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 Among the notable changes, Union Minister Som Parkash has been replaced by his wife as the party's candidate for the Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha seat.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

Jalandhar Lok Sabha constituency: Check polling date, candidates list, past election results

The parliamentary elections in Punjab's 13 seats are scheduled to be contested in a single phase on June 1 (seventh phase).

AAP Names Candidates For 4 Punjab LS Seats

Aam Aadmi Party has announced candidates for four Lok Sabha seats in Punjab for upcoming parliamentary elections. It has fielded Ashok Parashar from the Ludhiana, Jagdeep Singh Kaka Brar from Ferozepur, Amansher Singh (Sherry Kalsi) from Gurdaspur, Pawan Kumar Tinu from Jalandhar. Other than Pawan Kumar Tinu, the candidate from Jalandhar, all the candidates are sitting MLAs. Pawan Kumar Tinu had recently quit Shiromani Akali Dal and joined AAP. Aam Aadmi party, with today's announcement, has declared candidates for all 13 parliamentary seats in Punjab. It may be noted that while AAP is member of the INDIA Bloc, it has decided to contest Lok Sabha elections in Punjab on its own while entering into a seat sharing arrangement with Congress in Delhi. Congress has so far announced candidates for 10 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab with former CM Charanjit Singh Channi fielded from Jalandhar.

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

Election RoundUp: AAP and BJP Unveil Candidates for Lok Sabha Elections

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has announced its contenders for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Punjab. They've put forward four candidates for key seats in the state. The candidates unveiled on Tuesday include Jagdeep Singh Brar, Amansher Singh, Pawan Kumar Tinu, and Ashok Parashar Pappi. All four are currently serving as members of Punjab's legislative assembly. Pawan Kumar Tinu, who recently joined AAP from the Shiromani Akali Dal, is nominated from the Jalandhar seat, which falls under the SC quota. In a parallel move, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has revealed its twelfth list of candidates for the Lok Sabha Elections. The list features seven candidates from different states, including Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and West Bengal. In Maharashtra, Chhatrapati Udayanraje Bhonsale, with a notable political lineage, will contest from the Satara seat, aiming to challenge NCP(SP) candidate Shashikant Shinde. Meanwhile, in West Bengal, Abhijit Das has been nominated by the BJP for the Diamond Harbour seat, where he'll face competition from Abhishek Mukherjee, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate and Mamata Banerjee's nephew. The election schedule kicks off on April 19, with results expected by June 4, 2024. The elections will be held in seven phases, spanning from April 19 to June 1, 2024. Commenting on the manifestos released by the BJP and the Congress, economists suggest that while the BJP's manifesto focuses on continuity of existing reforms and welfare schemes, the Congress' plans may have significant fiscal implications. The BJP's manifesto emphasizes macro and financial stability, with a focus on low inflation, strong external balances, high growth, and fiscal prudence. On the other hand, the Congress' manifesto leans towards populist measures aimed at garnering votes, with plans for reforms in macro stability, infrastructure, healthcare, among others. Final Push for Lok Sabha Elections in UP: Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi Gear Up for Key Campaign Events Significant Seizures Ahead of Lok Sabha Elections in Jammu and Kashmir

AAP announces 4 more candidates for LS polls in Punjab, fields former MLA Pawan Kumar Tinu from Jalandhar.

AAP announces 4 more candidates for LS polls in Punjab, fields former MLA Pawan Kumar Tinu from Jalandhar. AAP announces 4 more candidates for LS polls in Punjab, fields former MLA Pawan Kumar Tinu from Jalandhar.

AAP Worker and Associates Accused of Brutal Murder: Police Launch Investigation

Amritsar: A tragic incident has shaken Jalandhar district in Punjab, where a young man was brutally stabbed to death, sustaining 17 grievous wounds across his body. The victim, identified as Ankit Jamba, was attacked while he was en route to the hospital with his pregnant wife, Manisha, who also sustained injuries in the assault and is currently undergoing treatment. The alleged perpetrators, led by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) worker Karan Malli and his accomplices, have been accused of the murder, prompting police intervention and an ongoing investigation into the matter. The harrowing incident unfolded in the Chai Mango area of Basti Sheikh locality in Jalandhar. Ankit, a 26-year-old entrepreneur who owned a plastic manufacturing factory, was riding his bike with his wife when they were intercepted by Karan Malli and five other individuals. Without provocation, the assailants launched a vicious attack on Ankit, repeatedly stabbing him in the stomach, back, and head, resulting in fatal injuries. Despite Manisha's valiant efforts to protect her husband, she too suffered injuries during the altercation. The ruthless assault lasted for about five minutes before the attackers fled the scene, leaving Ankit fatally wounded. Despite Manisha's pleas for help, bystanders failed to intervene, compounding the tragedy. Ankit was rushed to the hospital, but tragically, he succumbed to his injuries. Manisha, meanwhile, remains hospitalized, battling severe injuries sustained during the attack. In response, the police have initiated legal proceedings, registering an FIR against the alleged perpetrators, including Karan Malli, Sonu, Ajay, and Sunny, under charges of murder, attempted murder, and other relevant sections of the law. The motive behind the heinous crime is believed to stem from a longstanding feud between the accused and the deceased. Allegedly, Ankit had filed an FIR against Karan Malli for attempted murder about two and a half years ago, following a previous altercation between them. Subsequently, both parties had been involved in legal disputes, with Ankit even facing imprisonment. Manisha contends that Karan had been persistently threatening her husband since then, but despite her complaints to the Punjab Police, no decisive action was taken. The victim's brother, Mani, has accused Karan of being involved in criminal activities, including drug trafficking in the Malli area of Jalandhar. In the aftermath of Ankit's murder, family members and relatives staged protests at the hospital, refusing to cremate his body until the perpetrators were apprehended. In response to escalating tensions, police reinforcements were deployed to maintain order. As of now, no arrests have been made in connection with the brutal attack, leaving the victim's loved ones seeking justice for his untimely demise. Arrests Made in Connection with Banka Bomb Blast: Mohammad Ismail and Noor Mohammad Apprehended Young man fatally stabbed at meat shop during Eid celebrations in Fatehpur district of UP Ice Spice Takes Hollywood: Rapper Turned Actor Shines in Spike Lee's 'High and Low'

Kia Carnival's 50,000 km / 5th service & more

BHPian rrsteer recently shared this with other enthusiasts. Recently completed our Carnival's 50k/ 5th service. Apart from a resurfaced squeaking sound that was addressed 3 months back by replacing the tensioner assembly, I had no other concerns to report. I can say that the overarching story of my ownership remains intact. The car performs well, but service support has been very poor. It would not be wrong to say that apart from the failed bearing of the tensioner assembly, all other issues have had the dealer's stamp. Earlier they spoilt the tyres of the car, last service they damaged the front bumper, and this time they provided me an inside view of their terrible work processes. I had placed an order for a part - replacement for the car's cardboard type underbody cover which had a slight tear. This request was placed in September last year. Six months on, I am still waiting for the correct part to arrive. To begin with, the dealer personnel forgot to place the order, later, thrice they ordered the wrong part, of which twice the same wrong part was ordered in succession. There is good news though. The dealer finally opened a new service center. In my last update I had mentioned how weary I was taking the car to the dealer because of the cramped spaces. This concern is no longer relevant now. The new facility is quite large, well designed and looks quite modern too. The new service center: But can't help thinking, it seems to be in sync with Kia India's general philosophy (my opinion only) - more focus on the outside look and feel, but less on the inside. Coming to the car itself, it has now completed over 50k kms in 31 months of ownership. That translates to a monthly running of about 1500kms. It is a sharp reduction compared to the car it replaced -the Innova, which averaged about 2500 kms per month. A part of this is attributable to the mindset shift post Covid. People are more amenable to doing business over video calls or transacting virtually, reducing the need to travel. But a good deal is because the Carnival has brought about a specialisation to our garage which didn't exist before. Due to its shape and size, we are following an unsaid rule that Carnival=highways. This specialisation has been further cemented with the recent purchase of Tiago.EV - a most suitable car for city runabouts. As mentioned above, the car recently faced its first mechanical/electronic part failure. The bearings of the tensioner assembly failed at 46k kms and 28 months into the ownership period. The new part was ordered and fixed in two weeks. The assembly itself was replaced under warranty. However, the belt, being a wear-and-tear item, wasn't covered. I ended up paying for half the cost of the belt, the other half was waived off as a goodwill measure after some negotiations. Disappointingly, the replaced part too failed within three months. The new part is expected to arrive by next week. Same part failing twice is not confidence inspiring, but for now I am willing to look pass it as a case of bad luck, as generally the car has been quite reliable and drives as good as new. I have both read and heard from a few owners, complaints about early brake wear - somewhat understandable, as it's a heavy vehicle with an auto gearbox. But am happy to report that at 50k, the brakes of my car were reported to be good for another 10k kms at least. Apart from the brakes, I am also much inclined towards preventive upkeep of the auto transmission. Going against the tide, Kia prescribed a transmission oil change at the 90k km mark in the owner's manual. I brought this up with the service advisor as part of a discussion, to which he said and I quote 'as per the latest advisory from Kia, the transmission is sealed for life and we are not authorized to do a transmission oil change.' If that's the case, I will get the oil changed from an able outside garage at 60k kms. I recently also purchased a Scangauge for the car, and its a good way of keep a tab on transmission temperature. The transmission temperature mostly stays below 70 degree Celsius, but take the car to the hills and the temperature shoots up to 90-95 degrees in no time, although I have yet to see it go past 100. I am no expert in this, but I generally stop the car by the side for some rest if the transmission temperature continuously stays over 95 degrees for a longer duration. The other thing I have noticed is that the temperature increase gradient is less steep if driven in the manual mode. Generally too, I enjoy driving more in the manual mode, while driving on the hills. Overall, as mentioned in earlier posts, the space and practicality that accompanies the design of a full size MPV, the lusty engine programmed to an intelligent 8 speed auto and the great highway fuel economy that the car is capable of, are its biggest draws for me. Some pictures to go along with this update. Above, I talked about practicality, didn't I? Some demonstrations below: Here we are carrying about 60-70 tree saplings. Transporting all sorts of things. An update will be incomplete, without me flaunting some fuel economy figures. Below are the stats of a recent drive from Delhi to back home Jalandhar. It was done on a long weekend, meaning heavy traffic throughout, while also having to deal with road diversions and interruptions caused by the farmer's protest. I was very pleased with the figures in the end. The lifetime average fuel economy too is a very good 12.9 kmpl. It has not been all highways for the car, when presented with a chance and if conditions allow, I do carefully take it offroad. I have also been adding accessories, bit by bit. In the last 10k kms, I have added the following: 1) An external tyre pressure gauge. It has proved very helpful in keeping the tyre temperature around the intended values. 2) Scangauge II (got it from US through a visiting relative). It throws a range of data- not all of which I understand or even need, but its greatest use is keeping an eye on transmission temperature. The other thing I found out is that the eco mode in the car is an eyewash. I have not seen any change in the engine rpm, air fuel mixture or the engine load while using it. 3) A neat trunk organizer - helps me keep the tyre puncture repair kit and other things neatly tucked in. 4) A funnel for pouring DPF. Again, of great use, no more spilling of DPF fluid. 5) Some ambient lighting - I arranged them around the perimeter of the front seats, and it gives a nice effect at night, although there is just one color. 6) Rubber door beadings - have a real tight garage and this helps in protecting the door edges. That's it, for now. Hopefully would provide the next update at 60k kms. Click here to read more BHPian comments & insights.

Former Punjab CM and Cong candidate from Jalandhar Channi offers prayers at Golden Temple

Former Punjab CM and Cong candidate from Jalandhar Channi offers prayers at Golden Temple Former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Monday offered prayers at the Golden Temple a day after the Congress named him as its candidate from the Jalandhar (reserved) parliamentary constituency. He was accompanied by party MLA Pargat Singh and other party leaders. Speaking to the media, Channi said he was going to Jalandhar as 'Sudama' and urged the people of the Doaba region to take care of him like 'Lord Krishna'. He said he came here to seek the blessings of the almighty to give him strength to live up to the expectations of the people. Replying to a question, Channi said he had served the people of the Chamkaur Sahib assembly constituency and brought ''unprecedented'' development in that area. ''Chamkaur Sahib was once considered a backward area. But a lot of development has taken place in that area,'' he said. He also slammed the Bhagwant Mann government in Punjab saying, ''Today, it is the fight for the existence of Punjab.'' Channi accused Mann of being ''in cahoots'' with the Centre and hatching conspiracies against the state. Mann ''supported'' those who used ''force'' against protesting farmers, alleged Channi. ''There is a need to teach him a lesson,'' he said. Channi had been an MLA from the Chamkaur Sahib constituency in 2007, 2012 and 2017. He had unsuccessfully contested from Chamkaur Sahib and Bhadaur seats in the 2022 Punjab assembly polls. Polling for the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab will take place in the last phase on June 1.

Meet man, his father once took loan of Rs 500, now owns largest private university in India, with annual revenue of Rs...

Ashok Kumar Mittal, the founder and chancellor of Jalandhar's Lovely Professional University.

2-time SAD ex-MLA Teenu joins AAP, tipped for Jalandhar ticket

Congress names 6 for Punjab, fields ex-CM Channi from Jalandhar

Former Punjab CM Channi vies for Jalandhar LS seat post AAP's 2022 Punjab poll sweep. Faces opposition from Chaudhary's son. AAP won Jalandhar bypoll. AICC fields Sukhpal Khaira in Sangrur.

Cong names 6 for Punjab, fields ex-CM Channi from Jalandhar

Former Punjab CM Channi vies for Jalandhar LS seat post AAP's 2022 Punjab poll sweep. Faces opposition from Chaudhary's son. AAP won Jalandhar bypoll. AICC fields Sukhpal Khaira in Sangrur.

Congress' Kanhaiya Kumar vs BJP's Manoj Tiwari In North East Delhi Contest | English News | N18V

Congress' Kanhaiya Kumar vs BJP's Manoj Tiwari In North East Delhi Contest | English News | N18VThe Congress on Sunday issued another list of 10 candidates for the Lok Sabha election in Delhi and Punjab, tapping former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi for the Jalandhar-SC Lok Sabha seat.According to the list, the party has fielded veteran politician JP Agarwal from the Chandni Chowk seat and youth leader Kanhaiya Kumar from the North East Delhi seat.Mr Kumar will be pitted against BJP's Manoj Tiwari, the sole BJP candidate not replaced in the national capital.

Cong names candidates for 6 LS seats in Punjab, fields Charanjit Channi from Jalandhar

Cong names candidates for 6 LS seats in Punjab, fields Charanjit Channi from Jalandhar The Congress on Sunday named its candidates for six Lok Sabha seats in Punjab, fielding former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, along with two sitting MPs, an MLA and a former MP. The party has fielded Channi from the Jalandhar (SC) seat and sitting MPs Gurjeet Singh Aujla and Amar Singh from the Amritsar and the Fatehgarh Sahib (SC) seats respectively. The Congress nominated MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira from the Sangrur Lok Sabha seat, former MP Dharamvira Gandhi from Patiala and former MLA Jeet Mohinder Sidhu from Bathinda. Polling on all 13 Lok Sabha seats in the state will take place in the last phase on June 1. The Congress bet on Channi from the Jalandhar (SC) seat despite opposition from Phillaur MLA Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary. A few days ago, Chaudhary even resigned as the partys chief whip in the Punjab Assembly. Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary, the son of two-time Congress MP Santokh Chaudhary, had pointed towards Channi's electoral defeats from both the Chamkaur Sahib and Bhadaur segments he had contested in the 2022 Punjab Assembly polls. Santokh Chaudhary died in January last year during Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra. His wife Karamjit Kaur Chaudhary had unsuccessfully contested the Jalandhar parliamentary bypoll in May last year. Channi belongs to the Scheduled Castes community which makes up nearly 32 per cent of Punjab's population. He represented the Chamkaur Sahib Assembly constituency in 2007, 2012 and 2017. Channi became the chief minister of Punjab in 2021 after the Congress replaced Amarinder Singh with him. The BJP has fielded sitting MP Sushil Rinku from the Jalandhar (SC) seat. Although AAP is yet to name its candidate, former Akali MLA Pawan Kumar Tinu, who joined the party on Sunday, is likely to be the party's nominee. The Congress fielded sitting MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla from Amritsar. Former deputy chief minister and MLA O P Soni's name was also doing rounds for this seat. Aujla won the Amritsar seat in the 2017 bypolls and was elected again in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. AAP has fielded Cabinet minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal from the Amritsar seat. The Shiromani Akali Dal has named former MLA Anil Joshi as its candidate and the BJP Taranjit Singh Sandhu. Sitting MP from the Fatehgarh Sahib (SC) seat Amar Singh, a former bureaucrat, has been renominated by the Congress. In 2019, Singh defeated SAD candidate Darbara Singh Guru from the constituency. In the Sangrur seat, the Congress showed its faith in All India Kisan Congress chairman and MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira. Khaira, a firebrand leader, was elected as MLA in 2007 and 2017 from the Bholath seat. He had unsuccessfully contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. AAP has fielded Cabinet minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer from the Sangrur seat, currently represented by Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) MP Simranjit Singh Mann. The Congress has fielded former AAP MP Dharamvira Gandhi from the Patiala Lok Sabha seat. Gandhi, a doctor by profession, joined the party recently. Gandhi won the Lok Sabha election as an AAP candidate in 2014, defeating the Congress' Preneet Kaur from Patiala. After quitting AAP in 2016, he had formed his own political outfit Nawan Punjab Party, which he merged with the Congress. Gandhi has been pitted this time against BJP nominee Preneet Kaur and AAP candidate Dr Balbir Singh. From the Bathinda seat, the Congress has named former MLA from Talwandi Sabo Jeet Mohinder Sidhu. Sidhu rejoined the Congress last year after quitting the Shiromani Akali Dal. The Bathinda seat is currently held by SAD MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal. AAP has fielded Cabinet minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian from the seat.

Congress' Kanhaiya Kumar vs BJP's Manoj Tiwari In North East Delhi Contest

The Congress on Sunday issued another list of 10 candidates for the Lok Sabha election in Delhi and Punjab, tapping former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi for the Jalandhar-SC Lok Sabha seat.

LS Polls: Congress releases list with 10 names for Delhi, Punjab; fields Kanhaiya, Channi

New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday issued another list of 10 candidates for the Lok Sabha election in Delhi and Punjab, tapping former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi for the Jalandhar-SC Lok Sabha seat. According to the list, the party has fielded veteran politician J P Agarwal from the Chandni Chowk seat and youth Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Congress fields Kanhaiya Kumar in North East Delhi against BJP's Manoj Tiwari

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Sunday issued another list of 10 candidates for the Lok Sabha election in Delhi and Punjab, tapping former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi for the Jalandhar-SC Lok Sabha seat. According to the list, the party has fielded veteran politician J P Agarwal from the Chandni Chowk seat and youth leader Kanhaiya Kumar from the North East Delhi seat. Kumar will be pitted against BJP's Manoj Tiwari, the sole BJP candidate not replaced in the national capital. Free healthcare, equal pay for women, minimum daily wage: Key promises from Congress manifesto For the North West Delhi Lok Sabha seat, the party announced the name of former MP Udit Raj. In Punjab, the party renominated its sitting MPs Gurjeet Singh Aujla from Amritsar and Amar Singh from Fatehgarh Sahib (SC) Lok Sabha seat. Former MP Dharvir Gandhi will be contesting from the Patiala Lok Sabha seat. His candidature comes mere days after he joined the Congress leaving the Aam Aadmi Party. The party has nominated its All India Kisan wing chief Sukhpal Singh Khaira from the Sangrur Lok Sabha seat and Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu from the Bathinda Lok Sabha constituency, which is currently represented by SAD chief's wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal. The Congress announced the name of Ujjwal Revti Raman Singh from Uttar Pradesh's Allahabad Lok Sabha seat. The opposition party also announced a list of 75 candidates for the Odisha assembly elections.

Lok Sabha: Congress releases candidates list for Delhi and Punjab, Kanhaiya Kumar to contest from North East Delhi

In Punjab, Gurjeet Singh Aujla is standing from Amritsar for Congress, Charanjit Singh Channi from Jalandhar, Amar Singh from Fatehgarh Saheb, Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu from Bhatinda, Sukhpal Singh Khaira from Sangrur and Dr Dharamvir Gandhi from Patiala. Congress also released a list of 75 candidates for upcoming Odisha assembly elections.

Lok Sabha Polls: Congress fields Kanhaiya Kumar from North East Delhi, Channi gets ticket from Jalandhar

The party has fielded Kanhaiya Kumar from North East Delhi. Meanwhile, Charanjit Singh Channi has been given ticket from Jalandhar.

Jalandhar Dalit leader Pawan Kumar leaves Akali Dal, joins AAP

Chandigarh: Punjabs ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) got a boost in the Doaba region as a Dalit leader of Jalandhar and former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) legislator Pawan Kumar Tinu joined it on Sunday, April 14. He is likely to be fielded from the Jalandhar (reserved) Lok Sabha seat. Tinu was elected MLA twice from Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

LS polls: Former Akali MLA Pawan Tinu joins AAP; likely to be fielded from Jalandhar

LS polls: Former Akali MLA Pawan Tinu joins AAP; likely to be fielded from Jalandhar In a setback to the Shiromani Akali Dal ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, former party MLA Pawan Kumar Tinu on Sunday joined the AAP here. Tinu is likely to be the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate from the Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat, said party sources. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann welcomed Tinu into the party fold. Along with Tinu, another Akali leader Gurcharan Singh also joined the AAP. Tinu, a Dalit leader, was elected MLA from the Adampur assembly constituency in Jalandhar district in 2012 and 2017. He lost the 2022 assembly polls to Congress nominee Sukhwinder Kotli. He had unsuccessfully contested the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat is currently represented by Sushil Rinku, who won it on an AAP ticket in the 2023 bypoll. Rinku was named the AAP candidate from Jalandhar seat for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls but he quit the party and joined the BJP. The BJP has fielded Rinku from the Jalandhar (reserve) constituency. Speaking to reporters, Tinu said he was impressed by the Mann government's work like free electricity, free treatment at 'Mohalla Clinics' and setting up ''good'' schools in the state. ''Ever since the AAP came to power, it is working towards the welfare of people, Mohalla Clinics have been set up, over 80 per cent of the people are getting free electricity and jobs are being given on merit,'' he said. He thanked Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, Mann and AAP MP Sandeep Pathak after joining the party. Replying to a question, Tinu said he joined without any conditions and would perform whatever role the party gave him. Tinu claimed that there was an atmosphere of ''distrust'' in the Sukhbir Singh Badal-led Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). ''There is confusion among the leaders and the workers. People (in SAD) are feeling insecure about the fate of the party. The morale of the party workers is down,'' he alleged. Tinu said he worked honestly while he was in the SAD for 16 years. In a veiled attack on the BJP, Tinu said, ''We all know that conspiracies are being hatched to abolish the Constitution. We will have to make our position clear on whether we stand by the Constitution or not.'' He slammed the BJP-led central government for ''misusing'' the central agencies to target rival parties. The Congress is yet to name its candidate from the Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat, though former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi is the frontrunner from the reserved constituency. Polling for the 13 Lok Sabha seats will be held on June 1.

Leaders Shift to Congress; A. Revanth Reddy Welcomes New Members

Hyderabad: Several BRS and BJP leaders joined the Congress in the presence of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Saturday. Notable among the entrants were BRS Himayatnagar corporator Gaddam Mahalakshmi and former BRS Gunfoundry corporator Mamta Gupta. AICC Telangana state incharge Deepa Das Munshi. Mayor G. Vijayalakshmi, Khairatabad DCC president C. Rohin Reddy were present on the occasion. BJP leader M. Jalandhar Reddy, who recently contested from the Makthal Assembly seat, also shifted allegiance to the Congress. Additionally, Pulimamidi Raju, BJP's Medak Lok Sabha constituency in-charge for the Sangareddy Assembly constituency, joined the Congress. Senior Congress leader V. Hanumantha Rao, minister Ponnam Prabhakar and leaders from Munnuru Kapu community also met Revanth Reddy and thanked him for setting up a separate corporation for the community. Madiga community leaders also met Revanth Reddy for establishing separate corporations dedicated to their welfare.

Sufi songs in Punjab potboiler

CHANDIGARH : The son of one of the assassins of former prime minister Indira Gandhi will contest the Lok Sabha polls from Faridkot seat in Punjab as an independent candidate. The 45-year-old Sarabjit Singh is the son of Beant Singh, who along with Satwant Singh assassinated Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984 at her residence in New Delhi. Beant and Satwant were the then prime ministers bodyguards. Both fired over 30 bullets at her from point-blank range purportedly to avenge the humiliation of Sikhs and the desecration of the Golden Temple during Operation Blue Star in June 1984. Justice Jora Singh (retd), who had headed a commission to probe sacrilege incidents in Punjab, has also announced to contest an independent from Faridkot. The other candidates include singers and comedians Karamjit Anmol, a Punjab actor-cum-comedian, is the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate, while Sufi singer Hans Raj Hans is the BJP candidate. The Congress is likely to give ticket from this seat to its incumbent MP Mohammad Sadique, according to party sources. Sadique is a Punjabi folk singer. Sarabjit Singh had unsuccessfully contested the 2004 Lok Sabha polls from Bathinda getting 1.33 lakh votes. He contested the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Fatehgarh Sahib on a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) ticket and got on 12,683 votes and 2007 Punjab assembly polls from Bhadaur seat in Barnala and bagged 15,702 votes. His mother Bimal Kaur was elected as an MP from Ropar seat and grandfather Sucha Singh had won from Bathinda in 1989. Singh said he has decided to contest elections because many villagers urged him and he intends to seek punishment for those responsible for the sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib. Successive governments have failed to deliver justice in the sacrilege incidents and there is rampant drug problem. Also farmers issues remain unaddressed. So the people of Faridkot approached me and I decided to contest this poll, Singh told this newspaper. If I win, I will form my own party, he added. Asked what prompted him to enter the poll fray again when he had contested three elections in the past, Singh said, That time SAD were strong and dominant, thus I lost. Now people are fed up with all political parties. They voted for a change and brought in the AAP government but nothing has changed. Hence its anyones game now as the field is open. Justice Jora Singh (retd) had headed a commission under the SAD-BJP government to probe the sacrilege incidents in Punjab. He joined the AAP in December 2018 and was the party candidate from Jalandhar in the 2019 parliamentary polls but lost. He was head of the legal wing of AAP for two years. After that he quit the AAP and is now fighting an independent candidate from Faridkot. The report made by me on sacrilege incidents should be made public so that the culprits do not go scot free. The previous SAD-BJP and Congress governments sat on the report and so did the present AAP government, Justice Zora Singh told this newspaper. The top leadership of AAP did not find time to address the grievances of the legal fraternity, he added. In 2015, five sacrilege incidents took pace in Faridkot that sparked off statewide protests. The sacrilege incidents started on June 1, 2015 when the bir (a complete volume of a Sikh scripture as an individual corpus) was stolen from Burj Jawahar Singh Wala village gurdwara. Later three derogatory posters threatening sacrilege were pasted at Bargari and Burj Jawahar Singh Wala villages on September 24 and 25, 2015. On October 12, 2015, torn pages of the bir were found scattered in front of a gurdwara in the adjoining Bargari village. The desecration of Guru Granth Sahib and police firing at anti-sacrilege protesters at Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan occurred in 2015 in Faridkot. Two people were killed in the police firing. The issue was also a major setback for SAD, leading to its downfall in the 2017 Assembly polls that brought the Congress to power. Thirteen Lok Sabha constituencies in Punjab will go to polls on June 1.

Chaitra Navratri 2024: Names and locations of 52 Shaktipeeths, which one is closest for darshan

Chaitra Navratri has started from 9th April. You can visit goddess temples during the nine-day holy festival of Navratri. There are many ancient and miraculous Goddess Mata temples in India. Apart from this, there are 52 Shaktipeeths. According to the legend, Mother Sati had reached the yagya organized by her father King Prajapati Daksh without invitation. There her husband Lord Shiva was ridiculed and abused. Saddened by the insult she and her husband faced at home, Mother Sati sacrificed her life by jumping into the fire pit. When Lord Shiva came to know about this, he picked up the mortal remains of Goddess Sati and started wandering here and there. Due to his anger, destruction started coming into the world. Lord Vishnu cut the body of Mata Sati with Sudarshan Chakra to prevent the cataclysm. When 52 pieces of Mata Sati's body and jewelry fell at various places, they were called 52 Shaktipeeths. Let us know what are the names of the 52 Shaktipeeths and in which cities they are located. Mother's Shaktipeeth Shaktipeeth in Uttar Pradesh 1. Manikarnika Ghat, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh - Manikarnika of Mata Sati had fallen here. Here Vishalakshi and Manikarni forms of Mother are worshipped. 2. Mata Lalita Devi Shaktipeeth, Prayagraj - The finger of Mata Sati's hand had fallen at this place in Allahabad. Here the mother is known as Lalita. 3. The right breast of Mata Sati had fallen in Ramgiri, Chitrakoot, Uttar Pradesh. At this place, she is revered as Mother Shivani. 4. Uma Shaktipeeth is located in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh. It is also known as Katyayani Shaktipeeth. Mother's hair bunch and Chudamani had fallen here. 5. Mata's left shoulder had fallen in Devi Patan Temple, Balrampur. In this Shaktipeeth, Mata is present in the form of Mateshwari. Shaktipeeth of Madhya Pradesh 6. Harsiddhi Devi Shaktipeeth- There are two Shaktipeeths of Goddess in Madhya Pradesh. One of these is Harsiddhi Devi Shaktipeeth, where the elbow of Mata Sati had fallen. It is situated on the western bank of Rudra Sagar Pond. 7. Shondev Narmata Shaktipeeth- Mother's Daya Nitamp had fallen in Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh. Due to the origin of the Narmada river here, Mother Goddess is worshiped here in the form of Narmada. Shaktipeeth of North India 8. Naina Devi Temple- The eye of Goddess Sati had fallen on Shivalik mountain in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh. Her mother goddess is called Mahisha Mardini. 9. Jwala Ji Shaktipeeth- The tongue of the goddess had fallen in Kangra, Himachal, hence it was named Siddhida or Ambika. 10. Mahamaya Shaktipeeth, Pahalgaon of Amarnath, where the neck of Mata Sati had fallen, Mahamaya is worshiped here. Punjab and Haryana Shaktipeeth 11. Tripuramalini Mata Shaktipeeth- The left level of Mata had fallen near Cantonment Station in Jalandhar, Punjab. 12. Shaktipeeth of Mata Savitri, the heel of Mata's feet had fallen in Kurukshetra, Haryana. Shaktipeeth of Mata Savitri is situated here. 13. Mother Bhadrakali's right ankle had fallen in Devikup Temple, Kurukshetra, Haryana. Here the form of Mother Bhadrakali is worshipped. Shaktipeeth of Rajasthan 14. Manibandh Shaktipeeth- Two anklets of Mata Sati had fallen on Gayatri mountain in Pushkar, Ajmer. Here the Gayatri form of Mother is worshipped. 15. Shaktipeeth of Mata Ambika- There is a temple of Mata Ambika in Birat, Rajasthan. The toes of Mata Sati's left foot had fallen here. 16. Matabadi mountain peak Shaktipeeth- is in Radhakishorpur village of Udarpur in Tripura. Mother's right foot had fallen at this place. Here the mother goddess is called Tripura Sundari. Shaktipeeth in Gujarat 17. Ambaji Temple Shaktipeeth- There is a temple of Mata Ambaji in Gujarat. It is believed that the mother's heart had fallen here. 18. Mother Chandrabhaga Shaktipeeth, Junagadh, The stomach of Goddess Sati had fallen in Junagadh, Gujarat. Here the mother is known as Chandrabhaga. Shaktipeeth of Maharashtra 19. Mata's chin had fallen at the Shaktipeeth of Bhramari form of Mata, Janasthan in Maharashtra. After that, the Bhramari form of the goddess started being worshiped here. Shaktipeeth in Bengal 20. Temple of Goddess Kapalini- Bengal has the highest number of Shaktipeeths of Mata. There is a temple of Goddess Kapalini in Vibhash located in Tamluk of Purba Medinipur district. Mother's left heel had fallen here. 21. Mata Devi Kumari Shaktipeeth- The right shoulder of Mata Sati had fallen in Ratnavali in Hooghly, Bengal. In this temple, the mother is called by the name Devi Kumari. 22. Shaktipeeth of Mata Vimala The crown of Goddess Sati had fallen in Kiritkon village of Murshidabad, West Bengal. Here there is Shaktipeeth of Mata and the Vimala form of Mata is worshipped. 23. Bhramari Devi Shaktipeeth- Mata's left leg had fallen in Salbarhi village in Boda mandal of Jalpaiguri, West Bengal. The form of Mother Goddess Bhramari Devi is worshiped at this place. 24. Bahula Devi Shaktipeeth- Vardhaman The left hand of Mata Sati had fallen in the Ketugram area of the district. 25. Mangal Chandrika Mata Shaktipeeth - Mata's Shaktipeeth is in Ujjani of Vardhaman district. Mother's right wrist had fallen here. 26. Shaktipeeth of Maa Mahishmardini Goddess Sati's eyebrow had fallen in Vakreshwar, West Bengal. At this place, the mother is called Mahishamardini. 27. Nalhati Shaktipeeth- The bone of the mother's leg had fallen in Nalhati, Birbhum. 28. Phullara Devi Shaktipeeth- The lips of Mata Sati had fallen in Attahas, West Bengal. Here the mother is called Fullara Devi. 29. Nandipur Shaktipeeth- The necklace of Mata Sati had fallen in West Bengal. Mother Nandani is worshiped here. 30. Yugadha Shaktipeeth- The thumb of Mata's right hand fell in Ksheergram of Vardhaman district. Shaktipeeth of Mata was built at this place, where she is called Goddess Jugadya. 31. Kalika Devi Shaktipeeth- According to beliefs, the toe of the right foot of the mother had fallen in Kalighat. She is known here by the name of Maa Kalika. 32. Kanchi Devgarbha Shaktipeeth- The bones of the goddess had fallen in Kanchi, West Bengal. Here Mata Dev is established in the form of Garbha. Shaktipeeth in South India 33. Bhadrakali Shaktipeeth- Now if we talk about the Shaktipeeths located in South India, then Mata's back had fallen in Tamil Nadu. Mata's Kanyashram, Bhadrakali Temple, and Kumari Temple are situated in this place. She is called by the name Shravani. 34. Shuchi Shaktipeeth- Shuchi Theertham Shiva temple is located near Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu. Here also there is Shaktipeeth of Mata, where her upper molar had fallen. Mother has got the name Narayani here. 35. Vimala Devi Shaktipeeth- The navel of the goddess had fallen in Utkal, Orissa. Here Mata is known by the name Vimala. 36. Sarvasail Ramhendri Shaktipeeth- There are two Shaktipeeths in Andhra Pradesh. A Sarvashail Ramhendri Shaktipeeth, where the mother's cheeks had fallen. At this place, devotees worship Rakini and Vishweshwari forms of Mother Goddess. 37. Srisailam Shaktipeeth- The second Shaktipeeth in Andhra is in Coornoor district. The anklet of the right foot of Mata Sati had fallen in Srisailam Shaktipeeth. Here, it is installed in the nose of Mata Shri Sundari. 38. Karnataka Shaktipeeth- Both the ears of Goddess Sati had fallen in Karnataka. Jai Durga form of Mother is worshiped at this place. 39. Kamakhya Shaktipeeth- Among the famous Shaktipeeths is Kamakhya ji situated on Neelantal mountain in Guwahati. Mother's vagina had fallen in Kamakhya. Here the Kamakhya form of Mother is worshipped. Shaktipeeth in foreign countries 40. Chattal Bhawani Shaktipeeth- Chattal Bhawani Shaktipeeth is on Chandranath mountain in the Chittagong district of Bangladesh. Here the right arm of Mata Sati had fallen. 41. Sugandha Shaktipeeth- Mata's nose had fallen 20 km away from Shikarpur, Bangladesh. In this Shaktipeeth, the mother is called Sugandha. Another name for this Shaktipeeth is Ugratara Shaktipeeth. 42. Jayanti Shaktipeeth- Mata's left thigh fell in Jayantiya Pargana in the Sylhet district of Bangladesh. Mata Devi is established here by the name Jayanti. 43. Srishail Mahalakshmi- Mother Sati was strangled in the Sylhet district of Bangladesh. Mahalakshmi form is worshiped in this Shaktipeeth. 44. Yashoreshwari Mata Shaktipeeth- There is a place named Yashore in the Khulna district of Bangladesh, where the left palm of Mother Sati fell. 45. Indrakshi Shaktipeeth- The anklets of the goddess fell in Nallur, Jaffna, Sri Lanka. This Shaktipeeth is called Indrakshi. 46. Guheshwari Shaktipeeth- This Shaktipeeth is on the banks of the Bagmati river, at some distance from Pashupatinath temple in Nepal. Here both the knees of Mother Sati had fallen. Mahamaya or Mahashira form of Shakti is worshiped here. 47. Aadya Shaktipeeth- There is Aadya Shaktipeeth near Gandak river in Nepal. It is believed that the left cheek of Mother Sati had fallen at this place. Here the Gandaki Chandi form of Mata is worshipped. 48. Dantakali Shaktipeeth- Teeth of Mother Sati had fallen in Bijayapur village of Nepal. For this reason, this Shaktipeeth is known as Dantkali Shaktipeeth. 49. Mansa Shaktipeeth- The right palm of Mata Sati had fallen near the Mansarovar river in Tibet. Here she is called Mata Dakshayani. Mata is established here in the form of a rock. 50. Mithila Shaktipeeth- The left shoulder of Mata Sati had fallen on the India-Nepal border. Her mother is called Devi Um. 51. Hingula Shaktipeeth- Hingula Shaktipeeth of Goddess is in Balochistan, Pakistan. In this Shaktipeeth, the mother is known as Hinglaj Devi. There is a religious belief that the head of Mother Sati had fallen here. (PC: PTI, Social media)

BJP holds Sukhmani Sahib path during office opening

Jalandhar: With the BJP facing opposition from farmers in the state ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and farmer groups banning BJP leaders' entry in villages, the inauguration of the BJP's office at Maqsudan Chowk in Jalandhar saw a major break from tradition today. Along with havan, party leaders also held Sukhmani Sahib path' [] The post BJP holds Sukhmani Sahib path during office opening appeared first on Northlines .

Will announce Ludhiana, Jalandhar candidates on April 16: Punjab CM

Will announce Ludhiana, Jalandhar candidates on April 16: Punjab CM Chandigarh: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will announce its Lok Sabha candidates for Ludhiana and Jalandhar on April 16, AAP Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said on Wednesday. The AAP has already announced nine Lok Sabha candidates in Punjab. In its first list, the party announced [] The post Will announce Ludhiana, Jalandhar candidates on April 16: Punjab CM appeared first on Mangalorean.com .

Travel tips: Names and locations of 52 Shaktipeeths, which one is closest for darshan

Chaitra Navratri is starting from 9th April. You can visit goddess temples during the nine-day holy festival of Navratri. There are many ancient and miraculous Goddess Mata temples in India. Apart from this there are 52 Shaktipeeths. According to the legend, Mother Sati had reached the yagya organized by her father King Prajapati Daksh without invitation. There her husband Lord Shiva was ridiculed and abused. Saddened by the insult she and her husband faced at home, Mother Sati sacrificed her life by jumping into the fire pit. When Lord Shiva came to know about this, he picked up the mortal remains of Goddess Sati and started wandering here and there. Due to his anger, destruction started coming in the world. Lord Vishnu cut the body of Mata Sati with Sudarshan Chakra to prevent the cataclysm. When 52 pieces of Mata Sati's body and jewelery fell at various places, they were called 52 Shaktipeeths. Let us know what are the names of 52 Shaktipeeths and in which cities they are located. Mother's Shaktipeeth Shaktipeeth in Uttar Pradesh 1. Manikarnika Ghat, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh - Manikarnika of Mata Sati had fallen here. Here Vishalakshi and Manikarni forms of Mother are worshipped. 2. Mata Lalita Devi Shaktipeeth, Prayagraj - The finger of Mata Sati's hand had fallen at this place in Allahabad. Here the mother is known as Lalita. 3. The right breast of Mata Sati had fallen in Ramgiri, Chitrakoot, Uttar Pradesh. At this place, she is revered as Mother Shivani. 4. Uma Shaktipeeth is located in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh. It is also known as Katyayani Shaktipeeth. Mother's hair bunch and Chudamani had fallen here. 5. Mata's left shoulder had fallen in Devi Patan Temple, Balrampur. In this Shaktipeeth, Mata is present in the form of Mateshwari. Shaktipeeth of Madhya Pradesh 6. Harsiddhi Devi Shaktipeeth- There are two Shaktipeeths of Goddess in Madhya Pradesh. One of these is Harsiddhi Devi Shaktipeeth, where the elbow of Mata Sati had fallen. It is situated on the western bank of Rudra Sagar pond. 7. Shondev Narmata Shaktipeeth- Mother's Daya Nitamp had fallen in Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh. Due to the origin of Narmada river here, Mother Goddess is worshiped here in the form of Narmata. Shaktipeeth of North India 8. Naina Devi Temple- The eye of Goddess Sati had fallen on Shivalik mountain in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh. Here mother goddess is called Mahisha Mardini. 9. Jwala Ji Shaktipeeth- The tongue of the goddess had fallen in Kangra, Himachal, hence it was named Siddhida or Ambika. 10. Mahamaya Shaktipeeth, Pahalgaon of Amarnath, where the neck of Mata Sati had fallen, Mahamaya is worshiped here. Punjab and Haryana Shaktipeeth 11. Tripuramalini Mata Shaktipeeth- The left level of Mata had fallen near Cantonment Station in Jalandhar, Punjab. 12. Shaktipeeth of Mata Savitri, the heel of Mata's feet had fallen in Kurukshetra, Haryana. Shaktipeeth of Mata Savitri is situated here. 13. Mother Bhadrakali's right ankle had fallen in Devikup Temple, Kurukshetra, Haryana. Here the form of Mother Bhadrakali is worshipped. Shaktipeeth of Rajasthan 14. Manibandh Shaktipeeth- Two anklets of Mata Sati had fallen on Gayatri mountain in Pushkar, Ajmer. Here the Gayatri form of Mother is worshipped. 15. Shaktipeeth of Mata Ambika- There is a temple of Mata Ambika in Birat, Rajasthan. The toes of Mata Sati's left foot had fallen here. 16. Matabadi mountain peak Shaktipeeth- is in Radhakishorpur village of Udarpur in Tripura. Mother's right foot had fallen at this place. Here the mother goddess is called Tripura Sundari. Shaktipeeth in Gujarat 17. Ambaji Temple Shaktipeeth- There is a temple of Mata Ambaji in Gujarat. It is believed that the mother's heart had fallen here. 18. Mother Chandrabhaga Shaktipeeth, Junagadh, The stomach of Goddess Sati had fallen in Junagadh, Gujarat. Here the mother is known as Chandrabhaga. Shaktipeeth of Maharashtra 19. Mata's chin had fallen at the Shaktipeeth of Bhramari form of Mata, Janasthan in Maharashtra. After that the Bhramari form of the goddess started being worshiped here. Shaktipeeth in Bengal 20. Temple of Goddess Kapalini- Bengal has the highest number of Shaktipeeths of Mata. There is a temple of Goddess Kapalini in Vibhash located in Tamluk of Purba Medinipur district. Mother's left heel had fallen here. 21. Mata Devi Kumari Shaktipeeth- The right shoulder of Mata Sati had fallen in Ratnavali in Hooghly, Bengal. In this temple the mother is called by the name Devi Kumari. 22. Shaktipeeth of Mata Vimala The crown of Goddess Sati had fallen in Kiritkon village of Murshidabad, West Bengal. Here there is Shaktipeeth of Mata and Vimala form of Mata is worshipped. 23. Bhramari Devi Shaktipeeth- Mata's left leg had fallen in Salbarhi village in Boda mandal of Jalpaiguri, West Bengal. The form of Mother Goddess Bhramari Devi is worshiped at this place. 24. Bahula Devi Shaktipeeth- Ket of Bardhaman district The left hand of Mata Sati had fallen in Ugram area. 25. Mangal Chandrika Mata Shaktipeeth - Mata's Shaktipeeth is in Ujjani of Vardhaman district. Mother's right wrist had fallen here. 26. Shaktipeeth of Maa Mahishmardini Goddess Sati's eyebrow had fallen in Vakreshwar, West Bengal. At this place the mother is called Mahishamardini. 27. Nalhati Shaktipeeth- The bone of the mother's leg had fallen in Nalhati, Birbhum. 28. Phullara Devi Shaktipeeth- The lips of Mata Sati had fallen in Attahas, West Bengal. Here the mother is called Fullara Devi. 29. Nandipur Shaktipeeth- The necklace of Mata Sati had fallen in West Bengal. Mother Nandani is worshiped here. 30. Yugadha Shaktipeeth- The thumb of Mata's right hand fell in Ksheergram of Vardhaman district. Shaktipeeth of Mata was built at this place, where she is called as Goddess Jugadya. 31. Kalika Devi Shaktipeeth- According to beliefs, the toe of the right foot of the mother had fallen in Kalighat. She is known here by the name of Maa Kalika. 32. Kanchi Devgarbha Shaktipeeth- The bones of the goddess had fallen in Kanchi, West Bengal. Here Mata Dev is established in the form of Garbha. Shaktipeeth in South India 33. Bhadrakali Shaktipeeth- Now if we talk about the Shaktipeeths located in South India, then Mata's back had fallen in Tamil Nadu. Mata's Kanyashram, Bhadrakali Temple and Kumari Temple are situated at this place. She is called by the name Shravani. 34. Shuchi Shaktipeeth- Shuchi Theertham Shiva temple is located near Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu. Here also there is Shaktipeeth of Mata, where her upper molar had fallen. Mother has got the name Narayani here. 35. Vimala Devi Shaktipeeth- The navel of the goddess had fallen in Utkal, Orissa. Here Mata is known by the name Vimala. 36. Sarvasail Ramhendri Shaktipeeth- There are two Shaktipeeths in Andhra Pradesh. A Sarvashail Ramhendri Shaktipeeth, where the mother's cheeks had fallen. At this place devotees worship Rakini and Vishweshwari forms of Mother Goddess. 37. Srisailam Shaktipeeth- The second Shaktipeeth in Andhra is in Coornoor district. The anklet of the right foot of Mata Sati had fallen in Srisailam Shaktipeeth. Here, it is installed in the nose of Mata Shri Sundari. 38. Karnataka Shaktipeeth- Both the ears of Goddess Sati had fallen in Karnataka. Jai Durga form of Mother is worshiped at this place. 39. Kamakhya Shaktipeeth- Among the famous Shaktipeeths is Kamakhya ji situated on Neelantal mountain of Guwahati. Mother's vagina had fallen in Kamakhya. Here the Kamakhya form of Mother is worshipped. Shaktipeeth in foreign countries 40. Chattal Bhawani Shaktipeeth- Chattal Bhawani Shaktipeeth is on Chandranath mountain in Chittagong district of Bangladesh. Here the right arm of Mata Sati had fallen. 41. Sugandha Shaktipeeth- Mata's nose had fallen 20 km away from Shikarpur, Bangladesh. In this Shaktipeeth, mother is called Sugandha. Another name of this Shaktipeeth is Ugratara Shaktipeeth. 42. Jayanti Shaktipeeth- Mata's left thigh had fallen in Jayantiya Pargana in Sylhet district of Bangladesh. Mata Devi is established here by the name Jayanti. 43. Srishail Mahalakshmi- Mother Sati was strangled in Sylhet district of Bangladesh. Mahalakshmi form is worshiped in this Shaktipeeth. 44. Yashoreshwari Mata Shaktipeeth- There is a place named Yashore in Khulna district of Bangladesh, where the left palm of Mother Sati had fallen. 45. Indrakshi Shaktipeeth- The anklets of the goddess fell in Nallur, Jaffna, Sri Lanka. This Shaktipeeth is called Indrakshi. 46. Guheshwari Shaktipeeth- This Shaktipeeth is on the banks of Bagmati river, at some distance from Pashupatinath temple in Nepal. Here both the knees of Mother Sati had fallen. Mahamaya or Mahashira form of Shakti is worshiped here. 47. Aadya Shaktipeeth- There is Aadya Shaktipeeth near Gandak river in Nepal. It is believed that the left cheek of Mother Sati had fallen at this place. Here the Gandaki Chandi form of Mata is worshipped. 48. Dantakali Shaktipeeth- Teeth of Mother Sati had fallen in Bijayapur village of Nepal. For this reason this Shaktipeeth is known as Dantkali Shaktipeeth. 49. Mansa Shaktipeeth- The right palm of Mata Sati had fallen near the Mansarovar river in Tibet. Here she is called Mata Dakshayani. Mata is established here in the form of a rock. 50. Mithila Shaktipeeth- The left shoulder of Mata Sati had fallen on the India-Nepal border. Here mother is called Devi Um. 51. Hingula Shaktipeeth- Hingula Shaktipeeth of Goddess is in Balochistan, Pakistan. In this Shaktipeeth, the mother is known as Hinglaj Devi. There is a religious belief that the head of Mother Sati had fallen here. (PC: Soical media)

Must win Sangrur, Jalandhar seats: CM

With Rs 6500 cr dedicated budget in 2024-25, railway can achieve 100% electrification: Officials

With Rs 6500 cr dedicated budget in 2024-25, railway can achieve 100% electrification: Officials A dedicated budget of Rs 65,00 crore as allocated in 2024-25 can help achieve complete electrification of the rail network, senior railway officials said, highlighting the recent achievement of 95 per cent electrification of Broad Gauge. ''With a dedicated budget of Rs 6,500 Crores during FY 2024-25 for further electrification projects, India remains committed to achieving complete electrification. This will not only revolutionise the railway system but also contribute significantly to the country's sustainability goals,'' a senior railway official said. He added, ''The electrification programme is not just about environmental benefits. It's a catalyst for economic growth. It creates jobs during construction, reduces dependence on imported fossil fuels, and positions Indian Railways as a modern and efficient engine of the nation's economy.'' Railway officials maintain that India is making significant strides towards a sustainable future by rapidly electrifying its vast network. The Railways has electrified 7188 route kms during 2023-24 which is a historic accomplishment and also holds immense potential for the nation's economic and environmental well-being. ''With a massive push in electrification projects, Indian Railways has achieved nearly 95% electrification of its Broad Gauge (BG) network. 21 States and UTs have seamless traction facility which is a significant achievement for Indian Railways, the national transporter of India,'' another senior official said. He added, ''Diesel locomotives have dominated Indian Railways for decades. However, electric trains offer a cleaner and more efficient alternative. Electricity powers the trains, eliminating dependence on fossil fuels and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The shift to electric traction is projected to cut carbon emissions by a significant 24% by 2027-28.'' Some of the important sections which were electrified during FY 2023-24, include Ahmedabad-Rajkot-Okha (499 Kms), Bengaluru-Talguppa (371 Kms) and Bhatinda-Firozpur-Jalandhar (301 Kms). ''Over 42,000 kilometers of tracks have been electrified in the last decade alone, bringing the total electrified network to an impressive 95% of the broad-gauge network,'' the official said.

NGT pulls up Jalandhar MC for non-compliance, imposes fine

US Embassy in India consolidates B1/B2 interview waiver appointments in New Delhi

The US Embassy in India has consolidated B1/B2 interview waiver appointments in New Delhi. Applicants will be able to submit their application forms free of cost at any of the five Visa Application Centers or, for a fee of 850 ($10.20) per application, they can drop the documents at any of the US Document Dropoff Centers located in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Cochin, Jalandhar, or Pune.

Cong MLA says Jalandhar wont accept frontrunner Channi

MHA accords Y category security cover to newly inducted Punjab leaders in BJP

NEW DELHI: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has accorded Y category security cover by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to newly inducted BJP leaders from Punjab, Sushil Kumar Rinku and Sheetal Angural, sources said. These leaders include former AAP MP Susheel Kumar Rinku, and MLA Sheetal Angural, who joined the BJP recently. According to sources, the CRPF security cover will be available to the BJP members within the territory of Punjab. Rinkus inclusion in the BJPs list of six Lok Sabha candidates for Punjab, with a nomination from the Jalandhar reserved seat, further fortified his position within the party ranks in the state. The decision to provide Y category security was taken following a review and assessment of the inputs provided by the Intelligence Bureau, which cited potential threats to them following their entry into the BJP, the sources said.

Centre provides 'Y' category CRPF security to BJP leaders, Sushik Kumar, Sheetal Angural

Centre provides 'Y' category CRPF security to BJP leaders, Sushik Kumar, Sheetal Angural The Central has decided to provide 'Y' category Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) security cover to recently joined Bharatiya Janata Party leaders from Punjab, Sushil Kumar Rinku and Sheetal Angural, sources said on Tuesday. Centre provides 'Y' category Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) security cover to recently joined Bharatiya Janata Party leaders from Punjab, Sushil Kumar Rinku and Sheetal Angural. Both the leaders will be provided security cover only in Punjab, said sources. Earlier, the two Aam Aadmi Party leaders from Punjab, who had joined the BJP, met party national president, JP Nadda, at his residence. Rinku, a Member of Parliament from Jalandhar, and Angural, a Jalandhar West MLA, met Nadda immediately after both of them joined the BJP. Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar was also with them during the meeting. Rinku has since been given a ticket by the BJP to contest from Jalandhar. While joining the BJP, Rinku had claimed that he had taken this decision for the development of Jalandhar. I have taken this decision for the development of Jalandhar. We will take Jalandhar forward. We will bring all the projects of the Central Government to Jalandhar, he said. Rinku also alleged that no development work has been done in Punjab by the AAP government. (ANI)

Won't contest Lok Sabha polls: SAD chief Sukhbir Badal

Won't contest Lok Sabha polls: SAD chief Sukhbir Badal Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Monday said that he will not fight the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Badal said this after holding a day-long meeting with the party leaders, district party presidents and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) members here to discuss candidates for the parliamentary seats of the state. When asked whether he will fight the parliamentary elections, Badal, who is the MP from Ferozepur seat, said, ''I am not fighting the elections.'' Replying to another question, he said that consultation on the names of probable candidates was underway. After the completion of the consultation process, the names of candidates will be announced, he said. ''We held the meeting for six parliamentary seats here in which district president, 'halqa' incharges, SGPC members were called and their views were taken,'' he replied to another question. The names of former ministers Anil Joshi, Parminder Singh Dhindsa and former MLA Pawan Kumar Tinu are doing the rounds from Amritsar, Sangrur and Jalandhar (reserve) seats respectively, said party sources. Last month, the BJP had announced that it would contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on its own in Punjab, indicating an end to the negotiations for re-stitching an alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal. At that time, Badal had said that principles are more important for his party ''than the number game''. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had walked out of the BJP-led NDA in September 2020 over the now-repealed farm laws. The two parties had formed an alliance in 1996. In 2019, the SAD and the BJP won two Lok Sabha seats each in Punjab. Polling for 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab will take place on June 1.

Gurugram cyber police arrests 7 thugs including minor by using 'Pratibimb' portal

Gurugram cyber police arrests 7 thugs including minor by using 'Pratibimb' portal The Gurugram cyber police has arrested seven thugs, including a minor, by using the 'Pratibimb' portal. 'Pratibimb' enables police to locate cybercriminals operating in their area. The accused had committed frauds of Rs 16 crore across the country and Rs 4.20 lakh in cash, four mobile phones and two SIM cards were seized from their possession, the police said. A total of 4,875 complaints were received against the accused on which 215 cases were registered across the country, out which 13 cases were registered in Haryana, including seven cases at the cyber police stations in Gurugram, they added. According to the police, the arrested accused were identified as Sahil Sondhi, a native of Preet Nagar in Jalandhar (Punjab), Praveen Kumar, a resident of the Chamar Khera village in the Sirsa district, Sushil Kumar, a native of Patna, Vakeel, a resident of Alwar (Rajasthan), Govind Vaishav, a native of Shahpura (Rajasthan), Sandeep, a resident of Maruti Kunj in Gurugram and a minor, the police said. The accused used to commit fraud by making phone calls, engaging in conversations and transferring money online after blackmailing through video calls, they added. ''After reviewing the data of the mobile phones and SIM cards recovered from the accused by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), it was found that 4,875 complaints have been registered against the above accused in connection with frauds of Rs 15.74 crore across the country,'' said Priyanshu Dewan, ACP cyber. MNK MNK

In 8th List, BJP Fields Preneet Kaur From Patiala, Shushil Kumar Rinku From Jalandhar In Punjab For LS Polls 2024

The BJP released the 8th list candidate list consisting of 3 Lok Sabha seats from Odisha, 9 from Punjab and 2 from West Bengal.

BJPs eight list for LS polls out; Mahtab fielded from Cuttack, ex-ambassador Sandhu from Amritsar

NEW DELHI: The BJP on Saturday named its candidates for 11 more Lok Sabha constituencies, fielding a number of leaders who joined it from different parties recently such as Bhartruhari Mahtab, Ravneet Singh Bittu, Sushil Kumar Rinku and Preneet Kaur. All these leaders have been fielded from the seats they represent in the outgoing Lok Sabha. The party opted for former MLA Dinesh Singh 'Babbu' in Gurdaspur in place of actor Sunny Deol, who has long expressed his keenness to opt out of electoral politics. Former Indian ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu will be making his poll debut from Amritsar, a seat the BJP has made determined efforts earlier to win by fielding Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri in 2019 and Arun Jaitley in 2014 but in vain. Former Indian ambassador to US Taranjit Singh Sandhu joins the BJP Hans Raj Hans, who had won from North West Delhi in 2019 on a BJP ticket, will contest from the Faridkot seat. Six-term MP Mahtab, who quit the BJD recently, will contest from Cuttack, three-term MP Bittu from Ludhiana, fourth-term MP Kaur from Patiala, and Rinku from Jalandhar, a seat he won for the first time in a bypoll in 2023. Both Bittu, the grandson of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh, and Kaur, the wife of former Punjab CM Amarinder Singh, were in the Congress before joining the BJP, while Rinku was in the Aam Aadmi Party. The BJP on Sunday named two candidates from West Bengal, three from Odisha and six from Punjab. It has so far announced its candidates for 411 seats. In West Bengal, it has fielded former IPS officer Debashis Dhar, who had earned the ire of the state government over a host of issues, from Birbhum and Pranat Tudu, who resigned as a government doctor to fight polls, from Jhargram in place of incumbent MP Kunar Hembram. Hembram had quit the BJP earlier this month. The party has turned to an organisational leader to retain Punjab's Gurdaspur, a seat it has often relied on star power to win in the past. While Deol won the seat in 2019, late actor Vinod Khanna represented the constituency for the BJP in Lok Sabha for four terms. A busy Hindi film actor, Deol has made little contribution as an MP and mostly kept away from parliamentary proceedings and his constituency, causing some embarrassment to the party in Punjab. New faces and warhorses: BJP plays balancing act in Haryana poll list

Punjab: 4 Gangsters of Prema Lahoria-Vicky Grounder Gang Arrested

In a post on X, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said the Jalandhar Police seized six pistols from them

AAP, Cong struggle to keep their flock together in 13-seat Punjab battleground

CHANDIGARH: The ruling AAP as well as opposition Congress are worried over poaching of their leaders by the BJP. The Congress is trying to find candidates who do not have a chequered past and AAP is hard-pressed to keep its flock together. Sources said the Congress has tweaked the selection criteria. The state leadership is focusing on candidates who do not have any case linked to the vigilance or Enforcement Directorate (ED). This is meant to thwart the possibility of arm-twisting them or preventing their vulnerability to poaching. Recently party MLA and Deputy Leader of Opposition Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal joined AAP as he had a vigilance case pending against him. Sources in the party apprehend that the BJP can use the Central investigating agencies against its leaders, including former CM Charanjit Singh Channi, former ministers Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, Sangat Singh Gilzian and Bharat Bhushan Ashu as vigilances cases are registered against them. On the other hand, AAP has decided to hold meetings of all its MLAs with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann after the March 31 Delhi rally. Mann is expected to listen to the grievances of party lawmakers in their constituencies. By conducting these meetings, the party aims to form a strategy for the Lok Sabha polls. Every state legislator has been asked to get at least 1,000 supporters for the Delhi rally. The lawmakers fear that failure to do so could lead to their wings being clipped and a parallel leader being propped up in their segments. Sources said the party leadership is expected to reach out to certain disgruntled MLAs, including those who were made to quit ministerial berths and others who aspire to become ministers and frequently criticize the government. The fire-fighting in the party became apparent after Jalandhar MP Sushil Kumar Rinku and Jalandhar (West) MLA Sheetal Angura joined the saffron camp. Sources said more than 20 AAP MLAs had been allegedly contacted by the BJP, besides three legislators Jagdeep Goldy Kamboj, Rajinder Pal Kaur and Amandeep Singh Musafir who claimed that they were offered money to switch sides. The Congress was jolted in May 2022, when its ex-state president Sunil Jakhar joined the BJP. He is now the Punjab BJP chief.

Samosa, biryani, tea: District poll panels fix varied menu, ceiling for LS polls expenditure

Samosa, biryani, tea: District poll panels fix varied menu, ceiling for LS polls expenditure Candidates in Punjab's Jalandhar can spend Rs 15 for a cup of tea and the same price for a samosa they offer to people during public meetings and campaign trails in the Lok Sabha elections. However, those in Madhya Pradesh's Mandla can spend Rs 7 for a cup of tea and another Rs 7.50 for a piece of samosa, considered a staple snack in many parts of the country. With polls to elect the 18th Lok Sabha approaching, district poll panels are fixing the rates for expenses as part of the election expenditure monitoring process. The candidates will have to manage their expenditure within the prescribed limit. These rate cards often become a subject of ''meme-fest'' on social media about the prices not being in sync with the current inflation level. In most states, including Andhra Pradesh, the expenditure ceiling for a Lok Sabha candidate is set at Rs 95 lakh. However, in Arunachal Pradesh, Goa and Sikkim, the limit is slightly lower at Rs 75 lakh per candidate. Similarly, for Union territories, the expenditure ceiling ranges from Rs 75 lakh to Rs 95 lakh per candidate, depending on the region. In Jalandhar, chole bhature has been capped at Rs 40 while mutton and chicken have been priced at Rs 250 and 500 per kg respectively. Desserts like dhodha (Rs 450 per kg) and ghee pinni (Rs 300 per kg) are also on the menu besides lassi and nimbu pani priced at Rs 20 and 15 per glass respectively. The cost of tea is low at Rs 5 in the rate card of Balaghat in Madhya Pradesh but the samosa is priced higher at Rs 10. The Balaghat rate card also has idli, sambhar vada and poha-jalebi priced at Rs 20 while the cost for dosa and upma has been fixed at Rs 30. In Thoubal district of violence-hit Manipur, tea, samosa, kachori, khajur (dates) and gaja (dessert) have been priced at Rs 10 each. Candidates in the northeastern state's Tengnoupal district, will have to stick to Rs 5 for black tea and Rs 10 for milk tea. The list has a wider spread of non-vegetarian items with duck and pork priced at Rs 300 and Rs 400 per kg respectively. Chicken (broiler) and fish like rohu, mrigal and sareng, are also on the list. In Chennai, the price of tea has been raised from Rs 10 to Rs 15 and coffee from Rs 15 to Rs 20, while the rate of chicken biryani has been reduced from Rs 180 to Rs 150 per packet compared to 2019. In the expenditure card for Gautam Buddha Nagar (Noida/Greater Noida), vegetarian thali comes for Rs 100, a samosa or a cup of tea for Rs 10, kachori for Rs 15, a sandwich for Rs 25, and a kilogram of jalebi for Rs 90 per kg. North Goa candidates can have batata vada on menu at a cost of Rs 15, same as that for a samosa. The tea has been capped at Rs 15 while coffee can cost Rs 20. The rate card for Haryana's Jind offers the candidates to hire a tandoor for Rs 300 and features delicacies like dal makhni and mix veg for Rs 130 while matar paneer has been priced at 160. Breads like butter nan, missi roti and plain roti are also on the platter besides desserts including kaju katli and gulab jamun. While parties and candidates often offer workers and voters liquor, none of the rate cards mention alcohol. Other heads which find mention in the rate cards range from expensive infrastructure, such as helipads, luxury vehicles, and farmhouses, to miscellaneous items like flowers, cooler, tower ACs and sofa. The rate cards have also prescribed the ceiling on rates for hiring of different vehicles for campaigning right from a Tata Safari or Scorpio to a Honda City or Ciaz or a bus to ferry to public to rally grounds. Rates have also been set for rose garlands, marigold garlands and bouquet by some poll panels while some have included heads like party merchandise including caps and flags. The rate cards also have an list of permissible rates for hiring venues and accommodation. The expenditure includes the spend for public meetings, rallies, advertisements, hoardings, pamphlets, flexis, campaign material and all other election-related work. At present, there is a ceiling on campaigning funds for individual candidates in the electoral fray but no cap on the money political parties can spend for electioneering. According to the revised guidelines issued by the ECI, the maximum permissible expenditure for campaigning in a Lok Sabha constituency varies across different states and Union territories. Section 77 (1) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 says candidates are expected to keep an account of expenditure incurred on the elections from the ''date on which he has been nominated'' till the ''date of declaration of the result''. Polling for the 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held in seven phases, starting with 102 in the first phase on April 19. The votes will be counted on June 4.

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.

Sheetal Angural resigns as Punjab MLA

Sheetal Angural resigns as Punjab MLA A day after joining the BJP, Sheetal Angural on Thursday tendered his resignation as MLA from the Punjab Assembly. Angural was the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator from the Jalandhar West. In a letter sent to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker, Angural said, ''I hereby submit my resignation from membership of legislative assembly Punjab (MLA) with immediate effect.'' Angural, along with AAP Lok Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Rinku, had joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday. Angural won the Jalandhar West assembly seat by defeating Sushil Rinku of Congress during the 2022 assembly elections. Rinku had last year moved to the AAP from the Congress and became the Lok Sabha MP from Jalandhar after winning a bypoll.

BJP is running 'Operation Lotus' in Punjab: AAP

The BJP stood fourth in (the 2022) Punjab (assembly elections) after AAP, Shriomani Akali Dal and Congress. The question is why did Rinku join the BJP. His tenure as Lok Sabha MP has also ended. The BJP will also come fourth in the Jalandhar Lok Sabha polls

AAP's lone Punjab MP, Jalandhar West MLA join BJP

In a significant move, AAP's Lok Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Rinku and Jalandhar West MLA Sheetal Angural switch sides to BJP, impacting Punjab's political dynamics. The shift follows BJP's independent contest announcement and inclusion of Congress MP Ravneet Bittu. This trend of crossovers signals a changing political landscape with upcoming LS polls.

AAPs lone Lok Sabha MP and Punjab leader Sushil Kumar Rinku, MLA join BJP

NEW DELHI, March 27: The Aam Aadmi Partys MP and lone Lok Sabha member Sushil Kumar Rinku joined the BJP on Wednesday along with party MLA Sheetal Angural, dealing a blow to the party already facing a crisis following the arrest of its leader and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. Rinku, the MP from Jalandhar []

AAP legislators Sushil Kumar Rinku, Sheetal Angural meet Nadda after joining BJP

AAP legislators Sushil Kumar Rinku, Sheetal Angural meet Nadda after joining BJP Two Aam Aadmi Party legislators from Punjab, Sushil Kumar Rinku and Sheetal Angural, who joined the BJP, met its national president, JP Nadda, at his residence here on Wednesday. Rinku, a Member of Parliament from Jalandhar, and Angural, a Jalandhar West MLA, met Nadda immediately after both of them joined the BJP at its headquarters here. Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar was also with them during the meeting. Earlier in the day, welcoming the two legislators to the BJP, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said the BJP is the largest political party in the world and people from different walks of life are joining it. BJP is the largest political party in the world. People from different walks of life are joining our family. I welcome Sushil Kumar Rinku and Sheetal Angural to the party. The situation is changing in Punjab and we all will work together to make India developed by 2047, Puri told reporters. Rinku said that he had taken this decision for the development of Jalandhar. I have taken this decision for the development of Jalandhar. We will take Jalandhar forward. We will bring all the projects of the Central Government to Jalandhar, he said. Rinku also alleged that no development work has been done in Punjab by the AAP government.No development work has been done in Punjab by the AAP government. On the other hand, I am impressed by the developmental work initiated by PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. Aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia also helped me a lot in the developmental work I have done in the Jalandhar constituency, Rinku said. Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar said, Congress and AAP are two sides of the same coin. Sushil Rinku joined the party today. He is the only Lok Sabha MP of the AAP and they should be ashamed. Sheetal Angural put out a statement saying that he has resigned from all the responsibilities he had in the AAP. Rinku is joining the BJP despite being announced as the AAP candidate from Jalandhar. He won the Jalandhar Lok Sabha constituency by a margin of 58,691 votes in a by-poll in 2023.On Tuesday, the Congress MP from Ludhiana, Ravneet Bittu, joined the BJP. Bittu is the grandson of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh, who was assassinated in 1995 in Chandigarh in a suicide bombing. In the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, Bittu defeated Simarjeet Singh Bains from the Lok Insaaf Party by 76,372 votes. In 2014, he defeated the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Harvinder Singh Phoolka with a margin of 19,709 votes. The BJP earlier this week announced its decision to contest the election in Punjab on its own after it severed ties with its long-time ally, Shiromani Akali Dal. (ANI)

Punjab: Three AAP MLAs claim they were offered money to join BJP

Punjab: Three AAP MLAs claim they were offered money to join BJP Soon after AAP's lone Lok Sabha MP from Punjab and an MLA joined the BJP on Wednesday, three AAP legislators from the state claimed that they received calls offering them money to join the BJP. The Aam Aadmi Party alleged that the BJP had ''again started Operation Lotus'' in Punjab and was trying to break Arvind Kejriwal's party. There was no immediate reaction from the BJP on the allegations. AAP legislator from Jalalabad Jagdeep Kamboj Goldy claimed that he received a call from one Sewak Singh from an international number on Tuesday with an offer to join the BJP. Kamboj told reporters that he asked the MLA to join the BJP and said, '''We will give Rs 20-25 crore'. I said I do not need it.'' Similar claims were made by Balluana MLA Amandeep Singh and Ludhiana South legislator Rajinder Pal Kaur Chhina. They asserted that they would not leave the party. Kamboj alleged that the BJP was scared of Kejriwal and AAP. ''Where they fail to win people's mandate, they try to buy MLAs, MP and other AAP leaders at any cost,'' he charged. ''Arvind Kejriwal is the leader who fought against corruption in politics and always did politics of work. But false cases have been registered and many AAP leaders have been sent to jail without any proof,'' he said. They are trying to break the Aam Aadmi Party, he claimed. ''If they want to do horse trading, what is the need for an election system in the country? Punjab is a revolutionary state. After Delhi, the people of Punjab elected change. ''They can try all they want'' but they won't be able to buy the ideology of Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann, said Kamboj. Ludhiana South legislator Chhina too claimed she got a call from one Sewak Singh. It was a call from an international number, she said. He told me to join the BJP, she alleged. Balluana MLA Amandeep Singh said he got a call on Tuesday and the person said he was calling from Delhi. ''He asked me to join the BJP and offered Rs 45 crore,'' alleged Singh. The Aam Aadmi Party levelled the allegations on a day its lone Lok Sabha member Sushil Kumar Rinku joined the BJP along with party MLA Sheetal Angural, dealing a blow to the party already facing a crisis following the arrest of its leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Rinku, the MP from Jalandhar in Punjab, and Angural, who was elected to the state Assembly from Jalandhar West, joined the BJP in the presence of Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri and its national general secretary Vinod Tawde. The parliamentarian had quit the Congress to join AAP last year to fight the bypoll to the Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat. The BJP is likely to field him in the Lok Sabha polls as the party has been inducting a number of influential leaders of different parties in Punjab to emerge as a strong force in the state with 13 constituencies. Three-term Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu from Punjab joined the BJP on Tuesday and asserted that 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 while still in office.

AAPs Jalandhar MP Sushil Kumar Rinku and MLA Sheetal Angural join BJP

Mr. Rinku, the MP from Jalandhar, said he decided to join the Bharatiya Janata Party for the development of Punjab, especially Jalandhar, and accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the state of not helping him in development endeavours in his constituency.

AAP's lone Lok Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Rinku, Punjab MLA join BJP

AAP's Lok Sabha member, Sushil Kumar Rinku, shifted to BJP with MLA Sheetal Angural due to AAP's failure in Punjab's development. He praised Modi and Shah, lauding BJP's Jalandhar initiatives, aiming for a better Jalandhar through this experiment.

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.

'Want development of Punjab': Jalandhar MP Sushil Rinku joins BJP

Want development of Punjab Jalandhar MP Sushil Rinku joins BJP

Setback for AAP in Punjab: Jalandhar MP Sushil Kumar Rinku, MLA Sheetal Angural join BJP

The News Mill

Sushil Rinku, AAP's Sitting MP And 2024 Candidate, Joins BJP

Amid a BJP-switch buzz around Sushil Rinku, who was announced as the AAP's candidate from Jalandhar, AAP leaders are trying to persuade him to stay. A report.

AAP's Lone Lok Sabha MP Sushil Rinku Joins BJP Ahead Of Polls

AAP's only Lok Sabha member, Sushil Kumar Rinku, joined the BJP today. The move was accompanied by Jalandhar West MLA Sheetal Angural also joining the BJP ranks at the party headquarters in Delhi.

Punjab: Jalandhar MP Sushil Kumar Rinku Joins BJP Weeks After Getting Lok Sabha Ticket From AAP, MLA Angural Follows

AAP's Jalandhar MP Sushil Kumar Rinku joins BJP

AAP's Jalandhar MP Sushil Kumar Rinku likely to join BJP

On Camera: Thief manages narrow escape despite heavy cops deployment in Jalandhar

On Camera Thief manages narrow escape despite heavy cops deployment in Jalandhar

Punjab: Drug smugglers open fire during NCB raid, injures courier delivery person

Punjab: Drug smugglers open fire during NCB raid, injures courier delivery person Drug smugglers opened fire and injured a courier delivery person who was accompanying a team of Narcotics Control Bureau, officials said on Friday. The incident took place near Sunerwal village on Wednesday night, Senior Superintendent of Police Vatsala Gupta said. Police have registered a case of attempt to murder against the drug smugglers and also booked them under the provisions of the Arms Act on the complaint lodged by the officials of the NCB. In an FIR lodged with Kapurthala police, the Bureau said that on a tip off they intercepted a parcel containing 500 grams of opium booked from Jalandhar to the United Kingdom on March 18. The Bureau officials accompanied by some courier men raided the Sunerwal village in Kapurthala. When they were nearing the village, they intercepted one car and signalled it to stop but the car driver did not pay heed, the officials said. On chasing the car, the occupants fled under the cover of darkness, leaving behind the vehicle. Afterwards they found that one car and a jeep were fast approaching towards them and the occupants fired 25-30 rounds of fire on the Bureau officials who had providential escape but one of the bullets hit the courier man who was following them in another car, the officials said. The police said a bullet hit his leg and injured him. The injured was admitted in a local hospital and later shifted to a hospital at Jalandhar. The injured was stated to be out of danger. Police registered a case against ten people, eight of them who are yet to be identified, under relevant provisions of the law. Police parties have been dispatched to arrest the accused, said the SSP.

EC Tells Centre to Stop WhatsApp Promo

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Thursday directed the Centre to stop WhatsApp messages promoting the Centres Viksit Bharat campaign as it violates the Model Code of Conduct. In a letter addressed to the secretary of the electronics and information technology ministry, the EC said though the poll body had sent a letter on March 15, before the MCC came into force, these messages are still being circulated. The EC added it had got complaints from various quarters that such messages are still being delivered on citizens phones. Since the MCC is now in force, you are directed to ensure forthwith that no further delivery of WhatsApp messages take place during the MCC period. A compliance report in this regard may be sent immediately, the EC letter said. The Congress, after succeeding in stopping the BJP governments Viksit Bharat campaign messages, on Thursday met EC officials against the BJPs political advertisements. Urging the EC to get the BJPs false advertisements invoking the 2G allocation issue removed, the Congress said the BJP was pursuing a decade-old narrative that has been thoroughly discredited through a comprehensive judicial process. The second complaint is against the Modi Parivar ads. The Congress has alleged that official resources are being used in what is essentially a thinly veiled campaign advertisement. Furthermore, the brazen use of the armed forces violates multiple directives of the EC. The fact that the I&B ministry is being compelled to produce and broadcast the same also needs to be addressed, the EC said. The Congress third complaint is against an unsolicited letter being circulated on the social media purportedly from the Prime Minister himself. This complaint seeks an inquiry into how the official letterhead of the PMO can be used for what is obvious campaigning material, the Congress said, seeking an inquiry into the group circulating the same and the takedown of the material along with other appropriate action. The Congress has also raised objections to the BJPs advertisements on the Delhi Metro with the tagline #ModikiGuarantee. It also sought the removal of all images of the Prime Minister from government bodies, offices, petrol pumps for the duration of the elections as it violates multiple safeguards in election law. The EC has, meanwhile, issued transfer orders for non-cadre officers posted at leadership positions as district magistrate and superintendent of police in four states Gujarat, Punjab, Odisha and West Bengal. The DM and SP posts are cadre posts for IAS and IPS officers. The decision was taken after the commission convened a meeting chaired by chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar along with election commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu. The officers to be transferred are: Gujarat SP of Chhota Udaipur and Ahmedabad Rural districts; Punjab SSP of Pathankot, Fazilka, Jalandhar Rural and Malerkotla districts; Odisha DM of Dhenkanal and SPs of Deogarh and Cuttack Rural districts; West Bengal DM of Purba Medinipur, Jhargram, Purba Bardhaman and Birbhum districts. Also, the EC has directed the transfer of SSP Bathinda in Punjab and SP Sonitpur in Assam in view of their kinship or familial association with elected political representatives. The officials in these two districts have been transferred as a pre-emptive measure to dispel any apprehensions of the administration being biased or perceived to be compromised. All state governments have been instructed to promptly transfer non-cadre officers from their current role as DM and SP/SSP with immediate effect, and submit a compliance report to the commission.

Punjab: ECI appoints new Deputy Commissioner of Jalandhar

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Election Commission posts new Punjab DCs, DIGs

Chandigarh, March 21 (IANS) Punjab Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sibin C on Thursday said the Election Commission of India has appointed Himanshu Agarwal, who was the Deputy Commissioner of Gurdaspur, as the new Deputy Commissioner of Jalandhar. Likewise, Vishesh Sarangal has been appointed as Deputy Commissioner of Gurdaspur. In addition, Jagdale Nilambari Vijay has been []

Airfare: Book air tickets from Hindon Airport to this city for Rs 1499, check details here

Ticket booking from Hindon Airport to Jalandhar (Adampur) has started late on Monday evening. The first flight will start from Hindon Airport from 31st March. Online ticket booking has started. From March 31, you can book tickets for Amadpur on UPI for Rs 1499. This is the cheapest flight ticket so far from Hindon Airport. [] The post Airfare: Book air tickets from Hindon Airport to this city for Rs 1499, check details here first appeared on informalnewz .

Punjab CM expresses solidarity with kin of slain constable

Punjab CM expresses solidarity with kin of slain constable Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Tuesday expressed solidarity with the family members of police constable Amritpal Singh who was recently shot dead. Singh was killed on Sunday when a police team came under attack while conducting a raid in Mansoorpur village, about 66 km from here, in a bid to arrest Sukhwinder Singh, suspected of harbouring illegal weapons. As the team was entering the house, the suspect opened fire and Singh was struck in the chest. He later died at a hospital. During his visit, Mann expressed solidarity with the bereaved family members and offered his ''deepest sympathies''. He also paid floral tributes to Singh, highlighting that the constable was not just a son of Jandour village but also a son of Punjab. In his address to the media, Mann reaffirmed the government's commitment to support the family of the slain constable. Mann also announced the construction of a stadium in remembrance of the constable. The man, who killed Singh, was shot dead by the Punjab Police following an exchange of fire near the Adda Bhangala area on the Jalandhar-Pathankot national highway on Monday.

PHF Leasing to hire 200 employees over next 2 quarters

PHF Leasing Ltd, a deposit accepting NBFC, on Tuesday said the company is targeting to hire another 200 people across sectors over the next two quarters, keeping up with its growth plans and new office openings. The Jalandhar-headquartered NBFC has over 400 employees.

Man Who Killed Punjab Cop Shot Dead In Encounter

The man who allegedly killed a Punjab Police constable was on Monday shot dead in an encounter with police on the Jalandhar-Pathankot national highway here, officials said.

Punjab Police constable shot dead in raid operation cremated at native village

Punjab Police constable shot dead in raid operation cremated at native village The mortal remains of a Punjab Police constable, who was shot dead during a raid operation, were consigned to flames with full state honours at his native village Jandaur on Monday. Amritpal Singh was shot dead on Sunday when a police team came under attack while conducting a raid in Mansoorpur village, around 66 kilometres from here, to nab Sukhwinder Singh alias Rana, suspected of harbouring illegal weapons. As the police team was entering the house of the suspect, he opened fire and constable Amritpal Singh was shot in the chest. While Sukhwinder Singh managed to flee, the constable was taken to a hospital where he died. Deputy Inspector General of Police, Jalandhar Range, S Boopathi, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Surendra Lamba, MLAs Karmbir Singh Ghuman and Raj Kumar Chabbewal, Additional Deputy Commissioner Rahul Chabba, and others paid homage to Amritpal Singh. In a post on X, Punjab Police chief Gaurav Yadav condoled the death of the constable and said the police would bring the perpetrators to justice. The residents of Jandour, the native village of Amritpal Singh, and adjoining areas mourned the death of the police constable. Lamba said the state government and Punjab Police each will give Rs one crore ex gratia to the family of the slain constable. Additionally, a government job will be provided to one family member of Singh, police said. A search operation was being conducted in Mansoorpur and its surrounding areas to apprehend Sukhwinder Singh, the SSP said. The police have also announced a cash reward of Rs 25,000 for any information leading to Sukhwinder Singh's arrest.

Lok Sabha polls: Politically influential Malwa belt holds key in Punjab

CHANDIGHAR: The Malwa belt in Punjab is always considered the biggest and politically influential region particularly during assembly elections, where if a party secures maximum assembly seats in this belt, it can easily form the government in the state. Punjab can broadly be divided into three regions Malwa, Majha and Doaba. Beyond the Sutlej river, it is called the Malwa region, the Doaba region falls between the Beas and Sutlej rivers, while Majha falls between the Ravi and the Beas rivers. As far as the parliamentary polls are concerned, eight seats Ludhiana, Bathinda, Ferozepur, Faridkot (SC), Fatehgarh Sahib (SC), Patiala, Anandpur Sahib and Sangrur fall in the Malwa region. Two seats Hoshairpur (SC) and Jalandhar (SC) - are in the Doaba region. The Majha region broadly comprises three parliamentary seats Gurdaspur, Amritsar and Khadoor Sahib. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress won eight parliamentary seats in Punjab, bucking the pro-Modi trend seen across northern and central India in that general election. It won Ludhiana, Anandpur Sahib, Patiala, Fatehgarh Sahib, Faridkot from the Malwa region, and Amritsar and Khadoor Sahib in the Majha region. It also won Jalandhar which is in the Doaba region. However, in the 2023 by-election, AAP wrested the Jalandhar seat from the Congress. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) won from Bathinda and Ferozepur, which are in the Malwa region. AAP managed to win the Sangrur seat, which is also in the Malwa belt. The BJP won the Hoshiarpur (Doaba) and Gurdaspur (Majha) seats. However, in the 2022 by-elections, SAD (Amritsar) won the Sangrur Lok Sabha seat while AAP won the Jalandhar seat in 2023 by-election. The Malwa region has 69 assembly seats out of total 117 in the state. This region's sway over Punjab politics can be gauged from the fact that many leaders like Parkash Singh Badal, Amarinder Singh, Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Beant Singh, Bhagwant Mann who became chief ministers of the state hailed from this belt. The Malwa belt was the epicentre of the farmers' agitation in 2020-21 against the now-repealed Centre's three farm laws. In the 2022 assembly polls, AAP swept the Malwa belt by winning 66 out of 69 seats in this region. The Majha region is also significant as far as politics is concerned. It is called the Panthic' belt. This belt is home to the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The Doaba belt has a sizeable population of the scheduled caste (SC) community. The SC community constitutes around 32 per cent of Punjab's population which is the highest in the country. Maximum non-resident Indians (NRIs) in Punjab also come from this region.

Travel tips: Jalandhar is the heart of Punjab in many ways, enjoy visiting these 8 places here

The state of Punjab situated in the north of the country is an excellent option for tourism due to its beauty and culture. Many cities of Punjab state attract tourists, one of them is Jalandhar. Jalandhar is a rich city in terms of tourism where you can understand Indian history and many other important aspects. Jalandhar is called the heart of Punjab in many ways. If you think that there is nothing to visit in Jalandhar, then today we have brought for you information about some such places of Jalandhar which become a reason for attraction among the tourists. Let us know about these places... Rangla Punjab Haveli Rangla Punjab Haveli located in Jalandhar is a center showcasing the culture, traditional lifestyle, and various art forms of the state. There are displays ranging from traditional dances of Bhangra and Giddha, to puppet shows and traditional Punjabi artworks of Phulkari and Jutti. This cultural museum and showhouse aims to showcase Punjabi culture and history. Devi Talab Temple Shri Devi Talab Temple is the main place among the famous religious places of Jalandhar. There is a gathering of devotees here all the time. Especially in the months of Navratri and December. This hundreds of years old temple is spread over about 32 acres. This temple is one of the 51 Shaktipeeths, hence this temple has historical and religious importance. This temple is situated in the center of the city. A model of Amarnath Yatra has also been made in the temple premises. There is also an ancient temple of Goddess Kali near this temple. In addition, there is also a 200-year-old masonry pond, which is sacred to Hindus. The popular Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan takes place every year in this temple and is organized annually in December. Pushpa Gujral Science City Pushpa Gujral Science City, located on Jalandhar-Kapurthala Road, is spread over an area of 72 acres. This place is ideal for children because of the number of science projects displayed here. These projects belong to various fields like physical, natural, and social sciences, engineering, technology agriculture, human development, nuclear science, health, IT, biotechnology, etc. For entertainment, laser shows and flight simulations are also organized. There are restaurants located inside the Science City, where visitors can taste delicious cuisine. It is a great place for people of all ages and all walks of life. Imam Nasir Mosque The city houses a sacred shrine in an 800-year-old mausoleum that is believed to have once been home to India's famous Sufi saint Baba Farid. The name of this place is Imam, a mosque. People associated with faith come here to get a touch of the divine atmosphere. There is also a 400-year-old Jama Masjid near Imam Nasir Mosque. These two ancient mosques impress the tourists to a great extent with the strength of their structure and architecture. Wonderland theme park Wonderland Theme Park is located in the Doaba region and is one of the tourist attractions. It is counted among the most famous amusement parks of the country. People of all age groups enjoy here. Here tourists can enjoy many types of rides, like bumper cars and flying jets. With replicas of ghosts and paranormal creatures, the Horror House within this park offers a thrilling experience. The water park here has a bayside, wave pool, wonder fall, indoor aqua dance, and giant and speed slide. St. Mary's Cathedral Church St. Mary's Cathedral Church of Jalandhar is one of the main religious places in the city. This church is very old and very attractive to look at. This church was run by the Lahore government before independence, but after independence, the country was divided and this church came under the Punjab government. In this church, you will see very beautiful domes and crosses which have been built wonderfully. You will also get to see a very beautiful garden around this church in which different types of trees and plants are planted. Jang-e-Azadi Memorial The Jang-e-Azadi Memorial is built in memory of the martyrs who played an important role in India's independence. Along with the memorial, a museum has also been built here. This memorial was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal on 19 October 2014. This entire memorial is spread over 25 acres of land which is dedicated to the freedom fighters. This monument has been made in the shape of a dome. At this place you are also shown a 15-minute 3D film which helps the tourists to know better about the freedom fighters. (PC: Lifeberrys)

LS Polls: AAP releases first list of 8 candidates for Punjab, fields 5 Cabinet ministers

LS Polls: AAP releases first list of 8 candidates for Punjab, fields 5 Cabinet ministers The Aam Aadmi Party Thursday released its first list of eight candidates for Punjab, fielding five Cabinet ministers for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. According to the list, Cabinet ministers Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal has been fielded from Amritsar, Laljit Singh Bhullar from Khadoor Sahib, Gurmeet Singh Khudian from Bathinda, Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer from Sangrur and Balbir Singh from Patiala. Jalandhar MP Sushil Rinku has again been fielded from the seat. The party named Gurpreet Singh GP its candidate from the Fatehgarh Sahib seat. Singh, a former Congress MLA from Bassi Pathana, had recently joined the AAP. Punjabi actor Karamjeet Anmol has been fielded from Faridkot seat.

Rail Roko Andolan: Farmers in Amritsar squat on tracks over MSP demands

Rail Roko Andolan: Farmers in Amritsar squat on tracks over MSP demands Farmers who have been protesting for almost one month now, 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) for their crops. Because of the disruption of train services, passengers experienced inconvenience. The protest was held from 12 noon till 4 pm. Farmers blocked several railway tracks, including the Jalandhar Cantt railway tracks. Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher, earlier in the day asked people to join the protest in large numbers. We urge all farmers, labourers and common people across the country to support us in the 'Rail Roko' today in large numbers. We also urge those, who are scheduled to travel on trains between 12 noon and 4 pm today, to push back their journey by a few hours today. Train passengers might face some inconvenience today. However, this is only a partial 'Rail Roko', Pandher told ANI on Sunday. The protesting farmers have put forward a raft of demands before the Centre, including a legal guarantee to MSP on their produce, withdrawal of police cases against them during earlier protests, pensions for farmers and farm labourers, debt waivers and no hike in electricity tariff. During the last round of talks with the farmers' delegation, which ended past midnight on February 18, the panel of three Union ministers made an offer to buy five crops--moong dal, urad dal, tur dal, maize, and cotton--from farmers at MSP for five years through central agencies. However, the protesting farmers turned down the offer and returned to their protest sites. (ANI)

Nine members of drug smuggling cartel arrested, 22 kg opium seized: Punjab Police

Nine members of drug smuggling cartel arrested, 22 kg opium seized: Punjab Police Jalandhar Commissionerate Police arrested nine members of the international drug smuggling cartel and seized 22 kg of opium on Sunday, a police offical said. Taking to X on Sunday, Director General of Punjab Police Gaurav Yadav said, In a major blow to International Narcotic networks, Jalandhar Commissionerate Police arrests 9 members of International Drug Smuggling Cartel and seizes 22 Kg Opium. Opium agriculturist & procurement collector arrested with 12 kg Opium from Jharkhand, the tweet added. Gaurav Yadav said 30 bank accounts holding Rs 9 crore have been frozen. Apart from the Backward & Forward linkages, police teams have frozen 30 Bank Accounts with high-value transfers of Rs 9 crore drug money, Gaurav Yadav said in his tweet. Also, 12 properties worth Rs 6 crores were made from proceeds of drug money were identified, he added. Five Foreign-based entities from the UK, USA, Australia and Canada along with 6 Customs Officials in Delhi nominated, Gaurav Yadav further said in a tweet. Punjab Police is fully committed to destroying drug networks as per directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, the tweet added. Meanwhile, The Border Security Force (BSF) and Punjab Police, in a joint operation, recovered a packet of suspected heroin of gross weight, approximately 500 gms, in Punjab's Amritsar on Sunday, officials said. On 10th March 2024, during morning hours, based on specific information of BSF, a joint search operation was conducted by @BSF_Punjab troops and @AmritsarRPolice in the border area of district Amritsar, BSF Punjab Frontier posted on X. During the operation, vigilant troops successfully recovered a large packet suspected to contain heroin. At about 10:00 am, vigilant troops successfully recovered one packet of heroin, with a gross weight of approximately 500 gms. The narcotics were wrapped with yellow adhesive tape and the recovery took place in a farming field adjacent to Roranwala Khurd village in Amritsar district, it stated. A reliable input and a well-coordinated joint operation of BSF and Punjab Police once again brought success in foiling a smuggling attempt of narcotics from across the border. (ANI)

9 members of drug smuggling cartel arrested, says Punjab Police

9 members of drug smuggling cartel arrested, says Punjab Police The Punjab Police on Sunday said it has arrested nine members of an international drug smuggling cartel and seized 22 kg of opium. Six customs officials have also been booked in connection with the case. Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said 30 bank accounts holding Rs 9 crore have been frozen. ''In a major blow to International Narcotic networks, Jalandhar Commissionerate Police arrests 9 members of International Drug Smuggling Cartel and seizes 22 Kg Opium,'' Yadav said in a post on 'X'. ''Opium agriculturist & procurement collector arrested with 12Kg Opium from #Jharkhand,'' he said. Twelve properties worth Rs 6 crore made from proceeds of drug money were identified, Yadav further said. ''Five foreign-based entities from UK, USA, Australia & Canada along with 6 customs officials in Delhi nominated (booked),'' the DGP added.

Current Situation in Punjab I About Marriage I Punjab I Dr Sewak Singh

The Family of Late S. Baljinder Singh, a Resident of Village Talwan, Teh-Phillaur (Jalandhar), on The Occasion of Their Son Kamaldeep Singh Marriage Organized a Discussion on The Current Situation in Punjab on 2 March 2024. This News/Article Current Situation in Punjab I About Marriage I Punjab I Dr Sewak Singh appeared first on Sikh Siyasat News .

Punjab police arrest 2 BKI members

Jalandhar, Mar 7 (UNI) In an intelligence-based operation, Punjab police averted possible target killings with the arrest of two members of the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI)-backed terror module on Thursday. DGP Gaurav Yadav said that the module was operated by USA-based Harpreet Singh alias Happy Passian, a close aide of Pakistan-based terrorist Harwinder Singh alias... The post Punjab police arrest 2 BKI members first appeared on Central India's Premier English Daily .

Travel tips: Crowds of devotees flock to these Shiva temples of Rajasthan, definitely visit them in the month of Sawan.

At present, the month of Saavan of the Hindu calendar is going on which is considered to be the favorite month of Lord Bholenath. It is believed that Devadhidev Mahadev is soon pleased with those devotees who worship Bholenath with true heart and rituals in the month of Sawan. In such a situation, everyone is eager to have darshan of their favorite Bholenath this month and for this, they turn to Shiva temples. Today we have brought you information about the famous Shiva temples of Rajasthan which are known for their specialties. There is always a gathering of devotees in these temples, but this number increases further during the days of Sawan. If you also want to visit Shiva temples during Sawan, then come to the temples here. Ghushmeshwar Mahadev Temple, Sawai Madhopur Ghushmeshwar Mahadev Temple is located in the Sawai Madhopur district of Rajasthan. In the last stanza of the 32nd verse of Kotirudra Samhita of Shiv Purana, the place of Ghushmeshwar is stated to be a place called Shivalay. The name of this Shivalaya changed in the medieval period from Shival and Shival to Shivad at present. This is the last Jyotirlinga among the twelve Jyotirlingas of India, this temple is built on Devagiri mountain in Shivad town. A special fair of five days is organized at Ghushmeshwar temple on Mahashivratri. At this fair, there is a flood of devotees coming from all over the country and the world. This temple is said to be nine hundred years old. The Shivalinga installed in the temple is said to be self-manifested. Bisaldev Temple, Tonk It is one of the important structures of Rajasthan dedicated to Hindu mythological significance. Bisaldev Temple or Bisaldev is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is a famous temple located on the Bisalpur Dam on the Banas River. The idol of this temple is defined as that of Lord Gokarneshwar and the temple is counted as a monument of national importance by the Archaeological Survey of India as it dates back to the 12th century and is dedicated to the Chahamana ruler Vigraharaja IV, also known as Bisal Deva. Goes, belongs to the time of. The temple courtyard is partially under the water of the Bisalpur Dam reservoir after the construction of the dam, but before it stood at the confluence of the Dai and Banas rivers. Achaleshwar Mahadev Temple, Dholpur There is always a crowd of devotees in the Achaleshwar Mahadev temple located in Dholpur, Rajasthan, but merely visiting it in the month of Sawan is considered virtuous. It is said that Lord Shiva appears here in person. The specialty of Achaleshwar Mahadev Temple is that the toe of Lord Shiva is worshiped in this temple. In all the temples of Lord Shiva, Shiva is worshiped in the form of Linga or idol of Lord Shiva but in this temple, the toe of Lord Shiva is worshipped. Devotees feel blessed after reaching here. Achaleshwar Mahadev located in Dholpur, Rajasthan changes color three times a day. Shivalinga appears red in the morning, saffron in the afternoon, and black at night. In this temple there is a huge idol of Nandi, the vehicle of Lord Shiva, whose weight is approximately equal to 4 tons. The idol of Nandi is made of five metals. It is made by mixing gold, silver, copper, brass, and zinc. According to a popular legend, the idol of Nandi protected the temple from the attack of Muslim invaders. The bees hidden in the temple had saved the temple many times. It is said that whoever wants to meet Lord Bhole, Nandi first tests his devotion. There is a belief about this temple of Mahadev that unmarried boys and girls come here with their wish for their desired life partner and Lord Shiva fulfills it. Jharkhand Mahadev Temple, Jaipur Mahadev Temple located in Prempura village of Jaipur is famous far and wide. This temple was built before 1918. At that time this temple was not in its present form. There, only one room remained which covered the Shivalinga. This temple was renovated in the year 2002 and its design was made like the temples of South. The exterior of the temple was made like the temples of the South. At the same time, the main gate and the sanctum sanctorum are like the temples of the North. However, due to a tree growing between the sanctum sanctorum and the main door, there is a slight difference between the two. Jharkhand Mahadev Temple Tiruch This is because, in the year 2000, the responsibility of reconstruction of the temple was given to the chairman of the trust, Jai Prakash Somani. During the tour of South India, Somani liked the temples there very much. In such a situation, he called about 300 artisans from the South and got the temple constructed from them. Parshuram Mahadev Temple, Pali The temple of Parshuram Mahadev is situated on the border of the Rajsamand and Pali districts of Rajasthan. The main cave temple falls in Rajsamand district while Kund Dham falls in Pali district. To reach this cave temple one has to climb 500 stairs. Inside this cave temple, there is a Swayam Bhoo Shivalinga where Parashuram, the sixth incarnation of Vishnu, performed rigorous penance for Lord Shiva for many years. Based on penance, he obtained the bow, the Akshaya Tunir, and the divine ax from Lord Shiva. It is believed that Lord Parashuram had once performed rigorous penance for Shiva on the Dhuni built below the main Shivalinga. In this cave, there is a figure of a demon carved on a rock. Whom Parashurama had killed with his axe. Sarneshwar Mahadev Temple, Sirohi Sarneshwar Mahadev Temple is located in Sirohi district. This is a big center of faith for the devotees of Lord Shiva. It is said that in 1298, Alauddin Khilji destroyed the Rudramal Mahadev temple located in Sidhpur, Gujarat. He was returning via Sirohi after tying the Shivling there in the skin of a cow, but the Maharao of Sirohi did not allow him to go further. Shivalinga was taken away from him after being defeated in the war and then it was installed in Sirohi. Since then this temple is known as Sarneshwar Mahadev. Water flows between the mountains behind this temple. Which is known as Shukla Teej Pond. Alauddin returned here in 1298 to avenge his defeat at Sirohi, but he contracted leprosy. Which was cured by taking a bath in Teej Pond. Impressed by this miracle, he visited the temple and donated a large amount. After this, he swore that he would never return to Sirohi again. Jalandharnath Mahadev Temple, Jalore A part of the Shivalinga of Somnath is worshiped in the Mahadev temple located on the fort of Jalore. This temple is also known by the name of Somnath Mahadev. According to the history of Jalore, during the reign of King Kanhaddev Songara Chauhan in Jalore in the 13th century, Alauddin Khilji passed through Jalore after the Somnath attack. Khilji had looted many Mahadev temples in Somnath. After which Khilji also attacked the fort of Jalore and during that time left a part of the Shivalinga of Somnath Mahadev there. The same Shivling is today worshiped in the Jalandharnath Mahadev temple located in the fort, in the ancient temple behind, a special type of Shivling is worshiped in the form of Somnath Mahadev. In the ancient temple of Mahadev Temple on the fort, Lord Mahadev is present in the form of a different type of Shivalinga along with old idols of Lord Parvati, Ganesha, and Karthikeyan. In other temples, the Shivalinga present in the form of the idol of Lord Mahadev has the Linga form present on top of the Bhaga form. Whereas in this ancient Shivalinga, the Linga form is worshiped in the inner part of the huge Bhag form. Dev Somnath Temple, Dungarpur This is a temple that is a replica of Somnath Temple in Gujarat this temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is visited by a large number of Shiva devotees. This temple is a beautifully carved temple situated on the banks of river Som and is believed to be built in the 12th century. This temple is known for its unique sculptures made of white marble and has very intricate carvings in the sanctum and the mandapam with exquisite carvings devotees mostly visit here during winters. (PC: Lifeberrys)

Panic after low-intensity blast on Jalandhar-Jammu rail track

HOSHIARPUR (Punjab), Feb 29: A low-intensity blast near Gate No. 71 on the Jalandhar-Jammu rail track injured the gateman and triggered panic in the area on Thursday. Traffic on the Jalandhar-Jammu rail section was suspended following the explosion. The explosive appeared to be a country-made cracker used to target wild animals, especially wild boars, in farmlands to save crops, said the police, dispelling any cause for panic. In the blast, the gateman Sonu Kumar from UP, presently residing at the [] The post Panic after low-intensity blast on Jalandhar-Jammu rail track appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Trains Stop For Hours After Cracker Goes Off At Level-Crossing In Punjab

A bomb disposal squad was summoned and movement of trains on the Jalandhar-Jammu stretch was suspended for three hours after what appeared to be a cracker used to ward off animals went off at a level-crossing gate, police said.

Delhi High Court refuses to entertain PIL to merge NCR cities with Delhi

New Delhi, Feb 29 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Thursday refused to entertain a public interest litigation seeking merger of Delhis neighbouring cities like Meerut, Faridabad and Gurugram with the national capital. The petitioner said these cities are far away from their respective jurisdictional high courts and therefore should be made part of Delhi. Similarly, the petitioner also said a new high court should be established for Punjab in Jalandhar as the present high court in the union territory of Chandigarh was inconvenient to access for those residing in places like Amritsar. A bench headed by Acting Chief Justice