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State of Parties:
Congress
ground reality:
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BJP clinches rainbow alliance in TN
VARANASI BATTLE
Yeddyurappa, Sriramulu’s return to BJP changes political equations in Karnataka
Kapil Sibal files papers from Chandni Chowk
Before wooing voters, Modi to visit Vaishno Devi
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Party banks on Azad in Jammu and Kashmir
Uniting workers, coordination with National Conference cadre a tough task for Congress Dinesh Manhotra Tribune News Service
Jammu, March 20
Notwithstanding the 'much-touted' joint tour of Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) chief Saifuddin Soz to the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri, the unity among Congress workers at the ground level is still a distant dream. Uniting workers at the grassroots level is a must for the party to take on the BJP in the Jammu region. Coordination between workers of the National Conference and Congress is another challenge before the party. The party leadership knows that it will be difficult for them to ensure victory of their candidates without the active support of the National Conference. The Congress had won the 2004 and 2009 Lok Sabha elections in the Jammu province due to its coalition partners. In 2004, the Congress was in coalition with the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and in 2009, it joined hands with the National Conference. Realising that the active support of the National Conference is a must, JKPCC chief Saifuddin Soz has constituted a coordination committee of both the parties for the Lok Sabha elections.
"We have decided to constitute a committee to ensure close co-ordination and liaison between the Congress and NC workers so that the issues relating to the ongoing electoral process are tackled amicably," said Soz. Although the Congress leadership is claiming to add one more seat to its previous tally of two, it is finding it difficult to even retain two seats which it won in the 2009 polls from the Jammu province. As per the seat-sharing agreement with the National Conference, the Congress is contesting both the Lok Sabha seats of the Jammu province and the lone seat of the Ladakh region. Riding 'Modi wave', the BJP has launched an aggressive campaign in the Jammu province, making the things more difficult for the Congress. The PDP has added to the woes of the Congress, especially in the Jammu-Poonch Lok Sabha seat where the former has fielded veteran leader Yash Pal Sharma. Congress won the 2004 and 2009 Lok Sabha elections from this seat due to the Muslim support. This time, Yash Pal Sharma, a native of Poonch, has posed a stiff challenge to the Congress in this mountainous belt. In Udhampur-Doda, Congress leaders, including ministers, MLAs, MLCs and district presidents, have written to the high command against repeating sitting Lok Sabha member Choudhary Lal Singh. They want Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to contest from here. State Congress leadership feels that Azad can help the party perform better in the state. JKPCC chief Saifuddin Soz said Azad would contest Lok Sabha elections from the Udhampur-Doda seat. Congress workers feel that Azad's presence will give them a psychological edge over their rivals. The Congress is hoping to reap political benefits of its success in the recently held Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Kargi, elections. The Congress has already won elections of the LAHDC, Leh. In the Valley, the Congress has left all three Lok Sabha seats for its coalition partner — the National Conference — but neither leaders nor workers are happy with the decision of the high command to surrender the Valley to the National Conference. JKPCC chief Soz admitted that he was not comfortable with the decision of the high command to give all seats of the Valley to the National Conference. "As the high command has taken this decision, we have to work for the victory of the coalition candidates," Soz said. In the 2008 Assembly elections, the Congress had won three seats from the Valley and lost some seats by a narrow margin. As the party wants to emerge as a force in the Valley, all three Congress MLAs from Kashmir are enjoying ministerial berths in the coalition government headed by Omar Abdullah. Congress’ only hope
Jammu and Kashmir Congress leadership feels that Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad can help the party perform better in the state. JKPCC chief Saifuddin Soz has said that Azad would contest the Lok Sabha elections from the Udhampur-Doda seat. Party’s performance over the years
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‘Pampered’ Jat belt to test Hoodas’ clout
Oppn hopes to win brownie points with electors by highlighting sitting MP’s refusal to re-contest Dharmendra Joshi and BS Malik Tribune News Service
Sonepat, March 20 Falling in the Rohtak-Bhiwani-Jhajjar-Sonepat belt, this Parliamentary segment is one of those seats where Hooda and his MP son Deepender Hooda reportedly paid more attention as compared to other areas. The CM is leaving no stone unturned to retain Sonepat, which is considered as the seat of his personal interest, whereas the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) are trying hard to regain base. Meanwhile, the AAP is making efforts to make its debut by raking up issues of corruption, dynasty rule and deteriorated law and order situation. First-timers for LS polls
Following sitting MP Jitender Singh Malik's refusal to re-contest, the Congress has fielded sitting Gohana MLA Jagbir Malik from the seat. Also a former minister, Jagbir has won Assembly elections thrice. Following unsuccessful talks of alliance with the BJP, the INLD gave the ticket to former MLA Padam Singh Dahiya. Both the Congress and the INLD seem to have kept in mind the considerable Jat electors, especially of Malik and Dahiya gotras, in Sonepat while deciding their candidates. However, the BJP fielded non-Jat Ramesh Kaushik, who had won the Assembly elections from Ganaur on the Haryana Vikas Party ticket in 1996 and also remained minister in the Bansi Lal Cabinet. He later joined hands with Om Prakash Chautala to topple the Bansi Lal government in 1999. Later, he joined the Congress and was elected MLA from Rai in 2004. He joined the BJP about a year ago. Late BJP MP Kishan Singh Sangwan's son Pradeep Sangwan was also an aspirant for the party ticket. Dissatisfied with the party's decision to field Kaushik, Sangwan quit as the state secretary and announced to contest as an Independent. AAP was the first to declare its candidate advocate Jai Singh. Gohana District Bar Association (DBA) president, Jai Singh has already covered more than 200 villages and several wards. The background
The Congress came to power in 1983 (byelection), 1984, 1991 and 2009, whereas the BJP won in 1999 and 2004, Samata Party (now part of the INLD) in 1998, and the INLD in 1980 and 1989. The Janata Party won in 1977 and Independent Dr Arvind Sharma registered victory in 1996. In 2009, the Congress won this seat by registering comfortable lead in eight of the total nine Assembly segments - Sonepat, Kharkhoda, Rai, Ganaur, Gohana, Baroda, Jind, Julana and Safidon. However, the situation changed a few months later in the Assembly elections as the Congress managed to win only five Assembly segments - Ganaur, Kharkhoda, Gohana, Rai and Baroda - whereas the INLD emerged victorious in three Assembly seats - Jind, Julana and Safidon - and the BJP wrested the Sonepat Assembly seat. Main issues
The Congress is raising the issue of development, while other parties, including the BJP, INLD and AAP, are focusing on corruption, incomplete projects and sitting Sonepat Congress MP Jitender Malik's refusal to re-contest. They are accusing Jitender of concentrating more on his home Assembly segment Ganaur and ignoring other eight Assembly segments falling under Sonepat Parliamentary segment. Meanwhile, the BJP is trying to ride its Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi "wave", the INLD is making an effort to garner sympathy votes in the name of former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala and his son Ajay Singh Chautala's conviction and the AAP is trying to make its presence felt by highlighting corruption and dynasty rule. Local issues
All non-Congress parties are raising the issues of delay in completion of various ongoing projects and rising crime in the state. The incomplete projects such as railway over-bridges in the middle of the city near Sonepat railway station and on Jind road near Gohana railway station, widening of local roads, laying of sewer and water pipelines are creating inconvenience for local residents. Besides, there is resentment among those belonging to the OBC category against the Congress for giving OBC status to Jats. Thin victory
margin expected
Capturing this seat after a gap of 18 years in 2009, Congress nominee Jitender Malik (3,38,795 votes) defeated his nearest BJP rival Kishan Singh Sangwan (1,77,511 votes) by a margin of 1,61,284 votes. This time, the victory margin is likely to be thin in the multi-cornered contest. Majority of unmarried
girls are not voters
The number of female electors is much less than that of male voters in the Jat-dominated seat, as most of the residents do not get unmarried daughters registered as voters. There are 821 female voters per 1,000 male voters. The gender ratio in electoral rolls is more pronounced than in projected population. There are 858 women against 1,000 men in the population projected. There are 1,35,012 more male voters (7,56,489) than female (6,21,477) in this constituency in the electoral rolls prepared on January 6.
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BJP clinches rainbow alliance in TN
Chennai, March 20 The announcement about the sealing of the alliance was made by BJP president Rajnath Singh who described it as a historic moment for Tamil Nadu and also for the country as seven parties had come into the NDA fold. Flanked by alliance partners, Singh told a press conference here that out of the 39 seats, actor-politician Vijayakant's DMDK would contest 14 seats while the PMK and the BJP would field candidates in eight constituencies each. Vaiko's MDMK has been allotted seven seats while the IJK and KMDK have been given one constituency each. Local BJP leaders were all smiles as the month-long efforts and protracted negotiations in the wake of some of the allies insisting on particular seats fructified as the party seeks to return a sizeable number of MPs from the state towards achieving formation of a Narendra Modi-led NDA government. Replicating the strategy of the two major Dravidian parties which have been taking up the emotive fishermen and Sri Lankan Tamils issue as a plank, Singh promised these were also on the "top priority" of his party. "Their (fishermen) release will be our topmost priority and also protecting their livelihood," he said. Accusing the UPA of being responsible for the travails faced by Sri Lankan Tamils, he said: "Under UPA, India was not able to impress Sri Lanka to resolve Tamils issue. The NDA will work to impress Sri Lanka as it is also in our security interest." Singh's announcement of seat-sharing was made in the presence of actor turned politician Vijayakant, Anbumani Ramadoss (PMK), Vaiko, IJK's Pariventhar and KMDK's Easwaran. Singh managed to convince the PMK to give up the claim on Salem seat and accommodate the request by DMDK. The other national party, the Congress, which used to piggyback on the DMK or the AIADMK, has been left to face the polls on its own this time with both shunning it. Asked if it would be a huge challenge for his party in terms of reaching out to the electorate in the wake of delay in finalising the alliance, Singh said: "The alliance has been finalised at the proper time." He underlined that BJP has already launched campaign in the state through rallies by Modi in January. Spelling out reasons for the tie-up with the BJP, Dr Anbumani Ramadoss later told reporters that finding solution for issues such as price rise, fishermen and Sri Lankan Tamils' prompted his party to join NDA. Reiterating that "Tamil Nadu had been ruined by DMK and AIADMK" for over four decades, he said people were fed up with the two Dravidian parties. Also, another important reason is to prevent split up of anti-AIADMK votes. "If we fought separately, it would become advantageous for Jayalalithaa. We wanted to prevent that," he said. — PTI
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Congress leader for truck with BSP, SP to fight Modi
Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service
New Delhi, March 20
Asked why the BSP and SP would work together considering they are arch political rivals in UP, Shastri said: "The BSP, SP and the Congress have a common goal of defeating Modi. If they are so serious about taking on the BJP stalwart, they should come together for this one seat and make an exception." Asked if the Congress could fight Modi alone by putting up its own candidate in Varanasi, Shastri said it was a tough prospect and a join candidate of three secular parties would be the best option, provided people took it forward seriously. Senior Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma said the party would field a strong, acceptable and preferably a local leader from Varanasi. He said the Congress would not vacate the seat or make space for either Modi of AAP's Arvind Kejriwal. "We will put up a very strong candidate," he said. Senior Congress leaders said they had shortlisted three candidates and the party was considering the best candidate for the seat. Since 1991, the BJP had lost the Varanasi seat only once to the Congress when Rajesh Mishra bagged the segment. In 1991, Shastri had won on the Janata Dal ticket from Varanasi.
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Yeddyurappa, Sriramulu’s return to BJP changes political equations in Karnataka
Bangalore, March 20 Yeddyurappa, who is facing corruption charges, does not wield as much influence on the numerically strong Lingayat community as he had before the 2008 Assembly elections. By fielding Geetha Shivarajkumar, having twin connections with former CM Bangarappa and Kannada film icon Rajkumar, against Yeddyurappa, the JD(S) might force the Lingayat strongman to spend considerable time in his constituency. Boost to BJP
However, the merger of Yeddyurappa's Karnataka Janata Party (KJP) with the BJP has brightened the saffron party's prospects in the state. The re-entry of Sriramulu - who floated the BSR Congress after breaking away from the BJP - in the BJP has given the party a boost. It BJP may receive a setback if Sriramulu, who has resigned from the Assembly, is denied the party ticket from the Bellary Lok Sabha constituency under pressure from senior leader Sushma Swaraj. In the 2009 elections, the BJP had won 19 out of the 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state. However, it will be a daunting task for the party to repeat its performance this time. But the saffron party - bolstered by the return of Yeddyurappa and Sriramulu - is all set to give the ruling Congress a tough fight in the April 17 elections. The Congress is not ready to accept the Lok Sabha elections as a referendum on the performance of its one-year-old state government. Caste equations
Karnataka has different political regions with distinct entities. The Vokkaliga community has a significant political presence in Southern Karnataka. The JD (S) enjoys the support of a majority of Vokkaligas and had won three seats in the region in 2009. The BJP has a strong voter base in the urban areas of the Bangalore region. The Mumbai-Karnataka region covers the areas which were earlier a part of the Bombay presidency. The BJP has domination with the support of the Lingayat community. The coastal region has served as the foundation stone for the rise of the BJP in the state. The Hyderabad-Karnataka region was a part of the Nizam`s territory before Independence. It has some of the most economically backward regions of the state and is considered as a stronghold of the Congress. Local issues to dominate
In the absence of any strong state-level or national-level issues, local issues are going to count in the run-up to the April 17 polls. The problem of sugarcane farmers in Belgaum, setting up of the railway divisional headquarters at Gulbarga by Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge, civic issues in Bangalore, possibility of Yeddyurappa becoming the Union Minister if the NDA forms the government and re-opening of the gold mine in Kolar are the issues concerning voters. Former Lok Sabha member HT Sangliana has raised an issue that may find resonance among Christians in the state. Sangliana, who is originally a native of Mizoram, is the latest disgruntled politician who is planning to switch political loyalty. He won elections for the first time from Bangalore (North) as a BJP candidate but lost the 2009 elections as a Congress nominee. Refused the Congress ticket this time, Sangliana may accept an offer from ex-PM H D Deve Gowda and contest polls as a Janata Dal (Secular) candidate. Sangliana, who was made the vice-chairman of the National Commission of Minorities by the UPA government, is criticising the Congress for not giving even one ticket to a Christian candidate in Karnataka. Shifting loyalties
The most well-known Karnataka politician to change loyalty before the election also hails from a minority community. Angry over denial of ticket, ex-Railway Minister CK Jaffer Sharief, a veteran Congress leader, is gearing up to contest the elections on the JD(S) ticket.
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Kapil Sibal files papers from Chandni Chowk
New Delhi, March 20
While filing the nominations, Sibal declared assets of around Rs 84 crore. His wife has assets worth Rs 30 crore. Sibal has Rs 1.50 lakh in bank account, mutual funds Rs 19.54 lakh, shares Rs 5.62 crore, loans and advances Rs 3.82 lakh, motor vehicles worth Rs 46.74 lakh, jewellery, bullion and valuables worth Rs 38 lakh. His wife has Rs 13.28 lakh in bank accounts, HSBC income fund STP growth Rs 50 lakh, shares in non-listed companies Rs 53,000, loans and advances Rs 6.72 lakh and jewellery worth Rs 63.75 lakh. In his affidavit, Sibal has declared Rs 3.45 lakh as cash in hand and his wife Rs 49,500. Besides, Sibal has four acres of agricultural land in Bangalore worth Rs 1.10 crore, agriculture land at Mehruali in Delhi worth Rs 90 lakh, and non-agricultural land in Faridabad worth Rs 5.10 crore. He also has a plot in Gurgaon worth Rs 3. 08 crore, commercial properties in Ludhiana worth Rs 68 lakh, Chandigarh worth Rs 1.75 crore, property in DCM building on Barakhamba Road worth Rs 59 lakh, property on Residency Road in Bangalore worth Rs 81 lakh, residential building in Secunderabad in Andhra Pradesh worth Rs 2.12 crore. Residential flat in Patna in Bihar worth Rs 46.41 lakh, Maharani Bagh in New Delhi worth Rs 44.38 lakh, Chandigarh worth Rs 4 crore, Gurgaon worth Rs 2.16 crore, a flat on Aurangzeb Road in New Delhi worth Rs 94 lakh and others worth Rs 4.20 crore. He has six motor vehicles — a Toyota Corolla, Hyundai, Suzuki Escudo, Enfield Bullet motorcycle, Reva electric car and a Maruti Dzire. Sibal along with his wife Promila and a number of supporters reached the office of the election returning officer near Civil Lines at 2.30 pm and filed his nominations. Talking to reporters after filing nomination papers, Sibal said: "How can the BJP control the country when it has failed to control its leaders." When asked if there was a Modi wave, Sibal said: "At least not in the Chandni Chowk constituency. When Modi could not be faithful to his political teacher (guru), how he could he be faithful to the others." Apart from Sibal, 31 other contestants filed their nomination papers in Delhi on Thursday.
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Before wooing voters, Modi to visit Vaishno Devi
Jammu, March 20 The party's Central Election Committee had on Sunday announced Modi's candidature from Varanasi Lok Sabha seat of Uttar Pradesh. Sources said the party's state unit had received a message from the Central leadership, stating that Modi would visit the shrine on March 26. "Modi will visit the shrine in a chopper on March 26 and will attend the morning aarti," a source said, adding: "After paying obeisance, he will address a rally in Jammu." Sources said the Central leadership had told the state unit that Modi would be in Jammu and Kashmir for just a few hours, so it was its responsibility to reap maximum political benefit from his visit. Meanwhile, it is learnt that fissures in the BJP's state unit have come to fore over the venue for Modi's rally. "A group had earlier suggested that rally should be held at Akhnoor town, native place of sitting Congress Lok Sabha member Madan Lal Sharma, to dent the Congress' vote bank," a source said, adding that later the proposal was rejected and the party leadership zeroed down on Samba town so that candidates of both Jammu-Poonch and Udhampur-Doda Lok Sabha could benefit. As Samba falls in Jammu-Poonch Lok Sabha segment, workers of Kathua and Udhampur have raised the demand that rally should be held exclusively for Udhampur-Doda Lok Sabha seat. Workers of Udhampur-Doda argued that earlier a rally addressed by Modi was held in Jammu, so there was no reason to organise another rally at the same Lok Sabha segment, sources said, adding that final decision on the rally's venue would be taken on Thursday after consulting the party high command. On December 1, 2013, Modi's Lalkar Rally was held in Jammu, which was attended by party workers from all over the state.
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Nilekani, wife’s assets worth
Rs 7,700 crore 297 cases of model code violation registered in UP Didi alleges water given to Bangladesh clandestinely EC sends Jindal’s complaint to NBA
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Plagued by factionalism, the Congress in Jammu and Kashmir is battling simultaneously on two fronts to retain its previous tally of two Lok Sabha seats.
As Sonepat is part of the Jat belt around Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda's home district Rohtak, it will play a crucial role in the upcoming elections.
Chennai, March 20
Plagued by factionalism, the Congress in Jammu and Kashmir is battling simultaneously on two fronts to retain its previous tally of two Lok Sabha seats.
The party is finding it difficult to unite its workers, who owe allegiance to different factions, and to coordination with its coalition partner - the National Conference - at the grassroots level.
Abdul Rahim Rather, Minister for Finance, Sham Lal Sharma, Minister for PHE, Flood Control and Irrigation, Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan, Minister for CAPD, Ghulam Ahmed Mir, Minister for Tourism, Mohammed Sharief Niaz, Deputy Leader of Congress in Assembly and Surjit Singh Slathia, senior National Conference leaders are the members of the committee.
As Sonepat is part of the Jat belt around Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda's home district Rohtak, it will play a crucial role in the upcoming elections.
As evident in the results of previous elections, people of Sonepat have given a fair chance to all political parties. The Congress emerged victorious four times, followed by the BJP and the INLD (twice each) and the JP and Independent (once each) since Sonepat was declared a separate Parliamentary constituency in 1977.
We are focusing on rampant corruption, dynasty rule and deteriorating law and order situation here. You can't get your work done without paying bribe and murders have become a routine here. Leaders nowadays use politics to mint money and use money to get power. The system needs to be changed so that the common man gets due representation at the
helm.
The Modi wave is proving beneficial for us. Corruption and injustice to Sonepat in terms of jobs and development in the past nine years are our main issues. Most of the residents are not provided even basic amenities as evident from the dilapidated roads in various areas. Opposition to my candidature by Pradeep Sangwan is proving to be a blessing in disguise for me as non-Jat votes have been polarised in my favour.~
Sonepat witnessed overall development in the past nine years during the Congress rule at the Centre and the state, whereas it was ignored during governments of other political parties. Allegations of injustice to Sonepat are baseless. RCF and international horticulture market are being set up in Sonepat instead of Rohtak, which will generate employment. Jitender is not contesting due to ill
health.
Like other parts of Haryana, Sonepat residents feel that the Congress and the CBI victimised INLD leaders Om Prakash Chautala and Ajay Singh Chautala and they are eager to teach the Congress a lesson. We will ensure equal development of all areas by putting an end to regionalism. Voters are against Congress. Farmers will be provided adequate price of their
yield.
The suggestion has come from Anil Shastri, former Lok Sabha MP from Varanasi and currently special invitee to the Congress Working Committee. Talking to The Tribune today, Shastri, son of former PM Lal Bahadur Shastri, said: "The best way to defeat Modi in Varanasi is to field a joint candidate of the Congress, BSP and SP. It's an idea that's gaining ground."
Had they remained as splintered groups like it was during the Assembly elections in the state last year, the Congress would have found it easy. But the equations have changed in Karnataka with the breakaway factions of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) coming under the banner of the parent party.
People of the constituency will reject the JD(S) as it has no base here. I am not bothered about the profile of my opponents. I am confident that people will vote for me. People have not forgotten the development works undertaken by the BJP. Besides, there is a Modi wave across the
country.
The Christian community is unhappy over the denial of ticket to Christian candidates by Congress in any of the 28 Lok Sabha seats. Christian leaders are upset as they had been the Congress' vote
bank. 
The Lok Sabha elections are not a referendum on the performance of the state government. One year is too short a time for administration to make a
mark. 
There are more women in Udupi-Chikmagalur LS constituency. When Indira Gandhi was facing problems, she contested from here and
won. 
Modi is an RSS-trained man. Let him announce that his party would provide reservation to the backward classes and other needy sections of society based on their population. If he could say it, he would not be in the
BJP. 
