The Tribune – Uttarakhand goes to the polls today

Dehradun, January 29. The stage is all set for Assembly elections in Uttarakhand tomorrow to elect 70 members to the Vidhan Sabha as tight security arrangements have been made to ensure free and fair elections.

More than 63 lakh voters are expected to exercise their franchise in the elections in which the ruling BJP is locked in a close fight with the Congress.

Polling parties have reached their destinations in high-altitude and remote areas, state’s Chief Electoral Officer Radha Raturi said.

With electioneering for the Assembly elections coming to an end last evening, most of the candidates today remained busy in door-to-door campaigning.

A total of 788 candidates are trying their luck with the BJP and Congress both contesting all the 70 seats.

The star campaigners from both parties crisscrossed the hill state. With the EC enforcing the model code of conduct to check money power, the cacophony of electioneering was missing.

Stating that elaborate arrangements have been made for the smooth conduct of polling, Raturi said the poll personnel deployed in high-altitude areas have been provided with sleeping bags, snow-boot and jackets. An Indian Air Force helicopter has also been stationed at Sarsawa for rescue purpose to meet any eventuality, she said. (PTI)

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120130/main4.htm

BBC News – India: Polling begins in Punjab and Uttarakhand

Monday, 30 January 2012. Voting has begun amid tight security in key state elections in the Indian states of Punjab and Uttarakhand.

Over 20 million voters are eligible to vote for more than 1,800 candidates vying for 187 assembly seats.

Five states are holding local elections over the next month – a test for India’s governing Congress party.

The first round of the polls in Manipur over the weekend was marked by violence when suspected rebels attacked a polling station and killed four people.

Some of the dead in the north-eastern state were polling officials, reports say.

As well as elections in Manipur, Punjab and Uttarakhand, voters in Uttar Pradesh and Goa will also vote in the next few weeks, with results due on 6 March.

Monday’s polls in the politically crucial northern state of Punjab are expected to see a keen contest between the ruling coalition – led by the regional Shiromani Akali Dal party – and the main opposition Congress party. There are 117 seats in the state assembly.

Hundreds of policemen and paramilitary soldiers have been deployed in Punjab to ensure peaceful polling.

In mountainous Uttarakhand, the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is fighting to gain a second term in power in face of opposition from the Congress party. The state has 70 assembly seats.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his government have been on the defensive in recent months, as Congress struggles to get its anti-corruption bill through parliament.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-16784154

The Tribune – Most Parties not so fair to women

With Cong fielding 11 women, SAD nine and BJP two, the parties fall far short of the 33 per cent quota

Jangveer Singh, Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 14. Women as candidates in their own right is still a far cry in Punjab with both the Congress and the SAD allotting seats to women relatives of senior leaders to fill the ‘women quota’ in the coming elections.

The main parties-SAD, Congress and BJP-have all fallen far short of the much-talked-of 33 per cent quota for women.

The Congress has fielded 11 women, the SAD nine and the BJP two. From the BJP, Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu, wife of Amritsar MP Navjot Sidhu, is a candidate for Amritsar East while Vijay Luxmi Bhadu is a nominee for Abohar seat.

All women Congress nominees, except for Youth Congress’ Satkar Kaur from Ferozepur Rural (reserved), are kith and kin of senior leaders. Among them are Gurdaspur MP Partap Singh Bajwa’s wife Charanjit Kaur Bajwa from Qadian and Jalandhar MP Mohinder Kaypee’s wife Suman from Jalandhar West; Karan Kaur Brar, daughter-in-law of former CM Harcharan Singh Brar from Muktsar, Harbans Kaur Dullo, wife of former PCC president Shamsher Singh Dullo from Bassi Pathana, Gurpreet Kaur Dhaliwal, daughter-in-law of MLA Sher Singh Gagowal ,and Guriqbal Kaur, widow of former legislator Parkash Singh.

Sangrur district is well represented by the Congress with three women legislators being renominated- Razia Sultana from Malerkotla, wife of senior police officer Mohammad Mustafa, Congress Legislature Party Leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal from Lehragaga and Harchand Kaur from Mehal Kalan (reserved).

The SAD has fielded three women candidates in Patiala district and none from Majha. The six new SAD women candidates are all relatives of senior leaders. Kuldeep Kaur Tohra from Patiala Rural is the daughter of the late Gurcharan Singh Tohra, Harpreet Kaur from Ghanaur is the wife of former minister Ajaib Singh Mukhmailpur from Ghanaur, Varinder Kaur Loomba, daughter of a former MLA from Shutrana, Satinder Kaur, widow of former MLA Jatinder Singh Kariha from Nawanshahr, Rajwinder Kaur, daughter of former MLA Jora Singh from Nihalsinghwala (reserved) and Jagmeet Kaur Sandhu, daughter-in-law of former minister Satwant Kaur Sandhu from Chamkaur Sahib.

Among the established women leaders in the SAD Finance minister Upinderjit Kaur (Sultanpur Lodhi), who is the daughter of former minister Atma Singh, sitting legislator Mohinder Kaur Josh (Sham Chaurasi), daughter of former MLA Arjan Singh Josh, and former SGPC president Jagir Kaur, daughter-in-law of former MLA Bawa Harnam Singh, have been allotted the ticket.

It’s widow versus widow in Nawanshahr, even as the wives of two cops – one serving and the other retired- slog it out in Malerkotla.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120115/punjab.htm#5

The Tribune – Badal clan beats royalty in riches

Kanchan Vasdev, Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 10. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s family of agriculturists is richer than the royal family of Patiala. While the Badals are worth nearly Rs 100 crore, Captain Amarinder Singh and his wife Preneet Kaur are worth less than half at Rs 45.71 crore. Although the couple’s son, Raninder Singh, will file his papers tomorrow, his assets in the 2009 parliamentary election, when he contested from Bathinda, were Rs 7.28 crore and that of his wife Rs 6.47 crore.

Badal’s affidavit that formed part of his nomination filed from Lambi today showed he possessed assets worth Rs 6.92 crore. Interestingly, Badal has gone poorer by Rs 2.36 crore in the past five years. Sukhbir Badal had yesterday declared that he owned assets worth Rs 76 crore and his wife Harsimrat worth Rs 15.38 crore, making the net worth of the Badal family Rs 98.30 crore.

Preneet Kaur has declared assets worth Rs 2.2 crore while Amarinder has declared assets worth Rs 43.51 crore.

Amarinder does not own a car while Preneet has an Innova. Badal does not own any car but has a tractor (Tafe) worth Rs 3.25 lakh.

Amarinder has shown his Patiala residence Moti Bagh Palace as commercial property worth Rs 35 crore. Badal’s total movable assets are worth Rs 1.21 crore and immovable assets are worth Rs 5.71 crore.

Manpreet Singh Badal, president of the PPP, has assets worth Rs 28.70 crore.

(With inputs from Umesh Dewan and Archit Watts)

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120111/punjab.htm#2

The Tribune – Environmentalists form morcha, set agenda for parties

Jangveer Singh, Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 5. For the first time, ecology will become an issue in the state assembly elections with environmentalists floating a front that will vote for candidates committed to an agenda which supports sustainable livelihood, including health security.

The environmentalists, led by the Kheti Virasat Mission, include the BKU (Rajewal), the BKU (Ekta) and Sidhupur factions. These organisations have pockets of influence in Bathinda, Mansa, Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Hoshiarpur districts. Former Takht Damdama Sahib jathedar Giani Kewal Singh is a member of this mission.

The “Vatavaran Ate Samaj Bachao Morcha” has met politicians of all hues and will meet them again to elicit their commitment, based upon which it will lend support to different candidates. Morcha head Umender Dutt, who has been championing the cause of orgnanic farming besides leading farmers’ movement against GM crops in Faridkot district since 2005, says the SAD-BJP government has failed to take affirmative steps to protect environment.

He says the attempt to clean riverwaters has failed but hastens to add that things were no better during the earlier Congress rule.

“We want all political parties to formulise a development model with a paradigm shift in agriculture practices”, says Umendra. This includes a commitment on organic farming and a no to GM crops. Besides, the environment group wants the government to ensure health security for all farmers and the setting up of a cancer hospital in Bathinda. Umendra claims opening a private hospital in the cancer belt will not help small farmers at all.

Umendra says the group will also demand an institute for environment health research and studies. He says an ecology audit is needed to understand the damage caused to environment and how that can be rectified. The activist says a state-level water conservation drive should be launched with a time-bound action plan to rejuvenate old water bodies.

He says this is necessary as 108 of the 138 blocks have been designated as ‘dark zones’ with the ground water level abysmally low.

Umendra says an environment commission should be constituted to take up environment conservation. The morcha led by him has called for earmarking budget for promoting sustainable agriculture, including organic farming.

Green Cause

Morcha to back candidates commited to organic farming

Who say no to GM crops 

Who promise Health security for all farmers

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120106/punjab.htm#14

The Tribune – Kapurthala DC told to serve notice on Bibi Jagir Kaur

Kanchan Vasdev, Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 3. The Election Commission today directed Kapurthala Deputy Commissioner to issue a notice to Bibi Jagir Kaur, former SGPC president and SAD candidate from Bholath assembly constituency, over a complaint pertaining to her son-in-law urging schoolchildren to ask their parents to vote the SAD to power again if they wanted the grants to the school to continue.

Jagir Kaur’s son-in-law, Bhupinder Singh, known as Yuvraj in the constituency, allegedly misused government premises and announced a grant of Rs 21,000 to Government Senior Secondary School, Bholath. He later asked the students to ensure that the SAD returned to power. Usha Sharma, Additional Chief Electoral Officer, said it was a clear violation of the code of conduct.

“We have issued a notice to the school headmistress as well as Bibi Jagir Kaur asking them to explain why government premises were misused and an announcement of a grant was made, said Paramjit Singh, Kapurthala Deputy Commissioner. The action followed in the wake of a complaint made by sitting MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira who enclosed the video footage of the function in which Yuvraj was clearly heard announcing a grant and making a political speech.

He was speaking at a function organised by Krishan Kumar Kakkar Cricket Club on the school premises.

Meanwhile, Chief Electoral Officer Kusumjit Sidhu has asked the state government not to allow ADGP Mohd Mustafa and former Principal Secretary DS Guru’s wife to go on leave. Guru, whose wife is a Medical Officer in a government hospital in Chandigarh, is contesting from Bhadaur assembly segment on the SAD ticket. Mohd Mustafa’s wife, Razia Sultana, is a probable Congress candidate for Malerkotla seat.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120104/punjab.htm#2

The Tribune – Manpreet packs his first list with first-timers

GS Paul, Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 31. People’s Party of Punjab (PPP) chief Manpreet Badal today released Sanjha Morcha’s first list of 41 candidates for the Assembly elections, most of whom are political greenhorns who quit cushy jobs to join politics.

The list included 29 PPP candidates, five each of CPM and CPI and two of SAD (Longowal). Most candidates in the list are fresh faces in the 35-50 age group with little or no political background.

Of the 29 PPP candidates, it will be the first election for 24. Manpreet, his father Gurdas Singh Badal, Harnek Singh Gharuan and Raghubir Singh have been in the political arena for a while. Gurdas Badal is the Morcha’s candidate from Lambi against CM PS Badal.

Academic qualifications are the candidates’ strength just like Manpreet, a masters’ in history and a law graduate from England. Not surprising then that his list comprised an Oxford graduate, an MNC employee, MBAs, bankers, doctors and lawyers in the 35-50 age group.

Amanpreet Singh Chhina, who has been fielded from Raja Sansi constituency, is a graduate from the University of Oxford. He belongs to the family of freedom fighter Comrade Achhar Singh Chhina, a close associate of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. Chhina Senior was twice elected as MLA from Ajnala in 1952 and 1957. It was Manpreet’s ideology and vision that compelled Amanpreet to migrate back to Punjab from England in 2010 and join him.

Sat Pal, the party candidate from Kartarpur (SC) seat, quit his job as Chief Commissioner of Income Tax at Uttarakhand to join Manpreet. He did his postgraduation in science from UK and is also a law graduate.

Then there is orthopaedic surgeon Dr Navjot Dahiya. He gladly obliged Manpreet’s call to “bring about change in the governance system”. Dahiya will be PPP’s Shahkot candidate. Harwinder Singh Laddi quit his bank job to contest from Bhucho Mandi (SC). Also in the list is Ravinder Singh Bhana, an MBA, who quit his job as Nestle’s corporate affairs manager to join Manpreet from Moga.

Abhay Sandhu, the nephew of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, has been fielded from Nawanshahr. Manpreet will contest from Gidderbaha. Sukhdeep Singh Bhinder, who got the PPP ticket from Bathinda Urban, is a retired Additional Advocate General while Bhupinder Singh Ghuman, the party candidate from Dasuya, is also a lawyer.

“I believe if the masses send at least 100 honest, educated and determined people to the Vidhan Sabha assembly, Punjab could be brought back its pristine glory. Punjab is otherwise not an economically-backward state,” Manpreet said. Manpreet clarified that the PPP and SAD (Longowal) would share the same symbol, which would be granted on January 2. The final list of candidates would be released in Chandigarh on January 3.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120101/main3.htm

The Asian Age – For Punjab Congress, it’s over to Delhi

Asian Age Correspondent

Chandigarh, 31 December 2011. It’s over to Delhi for Punjab Congress, as all leaders of the state Congress are busy with intense lobbying for party tickets. The fact that the Assembly elections in the state are exactly a month away but Congress leaders are absent from their constituencies has created a political lull for the Congress in the state.

It seems that all of the Punjab Congress has migrated to Delhi, as its all senior leaders as well as ticket aspirants are camping there. The five-member screening committee is headed by Union minister Mr C.P. Joshi, who is having parleys with other members of the committee like PPCC president Mr Amarinder Singh, CLP leader Ms Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and central observer Thakur Gulchain Charak.

Congress sources say that final list would be made by screening committee in two days and will be sent for the final approval to Congress president Ms Sonia Gandhi.

Sources say that the ticket contenders are finding it hard to contact senior leaders in Delhi.

The ticket contenders have interestingly taken a cue from the modern day jobseeker.

Unlike the netas of the past, the new aspirants are equipped with biodata copies.

One of the senior Congress leader from the state told that he has been flooded with biodata’s and some of people have given him their resumes even though they failed to reach Delhi for lobbying.

However, the apparent lack of delay by the Congress is causing anxiety amongst the Congress rank-and-file-as well as its ticket aspirants who feels that rival Akali Dal has already declared most of its candidates and are already canvassing.

http://www.asianage.com/india/punjab-congress-it-s-over-delhi-707

The Tribune – CM must resign, says Manpreet

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 18.  Manpreet Singh Badal, president of the People’s Party of Punjab, said in a statement that the Parkash Singh Badal Government had indulged in booth-capturing, bloodshed and violence. “This was a veritable demonstration of the selfish attitude of the government to obtain petty gains.” He said a PPP activist was shot at and critically injured by the Akalis.

In view of the lawlessness that prevailed during the SGPC elections, the presiding officer at Buttar had deferred the elections.

In Kurianwala village of Gidderbaha, the Chief Minister’s home district, a PPP member protesting against booth-capturing, was shot at and rushed to hospital. His condition was stated to be critical.

Disgusted at the “jungle raj” in the state, Manpreet said the Chief Minister should resign immediately.

“If anarchy is a virtue, then Parkash Singh Badal’s Government is its incarnation. I am disgusted to learn that to win the SGPC elections, the government has left no stone unturned to abuse the law.

This clearly proves that the Badals are certain about their forthcoming shameful defeat in the Vidhan Sabha elections.

With such hooliganism, I don’t foresee their party even obtaining ten seats in the elections,” he said. “Punjab is going to the dogs because its administrators, the Badals, want a piece of flesh of victory from the SGPC elections.

Unfortunately, they are blissfully ignoring the fact that wining SGPC elections will not ensure their return to Punjab as winners. Such abominable conduct will ensure their shameful exit”, Manpreet said.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20110919/punjab.htm#11