Patiala: To mark the Armed Forces Flag Day, NCC cadets of DAV Public School, Patiala, presented a cheque of Rs 25,000 to the District Defence Services Welfare Officer, Patiala. The cheque was presented by NCC cadets – Bhawna, Palakpreet Kaur, Tanya and Kritika, NCC in-charge Monika Gupta and Principal SR Prabhakar. The same was collected from the staff as well as from students voluntarily, remembering the sacrifice done by our great soldiers. Cdr Baljinder Virk appreciated the efforts made by the NCC cadets for the noble cause. NCC Cadets took pledge to serve the motherland and help the needy.5th Little Champ Cup Cricket TournamentA fine batting by Swastik (48 not out) and 2 for 19 helped DMWCC to defeat BECC by 5 wickets in the final of the 5th Little Champ Cup Cricket Tournament and clinch the trophy from RP Pandove, secretary, Punjab Cricket Association, at Military Grounds on Thursday. They restricted BECC on 123 runs. Jaskirat 33 and Kanika 28 were main scorers for the host side. Chasing the target, DMWCC lost 5 wickets on 64 runs and total seemed to be difficult for DMWCC. At this stage, Swastik snatched the match from BECC and remained unbeaten on 48 runs. He was supported by Aryan Choudhary who also remained unbeaten 28 runs.
NSS camp
Seven-day NSS camp being held at Khalsa College, Patiala, ends on Thursday giving the message to contribute in social welfare activities. In the closing ceremony, S Indermohan Singh Bajaj, SAD district president, Patiala Urban, and additional secretary, Khalsa College, Patiala, shared his valuable thoughts with NSS volunteers saying that there is no substitute for hard work and also not to waste their time.
Special assembly
Special assembly was held for Classes I, II and III on the occasion of Shaheedi Jor Mela in which shabad gayan was presented by little ones. Tiny tots of Class I recited poems on Chaar Sahibzade. Then Class II students told how to celebrate Gurpurab. Class III students explained the war of Chamkaur Sahib through their poems.
Food fest
To inculcate healthy food habits, Ryan International School organised a food fest. A traditional Indian ambience was created on the school campus where various kinds of mouth-watering delicious dishes were made and served to one and all. Montessori students showcased their talent during the ramp walk. — TNS
The year 2016 is proving to be the deadliest since 2008 as the number of fatalities suffered by the security forces in J&K has reached 85.More than 50 per cent of these casualties have taken place in the past over two months when the Army base in Uri was attacked by four fidayeen on September 18 and which was followed by the surgical strikes.In the state, 85 security forces personnel have been killed either in militant action or along the LoC this year so far. After the Army carried out surgical strikes on militant launching pads on September 29, 27 security forces men have been killed. A military officer posted in Kashmir said the high number of casualties was a cause of concern.
Casualty count
85- 2016
36 -2015
40- 2014
53- 2013
17 -2012
30- 2011
69- 2010
78 -2009
90- 2008
No coherent policy on Kashmir’
Lt Gen HS Panag (retd), former GOC-in-C of the Northern Command, has said the number of forces’ fatalities has been higher this year in comparison to the past few years. “My worry is that we don’t have any consistent policy on both internal and external front while Pakistan always has a permanent strategy over Kashmir which does not change. We are suffering because there is no coherent policy on Pakistan,” the General said.
EXPECT SUPPORT FROM GEN BAKSHI AND HARIZ, SAYS NEW ARMY CHIEF
NEW DELHI: Army chief-designate lieutenant general Bipin Rawat expects “support and cooperation” from the two generals superseded by the government to elevate him to the top position, as uncertainty looms over the senior officers’ next move.
In promoting Rawat, who takes over as army chief on December 31, the claims of lieutenant generals Praveen Bakshi and PM Hariz were ignored.
“They have been cooperating all along and I think they have been most supportive thus far and I expect the same in future,” said Rawat in his first interview after being named as general Dalbir Singh’s successor.
Bakshi and Hariz were commissioned in December 1977 and June 1978, while Rawat joined the army in December 1978. Had the government gone by seniority, Bakshi would have been the next chief. But Rawat’s experience in Kashmir and the Northeast tipped the scales in his favour.
On the seniority principle being abandoned, Rawat said it was the government’s call and “we should all abide by the decision”.
“Both generals Bakshi and Hariz have been good friends and I have lot of respect for them. But since the government has taken a decision, it is with humility I accept this responsibility and I will do my best.” He said he was as surprised as others when the announcement was made.
There’s talk in the army that the supersession may have created an intra-service rift. Rawat is from infantry while Bakshi and Hariz are from mechanised forces.
Asked if he was inheriting a dividing army, Rawat said his perception was different.
“The army has had tremendous successes all along and divided armies don’t succeed. Whatever we have done, whatever achievements we have had… all this has happened because of operating in a synergised manner.”
Rawat, who was commissioned into 5/11 Gorkha Rifles, said all arms and services were assigned equally important roles and as long as the army functioned as a team, it would remain an efficient force.
The general, who has had three stints in Kashmir, said the situation in the Valley was dynamic and a status quo mentality wouldn’t work. “You have to seek status change…A renewed thrust will be given to all issues after I visit Kashmir and interact with the men who are operating on the ground under difficult conditions.”
Rawat takes over as army chief at a time when the force has stepped up efforts to meet deficiencies ranging from assault rifles and body armour to high-end artillery guns and air defence systems.
He said modernising mechanised forces, artillery, air defence systems, the army’s aviation wing and improving night-fighting capabilities would be his top priorities.
“Priorities have already been spelt out by general Dalbir Singh and I think with the government’s support, we are moving in the right direction.”
He also backed creating the post of chief of defence staff, saying “it’s a good idea to integrate the defence services at the highest level but it’s the government’s call”.
After the Kargil war with Pakistan in 1999, a governmentappointed panel recommended the appointment of a CDS to provide single-point military advice to the country’s leadership.
INAGGURATION OF DISTT MOHALI CONGRESS OFFICE BY Lt GEN JASBIR SINGH DHARIWAL PVSM,AVSM,VSM
Everybody in the state including youth, farmers, employees and exservicemen are fed up from the misrule of government. BALBIR SINGH SIDHU, Congress MLA
SASNAGAR: Local Congress MLA Balbir Singh Sidhu hits out at SAD-BJP government for its wrong policies and putting development of state in back gear.
HT PHOTOSAS Nagar Congress candidate for Punjab assembly polls Balbir Singh Sidhu during the inauguration of Congress election office at Phase 7 market in SAS Nagar on Wednesday being congradulated by Lt Gen JS Dhariwal ( Chief Patron Sanjha Morcha) by offering ladoos.
Sidhu, who was speaking during the inauguration of party office at Phase 7, said that everybody in the state including youth, farmers, employees and ex-servicemen are fed up from the misrule of government and feel cheated at the hands ofgovernment whose tall claims failed to take any concrete shape.
Sidhu, who once again got the ticket from SAS Nagar on Wednesday, launched his election campaign. The office was inaugurated by Lt Gen (retd), Jasbir Singh Dhaliwal.
He said, “This time Punjabis want to see Captain Amarinder Singh as their chief minister as only Congress party has the vision to bring back the state on the path of development.”
The Congress, after coming to power in state, will ensure job to a member of each home in state while eradicating drug menace from state.
Lashing out on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Sidhu said that AAP has become like a local bus which is full of opportunists who for their own vested interest are playing with the sentiments of people of Punjab.
Congress candidate from Mohali Balbir Singh Sidhu today launched his election campaign formally by opening the party office at Phase VII, here. The office was inaugurated by Lt Gen (retd) Jasbir Singh Dhaliwal.It is to be noted that Sidhu is a sitting MLA from the Mohali constituency.“You can say it a launch of formal election campaign. But the fact is that party workers and supporters were already on the job since long time. I was meeting people of my area on a regular basis. I am thankful to my party high command for having faith in me again,” said Sidhu.Sidhu said the party had edge over other parties in the area as other major players, including SAD-BJP combine and AAP, were yet to announce their candidates from here.The Congress leader said they were not getting any suitable local candidate from here.“Punjab residents have suffered a lot due to anti-people policies of the SAD-BJP government and now they want Capt Amarinder Singh as their Chief Minister,” said Sidhu.Sidhu also slammed the AAP, which, he stated had no vision for the state.
Army chief visits Assam, Manipur to review security
NEW DELHI: Army chief General Dalbir Singh is on a visit to Manipur and Assam to review the security situation, an official said on Saturday. The United Naga Council has imposed an economic blockade in the state since November 1 to denounce the creation of seven new districts from areas inhabited by Nagas in Manipur. Singh is set to retire on December 31 and will be succeeded by Lieutenant General Bipin Rawat.
Defence personnel will be able to cast their vote by using electronic postal ballot facility for the first time in the country in the Punjab Assembly poll, state Chief Electoral Officer VK Singh said today.With the use of e-ballot, the voting percentage by armed forces may jump to 70-80 per cent as against usual percentage of 2-3 per cent, he said.The ballot paper would be sent through electronic means to armed units. Defence voters would be able to download the blank ballot paper and after marking their preference, it would be sent back to respective returning officers through post. — PTI
Women troops on border to get better facilities: HM
Home Minister Rajnath Singh today said the government would provide enhanced infrastructure and logistical facilities at border posts where women personnel had been deployed under the command of various frontier guarding forces.After taking salute at the 53rd Raising Day of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) at its camp here, Rajnath said it was essential to have “gender-friendly” facilities at these far-flung areas for women as the present support system was deficient.Apart from SSB, BSF (deployed along Pakistan and Bangladesh borders) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (along Sino-India frontier) has deployed its women personnel as part of their border guarding charter. While the forces have upgraded or created new infrastructure facilities at the border posts after women combatants were posted at these locations for the first time a few years ago, reports from the field units of these forces have desired that much more needs to be done.Rajnath said his ministry would give a serious thought to a pending proposal of SSB to have its own dedicated intelligence wing to aid its ground troops mandated to secure Indian borders with Nepal and Bhutan. “Despite not having a dedicated intelligence wing, you have been quite successful in your operations along the two borders you guard,” he said. — PTI
Will the Government Bite the Bullet on Appointing Chief of the Defence Staff by Lt Gen SYED ATA HASNAIN
All what is left to do now is the shouting and the celebration for the final decision on the creation of the CDS.
Much, however, will depend on the political-military-bureaucratic triangular control to establish the right balance for the functioning of this appointment.
I hate to believe rumours, but when they are discussed quite openly and by very knowledgeable people, I don’t mind joining in with informed guess work and some analysis. Currently, the hottest potato is the information that the government is going to make the long awaited announcement on the appointment of the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS). This should excite a lot of people. If it happens, the NDA government would have delivered on its manifesto and created quite a ripple before the upcoming assembly elections. The issues, which the public must get to know about the decision, if finally taken are quite a few. Just like people, who still approach me to explain what one rank one pension (OROP) is all about, there are many who will want to know the ifs and buts of CDS.
Firstly, it is a good 17 years after the Kargil Review Committee headed by K Subramaniam made the recommendation that India would finally have a CDS, something most modern armed forces adopted many years ago. However, is it really necessary to have one? Absolutely yes, in the opinion of almost every military professional.
The military subset of national security, as one of its main components, has become so complex today that no single service can claim primacy. The ground or continental, maritime and air/space dimensions now also have the cyber domain thrown in. With transformation and the revolution in military affairs ongoing for many years, the necessity to convert all military operations to the ‘joint’ format is a compulsion. Joint here essentially means that single service can no longer fight their individual wars and only assist other services as a secondary effort. All planning must take place jointly, placing all resources in the basket and exploiting them optimally for the common national goal. Doctrinal guidance for this must be joint too, as much as the training needed to back it. Single service glory hunting will then not be possible. It may sound mundane to our civilian brethren, but it is a truism that in spite of being aware of the necessity to optimally plan and deploy all resources each service first looks at its own domain.
This is not peculiar to India, it happens everywhere in the world. The US Armed Forces, the world’s most advanced, had major problems in this regard. Narrow service loyalties kept coming in the way of joint operations. Fed up of the inability of the men in uniform resolving this issue, the US legislature in 1987 passed the famous Goldwater-Nichols Act, which was initiated under former president Ronald Reagan. This Act legislated the creation of joint structures and organisations, the classic theatre command system. The position of the then already strengthened Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff received a further impetus. The US system is an extremely advanced one, where the service chiefs are responsible only for training, procurement and partially non-operational logistics, besides being in touch with the government. The theatres comprise a mix of all components of the four services (the US has the Marine Corps as the fourth Arm) with the necessary resources, under the command of the theatre commander also known as the combatant commander, who reports directly to the Secretary Defence – not to be confused with the Defence Secretary as in India who is a bureaucrat. The Secretary Defence is the Defence Minister of the US. The theatre commanders through him report to the US President, who is the working Supreme Commander.
The CDS system known under different avatars around the world also has a national stamp based upon each country’s own military experience. It is interesting to see the Pakistan model, which I learn came into being in General Zia ul Haq’s time. Pakistan’s armed forces have been comfortable with the creation of the post of General Number One primarily because it is a toothless appointment, the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC). Jointness between the three services may exist notionally or even marginally, but Pakistan has placed its nuclear weaponry and its safety under his control and he reports directly to the prime minister. His powers otherwise are restricted. This appointment does not become a single window for reference with the government on matters military. Anyway Pakistan’s model is just too unique because it’s army and its chief, who is officially virtually General Number Two, has an out of proportion power in guiding and deciding security policies for Pakistan. It’s just worth keeping in mind as one end of the spectrum of models which we in India could refer.
In 2001, as an interim acceptance of the Kargil Review Committee recommendations, the Government of India created the HQ Integrated Defence Staff or HQ IDS. Planning, procurement, doctrine, intelligence, training and even joint operations came under its purview but service specific issues in the same realms continued to dominate the organisational narrative. The Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) raised in 2001 virtually functions under the NSA. The Strategic Forces Command (SFC), also established in 2001, which is the controlling establishment for nuclear weapon assets of India, remains virtually outside the ambit of the joint staff and has also passed into the hands of the NSA. An experiment with theatrisation was commenced with the raising of the Andaman & Nicobar Command (ANC). Recently, at the behest of the former naval chief, the command of ANC, which was always rotational between the three services, has now been given permanently to the Indian Navy. The nature of threats to the ANC area of responsibility probably dictated the decision. Many appear to disagree with the command of a theatre being exercised by a single service. However, there is precedent in the form of the Pacific Command of the US which is commanded by a four-star naval officer. Personally, I do believe the navy has the better expertise to exercise command control under perhaps a later time when the joint intellect is a certainty.
The problem is that from 2001 to 2016 is a long period to experiment and not act in the true and honest interest of jointness. There is much speculation that the inordinately long time may yet have prolonged to allow the bureaucratic control over the resources which must actually come legitimately under the new CDS, when appointed. The Indian jointness model will also be unique. Unlike the individual service chiefs having little or no operational responsibility in the US, the Indian service chiefs will continue to exercise operational control right into the foreseeable future. I do not also foresee any further regional theatrisation taking place in the Indian context for quite some time. Not for any other reason, but simply because it needs a degree of intellectual engagement preceding any executive directions. There has to be conceptual clarity before a transformative formulation of a holistically new application of a concept or simply execution of operational responsibility is carried out.
In effect the CDS in my opinion, besides being the head of the HQ IDS must be responsible for all aspects except single service operations. However, in the interim stage training and logistics will remain Service specific. Eventually, common policies on personnel management must emerge. We cannot have such management differences as residual ages for Commanders in Chief being different for Army, Navy and the Air Force and that is just the tip of the iceberg.
There is much speculation about the personalities who are likely to don the mantel of the first appointment of CDS. In 2001 the then Army Chief magnanimously offered it to the IAF as a goodwill gesture. However, as the largest service with the most complex responsibility the Army appears to be the right place to start with, not necessarily because it is my service. The name being spoken of is that of Lt Gen Praveen Bakshi, currently GOC-in-C Eastern Command. Purely my personal opinion, the officer has the right gravitas to carry off the appointment as the first CDS near perfectly. He has the intellectual bent and the necessary experience to wear this cap and take responsibility which will need deft handling.
All that is left to do now is the shouting and the celebration for the final decision on the creation of the CDS. Much, however, will depend on the political-military-bureaucratic triangular control to establish the right balance for the functioning of this appointment. On that an essay at a later date.
PUNJAB POLITICS ::LATEST SCENARIO FOR INFO OF VETERANS
Angad SainiKuldeep Singh VaidKulbir Singh ZiraAmar SinghGurpreet Singh GP
Candidature of 12 party MLAs withheld; Pargat, Navjot await ticket too; First-timers in the fray: Angad Saini youngest at 26
Rajmeet Singh
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, December 15
The Congress today withheld the candidature of 12 sitting MLAs while releasing the first list of 61 candidates for the Assembly elections.There are seven new faces: Angad Saini (Nawanshahr), Gurpreet Singh GP (Bassi Pathana), Kuldeep Singh Vaid (Gill), Amar Singh (Raikot), Khushbaj Singh Jatana (Talwandi Sabo), Kulbir Singh Zira (Zira) and Dalvir Singh Goldy (Dhuri).Vaid, a former Moga Deputy Commissioner, recently took premature retirement. Amar Singh is a former IAS officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre.
The red flag raised by Rajya Sabha MPs Partap Singh Bajwa, Ambika Soni and Shamsher Singh Dullo against giving the ticket to former Akali/BJP leaders is reflected in the list.
The party top brass has treaded cautiously regarding “outsiders” Inderbir Bolaria, Pargat Singh, Sarwan Singh Phillaur and Navjot Kaur Sidhu. No candidate has been announced for contentious seats such as Jalandhar Cantonment, Amritsar South and Amritsar East. The names of sitting MLAs whose seats are likely to be swapped or those who were rated poorly in surveys have been withheld.
The top names missing from the list are: Lal Singh (Sanaur), Tarlochan Singh (Banga), Jagmohan Kang (Kharar), Sukhjinder Dimpa (Amritsar East), Amrik Singh Dhillon (Samrala), Rakesh Pandey (Ludhiana North), Amrinder Raja Warring (Gidderbaha), Karan Kaur Brar (Muktsar), Joginder Singh (Jaitu), Ajaib Bhatti (Bhucho Mandi) and Mohammed Sadique (Bhadaur).
Congress president Sonia Gandhi, vice-president Rahul Gandhi and other top leaders were flooded with requests for seats as well as warnings that those refused the ticket would rebel against the official candidates.
Ex-CM Bhattal among six women candidates
Dinanagar- Aruna Chaudhary
Qadian- Fateh Jang Singh Bajwa
Batala- Ashwani Sekhri
Sri Hargobindpur- Balwinder Singh Laddi
Fatehgarh Churian- Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa
Dera Baba Nanak- Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa
Raja Sansi- Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria
Majitha- Sukhjinder Lalli Majithia
Jandiala- Sukhwinder Singh Danny
Amritsar West- Raj Kumar Verka
Amritsar Central- Om Parkash Soni
Attari- Tarsem Singh DC
Tarn Taran- Dharamvir Agnihotri
Patti- Harminder Singh Gill
Khadoor Sahib- Ramanjit Singh Sikki
Kapurthala- Rana Gurjit Singh
Sultanpur Lodhi- Navtej Singh Cheema
Jalandhar Central- Rajinder Beri
Mukerian- Rajnish Kumar
Urmar- Sangat Singh Gilzian
Hoshiarpur- Sunder Sham Arora
Chabbewal- Raj Kumar
Nawanshahr- Angad Saini
Anandpur Sahib- Rana Kanwarpal Singh
Chamkaur Sahib- Charanjit Singh Channi
SAS Nagar- Balbir Singh Sidhu
Bassi Pathana- Gurpreet Singh GP
Fatehgarh Sahib- Kuljit Singh Nagra
Amloh- Randeep Singh Nabha
Khanna- Gurkirat Singh Kotli
Ludhiana Central- Surinder Kumar Dawar
Ludhiana West- Bharat Bhushan Ashu
Gill- Kuldeep Singh Vaid
Payal- Lakhvir Singh Lakha
Raikot- Amar Singh
Baghapurana- Darshan Singh Brar
Dharamkot- Kaka Sukhjit Singh Lohgarh
Zira- Kulbir Singh Zira
Ferozepur City- Parminder Singh Pinki
Ferozepur Rural- Satkar Kaur
Guru Harsahai- Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi
Abohar- Sunil Jakhar
Faridkot- Kushaldeep Dhillon
Rampura Phul- Gurpreet Singh Kangar
Bathinda Urban- Manpreet Singh Badal
Talwandi Sabo- Khushbaj Singh Jatana
Sardulgarh- Ajit Inder Singh Mofar
Budhlada- Ranjit Kaur Bhatti
Lehra- Rajinder Kaur Bhattal
Dirba- Ajaib Singh Rataul
Barnala- Kewal Singh Dhillon
Mehal Kalan- Harchand Kaur
Malerkotla- Razia Sultana
Dhuri- Dalvir Singh Goldy
Sangrur- Vijay Inder Singla
Nabha- Sadhu Singh Dharamsot
Patiala Rural- Brahm Mohindra
Rajpura- Hardial Singh Kamboj
Ghanaur- Madan Lal Jalalpur
Patiala Urban- Capt Amarinder Singh
Shutrana – Nirmal Singh
Wait & watch
The names of Indian Youth Congress president and Gidderbaha MLA Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and Punjab Youth Congresschief Amarpreet Singh Lali, a contender from Garshankar, are not on the list
Speaking on the phone from Delhi, Warring said,“I will contest from Gidderbaha, Lambi or both. My first preference is Gidderbaha and I don’t want to leave it because I am representing this constituency. However, I will go by my party’s decision.”
No candidate has been announced from Lambi and Jalalabad, represented by CM Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal, respectively
The youngest candidate on the list is Angad Saini (26), while the oldest is Capt Amarinder Singh (74). The other septuagenarian nominees are Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and Brahm Mohindra (both 70). Dalvir Goldy, Khushbaj Jatana, Kulbir Zira and Satkar Kaur are in their 30s.
Cong first list out, sticks to ‘one family, one ticket’ rule
CHANDIGARH: The Congress created history of sorts on Thursday by releasing its first list of candidates before the announcement of polls in Punjab. But it has played it safe by declaring names on just 61 seats out of 117, steering clear of ones where a consensus still eludes the party, including seats where MLAs who have quit the ruling SADBJP are vying for tickets.
One of the big surprises is absence of names of cricketerturned-politician Navjot Singh’s wife, Navjot Kaur Sidhu, and former Indian Hockey team captain Pargat Singh, who were BJP and SAD MLAs from Amritsar (east) and Jalandhar Cantt, respectively. The duo had joined Congress after Sidhu’s front Awaaz-e-Punjab had split following Bains brothers of Ludhiana allying with the AAP. The announcement of names on both the seats has been kept on hold, party sources said. Amarinder is rooting for former MLA and party candidate in 2012 polls, Jagbir Brar, from Jalandhar Cantt. Kaur’s seatwill also be announced along with Pargat’s, they said.
The only new entrant to get a place in the first list is former Punjab finance minister and CM Parkash Singh Badal’s estranged nephew Manpreet Singh Badal who has been fielded from Bathinda (urban) — the bastion of the ruling Badal family. The seat falls in the Bathinda parliamentary constituency of CM’s daughter-in-law and Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal.
In another first, the political dynasties have given way to new rule of ‘one family, one ticket’. Three women MLAs have made way for men in the family owing to the new rule. Amarinder, who has resigned as Amritsar MP, will return to his seat Patiala (urban), won by his wife Preneet Kaur in a bypoll. Rajya Sabha MP Partap Bajwa’s wife Charanjit Bajwa has opted out for brother-inlaw Fateh Bajwa in Qadian and Nawanshahr MLA Guriqbal Kaur for son Angad Saini, 25, the youngest candidate on the list. The first list has six women candidates, including three sitting MLAs.
But the rule has also delayed a final decision on seats where it has to decide between fatherson and grandfather-grandson. Sanaur MLA Lal Singh is willing to give up his claim for Samana seat for his son Rajinder Singh.
74-year-old Samrala MLA Amrik Dhillon is more “winnable” in party surveys than his 26-yearold grandson Karanvir Dhillon.
Other than the five sitting MLAs who have opted out for family, the party has renominated 31 sitting MLAs out of 43 in the first list, including Rajnish Singh Babbi of Mukerian, who had won as a independent after being denied the Congress ticket.
Former MP Vijay Inder Singla, a part of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s team, will contest the state polls for the first time. He had won the Sangrur Lok Sabha seat in his debut election in 2009 but lost it to AAP’s Bhagwant Mann in 2014. Of the six new youth candidates on the list, half are “son-rises”, including former state minister Sardool Singh’s son Sukhwinder Singh Danny, Angad Saini son of MLA Guriqbal Kaur and Kulbir Singh Zira, son of former state minister Inderjit Singh Zira.
Other party stalwarts will contest their traditional seats — former CM Rajinder Kaur Bhattal from Lehragaga, former Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Sunil Jakhar from Abohar and incumbent CLP leader Charanjit Singh Channi from Chamkaur Sahib.
The seats where the sevenmember screening committee headed by former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot has still to finalise names are the ones where Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh wants to have his say such as Ludhiana (east) seat from where he is keen to field former Ludhiana MP and Union minister Manish Tewari but sitting Ludhiana MP Ravneet Bittu is opposing the move.
The party has also skipped announcing names of candidates in assembly segments where it is trying to pacify rebels or swap or drop sitting and former MLAs.
The 61 candidates on Cong’s first list
Twist in the tale of nine sitting MLAs not on list
CHANDIGARH: The screening committee of the Congress headed by former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot for Punjab elections is treading cautiously on seats that can trigger bushfires. Adopting the policy of “minimum damage”, a majority of names or seats in the party’s first list of 61 are “non-contentious”.
The list, however, betrays party’s own discomfort at the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal’s rhetoric that it is “accepting its rejects and has no winnable candidates of its own” at a time there are differences within the Congress on fielding “turncoats” from the ruling alliance.
All the six MLAs, who have joined the Congress in last one month, have been kept out of the list, including Navjot Kaur Sidhu, Pargat Singh, Sarwan Singh Phillaur, Inderbir Singh Bolaria, Rajwinder Kaur Bagike and Maheshinder Singh.
Those who had joined the Congress from the Akali Dal early this year, also have been kept in the waiting list. These include Deepinder Dhillon, who is eyeing the Dera Bassi seat, and Harry Mann who wants Samana. But the fact that the seats they represent as MLAs or are vying for are yet to be decided shows the Congress will try to pacify rebels to humour the “turncoats”.
While Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has assured Navjot Kaur and Pargat tickets from home seats, the announcement of Pargat’s name from Jalandhar Cantt could cause former MLA and candidate Jagbir Brar to rebel. Mann’s candidature will face revolt by none other than senior MLA Lal Singh, who is eyeing Samana seat for his son Rajinder Singh. The result? Both Samana and Lal Singh’s own seat, Sanaur, have been kept on hold.
Like Lal Singh, there is twist in the tale of the eight other MLAs not on the first list. Of its 43 sitting MLAs, including Rajnish Kumar Babbi, who has remained an independent member of the state assembly from Mukerian after he won as an independent after being denied a Congress ticket, the party has fielded 31.
Kharar seat of MLA Jagmohan Kang is not on the list. Party sources claim Kang is “not looking good in the party surveys but he is defiant”.
And it is not just another seat for Amarinder, who would do all it takes to ensure Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Kanwar Sandhu is defeated.
Likewise, in Samrala the party has yet to decide whether it should go for its sitting MLA Amrik Singh Dhillon, who is 74, or his grandson Karanvir Dhillon who too has applied for the seat. The popularity rating of the grandfather is “higher” in the surveys.
In Ludhiana, there is a tussle on the Ludhiana north seat of MLA Rakesh Pandey. Dropping Pandey, a loyalist of Bhattal, will not hurt Amarinder but “harmless” Pandey has many sympathisers among the Ludhiana team of the Congress.
The Gidderbaha seat of MLA Amrinder Singh Raja Warring is also not on the list. Warring, party insiders said, is interested in the Muktsar seat. Which also partly explains why neither Muktsar seat nor its MLA Karan Brar, is not on the list. The other part is that Amarinder was interested in fielding Bhai Kuku from here.
Jaito MLA Joginder Singh too is not on the list. He fits into the “swap of only reserved seats” formula of Amarinder. Another SC MLA Mohammad Sadique too finds no mention and may be shuffled around in the second list. A big surprise is in MLA Tarlochan Singh Soondh also not finding any mention .
The MLA, who has gained popularity as the “shoe-hurler” in the last assembly session represents Banga, a reserved seat. The remaining four sitting MLAs are Preneet Kaur, Guriqbal Kaur, Charanjit Bajwa and Gurcharan Singh Boparai who have opted out for family. Boparai’s brother, Dr Amar Singh, is the Raikot candidate.
EX-MOGA DC GETS TICKET FROM GILL
In the first list, names of candidates for 17 out of Punjab’s 34 reserved seats have been announced. Former Moga DC Kuldeep Singh Vaid has got the ticket from the Gill reserved constituency.
Of the six women on the list, four have been fielded from the reserved constituencies, including sitting MLA Harchand Kaur, Aruna Chaudhary, Ranjit Kaur Batti and Satkar Kaur.
Friends turn foe: Once right-hand man of Bains, Karwal to contest elections against him
LUDHIANA:Once a right-hand man of firebrand leader Simarjit Singh Bains, SAD councillor and a turncoat leader Kamaljeet Singh Karwal is likely to contest elections against Bains, as he is all set to join Congress shortly.
HT PHOTOExAkali leader and Bains brothers’ aide Kamaljit Karwal (green turban) meeting the PPCC president Captain Amarinder Singh in Ludhiana on Thursday.
Karwal met state Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh at New Delhi, after which the latter made an announcement that Karwal will soon join the party. Congress is likely to field Karwal from Atam Nagar constituency, which is a stronghold of Bains.
Till recently, Congress was clueless regarding which candidate to field from Atam Nagar as all applicants from the area, including Kulwant Sidhu, KK Bawa and Parvinder Singh Lapran, were not considered a match to Bains. However, Captain had hinted in the past that he will provide Bawa an opportunity.
Being a close associate of Bains brothers, Karwal is considered privy to all their loopholes and thus is the best bet for the Congress party, in this area.
Karwal, who contested 2012 MC polls on SAD symbol, left the party after sometime after the Bains brothers left the party. Thereafter, he joined SAD again in January 2015 in the presence of deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal.
Interestingly, in 2009, Karwal and Simarjit had allegedly beaten up, the then tehsildar GS Benipal.
Following this, both were booked under Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 353 (manhandling public servants), 332 (deter public servant from official duty), 394 (causing hurt in committing robbery) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and many Sections of the Arms Act. They even remained in jail for some time.
Earlier in 2014, the Supreme Court handed the matter over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the investigation has been pending since then.
Karwal was re-elected as the councillor from ward number 45 in 2012. Sources said that the Congress leaders aspiring to contest from Atam Nagar were lobbying in Delhi on Thursday, trying to persuade Captain Amarinder Singh, not to allot a ticket to Karwal for the constituency.
Kamaljit Karwal said that SAD has not fielded a capable candidate from Atam Nagar constituency due to which he decided to join the Congress party. “I will officially join the party in the coming days,” he said.
SAD has fielded city industrialist Gumeet Singh Kular from Atam Nagar who has no political background and is considered to be a weak candidate in front of Simarjit Singh Bains.
ਸੀਨੀਆਰਤਾ ਨਜ਼ਰਅੰਦਾਜ਼ ਕਰਨ ਦੇ ਖ਼ਤਰੇ ( DANGERS OF OVERLOOKING SENIORITY) by Lt Gen Jasbir Singh Dhariwal (Retd)
