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Campaign Trail - Arvind Kejriwal
Dismal show at AAP’s Jind rally fuels ‘failure’ speculations
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Kejriwal seeks support from Karnal residents
State BJP sold party tickets in connivance with Cong: Abhay
Youth held for assaulting Kejriwal
After caste issues, corruption takes centrestage in Gurgaon segment
Media should be made accountable: VC
Venod to launch stir against Jat reservation
Ex-minister supports INLD
82,000 polling staff on duty on April 10
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Campaign Trail - Arvind Kejriwal Naveen S Garewal Tribune News Service
Jind, March 29 The loudspeaker is blaring and people are being assured that Kejriwal will be there in 10 minutes. "Please wait, you have been patient. He has entered from the Bhiwani Road and will be here any moment," shouts the compere. But the people are restless, some begin to leave. Around 500 people are still at the venue. This is the same place where every political leader worth his salt in Haryana has held a historic rally or started an agitation. Kejriwal, too, hopes to make a beginning into the Jat hearts here. As time passes a few minutes past 10 pm, there is a sudden commotion, "Aa gaya aa gaya" (he has come he has come) rents the air. But as people turn their heads, they realise it’s a hoax. The loudspeakers have gone silent as the model code of conduct prohibits the use of loudspeakers after 10 pm. AAP candidate for the Sonepat parliamentary constituency Jai Singh, in whose support Kejriwal is coming here, is frantic. He pleads, "We don’t care about the mike or loudspeakers. We are true soldiers of the nation and will be able to hear our leader when he speaks.” Before he finishes, the slogans of "Bharat Mata ki Jai" and "Jai Singh zindabad" rent the air. It is now past 10.45 pm and there is no sign of Kejriwal. A small group of volunteers shout slogans demanding "swaraj". They accuse the BJP and the Congress of being hands in glove in "sucking the blood of the poor". They sing specially coined phrases highlighting the AAP policies. Clouds overhead are heavy and drizzle forces those sitting on the chairs to move closer to the stage in a bid to hear the speakers. Just as the commotion begins to build again, lights from an approaching convoy flash. He is finally here. All mediapersons waiting for long are asked to rush on the stage if they would like a word with the “messiah”, who is here to root out corruption and defeat the corrupt. It is past 11pm and people begin to gather again to have a glimpse of Kejriwal. Suddenly, all barricades open and Kejriwal, riding the front seat of a steel grey Toyota Innova, arrives. The only way to reach the stage safely, especially after the assault earlier in the day, is to drive right up to the stairs of the stage. Volunteers, virtually hanging to his vehicle, appeal to the supporters to make way. Finally, with a human ring around him, Kejriwal is escorted on to the stage. But before this happens, the diesel in the generator lighting up the venue finishes and it is pitch dark. Kejriwal is now on stage, but without any mike or loudspeaker amid darkness. But before anyone can ask him any question, a promise and a hope of being answered that kept people waiting is dashed, as Kejriwal refuses to address the media or take any questions from the audience. He appears exhausted and tired. So after receiving facilitation in the form of a plaque of Swami Vivekanand, he leaves for Jat Bhawan, where he would stay for a night. But before he goes, barely within three to four minutes of his arrival, there is torrential rain, making people run for shelter. In the commotion, AAP members make the same promise to the people that they made earlier in the day, "Come to meet him over tea in the morning and have all your questions answered.”
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Dismal show at AAP’s Jind rally fuels ‘failure’ speculations
Jind, March 29 The historic ground, which has remained a launchpad for all state politicians, is famous for setting the trend of state politics. Politicians achieved big positions in state and country politics only after organising successful political rallies on this ground, while the failure on this ground is generally taken as a sign of bleak future. “Yeh theek nahi hua,” said 76-year-old Ram Bhaj, a city-based AAP supporter, who has seen the rise of many Haryana politicians after their successful rallies here. Many others echoed similar views. Arvind Kejriwal reached the ground at around 10.50 pm and only empty chairs greeted him. The sudden rain at around 10.53 pm forced the few AAP workers present to leave the ground. The strong belief is not unfounded if we thoroughly check the historic rallies of Haryana. History is full of examples of how all politicians who started their campaign from Jind reached the top. Almost all senior politicians of the state, including Bansi Lal, Devi Lal, Bhajan Lal, Om Parkash Chautala and even the present Chief Minister became CM after their successful “padyatra” from Jind district. Some residents talked of how in 1995 Bansi Lal had organised a state-level “Save Haryana” rally in the city and had finally formed the government in 1996. Devi Lal had organised a big rally here in 1986 and later became the CM and the Deputy Prime Minister. In 2000, INLD supremo Om Parkash Chautala started his campaign from city and became the CM, HJC chief Kuldeep Bishnoi started his campaign in 2010 by organising a state-level rally and became the Member of Parliament (MP) in 2011. “It depends on whether anyone believes in it or not. But it is a fact that the Jind district is a trendsetter,” said Surinder Sharma, an elderly sitting near the Jat Dharmshala. “The rally did not fail. Since Arvind Kejriwal came around 10.40, almost six hours late, people had left by then thinking he was not coming,” said Yogesh, spokesman for AAP from
Jind. |
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Kejriwal seeks support from Karnal residents
Karnal, March 29 At 5:30 pm, his convoy reached Committee Chowk via Nissing, Singhra, Kuchpura, Manjura village, Chiro Mor and Kaithal road. Kejriwal addressed a gathering here and attacked the Congress and BJP, adding that the pitcher of sins was full and now God had started using the broom. He said he could not compromise on his principles, so he resigned from the post of Delhi Chief Minister as the Congress and the BJP had joined hands. AAP was confident of getting maximum number of votes and make a mark in the Lok Sabha Elections 2014, he added. Kejriwal then reached Hospital Chowk. As he moved around, his party's trademark caps, with taglines 'Mujhe Swaraj Chahiye’ and 'Aam Aadmi Party Zindabad’ and brooms were a hit among the young and the elderly alike. As the convoy, along with his supporters, made their way through bazaar, residents faced a lot of problems and the police had to do struggle to maintain the traffic system. Kejriwal said the tempo was building up, but
the youth were getting connected. |
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Hooda holds meetings in Kaithal
Kaithal, March 29 He said Jindal was committed towards the people of his constituency and raised his voice not only in the Parliament but also in Chandigarh to watch the interests of his voters. Hooda said there was not any issue of development of his constituency or related to welfare of the people of his constituency that he had not effectively taken up. Addressing the public at Baata, Hooda said the water flowing through the canals of Kalayat had only been possible because of persistence efforts of Naveen Jindal. He said all the promises made in Gohana had been fulfilled. After reaching Chausala, Hooda said Naveen Jindal was in politics only to work for the society, and his efforts in the healthcare including establishment of one of its kind tele-medicine health center had made the region a model for rest of the country. On the occasion, former Union minister, Jai Prakash, cautioned people that it was election time and many people would come to you to make false election promises. At Pundri, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Sultan Singh Jadaula said Chief Minister had been the architect of development in Haryana. Naveen Jindal said because of the blessings and support of people he had mustered enough strength to work relentlessly for the development of Kurukshetra parliamentary constituency. |
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State BJP sold party tickets in connivance with Cong: Abhay
Kalanwali/Tohana (Sirsa), March 29 Addressing election meetings in favour of INLD nominee Charanjit Singh Rori at Kalanwali in Sirsa and Tohana in Fatehabad, Chautala alleged that when the entire country wanted to see Modi as the next Prime Minister, some local BJP leaders had utilised this opportunity to fill their own coffers and in the process, placed roadblocks in the way of the Gujarat Chief Minister. He alleged that it was due to this unholy alliance between the Congress and the state unit of the BJP that as many as five Congressmen were contesting elections from the BJP-HJC tickets this time. He said time had come to expose this hobnob by casting votes in favour of the INLD nominees in large numbers. He said Modi was the best person suited for the Prime Minister’s post and his party also wanted him to occupy this post in the best interests of the country. He said Modi would definitely become the Prime Minister, but only with votes of Charanjit Singh Rori and other MPs of the INLD. Coming down heavily on the state Congress chief and sitting Sirsa MP Ashok Tanwar, Abhay alleged though he held big positions in his party, people of Sirsa did not get any benefit of it. Abhay alleged Chief Minister Hooda spoke of having made Haryana number one in the country, but as a matter of fact, Haryana occupied top position in rapes, unemployment and crime only. He said the INLD would make Haryana number one state in the country whenever it got a chance. Padam Jain, district INLD president, Nishan Singh, Fatehabad chief, Krishna Fogat, president of Mahila wing of Sirsa, Ram Raj Mehta, Kuljeet Singh Kuleria, Suman Lata Siwach and several other party leaders were present. |
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Youth held for assaulting Kejriwal
Hisar, March 29 The AAP workers, however, did not lodge any complaint against the accused as Kejriwal had appealed them to let him off. The accused has been identified as Satender Kumar of Legha village. He has been booked under Sections 186, 294,341, 353, and 510 of the IPC. He was produced in the court today which sent him to one-day police remand. |
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After caste issues, corruption takes centrestage in Gurgaon segment
Nuh (Mewat), March 29 Even as candidates play the caste card to the hilt, voters seem have other ideas on their mind against the backdrop of development virtually giving a miss to the Mewat area, which is a graphical extension of the millennium city Gurgaon. “When we go to nearby Gurgaon and Sohna, skyscrapers greet us while in our area, there has not been any development worth the name,” complained Mohammad Mustafa, a roadside eatery worker at Dehsada village on the Gurgaon-Nuh road. Mohammad Yasin of nearby Hiramthala village said funds earmarked for the Mewat area had virtually gone down the drain over the years. “We are poor cousins of Gurgaon where prosperity and wealth rule the roost,” he remarked. Abhay Singh, a private sector employee at the industrial town of Dharuhera in Rewari district, said with the entry of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on the political horizon of Gurgaon, corruption in public life was certainly an issue in this election. Traditionally, there had been polarisation of the Yadav and the Muslim votes in the Gurgaon parliamentary segment, currently being represented by Rao Inderjit Singh, a Yadav, who is contesting on the BJP ticket this time after leaving the Congress. The dominance of the Yadav community on the political landscape of the Gurgaon segment is testified by the fact that the Congress had also fielded sitting Badshahpur MLA Rao Dharampal as its candidate. The AAP, which wants to transcend the caste barrier in the elections, has fielded its Political Affairs Committee member Yogendra Yadav while the INLD has fielded an influential Muslim leader, Zakir Hussain, to take on three prominent Yadavs. While the Yadavs number over 3.5 lakh and the Muslims over 3 lakh of the total electorate of the Gurgaon segment which has the largest number of nearly 18.15 lakh voters in Haryana. Yadavs call the shots in the Badshahpur, Bawal, Rewari and Pataudi assembly segments, while the Meos dominate Punhana, Firozepur Jhirka and Nuh segments. Gurgaon and Sohna are comparatively urban constituencies. While Rao Inderjit Singh, Rao Dharampal and Zakir Hussain are well-entrenched leaders, particularly in their respective communities, Yogendra Yadav is a new entrant in the political area challenging the established leaders, important issues such as corruption and Swaraj. Youth as the deciding factor?
As the Gurgaon seat has the largest number of youth voters (9.73 lakh below 39 years), their role could not be over emphasised. After its splendid performance the Delhi Assembly elections, AAP has made Haryana its next destination. However, lack of organisational set-up and strong pockets of influence of the mainstream political parties are too formidable for the rookie party. |
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EC to keep hawk's eye on activities of star campaigners
Fatehabad, March 29 To keep a watch on the expenditure by political parties and their candidates, the surveillance teams and flying squads will videograph the activities of star campaigners and they can even search vehicles and helicopters used by them for unaccounted money. Ashish Kumar Dehariya, Election Observer (Election Expenditure) for Sirsa parliamentary seat said the authorities at the district-level must keep a close watch on the activities of the star campaigners. All political parties contesting the polls have released their lists of star campaigners and many of them like Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda of the Congress, Abhay Singh Chautala and Ashok Arora of the INLD, Ram Bilas Sharma of the BJP and Arvind Kejriwal of the Aam Aadmi Party have already begun state-wide campaign in Haryana. Addressing a meeting of the officials associated with the election process at Fatehabad last evening, Dehariya said a star campaigner can keep Rs 1 lakh in his or her vehicles or helicopter, but that too with the authorisation letter issued by the cashier of the party. Under ordinary circumstances, a candidate or his supporter can keep money up to Rs 50,000 in his vehicle or helicopter. The poll officials have the authority to check the vehicles and helicopters and confiscate the money, if it exceeds the prescribed limits. Notice will be issued to the candidates in such conditions. “The Election Commission of India is particularly strict on election expenditure, as it provides all candidates contesting the poll a level playfield,” Dehariya said adding that candidates exceeding their limits of Rs 70 lakh would be barred from contesting elections for three years. |
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Media should be made accountable: VC
Kurukshetra, March 29 He was addressing an international seminar on ‘Media and literacy: Issues and challenges’ organised by the Institute of Mass Communication and Media Technology, here today. Kanwar Sandhu, Executive Editor of The Tribune, who was the guest of honour, said though citizen journalism kept a check on the traditional media, it’s functioning needed to be determined for the betterment of society. Frank Baker, national media literacy educator and consultant, Columbia, South Carolina, USA, talked about five concepts of media literacy. He rued that both media students and teachers had not developed a critical sense to analyse things properly. Sevanti Ninan, Editor - The Hoot, Columnist, The Mint, said private channel owners were paying more attention to cost cutting rather than news content. |
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Venod to launch stir against Jat reservation
Ambala, March 29 He said the union government had granted reservation to the Jat community, which was not a right decision of the Congress. He said the Jat community was already prosperous and did not require reservation in jobs. He said it would hamper the right of the backward communities. Venod said he had decided to launch a statewide agitation against the reservation given to the Jat community. He said if Modi came in power, he would request him to cancel the reservation offered to the Jat community. He said he had fought in the Assembly for the rights of the upper cast community. The government was forced to grant 10 per cent reservation to the financially backward people of the upper cast community like Brahamn, Punjabi, Bania, he said. Venod maintained that after touring the state and ascertaining people’s views, he would launch a new political party. A large number of his supporter reached the conference and assured support to him. Some of the municipal councillor of the Municipal Corporation, including mayor Ramesh Mal, were not present at the conference. Venod assured his supporter that he would not leave Ambala and would make the city the centre of his politics. Former district Congress president Arun Garg, former party leaders Parminder Babla, Nirmail Khera, Pawan Aggarwal Dimpi, and over 25 sarpanches were present at the conference. |
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Ex-minister supports INLD
Hisar, March 29 Addressing a press conference here today, Batra said INLD had given due share to the Punjabi community. "The Congress party has totally ignored Punjabis, who represent 36 castes in Haryana. Out of more than one lakh government jobs, the Punjabis were given only a handful of jobs in nine years," he alleged. He had decided to support the party which gave due representation to the community and the INLD had fulfilled the aspirations of Punjabi community by allotting three tickets of Lok Sabha election to Punjabi candidates ie Karnal (Jaswinder Sindhu), Sirsa (Charanjit Singh) and Faridabad(R K Anand), he added. Batra said," We hope that INLD would allot at least 25 seats to us during the Vidhan Sabha elections. Before 19,66 all the people of this area were known as Punjabis. It is a culture and not a caste." Punjabi leaders Joginder Kahlon, Yagya Dutt Setia and Ram Lal Vimal
were also present on this occasion. Earlier, eunuch leader Raj Haseena, president, District Women Congress Committee, quit Congress and joined INLD in the presence of Dushyant Chautala. |
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82,000 polling staff on duty on April 10
Chandigarh, March 29 Walgad said about 50,000 Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) would be used in the state, which included 18,000 control units and about 32,000 ballot units. He said 230 candidates would contest Lok Sabha Elections in the state, including 11 women candidates. A maximum of 41 candidates were contesting from Hisar parliamentary constituency while the least number of 14 candidates were contesting from Ambala and Rohtak each. Walgad said the candidates from the state included eight candidates of BJP, 10 candidates of BSP, two candidates of CPI, three of CPM, 10 candidates each of INC and INLD, two of HJC (BL), 64 candidates of registered political parties and 121 independent candidates. He said 10 general observers along with 10 expenditure observers have been deputed in
the state. Apart from this, one police observer, two awareness observers and about 10 micro observers have been appointed. He said the Gurgaon parliamentary constituency had maximum number of voters in the state whereas Sonepat had the least number of voters. The state had a total of 1,60,96,980 voters, including 73,80,149 women and 87,16,831 men voters. It also includes 12 NRI voters, he added. |
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