It’s official: Manpreet to take on Badal might in Bathinda

Vijay Inder Singla likely to contest from Sangrur, Capt Amarinder says high command to decide on Manish Tewari; Surinder Singla reportedly offered Moga seat

CHANDIGARH : The bastion of the ruling Badals will yet again see a clash within the Badal clan as the name of Manpreet Badal, the estranged nephew of chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, has been cleared from Bathinda urban seat by the central election committee of the Congress headed by party president Sonia Gandhi.

Though Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh was batting for another former state finance minister Surinder Singla, the party has decided to field Manpreet, a Jat Sikh face, against the Hindu candidates of the Shiromani Akali Dal, incumbent MLA Sarup Chand Singla, and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

The Congress strategy is not just high on symbolism, of pitching a Badal in the parliamentary constituency of CM’s daughterin-law and Union minister Harsimrat Badal to contain the ruling clan in Bathinda, but also to gain from the division of Hindu votes in the seat between the Akali Dal and the AAP. The fact that Manpreet had a lead of 30,000 votes from Bathinda urban when he lost to Harsimrat in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls has not gone unnoticed in the calculations. To preempt rebel trouble, the party is learnt to offered Surinder Singla the Moga seat.

While the Congress has decided to bet on a Sikh face here, at another Hindu-dominated seat of Sangrur, former MP Vijay Inder Singla has been found to be the strongest candidate in party surveys. Surinderpal Sibia, a Jat Sikh, was the party nominee in 2012 state polls. The other two contenders from the seat are Baldev Mann of the SAD (Longowal), which has now merged into Congress and former Amargarh candidate Surjit Dhiman. Singla, who is working as an “organisational man” in party vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s media communication team, may have to get into poll gear to contest the assembly elections as the party tries to fulfil the criteria of Hindu, youth and winnability.

But the name of another Hindu face, former Union minister Manish Tewari, has yet not been given a go ahead from Ludhiana east seat. Amarinder said on Sunday that the decision to field Tewari depends on the party high command.

The screening committee headed by former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot will meet again this week to iron out differences on some other seats. According to sources, another meeting of the central election committee is likely later this week before the release of the list.

List to be out next week: Capt

NEW DELHI: Denying any differences with the Congress high command over the selection of candidates for the 2017 Punjab assembly elections, state Congress chief Amarinder Singh on Sunday said the list would be out next week.

“No differences with the Congress high command on tickets. These are false reports. The list of candidates will be announced next week.”

The former CM said since the Congress is a large party, it needs to go through systems and processes to ensure proper ticket allocation. He denied there was a delay in shortlisting of candidates. “Two meetings of the scrutiny committee and the central election committee of the party have been held and we have cleared a number of candidates,” Amarinder said.

“Once the scrutiny committee sends the final names, it will be decided. We still have enough time. Our candidates will have at least 45 days to campaign,” he said. As for the opposition within the party over candidates, Amarinder said: “We’ll not sideline senior Congress leaders. We look for strong candidates who have come from other parties only in places where there is no Congress candidate. There are a few gaps as some leaders have left us.”

Asked if cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu will join the Congress, Amarinder said: “I hope so. I have full confidence. I had a good meeting with him. It was very positive. Let him come from Mumbai. Let us wait for him to take the decision.”

Asked about Sufi singer Hans Raj Hans’ decision to quit the Congress and join the BJP, the Punjab Congress chief said he might have taken this decision to earn recognition at the national level.

AAP’s Punjab vice-chief, three others join Cong

NEW DELHI : In a boost to the Congress ahead of assembly elections, four Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, including its state vice-president CM Lakhanpal, joined the party in Delhi on Sunday.

Welcoming AAP founding member Lakhanpal and three other leaders — PK Sharma, Iqbal Pannu and Barpur Singh —into the Congress fold, Amarinder said the AAP’s graph was coming down in Punjab.

He said the fight in the state polls is between the Congress and AAP, whose standing is on the decline. The AAP had to bring 50,000 people from other states for campaigning. “The SAD-BJP alliance is nowhere in reckoning in Punjab,” he claimed.

Targeting AAP national convener, Amarinder said: “His claim that if the AAP comes to power in Punjab, a Dalit will be made the deputy chief minister is fraudulent. There is no Sikh or Dalit minister in his Delhi government.”

“Kejriwal is trying to fool the people of Punjab through such misleading statements. The AAP had absolutely no standing in Punjab and had brought 50,000 people from other states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for campaigning,” the Punjab Congress chief claimed.

The newly inducted leaders expressed their unconditional support for Congress and alleged that AAP has “failed to meet people’s expectations in the state and is on decline”.

30­lakh applicants for Amarinder’s 50­lakh mobile phone scheme

CHANDIGARH: The poll bonanza of Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh of 50 lakh smartphones with free data and calling for youth has not been able to get as many takers.

The “Captain Smart Connect” scheme was launched on November 20 but saw just 20 lakh applicants till November 30. It was extended for 10 days to December 10. It had clocked 30 lakh registrations when it closed on Sunday.

The scheme offered smartphones to youth between the age of 18 and 35 within the first 100 days of the formation of his government. Amarinder had also announced an allocation of Rs 4,000-5,000 crore over a five-year period from the state budget for the scheme.Ludhiana, Patiala, Amritsar, Bathinda reported the maximum number of registrations. Congress workers and volunteers had set up multiple desks in all 117 assembly seats to facilitate registrations and “Punjab Congress Express”, the party publicity vans, were also used as mobile registration desks.

Buses for CM’s rally but not for us: Athletes

AUTHORITIES’ INDIFFERENCE Athletes suffer due to mismanagement as they have not been provided transportation, some even have to pay from their own pockets for better accommodation

SINCE THE ACCOMMODATION FACILITIES WERE NOT PROPER, SOME ATHLETES HAVE SHIFTED TO CITY HOTELS BEARING EXPENSES FROM THEIR OWN POCKET, SOME ATHLETES EXPRESSED THAT THEY ARE GETTING FOOD JUST TWO TIMES IN A DAY

From page 01 LUDHIANA : In the five-day 62nd Punjab State Inter-District Athletics Meet, that is being held at Guru Nanak Stadium, : around 5,000 athletes are participating, but the arrangements aren’t enough or even up to the mark to cater to the needs of the athletes.

JS GREWAL/HTPlayers in action during the 62nd Punjab State Inter­District Athletics Meet at Guru Nanak Stadium in Ludhiana on Sunday.

Even on the second day of the meet on Sunday, the athletes walked down from their accommodated venues located at Jawahar Nagar, Sarabha Nagar, Gobind Nagar and Miller Ganj to the stadium, these venues are located at a distance of more than 2 km from the stadium. One of the athletes exhorted, “When school buses can go for chief minister Parkash Singh Badal’s rally, why can’t the department provide transportation facility for us?”

The athletes claimed, “Government demands medals from us but they are not ready to provide us with good facilities. Even the infrastructure here at the stadium is not perfect.”

Officials from education department said that they get funds for transport facilities at national-level tournaments but not for state-level.

POOR ACCOMMODATION

Since the accommodation facilities were not proper, some athletes have shifted to city hotels bearing expenses from their own pocket.An athlete from Gurdaspur district mentioned that he got accommodation at Government Senior Secondary School, Gobind Nagar. Being was not satisfied with the facilities there, so he has now taken a room on rent in a hotel near Dukhniwaran Gurudwara.

“For food I am getting ₹125 from the authorities, but for the rent of the room I will spend from my pocket,” he said. Some athletes even claimed that the participants residing in the SAI centres have proper beds and diet. “How can we compete when we are not able to take proper rest, we have to sleep on the mats laid on the ground despite this cold weather,” they rued.

ATHLETES NOT AWARE OF DIET AMOUNT

Some athletes from SAS Nagar (Mohali), expressed that they are getting food just two times in a day. When they were asked if they are getting the daily diet amount, the athletes were not even aware of it.As per the information from event convener Harjit Ram, every student is getting ₹125 per day for the diet and it is to be given by respective district in-charges.

Athletes said two times meal is given by the teachers who have come along with them, but they are not spending the whole amount.

“They give us ‘pranthas’ in the morning as well as in the evening, and total meal of the day costs ₹80 for one athlete. We do not get the meal during lunch time,” they said.

SPIKE SHOES MUST FOR THE PARTICIPANTS

On Sunday, department made it compulsory for the participants to wear the shoes provided to them while running after some athletes, who were running barefooted got injured on the first day of the meet on Saturday.

Harjit Ram, who himself was a national-level athlete, said that it is risky for the athletes running barefooted on synthetic track.

Therefore, we have given strict instructions that no one will participate barefoot. Deputy district education officer Nahar Singh said the department will recommend the coache s to make the athletes practice by wearing spike shoes from the zonal-level itself.

Otherwise it will become difficult for them when they go ahead to participate in national-level tournaments.

ATHLETE DOWN WITH CHICKEN POX PRIOR TO MEET

An athlete, Manju from Mohali, fainted while participating in 3,000 metre race.

Manju said that she was afflicted with chicken pox last week and had not completely recovered yet.

So she felt weak while participating in the event.

Cong manifesto: Promise to destroy colonial vestiges

Sarbjit Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 11

In its manifesto, the Congress will promise to enact a law that will destroy last vestiges of the colonial regime.“If voted to power, the party will either destroy all colonial vestiges that glorify the subjugation and imperialist policies or display these in a manner that act as a reminder to the injustice,” said Manpreet Singh Badal, who has authored the manifesto in consultation with senior leaders, including Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh.The Congress will promise to enact the “Punjab Law of Historical Memory” to condemn the British Raj as the “single most unfortunate, cruel and humiliating phase of Punjab’s history and that of India”.Manpreet said the party would promise to enact several legislations, but what could be shared now was the content of “Punjab Law of Historical Memory”.The law will be aimed at collective recognition of the region’s past and identifying specific periods of prosperity and decline. For instance, he said, “the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh is to be celebrated as an era of greatness and strength. Special efforts will be placed on locating, preserving and displaying its relics. On the other hand, the British Raj is to be formally condemned”.Will it not be an attempt to distort history? “It should be understood as a conscious effort to give information about Punjab’s past. Moreover, it seeks to reignite the Punjabi sense of pride by collectively identifying our epochs of greatness and misfortune. Besides identifying reasons behind them, we must aspire for greatness while denouncing the misfortune,” he said.The former Finance Minister said a soft copy of the manifesto had been sent to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to seek his comments. “I discussed the manifesto with Manmohan Singh,” said Manpreet, who consulted the party leadership to include certain points in the manifesto.

Will request Priyanka to campaign: Capt

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 11Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh today said party president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi will certainly be campaigning for the Assembly elections in the state. “I will also request Priyanka Gandhi to campaign,” he told the media here.On the party’s list of noiminees, Amarinder said, “There’s no delay in shortlisting candidates. The Congress is a structured party and not a one-family party. We have to go through processes before declaring tickets. There is no undue delay and whatever delay there is will not impact campaigning.”To a query, he said, “Sonia Gandhi will take a call on Manish Tewari’s candidature and Navjot Singh Sidhu is yet to make an announcement (on joining the party). The Congress has left to him to take the decision.”

Four AAP leaders join Congress

Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh with AAP leaders (from right) Col CM Lakhanpal, PK Sharma, Col Iqbal Pannu and Barpur Singh at a press conference in New Delhi on Sunday. Tribune photo: Manas Ranjan Bhui

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 11

Ahead of the elections, four key functionaries of the Aam Admi Party (AAP) in the state today joined the Congress here in the presence of Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh.CM Lakhanpal, PK Sharma, Iqbal Pannu and Barpur Singh, who held key organisational positions in AAP, have been responsible for building the party in the state.Welcoming them into the party fold, Amarinder said AAP’s graph in Punjab was declining every day. He also dismissed AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal’s charges of a nexus between the Congress and the Akalis.“Kejriwal had come to Punjab with some principles which attracted people. But people are now disillusioned. AAP has no standing in the state and has brought 50,000 people from UP and Bihar for campaigning,” Amarinder said.The Punjab Congress chief clarified that the new entrants had joined unconditionally and would be put up as candidates only where the Congress did not have winnable contestants.The new entrants also spoke of their unconditional support for the Punjab Congress and called Captain a people’s leader with a feel for the pulse of the state.Lakhanpal, who was the founder member and state vice-president of AAP Punjab, said AAP was once a principle-based party but had compromised on its ideals and started opening its doors to people with dubious backgrounds. He cited the example of the Bains brothers, saying it was no longer possible to continue with AAP given its current state. Ironically, Bains brothers, as part of Navjot Sidju led Awaz-e-Punjab, were also in talks with the Congress until they went for AAP.PK Sharma, grandson of Ramgopal Sharma, District Congress president, Sangrur, left Canada to join AAP during the Anna Hazare movement but soon got disillusioned with the party before deciding to join the Congress.AAP founder member Iqbal Pannu was senior vice-president of trade, transport, and industrial wing of AAP while Barpur Singh was the sector coordinator for AAP and leader of the Ramgarhia SC wing.

 

AAP may field Shergill against Majithia

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 11

Confrontation between the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia is set to intensify with AAP preparing to organise a massive rally in Majitha on December 14.Sources said Kejriwal would announce the party candidate against Majithia. In all likelihood, Himmat Singh Shergill, head of the legal cell of the party, will contest against Majithia.Shergill is at present party’s candidate from Mohali but his campaign has not picked up as desired. Shergill told The Tribune that he would abide by the party’s decision. “I will contest from anywhere and against anyone the party wants,” he said.The sources said top AAP leaders would take on main leaders of the Akali Dal. The party is also exploring options of pitching in co-state party incharge Jarnail Singh against Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal from Lambi.Though Kejriwal and other AAP leaders target Badal and PPCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh in their speeches, the party had most bitter feud with Majithia owing to the filing of defamation case by the minister against top AAP leaders. AAP national organisation head Durgesh Pathak has spent most of the last week in Majitha under the party’s “Majha fateh” move.

On higher plane, but empty chairs ground Dy CM

SAD leaders say the low turnout could be due to the onset of winter season or lack of interest among people

The first flight of Air India gets water salute at Bathinda airport on Sunday. Tribune photo: Pawan Sharma

Gurdeep Singh Mann

Tribune News Service

Virk Kalan (Bathinda), Dec 11Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal was visibly upset after noticing a large number of empty chairs at the inaugural function of the Bathinda airport today.The junior Badal seemed to be enquiring about the reason behind such poor presence of people.After he went up the stairs onto the stage, Sukhbir Badal spent a few minutes trying to adjust to the awkward scene as more than 25 per cent chairs were empty at the rear.“He was indeed upset and failed to notice the presence of Union Minister Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju for a few seconds. He stood up instantly when the Union Minister stopped on the stage and turned around in surprise towards Sukhbir, who was sitting at his arrival,” said a local leader standing near the stage.SAD leaders said it was not only the poor presence of people at the function which was disappointing but they were also concerned over the mild reaction towards the war-cries and slogans raised to eulogise the Badals during their speeches.“The low turnout could be due to the onset of the winter season or the anti-incumbency factor,” said another SAD leader, pleading anonymity.Though district president of the BJP, Mohit Gupta, and minister Vijay Sampla were present on the occasion, most of the senior local BJP leaders gave a miss to the programme.“We were informed about the function only on the WhatsApp and this could be behind the low turnout of our leaders,” said a BJP leader, pleading anonymity.