Sukhbir changing deadline for naming candidates
All eyes are on the Akali candidates from Bathinda and Ferozepur constituencies, but party chief Sukhbir Badal keeps changing the deadline for naming the party candidates. He has named nominees for eight seats and withheld the names for two key seats in Malwa . While his wife, Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, is the sitting MP from Bathinda and is campaigning hard, he is also frequently addressing rallies in Ferozepur. Keen to contest from the two seats, the couple is waiting for the Congress to declare candidates. The SAD chief, who first promised to name nominees by April 11, gave April 22 as new deadline.
FOR BJP, IT’S OFFICE FIRST, CANDIDATE LATER
It is office first for the BJP in Amritsar and the candidate can come later. Though the party is still to name its Amritsar nominee, its leaders are going ahead with opening their election office at the district office, Harbans Lal Khanna Samarak, on Wednesday. Punjab BJP affairs in-charge Prabhat Jha will inaugurate the office in presence of state unit chief Shwait Malik and election in-charge Captain Abhimanyu, as per invites sent by media in-charge of party in Amritsar. Alliance partner SAD is also not waiting for the candidate as its president Sukhbir is already canvassing for BJP in rural areas.
PARTY LEADERS MISSING FROM HIS CAMPAIGN
Congress leader Kewal Singh Dhillon has got the ticket from Sangrur Lok Sabha seat, but faces a problem. Besides public works minister Vijay Inder Singla, Amargarh MLA Surjit Singh Dhiman and his nephew Jaswinder Singh have also not joined the former Barnala MLA’S campaign so far. On finding them missing from his road show on Monday, Dhillon said he talked to Surjit Dhiman over phone and was promised full support. The Amargarh MLA flatly denied any conversation with Dhillon. “We had no such chat. His PA called but I told him that I’ll talk later,” he said. former cm raj in derk a ur Bhattal did join his campaign in Lehragaga, though.
NEW PARTY FOR OPIUM VENDS
As Punjab and Haryana struggle to check the problem of drug abuse among the youth, a newly formed outfit, Bharatiya Jan Raj Party, made a unique promise in its manifesto. The party says it will open opium vends in the state to keep the youth away from synthetic drugs. Party chief Balkar Ramgarhia saidnot everyone can buy opium or poppy from these vends. There will be limit on the quantity one can purchase. Moreover there will be an age limit for buyers.”
MEHNDI WITH A MESSAGE
To motivate women to cast their vote on May 12, the Haryana election department asked the deputy commissioners to hold rangoli and mehndi competitions. One such event was held at an educational institution in Kaithal where women sketched their arms with messages such as ‘saare kaam chhod do, sabse pehle vote do’ (Leave everything aside and go vote).