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India
Votes 2014 PunjaB
Capt runs into Majithia at booth
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Manpreet Badal seeks re-poll in 5 villages
EC restricts Akali leaders’ movement
Bains, Ayali supporters come to blows
Ex-market committee chairman hurt in clash
Lesser turnout in 3 Assembly segments
Rare courage
SAD leader ‘lures’ voters with cash
Clash in Abohar, AAP worker hurt
Act or face agitation, warns AAP leader
Congress activists block highway
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India
Votes 2014 PunjaB
Speaking to The Tribune today, Shakeel Ahmed, Congress general secretary in charge of Punjab, admitted that AAP was a significant force in the state and was making the contest hard to predict in several seats. “AAP is certainly a force to reckon with in Punjab. I have to admit that because I sensed it personally from my travels across the state during election campaigning. We are expecting a significant result in Punjab and if we get less than our expectations, AAP would have done us the damage. They are not only affecting urban votes in many areas but are also affecting the rural votes,” Shakeel said. The Congress leaders are hoping to improve their 2009 tally when the party had bagged eight seats. “Anti-incumbency against the Akalis is huge and that gives us a formidable edge in the state. We are very hopeful but AAP’s gains would have to be watched,” he said, adding in a lighter note that Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP seems to be following him to every state. Ahmed is also the Congress general secretary in charge of Delhi where AAP surprised everyone by emerging the second largest party in the 70-member state assembly, relegating the Congress to the third position with merely eight seats. AAP has fielded candidates in all 13 Lok Sabha seats in the state. These include comedian-actor Bhagwant Mann in Sangrur, lawyer HS Phoolka in Ludhiana, cardiologist Dharamvir Gandhi in Patiala, Sucha Singh Chhotepur in Gurdaspur, eye surgeon Daljit Singh in Amritsar, Himmat Singh Shergill in Anandpur Sahib, Harinder Singh Khalsa in Fatehgarh Sahib, Sadhu Singh in Faridkot, Yamini Gomar from Hoshiarpur, Satnam Paul Kamboj in Ferozepur, Bhai Baldeep Singh from Khadoor Sahib, Jasraj Singh Longia from Bathinda and Jyoti Mann from Jalandhar. Congress leaders privately admit that Mann, Chottepur, Phoolka, Gandhi, Baldeep Singh and Daljt Singh are impacting Congress results in the seats they are contesting. In Sangrur, for instance, sitting Congress MP Vijay Inder Singla had to request for Congress chief Sonia Gandhi’s rally at Barnala to brighten his prospects, with Bhagwant putting up a great fight here.
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Capt runs into Majithia at booth
Amritsar, April 30 While Majithia was at the booth to cast his vote, Amarinder arrived there to check the polling process. The two leaders shook hands and inquired about each other’s well-being. Majithia bent , apparently to touch Amarinder’s feet as a mark of respect. The latter patted him on the back. Majithia addressed him as “uncle”. The bonhomie didn’t last long. Majithia targeted Amarinder soonafter while talking to mediapersons. “Chachaji is very cordial. But he likes to paint a certain impression about me which he thinks will get him votes. I can tell you that Arun Jaitley will win by a thumping margin,” he said. He said though he respected Amarinder as a person, the latter had no vision. “He says nasty things about his rivals without any proof to substantiate the charges. He says things merely to get sympathy,” he alleged. The former CM has often targeted Majithia on the issue of drug trade in Punjab as also his blasphemous speech. Majithia has hit at Amarinder over his “inaccessibility” and poor attendance in the Punjab Assembly.
Amarinder thanks people
Former Chief Minister and Congress candidate Capt Amarinder Singh today thanked the people of the Amritsar parliamentary constituency for coming out to vote in overwhelming numbers. Expressing his gratitude, he said Amritsar would script a new political discourse for the state as well as the centre. He said he was confident that he would emerge victorious. “The unprecedented love and affection showered on me by the people during campaigning has given me hope and confidence that I will win comfortably,” he said.
Confident of win: Jaitley
A confident Arun Jaitley said that brisk voting was a good sign for them. He paid obeisance at the Golden Temple in the morning to seek. During the day, he flew to Gandhinagar in Gujarat on a chartered plane with his family members to cast his vote there.
Higher turnout in rural Assembly seats
Voters turned out in larger numbers to cast their vote in the rural Assembly segments of Amritsar. Leading the race was Ajnala Assembly segment with 75%, followed by Rajasansi (74%), Majitha (72%) and Attari (70%). In urban segments, Amritsar-Central polled the highest 69%, followed by Amritsar-North (68%), Amritsar-East (65%), Amritsar-South (63%) and Amritsar-West (60%).
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Poll over, Sidhu arrives today
Amritsar, April 30 A formal house warming ceremony will take place later. We will spend some time in our new abode." She said he was busy today otherwise he would have come to cast his vote for Jaitley. On the tussle with the ruling SAD, she said it was not with the entire Akali Dal. "We have differences with a few persons but we keep that aside and follow the coalition dharma," she said. On her road ahead in politics after Sidhu's term as Amritsar MP coming to an end, she said she had a lot of work to do for the people in her Amritsar East Assembly constituency. "I would continue to work till I get respect and good amount of money for my constituency." Earlier, Sidhu had completely kept away from the poll campaign of Jaitley, saying he was facilitating his election in Amritsar by not canvassing for him. "I am a well-wisher of Jaitley Sir. I am helping his cause by not campaigning for him in Amritsar. Besides, there are so many people who feel insecure. I am giving them the security," he had said.
‘Resentful’ Sidhu
‘Tussle with a few’ We don't have differences with the entire Akali Dal. There is a tussle with a few persons only, but we keep that aside and follow the coalition dharma Dr Navjot Kaur, BJP
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Manpreet Badal seeks re-poll in 5 villages
Bathinda, April 30 The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has demanding a re-poll in two booths. Manpreet has sought re-polling in Kollianwali, Sham Khera, Chappianwali, Burj Sidhwan and Lohara. All theses villages are in the Lambi constituency. Manpreet alleged that SGPC member Dyal Singh Kollianwali “hijacked” booths in 16 villages even as the police remained a mute spectator. He demanded a probe into the role of Muktsar Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) Sanjay Rishi. An upset AAP candidate, Jasraj Singh Longia, alleged that money was distributed among voters to influence them in favour of the ruling alliance.
Serious charges
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Manpreet’s wife, CM’s kin fail to cast vote
Badal (Muktsar), April 30 Her vote had to be polled at booth number 110 at Badal village. But she failed to turn up till 6 pm. She, however, was seen waiting for Manpreet near the village’s bus stop in her cavalcade around 8 am. When contacted around 6 pm, Vinu said, “I was getting a lot of phone calls from the constituency about booth-capturing and bribing of voters by Akalis, so I didn’t get time to vote.” On the other hand, some relatives of the ruling Badals also failed to cast their votes. Among them were children of Bhupinder Singh, a cousin of CM Parkash Singh Badal and his political adviser too. Narotam Singh, another cousin, did not cast his vote. Narotam’s son Revat Singh too didn’t use his right to franchise.Senior Congress leader Maheshinder Badal’s wife Hargeet Kaur too failed to cast her vote.
First to exercise franchise Muktsar: Congress-PPP-CPI candidate Manpreet Badal was the first among the Badals to cast his vote. Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal and MP Harsmirat Kaur’s daughter Harkirat Kaur was given an appreciation certificate by the election authorities for casting her vote for the first time.
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Clashes in Amritsar’s Attari village
Amritsar, April 30 The warring groups pelted each other with bricks and bottles, leading to panic in the area. The locals could be seen running helter-skelter for cover. Additional Deputy Commissioners of Police Parampal Singh and Baljit Singh Randhawa reached the spot and prevented the situation from turning worse. Two persons, Dwarka Dass and Sanjiv Kumar, both Congress supporters, were injured. They were admitted to a private hospital. Parampal claimed the fight began as a Congress worker, who reportedly was in an inebriated state, abused Chugh. In Rampura village in Attari assembly constituency, several persons sustained minor injuries as Congress and Akali groups clashed. The scuffle is said to have begun after a Congress activist objected to Akalis allegedly trying to influence voters. Here too, the groups resorted to stone-pelting outside the polling booth. A similar incident was reported from Guruwali village in Attari after Akali activists objected to the presence of Congress leader Tarsem Singh DC inside a booth. An accidental fire from the weapon of a policeman also triggered panic at a village in
Attari.
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SGPC member’s son injured, five Congress men booked
Moga, April 30 Jaswinder, son of SGPC member Gurmail Singh, received a head injury. He was admitted to the district hospital at Moga. His friend Jagsir, who got minor injuries, was discharged from the Civil Hospital, Baghapurana, after first-aid. At least, three persons had been taken into custody. Gurmail Singh alleged that his son and his friends were attacked with rods and sticks as they tried to stop Congress workers from capturing a polling booth. The district Congress president, Darshan Singh Brar, alleged that Akali workers were accompanying voters inside the polling booth. “When our polling agents objected to this, the Akalis pushed our polling agents out and captured the booth. They were there for about 20 minutes before the administration swung into action,” he said. The local administration claimed that the clash took place outside the booth. The police registered a criminal case under Sections 323, 341, 148 of the IPC against five Congress workers and arrested the main accused, Dilbagh Singh, late in the evening. The DSP (Baghapurana) Balwinder Singh said Roop Singh, Jora Singh, Binda and Tarsem Singh were yet to be nabbed. "We have set up a special team to nab them", the DSP added.
Argument turns violent at booth
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EC restricts Akali leaders’ movement
Gurdaspur, April 30 Other leaders brought under the EC scanner were former Speaker Nirmal Kahlon, his son and chairman of the Punjab Tubewell Corporation Ravi Karan Kahlon, Qadian Halqa chief and former Education Minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan, his son Jagrup Sekhwan, Batala halqa in charge and former Qadian MLA Lakhbir Singh Lodhinangal and halqa chief and former Cabinet Minister Sucha Singh Langah Dera Baba. All of them were asked to confine themselves to their respective polling stations. This action was taken after PPCC chief and sitting Gurdaspur Member Parliament (MP) Partap Singh Bajwa asked the Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer Dr Abhinav Trikha to restrict their movement. Bajwa is contesting from Gurdaspur. Meanwhile, polling in all nine Vidhan Sabha seats of the Gurdaspur parliamentary constituency remained peaceful. The voter turnout was 63 per cent, much higher than the turnout in 2009. The polling, that picked up in the afternoon, was heavy towards the fag-end. The PPCC chief and sitting Gurdaspur MP, Partap Singh Bajwa, cast his vote at the Sikh National College, Qadian. His wife Charanjit Kaur is the sitting legislator from Qadian. In Fatehgarh Churian, there was a minor scuffle between SAD and Congress supporters in which four persons sustained minor injuries. Khanna said he was sure the BJP would win the seat because of developmental works. Chhotepur too seemed sure of his win. “Youngsters, professionals and government employees have voted for AAP,” he claimed.
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Bains, Ayali supporters come to blows
Ludhiana, April 30 In Ayali Khurd, Congress and SAD supporters exchanged blows. Reports of minor scuffles came in from Amarpura, Sarabha Nagar and Shimlapuri areas. Congress candidate Ravneet Singh Bittu's supporters alleged that Ayali's supporters had indulged in rigging at Wallipur Khurd village in Dakha. In Atam Nagar, Akali Dal supporters protested against the supporters of Bains for alleged bogus voting. Polling in the Ludhiana Lok Sabha constituency by and large remained peaceful. Around 70 per cent voting was witnessed in the constituency. As many as 183 polling booths in Atam Nagar, Ludhiana South and Gill Assembly constituencies had been declared hypersensitive.
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Ex-market committee chairman hurt in clash
Fazilka, April 30 Police sources said Babbal and Congress workers clashed over “fake” votes at Booth No. 97 in the district. Babbal sustained minor injuries on the arm. Later, his supporters allegedly smashed the windscreen of a Congress worker’s car. The Station House Officer, Sadar, Chamel Singh, said the police were investigating the matter. In another incident, four BJP workers and a Congress worker were injured at a booth in the local market committee’s office. Surinder Kumar and Pawan Kumar, brothers, and Parveen Kumar, a relative of former Market Committee chairman Ashok Jairath, and BJP worker Manjit Gandhi were injured. They were admitted to the local Civil hospital. Eyewitnesses said the police remained a mute spectator. Supporters of the BJP and the Congress thronged the hospital as tempers ran high. The situation could have gone out of hand but for the intervention of the police.
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90% registered soldiers may have cast vote
Chandigarh, April 30 This large turnout, observers and ex-servicemen said, was unprecedented and was the outcome of the recent Supreme Court directions to the electoral authorities to ensure that serving armed forces personnel and their families were registered as general voters. Army sources said instructions had been issued to formations to ensure that that 99 per cent of the registered soldiers cast their vote. Senior officers at the Corps Headquarters were nominated to oversee polling by soldiers who were provided transport. “This is the highest-ever number of serving personnel to have exercised their right to vote and this will definitely have an impact on the outcome of elections,” Col HS Sanghi (retd) of the Indian Ex-Services League said. During the last Assembly elections in Punjab, veterans had taken upon themselves to get soldiers registered as voters, but had met with resistance from certain officials. “Despite this, there were at least 17 constituencies where the votes of the soldiers mattered,” Col Sangha claimed. Earlier, most defence personnel were unable to exercise their right to vote as the electoral authorities did not register persons residing at military stations, despite rules.The military authorities too had a lackadaisical attitude towards the electoral process. But the Supreme Court’s intervention has changed all that. Punjab has a huge population of serving armed forces personnel. Besides 10 Corps at Bathinda and 11 Corps at Jalandhar, 1 Armoured Division at Patiala, 7 Infantry Division at Ferozepur, 15 Infantry Division at Amritsar and 29 Infantry Division at Pathankot, numerous other formations and units are based in the state. Punjab also has four major Air Force stations at Halwara, Bathinda, Adampur and Pathankot, each with several frontline fighter squadrons and ancillary units. There are other establishments like the NCC. Besides the defence personnel posted in Punjab, more than one lakh persons from the state are serving in the armed forces, a good number of whom are posted in other states. They would also have the option of postal ballot.
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Irked over police inaction, 800 villagers boycott polling
Hoshiarpur, April 30 Director-Inspector General of Police (DIG) Gurinder Dhillon, who was here to take account of the security arrangements, tried to persuade the protesting villagers to come out to vote, but in vain. Only four voters exercised their right to franchise in the village. They lived outside the village. Sarpanch Gurjit Singh said the deceased youth Arvinder Singh was found hanging in a tube well room a few weeks ago. His hands were tied behind his back, he said. Gurjit alleged Pola of Saggran village in Bhogpur area of Jalandhar district had murdered the youth. Though Pola has been booked for murder on the complaint of the victim’s father Gurchetan Singh, the police have allegedly not taken any action in the case. Arvinder was a physical education teacher at Kendriya Vidyalya at Adampur and was to get married on March 23. On a Sunday, he left home and never returned. Later, his body was found hanging inside a tube well room near focal point Tanda. Gurjit alleged when Arvinder refused Pola’s offer for marriage with a girl, the latter threatened to kill him. The sarpanch alleged since the police did not take any action against Pola, the villagers decided to boycott polling. Case file
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AAP supporters turn out in large numbers in Anandpur Sahib
Anandpur Sahib, April 30 The support of the electorate for AAP was palpable in the assembly constituencies of Kharar, Mohali, Ropar, Chamkaur Sahib, Balachaur, Nawanshahr and Anandpur Sahib. Raghuvir Singh (80) of Aasron village in Balachaur block had come out to vote for the AAP, without knowing the name of its candidate HS Shergill. In certain pockets, one could see the polling agents of smaller parties such as Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Communist Party of India (CPI). Dharampal, a polling agent of the Communist Party, in Khizrabad village of the Mohali block, conceded, “AAP tan ikk haneri hai ais vele. Assin bas akkhan meech ke baith sakde han.” (The AAP is like a hurricane at the moment. We can only sit and watch.) Omkar, AAP’s polling agent in Jadla village in Nawanshahr, said the people were fed up and desperately wanted a change in the system. Major Singh, an elder, along with several other voters said, “Assin tan jhadu (the AAP’s poll symbol) pher ditta. (We voted for the AAP).” Iqbaljit Singh, the presiding officer in booth number 134 in Kurali, said the AAP wave was clearly visible. BSP’s polling agent Mahinder Pal said the youth favoured the AAP. “They are impatient and want a change,” he added.
Making an impact
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Lesser turnout in 3 Assembly segments
Jalandhar, April 30 The Assembly segment-wise polling percentage was: Phillaur (SC) 72 per cent; Nakodar 70 per cent; Shahkot 69.50 per cent; Kartarpur (SC) 68 per cent; Jalandhar Cantonment 63 per cent; Adampur (SC) 65.50;
Jalandhar West (SC) 68 per cent; Jalandhar Central 63.70 per cent and Jalandhar North
70 per cent. The polling percentage in the Shahkot, Kartarpur (SC) and Adampur (SC) Assembly segments was less than that seen in 2009. As the polling began at 7am, long queues were seen at polling booths in the rural areas. The tilt of young voters towards the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was evident in the urban areas. The main contest is between SAD candidate Pawan Kumar Tinu, Congress candidate Chaudhary Santokh Singh
and Sukhwinder Kotli of the BSP.
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Rare courage
Bhawanigarh (Sangrur), April 30 As polling began this morning, none came forward to be AAP candidate Bhagwant Mann’s polling agent at the village booth for fear of the
Akalis. At this, Narinder Kaur opted for the task. A student of Government College for Girls,
Patiala, she has, perhaps, created electoral history. “I am not scared of anybody,” said the daring
Narinder. Bhagwant Mann, who drove to the village to meet her, was all praise for her. “This girl has set an example for the youths scared of politicians’ henchmen. I am indebted to her for life.” A highly motivated Narinder said it was time to cleanse the political system and AAP was the party which could do it.
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Promises unkept, this Hoshiarpur village still turns out to vote
Hoshiarpur, April 30 It does not have a power connection, water supply and concrete roads. No leaders visit the village to seek votes, yet villagers don’t skip to exercise their franchise. This time too, almost every voter from Upparla Malout exercised the right to vote. Some of them, who have settled elsewhere, visited the village to vote. The entire village has no drinking water, while women and children have to carry water for not less than 2 to 3 km either from natural water fountains near a “choe” (rainwater drain) or wells. The only elementary school in the village has not had a teacher for more than four to five years. There are no medical facilities either. The claim of a power-surplus state falls flat all in this village. Upparla Malout villagers make do with earthen lamps or homemade kerosene bottle lamps. Their effort to get a power connection is a pointer to their poverty. “In 2003-04, we had deposited the security money to the Powercom for connection. We were told that the expenditure for laying the power lines in the village would have to be borne by us,” Amarjit, the village sarpanch, told The Tribune. The villagers were asked to deposit Rs 11.25 lakh for it. Finding the expenditure high, they urged the Superintending Engineer to reduce the security amount as they poor. He raised the matter in a meeting at Chandigarh and the amount was reduced to Rs 2.25 lakh, but it too was beyond their reach. With the intervention of legislator Mohinder Kaur Josh, the security amount was again revised to Rs 1.6 lakh. The sarpanch said the villagers could not afford the revised amount as well. “We do not know from where to get our next meal. How could the authorities expected us to arrange ~1.6 lakh?” Amarjit said. He further said the villagers had been knocking on the doors of MLAs, MPs and high officials. “Everyone promises to solve the problem, but later says we will have to pay the money to get the power connection.” Another problem is of locals shifting base to other villages and states since there’s no teacher in the village school for the past five years. Many of the natives have settled in Himachal Pradesh in rented accommodations so that their children may study well. Whatever may be their sufferings and their complaints, but the villagers never skip to vote. By noon, almost everyone from the village cast their vote. Pawan Kumar has been staying at Nangal Jariyal village on a rented accommodation for the education of his children, but he came to the village today to cast his vote. Similar was the case with Fateh Mohammad, who has been staying at Marhwadi village in Himachal Pradesh so that his two daughters may study well. On being asked why they cast the vote if no leader visited the village to listen to their woes, they said it was their right and would not forgo it at any cost. “Rest is with the God. We hope that some day, some leader will visit us to solve our problems. That’s why we vote every time,” one of them said.
Hope against hope
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Cong, Akali candidates reach booth at same time
Faridkot, April 30 All three are neighbours — they are residents of ward number 10 of Harindera Nagar, Faridkot. While they are slugging it out, seeking votes in the nine Assembly segments of the parliamentary constituency; in their locality, the Congress and Akali candidates are a bit hesitant to seek votes. Their reluctance stem from the reason that the leaders of both these parties are promising people of the city make it “beautiful like Paris” after getting elected. The promise of making Faridkot beautiful like Paris and California started rolling when Sukhbir Badal contested his first election from Faridkot seat in 1996. But 18 years down the line, like many other localities in the town, Harindera Nagar is like a cesspool with every mild downpour. Some days ago, when there two spell of rain, the streets of Harindera Nagar were waterlogged. The civic amenities in this locality are so poor that many residents have filed cases, demanding proper drainage of waste and sewage in this low-lying locality. “Paris is in making for the past 18 years when Sukhbir Badal first contested elections from here, but during rain, the town looks more like Venice,” said Surinder Singh, a resident. The Congress candidate, Joginder Singh, is a sitting MLA. But his political status failed to bring any relief to his neighbourers. “Election after election, the players change, the words do not,” said Gurdarshan Kaur, another resident of Harindera
Nagar.
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SAD leader ‘lures’ voters with cash Faridkot, April 30 The Gidderbaha assembly segment recorded the highest turnout of 77%, followed by Jaitu 74%, Baghapurana 73%, Kotkapura and Faridkot 72.3% each. In Sanjay Nagar locality of Faridkot, there was a spat between Congress and Akali supporters when a former councillor allegedly distributed cash among voters. When Congress supporters reached the spot, the Akali leader threw the currency notes towards the crowd and fled. 75% cast vote in Sangrur Sangrur: Barring an incident of a clash between SAD and Congress workers at Tapa, polling remained peaceful in the Sangrur constituency. As per preliminary information, more than 75 per cent voters cast vote in the constituency. Sources said a scuffle took place between SAD and Congress workers over the issue of alleged purchase of votes by the SAD at Tapa (Barnala). EVMs smashed Patiala: An EVM was broken at polling booth no 162 as some Akali workers allegedly clashed with the polling staff and smashed the machine on the ground. When the incident took place, 568 votes had already been polled. The duty officials repaired the machine and the polling started within an hour. The police have registered an FIR against unidentified persons. Some incidents of EVMs developing snag were also reported in Nabha, Devigarh and Sanaur. The returning officials repaired the machines.
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Clash in Abohar, AAP worker hurt
Abohar, April 30 Sunil Jakhar (60), CLP Leader, too cast vote at the same polling booth. He then went to a gurdwara to pay obeisance before leaving for other segments. BSP candidate Ram Kumar cast vote at his native village Jandwala Hanwanta. Polling at Gopi Chand Arya Mahila College was started late as the EVM was not functional. An EVM got hanged for 15 minutes at Guru Nanak AV Senior Secondary School as a voter pressed a button roughly. A senior SAD functionary allegedly attacked AAP worker in Dodewala village. He later apologised to him in presence of the police. At Government Seed Farm, Des Raj (30) was attacked with a sharp weapon as he resisted pushing by another voter in the queue.
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Act or face agitation, warns AAP leader Chandigarh: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has warned that it would hold a march in Patiala if those involved in the dastardly attack on the AAP candidate from Patiala, Dr Dharamvir Gandhi, were not arrested and given exemplary punishment. In a statement issued here late Wednesday evening, AAP leader Prof Manjit Singh said the authorities should take immediate action against the police officials on duty who had failed to protect Dr Gandhi. “Our party workers from all over the state will flock to Patiala if the police do not act in the case,” warned Prof Manjit Singh. He said it was evident that the main parties felt threatened by AAP's rising popularity and, hence, was attacking its leaders. He said the Lok Sabha results on May 16 would surprise all. “AAP has the ability to put a check to the 'dictatorial behaviour' of the ruling SAD-BJP alliance in the state,” Prof Manjit Singh added.
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Congress activists block highway Muktsar: Congress activists late Wednesday evening blocked the National Highway in Malout town, alleging that the police had picked up two brothers who were Congress supporters. Congress candidate from Ferozepur Sunil Jakhar joined the protesters. Sources said that Paramjit Singh and his brother Jaskaran Sandhu had a scuffle with Akali workers at the local Harkrishan Public School and were later arrested by the police. The Congress workers alleged that the police had taken action against the brothers at the behest of the Akalis. They said a complaint had been lodged with the Election Commission in this regard. Till the filing of the report, the blockade had not been lifted. When contacted, local Akali leaders claimed that one of their supporters had sustained severe injuries.
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Came to vote, PO nabbed Hoshiarpur: An undertrial declared a proclaimed offender (PO) in a case of cheating and criminal conspiracy was nabbed by the police when he came to vote at a booth in his village. Accused Gurmukh Singh of Gogon village was booked under Sections 420 and 120 (B) of the IPC by the Garhshankar police in May 2012 for allegedly duping a man of Rs 1.2 lakh. He had been absconding since then and was declared proclaimed offender by a local court. AAP’s Dr Daljit
writes to EC
Amritsar: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate, Dr Daljit Singh, objected to anointing the voters with a “ tilak” and playing devotional music at polling booths. He has filed a complaint with the Election Commission. He said this was an effort to influence voters of a particular community.
BJP leader quits
Phagwara: The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) BC cell in charge and state working committee member, MP Singh Goraya, resigned on Wednesday. He said he was fed up with the dictatorial functioning of several BJP leaders in the district and the state units. Goraya also said he wasn’t sure about what he would do next and preferred not to disclose anything else.
Akali leader ‘offers’ cash to voters
Faridkot: In Sanjay Nagar locality of Faridkot, Congress and Akali supporters had a spat when a former councillor allegedly distributed cash among voters. When Congress supporters reached the spot, the Akali leader threw the currency notes towards the crowd and fled. In another incident, AAP supporters raised objections when a municipal councillor allegedly tried to lure Dalit and migrant voters with money at Girls Senior Secondary School.
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New Delhi, April
30
