed development, sorry state of education and health and atrocities on Scheduled Castes and women, then it would be able be transcend the caste barriers in elections," says educationist and social activist DR Chaudhry.
Incidentally, Haryana, which borders Delhi, is a fertile ground for the AAP to reap rich political dividends in the forthcoming elections. While strong anti-incumbency stares the Hooda government in the face for its various acts of omission and commission, there is a virtual absence of leadership in Opposition INLD, with its supremo Om Prakash Chautala and his MLA-son Ajay in jail on corruption charges. The BJP-HJC alliance is yet to get its act together with a big question mark over the continuation of ties.
"I have released the entire amount I received under the MPLAD Scheme to carry out development works. At least 33 per cent funds have been allocated for works for the benefit of members of the Scheduled Castes. Out of 1,542 works recommended by me, 607 have been completed and 935 are at various stages of completion," he said.
Before the last Assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh, Rajan was perceived to be supporting the Himachal Lokhit Party (HLP), a political outfit formed by BJP rebels and led by Maheshwar Singh. His son, Dharaya Sushant, joined the party as its youth president. 