LS Polls: Haryana with 16 beats neighbour Punjab in fielding women candidates

CHANDIGARH: Four major parties in Punjab have fielded only six women candidates for the Lok Sabha elections, with BJP picking three, Congress two, and SAD one. AAP has not fielded any woman candidate. In neighbouring Haryana, parties have fielded 16 women and one in Himachal Pradesh. The Aam Aadmi Party was the first to announce candidates for all the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab but it has not given ticket to any woman. Tuesday was the last day to file nominations. BJPs three women candidates are Preneet Kaur, wife of former CM Amarinder Singh, from Patiala; Anita Som Parkash, wife of Union minister of state Som Parkash, from Hoshiarpur (reserved); and former IAS officer Parampal Kaur Sidhu, daughter-in-law of Akali Dal leader SS Maluka, from Bathinda. Preneet was the Congresss MP, but she quit the party and joined the BJP. Congress two woman candidates are Yamini Gomar from Hoshiarpur and Amarjit Kaur Sahoke from Faridkot, both reserve seats. The Shiromani Akali Dal has fielded MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, wife of party president Sukhbir Singh Badal, from Bathinda for the fourth time. A former Union minister, Harsimrat defeated Raninder Singh, son Amarinder Singh, from Bathinda in 2009 LS polls. She defeated her brother-in-law Manpreet Singh Badal of Congress in 2014, and current Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring in 2019. A former government schoolteacher, Sahoke resigned from her job in 2013 and joined SAD and was elected as a zila parishad member. She also remained chairman of the zila parishad from 2013 to 2018. She contested assembly elections from Jagraon in 2017 but was defeated. Then she quit SAD and joined Congress. The 49-year old Gomar was AAP candidate from Hoshiarpur and came third. She resigned from AAP in 2016 and joined the Congress. It is unfortunate that AAP has not given representation to any woman in the parliamentary polls. The party often talks about women empowerment and equality but could not find even a single woman candidate, said Partap Singh Bajwa, Congress leader. In Haryana, BJP has given ticket to Banto Kataria from Amabla (reserved) and Congress to former union minister and ex-state unit president Kumari Selja from Sirsa.INLD has announced Sunaina Chautala from Hisar and she faces her cousin sister-in-law Naina Singh Chautala of JJP. Haryana Chief Electoral Officer Anurag Aggarwal said that after withdrawal of nominations, 223 candidates, including 16 women, are left in the contest for the 10 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Hisar has the maximum women candidates three out of 28. Kurukshetra has most number of candidates at 31, but only one woman. At Ambala, 14 candidates, including two women, are contesting. In Sirsa, one woman is among 19 candidates. Karnal has two women candidates, Rohtak two, Bhiwani-Mahendragarh two, Gurgaon one, and Faridabad two. In Himachal, BJP has fielded actress-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut from Mandi.

People across country want to make Narendra Modi PM again: Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami

People across country want to make Narendra Modi PM again: Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami Uttarakhand CM and BJP leader Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the entire country in unison felt that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has tirelessly worked for 140 crore people of the country in the past 10 years and they want to make him PM again. He participated in the nomination filing process of the BJP candidate from Anandpur Sahib Lok Sabha seat Dr Subhash Sharma in Punjab on Tuesday. Pushkar Singh Dhami said, I visited many parts of the country during this (Lok Sabha) election in the last 25 days. A different kind of enthusiasm can be seen among people. All over the country, people want to make Modi ji the PM again. From Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Atak to Cuttack, everyone feels that PM Modi has served the country tirelessly in the past 10 years for 140 crore people of the country. We know that wherever there is a double-engine government in the country, at that place development has been at a rapid pace. He further said that PM Modi has worked for the people considering them to be his family members. In West Bengal's Hoogly in this hot weather, thousands of people including women and youth were out in the streets which was overwhelming. In Telangana's Warangal, Secunderabad and other places people are coming forward and feel that PM Modi has worked for them considering them to be his family members. This election is the time for PM Modi to get the reward for his sacrifice and hard work, he added. Earlier, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed confidence in the victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Punjab and said that the state will create history on June 4. Dhami held a roadshow in support of the BJP candidate Dr Subhash Sharma from the Anandpur Sahib Lok Sabha seat. Sharma is facing Congress nominee Vijay Inder Singla, AAP's Malvinder Singh Kang and Shiromani Akali Dal's (SAD) Prem Singh Chandumajra for the seat. In Punjab, voting for its 13 seats will take place in a single phase. The seventh and final phase on June 1 will see voting in Gurudaspur, Amritsar, Khadoor Sahib, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Nandpur Sahib, Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib, Faridkot, Firozpur, Bathinda, Sangrur, and Patiala constituencies. In the previous Lok Sabha Elections of 2019, the INC-led UPA alliance secured eight seats with a vote share of 40.6 per cent, while the NDA managed to secure four with a voting percentage of 9.7. The AAP, making its debut, secured one seat. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and AAP bagged 4 seats each while Congress secured 3 seats. The BJP managed to secure only two seats. The counting of votes will be held on June 4. (ANI)

LS polls: Punjab CEO Sibin C releases final list of total voters in state

LS polls: Punjab CEO Sibin C releases final list of total voters in state Punjab Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sibin C on Tuesday released the final list of total voters of Punjab for Lok Sabha Elections 2024. A total of 2,14,61,739 voters are eligible to cast their votes for the elections to be held in Punjab on June 1, 2024. According to an official statement, providing further details, Sibin C said that May 4 was the deadline for registering new voters in Punjab and the forms submitted by 4 May were to be decided by May 14. According to the voter list released today, the total number of voters in Punjab is 2,14,61,739. These include 1,12,86,726 male voters, 1,01,74,240 female voters and 773 transgender voters. The Chief Electoral Officer said that 5,38,715 voters belong to the 18-19 age group, who will be casting their votes for the first time. Similarly, 1,89,855 voters are aged above 85 years. The total number of 'Divyang' voters is 1,58,718. For the 13 Lok Sabha seats, a total of 24,451 polling stations will be set up, with 16,517 in villages and 7,934 in cities. In Punjab, 100 per cent photo identity cards (EPIC) have been made. Instructions have already been given to the Deputy Commissioners-cum-District Election Officers, to ensure all arrangements are made for the convenience of voters at the polling booths. He urged voters to participate enthusiastically to achieve the target of 'Is Vaar 70 Paar'. There are a total of 16,05,204 voters in the Lok Sabha constituency of Gurdaspur, including 8,48,885 male voters, 7,56,283 female voters, and 36 transgender voters. In Amritsar, there are a total of 16,11,263 voters, including 8,45,434 male voters, 7,65,766 female voters, and 63 transgender voters. Similarly, Khadoor Sahib has a total of 16,67,797 voters, including 8,76,281 male voters, 7,91,449 female voters and 67 transgender voters. Jalandhar has a total of 16,54,003 voters, including 8,59,687 male voters, 7,94,272 female voters and 44 transgender voters. Likewise, Hoshiarpur has a total of 16,01,826 voters including 8,30,840 male voters, 7,70,942 female voters and 44 transgender voters. Anandpur Sahib has a total of 17,32,211 voters, including 9,04,050 male voters, 8,28,097 female voters and 64 transgender voters. Ludhiana has a total of 17,58,614 voters, out of which 9,37,094 are male voters, 8,21,386 are female voters and 134 are transgender voters. Fatehgarh Sahib has a total of 15,52,567 voters, including 8,23,339 male voters, 7,29,196 female voters and 32 transgender voters. Faridkot has a total of 15,94,033 voters, including 8,42,184 male voters, 7,51,768 female voters and 81 transgender voters. Ferozepur has a total of 16,70,008 voters, including 8,80,617 male voters, 7,89,343 female voters and 48 transgender voters. Bathinda has a total of 16,51,188 voters, including 8,70,014 male voters, 7,81,140 female voters and 34 transgender voters. Sangrur has a total of 15,56,601 voters, including 8,24,001 male voters, 7,32,554 female voters and 46 transgender voters. Similarly, Patiala has a total of 18,06,424 voters, including 9,44,300 male voters, 8,62,044 female voters and 80 transgender voters. Sibin C further said that there will be a total of 24,451 polling stations for 13 Lok Sabha seats. These include 1895 in Gurdaspur, Amritsar 1684, Khadoor Sahib 1974, Jalandhar 1951, Hoshiarpur 1963, Anandpur Sahib 2068, Ludhiana 1843, Fatehgarh Sahib 1821, Faridkot 1688, Ferozepur 1903, Bathinda 1814, Sangrur 1765 and in Patiala 2082 Polling Stations. In Punjab, voting for its 13 seats will take place in a single phase. The seventh and final phase on June 1 will see voting in Gurudaspur, Amritsar, Khadoor Sahib, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Nandpur Sahib, Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib, Faridkot, Firozpur, Bathinda, Sangrur, and Patiala constituencies. The counting of votes will be held on June 4. (ANI)

Tamil Sikh files papers from Hoshiarpur

Jeevan Singh Malla, representing Bahujan Dravida Party, filed nomination in Hoshiarpur. His support for Tamil origin Sikh candidates, inspiration from Kanshi Ram and Periyar, and backing from Gurtej were highlighted during the campaign.

Punjab LS Polls: 95 nominations filed by 82 candidates for 13 Lok Sabha seats, says CEO

Punjab LS Polls: 95 nominations filed by 82 candidates for 13 Lok Sabha seats, says CEO The Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, Sibin C reported that 95 nominations were filed by 82 candidates for 13 Lok Sabha seats on the fourth day of filing of nominations in Punjab for the Lok Sabha elections. According to the Information and Public Relations Department, Punjab, 9 candidates have filed 14 nomination papers from Gurdaspur. These include Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa from the Indian National Congress and Dinesh Singh from the Bharatiya Janata Party. 8 nominations have been filed by 6 candidates from Amritsar. These include Taranjit Singh Sandhu from the Bharatiya Janata Party and Anil Joshi from the Shiromani Akali Dal. Three candidates have filed their nomination papers from Khadoor Sahib, including Manjit Singh from the Bharatiya Janata Party and Gurdial Singh from the Communist Party of India. Amritpal Singh has filed his nomination papers as an independent candidate. Six candidates have filed their nominations from Jalandhar, including Sushil Kumar from the Bharatiya Janata Party, Mohinder Singh Kaypee from the Shiromani Akali Dal, Charanjit Singh Channi from the Indian National Congress, and Balwinder Kumar from the Bahujan Samaj Party. Five candidates have filed seven nominations from Hoshiarpur. These include Yamani Gomar from the Indian National Congress and Raj Kumar from the Aam Aadmi Party. Nine nominations have been filed by seven candidates from Anandpur Sahib. These include Prem Singh from the Shiromani Akali Dal and Malvinder Singh Kang from the Aam Aadmi Party. Twelve Candidates have filed their nominations from Ludhiana. These include Ravneet Singh from the Bharatiya Janata Party and Davinder Singh from the Bahujan Samaj Party. Eight nominations have been filed by six candidates from Fatehgarh Sahib, including Gurpreet Singh from the Aam Aadmi Party. Eight candidates have filed their nominations from Faridkot. These include Rajwinder Singh Randhawa from the Shiromani Akali Dal. Seven candidates have filed their nominations from Bathinda, including Gurmeet Singh of the Aam Aadmi Party, Jeetmohinder Singh from the Indian National Congress, and Nikka Singh from the Bahujan Samaj Party. Four candidates have filed their nominations from Sangrur, including Surinder Kaur from the Bahujan Samaj Party. Five candidates have filed their nominations from Patiala, including Narinder Kumar Sharma from the Shiromani Akali Dal and Jagjit Singh from the Bahujan Samaj Party. Four candidates have filed their nomination papers from Ferozepur. These include Nardev Singh from the Shiromani Akali Dal. Sibin C also mentioned that due to gazetted holidays on May 11 and 12, no nomination papers can be filed on these days. Notably, from May 7 to May 10, 163 nomination papers have been filed by 143 candidates. (ANI)

Sonalika Powers Ahead with Record Tractor Sales, Securing Market Share in April'24

Sonalika Powers Ahead with Record Tractor Sales, Securing Market Share in April'24 New Delhi (India), May 10: After an unprecedented success in FY'24 with the highest ever annual overall market share, India's No. 1 tractor export brand Sonalika Tractors is excited to have commenced its FY'25 journey with a robust new platform. The company has clocked a record 11,656 overall tractor sales and has continued to gain market share on a y-o-y basis in April'24 with its diligent efforts and perseverance. Every innovative tractor which is rolled out from Sonalikas World's No. 1 tractor plant in Hoshiarpur exhibits excellence in terms of delivering productivity and profitability for farmers. Sonalika's thrust on creating a perfect blend of quality and performance in its heavy tractor range has enabled the company to firmly secure the 3rd largest tractor brand position in India - the world's biggest tractor market. The company has already launched a 5-year warranty and showcasing tractor prices on its website, which keeps them perpetually excited about having Sonalika as a reliable partner in their farming journey. Sharing his thoughts on the new benchmark performance, Mr Raman Mittal, Joint Managing Director, International Tractors Limited, said, ''We are elated to have begun our FY'25 voyage with an exciting performance of 11,656 overall tractor sales in April24 with a market share gain. Our advanced heavy-duty tractor series have consistently led farmers towards a world full of new opportunities and which is why we are today proudly 15+ lakh farmer family. Moreover, the El Nino effect continues to weaken and with above normal monsoon predictions in the year ahead, the reservoirs are expected to rebound faster to normal levels which should subsequently make for a healthy demand during the year. With a year full of boundless opportunities ahead, we are now more confident to launch new products in FY'25 for increasing farmer productivity as we believe there remains no limit for us to what can be achieved.

Nomination process already on, AAP inducts BSP candidate from Hoshiarpur

Amid Punjab's nomination phase, AAP and BJP witness significant candidate switches. Criticism arises over voting issues. Party hopping surges in the Punjab elections, impacting various constituencies like Hoshiarpur and Jalandhar.

Congress Names Sher Singh Ghubaya as Candidate for Firozpur Lok Sabha Seat

Amritsar: The All India Congress Committee (AICC) announced on Tuesday that Sher Singh Ghubaya will be the Congress candidate for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from the Firozpur constituency in Punjab.According to a press release issued by the AICC, The Central Election Committee has approved the candidature of Shri Sher Singh Ghubaya as Congress candidate to contest the ensuing general elections to the Lok Sabha from 10 - Firozpur Parliamentary constituency of Punjab. Punjab will have voting for all its 13 seats in a single phase, with the final phase scheduled for June 1. The constituencies where polling will take place include Firozpur, Ludhiana, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Khadoor Sahib, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Nandpur Sahib, Fatehgarh Sahib, Faridkot, Bathinda, Sangrur, and Patiala.Meanwhile, polling is underway for 93 Lok Sabha seats across 12 states and union territories in the third phase of the general election on Tuesday. The states and union territories where elections are being held in this phase are Assam (4), Bihar (5), Chhattisgarh (7), Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (2), Goa (2), Gujarat (25), Karnataka (14), Maharashtra (11), Madhya Pradesh (8), Uttar Pradesh (10), and West Bengal (4). The BJP has won the Surat seat unopposed.In this phase, more than 1300 candidates, including around 120 women, are contesting. A total of 17.24 crore voters are eligible to cast their votes in this phase at 1.85 lakh polling stations. Prominent leaders contesting in today's elections include Union Home Minister Amit Shah, former Madhya Pradesh chief ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Digvijaya Singh, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Samajwadi Party leader Dimple Yadav, and NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule, among others. In the 2019 general election, the BJP won 72 of the 93 seats that are going to the polls today. The Lok Sabha elections are being held across seven phases, from April 19 to June 1. The counting is scheduled for June 4. Modi Creating Hatred for Political Gain, Says Sonia Gandhi in a Video Message Container Carrying 666 Crore Worth of Gold Jewels Capsizes in Tamil Nadu CBI and Lokayukta Complaint Filed in 800 Crore Scam Involving Mallikarjun Kharge's Son-in-law

Police Discover Male Deceased at Hoshiarpur Residence in Punjab

Police Discover Male Deceased at Hoshiarpur Residence in Punjab The body of a 45-year-old man was found on Tuesday at his residence in a village here, police said, The victim was identified as Butti Ram (45) who was working as a labourer in the Kolian village, they said. The body was discovered by a local in the verandah of Rams house and informed the police. The body was sent to the Civil hospital for post-mortem and further investigation is underway, they added.

This Dalit convert to Sikhism from Tamil Nadu's Thoothukudi is contesting polls from Punjab's Hoshiarpur

CHANDIGARH: A Sikh who hails from Tamil Nadu and heads the Bahujan Dravida Party (BDP) is contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Hoshiarpur (reserved) seat in Punjab. Jeevan Singh Malla, earlier Jeevan Kumar Malla a Scheduled Caste (SC) man, had embraced Sikhism in January last year. This election seven Sikhs from his party were in the poll fray in Tamil Nadu. They were all BDP candidates. The 51-year old Malla, who is a practicing lawyer in the Supreme Court and belongs to Kadodipannai village in Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu, has this to say: Sikhism offers liberation for the SC, ST and OBC population from the caste system. Sikhism alone ensures self-respect and dignity and promotes message of peace, as kirpan is a symbol of peace. Malla said that embracing Sikhism was his personal decision. His wife and children have not adopted the religion. I embraced Sikhism in January last year after reading a book titled Captivating the Simple-Hearted: A Struggle for Human Dignity in the Indian Subcontinent . I translated the book into Tamil. My wife and a party leader translated the book into Hindi, he said. I came to know about Guru Gobind Singh from Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Kanshi Ram, he said. Initially I came to know about Sikh Gurus from the discourses of Osho, he added. Talking about his family background, Malla said that his grandfather Kalungkadioyan was a landless agricultural laborer and his father Ilaya Perumal was the first graduate in 100 villages in their area. He was a Class I officer with the Tamil Nadu government. Malla and his wife have two children. He has three brothers and a sister. INTERVIEW | Im no outsider, born & brought up in Chandigarh I have been visiting Punjab for last about a decade, he says. Malla a law graduate and who has done his masters in political science floated the BDP in 2019. This is the first election the BDP is facing. The party has fielded as many as 40 candidates in states including Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, UP and Delhi. Jeevan Singh Malla said that besides him, two other candidates are contesting the polls from Punjab.

Punjab Polls: General, Police Observers Deployed

Punjab Polls: General, Police Observers Deployed The Election Commission has appointed general and police observers for 13 seats in Punjab to ensure peaceful and transparent elections. They will assume their responsibilities from May 14, Punjab Chief Electoral Officer Sibin C said in a statement. The nomination process for the Lok Sabha seats in Punjab will commence on May 7. Sibin C said 13 IAS officers from various states have been appointed as general observers, while seven IPS officers have been appointed as police observers. Their role is to ensure adherence to the rules and directives of the ECI during the elections, regarding the Model Code of Conduct, he said. Among the IAS officers who have been appointed as general observers are K Mahesh for Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat, Siddharth Jain for Amritsar, Abhimanyu Kumar for Khadoor Sahib, J Meghanatha Reddy for Jalandhar, Dr. R. Anandakumar for Hoshiarpur and Dr Heera Lal for Anandpur Sahib. Divya Mittal has been appointed for Ludhiana, Rakesh Shankar for Fatehgarh Sahib, Roohi Khan for Faridkot, Kapil Meena for Ferozepur, Dr S Prabhakar for Bathinda, Shanavas for Sangrur and Om Prakash Bakoria for Patiala Lok Sabha seat. Police observers include IPS officers Kushal Pal Singh for Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha seats, Sweta Shrimali for Amritsar and Khadoor Sahib, Satish Kumar Gajbhiye for Jalandhar and Ludhiana, Sandeep Gajanan Diwan for Anandpur Sahib and Fatehgarh Sahib, B Shankar Jaiswal for Bathinda and Faridkot, A.R. Damodhar for Ferozepur and Amir Javed for Sangrur and Patiala Lok Sabha seats. Fifteen IRS officers have already been appointed as expenditure observers.

Sikh from Tamil Nadu party to contest from Hoshiarpur - The Times of India

Sikh from Tamil Nadu party to contest from Hoshiarpur The Times of India

AAP's Hayer says Sangrur voters won't be fooled by 'outsider' Congress candidate Khaira

AAP's Hayer says Sangrur voters won't be fooled by 'outsider' Congress candidate Khaira The Sangrur parliamentary constituency's electorate knows of the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government's pro-people works and they cannot be fooled by an ''outsider'', AAP candidate from the seat Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer said in a dig at Congress' Sukhpal Singh Khaira. The ''outsider'' barb against the Congress nominee for the seat comes days after Hayer had claimed that he had asked Khaira to name 10 villages of Sangrur and he could not name even three. ''Why will people vote for Khaira. They do not know him. How can Khaira stay in Sangrur when he is used to going for morning walks every day at the Sukhna Lake (in Chandigarh),'' Hayer, 34, told PTI while attacking the Congress leader, who is the MLA from Bolath which falls under the Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha seat. Besides Khaira, Hayer, who is the Punjab sports minister, also has as his rivals sitting Sangrur MP and Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) leader Simranjit Singh Mann and Shiromani Akali Dal's Iqbal Singh Jhunda. The BJP is yet to name its candidate for the seat that was won by Bhagwant Mann in the 2014 and 2019 polls. The AAP, however, lost Sangrur in 2022 in a bypoll necessitated after he was elected to the Punjab assembly. ''We are taking the works done by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government to the people,'' Hayer said and asserted that there is no competition in Sangrur and the AAP will win with a huge margin. The fight of candidates of the Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) and the Shiromani Akali Dal is for the second spot, Hayer claimed. Attacking Khaira, he said that ''a person who does not even know (the names of) villages, how can he speak about the people of this constituency''. ''I feel if an outsider can think that he can fool the voters of Sangrur, it is not possible,'' Hayer said. People know what is the truth, he said and added that they know the ''pro-people'' works done by the Mann government in the past two years. Hayer also claimed that no Congress worker is ready to work with Khaira. A few days ago, former Congress MLA Dalvir Singh Goldy, who was aspiring for a ticket from the party to contest from Sangrur, quit it to join the AAP. On the BJP, Hayer said it has no base here. No one is ready to contest on a BJP ticket, he claimed while pointing out that till now, the party has ''failed'' to name its nominee for Sangrur. No other government has been able to do what the AAP dispensation has done for Punjab in the last two years, Hayer said. The state government has not only given 43,000 jobs to the youth but also provided free electricity (300 units per month) to households and did many works for the welfare of the people, he said. ''Canal water has reached hundreds of villages here for the first time,'' Hayer said as he listed his government's initiatives for the agriculture sector. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, while campaigning in Barnala, had said Sangrur is and will always be the ''capital'' (stronghold) of the AAP. AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal also deeply cares about Sangrur and he always asks about it, Mann had said. Polling for the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab will take place on June 1.

Foreign job scam: Two held in Noida, 104 passports seized

Foreign job scam: Two held in Noida, 104 passports seized With the arrest of two men, the Noida Police on Friday claimed to have busted a gang of thugs that duped money from people on the pretext of helping them get employment in foreign countries. The gang has been operational for about six years now and cheated gullible people by assuring them jobs in countries like Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, police said. The police said they have seized 104 passports and 31 forged visa documents, 36 fake work contracts, among other items, from the possession of the duo, one of whom is a qualified software engineer. ''A team led by ACP 3 (Shavya Goyal) has arrested two accused. During inquiry it has come to light that the gang was making money from people on the pretext of sending them to foreign countries and getting them employment there,'' Deputy Commissioner of Police (Noida) Vidya Sagar Mishra said. ''They were using forged visa documents, Aadhaar cards, work contracts. 104 passports have been seized from them. These passports belonged to people whom they were duping. An FIR was lodged against them in Delhi in the past and we are gathering more details about it,'' Mishra told reporters. Ishaq Yunus alias Robin alias Jitendra (30), and Rohit Oberoi (27) were nabbed near Hoshiarpur on Friday by officials of Sector 49 police station team on the basis of a tip-off, police said. During interrogation, it was revealed that Jitendra is the leader of the gang and this work was being carried out by him for the last six years, a police spokesperson said. ''This gang misleads youth with job offers in foreign countries like Jordan, Saudi Arabia etc. For this work, the accused takes Rs 80,000- Rs 90,000 from a candidate, and if they find any shortcoming in official papers, they would increase the rate and demand more money from them to fix the issue,'' the official said. The gang promoted its fake consultancy firm using various social media platforms and when a victim contacts them after seeing this advertisement, they are told that if they bring more candidates, their charge would be reduced, the official said. ''After this, in the name of getting jobs abroad, they extort money from the unemployed persons by showing them fake visas and company contracts, they are not given jobs anywhere. As soon as the money was collected, they closed the office and would run away,'' the spokesperson said. The gang has carried out such incidents in the past in Delhi, Haryana and other parts of Uttar Pradesh also, the police said. An FIR has been lodged against the accused, who were produced in a local court which has sent them to jail, the police added.

Punjab man arrested for spying for Pakistan's ISI: Police

A man from Punjab's Hoshiarpur district was arrested for allegedly spying for Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence and helping the agency in organising anti-India activities, police said on Friday. The man is accused of aiding anti-India activities by providing sensitive information about Indian Army deployments, and transmitting documents and photos from his mobile phone, they said.

Punjab Assembly Elections: EC Deploys 15 Expenditure Observers

Punjab Assembly Elections: EC Deploys 15 Expenditure Observers The Election Commission (EC) on Thursday appointed expenditure observers for Lok Sabha constituencies in Punjab to ensure parties comply with expenditure regulations during the campaign period, officials said. These 15 expenditure observers are entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing the expenditure incurred by candidates and political parties during the campaign period and ensuring that it is in compliance with election expenditure regulations, they said. Harshad S Vengurlekar has been appointed for Gurdaspur parliamentary constituency, Bare Ganesh Sudhakar for Amritsar, Anurag Tripathi for Khadoor Sahib, Madhav Deshmukh for Jalandhar (SC), and Pawan Kumar Khetan for Hoshiarpur, Punjab Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sibin C said. Similarly, Shilpi Sinha has been appointed for Anandpur Sahib, Pankaj Kumar and Chetan D Kalamkar for Ludhiana, and Akhilesh Kumar Yadava and Nandini R Nair for Bathinda constituency, he said. Additionally, Anand Kumar has been designated for Fatehgarh Sahib, Manish Kumar for Faridkot, Nagendra Yadav for Ferozepur, Amit Sanjay Gaurav for Sangrur, and Meetu Agarwal for Patiala as expenditure observers. Polling for 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab will take place on June 1, the Punjab chief electoral officer said.

SAD to contest Gurdaspur LS seat on party symbol for first time since 1996

After splitting from BJP, the Akali Dal is gearing up to contest the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat independently, marking a departure from their usual alliance strategy since 1996. This move sets the stage for a showdown with their former ally, who has often relied on star power to secure victories in the region. Previously, the Shiromani Akali Dal had partnered with the Bharatiya Janata Party, with the BJP traditionally contesting from Amritsar, Gurdaspur, and Hoshiarpur as part of the seat-sharing agreement for Punjab's 13 Lok Sabha constituencies.

SAD to contest Gurdaspur LS seat on party symbol for first time in 26 years

SAD to contest Gurdaspur LS seat on party symbol for first time in 26 years After snapping ties with the BJP, the Akali Dal is all set to contest the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat on party symbol 'takdi or scales for the first time since 1996 as it braces for a showdown with its former ally which has used star power to clinch the seat on numerous occasions. The Shiromani Akali Dal had joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party in 1996. As part of the seat-sharing arrangement for the 13 Lok Sabha constituencies of Punjab, the BJP used to contest from Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur. The SAD walked out of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance in 2020 over the now-repealed farm laws. The SAD walked out of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance in 2020 over the now-repealed farm laws. The Sukhbir Singh Badal-led SAD has placed its bet on the party's senior vice president and veteran leader Daljit Singh Cheema from the seat. The SAD workers are enthusiastic over the party fielding its own candidate from Gurdaspur and are happy to see the party symbol 'takdi'. There is an emotional attachment with the symbol, Cheema told PTI. Cheema, an MBBS doctor, said the SAD had last contested from Gurdaspur in the 1996 general elections and party nominee Jagdish Singh Walia came second. Rubbishing BJP's charge that he was an outsider, Cheema said he was born in Mari Buchian village in Sri Hargobindpur and studied in the village school. He said he contested his first election in 2002 from the Sri Hargobindpur assembly seat in Gurdaspur. The BJP has managed to keep the seat in its kitty by fielding Bollywood stars like Vinod Khanna and Sunny Deol from the seat. However, this time around, it has named local leader and former MLA Dinesh Singh Babbu as its candidate -- a move 62-year-old Cheema attributed to the ''negativity'' that the BJP was facing. The BJP had announced on March 26 that it would go solo in the general elections in Punjab. The party named Babbu in its eight list of candidates for the Lok Sabha polls on March 30. The BJP has been facing negativity in the constituency where it has been fielding movie actors. The party has been dependent on film actors as it failed to find suitable local candidates, Cheema said. The BJP had been bringing candidates from outside and it was the SAD that ensured their victory, he said, referring to the erstwhile alliance with the BJP. The Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat used to be a Congress bastion before the BJP brought in Bollywood star Khanna and fielded him from the constituency in 1998. Khanna defeated five-time Congress MP Sukhbans Kaur Bhinder and won again in 1999, 2004 and 2014. Khanna lost the seat in 2009 to Congress candidate Partap Singh Bajwa. Following Khanna's death in 2017, Congress' Sunil Jakhar won the 2017 bypoll. In the 2019 Lok Sabha poll, the BJP fielded Deol who won the seat. Taking a jibe at Deol over his absence from the constituency, Cheema said gumshuda or missing posters had come up against the actor-turned-politician in the constituency. On Babbu's candidature, Cheema said the BJP was ''forced'' to field him as the people of the constituency were fed up with the paradropping of film actors. Babbu (when he was MLA) never spoke in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha. He did not utter a single word. What will such people do in Parliament, asked Cheema, who was the education minister in the erstwhile Akali government. On the campaign trail, Babbu has been facing the anger of farmers protesting against the BJP-led central government for not allowing agitators enter Delhi and its failure to give a legal guarantee for MSP among other issues. A group of farmers showed black flags to Babbu on Saturday while he was campaigning in Gurdaspur. He also faced the farmers' wrath in Batala on April 21. On the Kartarpur corridor, Cheema said a permit system should be introduced by doing away with the requirement of passports so more and more people can offer prayers at the historic gurdwara in Pakistan. The corridor links Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan, the final resting place of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev, to Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur district. Cheema pitched for a special package for the border areas to boost industrialisation and also stressed fiscal incentives for the industry in Gurdaspur and Pathankot. From the Gurdaspur seat, the AAP has fielded Batala MLA Amansher Singh Kalsi while the Congress has yet to name its candidate. Polling for the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab will take place on June 1.

Congress' Bajwa censures AAP for fielding 'outsiders' as candidates in Punjab for Lok Sabha elections

Congress' Bajwa censures AAP for fielding 'outsiders' as candidates in Punjab for Lok Sabha elections Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa on Saturday took a swipe at AAP in Punjab for fielding three ''borrowed'' leaders in the Lok Sabha elections. The leader of opposition in the Punjab Assembly also slammed AAP for its ''failure'' to field a woman candidate. Bajwa alleged in a statement, ''It is as absurd as it sounds that AAP has been in active politics for the past more than 10 years. However, it could not develop its party cadre at the ground level. The sole reason why AAP could not develop the base is that the people of Punjab still do not trust the party.'' The Congress leader said AAP has fielded three ''borrowed'' candidates -- former Congress leaders Raj Kumar Chabbewal from Hoshiarpur and Gurpreet Singh GP from Fatehgarh Sahib, and Pawan Kumar Tinu, who was earlier with the Shiromani Akali Dal, from Jalandhar. Bajwa also pointed to AAP fielding ministers and MLAs on other seats. It is highly unfortunate for AAP as it did not give representation to women in the Lok Sabha elections, he said. ''The party that often talks about women empowerment and equality could not even find a single woman candidate. Earlier, the party did not give representation to women in the Rajya Sabha,'' Bajwa added. ''If we look a decade back at the Lok Sabha elections of 2014, AAP lost most of its candidates, leaders and even MPs. Leaders like Harinder Singh Khalsa, Sucha Singh Chhotepur, Harvinder Singh Phoolka, Dharamvira Gandhi, Baldeep Singh, and many others have snapped their ties with AAP,'' he said. Polling for Punjab's 13 Lok Sabha seats will be held on June 1.

AAP's Chabbewal hopes Mann government's performance will pave path to victory in Hoshiarpur

AAP's Chabbewal hopes Mann government's performance will pave path to victory in Hoshiarpur The AAP's Raj Kumar Chabbewal is banking on the Bhagwant Mann government's schemes, especially providing free electricity and setting up aam aadmi clinics, to win the Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha seat. A radiologist by profession, the former two-time MLA is contesting the parliamentary polls on an AAP ticket from Hoshiarpur, currently represented by the BJP's Som Parkash. Chabbewal last month quit the Congress and joined AAP. The 54-year-old also resigned as MLA from the Chabbewal constituency in Hoshiarpur district. He was the deputy leader of opposition in the Punjab Assembly when he quit. Chabbewal first became an MLA from the Chabbewal assembly segment in 2017 and retained the seat in the 2022 polls. He had unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha elections from Hoshiarpur in 2019, losing to Parkash by a margin of more than 48,000 votes. ''People are quite happy about the work done by the AAP government in the past two years. With zero electricity bills (300 units of free electricity per month in the domestic category), people are getting relief of Rs 4,000 to 5,000 per month,'' he told PTI. People's financial burden has also been lowered following the opening of aam aadmi clinics, where they get free treatment and medicines, he said. The state government has also shut several toll plazas, bringing relief to commuters, the AAP leader added. Many steps have been taken to generate employment and around 43,000 government jobs provided in the past two years. The state government is also focusing on the education sector, he claimed. Speaking on the farming community, Chabbewal said farmers are getting adequate water for irrigation. Joining AAP in the presence of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Chabbewal had said that he was impressed with the state government's ''pro-people'' policies, especially for the poor and the weaker sections. ''I am taking the work done by the Mann government to the people and seeking their votes,'' he told PTI. Asked about the rival political parties in Hoshiarpur, Chabbewal said he doesn't see any competition. The people of Punjab are ''upset'' with the BJP, he said, referring to the ongoing farmers' agitation, and accused the Centre of not agreeing to their demand of a legal guarantee on minimum support price for all crops. The farmers were not allowed to head towards Delhi in support of their demands, Chabbewal said. He also alleged there is ''indiscipline and factionalism'' in the Congress' Punjab unit and claimed ''infighting'' has ''demoralised'' party workers. The Shiromani Akali Dal, on the other hand, is facing a fight for ''survival'', Chabbewal claimed. The AAP candidate also shared his roadmap for Hoshiarpur. Chabbewal said he will prioritise setting up a government hospital and medical college. A satellite centre of the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research will also be brought to Hoshiarpur. The AAP candidate said he will make efforts to bring a rail coach factory to the constituency to boost employment and also work to upgrade the Panjab University's regional campus. He stressed on the need for a rail link between Tanda and Hoshiarpur and four-laning of the roads between Hoshiarpur and Garhshankar, and Garhshankar and Dasuya to boost economic activity. He also intends to boost tourism in Hoshiarpur, a sub-mountainous area. Chabbewal is contesting from Hoshiarpur against the BJP's Anita Som Parkash, the wife of incumbent MP Parkash, and the Congress' Yamini Gomar. The Shiromani Akali Dal has fielded former minister Sohan Singh Thandal. Polling for Punjab's 13 Lok Sabha seats will be held on June 1.

BSP announces candidates for Fatehgarh Sahib, Bathinda Lok Sabha seats in Punjab

Hoshiarpur, Apr 25: The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Thursday announced two more candidates for Punjab for the Lok Sabha polls. The party fielded Kulwant Singh Mehto from Fatehgarh Sahib and Lakhveer Singh Nika from Bathinda. Punjab BSP chief Jasvir Singh Garhi said Nika, who is the party's district head from Bathinda, will contest from [] The post BSP announces candidates for Fatehgarh Sahib, Bathinda Lok Sabha seats in Punjab appeared first on Northlines .

Star | Song - Jimikky's Ghazal (Lyrical)

Watch the song 'Jimikky's Ghazal' from Tamil movie 'Star' starring Kavin. 'Jimikky's Ghazal' is sung by Neha Girish and music of the song is given by Yuvan Shankar Raja. Lyrics of 'Star' song 'Jimikky's Ghazal' are written by Ra. Niranjan Bharathi and Hafeez Hoshiarpuri. To know more about 'Jimikky's Ghazal' song from Kavin starrer 'Star' watch the video.

SAD announces candidates for five seats in Punjab, one in Chandigarh

CHANDIGARH: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) announced the names of candidates for five more Lok Sabha constituencies in Punjab and one in Chandigarh on Monday. It's now official that President Sukhbir Singh Badal 's wife, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, the sitting MP from Bathinda, will be the party's candidate from the same constituency for the fourth consecutive time. With the new announcements, SAD has declared candidates for 12 constituencies in Punjab. Sukhbir mentioned that the announcement of the Khadoor Sahib candidate will be made soon. BJP, SAD rule out re-alliance for 2024 Lok Sabhapolls During Badal's visit to Jalandhar to induct former Congress MP Mohinder Singh Kaypee into the party on Monday, he announced that his wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal's candidacy from Bathinda. Nardev Singh Bobby Mann has been given the ticket from Ferozepur, represented by Sukhbir, as the President has declared that he won't contest the Lok Sabha elections this time. Other candidates announced include Ranjit Singh Dhillon for Ludhiana parliamentary constituency, former cabinet minister Sohan Singh Thandal for Hoshiarpur, Mohinder Singh Kaypee for Jalandhar Lok Sabha constituency, and Hardeep Singh Saini, former deputy mayor of Chandigarh, for Chandigarh.

Punjab BJP chief Jakhar reaches out to Sampla who is apparently upset over denial of party ticket

Punjab BJP chief Jakhar reaches out to Sampla who is apparently upset over denial of party ticket Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar on Saturday reached out to party leader Vijay Sampla, who is apparently upset after he was denied the party ticket from the Hoshiarpur (reserve) Lok Sabha constituency. Jakhar along with party leaders Harjit Singh Grewal and Vineet Joshi met Sampla at his residence in Hoshiarpur. Sampla, the former Union minister, was apparently expecting the party ticket from Hoshiarpur but the BJP fielded Anita Som Parkash, the wife of sitting MP and Union Minister Som Parkash, from the constituency. After meeting him, Jakhar said though Sampla wanted the party ticket, he kept aside his ''emotions'' while considering the party's discipline. Jakhar said he also listened to Sampla's supporters. ''Today, the issue is of the ideology and making Narendra Modi the prime minister for the third time,'' Jakhar, however, added. He further said it is the responsibility of the party to clear whatever ''doubts'' Sampla has, adding that he came here with the concurrence of the party high command. Another party leader Harjit Grewal said Sampla is a prominent Dalit leader. To a question whether Sampla was being ignored, Grewal said he was not ignored and the party will give him some responsibility. Asked whether Sampla will support the party candidate in the elections, Grewal said he will work for 'lotus' - the party's election symbol. After Sampla was denied the ticket, he had removed 'Modi Ka Parivaar' tagline from his social media profile. ''Ek raasta band hota hai to bhagwan aur kai raaste khol deta hai. Mere liye bhi bhagwan ne koi raasta zaroor nirdharit kiya hoga. (If one path closes, God opens many paths. God must have decided a path for me too),'' he had posted on X. Sampla, a Dalit leader, successfully contested from the Hoshiarpur seat in 2014. He had also been the minister of state for social justice and empowerment. In 2019, the BJP had fielded Som Parkash from the seat. Sampla headed the National Commission for Scheduled Castes from 2021 to 2023. Polling for the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab will take place on June 1.

BJP relying on 'divisive' tactics to seek votes, alleges Punjab CM Mann

BJP relying on 'divisive' tactics to seek votes, alleges Punjab CM Mann Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday slammed the BJP government at the Centre, accusing it of relying on ''divisive tactics'' to seek votes and neglecting its duty of serving the people. At a public rally to canvass for AAP's Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha seat candidate Raj Kumar Chabbewal, the chief minister said despite being in power at the Centre for the past 10 years, the BJP was seeking votes based on religion and caste as they could not give an account of the work done. The BJP has ''failed'' to deliver meaningful progress and development for the nation. Rather than addressing the pressing needs of the populace, the BJP has resorted to exploiting religious and caste identities to garner electoral support, Mann alleged. This strategy is detrimental to the social fabric as it was exacerbating divisions and hindering genuine progress, he said. Mann accused the BJP dispensation of cronyism, claiming that it has sold off valuable government institutions to its ''favoured associates'', enriching a select few at the expense of public interest. This is a ''betrayal of the trust'' placed on elected representatives, he said. Accusing the Central government of ignoring Punjab's interests, Mann said the Union government withheld Rs 5,500 crore of the rural development fund. The Punjab chief minister claimed that he was fighting alone to secure these funds for the state's development. He asserted that his government's industry-friendly policies have attracted around Rs 70,000 crore in investments from industrialists. This would boost the state's economy and provide jobs to the unemployed youths, the Punjab chief minister said. Referring to the arrest of his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal in a money laundering case linked to the liquor policy scam case, Mann said the BJP can imprison the AAP supremo, but cannot suppress his ideas.

Days after Vijay Sampla removes Modi Ka Parivaar tagline from his social media profile, Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar meets him

Chandigarh, Apr 20: Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar on Saturday reached out to party leader Vijay Sampla, who is apparently upset after he was denied the party ticket from the Hoshiarpur (reserve) Lok Sabha constituency. Jakhar along with party leaders Harjit Singh Grewal and Vineet Joshi met Sampla at his residence in Hoshiarpur. Sampla, the [] The post Days after Vijay Sampla removes Modi Ka Parivaar tagline from his social media profile, Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar meets him appeared first on Northlines .

Vijay Sampla to hold meeting with BJP workers in Hoshiarpur; says no plan to join SAD as of today

New Delhi, Apr 19: Former BJP state president and ex-Union MoS Vijay Sampla has invited party workers in Hoshiarpur at 4 pm today. He said, There is no plan to join Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) as of today, adding that the future course of action depends on the response from workers at the meeting. Miffed [] The post Vijay Sampla to hold meeting with BJP workers in Hoshiarpur; says no plan to join SAD as of today appeared first on Northlines .

Punjab: Two pages of Guru Granth Sahib found cut by sharp object in Hoshiarpur gurudwara

A case of alleged sacrilege involving the Sikh religious scripture Guru Granth Sahib has come to light during the Hukamnama at Gurdwara Shri Guru Ravidass in Pota village of Hoshiarpur district

Minister dropped but wife named in Punjab, Shivaji descendant in Maharashtra

NEW DELHI : The BJP dropped yet another Union minister from its 12th list of candidates for seven Lok Sabha seats, and instead fielded his wife from the Hoshiarpur constituency in Punjab. The party has also fielded a descendant of an erstwhile royal Maratha family of Chhatrapati Shivaji, who is currently a Rajya Sabha member, from the high-profile Satara seat. Chhatrapati Udayanraje Bhosale received BJPs recognition on a seat from where Praful Patel of Ajit Pawar-led NCP, now a BJP ally in the ruling Maharashtra coalition government, was eager to contest. Bhosale won the Satara seat in 2019 as a candidate of the then-undivided NCP. A few months later, he resigned and joined the BJP. But in the bypolls that followed, Bhosale lost as a BJP candidate against NCPs Shrinivas Patil. Later, the BJP nominated him to the Rajya Sabha in April 2020. His term is due to end in 2026. The third notable BJP candidate on the list is Abhijit Das, who will lock horns with West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjees nephew Abhishek Banerjee, from Diamond Harbour that votes on June 1 in the final phase of the elections. Das is the former president of the partys South 24 Parganas district unit and is said to be very articulate. Das belongs to RSS and had unsuccessfully contested Lok Sabha elections in 2014. With his candidature, the party has announced all 42 candidates from West Bengal. In Punjab, the BJP dropped Union minister Som Parkash from Hoshiarpur, but fielded his wife Anita Som Parkash from the seat. The party believes Som Parkash holds subtantial influence in the constituency. The BJP had won the Hoshiarpur seat in 2014. In 2019, Som Parkash won the seat defeating Congress Raj Kumar Chabbewal. In the previous polls, the party was at loggerheads with its erstwhile ally SAD over the Hoshiarpur seat. The BJP has now fielded former IAS officer Parampal Kaur Sidhu from Bathinda that is currently represented by SADs Harsimrat Kaur Badal. Sidhu is the daughter-in-law of senior Akali leader Sikander Singh Maluka and joined the BJP recently with her husband Gurpreet Singh Maluka. A 2011-batch IAS officer, she would be pitted against Congress Jeet Mohinder Sidhu and AAPs Gurmeet Singh Khudian. Interestingly, SAD has not yet announced its candidate from Bathinda. The BJPs latest list came only three days ahead of the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections. The partys Central Election Committee also announced candidates in Uttar Pradesh. The party has so far fielded candidates for 430 seats out of the total 543 LS seats. In Uttar Pradesh, the party has fielded Vishwadeep Singh from Firozabad and Shashank Mani Tripathi from Deoria, dropping MPs from these seats. A party source said the anti-incumbency on these two seats was the prime factor behind dropping the MPs. Former IAS officer to fight from Bathinda The BJP has fielded former IAS officer Parampal Kaur Sidhu from Bathinda, currently represented by SADs Harsimrat Kaur Badal.Sidhu is the daughter-in-law of Akali leader Sikander Singh Maluka. She is pitted against Congress Jeet Mohinder Sidhu and AAPs Gurmeet Singh Khudian.

BJP Releases Second List of Candidates for Punjab Lok Sabha Polls

Amritsar: T he BJP unveiled its second list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Punjab on Tuesday. Among the notable changes, Union Minister Som Parkash has been replaced by his wife as the party's candidate for the Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha seat. Anita Som Parkash will now represent the party in the Hoshiarpur reserve parliamentary constituency, expressing gratitude to the party leadership for the opportunity. Hoshiarpur, previously won by the BJP in both the 2014 and 2019 polls, sees Anita Som Parkash taking over from her husband. The constituency was one of the three seats contested by the BJP in alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal previously, but the BJP is now contesting independently. Anita will be facing AAP nominee Raj Kumar Chabbewal in the upcoming elections, with the Congress and SAD yet to announce their candidates for Hoshiarpur. Additionally, former IAS officer Parampal Kaur Sidhu has been nominated by the BJP for the Bathinda parliamentary seat, currently held by SAD MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal. Sidhu, daughter-in-law of senior Akali leader Sinkander Singh Maluka, recently joined the BJP along with her husband Gurpreet Singh Maluka. She resigned from her position as a 2011-batch IAS officer before joining the party. Sidhu's opponents include Congress candidate Jeet Mohinder Sidhu and AAP's Gurmeet Singh Khudian, with the SAD yet to name its candidate for Bathinda. Moreover, former MLA from Baba Bakala seat Manjit Singh Manna Mianwind has been nominated by the BJP for the Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha seat, currently held by Congress MP Jasbir Singh. Laljit Singh Bhullar is the AAP candidate for this seat. With these latest announcements, the BJP has finalized candidates for nine out of the total 13 seats in Punjab. The party had previously announced candidates for Ludhiana, Amritsar, Faridkot, Patiala, Gurdaspur, and Jalandhar. Polling for all 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab is scheduled for the final phase on June 1. Arvind Kejriwal Seeks Court Permission for Video Consultation with Doctor Tragic Incident Unfolds: Mother and Infant Daughter Engulfed in Flames Two Arrested in Connection with Shooting Outside Salman Khan's Residence

BJP announces 4 candidates for Lok Sabha polls in Punjab; fields ex-IAS officer Parampal Kaur from Bathinda

New Delhi, Apr 16: The BJP on Tuesday named seven more candidates for the Lok Sabha polls, fielding Udayanraje Bhosale, a descendant of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji, from Satara in Maharashtra. The ruling party dropped Union minister Som Parkash from Hoshiarpur in Punjab but decided to field his wife Anita Som Parkash to keep the [] The post BJP announces 4 candidates for Lok Sabha polls in Punjab; fields ex-IAS officer Parampal Kaur from Bathinda appeared first on Northlines .

LS polls: BJP releases list of three more candidates to contest from Punjab

CHANDIGARH: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced the list of three more candidates for Lok Sabha elections in Punjab as the saffron party has given two women tickets. Former IAS officer Parampal Kaur Maluka has been fielded from Bathinda and Anita Som Parkash, wife of Union Minister Som Parkash, will contest from Hoshiarpur. Thus three ladies have been given tickets by the saffron party till date. The saffron party announced the name of Manjit Manna from Khadoor Sahib. He is former Baba Bakala MLA. The ruling party dropped Union Minister of state for Commerce and Industries Som Parkash from Hoshiarpur citing his age but decided to field his wife Anita Som Parkash to keep the influential local leaders support intact. The 70-year old Anita, for past decades, ran a community kitchen in Phagwara for the needy and is considered the brain behind Parkashs political career. Hoshiarpur, a reserved seat is regarded as a saffron party stronghold. The BJP has won this seat for the past two terms. It has fielded former IAS officer Parampal Kaur Sidhu from Bathinda. She is the daughter-in-law of senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and Ex-minister Sikander Singh Maluka. Kaur is likely to face former Union minister and three-time sitting MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal. Harsimrat is the wife of SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal. Kaur a philosophy and zoology postgraduate was posted as Managing Director of the Punjab State Industrial Development Corporation and Additional Director, PUNGRAIN. She had sought voluntary retirement from service. LS polls: AAP announces final list of candidates to contest from Punjab In the early 1990s, she became the first woman block development and panchayat officer (BDPO) in the state. She was promoted as district development and panchayat officer when her father-in-law SS Maluka was the Rural Development and Panchayats Minister of Punjab and then her case was sent to the UPSC for direct induction to the IAS through the nomination route joining as non-state civil services IAS officer on January 15, 2016. Her superannuation was due in October this year. On Saturday, the Bharatiya Janata Party released its inaugural list of six candidates, including three turncoats for the Lok Sabha polls in Punjab. While Ravneet Singh Bittu was given a ticket from Ludhiana, Sushil Kumar Rinku a former AAP MP who joined BJP was fielded from Jalandhar. Rinku had won the Lok Sabha bypolls from the same seat last year. Preneet Kaur, Congress MP and wife of former chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh, was fielded from Patiala as she switched allegiance to BJP earlier in March. Hans Raj Hans, a renowned Sufi singer-turned-politician, and Taranjeet Singh Sandhu, a retired Indian diplomat will contest from Faridkot and Amritsar, respectively. So far, the saffron party has announced nine candidates in Punjab. BJP will contest LS polls on its own in Punjab: State BJP chief Sunil Jakhar

LS polls: AAP announces final list of candidates to contest from Punjab

CHANDIGARH: The Aam Aadmi Party today announced four more candidates in Punjab for the Lok Sabha elections as the party gave three sitting party MLAs tickets. With the release of the latest list, AAP has become the first political outfit in the state to declare all 13 candidates for the upcoming general elections. Previously, the party has fielded five cabinet ministers, four turncoats from other parties and one Punjabi singer. In the latest announcement, AAP has released the name of four candidates-- former shiromani akali dal MLA Pawan Kumar Tinu from the Jalandhar Reserve constituency, Jagdeep Singh Kaka Brar from Ferozepur, Amansher Singh Kalsi from Gurdaspur and Ashok Parashar Pappi from Ludhiana parliamentary seat. While Brar represents the Muktsar assembly seat, Kalsi is a legislator from Batala seat while Pappi is an MLA from the Ludhiana Central assembly constituency. The announcement was made by party's national general secretary Sandeep Pathak in a post on X. With this announcement, the AAP has declared candidates for all 13 parliamentary seats in Punjab. The AAP, which is a constituent of the opposition INDIA bloc, is contesting the parliamentary polls in Punjab on its own. Announcement! The Aam Aadmi Party proudly presents its candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections 2024 in Punjab: pic.twitter.com/zPxvgKw2RL AAP (@AamAadmiParty) April 16, 2024 LS Polls: AAP releases first list of 8 candidates for Punjab, fields 5 Cabinet ministers Besides Tinu, the other three turncoats are Gurpreet Singh GP, a former MLA of Congress who left the grnad old party and joined AAP and was given lok sabha ticket from Fatehgarh Sahib (reserved) seat and Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal congress MLA and Deputy leader of opposition in the assembly who resigned from the Congress and the Vidhan Sabha and joined the AAP and was given ticket by AAP from Hoshiarpur (Reserved) seat. The polling for 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab will be held in the last phase on June 1. AAP will not enter alliance with Congress in Punjab for Lok Sabha polls, says CM Mann

LS polls 2024: BJP replaces Union minister Som Parkash with his wife in Hoshiarpur

NEW DELHI: The BJP on Tuesday named seven more candidates for the Lok Sabha polls, fielding Udayanraje Bhosale, a descendant of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji, from Satara in Maharashtra. The ruling party dropped Union minister Som Parkash from Hoshiarpur in Punjab but decided to field his wife Anita Som Parkash to keep the influential local leader's support intact. It has fielded former IAS officer Parampal Kaur Sidhu, who comes from an influential political family long associated with the Akali Dal, from Bathinda. In Uttar Pradesh, the party has fielded Vishwadeep Singh from Firozabad and Shashank Mani Tripathi from Deoria, dropping its sitting MPs from the two seats. It has named Abhijit Das from Diamond Harbour in West Bengal. With the new list, the party has named its candidates for around 430 seats for the polls to 543 seats starting from April 19. The party also released its second list of 21 candidates for the Odisha assembly polls, fielding former minister Dilip Ray from Rourkela. So far, the BJP has named 133 candidates for the sate polls.

LS polls: BJP replaces Union minister Som Parkash with his wife in Hoshiarpur

The ruling party dropped Union minister Som Parkash from Hoshiarpur in Punjab but decided to field his wife Anita Som Parkash to keep the influential local leader's support intact. It has fielded former IAS officer Parampal Kaur Sidhu, who comes from an influential political family long associated with the Akali Dal, from Bathinda.

Lok Sabha Polls | BJP Replaces Union Minister Som Parkash With His Wife In Hoshiarpur

New Delhi, Apr 16: The BJP on Tuesday named seven more candidates for the Lok Sabha polls, fielding Udayanraje Bhosale, a descendant of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji, from Satara in Maharashtra. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp The ruling party dropped Union minister Som Parkash from Hoshiarpur in Punjab but decided to field his wife Anita Som Parkash to keep the influential local leaders support intact. It has fielded former IAS officer Parampal Kaur Sidhu, who comes from an [] The post Lok Sabha Polls | BJP Replaces Union Minister Som Parkash With His Wife In Hoshiarpur appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

BSP announces party's Punjab functionary Makhan Singh as LS candidate from Sangrur

BSP announces party's Punjab functionary Makhan Singh as LS candidate from Sangrur The Bahujan Samaj Party on Thursday announced Makhan Singh as candidate from Sangrur Lok Sabha seat. The information in this regard was shared by the BSP in-charge for Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh, Randhir Singh Beniwal. Punjab BSP chief Jasvir Singh Garhi said Makhan Singh has a longstanding association with the party. Presently, he is serving as the general secretary of the BSP's state unit. Makhan Singh had retired as the deputy director of the state health department. Sangrur Lok Sabha seat is currently represented by Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) Simranjit Singh Mann. The AAP has fielded Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer from the Sangrur seat. Beniwal said the candidates on the remaining seats will be announced soon. Earlier, the Mayawati-led outfit announced its candidate from Hoshiarpur and Ferozepur seats. The BSP has already announced to go solo in the parliamentary polls. Polling for 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab will take place on June 1.

The whole of Punjab is against BJP: AAP leader Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal

The whole of Punjab is against BJP: AAP leader Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Punjab Minister and AAP leader Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said the whole of Punjab is against the Bharatiya Janata Party. The Lok Sabha election in Punjab will be held in a single phase on June 1, 2024. Voting in Punjab will be held for 13 Lok Sabha seats. CM Bhagwant Mann today held a meeting with Amritsar MLAs to review preparations for Lok Sabha elections. The CM has given us certain guidelines for election campaigning. It was discussed how to increase the party's lead in the Amritsar seat in the elections. As the CM said, AAP will win all 13 seats including the Amritsar seat. The former envoy to the US, Sandhu ji has come to fight elections from Amritsar. He must have come here last during his young days. No votes will be cast in his favour. The whole of Punjab is against BJP. said AAP leader Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal. Earlier on April 2, the Aam Aadmi Party announced another list of two candidates for Punjab for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. A two-time MLA from Chabbewal assembly constituency, Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal has been fielded from Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha constituency. Raj Kumar Chabbewal recently quit the Punjab Congress to join the Punjab unit of the Aam Aadmi Party before the Lok Sabha elections. In its welcome message the AAP Punjab unit posted on X, The family of AAP Punjab strengthened, current MLA from Chabewal constituency of Hoshiarpur District Rajkumar Chabewal ji joined the Aam Aadmi Party after being influenced by the pro-people policies of the party. We welcome Raj Chabbewal to the party. The Aam Aadmi Party has also fielded Malvinder Singh Kang from Anandpur Sahib, who quit the BJP in 2020 while protesting against farm laws, and later joined Bhagwant Mann's government. On March 14, The Aam Aadmi party announced its first list of eight candidates for the Lok Sabha elections from Punjab.The list included five cabinet ministers-- Gurmeet Singh Khudian from Bathinda, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal from Amritsar, Laljit Singh Bhullar from Khandur Sahib, Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer from Sangrur and Dr Balbir Singh from Patiala.Former MLA Gurpreet Singh has been given the ticket from Fatehgarh Sahib and the name of Karamjeet Anmol has been announced to contest from Faridkot. There are 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab with four seats reserved for Scheduled Caste (SC) candidates. In the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, the Congress-led UPA alliance clinched 8 seats, while the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) managed to secure four. The AAP, which was contesting for the first time in the state won one seat. (ANI)

LS polls: Punjab police, BSF strategise to counter drug supply from across Indo-Pak border

LS polls: Punjab police, BSF strategise to counter drug supply from across Indo-Pak border In view of the coming Lok Sabha polls, Special Director General of Police Arpit Shukla on Thursday chalked out a strategy with the Border Security Force (BSF) to further strengthen the second line of defence and break the supply chain of drugs from across the border. He held a joint coordination meeting with BSF Inspector General (Punjab Frontier) Atul Fulzele and senior officers of CRPF, ITBP, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and other central agencies to review security arrangements in the state's border areas and discuss matters pertaining to the parliamentary elections 2024, according to a statement. Giving a call for greater synergy and teamwork between the BSF and Punjab Police, Shukla exhorted both forces to work as one team to ensure free and fair elections in the state. He said being positioned at the first line of defence, the BSF needs to be more alert to prevent smuggling and infiltration bids by militants, terrorists or smugglers, the statement said. He also ordered to increase the number of police personnel deployed on night patrolling along the International border, it added. The Special DGP advised the BSF to use drone detection technology to counter the suspicious drone operations at Punjab borders, which have over time emerged as the modus operandi to smuggle drugs from across the Indo-Pak border, according to the statement. He also directed all the district police chiefs of border districts to conduct regular meetings with village level defence committee (VLDC) members and sensitise field staff to keep a strict vigil on the movement of drones. There were 325 drone sightings across the border in 2023, of which 118 drones were successfully recovered. Similarly, 26 drones have been recovered in 2024 so far, the statement said. Sharing details on security arrangements for the coming Lok Sabha elections, Shukla said security has been beefed up across the state and Punjab Police has mobilised 75 per cent of district police and 50 per cent force from other units for deployment during elections. He said police have already laid well-coordinated strong inter-state checkpoints at the points of 10 border districts in the state to stop the menace of liquor and drug smuggling. The 10 inter-state border districts include Pathankot, Sri Muktsar Sahib, Fazilka, Ropar, SAS Nagar, Patiala, Sangrur, Mansa, Hoshiarpur and Bathinda. He said 25 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have been deployed in vulnerable districts of the state to instil confidence among the general public as well as to dominate sensitive and hyper-sensitive areas in the state.

AAP names two more candidates from Punjab

Party names former Congress MLA Raj Kumar Chabbewal from Hoshiarpur and Malvinder Kang from Anandpur Sahib

Will take forward principles of AAP: Party LS poll candidate from Anandpur Sahib Malvinder Singh Kang

Will take forward principles of AAP: Party LS poll candidate from Anandpur Sahib Malvinder Singh Kang After getting a ticket from the Anandpur Sahib constituency for the Lok Sabha elections 2024, Aam Aadmi Party leader Malvinder Singh Kang on Tuesday said that he aims to take forward the principles of party which are centered on serving the public. BJP turncoat Malvinder Singh Kang was inducted into the Aam Aadmi Party in July 2021. He quit the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2020 in a disagreement over the farm laws with the ruling party. While speaking to ANI, Kang said, They trusted a simple worker of the party like me. By giving me the Lok Sabha seat, Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann have increased the respect of party workers. We aim to uphold the core principles of the Aam Aadmi Party, centered on serving the public good. Our focus is on promoting transparent and ethical politics of the Aam Aadmi Party. We will go door-to door in Anandpur Sahib to appeal for votes. The Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday announced another list of two candidates for Punjab for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. A two-time MLA from Chabbewal assembly constituency, Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal has been fielded from Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha constituency and Malvinder Singh Kang has been fielded from Anandpur Sahib . On March 14, The Aam Aadmi party announced its first list of eight candidates for the Lok Sabha elections from Punjab. The list included five cabinet ministers- Gurmeet Singh Khudian from Bathinda, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal from Amritsar, Laljit Singh Bhullar from Khandur Sahib, Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer from Sangrur and Dr Balbir Singh from Patiala. Former MLA Gurpreet Singh has been given the ticket from Fatehgarh Sahib and the name of Karamjeet Anmol has been announced to contest from Faridkot. There are 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab with four seats reserved for Scheduled Caste (SC) candidates. In the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, the Congress-led UPA alliance clinched 8 seats, while the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) managed to secure four. The AAP, which was contesting for the first time in the state won one seat. (ANI)

AAP announces two more candidates for LS polls: Raj Kumar Chabbewal from Hoshiarpur, Malvinder Singh Kang from Anandpur Sahib

The News Mill

Lok Sabha polls 2024: 4-cornered Punjab puzzle

CHANDIGARH: For the first time in its political journey, Punjab is set to witness a four-cornered contest in the Lok Sabha elections in Punjab due June 1 in the seventh and final phase of the polls. The battle scene became clear after the alliance talks between the BJP and its former ally the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) broke down. The four key aspirants in the fray are: the ruling AAP, Congress, BJP and SAD, besides other smaller parties. The BJP last contested the general election independently in 1996 in the state. With AAP facing anti-incumbency and the Congress in disarray, the SAD-BJP alliance could have been a potent force. The BJP and SAD contested 6 and five assembly polls together since 1996. In the 2019 and 2014 parliamentary polls, out of the 13 Lok Sabha seats in the state, the BJP contested in alliance with SAD and won Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur seats as it contested a total of three seats, including Amritsar. While in the last lok sabha polls SAD won only two seats, Bathinda and Ferozepur. In 2019, the Congress won eight seats (Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Patiala, Faridkot, Anandpur Sahib, Fategarh Sahib and Khadoor Sahib) and AAP won only one, Sangrur. Talking with this newspaper, political analyst Kuldeep Singh said the LS polls in the state will be path-breaking in many ways. The results will hold mirror to the four principal players: SAD will be able to see how much ground it has recovered with the return of Akali faction leaders. The BJP can measure the rural turf in Punjab with so many leaders joining the party. Third, AAP will be able to see how much ground it continues to retain in the face of the anti-incumbency. And fourth, the Congress can gauge how much the perceived failure of governance of AAP has translated into votes for the party, Singh said. In the 2022 assembly polls, SAD and BJP fought separately and suffered huge losses. The BJP won two and SAD three seats in the 117-member assembly. In a landslide, AAP won 92 seats while the Congress managed to get only 18 seats. One of the reasons why SAD refused to shake hands with BJP again was the farmers agitation. Besides, the party wanted a resolution of Bandi Singhs (jailed Sikhs) as part of the pre-poll deal. Another reason was the latest farmers protest as the BJP government in neighbouring Haryana did not allow the farmers to move forward up to Delhi. This sharpened the anti-BJP sentiment among the rural Sikh population, the main vote bank of SAD. On the other hand, the BJP leadership is of the view that the Ram temple consecration and the PMs development pitch will generate greater support for the party this time. It is also relying on the massive outreach undertaken by the Prime Minister to the Sikhs, including opening of the Kartarpur Corridor, the announcements for celebrations of the birth anniversaries of the Sikh Gurus and the Veer Bal Diwas, commemorating the martyrdom of the sons of 10th Guru Gobind Singh. Punjab has over 38% Hindu population, which the saffron party wants to consolidate. Besides, many Sikh leaders, including former CM Capt Amarinder Singh, Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi and Fateh Jung Singh Bajwa have joined the saffron party. Recently three sitting MPs -- Preneet Kaur (from Patiala), Ravneet Singh Bittu (from Ludhiana) and the lone AAP MP from Jalandhar Sushil Kumar Rinku have joined the saffron camp. Sometime back, former ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu was inducted into the BJP and he is likely to be given the ticket from native Amritsar. He is the grandson of Sikh leader Teja Singh Samundri, who played a big role in the gurdwara movement. Interestingly, the vote share of BJP was 6.6% in the last assembly polls as it contested 73 seats on its own.

Double jolt to AAP: Jalandhar MP Sushil Kumar Rinku and MLA Sheetal Angural join BJP

According to sources, BJP may field Sheetal Angural from Jalandhar and Sushil Rinku from Hoshiarpur.

LS polls: Ludhiana MP Ravneet Bittu third Punjab Cong leader to switch sides in 3 weeks

Chandigarh, Mar 26 (PTI) Ludhiana MP Ravneet Singh Bittu on Tuesday became the third Congress leader in Punjab after two former MLAs -- Gurpreet Singh GP and Raj Kumar Chabbewal -- to switch sides in less than three weeks. Three-time MP Bittu Tuesday joined the BJP in Delhi and said people have made up their mind to elect Prime Minister Narendra Modi to power again. Bittu is the grandson of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh, who was assassinated in a terror attack in 1995. Ahead of parliamentary elections, former Congress MLA from Bassi Pathana Gurpreet GP joined the Aam Aadmi Party on March 9 and was later declared as party candidate for the Fatehgarh Sahib Lok Sabha seat. The second leader who quit the Congress was Raj Kumar Chabbewal who also joined the AAP, the ruling party in Punjab, on March 15. He was the legislator from Chabbewal assembly constituency in Hoshiarpur district and was also the Congress' deputy leader of opposition in the Punjab Assembly. Reacting to Bittu's move of leaving the Congress and joining the BJP, Punjab Congress leaders said people will not forgive Bittu for gaddari (betrayal). Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring said he spoke to Bittu on Monday night and he did not talk about any problem with the party. Bittu was connected with the party leadership and he could talk to Rahul (Gandhi) ji anytime, said Warring. Asked whether he was not going to be given the ticket for the Lok Sabha polls, Warring said there was no such thing. Remember...whosoever is leaving the party be it Chabbewal, Gurpreet GP and now Bittu, people will not forgive them, he said. Bittu is my brother. He should not have left the party this way, said Warring. Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa said Bittu was given the ticket twice from Ludhiana. I want to tell Bittu that he himself cut his neck with this step. He will now contest from the BJP. People of Punjab will not forgive him for committing 'gaddari', Bajwa told reporters. Till yesterday, you (Bittu) were holding rallies for the Congress. You are the grandson of late Beant Singh. At least you should have informed (the party) that you are leaving, said Bajwa. Replying to a question, Bajwa said Bittu would be losing by two lakh votes. He said a new Congress candidate will defeat him in the elections. Bajwa took a swipe at the BJP, saying the saffron party does not have its own candidates for fighting the elections. Bittu has been the MP twice from Ludhiana and once from Anandpur Sahib. Polling for the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab will be held on June 1, the last phase of the seven-phase elections. PTI CHS VSD KVK KVK Disclaimer: This article is published from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Deccan Chronicle team

Punjab: Drug smuggler attacks police during raid, killed in retaliatory firing

Hoshiarpur, Mar 26 (PTI) An alleged drug smuggler was killed in a retaliatory firing during a police raid at his house here on Tuesday, police said. Two police officials were also injured during the incident, they said. Based on a tip-off, a police team reached the residence of Sucha Singh (50), a wanted drug smuggler, Hoshiarpur Superintendent of Police (Investigation) Sarbjit Singh Bahia said. When the police team entered his house, Sucha attacked them with a 'fawada' (hoe) and another sharp-edged tool, he said. Sucha got injured in retaliatory firing by the police and was rushed to a hospital but died on the way, SP Bahia said. Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Satnam Singh and Head Constable Gurwinder Singh, who were injured in the attack, were rushed to Civil Hospital in Dasuya for treatment. The body has been shifted to the Civil Hospital, Bahia said, adding that a forensics team has been called to examine the crime spot. PTI COR SUN BHJ NB

In a 1st, SAD to toe 1 family, 1 ticket line, BJP talks on

CHANDIGARH: For the first time the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) will follow one family, one ticket rule while picking candidates for the Lok Sabha elections, party leaders said. Only one person from the Badal family will contest polls. Harsimrat Kaur Badal, sitting MP from Bathinda, is likely to contest. Her husband Sukhbir Singh Badal, the party president and also MP from Ferozepur, is not likely to contest, a party leader said. Meanwhile Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the BJP is in negotiations with its former partner SAD for an alliance in Punjab. Speaking at a conclave hosted by a private news channel on Wednesday, Shah said, Negotiations with Akali Dal are going on. During the negotiations, sometimes they come with an offer and sometimes we give them the offer. We want all old NDA allies to join us. However at the same time, the interest of party workers is to be ensured by getting adequate share in seats. Things will be clear in two to three days. Sources in SAD said the bone of contention between the two parties has been the issue of release of Sikh political prisoners (Bandi Singhs) and farmers demands. SAD wants assurance from the BJP on these issues. The core committee meeting of the party will be held on Friday where a decision is expected as many of the party leaders are in favour of the alliance but want commitment from the saffron party on these issues, a party leader said. Sukhbir is expected to be in Delhi on March 23 after taking a four-day break from the ongoing Punjab Bachao Yatra, party leaders said. Sources in both the parties said negotiations have reached final stages and seat-sharing agreement is being worked out. BJP wants six seats (Amritsar, Patiala, Ludhiana, Hoshiarpur, Anandpur Sahib and Gurdaspur) but SAD wants to give them five seats out of the 13 in Punjab, the sources said.

Police gun down gangster who shot dead Punjab cop during raid

A day after gangster Rana Mansurpur fatally shot constable Amritpal Singh during a hideout raid, he was killed in an encounter near Bhangala village on the Mukerian-Pathankot national highway in Punjab's Hoshiarpur. Tracking him through CCTV footage, the police located Mansurpur heading towards Bhangala after hitching a ride on a motorcycle.

Three arrested in Himachal, heroin seized

Three arrested in Himachal, heroin seized Police arrested three men with 10.67 grams of heroin during a surprise check in this Himachal Pradesh district, officials said on Monday. The arrested accused are Rajneesh Kumar from Hoshiarpur in Punjab, and Sunil Kumar and Vishal from Hamirpur. A case has been registered under provisions of the NDPS Act, the police said.

15-year-old badminton sensation Tanvi Sharma bags Gold at SAC in Malaysia, PM Modi congratulates

In a spectacular display of skill and determination, 15-year-old badminton sensation Tanvi Sharma from Hoshiarpur in Punjab has captured the attention of the Nation by clinching a gold medal at the Senior Asian Championship (SAC) held in Malaysia.

Cop killed during raid on gangster

Hoshiarpur Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Surendra Lamba said a CIA team was in the village to raid the residence of gangster Sukhwinder Singh. As the team was entering the house, the suspect opened fire and Constable Singh was struck in the chest, Lamba said.

Gangster Sukhwinder Singh attacks Punjab Police during a raid in Hoshiarpur, constable Amritpal Singh killed after shot in the chest

The victim of this tragic encounter was identified as Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) police Constable Amritpal Singh, who lost his life in the line of duty.

Gangster opens fire at raiding Punjab Police team, cop killed

Chandigarh, March 17 (IANS) A constable, Amritpal Singh, was shot dead by a gangster on Sunday when the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) team was raiding his house in Punjabs Hoshiarpur district. Acting on a tip-off, the CIA team of the Punjab Police raided the house in Mukerians Mansoorpur village where the gangster stored a huge []

Police party conducting raid attacked in Punjab, constable killed

Police party conducting raid attacked in Punjab, constable killed A constable was shot dead on Sunday when a police team came under attack while conducting a raid in a village here to nab a man suspected of harbouring illegal weapons. The incident occurred in Mansoorpur village, about 66 kilometres from here, and the deceased was identified as Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) Constable Amritpal Singh. Hoshiarpur Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Surendra Lamba a CIA team was in the village to raid the residence of Sukhwinder Singh. As the team was entering the house, the suspect opened fire and Constable Amritpal Singh was struck in the chest, Lamba said. The other team members escaped unharmed but Sukhwinder Singh managed to flee the scene, he said. Amritpal Singh was initially admitted to the Civil Hospital in Mukerian but given the severity of his injuries, he was referred to a private hospital, where he died, the SSP said. Efforts are underway to nab Sukhwinder Singh and police are conducting raids on locations suspected to be his hideouts, Lamba added.

Congress Dalit MLA Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal joins AAP, likely to get Hoshiarpur ticket

Chandigarh: Days after Congress MLA Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal carried a chain and lock to the Punjab Assembly, targeting the state government over poor handling of law and order, the Deputy Leader of Opposition joined the AAP at Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's residence here on Friday. Chabbewal stepped down both from the Congress and state [] The post Congress Dalit MLA Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal joins AAP, likely to get Hoshiarpur ticket appeared first on Northlines .

Senior Punjab Congress leader Raj Kumar Chabbewal quits party, likely to join AAP

CHANDIGARH: In a setback to the Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, senior party MLA Raj Kumar Chabbewal on Friday quit the party and is likely to join the ruling Aam Aadmi Party. The 54-year-old Chabbewal, who is a legislator from Chabbewal assembly constituency in Hoshiarpur district, posted on X, Resigned today from INC and Legislative Assembly Punjab. I tender my resignation from the primary membership of the Indian National Congress with immediate effect, wrote Chabbewal in his letter to the Congress president, which he also posted on X. However, he did not mention any reason for quitting the party. In another letter to the Punjab Assembly Speaker, which he also posted on X, Chabbewal, the Deputy Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly, wrote, I hereby submit my resignation from membership of legislative assembly, Punjab, with immediate effect. Sources said he is likely to join the AAP, which may field him from the Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha seat. Chabbewal was re-elected from Chabbewal in the 2022 State Assembly elections. The prominent Dalit leader, who comes from Punjab's Doaba region, had also contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Hoshiarpur on a Congress ticket but had lost to the BJP's Som Prakash. Gurpreet Singh GP, a former Congress MLA from Bassi Pathana, had recently joined the AAP.

Senior Punjab Cong leader Raj Kumar Chabbewal quits party, joins AAP

Senior Punjab Cong leader Raj Kumar Chabbewal quits party, joins AAP In a setback to the Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, senior party leader from Punjab and MLA Raj Kumar Chabbewal on Friday quit the party and joined the ruling Aam Aadmi Party. The 54-year-old Chabbewal said he has quit as a legislator from Chabbewal assembly constituency in Hoshiarpur district.The prominent Dalit leader was the Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly. He joined the AAP here and was welcomed into the party fold by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. Chabbewal is the second Congress leader from Punjab to join the AAP within a week. Gurpreet Singh GP, a former Congress MLA from Bassi Pathana, had recently joined the AAP. In a post in Punjabi on X, the AAP state unit said the party has been further strengthened with the joining of Chabbewal. Impressed by the pro-people policies of Bhagwant Mann, Chabbewal, who is an MLA, has joined AAP. Many many congratulations to him from the party, the AAP posted along with photos of Chabbewal being welcomed by the CM. Sources said the AAP may field Chabbewal from the Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha seat. Earlier, Chabbewal had posted on X, ''Resigned today from INC and Legislative Assembly Punjab.'' ''I tender my resignation from the primary membership of the Indian National Congress with immediate effect,'' wrote Chabbewal in his letter to the Congress president, which he also posted on X. However, he did not mention any reason for quitting the party. In another letter to the Punjab Assembly Speaker, which he also posted on X, Chabbewal, wrote, ''I hereby submit my resignation from membership of legislative assembly, Punjab, with immediate effect''. The MLA was re-elected from Chabbewal in the 2022 State Assembly elections. Hailing from Punjab's Doaba region, Chabbewal had also contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Hoshiarpur on a Congress ticket but had lost to the BJP's Som Prakash.

Congress legislator joins AAP, may be fielded from Hoshiarpur

Chandigarh, March 15 (IANS) In a major setback to Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, Raj Kumar Chabbewal, former Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Legislative Assembly, joined Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday. He had earlier resigned from Congress as well as from his Assembly membership. He joined AAP in the presence []

Punjab Congress MLA Raj Kumar Chabbewal likely to join AAP, may be fielded from Hoshiarpur

Chandigarh, Mar15: Congress MLA Raj Kumar Chabbewal is likely to join the AAP. He is likely to be fielded from Hoshiarpur parliamentary seat. He had contested the parliamentary elections from Hoshiarpur on a Congress ticket in 2019 but had lost to the BJPs Som Prakash. He is likely to join at Chandigarh. It is a [] The post Punjab Congress MLA Raj Kumar Chabbewal likely to join AAP, may be fielded from Hoshiarpur appeared first on Northlines .

Punjab: 2 groups of inmates clash in Gurdaspur central jail

Punjab: 2 groups of inmates clash in Gurdaspur central jail Two groups of inmates clashed in the central jail in Punjab's Gurdaspur district on Thursday, prompting the district authorities to deploy heavy police force to control the situation, said officials. Though it is yet unclear what led to the clash, the prisoners indulged in vandalism in the jail and also pelted stones at the police personnel, they said. The Gurdaspur police requisitioned the services of policemen from neighbouring areas like Pathankot, Amritsar, Hoshiarpur, and Batala to bring the situation under control, said officials. A few police personnel, including station house officer of Dhariwal police station Mandeep Singh Salgotra, were injured after they tried to stop the clash. They were admitted to a local hospital, officials said.

Train traffic hit in Punjab as farmers squat on tracks

In Punjab, farmers sat on railway tracks at many locations in 22 districts, including Amritsar, Ludhiana, Tarn Taran, Hoshiarpur, Firozpur, Fazilka, Sangrur, Mansa, Moga and Bathinda. Because of the disruption of train services, passengers experienced inconvenience.

'Rail roko' protest: Farmers squat on rail tracks in Punjab

CHANDIGARH: Farmers on Sunday squatted on railway tracks at many places in Punjab as part of a 'rail roko' protest called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha to press the Centre to accept their demands, including a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP). Farmers raised slogans against the Centre for not accepting their demands. Because of the disruption of train services, passengers will experience inconvenience. The protest will be held from 12 noon till 4 pm. In Punjab, farmers had announced that they would sit on railway tracks at 52 locations in 22 districts, including Amritsar, Ludhiana, Tarn Taran, Hoshiarpur, Firozpur, Fazilka, Sangrur, Mansa, Moga and Bathinda. Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher asked people to join the protest in large numbers. Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan), BKU (Dakaunda-Dhaner) and Krantikari Kisan Union, farmer bodies which are part of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, are also participating in the 'rail roko' agitation. Farmers protests: Tractor march in Haryana; dharnas outside residences of three Punjab BJP leaders The SKM, which had spearheaded the farmers' 2020-21 agitation, is not part of the 'Delhi Chalo' protest but has extended its support to the ongoing farmers' agitation at Shambhu and Khanauri points on the Punjab-Haryana border. The SKM (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mukti Morcha are spearheading the 'Delhi Chalo' march to press the government to accept their demands. Besides a legal guarantee of MSP, the farmers are demanding the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, pension for farmers and farm labourers, no hike in electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases and justice for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 and compensation to the families of the farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21. The protesting farmers from Punjab have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points since February 13, when security forces stopped them from marching towards Delhi. The farmer leaders have rejected the Centre's proposal for procurement of pulses, maize and cotton at the MSP by government agencies for five years, saying it was not in farmers' favour. Our voice curtailed more & more everyday: Haravoo on farmers' protest docu dropped from film festival

7 From Punjab, Haryana Went To Russia As Tourists, Duped Into Ukraine War

A group of young men from Punjab's Hoshiarpur have appealed to the government for help, claiming they were duped into military service in Russia and have been to fight Moscow's war on Ukraine.

7 Punjab Men Say They Went To Russia As Tourists, Tricked Into Ukraine War

A group of young men from Punjab's Hoshiarpur have appealed to the government for help, claiming they were duped into military service in Russia and have been to fight Moscow's war on Ukraine.