Poll staff arrange EVMs in Gurgaon on Tuesday. A Tribune Photograph

Chandigarh, April 8
Even as the campaigning for the 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana comes to an end, voters continue to keep the politicians guessing on how they would vote when the state goes to poll on April 10. The last two to three weeks have seen hectic campaigning and political lobbying by all political parties with the voters making the candidates sweat it out without any promises.

Though, every party is claiming to be ahead of the rivals, only the results on May 16 will reveal which 10 out of the 230 candidates in fray make it to Parliament. In all, 1.55 crore voters, including 71 lakh women would cast their votes at 16,129 polling stations. Out of these 11,644 are in rural areas. The Election Commission has ensured that no voter has to travel long distance to exercise their franchise.

Apart from the traditional Congress, Indian National Lok Dal, Bharatiya Janata Party and the Bhaujan Samaj Party, Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Admi Party candidates are in the poll fray. AAP’s big leaders Yogendra Yadav and Naveen Jaihind are contesting the Gurgaon and Rohtak segments, respectively. The BJP is contesting the election in alliance with the Haryana Janhit Congress.

The Sirsa and Hisar seats have been left to the HJC, while the BJP is contesting on all other eight seats. The BJP is seeking votes in the name of its Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. Most candidates are either Congressmen who have joined the BJP or brought from outside. The party, however, claims it has a clear wave and would sweep the poll. On the contrary, the Congress campaign is led by its star campaigner and Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda almost singly, with an occasional rally by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, who have sought votes on the issue of development in the state. Hooda claims his party would repeat the 2004 and 2009 results by winning nine of the 10 seats again.

The INLD is seeking votes from its committed vote base and asking people to vote for the party so that they can be party of the NDA and thereby ensure the release of Om Prakash Chautala and Ajay Chautala from jail. The party has alleged that Chautalas are in the jail as part of a conspiracy by the Congress which has “managed to get leaders like Lalu Parsad Yadav out on bail.

According to Chief Electoral Officer Shrikant Walgad, the number of candidates constituency-wise is as follows: Hisar 41, Ambala 14, Biwani-Mahendergarh 26, Faridabad 27, Gurgaon 22, Karnal 23, Kurukshetra 22, Rohtak 14, Sirsa 18 and Sonipat 23.

Important leaders in the fray include Congress state president Ashok Tanwar (Sirsa) and sitting Congress MPs Deepender Hooda, Naveen Jindal, Shruti Choudhry, Arvind Sharma and Avtar Singh Bhadana. From Sonipat, the Congress has fielded its Gohana MLA Jagbir Singh Malik after party's sitting MP Jitender Malik opted out. Kuldip Bishnoi of the HJC is seeking re-election from Hisar.

After the din of electioneering ends today, candidates would be free to do door-to-door campaigning till Thursday morning when the state goes to the poll.

Chandigarh, April 8
Chief Electoral Officer Shrikant Walgad said here today that campaigning in the 10 Lok Sabha constituencies of Haryana was largely orderly. The Election Department had completed all arrangements for peaceful and fair elections. No person would convene, hold or attend, join or address any public meeting or procession in connection with the elections during the 48 hours ending with the hour fixed for the conclusion of the poll.

Display of any election matter by means of cinematograph, television or other similar apparatus, has also been prohibited. No person would propagate any election matter to the public by holding or arranging of any musical or theatrical performance or any other entertainment or amusement with a view to attract members of the public.

Walgad said any person who contravenes these provisions would be punishable with imprisonment for up to two years or fine, or both.

Polling agents of different political parties would be allowed to enter the polling booths with authority letters by 6 am on April 10. Mock poll would be conducted at 6 am. The polling would be held between 7 am and 6 pm. At 6 pm, the electoral officer would give slips to the voters standing in the queue before being allowed to cast votes.

Walgad said about 44,000 police personnel and home guards and 60 companies of paramilitary forces had been deployed to ensure peaceful conduct of elections.

Rohtak, April 8
Accusing the INLD and the BJP-HJC alliance of resorting to petty politics, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the opposition parties had been making false and frivolous statements in their desperation to come to power.

Interacting with people during his roadshow on the last day of canvassing here today, Hooda maintained that the state was on the pathway of sustained and all-round development due to strenuous efforts put in by the Congress government.

Addressing a series of corner meetings in support of Congress candidate Deepender Singh Hooda in Rohtak town, the Chief Minister pointed out that “the circumstances were not conducive to development during the previous INLD-BJP regime. Every section of society was tormented. Criminals were openly patronised by their political bosses and prisons had become their safe havens.”

He asserted that the Congress government had established the rule of law in the state and opened up myriad development projects under the leadership of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Making an emotional appeal to vote for his son Deepender, Hooda affirmed that the incumbent MP had put in hard work for the development of his constituency and today’s Rohtak was outcome of his earnest efforts.

Sirsa, April 8
State Congress chief Ashok Tanwar today ended his poll campaign by organising a roadshow from Chautala village to Fatehabad. Former Union minister Kumari Selja campaigned for Tanwar in Sirsa town last evening.

Shobha Ojha, president, All India Mahila Congress, also campaigned and participated in his roadshow today.

Tanwar, accompanied by Rahul Setia, president, All India Yuva Punjabi Sena, former OSD to CM KV Singh, state Youth Congress president Amit Sihag and several other leaders started his roadshow from INLD supremo Om Prakash Chautala’s native village in the Dabwali segment of Sirsa in the morning.

Chief Parliamentary Secretary Prahlad Singh Gillankhera joined Tanwar in Fatehabad.

Addressing people during the roadshow, Tanwar alleged that the opposition parties had always tried to grab votes by misleading the people, while the Congress had always worked for the welfare of weaker sections of society.

Addressing a public meeting at Bhagat Singh Chowk here last evening, Selja said Tanwar had always remained with his constituents and worked for their welfare.

Brushing aside the so-called Modi wave in these elections, Selja said the Congress had seen several ups and downs, but the party had emerged stronger every time.

Terming Tanwar as her younger brother, Selja said people of the constituency elected her father as well as her and she wanted that Tanwar should be given another term to serve the people in a better way.

Selja’s father late Chaudhary Dalbir Singh was elected from Sirsa in 1967, 1971, 1980 and 1984 while Selja emerged victorious from here in 1991 and 1996.

Former minister Jagdish Nehra was also present with Selja.

Meanwhile, addressing mediapersons here today, Shobha Ojha said in its manifesto, the Congress had set a target of providing direct or indirect employment to 10 crore youth.

She said though Sirsa was the home turf of Chautalas, they kept it neglected during their regime.

Sumitra Chauhan, state president and Shilpa Verma, state general secretary of the Haryana Mahila Congress, were also present during the press conference.

Faridabad, April 8
With just less than 48 hours to go for poll, there are several residents who are yet to get voter slips or identity cards in the Faridabad, having over 17.40 lakh voters. The polling is slated to be held on April 10 at around 1,640 polling booths spread across nine Assembly constituencies.

“The complainants have failed to get their voter slips, despite claims made on the part of district election officials in this regard,’’ said Kailash Sharma, a social activist. He said he had received more than a dozen complaints from people who had not been given voter slips. Though the authorities claimed that all identity cards and slips had been distributed, the documents had failed to reach many voters, thus casting a doubt over such claims, he added.

He said perhaps the BLOs concerned had not taken the work seriously and had allegedly been piling up the slips for vested political interests.

R K Gupta, another resident, said names of several residents were either missing from the revised voters list or had not been included during the past two months, despite submission of applications.

Demanding a probe into the functioning of the department, he said anyone who had lodged a complaint with the election office was told to contact the BLO, who he claimed was hardly available for the complainants.

A couple, residing in G block of sector 10, on the condition of anonymity, said they had applied for voter identity cards in October last year but had not received the same till date, despite claims and announcements made by the district returning officer that all applicants or voters had been provided voter slips.

“Our family has received only two voter slips against five votes,” said Yogesh Kumar Shukla, a resident of Dabua colony. He said there were several families in the locality which had not received a slip till date.

Another resident Subhash Lamba said while the residents who approached the election office were asked to contact the subordinate officials concerned, the latter remained unavailable.

Ambala, April 8
Election campaigning ended with roadshows organised by various political parties in Ambala. Keeping their fingers crossed, politicians are now waiting for the voters’ verdict.

Congress candidate Raj Kumar Valmiki today organised a roadshow in a number of villages in Mullana segment of the district. He harped upon pro-development policies of the Congress party. He said the policies introduced by the Congress government had completely changed the way the country’s system worked today. He said the RTI Act, which has empowered the common man, was a milestone achieved only under the Congress rule. “Even the state government under Bhupinder Singh Hooda has done exceptionally well for the overall development of the state,” he said.

BJP candidate Rattan Lal Kataria was today active in the Panchkula areas, while his supporters here held a meeting, which they termed as ‘Shakti Pradarshan’ (show of strengthen), under local MLA Anil Vij.

The BSP, which remained active in the rural areas, today reached out to the urban voters with party candidate Dr Kapoor Singh leading a roadshow. He sought votes in the name of development, which has remained elusive for Ambala.

In most of the Assembly segments, local issues including roads, sewage and water supply, grant of sub-tehsil status to Shahzadpur in Naraingarh, a treasury at Saha, an SDM office at Ambala cantonment, sewage system at Barara, completion of an ITI at Naraingarh and withdrawal of the toll barrier from the Saha-Shahabad road dominated the voters’ psyche.

The issue of conversion of the leased-out land in the Sadar area to freehold plots, which has been hanging fire, was a major poll issue during campaigning of all candidates.

Yamunanagar, April 8
Before the election campaigning got over today, leaders and supporters of candidates of various political parties held roadshows and public meetings.

BJP candidate for Ambala Lok Sabha seat (reserved) Ratan Lal Kataria held a road show in Jagadhri. The show, joined by hundreds of supporters, began from Ram Leela Bhawan and passed through various areas of the city. Kataria said people of the country were fed up of anti-people policies of the UPA government and wanted a change. He said the BJP would bag all 10 seats.

Congress candidate Raj Kumar Valmiki also held a roadshow here. He went to various areas of the city, accompanied by a sizeable number of his supporters.

Valmiki claimed that his win was assured. People would vote in favour of Congress as it had brought all-round development in the state.

"There is no anti-incumbency factor in the state. The Congress will form the government in the Centre as well as in the state this time too," he claimed.

Senior Congress leader Shakeel Ahmad also addressed a public meeting held by Congress leader Zakir Hussain in favour of Valmiki in Ganaula village, under Chhachhrulai block.

He said Congress respected people belonging to all religions. It did not work to divide people, as did the BJP. "People understand the intentions of BJP, which is playing the communal card to divide people in order to grab votes," Shakeel alleged.

The public meeting was attended by Sadhaura MLA Rajpal Bhukhri, former MLA Nirmal Singh, leaders Bhupal Bhatti, Darshan Lal Khera, Anil Goyal, Hazi Amir Hassan and Shyam Sunder Batra.

Shakeel Ahmad also addressed a public meeting in Gobindpuri village in Yamunanagar.

Karnal, April 8
On the last day of campaigning, the heat of elections was high in Karnal parliamentary constituency, where 23 candidates, including sitting MP Arvind Sharma of Congress, Ashwini Chopra of BJP-HJC alliance, Jaswinder Singh Sandhu of INLD, Maratha Virender Verma of BSP and Paramjeet Singh of AAP, are pitted against one another in a stiff contest.

All the candidates showed their strength through public meetings and roadshows to ensure their victory in the elections.

The BJP-HJC alliance candidate Ashwini Chopra held a roadshow with his supporters in Karnal district. His supporters wore saffron caps and held flags in their hands. He appealed to the voters to cast vote in his support. He also addressed many public meetings in the Indri block. His wife Kiran and son Aditya also campaigned for him.

Congress candidate Arvind Sharma addressed public meetings in Karnal and Panipat district and urged voters to ensure his victory. His wife Dr Rita, mother and father also campaigned for him on the last day of campaigning.

INLD candidate Jaswinder Singh Sandhu campaigned with HSGPC president Jagdish Singh Jhinda in Daya Colony, Jundla, Kachwa and many other villages and wards of Karnal city. His brother and three sons also campaigned for him.

BSP candidate Maratha Virender Verma addressed public meetings in Nilokehri, Gharaunda and Indri to woo voters.

AAP candidate Paramjeet Singh also showed his strength in campaigning. He also addressed public meetings on the last day of campaigning.

Other candidates also campaigned hard for their victory.

Karnal, April 8
Apart from party manifestos and national issues, candidates of various political parties approached the masses with local issues on the last day of campaigning here today.

Sitting MP and Congress candidate Arvind Sharma is banking upon the achievements of the UPA government and works done by him. He promised to bring more projects to the constituency.

Riding high on the Narendra Modi wave, BJP-HJC candidate Ashwini Chopra said, “Development is a major issue in this election. Issues like price rise and corruption will also play a significant role.”

Former Agriculture Minister and INLD candidate Jaswinder Singh Sandhu said development would be the key factor in the area. Issues of poor sewerage system, bad roads and unavailability of potable water were being taken up during campaigning.

Maratha Virender Verma, BSP candidate, said: “There is a total breakdown of law and order.”

AAP candidate Paramjeet Singh raised the issue of corruption and discrimination in development works and jobs. He said if he was elected, he would accord top priority to the safety and security of the people and their belongings.

Chandigarh, April 8
Residents of the Shivalik region comprising the districts of Panchkula, Ambala and Yamunanagar falling in the Ambala parliamentary constituency have asked the Lok Sabha candidates to clear their stand on the long-pending demands of the area.

The Shivalik Vikas Manch, a representative body of residents of the area, in a communication to the candidates have asked them to clarify their stand on the development agenda for the region.

“Various elected representatives from the Ambala parliamentary segment have catered to their vested interests over the years, but haven’t done anything for people and the segment’s growth,” manch president Vijay Bansal told The Tribune here today.

Bansal said there had been large-scale discrimination with the Shivalik region vis-à-vis development and government jobs. So much so that out of 36 Adarsh schools, 36 Kasturba Gandhi schools and 39 government schools not even one was started in this region.

Similarly, none of the 100 model villages developed by the Haryana Government falls in the region.

Demanding a special economic package of Rs 700 crore for the region, Bansal asserted that the Shivalik region should be declared industrially backward on the pattern of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.

During the past few years, the stand-off between Ambala MP Kumari Selja and Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda took its toll on development in the region with no major projects coming to the area.

Moreover, there is urgent need for an inter-state bus terminus at Panchkula, medical college and university, a subdivision at Raipur Rani, bypass at Sukho Majri near Surajpur, four-laning of the Panchkula-Yamunanagar highway, regional office of the Haryana Board of School Education at Panchkula and upgradation of infrastructure in the region as in the neighbouring districts.

Karnal, April 8
The Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (HSGPC) president and other members today came in the support of INLD candidate Jaswinder Singh Sandhu. They campaigned for Sandhu and wooed community members to cast their vote in his favour. Jhinda also appealed to HSGPC workers to support all INLD candidates in Haryana.

Support by the HSGPC brightens INLD candidate Jaswinder Singh Sandhu prospects in Karnal as there are around 88,000 Sikh voters in the Karnal parliamentary constituency.

Although the INLD has a stronghold in Karnal and Panipat districts as its five MLA out of nine were elected in the last Assembly elections, the INLD candidate got a boost with the support of the HSGPC, said a political expert.

HSGPC president Jagdish Singh Jhinda said the HSGPC would support the INLD on all 10 seats of the Lok Sabha in Haryana as Punjab Deputy Chief Minister and president of the SAD (B) Sukhbir Singh Badal had assured them of find out a solution for the separate Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee after the elections in Punjab.

Interacting with the mediapersons he attacked on the Congress and said they had been cheated by the Congress government. The Congress has always sought our support during elections, but never fulfilled its promises.

“Now INLD leaders tried to solve this issue on a table, so they organised a meeting of Sukhbir Badal and the HSGPC leaders at Ambala last week,” said Jhinda adding that Sukhbir had given an assurance that a sub-committee would be constituted to take care of all the matters related to the gurudwaras of Haryana. The president of the committee would be from the SGPC and other members from the HSGPC.

Dismissing the BJP-HJC claim of a Modi wave in Haryana, INLD candidate Jaswinder Sandhu said, “There is no wave of Narendra Modi in Haryana. The local issues would dominate the poll in Haryana.”

Sirsa, April 8
Political future of two main opposition parties in Haryana is at stake as the state goes to parliamentary poll on April 10.

Results of the elections will not only decide the number of seats the UPA or the NDA will get from the state, it will also have an effect on the future prospects of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) as well as Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC).

Assembly elections in Haryana are due in October, though an early possibility is not ruled out.

The INLD is contesting this poll with its back against the wall due to the absence of former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala and Ajay Singh Chautala, both serving 10-year imprisonment in JBT teachers’ recruitment case.

Though the party can boost of having the strongest cadre of workers in Haryana, the INLD has not been able to win any parliamentary seat in state on its own till date.

Every time the party won parliamentary seats in Haryana, it was in alliance with the BJP.

The party has not won any parliamentary seat after its founder Chaudhary Devi Lal’s demise in 2001 and the last time INLD could send its MPs in Lok Sabha was in 1999. The party drew blank in 2004 and 2009 parliamentary poll.

Well aware of the historical facts, the party tried its best to forge an alliance with the BJP prior to the announcement of polls, but to no avail.

Even Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s efforts in this direction drew a blank.

Winning a few seats can bring the INLD out of the wilderness at the national level and also rekindle the hopes of alliance with the BJP, while losing this poll will lead to complete isolation for the party.

The INLD has high hopes from Sirsa and Hisar seats, while its leaders also claim they are in a good position at a few other seats in the state.

If the INLD were to win Sirsa and Hisar, this will also mean complete whitewash for the other opposition party- HJC, as it has its candidates only on these two seats.

HJC party supremo Kuldeep Bishnoi himself is contesting from Hisar while he has fielded Sushil Indora from Sirsa.

If winning Sirsa and Hisar can raise prospects of a good show in the coming Assembly poll for the HJC, loss of both seats will put a question mark on the political future of Bishnoi, as BJP can rethink on its alliance in that case.

The HJC contested all seats in 2009 alone and the party’s founder Bhajan Lal won Hisar seat in those election.

Later, in a by-poll held in October 2011 after Bhajan Lal’s demise, Bishnoi won this seat by defeating Ajay Singh Chautala.

Whatever the ruling party’s own results of the parliamentary polls, the electoral future of INLD and HJC would be relevant to Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda too.

The INLD’s victory on a few seats and its subsequent alliance with the BJP can pose problems for Hooda, as his hold over Jat votes can come under threat in the coming Assembly elections.

However, the INLD’s whitewash and a seat or two for Kuldeep Bishnoi’s party could be a lesser threat to the Congress, as both the HJC as well as the BJP have lesser influence on Jat votes.

Kaithal, April 8
Huge crowds turned up on Town Roads here today when film actress Raveena Tandon held roadshows in favour of Congress candidate for Kurukshetra constituency Naveen Jindal. She canvassed from an open jeep with Naveen and his wife Shalu Jindal.

The crowds, anxious to have a glimpse of her, caused traffic jams on the route covered by her. Her fans threw garlands and flowers at her at several places. Raveena, who was visibly enjoying all the attention, often ducked when garlands were tossed at her.

She started the roadshow from the new bus stand and passing through Pehowa Chowk, Municipal Chowk, Ambedkar Chowk, Partap Gate, Bhagat Singh Chowk, Bapu Chhatrawas Road and Kurukshetra Road, culminated it at Vishwakarma Chowk.

While halting at a few places, she made brief speeches, asking the masses to vote for Naveen who had worked hard for the uplift of his constituency during his two tenures as MP. She also thanked people for coming to meet her, braving the summer heat.

Kurukshetra, April 8
Indian Bahujan Sandesh Party (Kanshi Ram) workers, led by party president Kanta Alariya, today staged a protest demanding action against Congress candidate from Kurukshetra Naveen Jindal in the Mathana village incident and not providing complete information regarding pending cases against him in the nomination papers. IBSP workers blocked the Kurukshetra-Dand road for almost half-an hour outside the Saini Dharmshala.

Alariya said: “I had asked the Deputy Commissioner of Kurukshetra to take my challenge seriously but it seems the administration was not serious. Hence, I have blocked the road with my party workers.

He (Naveen) is violating the model code of conduct again and again, but the administration has not taken any action against him yet.” She alleged that the district administration was working on the directions of Congress MP Naveen Jindal.

Kanta demanded that an FIR be lodged against Jindal in the Mathana village case in which three villagers were attacked by his bodyguards and action be taken against him for not providing complete details in the nomination papers. SDM Rajesh Kumar and DSP Satish Kumar pacified the protestors following which they lifted their blockade.

Alariya said: “We have lifted the blockade following assurance given by the SDM that a written complaint had been forwarded to senior officials and action would be taken in this regard.”

Jhajjar, April 8
Haryana Education Minister Geeta Bhukkal along with her supporters took out a padyatra from Jahanara Bagh to Yadav Dharamshala here today. She sought votes for Congress nominee Deepender Singh Hooda who has been staying away from campaigning due to spinal disorder.

While addressing a gathering at Chhikara Chowk, Bhukkal called upon the people to elect such a leader who possess the vision, capability, commitment, dedication and an intention to serve the people. Deepender Hooda fits the bill in this regard, she added.

“Deepender Hooda has worked assiduously to ensure the overall development of Jhajjar hence time has come to reward him by exercising their franchise in favour of him on April 10,” said the minister, adding that Jhajjar had witnessed outstanding development during his last two-stint as MP.

Highlighting the public-welfare works carried out by the Congress government, Bhukkal expressed hope that the electorates would do justice to the development agenda of Deepender Hooda by showing their blessing again on him.

“Each Congress worker is a true representative of Deepender Hooda and they will leave no stone unturned to ensure a victory for their popular leader,” said Ahlawat, claiming that Deepender would romp home with a record margin without campaigning.

The padyatra concluded at Yadav Dharamshala after passing through bus stand, Ambedkar Chowk, Diamond Chowk, Chaupta Bazar, Silani Gate, Royal Palace, Bikaner Chowk. Former MLA Hari Ram Valmiki, Senior Congress leader Raj Singh Jakhar, Ishwar Sharma and Rakesh Arora were among those present on the occasion.

Hisar, April 8
In the absence of star campaigners of the INLD, including former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala and Dabwali MLA Ajay Chautala, the party nominee from the Hisar parliamentary segment, Dushyant Chautala, who makes his electoral debut, is pining hope on the disciplined party cadre, which is putting all its energy into micro management of campaigning.

The fourth generation scion of Devi Lal family, Dushyant, 26, is considered a lightweight in comparison of his father, Ajay Singh, who fought the 2011 byelection from the Hisar Lok Sabha seat against Kuldeep Bishnoi but lost by a thin margin of 6,335 votes. In absence of Chautala duo, Abhay Chautala took charge of the party reins and carried out public meetings across the state.

The lone ranger, however, found key lieutenants in Dushyant and Digvijay - sons of Ajay Chautala who pitched in soon after Om Prakash Chautala and Ajay were awarded 10-year jail in the JBT recruitment scam.

Dushyant was an obvious choice for the Hisar Lok Sabha seat in absence of his father as he is the oldest among the fourth generation and just crossed the age to contest elections.

However, up against heavyweight candidates Kuldeep Bishnoi, who is sitting MP and also has support of the BJP, and the Congress’ veteran Sampat Singh, Dushyant has now come in for reckoning and giving a neck-and-neck fight in the election, courtesy hardwork by a dedicated team of cadre who took it upon themselves to manage the campaigning and embarked on extensive canvassing days before the announcement of ticket. Party sources said Dushyant along with his younger brother, Digvijay Chautala, took the command soon after senior Chautalas landed in jail in January last year.

The sources said they got their act together soon after getting a hint that Dushyant could be fielded from Hisar. “It’s a do-or-die situation for us. The experienced party workers from across the state landed in Hisar. The strategy was chalked out by assigning booth-wise duties to the party workers. The booth-level officers were appointed and dispatched to their designated places even before the Election Commission’s announcement of the poll schedule,” said a party worker from a village in Jhajjar district who had been camping in the Bawani Khera assembly segment for around a month with his team. Sujan Singh, a young worker from Shikarpur village in Barwala segment revealed, “I have a team of 40 workers who were fanned out in designated villages. We have reached out to every house in door-to-door campaign, persuaded back those who were upset. We have prepared the entire report of the campaign and the performance would also be compiled after the polls.” Dushyant himself stated that his experience in managing the campaign of his grandfather and father during previous elections had helped him chalking out the strategy. “The young team of booth-level officers is the backbone of the party’s campaign. We are right on top,” he claimed.

Political experts said the issues had gone to the background in Hisar and poll outcome seems to be depending on the extent of caste polarisation and election management. “The pact with the SAD indicates that the INLD cares two hoots for the issues like SYL on which Haryana and Punjab had not only brought the two states daggers drawn but also remained an emotive and political issue for years.”

Narnaul, April 8
Striking an emotional chord, MP and Congress nominee from Bhiwani-Mahendragarh Lok Sabha seat Shruti Choudhry said she was fully confident that people of the region would fill in the absence of her grandfather Bansi Lal and father Surender Singh by showering their blessings on her in the poll to be held on April 10.

Shruti was addressing a rally at Ghanta Ghar Chowk in Bhiwani on the last of day of campaigning today. “It is for the first time that I am holding a rally here in the absence of my grandfather and father, who used to keep me with them whenever they organised a rally during elections. I am missing them a lot on the occasion,” said she, adding that it was a matter of pride for her that she was addressing a rally at the historical chowk.

Shruti maintained that as she was the daughter and sister of the people of this region, she had the power to raise her voice for getting them their due rights.

Speaking on the occasion, Shruti’s mother and Haryana Public Health Minister Kiran Choudhry said “I am handing over the legacy of Bansi Lal and Surender Singh to you (public) on this auspicious occasion of Ram Navami. Now you are to decide the fate of this legacy in the election.”

Taking a dig at BJP nominee and Congress turncoat Dharambir Singh, Kiran alleged that he had been an opportunist who worked to fulfill his vested interest. “People have identified his character and are ready to teach him a lesson in the election,” she added.

Jind, April 8
While both BJP and Congress are hoping to get a good number of seats in the elections, if the 2009 trend persists, both may have to depend on various regional parties to form the next government of the country.

The success rate of various state-level parties in 2009 was 37.05 per cent against the 23.16 per cent of the national parties.

The detailed analysis done by an NGO ‘People for Transparency’ (PFT) shows that in 2009 Lok Sabha elections, 6,829 contestants could not save their security deposits. For 543 seats of Parliament, 8,070 candidates contested elections. As many as 1,623 candidates were fielded by national political parties and 394 by state parties whereas 2,222 were fielded by registered (unrecognised) parties and 3,831 candidates fought independently.

“State parties outdid the national parties in the average success ratio. Out of total 394 candidates fielded, 146 were from state parties, with a success rate of 37.05 per cent and only 80 candidates of state parties lost their security deposits. On the other hand, 1,623 candidates fought on the symbol of national parties out of which 779 could not save their security deposits and only 376 won,” general secretary of PFT Kamal Anand said.

Ankush Poriya, a local student, said it was always in the interest of democracy if regional parties got more seats than national parties as the former have better knowledge about the problems of their area voters.

As many as 3,806 independent candidates lost their security deposits during 2009, out of total 3,831 independent candidates and mere nine of them won the elections and became MPs. Five states- Bihar, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Jammu & Kashmir were dominated by state parties and they won more seats than national parties in 2009.

“To save the security deposit, a candidate needs one out of every six votes polled. More than 16.83 lakh voters used NOTA option in four state Assembly elections held in 2013. The trend shows that voters are not satisfied with the behavior of politicians and political parties, so it would be tough for many heavyweights to save their deposits in the upcoming elections,” Kamal Anand said.

Yamunanagar, April 8
"Vote dalne jayen, aaj kasam ye khayen" (Let us swear, we will go to cast vote) has become an anthem of promoting the people to exercise their vote in Haryana. This song was written by Red Cross, secretary, Yamunanagar, Shyam Sundar Sharma only for Yamunanagar, which impressed the Chief Electorate Officer (CEO), Haryana, Shrikant Walgad, who adopted it as source bearer of statewide campaign.

The three-minute video song is being played in all districts of Haryana in the vans being run by the district administration in rural areas to motivate people to cast their votes.

"With the order of Deputy Commissioner, Mandip Singh Barar, we had sent the said song to the CEO, Haryana to obtain his permission to play it in Yamunanagar district. But, the CEO liked it and ordered to play it throughout Haryana to motive the voters," said Shyam Sunder Sharma.

Encouraged by the motivation and guidance of DC Mandip Singh Barar, Red Cross secretary prepared this video song without putting financial burden on government exchequer and it was made available to the CEO free of cost.

The voice to the song was given by Aakash Bava, an engineering student, Vandna, a student of BA music, Sunny, a youth, Vivek Hans and Vineet, both teachers.

The camera was played by the writer of the song and editing was also done by him at his home in order to save government money.

"I'm in job. However, by birth I am an artist. I gave a number of successful theatre performances during my school and college time. So,

I used, now, my skill to prepare this video song," added Sharma. Besides, vans, the song is being played at bus stands, railway stations and was also uploaded on social sites like U-Tube and Facebook. "The song motivates people to cast their votes to strengthen our democracy. It is a mixture of spirit of patriotism. It attacks on politics of caste and creed," added Sharma.

Sonepat, April 8
Though it is a multi-corner contest in the Sonepat parliamentary constituency with 23 candidates in the fray, it has become a tough contest among Congress candidate Jagbir Singh Malik, INLD’s Padam Singh Dahiya, BJP’s Ramesh Kaushik and AAP’s nominee Jai Singh.

Except AAP candidate, other three take a morale boost from their parties’ past performances in the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.

The constituency is spread over nine Assembly segments, which includes Sonepat, Rai, Kharkhoda, Gannaur, Gohana and Baroda in Sonepat district and Jind, Julana and Safidon in Jind district.

After 1991, Congress wrested this seat in 2009 with a comfortable win of Jitender Singh Malik over the BJP-INLD alliance candidate and three times MP Kishan Singh Sangwan.

In that election, Congress candidates led in eight Assembly segments except Jind constituency. Congress hopes to repeat the same performance this time as well.

Congress leader Bhagat Singh claimed that the party’s performance would be better than the outcome of the last Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, as there was no anti-incumbency factor in this constituency.

However, in 2009 Assembly elections, held within five months after the Lok Sabha elections, INLD won three seats in Jind, Safidon and Julana without any alliance and was at the second position in Baroda, Kharkhoda (reserve), Rai and Gannaur constituencies.

INLD spokesman KC Bangar said the party had improved its vote bank in the constituencies located in Sonepat district since the last Assembly elections. “The anti-incumbency factor is in our favour and there is a sympathy wave because of the imprisonment of Chautalas,” he claimed.

The BJP is riding high on the Modi wave and the two times victory of Kishan Singh Sangwan as BJP candidate in 1999 and 2004 Lok Sabha elections, which has made the party confident.

BJP’s state vice-president Rajiv Jain said: “The way the voters are responding to Modi’s call for a strong and corruption-free India, there is an anti-Congress and pro-Modi wave in the country and the Sonepat constituency is also not untouched from this trend.”

The AAP candidate heavily depending on Kejriwal factor hopes to bring a surprise, like the one in 1996 General Elections, when Dr Arvind Sharma won the election as an Independent defeating the candidates of the national and regional parties.

Ambala, April 8
The district police today found the body of a youth from an isolated place near the office of the Commissioner of Police in Ambala Cantonment, who is believed to have committed suicide a few days back.

The police said the youth was identified as Sushil of Panipat. They recovered a suicide note from his possession in which he stated that the girl whom he loved had got a criminal case registered against him on charges of raping her. The suicide note read that, therefore, he was committing suicide. The body was found hanging from a tree. The matter was being investigated by the police. 

Sirsa, April 8
Three students of Chaudhary Devi Lal University were rounded up by the police late last night after an attempt was made to break open an automatic teller machine (ATM) of State Bank of India near JCD Vidyapeeth here.

However, the police later let them off, after a footage of the CCTV cameras installed in the ATM cabin did not confirm their roles. Some unidentified persons tried to break the ATM and beat up a security guard present in the cabin on Monday night.

The police chased some youths on suspicion and rounded up three LLB students and two outsiders.