Punjab Election Bullet: Kejriwal Promises 80% Reservation

A wrap-up of all the big stories from the states that are going to polls.

1. Arvind Kejriwal Promises ‘Drug-Free’ Punjab; 80% Reservation for Punjabis

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday promised to make Punjab a “drug-free state” if his party was voted to power, saying around 40 lakh youth in the state were drug addicts and in dire need of treatment.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor claimed that “around 40 lakh youth in Punjab were drug addicts and in dire need of treatment at de-addiction centres”. 

Promising jobs to 25 lakh unemployed youth of Punjab if AAP formed the next government, he promised “80 per cent reservation for Punjabis in the employment in all new industry” to be set up during AAP government’s tenure.

(Source: Indian Express)

2. Kejriwal Released Special Manifesto for Differently-Abled People

Aam Aadmi Party leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday released a special manifesto of the party for differently-abled people in Punjab and assured hike in monthly pension to Rs 2,500.

Addressing a gathering of differently-abled persons, he said, “Pension will be raised (up to Rs 2500) and directly transferred into bank accounts of the physically-challenged persons.”

If it comes to power, the AAP government would increase minimum income condition for pension eligibility from Rs 12,000 per annum to Rs 1 lakh per annum, Kejriwal added.

Backlog of jobs for handicapped persons would be cleared within a year and one lakh such people would be skilled and provided livelihood on priority during the next five-years, said Kejriwal.

(Source: PTI)

3. 1,941 File Nominations for Punjab Assembly Polls

A record 1,941 candidates have filed their nomination papers for the 117 assembly seats in Punjab, which go to polls on 4 February, a senior poll official said on Wednesday.

With Wednesday being the last day for filing of nominations, 1,040 nomination papers were filed on a single day. Till Tuesday, 901 nominations had been filed, Punjab Chief Electoral Officer VK Singh said here.

Ludhiana (district) had the maximum 222 nominations filed while lowest of 37 were filed in district Fatehgarh Sahib.

Election Department Spokesman 

(Source: One India)

Also Read: Cong to BJP to Cong in 3 Days for Former Punjab MLA Gurkanwal Kaur

4. On EC’s Behest, Govt Withdraws 900 Guards Assigned to Political Appointees

On the instructions of the Election Commission, the Punjab government has withdrawn 900 personnel providing security to chairmen and vice-chairmen of various state-owned boards and corporations, and also their decision-making power.

After a security review, we have withdrawn 900 gunmen who were providing security to chairmen of boards and corporations.

VK Bhawra, Police ADG, Punjab

A total of 1,300 men were guarding them before the decision. Earlier, 300 gunmen were withdrawn by the police, the ADGP said, adding some candidates – including those of AAP – have refused to take security cover.

(Source: PTI)

5. In Saffron vs Saffron Fight, Why This Man Makes BJP See Red

“I haven’t left the Sangh,” said Subhash Velingkar, as he contemplated his once-intimate, now-sundered, relationship with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). “You could say the Sangh has left me.”

Till August last year, Velingkar was the RSS’s sangh-chalak or state chief for Goa, when he led a 200-strong group of black-flag waving protesters to a convention addressed by Amit Shah, President of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Days later, Velingkar was expelled from the organisation he had joined 55 years ago as a fresh-faced 13-year-old.

By January this year, Velingkar had allied with the Shiv Sena, and former BJP ally, the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), to spawn a most unlikely political creature: an “anti-BJP saffron alliance.”

Velingkar said the main reason for his revolt was the BJP government’s refusal to stop funding to private primary schools, in which the medium of instruction is English, rather than Konkani or Marathi.

(Source: Hindustan Times)

6. Congress To Contest On 36 Seats In Goa, Leaves 4 For Others

The Congress will contest on 36 of the 40 assembly seats in Goa, leaving four for others, including a newly-floated political party under a seat-sharing agreement, the party said on Wednesday.

The opposition party said it has not stitched a formal alliance, but has only entered into a seat-sharing pact with Goa Forward, launched a year ago, and others for the 4 February elections.

This is not an alliance. This is purely a seat-sharing agreement that we are having based on winnability of candidates.

Digvijay Singh, General Secretatry, AICC

(Source: PTI)

7. Dissent in BJP Over Tickets to 'Outsiders' Grows Louder in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand

There are rumblings of protest that seem to be growing louder in the BJP's UP and Uttarakhand units after declaration of the first list of candidates for the 2017 polls.

The party which had welcomed turncoats and rebels in large numbers earlier this year in both the states is now faced with rebellion of its own by party men who have been ignored to favour “outsiders”.

On Wednesday, BJP MP from Fatehpur Sikri Choudhary Babulal raised the banner of revolt and announced that he would oppose the candidature of Pakshalika Singh, wife of Raja Aridaman Singh, who recently left the Samajwadi Party to join the BJP. She has been fielded from Bah.

Source: The Times of India

Also Read: BJP Releases First List of Candidates For Punjab, Goa Elections

8. Centre Asks Manipur to Lift Blockades for Smooth Conduct of the Assembly Polls

Weeks before the Assembly elections, the Centre on Wednesday asked Manipur government to end the ongoing logjam in the State to ensure peaceful polls and also offered to rush more paramilitary forces to remove the blockade on the state’s supply lines.

We have asked Manipur CM to ensure that normalcy is restored immediately as the state is going to polls in two phases. The Centre will send more paramilitary forces if required.

Senior Official, Union Home Ministry

Last week, the Centre had rushed 40 companies of the central paramilitary forces in Manipur in addition to the 135 companies that are already stationed there.

(Source: The New Indian Express)