The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	CPI to support Manpreet in Bathinda Party deviates from its stand of opposing Congress nationwide Tribune News Service Bathinda, March 22 PPP-Congress candidate from Bathinda Manpreet Badal today got a major fillip when the Communist Party of India (CPI) announced to support him. The party has thus deviated from its national stand of opposing the Congress. It had remained divided on the matter till now. The CPI has made this special concession of supporting a Congress-supported candidate for the local seat only. It will continue to oppose the Congress at the national level and other seats in the state. Dr Joginder Dayal, member, national executive council of the CPI; Hardev Arshi, former MLA and member, state executive council; Jagdeep Singh Joga and Krishan Chauhan, secretary of the Bathinda and Mansa units, respectively, told reporters that the party had unanimously decided to support Manpreet. They said the support was unconditional and would continue even if Manpreet contested the election on Congress symbol and the PPP did not support CPI candidates elsewhere. Local CPI leaders had already decided to support Manpreet even if the state and central leadership were against it. Dayal said the CPI wanted to end the SAD’s dynasty rule in Bathinda. He said the CPI was in principle against the Congress and the BJP since both parties played “divisive” politics. Arshi claimed the CPI had a strong vote bank in the region and would influence the votes in favour of Manpreet. Chandigarh: Bant Brar, CPI state secretary, said CPI leaders would campaign in support of Manpreet in Bathinda where it had a sizeable following. “The CPI in alliance with the CPM will contest the Faridkot and Amritsar Lok Sabha seats. We will support CPM candidates in Ludhiana and Anandpur Sahib. The CPI is also keen on contest the Sangrur seat, but no final decision has been taken,” he added.
	Cong may field Jakhar from Ferozepur Archit Watts Tribune News Service Muktsar, March 22 After its surprise move to field Capt Amarinder Singh from Amritsar and Ambika Soni from Anandpur Sahib, the Congress is now considering to field its legislative party leader Sunil Jakhar from Ferozepur. Though Jakhar has not sought the ticket, there is a possibility of his contesting from Ferozepur, a constituency that his father, former Governor of Madhya Pradesh Balram Jakhar, had won in 1980. A senior Congress leader told The Tribune that Jakhar’s name was discussed in the Congress Working Committee meeting held recently. “Jakhar is a non-controversial and well-educated politician. There will be no opposition to his nomination,” says the leader, who is also a strong aspirant for party ticket from Ferozepur. “The Congress had earlier decided not to field any sitting MLA in the parliamentary poll, but with Amarinder getting the ticket, the party may make another exception.” Talking to The Tribune on the phone from Delhi, Jakhar said: “If the party decides to field me from Ferozepur, I will abide by the decision." Jakhar, who won three consecutive assembly elections from Abohar, said he was getting phone calls from party leaders and workers asking about his candidature with some even congratulating him. On the other hand, former Muktsar MLA, Bhai Harnirpal 'Kuku', who had joined the Congress by leaving the SAD in 2012, has started his election campaign hoping to get ticket for Ferozepur. Sitting MLA from Guruharsahai Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, Gidderbaha MLA Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, former CWC member Jagmeet Singh Brar and former minister Hans Raj Josan are among ticket seekers. The SAD has fielded its sitting MP Sher Singh Ghubaya from Ferozepur.
	SAD (Longowal) to back Cong Tribune News Service Chandigarh, March 22 The SAD (Longowal) today announced its unconditional support to the Congress, calling it a union of all “anti-communal forces to try and stop them from coming to power”. Leaders and workers of the SAD (Longowal), led by former Chief Minister Surjit Singh Barnala, party president Surjit Kaur, their son Gaganjit Singh and secretary general Baldev Mann, today announced a formal support for the Punjab Congress here. Punjab Congress president Partap Singh Bajwa, former Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Sangrur MP Vijay Inder Singla and MLA Lal Singh were also present. A spent force: Dhindsa Chandigarh: Akali Dal secretary general Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa today alleged the SAD (Longowal) had become irrelevant in Punjab. In a statement, Dhindsa alleged that former Chief Minister Surjit Singh Barnala had, as such, decided to support the Congress to create a political future for his family.
	No Modi wave: Anna Tribune News Service Amritsar, March 22 Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare today said there was no Modi wave in the country. Replying to a query after paying obeisance at the Golden Temple here, he said even if Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister, it would “not bring an end to corruption”. Interestingly, he did not answer any query regarding his former aide Arvind Kejriwal while shouting back at the media: “Naam mat lo uska (Don't take his name before me)." On why people like Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi and VK Singh deserted him, he said, "You better ask this question to them." He, however, said in the same breath that it must have happened for better as the Lokpal came only after they left him. On who should be the next Prime Minister, he said, "A man of character". He said it was wrong on the part of the political parties to seek votes on communal lines. On who will form the next government, he sounded a bit disillusioned, saying “whosoever formed the government, there was no future”. After initially throwing his weight behind TMC chief Mamata Baneerjee, he said he would not campaign for any political party. He said he would kick off his campaign after taking a vow at Shaheed Bhagat Singh's native village Khatkar Kalan tomorrow. He hit out against the alleged use of money and muscle power in elections and said one cannot become a true representative of the people by getting elected through wrong means.
	Call from Sonia saw Ambika jumping into poll fray Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 22 Known to prefer party positions over electoral politics, Congress veteran Ambika Soni is all set to enter election fray as a candidate from Anandpur Sahib parliamentary constituency. It was a phone call from Congress president Sonia Gandhi last evening that triggered a dramatic turn of events in Punjab where Ravneet Bittu, the sitting MP from Anandpur Sahib (whose name the party had earlier cleared), was dropped and Soni brought to replace him. The reason: the Congress wanted to enter Punjab battlefield all guns blazing. Asked why the party considered a replacement when Bittu was already campaigning, Soni, currently Congress general secretary in charge of Congress president’s office, told The Tribune, “Soniaji called yesterday and said all of us must fight. That was it.” At her Akbar Road residence here, Soni spent the day making phone calls to workers back in Anandpur Sahib, trying to fix up her campaign schedules. What goes in her favour is that despite lacking a public presence in Anandpur Sahib, Soni has worked for the segment first as Culture and Tourism Minister and later as Rajya Sabha member from Punjab. “I used my MPLAD funds for development in Anandpur Sahib and Hoshiarpur, the latter being my husband’s family home,” Soni said. Asked if she was willing to contest, Ambika said the question became irrelevant the moment Congress president called up asking top leaders to fight. Privately, however, Congress leaders said Soni was brought after Bittu’s campaign failed to pick up. She was reluctant to contest, which is evident from the fact that she quit the Cabinet in October 2012 to take up a party position and was not interested in other roles. “Why would she quit the Cabinet had she been interested in anything but an organisational role?” asked a Congress leader. With the decision taken, Soni says she is confident of challenging Akali Dal’s Prem Singh Chandumajra. “The party is giving a message that it means business and Punjab’s voters can now register their protest vote against what is going on in the Akali-BJP regime. People have been seeking a change but we lost the assembly elections due to our complacency. We are now coming back as a firm alternative,” said Soni. As Culture Minister between 2006 and 2009, Soni had sanctioned Rs 182 crore for Anandpur Sahib; Rs 16 crore for Bhagat Singh Museum at Khatkar Kalan; worked on a tourism centre in the name of Guru Ravi Das. Most recently, Soni said, she donated her family land in Hoshiarpur’s Bajwara village for a gurdwara in the name of Guru Gobind Singh’s wife.
	‘Amritsar ignored at Lambi’s cost’ Capt says will launch campaign in two days; dubs Jaitley ‘outsider’ Ruchika M. Khanna Tribune News Service Chandigarh, March 22 Initially reluctant to contest, former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has accepted the challenge to fight the Lok Sabha elections from Amritsar. A “soldier at heart” (as he loves to be described), the senior Congress leader is already in the battle mode. Less than 24 hours since the Congress president Sonia Gandhi asked him to “lead the party from the front”, he is already ensconced in closed-door meetings with his small group of confidants and MLAs from the Majha region, readying his battle strategy. The issue of Amritsar being ignored for development by the Akalis, while major funds were utilised in Lambi — something that BJP MP Navjot Singh Sidhu and his MLA wife Navjot Kaur had been crying hoarse about — and illicit drug trade and smuggling of narcotics from across the border would be the key issues on which the former Chief Minister would rest his campaign. The issue of alleged poor governance, failure of law and order and victimisation and persecution of innocent people by the Akali leaders, particularly in Majithia area, would also be at the core of his election campaign as he prepares to take on senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley. “I will go to Amritsar in two days and launch my election campaign. Being at the helm of affairs of Punjab Pradesh Congress and later as Chief Minister, I am well versed with the problems of Amritsar. Unlike Jaitley, who is an outsider in Amritsar. I don’t think he is even aware of the geography or the names of places in his constituency. His only association with Punjab was when he was party in charge of the state long time back. Badal might be referring to him as the Deputy Prime Minister in case the BJP comes to power, but that does not matter to me. I am in the game of contesting elections for over four decades,” he told The Tribune in an exclusive interview. Other than enjoying the support of all senior Congress leaders and MLAs from Majha, Amarinder is also considered a Panthic face in the Congress as he had resigned from Parliament and the Congress after the Operation Bluestar. With Amritsar parliamentary seat having more than 60 per cent of Sikh voters, the party feels that he is the best bet to be fielded from Amritsar. “I still hold the opinion that the Operation Bluestar was wrong. But we cannot carry the burden of history, especially as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi have already apologised for it,” he said. Asked about his earlier statement on not being able to do justice to the people of Amritsar if fielded from there, he said: “I had said that as compared to any local candidate, who would be able to devote more time to Amritsar, I would not be able to do so. But I feel as much at home in Amritsar as in Patiala.” Amarinder said he would also be balancing his time between Amritsar and the rest of the state. “I need to spend time in Patiala and I have already promised Ambika Soni that I will be canvassing for her”.
	Capt a reluctant nominee: Jaitley BJP leader says not in race for any post at Centre Tribune News Service Amritsar, March 22 A day after the Congress fielded former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh from Amritsar, BJP candidate Arun Jaitley dubbed the former as a “reluctant candidate” saying an “unnecessary hype” was being created over the Patiala royal scion’s candidature. Talking to mediapersons here this morning, Jaitley alleged there was a similar hype prior to the Punjab Assembly elections in 2012 fought under Amarinder. “But the Congress got defeated and the same will be repeated this time too,” he said. On Amarinder’s aggressive style of campaigning, he said the “aggression should not be in one’s body language but in ideas”. Claiming that he was not new to Punjab or Amritsar, Jaitley said, “I have remained involved in Amritsar when Navjot Sidhu contested from here. I have been the Punjab poll in charge twice in the past.” Asked whether he would rely more on the SAD for his win from Amritsar, Jaitley said there was no such issue, and the ruling alliance would fight it out together.” He said there was nothing controversial about the Amritsar seat as it was Sidhu who persuaded him for the contest. On media reports regarding Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s remarks at Attari yesterday, Jaitley said he was not in the race for any post at the Centre, and that he was here only to serve the people of Amritsar. “Nothing much should be read into Badal’s statement. These are all comments made in the course of a campaign. I can assure you that I am not looking for any position. Probably what he had in his mind is quite legitimate, that Amritsar and Punjab need a good voice at the Centre, and that is one of the expectations from me,” he said. Takes to cyber route Jaitley has been exploiting Facebook, Twitter and blogs to the hilt so as to reach out to the maximum number of people. Opens election office Jaitley inaugurated his election office at Khanna Smarak here on Saturday. He also met the Christian community leaders
	SAD hits out at Capt Tribune News Service Amritsar, March 22 Senior Akali leaders from Amritsar Lok Sabha constituency today hit out at former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, questioning his public accountability. Citing Amarinder’s tenure as the CM from 2002 to 2007, the ruling SAD leaders alleged that he was not available even to his ministers, MLAs and workers of his own party, leave aside the general masses. “Now what inspires him to ask for votes from the people of Amritsar?” they said. In a joint statement issued here today, Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia, Animal Husbandry Minister Gulzar Singh Ranike and Chief Parliamentary Secretary Inderbir Singh Bolaria alleged that Amarinder had publically stated that he was from outside Amritsar and thus would not be able to do justice to the people before he was fielded by the party. They said nothing could be expected from Amarinder as he “would not be available to the people”.
	Maya rally in Chandigarh on March 30 Chandigarh, March 22 Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati would be addressing a rally of party workers in Chandigarh on March 30. She will also be addressing a "maha rally" at Nawanshahr on April 16 in support of all the 13 candidates being fielded by the party in Punjab. BSP’s national general secretary and MP Narendra Kashyap said this while addressing a press conference here today. He also announced the candidature of Madan Bhatti from Sangrur Lok Sabha constituency.— TNS
	Stage set for keen contest in Amritsar Perneet Singh Tribune News Service Amritsar, March 22 The Congress seems to have turned the tables on the SAD-BJP alliance by fielding former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh from Amritsar, setting the stage for a keen contest in the prestigious constituency. Otherwise, say poll analysts, it may have been a one-sided contest. At first sight, Amarinder appears to have given hope to the Congress cadre. He is an experienced player of electoral politics and has a decades-long political career in Punjab. He is a charismatic leader known for his crowd-pulling ability and needs no introduction even in remote parts of the state. In him, the Congress has put up a Sikh face knowing fully well that the move may work to its advantage in the Sikh-dominated seat, particularly in view of the fact that the BJP has replaced its sitting Sikh MP with Jaitley. Though the ruling alliance has been dubbing Amarinder a "reluctant candidate", there is no denying the fact that he has a mass appeal among the rural populace, farming community in particular, which is traditionally the SAD votebank. Amritsar Lok Sabha constituency has a majority of Assembly segments with rural backdrop. The Congress would also exploit to the hilt the issue of Sikh farmers in Gujarat and the SAD-BJP ousting three-time MP Navjot Singh Sidhu, also a Sikh, to corner the BJP in the constituency. The electoral battle in Amritsar may also witness exchange of barbs between Captain and the top SAD leadership over issues like the Operation Bluestar and the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The Congress move to field Captain will also douse the factionalism in the local party unit to a large extent and the party workers will rally around in his support. The Congress knew that it would be in trouble if it fielded a local candidate as groupism would not allow the party to succeed in the poll battle, which was already made tough by the ruling alliance with the entry of Jaitley. Among the local contenders, Punjab Congress vice-president and Amritsar Central MLA OP Soni was the front-runner. He had lost to Sidhu by a thin margin in the last Lok Sabha elections. But this time, a section of the party was opposed to him. Amarinder's candidature would also have a positive impact for the Congress in neighbouring Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha constituency where his close aide Harminder Singh Gill is pitted against SAD stalwart Ranjit Singh Brahmpura. Spicing it up * Amarinder Singh is an experienced player of electoral politics and has a decades-long political career in Punjab n He is known for his crowd-pulling ability and needs no introduction even in remotest parts of Punjab In him, the Congress has put up a Sikh face knowing fully well that the move may work to its advantage in the Sikh-dominated seat * Particularly in view of the fact that the BJP has replaced its sitting Sikh MP Navjot Sidhu with Jaitley.
	CM flays Hans for opposing Tinu Tribune News Service Jalandhar, March 22 Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said party’s former state vice-president Hans Raj Hans’ utterances against party nominee from Jalandhar Pawan Kumar Tinu were uncalled for. In city to attend the bhog ceremony of Tinu’s father, Badal said: “Hans did not have any problem with Tinu when the latter was fielded from the Adampur assembly segment in 2012 and was later appointed Chief Parliamentary Secretary. Hans is frustrated since was not given the party ticket”. On his projecting BJP candidate from Amritsar Arun Jaitely as deputy prime minister if the NDA comes to power, the CM said: “I made these remarks in a lighter vein.” Phagwara: Addressing a rally here in favour of Tinu here, Badal alleged fearing loss, most of the Congressmen were reluctant to contest the elections. Urging people to vote for the NDA, he said the UPA Government “failed miserably” in its foreign as well as domestic policies.