NEIGHBOURHOOD

Kalka Votes 2014
Triangular contest in the offing
Bipin Bhardwaj
Tribune News Service

Manvir Kaur Gill (Congress) A local, belongs to a royal family having a stronghold over the area

Kalka, September 28
With six women candidates jumping into the fray for the Kalka seat, an interesting contest is being expected during the Vidhan Sabha elections to be held on October 15.

The real contest, however, remains between three of them: Latika Sharma (BJP), Manvir Kaur Gill (Congress) and Shakti Rani Sharma (HJCP).

Latika Sharma (BJP)A close associate of Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj

While Latika Sharma is said to be a close associate of Union Minister Sushma Swaraj, Shakti Rani Sharma is HJCP president Venod Sharma’s wife. Gill, a Kalka resident, belongs to a royal family having a stronghold over the area.

Being a candidate of the HJC-HJCP alliance, Shakti Rani has the backing of Chander Mohan, brother of HJC supremo Kuldeep Bishnoi, who successfully contested from the constituency four times.

Shakti Rani Sharma (HJCP) Party president Venod Sharma’s wife, has backing of HJC's Chander Mohan

Latika and Shakti Rani, however, are considered to be outsiders. While Lakita will cast her vote in Naraingarh, Shakti Rani will vote in Ambala.

Talking to The Tribune, Latika Sharma said she was well aware of the area and problems being faced by people here.

“I am not an outsider. I practised in the Panchkula district court and have a number of friends and relatives here,” she said.

The lawyer-turned-politician promised to work hard to meet the expectations of the public.

“I have devised a special roadmap for an aggressive growth and development of the Kalka constituency. The work will start immediately after the BJP is voted to power in Haryana,” she said.

Shakti Rani Sharma said the area was ignored by previous MLAs in the past two decades. Unemployment, dying small-scale industry and poor health and education facilities are the main issues that need to be addressed, she said.

“The government also failed to exploit the tourism potential of this historical area,” she said.

Manvir Kaur Gill, too, said the constituency was abandoned by the previous government.

“Although the present Congress government sanctioned some development works for the area but these were insufficient,” she said. 

Kalka, September 28
A day after filing their nominations, candidates of different political parties and those contesting independently, started door-to-door campaign in Kalka constituency today.

Shakti Rani Sharma, who is fighting on the Haryana Jan Chetna Party (HJCP) and Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) alliance ticket, met shopkeepers in Pinjore and Kalka and sought their support in the Vidhan Sabha elections. She was accompanied by Balwan Thakur, Jagdish Gautam, Kanak Rekha and a number of supporters from Raipur Rani and Morni areas.

Shakti Rani requested the trader community to vote for change and explained the vision of party president Venod Sharma to the voters. Sharma said the area was ignored by leaders of previous governments.

The BJP candidate, Latika Sharma, meanwhile, continued her campaign in the Doon area of the constituency and addressed over a dozen meetings of workers. She was accompanied by local leaders who joined the BJP after quitting the INLD and other political parties.

Senior BJP leaders who had been raising their voice against fielding of an outsider from the constituency, however, remained absent from the campaign.

Congress candidate Manvir Kaur Gill, too, held workers meetings in the Doon area and sought vote and support of the area residents.

After campaigning in the constituency throughout the day, BSP candidate Satvinder Singh Rana opened the party office in Kalka in the evening. 

Chandigarh, September 28
The UT police have booked members of two groups in a cross case after an argument broke out between them, following which a member of one of the groups allegedly fired a gun shot in the air at Sector 8 on Saturday night.

The police said Sahil Mehta, owner of a food joint, along with his friends was standing near the residence of GS Dhillon in Sector 8.

They said Sahil and Dhillon entered into a verbal altercation over an issue.

In his police complaint, Sahil alleged that Dhillon fired a gunshot in the air.

Police sources said Dhillon had been booked for firing a gun shot at Sahil, while Sahil and his friends — Anmol, Sabir and Anirudh — have been booked for trespassing at Dhillon’s residence.

Dhillon alleged that Sahil and his friends were standing outside his residence and when he questioned him, Sahil started quarrelling and tried to enter his residence.

Sources said the cops intervened and a compromise was reached. However, Sahil gave a complaint to police officials, following which, a cross case was registered on the statements of both persons.

The police have registered a cross case against both persons at the Sector 3 police station. “We are verifying the facts of both the complainants”, said the police.

Chandigarh, September 28
CISF XI defeated PSPCL Patiala 6-2 in a match of ongoing 44th SN Vohra’s All India Gurmit Memorial Hockey Tournament, being held at hockey stadium of Mohali, today. Micky of CISF posted the first goal in the 6th minute however in the very next minute Kulvinder Singh scored the equaliser through awarded penalty corner for PSPCL. 

CISF again scored lead with Kompla posting a field goal in the 14th minute and Mickey again striking the wooden plank in the 19th minute to extend the lead to 3-1. In the 26th minute, PSPCL reduced the margin through awarded penalty corner. Amrik Singh smartly placed the ball in nets to make it 3-2. Later on CISF side played attacking game and scored three field goals. Kompal scored the fourth goal in 40th minute followed by two more goals by Micky and Soni in 47th minute and 53rd minute respectively.

In the second match, Northern Railway, Delhi, registered a marginal win over EME, Jalandhar, 3-2. In a see-saw match, Delhi side drew the first blood, in the very first minute, via an awarded penalty corner. Sukhman with no mistake shot his best to score the lead. In reply, Jalandhar side bounced back in the 9th minute and Lovepreet put the score to 1-1 with a brilliant solo effort. Thereafter, Jalandhar side stabled their defence, however their approach was cut short by Delhi’s Jasjit, who put his team ahead in the 33rd minute, with successfully converting the penalty corner in his favour. In the 40th minute, Delhi’s Jasjit while taking full advantage of the free hit ensured his team’s win at 3-2. 

Chandigarh, September 28
In a well settled semifinal, the Chandigarh Football Academy defeated Bangladesh Krida Shiksha Protishtan, Bangladesh, in a tie-breaker to reach in the final of the ongoing All-Nation 55th Subroto Football Cup for Boys (U-14), being held in New Delhi.

The team reached in the final of the championship, after a gap of four years.

In the semifinals, the team registered a 4-2 win over the rivals. Amarjit, Sumit, Sanjeev and Karan scored a goal each during the tie-breaker. After a goalless draw in the stipulated time, the match’s fate was decided in the tie breaker. The team will face Greenwood High School, Dimapur, Nagaland, in the final of the championship at Ambedkar Stadium, Delhi.

In their previous matches, while representing the Government Model High School, Sector 36, the lads defeated Nilamani English School, Mayang, Imphal, Manipur 1-0 in the quarterfinals while in their next tie defeated Army Boys (HRDC, BSC, 11 GRRC, Luchnow) by 2-0, IPSC (Vallabh Ashram’s MGM AMIN and VN Savani School, Killa Pardi, Valsad, Gujrat 6-0 and Zahira College, Puttalam, Sri Lanka, 7-0. The team topped their pool in the league stage with three wins.

Chandigarh, September 28
Jaskeerat Singh of Delhi Public School, Sector 40, bagged the winner’s trophy of Chandigarh Open (U-13) Chess Championship, concluded at St Xaviers’s Senior Secondary School, Sector 44, here today. Soumiljit Singh of Ryan International School with 4 points attained the runners-up spot. In the girls’ (U-13) category Tarini Goyal of Sacred Heart School with 4 points claimed first position and Kashish Kaushal of Sacred Heart School with 3 points claimed second position. A total of 41 players participated in the championship including seven international rated players.

Jaskeerat Singh, Soumiljit Singh in open (U-13) category while Tarini Goyal and Kashish Kaushal in girls (U-13) category have been selected to represent Chandigarh in the National (Under-13) Chess Championship to be held at Jamshedpur from October 25 to November 2. — TNS

Chandigarh, September 28
The badminton team of GGS College for Women, Sector 26, Chandigarh, won the Panjab University Inter-College Badminton Championship for Women (A-Division), concluded at the badminton courts of Panjab University, here today.

 In the final of the championship, GGS College defeated DAV College, Sector 10, 2-0. In another match, Panjab University Campus defeated MCMDAV College for Women, Chandigarh, 2-0 and secured third spot. Earlier, in the semifinals, DAV College, Sector 10, beat Panjab University Campus, 2-0 and GGS College, Sector 26, for Women beat MCMDAV College, Sector 36, 2-0. — TNS