AP Central Varsity Ranks 32nd in IIRF, Set for Greater Glory

Anantapur : The Central University of Andhra Pradesh, Anantapur, established in 2018, has reached the 32nd spot in the IIRF (Indian Institutional Ranking Framework) Ranking 2024, ahead of many other Central universities. The Ranking was based on seven significant criteria: Research, Industry Income & Integration, Placement Strategy & Support, Future Orientation, and External Perception & International Outlook. With only four undergraduate and two postgraduate programmes in 2018, CUAP has expanded to offer eight undergraduate and 17 postgraduate programmes including cutting-edge courses such as B.Sc. in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, M.Sc in Mathematics and Computing, Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, Applied Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Molecular Biology, Space Science and Technology, Economics and Data Analytics, and Computational Social Science, as well as MA in Governance and Public Policy, vice-chancellor Prof. S.A. Kori said. As per the recommendations of the NEP 2020, the university now provides two Compulsory Core Courses spread over two semesters: Building Mathematical Ability and Finance Literacy, and Artificial Intelligence and Data Science. Additionally, CUAP has introduced 6 PhD programmes. This approach enables students to benefit from a diverse range of educators from across the country, resulting in a more impactful learning experience, the vice-chancellor hoped. As part of this vision, the university has signed a Tripartite Memorandum of Understanding with Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, and the Central University of Punjab, Bathinda. CUAP has also signed an MoU with the Airports Authority of India. The vice-chancellor congratulated the CUAP community and commended them for their teamwork to reach new heights. He expressed confidence that the university would reach greater heights, considering the various reformations. CUAP will be moving to a new permanent smart campus in the academic year of 2024-25, near Reddipalli in BK Samudram mandal. The varsity was established as part of the state bifurcation agreement.

Kargil win anniversary celebrated in Bathinda

Once Shambhu border unbarricaded, farmers will resume march to Delhi

CHANDIGARH: Farmers protesting over the MSP and other demands will head towards Delhi the moment the barricades erected at the national highway at the Shambhu border near Ambala by the Haryana government, are lifted, farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal said in Chandigarh on Tuesday. Whenever the highway is opened, we will march towards Delhi, Dallewal, leader of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) stated. In February, SKM (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) announced their plan to move towards Delhi to support various demands, including a legal guarantee for MSP for crops. However, their Delhi Chalo march was halted at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana on February 13 by the security forces and barricades, including cemented blocks, set up by the Haryana government. Several farmers have been staying put at the border points since then. Dallewal asserted that the farmers agitation will continue till the demands are met. He said the farmers have planned a peaceful protest at Ambala on Wednesday to express solidarity with Navdeep Singh, who was arrested during the rally in March and faces multiple charges, including rioting and attempt to murder. His statement comes days after the Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered the Haryana government to open the barricades at the Shambhu border within a week on an experimental basis. The Haryana government has moved the Supreme Court challenging the high court order, citing a law-and-order situation. Responding to the Haryana governments claim, Dallewal said, It is the government that has blocked the road, not farmers. Dallewal also raised questions over the probe panel formed to investigate the death of Shubhkaran Singh, the 21-year-old resident of Bathinda, who died during a clash between protesting farmers and security personnel on February 21. Farmers other demands include a complete loan waiver for the farmers and farm labour, a monthly pension for 58-year-old farmers/farm labourers, withdrawal of the Electricity Amendment Bill, 2020, reintroduction of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 to ensure farmers consent and compensation at four times and increased daily wages.

Haryana govt moves SC against HC order for removing barricades at Shambhu border

NEW DELHI: The Haryana government has moved the Supreme Court challenging the high court order asking it to remove within a week the barricades at the Shambhu border near Ambala where farmers have been camping since February 13. The state government's appeal, filed through advocate Akshay Amritanshu, has cited law and order situation for the blockade. On July 12, while hearing a related matter, the top had court asked the Haryana government to remove the barricades and questioned its authority to block the highway. The Haryana government had set up barricades on the Ambala-New Delhi national highway in February after the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha announced that farmers would march to Delhi in support of various demands, including a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops. How can a state block a highway? It has a duty to regulate traffic. We are saying open it but regulate, a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan had said on June 12 after the counsel informed the bench about the state's intention of filing an appeal in the apex court. Justice Kant had told the state's counsel, Why do you want to challenge the high court's order? Farmers are also citizens of this country. Give them food and good medical care. They will come, raise slogans and go back. I think you don't commute by road. The top court had made the observations while hearing a plea of the Haryana government challenging a March 7 Punjab and Haryana High Court decision to set up a committee headed by a former high court judge to probe farmer Shubhkaran Singh's death during a clash between the protesting farmers and Haryana security personnel in February. Singh, 21, a native of Bathinda, was killed and several police personnel were injured in clashes at Khanauri on the Punjab-Haryana border on February 21. The incident occurred when some protesting farmers were trying to head towards the barricades erected at the border and were stopped by the security personnel from marching to Delhi. In its order, the court had also said if any law and order situation arises, the state government can take preventive action according to law. It had issued a similar direction to the Punjab government for maintaining law and order while stating that the barricades on its side should also be removed.

Will Bandhua Majdoor remain loyal to the BJP?

The BJP, politically, is the best butcher. It is the most practical outfit which dumps friends and allies alike when they have either become useless or have lost relevance. The latest talk is that the one who could soon be joining the dumping list could be Ajit Pawar of the NCP in Maharashtra. A friend or ally is only as good as his/her performance in the last election. After his stark failure to demolish Sharad Pawars Baramati bastion in the recently-held Lok Sabha polls, Ajit Pawar has virtually no utility value left for the saffron party. Ajits party could win only one of the four seats it had contested in the Lok Sabha polls from the state, bringing its strike rate to a mere 25 per cent. For the BJP to stabilise in Maharashtra, it is essential that it first demolish the Maratha strongman. There are no shortcuts. Despite his best efforts, Ajit's wife Sunetra failed to defeat incumbent Supriya Sule and lost by over one lakh votes. For the BJP, it was an unbearable shock and a grim setback to its Demolition Sharad Pawar strategy. Ajit deserves no pardon. The talk in Maharashtra is that the BJP could be humiliating Ajit in the allocation of seats for the Assembly polls by agreeing to concede a far lesser number of seats than being demanded by him. Recently, there were reports that Ajits party wanted to contest some 80 to 85 of the total 288 seats, an almost impossible task being part of the Mahayuti. An NCP leader had recently suggested that if it was pushed to the wall, the party was not without options. It could tie up with Prakash Ambedkars Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi. The moral of the story is that Ajit is a beleaguered man and could face trouble, sooner rather than later. But even if Ajit is shown the door or if he opts out of the Mahayuti, the three-party ruling alliance in the state, his party would continue to support the BJP at the Centre. His detractors have often alleged that the controversial Ajit Pawar had been forced by the BJP to split his uncles party and join the Mahayuti if he wanted to avoid a probe into his alleged financial misdeeds, which are said to be massive. The same may be the plight of former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy of the YSRCP, whose party had recently said that the BJP could ill afford to ignore its 15 MPs. The BJP is not unduly worried even though it has been in alliance with N. Chandrababu Naidus Telugu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh, which is now in power the state. Mr Naidu is the arch detractor of Jagan Mohan Reddy and is one of the key supporters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was able to become the PM for the third time only due to the crucial support of the TDP and the JD(U)s Nitish Kumar. Mr Modi knows that the YSRCP will have no other option but to continue support at the Centre because Jagan Mohan Reddy faces several probes by the investigating agencies, including the ED. A nod from Mr Modi could land Mr Reddy in the soup, goes the argument in political circles. Mr Reddy faces a double whammy. Mr Naidu has not forgotten how only a few months back he was thrown into jail by him. Mr Reddy needs double blessings from the PM to save himself. The MPs of Mr Reddys party -- four in the Lok Sabha and 11 in the Upper House -- will virtually be guided by the BJPs whip. The BRS/TRS led by former Telangana CM K. Chandrasekhar Rao, which once wanted to play a prominent role at the national level, got the dubious distinction of scoring a duck in the Lok Sabha polls. His party has four Rajya Sabha members, and they would be more prone to support the BJP. Congress CM Revanth Reddy is a known detractor of Mr Rao. The former CM will have to keep the Centre in good humour as his daughter K. Kavitha is yet to get bail in the excise case. During the Assembly poll campaign, Rahul Gandhis pitch that Mr Rao, then CM, takes orders from Mr Modi, had hit the BRS hard. It has now reverted to its old name Telangana Rashtra Samiti. BJD chief Naveen Patnaik is bitter about the BJP after losing power in the Assembly polls, held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls. He has asked his 10-odd members in the Rajya Sabha to vigorously oppose the government. It is a departure from past practice. In the nearly 25 years he has been in power, the BJD used to invariably support the Central government, whichever party may be in power. Dont disturb me in Odisha was his unwritten message for the quid pro quo. Talk about the BJP initiating attempts to weaken the BJD has begun in earnest. The era of toppling non-BJP governments, engineering splits and weaning away of Opposition MPs and MLAs has been seen in the past decade. The BJDs decision to not play the Bandhua Majdoor , or bonded labour, of the BJP at the Centre will attract stiff punishment. In Punjab, the Shiromani Akali Dal, one of the BJPs oldest allies, is also not playing ball. Party chief Sukhbir Singh Badals wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal recently targeted the BJP over the rebellion within the Akali Dal. The newly-elected MP from Bathinda said the BJP was now trying to destabilise and break the Akali Dal using its stooges.Will Bandhua Majdoor remain loyal to the BJP?

Punjab and Haryana High Court : Police in India cannot register harassment cases for incidents abroad

The Punjab and Haryana High Court recently provided an important clarification regarding the jurisdiction of police stations in India to investigate complaints of harassment that allegedly occurred abroad. In a case where a woman from Bathinda had filed an FIR with local police against her in-laws for harassment she faced while living in the United [] The post Punjab and Haryana High Court : Police in India cannot register harassment cases for incidents abroad appeared first on Northlines .

5 Youths Die of Drug Overdoses in 1 Week in Punjabs Bathinda District

In a tragic series of events, five young lives were lost to drug overdoses in Bathinda, Punjab over the past week. According to reports, each individual death occurred in a different area of the city between July 1-2nd. The first incident involved a 22-year old man who is said to have been injected with illegal [] The post 5 Youths Die of Drug Overdoses in 1 Week in Punjabs Bathinda District appeared first on Northlines .

AAP caused terrible fractures to Punjabs health services: Bajwa

Chandigarh, June 27 (IANS) Punjab Leader of the Opposition, Partap Singh Bajwa, on Thursday slammed the Aam Aadmi Party-led state government for causing irreparable damage to the healthcare system of the state. Citing a news report, Bajwa said six doctors posted in government hospitals have resigned in less than two months in Bathinda. They stated []

Bhagwant Mann shifted 10,000 cops as they voted for Congress, says Raja Warring

Chandigarh: Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, the MP-elect from Ludhiana, has alleged that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann recently transferred 10,000 police personnel across the state because they voted for the Congress. Party to decide my wife's candidature' Survey reports say that my wife would have been a better candidate than me from Bathinda. [] The post Bhagwant Mann shifted 10,000 cops as they voted for Congress, says Raja Warring appeared first on Northlines .

Wife Kills Her Husband With Help of Boyfriend, Arrested After 3 Years

Hyderabad: Police solved a 3-year-old murder case and arrested a woman and her boyfriend for killing her husband in 2021 in Panipat, Haryana. Vinod Barada, the victim was hit by a Punjab-registered vehicle on October 5, 2021. He survived the accident but his legs got fractured. After two months, Vinod Barada was shot dead at his house in Panipat on December 15, 2021. The probe revealed that Vinod's wife, Nidhi, and her boyfriend Sumit had conspired to kill her husband. First, they staged an accident in which he survived and later they shot him dead. The issue was brought to light when Vinod's uncle filed a complaint in December 2021. He informed the police that after Vinod's accident, a case was registered against the driver, Dev Sunar, and he was arrested. Dev Sunar, a resident of Bathinda approached Vinod for a settlement that he refused and later threatened him. Sunar broke into Vinod's home on December 15, 2021, while carrying a pistol and shut the door from the inside, then shot Vinod in the head and waist. After being brought to the hospital, Vinod was declared dead. A police official said that Sunar was imprisoned in the Panipat jail and the case was under trial in the court. Vinod Barada's brother from Australia recently sent a message via WhatsApp raising doubts about potential accomplices. The official assigned a team to reinvestigate by taking the matter seriously. The team went through the case file again and got permission from the court to resume the inquiry. It was found that Vinod's wife, Nidhi, was often communicating with a man named Sumit, who Dev Sunar was in communication with. Sumit was taken into custody by the police on June 7 and, when questioned, admitted to having planned Vinod's accident and then having him shot. Sumit claimed that he was a trainer at a gym in 2021 when he first met Nidhi, and the two quickly became friends. Vinod confronted them after learning of their relationship, which caused problems with Nidhi. After that, Sumit and Nidhi planned Vinod's murder by staging the accident. According to the police, Sumit paid all of the costs to carry out the murder and made an offer of Rs 10 lakh to Dev Sunar. A loaded pickup truck registered in Punjab was given to Dev Sunar, who used it to attack Vinod in October. After Vinod survived the accident, they came up with a plan to shoot him. Under the guise of pleading for pardon, Dev Sunar was sent to Vinod's house after being bailed from custody and given an illicit weapon. Dev Sunar shot Vinod inside the residence on December 15, 2021. Sumit was paying for Dev Sunar's legal defense and living expenses. On Saturday, Nidhi and Sumit appeared in court and were then placed under judicial custody.

Punjab engineers seek review of free power policy as consumption peaks

CHANDIGARH: As the ongoing heatwave continues to sweep Punjab and Haryana for several days, with Bathinda recording a scorching 46.9 degrees Celsius today, and ongoing paddy transplantation pushing power demand to an all-time high, breaking last years record of 15,325 MW over the past three days, power consumption has increased by 43%. Therefore, the All India Power Engineers Federation has sent a letter to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, warning of potential power shortages as demand rises. They have also called for changes in office timings, early closure of malls and commercial establishments, and a review of the free power policy. The letter, a copy of which is with this newspaper, states, This is in continuation of my letter no. 36 - Heatwave dated June 3, addressed to the Prime Minister and endorsed to your good self. While the situation of power availability and supply is becoming increasingly serious, neither the Union Government nor any state government has taken steps to control power demand. If the current situation persists, there is a significant risk of grid disturbances. In Punjab, power consumption has risen by 43% from June 1 to 15, 2024, compared to the same period in 2023, with Maximum Demand increasing from 11,309 MW in June 2023 to 15,775 MW in June 2024. With additional agricultural load expected to rise by the end of June due to paddy cultivation across the state, the power situation may become unmanageable. The situation will worsen unless the following steps are implemented immediately: Office timings should be adjusted to 7 am to 2 pm, all commercial establishments, malls, and shops should close by 7 pm, peak load restrictions should be imposed on industries. Paddy sowing in remaining areas of Punjab should be postponed to June 25, with strict enforcement. Water-intensive varieties should be banned, and varieties like PR126 and Basmati, which mature in 90 days, should be encouraged. Power theft should be treated as an offense under NSA. The policy as a state policy should be reviewed immediately, and the Union Minister of Power should be approached to allocate at least an additional 1000 MW from the central pool, the letter adds.

Heatwave persists in Punjab, Haryana; Bathinda hits 46.9 degrees Celsius

There was no let up in the ongoing heat wave conditions sweeping Punjab and Haryana for the last several days, with Bathinda reeling at 46.9 degrees Celsius on Monday. While blistering heat swept Bathinda in Punjab, Pindara in Haryana's Jind also recorded a maximum temperature of 46.9 degrees Celsius, making it the hottest place in the state. Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, also sweltered and recorded a maximum temperature of 44.5 degrees Celsius, according to the MeT Department. Faridkot in Punjab was also under the grip of severe heat at 46 degrees Celsius while Pathankot recorded a high of 45.8 degrees Celsius. Amritsar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Gurdaspur and Ferozepur also sweltered under severe heat recording respective maximum temperature of 45.8 degrees Celsius, 44.6 degrees Celsius, 45.4 degrees Celsius, 45 degrees Celsius and 44.3 degrees Celsius, respectively. Meanwhile, in Haryana, intense heat conditions prevailed in Faridabad and Sirsa, which recorded ...

Bathinda: Punjab police raids hideouts of gangster Lakhbir Singh Landa

Bathinda, June 17: The Punjab police on Monday, carried out raids at multiple hideouts of gangster Lakhbir Singh Landa, officials said. Bathinda Superintendent of Police (SP) Narinder Singh said a total of five people have been rounded up and search operations are being carried out. Superintendant of Police, Narinder Singh said, As per orders given by the Punjab DGP and as per the guidance provided by the SSP Bathinda, we are carrying out search operations. Our two main targets are [] The post Bathinda: Punjab police raids hideouts of gangster Lakhbir Singh Landa appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

SAD reflects on LS poll outcome, reposes faith in Badal's leadership

Amid voices emerging within the party calling for a change at the top, the Shiromani Akali Dal core committee Thursday held a detailed discussion on its drubbing in the Lok Sabha polls, and reposed full faith in Sukhbir Singh Badal's leadership SAD leader Charanjit Singh Brar wrote an open letter to party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, suggesting him to form a committee in the larger interests of the party. The Badal-led SAD faced a drubbing in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls as it could manage to win only the Bathinda parliamentary constituency out of total 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab. The SAD also saw a drop in its vote share from 27.45 percent in 2019 to 13.42 percent in 2024 polls. The meeting of SAD's core committee, which is the party's top decision making body, started at 3 pm and continued till 9:30 pm. In a statement, the party said the core committee held a prolonged and in-depth discussion on the prevailing political situation in the state, including analysis and introspection of

Scorching heatwave continues in parts of north India, temperature remains above 40 deg C

NEW DELHI: Temperatures in most parts of north India remained above the 40 degree Celsius-mark as heatwave conditions persisted on Tuesday, with Delhi's Narela and Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh recording highs of 47.1 degrees Celsius. Delhi sweltered under intense heat as the Safdarjung observatory, considered the official marker of the national capital, noted a high of 43.8 degrees Celsius, four notches above the normal average. The Narela weather station recorded the highest temperature in the city at 47.1 degrees Celsius, they said. Other weather stations, such as Najafgarh recorded a high of 46.6 degrees Celsius while Aya Nagar recorded 44.8 degrees C, Ridge 45 degrees C and Palam 44.1 degrees C, the bulletin said. The national capital was on orange alert, which stands for e prepared in the colour codes of the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest maximum temperature in the state at 47.1 degrees C. Varanasi recorded a high of 45.3, Baghpat and Fursatganj 45.2 degrees C each, Fatehpur 45 degrees while the state capital Lucknow saw a maximum temperature of 44.7 degrees C. Meanwhile, light rains occurred in Agra. In Rajasthan, Churu was the hottest place with a high of 45.6 degrees Celsius, a MeT department official said. Light rain was also observed in some parts of the state today. Sriganganagar recorded 45.1 degrees, followed by 44.8 degrees each in Fatehpur and Bikaner. Pilani recorded a high of 44.7 degrees C, Sangaria 44.3 degrees, Barmer 44 degrees while it was 43.5 degrees each in Jaipur, Alwar and Jaisalmer. Isolated heatwave returned to Jammu with the maximum temperature in the city settling at 43 degrees Celsius, four notches above normal during this part of the season, the meteorological department said. The city, which reeled under heatwave for most part of the last month, got relief on June 7 when the temperature dropped to 37.6 degrees Celsius. However, the day temperature once again shot up in Jammu to 41.2 degrees Celsius on Monday amid prediction of dry weather and return of isolated heatwave from June 11 till June 17. In Himachal Pradesh, the weather remained dry as Neri in Hamirpur district was hottest place in the state with a high of 44.8 degree Celsius. Una recorded a high of 42.8 degrees, Dhaulakuan 42.6 degree Celsius, Hamirpur 40.8 degree and Sundernagar 40 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature remained above normal at most places and Neri recorded a low of 28.3 degree, followed by Dehra Gopipur 26.0 degree and Paonta Sahib 25.0 degree. The MeT station in Himachal has predicted dry weather in lower and mid hills on June 12 and 13 and rains at isolated places in higher hills from June 12 to 14. In Haryana, Nuh reeled at 45.9 degrees Celsius and Hisar recorded a maximum temperature of 44.8 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, Ambala in Punjab clocked a high of 44.1 degrees Celsius and Karnal registered 42.6 degrees C. Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, also sweltered, recording a maximum of 43.9 degrees Celsius, it said. Hot weather conditions also continued in Gurugram and Faridabad, which recorded maximums of 43.4 and 44.9 degrees Celsius, respectively. Amritsar also reeled under intense heat at 45.1 degrees C followed by Pathankot at 44.7 degrees C, Bathinda 44.4 degrees C, Ludhiana 44.3 degrees C, Gurdaspur 44 degrees C and Faridkot 43 degrees C, the weather department added.

Early detection of brain tumors crucial for improved outcomes: Dr Gaurav

Bathinda:Early detection of brain tumors is critical for timely intervention and improved outcomes. Symptoms can vary depending on the tumor's size, location, and rate of growth. Common signs may include persistent headaches, seizures, cognitive changes, vision or hearing problems, nausea, and balance difficulties. It's essential for individuals experiencing these symptoms to seek medical attention promptly. [] The post Early detection of brain tumors crucial for improved outcomes: Dr Gaurav appeared first on Northlines .

Mann Urges AAP Leaders to Redouble Efforts Post Lok Sabha Polls

Mann Urges AAP Leaders to Redouble Efforts Post Lok Sabha Polls Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday galvanized AAP leaders and workers, urging them to double down on their grassroots initiatives after the party captured merely three of the thirteen envisioned Lok Sabha seats in Punjab. Mann gathered with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) stalwartsincluding Lok Sabha candidates and MLAs from Bathinda and Faridkotfor consultations. Holding a series of meetings since June 4, the day the poll results were revealed, Mann stressed expanded efforts on the ground, lauding the commendable work already displayed during the elections. Sharing insights from the detailed discussions, Mann noted, We had in-depth talks on development projects and constituency-specific issues. The meeting also saw the attendance of key poll candidates Gurmeet Singh Khuddian from Bathinda and Karamjit Singh Anmol from Faridkot, both of whom faced defeats. This gathering followed a similar meeting on Friday involving AAP leaders from Patiala and Ferozepur. AAP managed to win in Hoshiarpur, Anandpur Sahib, and Sangrur in the Lok Sabha elections.

Punjab CM holds meeting with AAP leaders of Bathinda and Faridkot Constituencies

Chandigarh, June 8 (UNI) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday held a meeting with the AAP leaders of Bathinda and Faridkot Lok Sabha Constituencies to discuss the people issues and development projects of the area. After the meeting, Mann wrote on his X account, Today, a meeting was held with the MLAs, Chairmen, partys... The post Punjab CM holds meeting with AAP leaders of Bathinda and Faridkot Constituencies first appeared on Central India's Premier English Daily .

AAP loses in 60 Assembly segments of Punjab

CHANDIGARH: The ruling-AAP has seen a significant decline, losing in 60 assembly segments that it had won in the 2022 assembly elections. In the recent 2024 Lok Sabha elections, AAP led in just 32 assembly seats, a sharp contrast to its previous victory in 92 of the 117 Assembly seats in the Vidhan Sabha elections two years ago. In contrast, the Congress has regained lost ground, leading in 38 assembly seats compared to its 18 seats two years ago. However, the biggest gainer is the BJP, which, despite not winning a single Lok Sabha seat, led in 23 assembly segments. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) appears to have been largely rejected by the public, leading in only nine assembly seats. AAP finished in second position in 54 assembly seats, with eight cabinet ministers trailing in their own assembly segments. Notably, the party trailed in Budhlada, the constituency of Punjab AAP working president Budh Ram, achieving a vote share of just 26.02 percent. The ruling party managed to win three Lok Sabha seats. State Health Minister Balbir Singh lost from Patiala, Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian lost from Bathinda, NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal lost from Amritsar (all three were first runners-up), and Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar lost from Khadoor Sahib, finishing in third place. Additionally, three AAP MLAsAmansher Singh Sherry Kalsi from Gurdaspur, Ashok Prashar Pappi from Ludhiana, and Jagdeep Singh Kaka Brar from Ferozepurlost the parliamentary elections. Amansher Singh and Ashok Prashar lost in their own assembly segments, while Kaka Brar led in his own assembly seat. Sources suggest that a blame game is likely to ensue within the party, questioning who will take responsibility for this poor performance. AAP Punjab president and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann led the election campaign with the help of party Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak, while all ministers were tasked with ensuring significant leads from their respective constituencies. The party may now consider bringing new faces into the state cabinet and adjusting its governance model. Political observers have pointed out that AAP heavily relied on its populist schemes, such as providing 300 units of free power per month to each household, establishing Aam Aadmi mohalla clinics, creating 43,000 government jobs, repairing canals, and setting up schools of eminence. However, these schemes failed to resonate with the public. The decline is attributed to three main factors: the ongoing farmers protest at the Shambu border, the declining popularity of the state government due to deteriorating law and order and unfulfilled promises like justice in sacrilege cases and the drug issue, and the arrest of AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal in a liquor case. AAP heavily relied on its populist schemes Political observers have pointed out that AAP heavily relied on its populist schemes, such as providing 300 units of free power per month to each household, establishing Aam Aadmi mohalla clinics, repairing canals, and setting up schools of eminence. However, these schemes failed to resonate with the public. The party may now consider bringing new faces into the state cabinet and adjusting its governance model.

Punjab Lok Sabha Elections Result 2024: SAD Fails To Improve Wins 1 Seat

Harsimrat Kaur Badal, the wife of SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, retained the Bathinda parliamentary constituency.

Radical preacher Amritpal Singh and son of Indira Gandhi's assassin win LS polls as Independents

CHANDIGARH: Radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh and Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa, the son of one of the assassins of Indira Gandhi, have made their maiden entry to Parliament. Singh won the Khadoor Sahib by a margin of 1,97,120 votes over his nearest rival and Congress candidate Kulbuir Singh Zira while Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa won in Faridkot by 70,053 over AAP's Karamjit Singh Anmol. Both Singh and Khalsa contested the polls as Independents. Political greenhorn and radical Sikh preacher Singh, the chief of the 'Waris Punjab De' outfit, is lodged in a jail in Assam after being slapped under the stringent National Security Act (NSA) a year ago. His father Tarsem Singh on Tuesday thanked the Almighty and expressed gratitude to the 'sangat' (community) for their overwhelming support. It was the 'sangat' which fought this battle, he told PTI. From youth to women and elderly people, everyone contributed in this election, said Singh who styled himself after slain Khalistani militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. He was arrested in Moga's Rode village on April 23 last year following an over a month-long manhunt. Singh's father had earlier said his son was not willing to fight an electoral contest but he changed his mind at the instance of 'sangat'. His supporters, mainly youth in the Khadoor Sahib parliamentary constituency, praised him for weaning them away from drugs and making them baptised Sikh. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) (Amritsar) head and Khalistan (separate Sikh homeland) sympathiser Simranjit Singh Mann extended his party's support to Singh and did not field any candidate from the Khadoor Sahib seat. Paramjit Kaur Khalra, wife of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, led Singh's poll campaign. Paramjit Kaur Khalra had unsuccessfully contested from the Khadoor Sahib seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. However, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal had asked people to evaluate if Singh had been propped up by the central agencies. He asked the people to determine whether a person who had acquired 'Sikhi saroop' a year earlier was fit to lead them. He also pointed out the dichotomy in Singh's earlier stand that he did not want to enter politics and was only interested in 'amrit parchar' and fighting the drug menace. The radical Sikh preacher who styled himself after slain Khalistani militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, was arrested in Moga's Rode village on April 23 last year following an over a month-long manhunt. He and his associates were booked under several criminal cases related to spreading disharmony among classes, attempt to murder, attack on police personnel and creating obstructions in the lawful discharge of duty by public servants. The Khadoor Sahib constituency, which is known as a 'panthic' seat, has voters from all three regions ---Majha, Malwa and Doaba. It has nine assembly segments Jandiala, Tarn Taran, Khem Karan, Patti, Khadoor Sahib, Baba Bakala, Kapurthala, Sultanpur Lodhi and Zira. Seven assembly segments are held by the AAP while one each by the Congress and an Independent. Khalsa, the son of Beant Singh, one of the two assassins of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, is leading by a margin of over 60,000 votes in the Faridkot reserve parliamentary constituency against his nearest rival and AAP nominee Karamjit Singh Anmol. Beant Singh and Satwant Singh, who were the bodyguards of the then Prime Minister, killed India Gandhi on October 31, 1984 at her residence. It is the 'sangat' of Faridkot which approached me to fight the polls, Khalsa had said earlier. During the poll campaigning, Khalsa, who is based in Mohali, raised the issue of the 2015 sacrilege incidents in which the Sikh scripture Guru Granth Sahib was desecrated sparking protests and leading to the death of two anti-sacrilege protesters in Faridkot. He also took up the issue of 'Bandi Singhs' (Sikh prisoners who completed their jail terms). Apart from this, Khalsa raised the issues of drug menace, river water, farmers' demand for legal guarantee to minimum support price. It was not the first time Khalsa fought elections. He had unsuccessfully fought the 2004 Lok Sabha polls from Bathinda seat on SAD (Amritsar) ticket and had polled 1.13 lakh votes. He had also unsuccessfully contested the 2007 Punjab assembly polls from Bhadaur seat in Barnala. Khalsa had again tried his luck in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls from Fatehgarh Sahib seat on a BSP ticket but lost. His mother Bimal Kaur was an MP from Ropar seat in 1989. This time, Khalsa was pitted against AAP nominee and Punjabi actor Karamjit Anmol, BJP's Hans Raj Hans, Congress party's Amarjit Kaur Sahoke and SAD's Rajwinder Singh. Faridkot Lok Sabha seat comprises nine assembly segments -- ?Nihal Singhwala, Bagha purana, Moga, Dharamkot, Gidderbaha, Faridkot, Kotkapura, Jaitu and Rampura Phul. Except Gidderbaha, all eight assembly segments were represented by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidates. Congress party's Amrinder Singh Raja Warring is an MLA from Gidderbaha. In 2014, AAP nominee Sadhu Singh had won the Faridkot Lok Sabha seat while in 2019, Congress party's Mohammad Sadique won from this constituency.

AIIMS Bathinda Recruitment 2024: Apply for Various Medical and Non-Medical Posts

All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bathinda (AIIMS Bathinda) is inviting applications for 5 posts of Technician (Radiotherapy) Gr II. These vacancies are contractual, and interested candidates must fill out the online Google form to appear for an interview. Below are the key details you need to know to apply for these positions.

In multi-cornered battle in Punjab, Congress wins two seats, leads on four

Chandigarh, June 4 (IANS) In a fierce multi-cornered electoral battle without any alliance in AAP-ruled Punjab, the main Opposition Congress party on Tuesday won two seats Jalandhar and Fatehgarh Sahib and was leading on four. The Shiromani Akali Dals (SAD) candidate Harsimrat Kaur, wife of partypresident Sukhbir Badal, retained the politically significant Bathinda []

Congress and AAP Show Initial Leads in Punjab Lok Sabha Seats

Congress and AAP Show Initial Leads in Punjab Lok Sabha Seats Early trends indicate that the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are leading in multiple Lok Sabha constituencies across Punjab. Congress holds a lead in Amritsar, Jalandhar, Fatehgarh Sahib, Ferozepur, Gurdaspur, and Patiala seats, while AAP is ahead in Hoshiarpur, Anandpur Sahib, Sangrur, and Bathinda seats. Radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh, running as an independent, is leading from the Khadoor Sahib seat, while Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa, the son of one of the assassins of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, is leading in Faridkot. Shiromani Akali Dal candidate Harsimrat Kaur Badal is trailing in Bathinda against AAP's Gurmeet Singh Khuddian, according to Election Commission data. Harsimrat, a three-time MP, is behind by 490 votes in the initial count. The counting process for the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab and the lone Chandigarh seat started at 8 am under stringent security measures.

Bathinda Election Result 2024 Live Updates: Counting of Votes Starts Today

Bathinda Election Result Live Updates: Get all the latest news and updates on Lok Sabha elections 2024 results on The Quint.

After a challenging campaign for BJP in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal, what will June 4 throw up?

June 4 will witness the outcome of a four-cornered contest in Punjab among AAP, Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with some seats even witnessing a five-cornered contest. The elections were largely devoid of any significant wave in the state. Meanwhile, in neighboring Himachal Pradesh, the BJP faced a daunting task. In Haryana, too, where BJP registered a clean sweep in 2019, it was a tight contest between the BJP and Congress. An analysis of the campaign and the likely outcomes in the three states: Punjab In Punjab, most political parties have scarcely touched upon critical issues such as unemployment, illegal sand mining, and drug abuse. Even age-old issues like the sharing of river waters, including the SYL canal dispute and the control over Chandigarh, found little mention from candidates, except from those in the Shiromani Akali Dal. Throughout the elections, farmers protested against BJP candidates, accusing the Centre of failing to fulfill promises made during the 2020-21 farm agitation, particularly regarding the legal guarantee to Minimum Support Price (MSP). With the BJP fighting solo in the state, it's banking on reverse polarisation, aiming to consolidate non-Jat votes, which include nearly 45 percent of Hindus and SC Hindus. Some critics had pointed out that the choice of June 1 as the polling day of June 1 to coincide with the first day of the Ghallughara week, marking the 40th anniversary of Operation Bluestar, was a deliberate ploy by the BJP. This they say was aimed at heightening sentiments, potentially influencing the electorate, especially in parts of Amritsar and Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha seats within the Majha region. In the Malwa region, encompassing constituencies such as Bathinda, Patiala, Sangrur, and others, the contest was said to fierce. The Doaba region, also known as the Non-Resident Indian (NRI) belt, houses two Lok Sabha seats, Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur, both reserved. Here, various deras, big and small, became stages for political posturing, with candidates from all parties seeking blessings and votes through visits. The SC community holds 39 percent of the votes in Jalandhar, constituting the largest voting bloc. Leading political analyst Professor Kuldip Singh had suggested that here is a keen contest between Congress and AAP in Punjab, with the former having a slight edge. Though there's anti-incumbency against the AAP government, it's expected to perform relatively well. As for the BJP, I don't foresee a significant impact, and while the Akali Dal may improve its vote percentage, it still has a long way to recover its lost ground. The AAP may not have delivered as promised, but the previous government's performance was worse. Even then, the contest failed to inspire hope among voters, as parties skirted the state's issues, reducing political rhetoric, he added. The results will be important for the two-year-old AAP government in Punjab that focused its campaign on free power (300 units of electricity), development, and employment generation. The party had relied on heavyweight candidates, including five sitting state cabinet ministers, to secure victory. For the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), it's a matter of survival, with 2024 being the first time in over two decades that the SAD and BJP are contesting elections independently. The BJP's performance in these elections will determine its standing in the state, having fielded 11 turncoats among its 13 candidates, notably Preneet Kaur from Patiala, Ravneet Singh Bittu from Ludhiana, and Sushil Kumar Rinku from Jalandhar. The Congress, on the other hand, is hoping that fielding senior leaders in key constituencies will pay dividends. Their party president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring fought from Ludhiana, former CM Charanjit Singh Channi from Jalandhar, ex-Deputy CM Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa from Gurdaspur, former MP Vijay Inder Singla from Anandpur Sahib and sitting MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira from Sangrur. The Congress also fielded sitting MPs from Amritsar and Fatehgarh Sahib. The prominent independents, including pro-Khalistan supporter Amritpal Singh from Khadoor Sahib and Sarajeet Singh, son of Beant Singh who assassinated former PM Indira Gandhi, alongside gangster-turned-social activist Lakhvir Singh alias Lakha Sidhana of Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), add another layer of complexity to the electoral landscape. This election marks the absence of former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, and cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu from the campaign trail. In a recent letter to the people of Punjab, 82-year-old Amarinder, who is now with the BJP. urged voters to cast their ballot in favour of his party, emphasising the importance election for the state's future prosperity. A total of 2,14,61,739 voters, including 1,01,74,240 women and 773 transgenders, were eligible to vote across Punjab's 13 Lok Sabha seats. In the 2019 polls, Congress won eight seats, SAD secured two, BJP won two, and AAP clinched one seat. Himachal Pradesh In neighboring Himachal Pradesh, the BJP again faced a bruising contest. A largely silent electorate kept political parties guessing about their fate on the four Lok Sabha seats of Hamirpur, Kangra, Mandi, and Shimla. The campaigning was notably vitriolic and aggressive in the hill state, with personal barbs being exchanged, particularly in the Mandi Lok Sabha seat , which garnered disproportionate attention after the BJP fielded Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut and the Congress nominated the Royal scion Vikramaditya Singh. The BJP attempted to bring forth emotive issues such as the Ram temple and the abrogation of Article 370, along with alleging minority appeasement by the Congress. However, these issues probably did not resonate with the public on the ground. INTERVIEW | Women face many difficulties in male-dominated politics But the saffron party remained confident of winning all four Lok Sabha seats, aiming to repeat its 2014 and 2019 performance. On the other hand, the Congress appeared confident of winning at least two seats, with the contest appearing to be close for the Mandi and Shimla parliamentary constituencies. The grand old party is also hoping to win at least four of the six assembly seats, alongside the by-polls, which will help consolidate its government. Criticism against the BJP government at the Centre included perceptions of insufficient flood relief and financial support, compounded by the Centre's reluctance to declare the disaster a national calamity. The Agniveer scheme, which aims to recruit youth for four-year service with only 25 percent of them retained in regular service, became a significant poll issue, especially in Hamirpur, Kangra, and parts of Mandi and Bilaspur districts, which contribute significantly to the armed forces. During an election meeting in Himachal, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticised the BJP government, alleging that the scheme turned soldiers into laborers. In addition to the direct contest between the BJP and Congress, the Bahujan Samaj Party is also contesting all four seats. Speaking to The New Indian Express , Harish Thakur, a leading political expert, predicted, In the Lok Sabha polls in the state, the BJP is likely to sweep all four seats, but that said there may be a close call on the Shimla and Mandi Lok Sabha seats. Meanwhile, in the by-elections to six assembly seats, the saffron party and Congress may have a close contest, with both parties potentially securing 50 percent of the seats. Modi was the dominant factor in the previous two parliament elections, swinging the victory in favor of his party candidates, but this time issues like Agniveer, unemployment, and price rise are very much in the mix, added another political analyst. There are a total of 29,13,050 male voters, 27,98,850 women voters, and 35 third-gender voters in the state. Polling will take place at 7,992 stations across the state, with some located in very remote areas. Haryana In Haryana, political winds seem to be blowing against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that registered a clean sweep in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in the state. The Congress sought to capitalise on the anger among Jats, farmers' protests, inflation, and unemployment. Conversely, the BJP hoped for a split in opposition votes between the Congress, Jannayak Janta Party, and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD). The saffron party, which won all Lok Sabha seats in the last parliamentary polls, faced a tough task this time around. Both the BJP and JJP leaders have come under attack from farmers' organisations. The BJP played the OBC card, aiming for non-Jat votes in the parliamentary elections. It had replaced Manohar Lal Khattar as Chief Minister with Nayab Singh Saini, an OBC leader, considering that the state has 8 percent OBC voters. The party will be hoping that Jat votes are divided between the Congress, JJP, and INLD, potentially benefiting them. However, this strategy will be put to the test in these Lok Sabha polls, particularly in garnering non-Jat and urban votes. The saffron party also aimed to gain votes by highlighting the development works of the central and state governments, while emphasising transparency and good governance in Haryana. No bridge, villagers boycott elections in Haryana's Yamunanagar In contrast, the Congress banked on anti-incumbency sentiments against the BJP government, particularly fuelled by high rates of unemployment and inflation. Leading political analyst Professor Ashutosh Kumar of Punjab University said, The main contest is between BJP and Congress, as the others like JJP and INLD will not significantly influence the final outcome. It's a bipolar contest. The saffron party was the first to announce its ten candidates in the state. In these elections, the Congress entered into an alliance with AAP for the first time, with the grand old party contesting nine out of ten seats while AAP will fight from Kurukshetra. Notable candidates included Abhay Chautala of INLD, fighting from the Kurukshetra parliamentary seat against Sushil Gupta of AAP, and Naveen Jindal, who ran on the BJP ticket after joining the party some time back. The electoral landscape also featured prominent candidates such as former Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Deepender Hooda of Congress. Riding high on the Modi wave, the BJP had secured an impressive vote percentage of 58 percent in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, while the Congress could only manage about 28 percent of the votes, drawing a blank. June 4 will reveal if the massive gap has shrunk.

After a challenging campign for BJP in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal, what will June 4 throw up?

June 4 will witness the outcome of a four-cornered contest in Punjab among AAP, Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with some seats even witnessing a five-cornered contest. The elections were largely devoid of any significant wave in the state. Meanwhile, in neighboring Himachal Pradesh, the BJP faced a daunting task. In Haryana, too, where BJP registered a clean sweep in 2019, it was a tight contest between the BJP and Congress. An analysis of the campaign and the likely outcomes in the three states: Punjab In Punjab, most political parties have scarcely touched upon critical issues such as unemployment, illegal sand mining, and drug abuse. Even age-old issues like the sharing of river waters, including the SYL canal dispute and the control over Chandigarh, found little mention from candidates, except from those in the Shiromani Akali Dal. Throughout the elections, farmers protested against BJP candidates, accusing the Centre of failing to fulfill promises made during the 2020-21 farm agitation, particularly regarding the legal guarantee to Minimum Support Price (MSP). With the BJP fighting solo in the state, it's banking on reverse polarisation, aiming to consolidate non-Jat votes, which include nearly 45 percent of Hindus and SC Hindus. Some critics had pointed out that the choice of June 1 as the polling day of June 1 to coincide with the first day of the Ghallughara week, marking the 40th anniversary of Operation Bluestar, was a deliberate ploy by the BJP. This they say was aimed at heightening sentiments, potentially influencing the electorate, especially in parts of Amritsar and Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha seats within the Majha region. In the Malwa region, encompassing constituencies such as Bathinda, Patiala, Sangrur, and others, the contest was said to fierce. The Doaba region, also known as the Non-Resident Indian (NRI) belt, houses two Lok Sabha seats, Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur, both reserved. Here, various deras, big and small, became stages for political posturing, with candidates from all parties seeking blessings and votes through visits. The SC community holds 39 percent of the votes in Jalandhar, constituting the largest voting bloc. Leading political analyst Professor Kuldip Singh had suggested that here is a keen contest between Congress and AAP in Punjab, with the former having a slight edge. Though there's anti-incumbency against the AAP government, it's expected to perform relatively well. As for the BJP, I don't foresee a significant impact, and while the Akali Dal may improve its vote percentage, it still has a long way to recover its lost ground. The AAP may not have delivered as promised, but the previous government's performance was worse. Even then, the contest failed to inspire hope among voters, as parties skirted the state's issues, reducing political rhetoric, he added. The results will be important for the two-year-old AAP government in Punjab that focused its campaign on free power (300 units of electricity), development, and employment generation. The party had relied on heavyweight candidates, including five sitting state cabinet ministers, to secure victory. For the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), it's a matter of survival, with 2024 being the first time in over two decades that the SAD and BJP are contesting elections independently. The BJP's performance in these elections will determine its standing in the state, having fielded 11 turncoats among its 13 candidates, notably Preneet Kaur from Patiala, Ravneet Singh Bittu from Ludhiana, and Sushil Kumar Rinku from Jalandhar. The Congress, on the other hand, is hoping that fielding senior leaders in key constituencies will pay dividends. Their party president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring fought from Ludhiana, former CM Charanjit Singh Channi from Jalandhar, ex-Deputy CM Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa from Gurdaspur, former MP Vijay Inder Singla from Anandpur Sahib and sitting MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira from Sangrur. The Congress also fielded sitting MPs from Amritsar and Fatehgarh Sahib. The prominent independents, including pro-Khalistan supporter Amritpal Singh from Khadoor Sahib and Sarajeet Singh, son of Beant Singh who assassinated former PM Indira Gandhi, alongside gangster-turned-social activist Lakhvir Singh alias Lakha Sidhana of Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), add another layer of complexity to the electoral landscape. This election marks the absence of former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, and cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu from the campaign trail. In a recent letter to the people of Punjab, 82-year-old Amarinder, who is now with the BJP. urged voters to cast their ballot in favour of his party, emphasising the importance election for the state's future prosperity. A total of 2,14,61,739 voters, including 1,01,74,240 women and 773 transgenders, were eligible to vote across Punjab's 13 Lok Sabha seats. In the 2019 polls, Congress won eight seats, SAD secured two, BJP won two, and AAP clinched one seat. Himachal Pradesh In neighboring Himachal Pradesh, the BJP again faced a bruising contest. A largely silent electorate kept political parties guessing about their fate on the four Lok Sabha seats of Hamirpur, Kangra, Mandi, and Shimla. The campaigning was notably vitriolic and aggressive in the hill state, with personal barbs being exchanged, particularly in the Mandi Lok Sabha seat , which garnered disproportionate attention after the BJP fielded Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut and the Congress nominated the Royal scion Vikramaditya Singh. The BJP attempted to bring forth emotive issues such as the Ram temple and the abrogation of Article 370, along with alleging minority appeasement by the Congress. However, these issues probably did not resonate with the public on the ground. INTERVIEW | Women face many difficulties in male-dominated politics But the saffron party remained confident of winning all four Lok Sabha seats, aiming to repeat its 2014 and 2019 performance. On the other hand, the Congress appeared confident of winning at least two seats, with the contest appearing to be close for the Mandi and Shimla parliamentary constituencies. The grand old party is also hoping to win at least four of the six assembly seats, alongside the by-polls, which will help consolidate its government. Criticism against the BJP government at the Centre included perceptions of insufficient flood relief and financial support, compounded by the Centre's reluctance to declare the disaster a national calamity. The Agniveer scheme, which aims to recruit youth for four-year service with only 25 percent of them retained in regular service, became a significant poll issue, especially in Hamirpur, Kangra, and parts of Mandi and Bilaspur districts, which contribute significantly to the armed forces. During an election meeting in Himachal, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticised the BJP government, alleging that the scheme turned soldiers into laborers. In addition to the direct contest between the BJP and Congress, the Bahujan Samaj Party is also contesting all four seats. Speaking to The New Indian Express , Harish Thakur, a leading political expert, predicted, In the Lok Sabha polls in the state, the BJP is likely to sweep all four seats, but that said there may be a close call on the Shimla and Mandi Lok Sabha seats. Meanwhile, in the by-elections to six assembly seats, the saffron party and Congress may have a close contest, with both parties potentially securing 50 percent of the seats. Modi was the dominant factor in the previous two parliament elections, swinging the victory in favor of his party candidates, but this time issues like Agniveer, unemployment, and price rise are very much in the mix, added another political analyst. There are a total of 29,13,050 male voters, 27,98,850 women voters, and 35 third-gender voters in the state. Polling will take place at 7,992 stations across the state, with some located in very remote areas. Haryana In Haryana, political winds seem to be blowing against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that registered a clean sweep in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in the state. The Congress sought to capitalise on the anger among Jats, farmers' protests, inflation, and unemployment. Conversely, the BJP hoped for a split in opposition votes between the Congress, Jannayak Janta Party, and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD). The saffron party, which won all Lok Sabha seats in the last parliamentary polls, faced a tough task this time around. Both the BJP and JJP leaders have come under attack from farmers' organisations. The BJP played the OBC card, aiming for non-Jat votes in the parliamentary elections. It had replaced Manohar Lal Khattar as Chief Minister with Nayab Singh Saini, an OBC leader, considering that the state has 8 percent OBC voters. The party will be hoping that Jat votes are divided between the Congress, JJP, and INLD, potentially benefiting them. However, this strategy will be put to the test in these Lok Sabha polls, particularly in garnering non-Jat and urban votes. The saffron party also aimed to gain votes by highlighting the development works of the central and state governments, while emphasising transparency and good governance in Haryana. No bridge, villagers boycott elections in Haryana's Yamunanagar In contrast, the Congress banked on anti-incumbency sentiments against the BJP government, particularly fuelled by high rates of unemployment and inflation. Leading political analyst Professor Ashutosh Kumar of Punjab University said, The main contest is between BJP and Congress, as the others like JJP and INLD will not significantly influence the final outcome. It's a bipolar contest. The saffron party was the first to announce its ten candidates in the state. In these elections, the Congress entered into an alliance with AAP for the first time, with the grand old party contesting nine out of ten seats while AAP will fight from Kurukshetra. Notable candidates included Abhay Chautala of INLD, fighting from the Kurukshetra parliamentary seat against Sushil Gupta of AAP, and Naveen Jindal, who ran on the BJP ticket after joining the party some time back. The electoral landscape also featured prominent candidates such as former Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Deepender Hooda of Congress. Riding high on the Modi wave, the BJP had secured an impressive vote percentage of 58 percent in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, while the Congress could only manage about 28 percent of the votes, drawing a blank. June 4 will reveal if the massive gap has shrunk.

Reduction in heat wave intensity in next three days: IMD

NEW DELHI: A reduction in the intensity of heatwave conditions is likely in the country over the next three days, the weather office said on Sunday. Fatehpur in Uttar Pradesh was the hottest in the country with a maximum temperature of 46.2 degrees Celsius. Sirsa in Haryana and Ganganagar in Rajasthan sizzled at 45.4 degrees Celsius followed by Jhansi and Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh which recorded 45.2 degrees Celsius each, and Prithvipur in Madhya Pradesh and Bhiwani in Haryana at 45.1 degrees. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said heat wave conditions over northwest, central and east India were likely to continue with reduced intensity during the next three days. The maximum temperature in the national capital settled at 42.8 degrees Celsius, two notches above the normal for the season. Aya Nagar in south Delhi recorded 43.4 degrees Celsius, Ridge 43.7 degrees Celsius, and Palam 43.5 degrees Celsius. Light rain with thundershowers were experienced in parts of Rajasthan. The weather department has predicted more light to moderate rain in parts of Bikaner, Jaipur, Bharatpur, Ajmer and Jodhpur divisions. Jaipur MeT department Director Radheshyam Sharma said the maximum temperature will settle below 45 degrees Celsius in the coming days and relief from the heat wave is expected. Today, maximum temperatures have fallen by 3-4 degrees Celsius over some parts of East Madhya Pradesh; by 2-3 degrees Celsius in some parts of interior Odisha, Vidarbha, Punjab and by 1-2 degrees Celsius over some parts of Haryana, West Uttar Pradesh, West Madhya Pradesh & adjoining East Rajasthan, it said. It said maximum temperatures are in the range 43-45 degrees Celsius over some parts of north Rajasthan, south Haryana, Delhi, north Madhya Pradesh and southeast Madhya Pradesh; in the range 41-43 degrees Celsius over many parts of Punjab, remaining parts of Haryana, Delhi south Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh; over some parts of west Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha, Telangana and south Interior Odisha. The weather office said hot and humid weather is very likely to prevail over isolated pockets of Bihar during June 2-4, Konkan & Goa on June 2-3; Odisha on June 5-6. Among other places in Haryana, Bhiwani recorded a high of 45.1 degrees Celsius while Rohtak recorded a high of 44.2 degrees. Ambala recorded a maximum of 42.3 degrees Celsius, Hisar registered a high of 42.7 degrees Celsius while Gurugram and Faridabad registered 42.5 degrees Celsius and 43.9 degrees Celsius, respectively. Chandigarh recorded a high of 42.4 degrees Celsius. In Punjab, Bathinda reeled at a maximum of 45.1 degrees Celsius. Amritsar recorded a high of 43.5 degrees Celsius, Ludhiana 42.2 degrees Celsius while Patiala's maximum settled at 42.6 degrees Celsius. Gurdaspur recorded a high of 43.4 degrees Celsius while Faridkot's maximum settled at 42.5 degrees Celsius. The heat wave conditions persisted in Jammu which recorded the maximum temperature at 41.6 degrees Celsius, 2.2 notches above the season's average, the meteorological department said. However, the day temperature in Jammu was 1.3 degrees Celsius less than that of the previous day, a spokesperson of the Met department said, adding that the city may witness relief from the prevailing conditions after June 4. He said hot and dry weather over the plains of Jammu division is likely to continue till June 4. After that during the next three days, Jammu may see light to moderate rain or thunder in many places with gusty winds in a few places. The weather is likely to remain partly cloudy on June 8 and 9, the spokesperson said. He said Katra, the base camp for pilgrims visiting Mata Vaishno Devi shrine atop Trikuta hills in Reasi district, recorded a high of 38.8 degrees Celsius and a low of 24.8 degrees Celsius. Srinagar, on the other hand, recorded a maximum of 30.3 degrees Celsius against 27.5 degrees Celsius the previous day, the spokesperson said, adding the day temperature in the city was four degrees above normal.

Punjab Sees Decrease in Voter Turnout in 2023 Lok Sabha Elections

Punjab Sees Decrease in Voter Turnout in 2023 Lok Sabha Elections Punjab witnessed a voter turnout of 62.80% in the 2023 Lok Sabha elections, reflecting a dip from the 65.96% recorded in 2019. The state's Chief Electoral Office revealed that Bathinda logged the highest turnout at 69.36%, whereas Amritsar registered the lowest at 56.06%. Despite aiming for over 70% turnout in the 2024 elections, the state saw lower participation levels. Of the 2.14 crore eligible voters, 1.35 crore exercised their franchise. Notably, 71.41 lakh men (63.27%) and 63.36 lakh women (62.28%) voted, along with 280 third-gender individuals. Prominent candidates included BJP's Preneet Kaur and Sushil Rinku, SAD's Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Congress's Charanjit Singh Channi, and Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring. The detailed results illustrate varied participation across constituencies, with Gurdaspur, Ferozepur, and Patiala showing notably higher turnout rates.

Punjab's Voter Turnout Drops in 2024 Lok Sabha Polls

Punjab's Voter Turnout Drops in 2024 Lok Sabha Polls Punjabs voter turnout saw a decline to 56.63 percent as voters headed to the polls in the seventh phase of Lok Sabha elections on Saturday. Despite the searing heat, the enthusiasm of the electorate remained intact, with Chief Electoral Officer Sibin C commending voter participation. The 2024 turnout fell short compared to the 65.96 percent turnout recorded in 2019, and data compilation is still underway. Election officials noted that the polling, which began at 7 am and closed at 6 pm, proceeded peacefully across the state. Bathinda recorded the highest turnout at 61.92 percent, while Amritsar saw the lowest at 50.33 percent. Amidst tight security arrangements, essential amenities were provided to voters. Notable political figures, including Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and state BJP chief Sunil Jakhar, were among those who cast their votes early in the day.

Punjab and Chandigarh Polls: High Voter Turnout Marks Election Day

Punjab and Chandigarh Polls: High Voter Turnout Marks Election Day High voter turnout marked the election day in Punjab and Chandigarh, with a significant 46.38 per cent turnout until 3 pm across 13 Lok Sabha constituencies in Punjab, and 52.61 per cent in Chandigarh. Polling commenced at 7 am amidst stringent security measures and is scheduled to close at 6 pm. Gurdaspur led with 49.10 per cent, followed by Bathinda at 48.95 per cent, per official data. Pious participation included Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, and former cricketer Harbhajan Singh. The polling procedure witnessed a few technical hiccups, such as an EVM malfunction in Muktsar's Khuddian village. In response to the heatwave, officials facilitated drinking water, shaded areas, and medical kits at polling stations. Among prominent candidates, former CM Charanjit Singh Channi is vying for a seat, alongside BJP nominees Preneet Kaur and Harsimrat Badal. Despite the INDIA bloc allies Congress and AAP contesting separately, the polling day was largely peaceful with active voter participation.

Voting picks up pace in Punjab; Chandigarh records 40 pc

Chandigarh, June 1 (IANS) Punjab, where voting is underway for 13 Lok Sabha seats, registered 37.80 per cent polling by 1 p.m., a spike from 9.64 per cent in the first two hours, while Chandigarh saw voter turnout of 40.14 per cent on Saturday. At 41.17 per cent, Bathinda constituency recorded the highest voter turnout []

Here are the 57 Seats of LS polls phase seven you need to know

Odisha | Total seats 21 Seats in 7 th Phase 6 Over 99.61 lakh voters will decide the fate of 460 candidates in six Lok Sabha seats and 42 assembly segments in Odisha. A straight fight is expected between the ruling BJD and the opposition BJP in the coastal region, where voting will be held from 7 am to 6 pm in Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur. Sixty six candidates are in fray in the LS seats and 394 candidates will contest the assembly segments. A total of 50.88 lakh men, 48.72 lakh women and 687 transgender persons are eligible to cast their votes. Bihar | Total seats 40 Seats in 7 th Phase 8 More than 1.6 crore voters will decide the fate of 134 candidates when eight seats go to polls. Several high profile candidates are in the fray Patna Sahib, which covers the state capital, Patliputra that comprises the rural outskirts, Arrah, Karakat, Jehanabad, Buxar, Nalanda and Jehanabad. Stakes are particularly high for the BJP as it seeks to retain five of these seats, which made up for more than a quarter of its state-wide tally of 17. Union minister RK Singh is aiming at a hat-trick from Arrah, where his principal challenger is CPI(ML) MLA Sudama Prasad. Chandigarh| Total seats 1 Seats in 7 th Phase 1 In Chandigarh, BJP candidate Sanjay Tandon is pitted against Congress nominee and former Union minister Manish Tewari. As many as 19 candidates, including two women, are fighting the poll in Chandigarh. It is for the first time that the Congress is fighting the polls in Chandigarh in an alliance with the AAP. The BJP and the SAD are not in alliance this time. There are 6,59,805 voters 3,18,226 women and 35 third gender. Punjab| Total seats 13 Seats in 7 th Phase 13 Punjab is witnessing a multi-cornered contest in all the 13 Lok Sabha seats. The INDIA bloc allies Congress and AAP are contesting the polls separately while the BJP and SAD are fighting on their own for the first time since 1996. Besides these parties, SAD (A) and the BSP have also fielded their candidates. Among the prominent faces, BJP nominee and four-time MP Preneet Kaur is seeking reelection from the Patiala seat. Three-time MP and SADs Harsimrat Kaur Badal and BJPs Parampal Kaur Sidhu, a former IAS officer, are trying their luck from Bathinda while former CM and Congress candidate Channi and BJPs Sushil Rinku are in fray from Jalandhar. Himachal Pradesh| Total seats 4 4 Thirty-seven candidates are in fray for four LS seats and 25 nominees will contest six assembly bypolls in Himachal Pradesh on June 1. The high-pitched campaign in the hill state, filled with rancour and insinuations, ended with two rallies of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at Badsar and Mandi and a roadshow of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra at Solan on Thursday. Due to the assembly bypolls, local issues dominated the campaigning. BJPs Mandi LS candidate Kangna Ranaut and Congress Vikramaditya Singh hogged the limelight due to their controversial remarks. Jharkhand| Total seats 14 Seats in 7 th Phase 3 Over 53.23 lakh voters will cast their votes to choose from 52 candidates in three LS seats in the Santhal Pargana region of Jharkhand. Nineteen candidates each are in fray in Dumka and Godda, while Rajmahal has 14 contestants. In Dumka, BJP candidate Sita Soren will lock horns with INDIA blocs Nalin Soren. Rajmahal will see a triangular fight as JMMs Borio legislator Lobin Hembrom is contesting the seat as an Independent candidate against sitting JMM MP Vijay Hansdak. Godda is set for a direct fight between the BJPs three-time MP Nishikant Dubey and Congresss Pradip Yadav. West bengal | Total seats 42 Seats in 7 th Phase 9 South Bengal, a traditional TMC stronghold, faces a significant electoral battle testing the partys dominance amid an old versus new power struggle, with the national spotlight on Sandeshkhali in Basirhat due to allegations of atrocities on women and land grabs. The final phase will cover Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Jayanagar, Mathurapur, Diamond Harbour, Jadavpur, Kolkata Dakshin, and Kolkata Uttar, where the TMC secured win in 2019. The results in the 9 seats will be a key for TMC, seeking to maintain its grip amidst challenges from the BJP and the Left-Congress alliance. Uttar pradesh | Total seats 80 Seats in 7 th Phase 13 Along with 13 LS seats, bypoll for the Duddhi (ST) assembly seat in Sonbhadra district will also be held on Saturday. UP will see a direct contest between the NDA and INDIA bloc members SP and Congress. Besides Modi, who is a seeking a third term from Varanasi, there are 143 candidates in fray. Among the prominent seats are Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Chandauli, Maharajganj and Mirzapur (from where Union ministers Mahendra Nath Pandey, Pankaj Chaudhary and Anupriya Patel are contesting), Ghazipur where the late Mukhtar Ansaris brother is in fray and Ballia where former PM Chandrashekhars son Neeraj Shekhar is fielded.

Punjab's Final Phase Lok Sabha Elections Witness High Stakes

Punjab's Final Phase Lok Sabha Elections Witness High Stakes Polling began on Saturday morning for 13 Lok Sabha constituencies in Punjab and the lone Chandigarh seat in the seventh and final phase of parliamentary elections. Amid tight security arrangements, polling began at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm, said the officials. INDIA bloc allies -- the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) -- are contesting separately while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) are contesting the Lok Sabha polls on their own for the first time since 1996. The Sukhbir Badal-led SAD walked out of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in 2020 over the now-repealed three farm laws. Besides the Congress, AAP, SAD and the BJP, two other parties -- SAD (Amritsar) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) -- have also fielded their candidates. Punjab is going to witness a multi-cornered contest on all the 13 Lok Sabha seats. The AAP, Congress, SAD, BJP, BSP and the SAD (Amritsar) are contesting in all the constituencies of Punjab. However, the Congress and the AAP have forged an alliance in Chandigarh. Among the prominent faces, BJP nominee and four-time MP Preneet Kaur is seeking reelection from the Patiala parliamentary constituency. Three-time MP and SAD's Harsimrat Kaur Badal and BJP's Parampal Kaur Sidhu, a former IAS officer, are trying their luck from Bathinda. Former chief minister and Congress candidate Channi and BJP nominee Sushil Rinku are in the fray from the Jalandhar reserved constituency. Former deputy chief minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa is fighting from Gurdaspur. Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring is contesting against BJP's Ravneet Singh Bittu from Ludhiana. Radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh, who is lodged in Assam's Dibrugarh jail under the National Security Act (NSA), is fighting from Khadoor Sahib. Former diplomat and BJP nominee Taranjit Singh Sandhu is fighting from Amritsar while Congress candidate Gurjeet Singh Aujla is contesting to retain this seat. Of all its 13 candidates, the AAP has fielded five cabinet ministers -- Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal (Amritsar), Laljit Singh Bhullar (Khadoor Sahib), Gurmeet Singh Khuddian (Bathinda), Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer (Sangrur) and Balbir Singh (Patiala). Congress candidate Sukhpal Khaira is contesting from Sangrur while AAP's Karamjit Singh Anmol and BJP's Hans Raj Hans are in the fray from the Faridkot seat. SAD (Amritsar) chief Simranjit Singh Mann is contesting from Sangrur and Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa, who is the son of Beant Singh, one of the two assassins of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, is contesting from the Faridkot reserved constituency. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress bagged eight of the 13 Lok Sabha seats. The SAD and the BJP, then fighting as allies, won two seats each. The AAP got just the Sangrur seat then. Following the 2022 Sangrur and 2023 Jalandhar bypolls, the Congress is left with seven seats, the SAD and the BJP have two each and the AAP and the SAD (Amritsar) one each. In Chandigarh, BJP candidate Sanjay Tandon is pitted against Congress nominee and former Union minister Manish Tewari. A total of 328 candidates, including 26 women, are in the fray in Punjab while 19 candidates comprising two women are fighting the elections in Chandigarh, the officials said. Drinking water, shades, 'chabeel' (sweetened water), medical kits, oral rehydration solution (ORS) and the likes have been arranged at polling stations in the wake of the heat wave, said the officials. A total of 2,14,61,739 voters including 1,01,74,240 women and 773 transgenders are eligible to cast their votes in Punjab. In Chandigarh, 6,59,805 voters comprising 3,18,226 women and 35 third gender are eligible to exercise their franchise. For the 13 Lok Sabha seats, a total of 24,451 polling stations have been set up. Out of these, 5,694 polling stations have been identified as critical. Around 70,000 security personnel including central forces have been deployed in 13 Lok Sabha seats on Saturday, said the officials. Besides, 1.20 lakh polling staff have been deployed for the polling in the state.

Harsimrat Kaur Badal fights against odds to defend Bathinda fortress

CHANDIGARH: As 57-year-old Harsimrat Kaur Badal, daughter-in-law of Shiromani Akali Dal patriarch late Parkash Singh Badal, seeks her fourth consecutive win from Punjabs Bathinda Lok Sabha constituency, the odds appear to be stacked against her. Its a high-stakes multi-cornered contest this time as the Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress, both INDIA bloc partners, are fighting separately in Punjab. It is also the first Lok Sabha election after SAD broke away from the NDA fold in 2020. Among Harsimrats opponents is the formidable Gurmeet Singh Khuddian of the AAP. The 61-year-old politician is the agriculture minister in the Bhagwant Mann government in Punjab. He had defeated the five-time CM and 11- time MLA late Parkash Badal from his bastion Lambi in the 2022 Assembly election, which earned him the moniker giant slayer. Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu of the Congress, Parampal Kaur Sidhu of the BJP Bharatiya Janata Party, and Lakhvir Singh allias Lakha Sidhana, 45, of Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) are the Harsimrats other opponents. However, AAP wields the biggest threat as it represents all the nine Assembly seats under the Bathinda LS constituency, which has 16.48 lakh voters. With rivals trying to breach SA Ds Bathinda fortress, can Harsimrat hold it? SAD has been out of power in Punjab for the past seven years and the decision to leave the NDA has further dented its clout. So, keeping the Bathinda stronghold is crucial for its survival. Harsimrats husband and SA D chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, the partys Ferozepur MP, is sitting out this time but is at the forefront of campaigning. This election, the first since the death of his father, also will be a test of his leadership acumen. In her speeches, Harsimrat highlights the development works done by her party while in power. The problem is, the BJP candidate too claims credit for all big projects, saying they happened because of the saffron party-led government at the Centre. But Harsimrats biggest attack is against the AA P and the Congress, saying they have not laid even a brick of development, and urges people to vote for actual performance not false promises. Khuddian, on the other hand, seeks votes on the Mann governments good works. He highlights the governments free electricity scheme and the setting up of over 800 aam aadmi clinics across the state. As for the BJPs Parampal Kaur Sidhu, she claims the other parties have betrayed the people. Now people have expectations only from the BJP, she says.

Bathinda constituency of Punjab Lok Sabha Election 2024: Date of voting, result, candidates list, main parties, schedule

Im sure to get more votes than last time: SAD MP from Bathinda Harsimrat Kaur Badal

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I'm sure to get more votes than last time: SAD MP from Bathinda Harsimrat Kaur Badal

I'm sure to get more votes than last time: SAD MP from Bathinda Harsimrat Kaur Badal Shiromani Akali Dal MP and candidate from Bathinda Lok Sabha seat, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, on Thursday exuded confidence in winning the general elections with a larger margin as compared to the previous elections. Hitting out at the opposition, Harsimrat said that the people are disappointed with Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), adding that in the last seven years they have made promises but never fulfilled them. In the last 7 years, Congress and the AAP alliance have made promises but never fulfilled them. People are disappointed with this alliance. During the Akali Dal government, they were getting the benefits of schemes. Now, people are feeling cheated, she said. AAP was formed two years ago. The people have seen Congress and the AAP. The BJP is not even getting the chance to campaign in the villages. I am sure that I will get more votes than the last time, the SAD leader added. Highlighting the work done by the SAD government, Harsimrat said, When I became an MP, I worked for development. However, in the past 7 years under the government of the AAP and Congress alliance, they have not even put a brick anywhere. We made AIIMS, however; they are taking pride in opening Mohalla clinics. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal earlier expressed confidence in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) winning all 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab and claimed that people are agitated with the BJP due to rising prices and unemployment. I think we are going to win all 13 seats in Punjab. In two years of our tenure, we made electricity free and we are making good schools, hospitals, and Mohalla clinics, and providing employment. People are very happy about this, so we should be getting 13 seats, Kejriwal told ANI. Both AAP and Congress are part of the INDIA bloc but have no alliance in Punjab. This time the BJP, which used to be an ally of the SAD, has also fielded its candidate from the Bathinda parliamentary constituency. Key candidates for the Bathinda Lok Sabha constituency include Harsimrat Kaur Badal (SAD), Jeet Mohinder Singh (Congress), Gurmeet Singh Khudian (AAP) and former IAS officer Parampal Kaur Sidhu from the BJP. The voting in 13 seats in Punjab, along with the union territory of Chandigarh, is being held in a single phase on June 1. The counting of votes will be done on June 4. In the 2019 elections, Congress emerged as the single-largest party in the state, winning eight out of 13 seats. The BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal won two seats each, while the Aam Aadmi Party could only win the lone seat in Sangrur. (ANI)

Scorching Heat Wave Breaks Records Across India

Scorching Heat Wave Breaks Records Across India Large parts of northern and central India remained in the grip of a sweltering heat wave on Wednesday with the maximum temperature in the national capital soaring to a 79-year high. While Delhi's primary weather station Safdarjung observatory recorded a maximum of 46.8 degrees Celsius, the weather officials in the city were left baffled when Mungeshpur reported 52.9 degrees prompting the IMD to examine the automatic weather station in the locality for possible errors in its sensors. Cities and towns across Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh sizzled at maximum temperatures in excess of 47 degrees Celsius with Rohtak and Prayagraj logging 48.8 degrees, the highest temperatures recorded in the country on Wednesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. According to the IMD, both Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh and Rohtak in Haryana broke records for the highest maximum temperature ever recorded for the month. Prayagraj had clocked a maximum of 48.4 degrees Celsius on May 30, 1994. For Rohtak, the previous all-time high maximum was 47.2 degrees on June 6, 1995. But, it was the maximum temperature of 52.9 degrees Celsius in Mungeshpur, a densely populated locality amid fields and open spaces on the fringes of the national capital that left weather scientists flummoxed. ''It looks abnormal and it is an outlier when compared with other weather stations in the national capital region,'' IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said in a statement. Earth Sciences Minister Kiren Rijiju also directed the IMD to verify the weather station in Mungeshpur for possible errors as the maximum temperatures had witnessed a slight decline on Wednesday from the 49.9 degrees recorded at three weather stations in the national capital. The weather office has said the heat wave conditions were likely to abate over the next couple of days due to a western disturbance, rainfall, thunderstorms and moist south-westerly winds blowing from the Arabian Sea to northwest India. Una, one of the entry points for Himachal Pradesh, logged a maximum temperature of 46 degrees Celsius, breaking the previous record of 45.2 degrees observed on May 24, 2013. Karwar in coastal Karnataka also recorded a maximum temperature of 38 degrees, the hottest in May in the state. The previous record for 37.6 degrees was on May 5, 2022. Amid intense heat wave conditions in the state, the Bihar government ordered the closure of all private and government-run schools, coaching institutes and anganwadi centres until June 8. The decision came in response to reports of several students fainting due to extreme heat wave conditions. Incidents of students fainting were reported from Sheikhpura, Begusarai, East Champaran, and other regions due to the scorching heat. Meanwhile, the IMD has forecast that heat wave conditions are expected to persist for another three or four days in the state. Officials from the Bihar Disaster Management Department advised people to avoid heat exposure, stay cool, and prevent dehydration. In Haryana, intense heat prevailed in Hisar, which recorded a maximum temperature of 48.5 degrees Celsius. Mahendragarh recorded a high of 48.3 degrees Celsius while Sirsa sweltered at 48.2 degrees. Extremely hot weather conditions also prevailed in Jhajjar and Faridabad, which recorded respective maximums of 48.4 degrees Celsius and 48 degrees Celsius. Ambala recorded a high of 44.3 degrees and Karnal 42.2 degrees. Meanwhile, Rohtak and Hisar received light showers in the evening, providing temporary respite from the sizzling weather. In Punjab, Bathinda was the hottest with a high of 48.5 degrees Celsius. The mercury reached 46.1 degrees Celsius in both Ludhiana and Pathankot. Faridkot recorded a high of 46 degrees Celsius, Amritsar 45.8 degrees, Patiala 45.7 degrees, and Gurdaspur 44.5 degrees. Intense heat conditions also prevailed in Rajasthan despite the maximum temperatures falling by one to three degrees Celsius. Pilani town in Jhunjhunu district was recorded as the hottest place in the state with 48.2 degrees Celsius, followed by Churu, where the day temperature was 47.7 degrees Celsius.

Scorching Heat Wave Grips Haryana and Punjab

Scorching Heat Wave Grips Haryana and Punjab The ongoing heat wave conditions in Haryana and Punjab continued unabated on Wednesday, with the mercury soaring to 48.8 degrees Celsius in Rohtak. Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, also sweltered, recording the hottest day of the season so far at a maximum of 46 degrees Celsius. According to the meteorological department here, while blistering heat swept Rohtak in Haryana, among other places in the state, intense heat also prevailed in Hisar, which recorded a maximum temperature of 48.5 degrees Celsius. Mahendragarh recorded a high of 48.3 degrees Celsius while Sirsa sweltered at 48.2 degrees Celsius. Extremely hot weather conditions also prevailed in Jhajjar and Faridabad, which recorded respective maximums of 48.4 degrees Celsius and 48 degrees Celsius. Ambala recorded a high of 44.3 degrees Celsius and Karnal 42.2 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, Rohtak and Hisar received light showers in the evening, providing temporary respite from the sizzling weather. In Punjab, Bathinda was the hottest with a high of 48.5 degrees Celsius. The mercury reached 46.1 degrees Celsius in both Ludhiana and Pathankot. Faridkot recorded a high of 46 degrees Celsius, Amritsar 45.8 degrees Celsius, Patiala 45.7 degrees Celsius, and Gurdaspur 44.5 degrees Celsius.

Why is he campaigning in Punjab : BJP questions kejriwal over extension of interim bail

Why is he campaigning in Punjab : BJP questions kejriwal over extension of interim bail Delhi Bhartiya Janata Party President Virendraa Sachdeva on Tuesday took a jibe at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for seeking interim bail extension on medical grounds and questioned Kejriwal that if he is so concerned about his health, then why is he taking part in election rallies in Punjab. Virendraa Sachdeva said, You (Arvind Kejriwal) have asked for an extension of your interim bail from the Supreme Court. You have asked for an extension of your bail to conduct the medical tests for seven days. We are worried about your health too and have consulted a doctor. He said that all the tests can be done in one day only. Then why do you need seven days? Sachdeva added further, It's my request to you that if you have serious health problems, as you claim, then what are you doing in the election campaigns in Punjab? You should take care of your health. Along with your family, we are also worried about your health. If you are not well then what are you doing in Punjab? The Delhi BJP President in a video also offered help to Kejriwal in getting all his tests done in one day and requested him to stop campaigning and take a rest if he is really sick. You should come back to Delhi. I will take you for the tests and by the evening, the reports will also come. I request you to worry about your health because your name is there in every scam... And investigation into these will continue from time to time. And I want him to stay safe till that investigation is completed so that he can see how much he has looted Delhi. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has requested a seven-day extension of his interim bail to undergo several medical tests, including a PET-CT scan, due to sudden and unexplained weight loss and elevated ketone levels, which suggest potential kidney issues, severe cardiac conditions, or even cancer. Expressing concerns over his weight loss, Kejriwal on Monday had said that he filed a petition in the Supreme Court for the extension of his interim bail for seven more days as he might be facing some serious medical condition for which he needs time to get the medical tests done. The Supreme Court has granted interim bail to Arvind Kejriwal until June 1. Addressing a press conference in Bathinda, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said, My weight has fallen a lot. If a person's weight falls by 7 kg in a month without any reason, then it is a very serious problem. So the doctors have prescribed several tests. I have asked for 7 days so that I can get all my tests done within a week. There could be some serious disease going on inside. The doctors said that if all the tests are done, then at least we will know whether some serious disease is going on inside or not. However, the Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to allow an urgent hearing of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's plea, stating that the Chief Justice of India would take a call on Kejriwal's application. (ANI)

Countrys freedom, Constitution, democracy in danger: Kejriwal targets BJP

Bathinda, May 26: Delhi Chief Minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday attacked the BJP, saying the country's freedom, Constitution and democracy are in danger and called upon Punjabis to once again be at the forefront to save the nation. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader said the people of Punjab played a big [] The post Countrys freedom, Constitution, democracy in danger: Kejriwal targets BJP appeared first on Northlines .

INTERNATIONAL THYROID DAY: Thyroid disease often goes undetected: expert

Bathinda: If your thyroid becomes damaged, almost every cell in your body will be affected. Thyroid hormones affect everything from breathing, heart rate, and body temperature to digestion and muscle contraction. Dr. Sushil Kotru director department of endocrinology & diabetes at Max Hospital, Bathinda said on Saturday that hyperthyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland is [] The post INTERNATIONAL THYROID DAY: Thyroid disease often goes undetected: expert appeared first on Northlines .

Intense heat wave sweeps Haryana, Punjab; Mahendragarh sizzles at 47 degrees

Haryana and Punjab are in the grip of intense heat wave conditions with Mahendragarh recording the highest temperature of 47 degrees Celsius. Various cities like Rohtak, Hisar, Ambala, Karnal, Sirsa, Gurugram, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Pathankot, Bathinda, Faridkot, and Gurdaspur are experiencing high temperatures, as per the Meteorological Department.

Heatwave Grips Haryana and Punjab: Temperatures Soar Above 47C

Heatwave Grips Haryana and Punjab: Temperatures Soar Above 47C Haryana and Punjab continued to remain in the grip of intense heat wave conditions, with maximum temperatures hovering above normal limits on Sunday. Mahendragarh in Haryana sizzled, recording the maximum temperature of 47 degrees Celsius. Rohtak and Hisar sweltered recording maximum temperatures of 46.7 degrees and 46 degrees Celsius, respectively. Ambala recorded a high of 44.8 degrees, Karnal 43.7 degrees, Sirsa 46.8 degrees while sizzling heat wave swept Gurugram at 45.8 degrees Celsius, according to the Meteorological Department. Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, was also under the influence of intense hot weather conditions. The maximum temperature here settled at 44.5 degrees Celsius. In Punjab, Amritsar recorded the maximum temperature of 45.2 degrees Celsius. Ludhiana recorded the maximum of 44.8 degrees, while Patiala 45.7, Pathankot 44.5, Bathinda 45.2, Faridkot 44 and Gurdaspur 44.5 degrees. According to the MeT Department, heat wave to severe heat wave conditions are likely to continue in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh during May 26-29.

Shashi Tharoor Warns of Democracy's Peril Under BJP Rule

Amritsar: Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has criticized the BJP, warning that if the party returns to power at the Centre, it could endanger democracy in the country. Speaking to reporters during his visit to the state to campaign for former Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi, who is contesting from the Jalandhar Lok Sabha constituency as a Congress candidate, Tharoor emphasized the need to prevent the BJP from regaining power. Democracy will be at risk if the BJP forms the government again. To safeguard the nation, we must prevent the BJP from returning to power at the Centre. That's why I urge voters to support Charanjit Singh Channi, Tharoor stated.Tharoor accused the BJP of attempting to divide voters along religious lines. The BJP is fostering divisions based on religion and caste. Communities that coexisted harmoniously before are now being fragmented by the BJP, he remarked. He also alleged that the BJP has undermined the country's democratic institutions. The BJP has compromised various democratic institutions. Independent bodies intended to function impartially have been pressured and co-opted by the BJP. Media outlets critical of the government have faced scrutiny from central investigative agencies. We are living in a society where freedom of speech is under threat, Tharoor lamented.Charanjit Singh Channi is contesting against AAP candidate Pawan Kumar Tinu and SAD candidate Mohinder Singh Kaypee in the 2024 elections for the Jalandhar constituency. In Punjab, voting for all 13 seats will occur in a single phase, with the seventh and final phase scheduled for June 1, covering constituencies such as Ludhiana, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Khadoor Sahib, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Nandpur Sahib, Fatehgarh Sahib, Faridkot, Firozpur, Bathinda, Sangrur, and Patiala. Acharya Pramod Krishnam Predicts Opposition Division Post-June 4 Cyclone Remal to Intensify, Expected to Hit Bangladesh and West Bengal Tonight Deadly Fire in Krishna Nagar: Three Lives Lost and Ten Injured

Alert sounded as sweltering heatwave ravages parts of Rajasthan, toll 14

NEW DELHI : Rajasthan is currently grappling with a severe heatwave that has tragically claimed the lives of 12 people over the past two days, up from nine fatalities reported just a day earlier. The deaths have occurred in the districts of Barmer, Balotra, Jalore, and Bhilwara. On Friday, a mother and son succumbed to the heat in Pali district, highlighting the dire conditions residents of the desert state are facing. This tragic news follows a record-breaking temperature of 49 degrees Celsius in Phalodi on Friday and 48.8 degrees Celsius recorded in Barmer on Thursday, the second-highest temperature in 28 years. The highest maximum temperature of 49.9 degrees was recorded in Barmer in 1995. Although there was a slight drop on Friday, temperatures remained perilously high at 48.2 degrees Celsius in the district. The Meteorological Department has issued a red alert due to the forecast of severe heat in many districts of the state for the next three days, warning that temperatures in some cities could rise to 49 to 50 degrees Celsius. On Thursday, intense heatwave conditions were recorded at most places in Western Rajasthan and some places in Eastern Rajasthan. Official data showed that at least 23 places in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh recorded maximum temperatures of 45 degrees Celsius or above on Friday. The extreme heat will continue in parts of Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, west Uttar Pradesh, and west Madhya Pradesh until May 28. This means thousands of voters may face scorching temperatures when they step out to exercise their franchise in the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Saturday. Around 11.43 crore people are eligible to vote in the sixth phase during which polling will be held in 58 seats spread across eight states and Union territories. Maximum temperatures settled at 45.4 degrees in Haryanas Sirsa, 44.8 degrees in Punjabs Bathinda, and 45.5 degrees in Gujarats Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar. The Met office issued a red warning for Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, west Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat, emphasizing a very high likelihood of heat illness and heatstroke.

AAP leaders sitting in Delhi controlling Punjab, CM cannot take a single decision: PM Modi

AAP leaders sitting in Delhi controlling Punjab, CM cannot take a single decision: PM Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday alleged that the Punjab government is being controlled by top leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) sitting, adding that the Chief Minister of state cannot make a single decision on his own. Addressing a public rally in Punjab's Gurdaspur, said that 'Durbaris' of Delhi are governing Punjab. Unfortunately, Punjab is being governed via remote control. The Durbaris of Delhi are governing Punjab. The CM of Punjab cannot make a single decision on his own... The CM had to go to Tihar Jail to take new orders to run his government... After 1st June, the corrupt will go to jail again. Will the Punjab government function from the jail again? PM Modi said. He further attacked Congress and said that Congress's 'royal family' removed Amarinder Singh from CM's post when he refused to obey orders When Congress was in power in Punjab, Congress wanted to run the government of Punjab through remote control. But Captain Amarinder Singh refused to obey the orders of the 'Shehzada' of Delhi (Rahul Gandhi). He gave priority to national security being a border state. The result was that the royal family of Congress and the 'Shehzada' removed him from the post of Chief Minister. Can anyone ever forget this insult to Punjab?, he said. He further said that INDIA boc people are a great danger to the security of the country. They are talking about reintroducing Article 370 in Kashmir. They want terrorism back in Kashmir. They want to hand over Kashmir to separatists again. They will send messages of friendship to Pakistan again. They will send roses to Pakistan. Pakistan will carry out bomb blasts. There will be terrorist attacks on the country. Congress will say, we have to talk no matter what. For this, Congress has already started creating an atmosphere. Their leaders are saying, Pakistan has an atomic bomb. Their people are saying, we'll have to live in fear of Pakistan. These INDI alliance people are speaking Pakistan's language, he added. The Prime Minister further said that the problem with Congress is that it has no faith in India. The scions of Congress tarnish the country's image when they go abroad. They say that India is not a nation. Therefore, they want to change the nation's identity. The mentor of the scions has said that the construction of the Ram temple and celebrating Ram Navami in the country threatens the identity of India, he said. Emphasizing the need for rapid development, PM Modi assured the people of Gurdaspur, Punjab, and the entire country of his unwavering commitment to their progress and prosperity. He said, Punjab's development is Modi's priority. The BJP government is building highways like the Delhi-Katra highway and the Amritsar-Pathankot highway here. BJP is developing railway facilities here, he said. Our effort is to create new opportunities in Punjab, to benefit the farmers. In the last 10 years, we have procured record amounts of rice and wheat across Punjab. The MSP, which was fixed during the Congress government, has been increased by two and a half times. Farmers are receiving PM Kisan Samman Nidhi for seeds, fertilizers, and other necessities, PM Modi added. In Punjab, voting for its 13 seats will take place in a single phase, with the seventh and final phase on June 1 seeing voting in Gurudaspur, Amritsar, Khadoor Sahib, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Nandpur Sahib, Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib, Faridkot, Firozpur, Bathinda, Sangrur, and Patiala constituencies. (ANI)

Scorching Heatwave in India: A Crisis Affecting Lives, Elections, and Economy

Scorching Heatwave in India: A Crisis Affecting Lives, Elections, and Economy The mercury surged to 49 degrees Celsius in Rajasthan's Phalodi -- the highest temperature recorded in the country this year -- as a sweltering heat wave stewed northwest India and some parts of the central region on Friday. Official data showed that at least 23 places in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh recorded maximum temperatures of 45 degrees Celsius or above on Friday. The extreme heat will continue in parts of Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, west Uttar Pradesh and west Madhya Pradesh until May 28. This means thousands of voters may face scorching temperatures when they step out to exercise their franchise in the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Saturday. Around 11.43 crore people are eligible to vote in the sixth phase during which polling will be held in 58 seats spread across eight states and Union territories. In Rajasthan, Phalodi logged a maximum temperature of 49 degrees Celsius on Friday, the highest recorded so far this year. Jaisalmer and Barmer in the desert state sizzled at 48.3 degrees and 48.2 degrees. Akola and Jalgaon in Maharashtra reached 45.8 degrees and 45.4 degrees. Madhya Pradesh's Ratlam and Rajgarh recorded a high of 46.2 degrees and 46.3 degrees. Maximum temperatures settled at 45.4 degrees in Haryana's Sirsa, 44.8 degrees in Punjab's Bathinda, and 45.5 degrees in Gujarat's Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar. The Met office issued a 'red' warning for Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, west Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, emphasising a ''very high likelihood'' of heat illness and heatstroke in all ages. It said warm night conditions could further exacerbate heat-related stress in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and Rajasthan over the next four days. High night temperatures are considered dangerous because the body doesn't get a chance to cool down. Increasing nighttime heat is more common in cities because of the urban heat island effect, in which metro areas are significantly hotter than their surroundings. The punishing heat is straining power grids and drying up water bodies, triggering drought-like conditions in parts of the country. According to the Central Water Commission, water storage in 150 major reservoirs in India plunged to their lowest level in five years last week, exacerbating water shortages in many states and significantly affecting hydropower generation. Water levels in the Delhi stretch of the Yamuna River have dropped amid the sweltering heat, affecting water supply. The city also saw power demand reaching a record 8,000 megawatts on Wednesday, with air conditioners, coolers, and refrigerators in homes and offices running at full throttle. Severe and frequent heat waves are further burdening low-income households in the country, which often have poor access to water and cooling, and testing the endurance of outdoor workers toiling in the searing sun, forcing them to take frequent breaks. Anna Walnycki of the London-based International Institute for Environment and Development said: ''Low-income households have limited capacity to adapt to extreme heat because of poor access to water and electricity. In addition, the design and construction of informal houses often mean there is poor ventilation and little shelter from extreme heat.'' Experts say outdoor workers, the elderly, and children are at higher risk of heat exhaustion and heatstroke. According to the World Health Organization, more than 1,66,000 people died as a result of heat waves between 1998 and 2017. India reported 3,812 deaths due to heat waves between 2015 and 2022, with Andhra Pradesh alone logging 2,419 fatalities, the government told Parliament in July last year. People are less productive during hot weather, and children struggle to learn. Shyamal Santra of the NGO Transform Rural India said studies show that students perform worse in tests when they experience a 'hot school year' compared to a 'cool school year'. ''With 15 per cent of government schools in India not having a functional electricity connection and many being single-classroom schools, heat waves disproportionately affect rural educational outcomes,'' he said. In the absence of adequate cold-chain infrastructure, extreme heat can cause major damage to fresh produce. Studies show India faces food losses worth USD 13 billion a year, with only four per cent of fresh produce covered by cold chain facilities. According to a World Bank report, India could account for 34 million of the projected 80 million global job losses from heat stress-associated productivity decline by 2030. With 75 per cent of workers in India experiencing heat-related stress, lost labour from rising heat and humidity could result in a loss of up to 4.5 per cent of India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (equivalent to approximately USD 150-250 billion) by the end of this decade, according to a report by the McKinsey Global Institute.

Punjab: Bathinda police recover Rs 1.2 crore from man in bus

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Max Healthcare to widen reach via acquisitions, says Abhay Soi

Max Healthcare, a leading Indian hospital chain, is assessing acquisition opportunities in tier-2 and tier-3 cities, primarily funded through internal accruals and debt. The company's chairman and managing director, Abhay Soi, believes there is great opportunity in these areas. Max Healthcare currently has a presence in Mohali, Bathinda, Dehradun, Lucknow, and Nagpur. The company is comfortable raising debt funding of up to 2.5 times the earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) if there are compelling acquisition opportunities.

Lok Sabha election 2024: Cotton attire, light food, lassi nominees find ways to beat the heat

Bathinda: With campaigning and heatwave picking up, politicians are finding the ways to cope with the rising mercury and reach out to the electorate in their constituencies. A change in campaign timings with afternoon breaks, regular supply of water to keep the candidates and party workers hydrated and holding indoor meetings are some of the [] The post Lok Sabha election 2024: Cotton attire, light food, lassi nominees find ways to beat the heat appeared first on Northlines .

Lok Sabha polls: PM Modi likely to kickstart electioneering in Punjab on May 23

Lok Sabha polls: PM Modi likely to kickstart electioneering in Punjab on May 23 Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Punjab for the BJP's election campaigning on May 23 and will extensively participate in the party's electioneering for two days. Speaking to ANI, Punjab BJP Secretary Rakesh Rathour said on Sunday that the Prime Minister will address three public rallies in Punjab on May 23 and 24. PM Modi will address a public rally in the second half of the day on May 23 in Patiala, followed by another rally the next day in Gurdaspur on May 24, Rathour said, adding that the Prime Minister will also address a public rally in Jalandhar on May 24 in the second half on Friday. Voting on the 13 seats in Punjab will take place on June 1. The schedule announcement comes days after Union Minister and senior BJP leader Hardeep Singh Puri asserted to bring Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Punjab's Ferozepur again as he recalled the security breach incident earlier in January 2022, due to which the PM's visit was called off midway. Puri said that the BJP is contesting all Lok Sabha seats in Punjab on its own for the first time after a long time and expressed confidence in the party receiving a positive response in the elections. According to government sources, earlier in March this year, the central government sought a detailed action-taken report from the Punjab government over the Prime Minister's security breach during his visit to the state on January 5, 2022. On January 5, 2022, the Prime Minister's convoy was held up at a flyover due to a blockade by protestors in Ferozepur, after which he returned from Punjab without attending any event, including a rally. An apex court committee, which enquired into a security lapse after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's convoy was held up on a flyover in Punjab on January 5, blamed a senior State police officer for failing to discharge his duty to maintain law and order despite the availability of sufficient personnel, the Supreme Court said. Seven Punjab cops including Bathinda SP were suspended for the security breach. (ANI)

328 candidates allotted election symbols for 13 LS seats in Punjab, including 169 independents: State chief electoral officer

328 candidates allotted election symbols for 13 LS seats in Punjab, including 169 independents: State chief electoral officer Punjab Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sibin C on Sunday said that 328 candidates contesting for 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab have been allotted election symbols by the District Election Officers as per the instructions of the Election Commission of India. He said that out of the total 328 candidates, 169 are independent candidates contesting this time. He further said that voters can check the details of all these candidates and their affidavits submitted to the Election Commission on the KYC app. Providing further details, CEO Sibin C said that 26 candidates are contesting from Gurdaspur, including 14 independents, while 30 candidates are contesting from Amritsar, out of which 18 are independents. Similarly, 27 candidates are in the fray from Khadoor Sahib, of which 18 are independents. There are 20 candidates in the fray from Jalandhar, including eight independents. A total of 16 candidates are contesting from Hoshiarpur, out of which four are independents. Out of the total 28 candidates from Anandpur Sahib, 13 are independents. Of the 43 candidates in Ludhiana, 26 are independents. Out of the total 14 candidates in Fatehgarh Sahib, seven are independents. Out of the total 28 candidates from Faridkot, 12 are independents. A total of 29 candidates, including 17 independents, are contesting from Ferozepur. Of the total 18 candidates from Bathinda, eight are independents. Out of 23 candidates in Sangrur, nine are independents, while 15 independent out of total 26 candidates are contesting from Patiala. He added that the election preparations are in the final stages and polling will be held on June 1 from 7 am to 6 pm. In Punjab, voting for its 13 seats will take place in a single phase. The seventh and final phase on June 1 will see voting in Gurudaspur, Amritsar, Khadoor Sahib, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Nandpur Sahib, Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib, Faridkot, Firozpur, Bathinda, Sangrur, and Patiala constituencies. The counting of votes will be held on June 4. (ANI)

Punjab cops arrest 3 for pro-Khalistan slogans

CHANDIGARH: In a coordinated effort, the Counter Intelligence of Bathinda and Bathinda Police arrested three operatives of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) for writing pro-Khalistan slogans on Tuesday. The graffiti were found at Jhandewalan Metro Station and Karol Bagh Metro Station in Delhi, and various locations in Bathinda, Punjab. One key operative was reportedly in direct contact with Gurpatwant Singh Pannun of SFJ and acted on his instructions in exchange for money. DGP Punjab, Gaurav Yadav, stated on Tuesday that the New York-based SFJ, led by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, is designated as an unlawful association by the Indian government. Recently, pro-Khalistani slogans appeared on the walls of the District Administrative Complex and Court Complex in Bathinda on April 24, and similar slogans were discovered at the aforementioned metro stations in Delhi on May 9. Yadav further revealed that the arrested individuals are Gogi Singh from Jeewan Singh Wala village in Bathinda, Johny from Jeon Singh Wala village in Talwandi Sabo, and Pritpal Singh from Doad village in Faridkot, who was brought on a production warrant from Bathinda Jail. Pritpal was also previously arrested for similar graffiti activities at Delhi Metro during the G-20 summit and at Bathinda Thermal Plant. The accused, Gogi Singh, was described by Yadav as a key operative who was directly in touch with Pannun and had carried out the graffiti under his guidance for monetary gain. Evidence including photos and videos of the slogans, along with three mobile phones, two dongle devices, an Aadhar Card, and an ATM card, were recovered from his possession. The investigation was conducted jointly by the Counter Intelligence Bathinda and Bathinda Police in a professional and scientific manner, according to Senior Superintendent of Police of Bathinda, Deepak Pareek. A case has been registered under section 153B of the IPC at Police Station Civil Lines, Bathinda. Task assigned by Pannun, Rs 50,000 paid Following technical leads, the police managed to apprehend Johny, who disclosed his involvement with Gogi in the graffiti incidents across Bathinda. Assistant Inspector General of Police (Counter Intelligence) of Bathinda, Avneet Kaur Sidhu, shared that Gogi, previously arrested under the Excise Act and met Pritpal in Bathinda Jail, was introduced to Pannun by Pritpal. Pannun then assigned him the task of writing the Khalistani slogans and directed him to collect Rs 50,000 hidden along Muktsar Kotkapura Road.

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

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

3 operatives of SFJ arrested

CHANDIGARH, May 14: The Punjab Police on Tuesday said it has arrested three operatives of the banned outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) for writing pro-Khalistan slogans in Bathinda in Punjab and Delhi. The arrest was made by the Counter-Intelligence wing, Bathinda, said Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav. In a major breakthrough, Counter-Intelligence, Bathinda & Bathinda Police have arrested three #SFJ operatives for writing Pro-Khalistan slogans at various public places including Bathinda, #Punjab & #Delhi, backed by #NewYork-based mastermind Gurpatwant [] The post 3 operatives of SFJ arrested appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

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

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

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

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

Punjab Police arrests three operatives of SFJ for writing Pro-Khalistan slogans In Bathinda and Delhi

Punjab Police arrests three operatives of SFJ for writing Pro-Khalistan slogans In Bathinda and Delhi In a joint operation, Counter Intelligence (CI) Bathinda and Bathinda district Police have arrested three operatives of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) for writing Pro-Khalistan slogans at various public places including Bathinda in Punjab and Delhi, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav. New York-based SFJ-- backed by mastermind Gurpatwant Singh Pannun-- is designated as an Unlawful association by the Indian Government. Recently, Pro-Khalistani slogans were found written on the walls of the District Administrative Complex and Court Complex in Bathinda on April 24. Some days later, similar slogans were found written at Jhandewalan Metro Station and Karol Bagh Metro Station in Delhi on May 9. Those arrested have been identified as Gogi Singh, a resident of village Jeewan Singh Wala in Bathinda and Johny, a resident of village Jeon Singh Wala in Talwandi Sabo, while, the third accused identified as Pritpal Singh of village Doad in Faridkot was brought on production warrant from Bathinda Jail. Pritpal was also arrested for writing graffiti at Delhi Metro during G-20 and Bathinda Thermal Plant. DGP Gaurav Yadav said that Gogi Singh, who is a key operative of SFJ, was in direct contact with Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and had carried out the act on his directions in lieu of money. The accused has also sent the photos and videos of slogans written on walls. The Police teams have also recovered three mobile phones, two dongle devices, one Aadhar Card and one ATM card from his possession. Counter Intelligence Bathinda and Bathinda Police jointly carried out the investigation in a professional and scientific manner to solve this case, Yadav added. SSP Bathinda Deepak Pareek said that following technical leads, Bathinda Police had managed to apprehend accused Johny, who revealed that he was along with Gogi when they attempted to write slogans at different places in Bathinda. He said that following the revelations of accused Johny, Bathinda Police and CI Bathinda has launched a special operation and arrested Gogi Singh. Sharing more details, AIG CI Bathinda Avneet Kaur Sidhu said that accused Gogi, who was arrested by Bathinda Police in the Excise Act, met Pritpal Singh in Bathinda Jail, and remained in touch after coming out of the jail. Accused Pritpal introduced Gogi to Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who assigned the task of writing Khalistani slogans to Gogi and told him to collect Rs 50000 kept concealed at Muktsar Kotkapura Road, Kaur added. A case on April 27 has been registered under section 153B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Police Station Civil Lines Bathinda. (ANI)

3 Members Of Banned Outfit, Sikhs For Justice Arrested For Writing Pro-Khalistani Slogan

The Punjab police on Thursday arrested three operatives of the banner outfit Sikhs for Justice on charges of writing pro-Khalistani slogans in Bathinda in Punjab and Delhi.

3 operatives of banned outfit SFJ held for writing pro-Khalistan slogans

Chandigarh, May 14: The Punjab Police on Tuesday said it has arrested three operatives of the banned outfit Sikhs for Justice for writing pro-Khalistan slogans in Bathinda in Punjab and Delhi. The arrest was made by the Counter-Intelligence wing, Bathinda, said Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav. In a major breakthrough, Counter-Intelligence, Bathinda & Bathinda Police have arrested three #SFJ operatives for writing Pro-Khalistan slogans at various public places including Bathinda, #Punjab & #Delhi, backed by #NewYork-based mastermind Gurpatwant Pannun [] The post 3 operatives of banned outfit SFJ held for writing pro-Khalistan slogans appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Anurag Thakur files nomination, says BJP will sweep Himachal

NEW DELHI/CHANDIGARH: Union minister of information and broadcasting Anurag Singh Thakur, BJPs Preneet Kaur and Harshimrat Badal of SAD, among others, filed their nominations for Lok Sabha elections on Monday. Their constituencies will go to the polls in the last phase on June 1. Thakur, seeking his fifth term from Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh, said, The BJP has taken the pledge of Viksit Bharat and to achieve this, stability and continuity of this Modi government is imperative. He said the BJP will win all four seats in the hill state. Filing her nomination for the Patiala seat in Punjab, Preneet, wife of former CM Capt. Amarinder Singh, said, This election is not merely about politics; its about the renewal of rishta between me and the people of Patiala. I will ensure that I will do more work in the next 5 years than in the previous 20 years. Harsimrat, MP and former union minister, filed her nomination from the Bathinda seat in the presence of her husband and Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal and senior party leadership. Sukhbir Badal said repeated rounds of voting had made it clear that the Bharatiya Janata Party would not form the next government. He claimed that the BJP was crashing in North India and had been wiped out in Maharashtra and Bihar. Prime Ministers speeches are also indicating that the party is in panic mode. He is now attacking a particular community openly and even stating that 'mangalsutras will be taken away and given to others. This never happened in 70 years and will never happen, he said, adding that in the new scenario, regional parties would emerge stronger. Balbir Singh of AAP filed his papers from Patiala and AAPs Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal from Amritsar. BJP candidate Arvind Khanna filed his papers from Sangrur, while SAD nominee Virsa Singh Valtoha submitted his papers for the Khadoor Sahib seat in Tarn Taran district.

Punjab: Mann Government Approves IAS Officer's VRS Request To Contest Lok Sabha Elections As BJP Candidate In Bathinda

Punjab: People will teach AAP a lesson, says BJP candidate Kaur

Bathinda: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which came to power in Punjab promising to end the drug menace in the state, has failed badly on all fronts, said former IAS officer Parampal Kaur Sidhu, the BJP nominee from the Bathinda Lok Sabha constituency, here on Saturday. For decades, the Congress and the Akali Dal have 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 .

AAP trying to thwart BJP candidates from filing nominations: Vijay Rupani

The former CM, while alleging a deep-seeded conspiracy- first to inhibit the right to campaign of BJP candidates and now to stall their nominations- said Bittu had applied for NOC on May 4 which was not given. Rupani also cited the case of their BJP Bathinda nominee Parampal Kaur Sidhu, a former IAS officer, whose application for voluntary retirement was rejected despite following all procedures.

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

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

Gurmeet Khuddian, the 'giant slayer' who defeated Parkash Singh Badal, now faces his daughter-in-law in upcoming polls

Gurmeet Khuddian, the 'giant slayer' who defeated Parkash Singh Badal, now faces his daughter-in-law in upcoming polls In 2022, AAP's Gurmeet Singh Khuddian won his first election against five-time chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, emerging as his party's ''giant slayer''. Two years later, he is ready to take on the late Shiromani Akali Dal patriarch's daughter-in-law and three-time Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal. Khuddian, who is the agriculture minister in the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government, has been fielded by the AAP from Bathinda, which is considered a citadel of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). ''I am thankful to the party for putting its faith in me by fielding from the Bathinda seat,'' Khuddian told PTI. He said he is getting a very good response from people on the back of the two-year performance of the AAP government in Punjab. ''People trust us and they know that we work honestly towards their welfare. I am taking the government's work of two years to people to seek their votes,'' said the 61-year-old first-time MLA, exuding confidence that he would win the Bathinda seat. Khuddian first came into the limelight in the 2022 Punjab Assembly polls when he defeated 11-time MLA Parkash Singh Badal on his home turf Lambi seat by a margin of 11,396 votes. When talking about the work done by his government, Khuddian mentions free electricity (300 units per household) being given to the people and Aam Aadmi Clinics. The Aam Aadmi Clinics provide free medical treatment, tests and medicines to people and are benefiting people a lot. The AAP has set up more than 800 Aam Aadmi Clinics, he said. Apart from this, the state government organised 'Khedan Watan Punjab Diyan' for the promotion of sports in the state, he said. The Bathinda parliamentary constituency is considered the SAD's bastion. Harsimrat Kaur Badal, a former Union minister and wife of SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, has held the seat since the 2009 Lok Sabha polls. The SAD has again fielded her from the seat. BJP candidate and former IAS officer Parampal Kaur Sidhu, Congress' Jeet Mohinder Sidhu and Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) candidate Lakha Sidhana are also in the fray. Bathinda will go to polls along with 12 other Lok Sabha seats in Punjab on June 1.

Nijjar killing suspect says he entered Canada using 'study permit'

A suspect in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh separatist leader, allegedly made a claim in a social media video posted in 2019 stating that he secured a student visa for Canada within a matter of days through the services of EthicWorks Immigration Services, located in Bathinda, Punjab, India.

Suspect in Hardeep Nijjar killing says he entered Canada using 'study permit'

One of the suspects in the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar entered Canada on a 'study permit' obtained in just days, according to Canada-based global news. Karan Brar, accused in the case, stated in a 2019 social media video that he applied for a student visa through EthicWorks Immigration Services in Bathinda, Punjab, receiving it shortly after. Brar later moved to Edmonton from Calgary, where he started his studies at Bow Valley College. He, along with two others, was arrested in Edmonton and appeared in court in Surrey, British Columbia, facing charges of murder and conspiracy.

Mann Vows to Transform Ferozepur, Break SAD Stronghold and Establish Sukhvilas as a School

Mann Vows to Transform Ferozepur, Break SAD Stronghold and Establish Sukhvilas as a School Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday asked voters of the Ferozepur Lok Sabha seat to vote for the AAP and end the Akali Dal supremacy in the constituency. He also said the luxury hotel Sukhvilas, built by SAD chief Sukhbir Badal, will be converted into a school. Mann made the remarks while addressing a public meeting in support of AAP candidate Jagdeep Singh Kaka Brar, who is contesting the Ferozepur seat. ''In the 2022 assembly elections, you defeated stalwarts. This time the fort of Ferozepur also has to be demolished, meaning that the Akali Dal should lose from Ferozepur,'' Mann said. The Ferozepur seat is currently represented by Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, who will not contest this time. ''They have built 'Sukhvilas' in the mountains. The government will take its possession. It has been built with money looted from the people. We will not demolish it. We will convert into a school,'' the CM said. In February this year, Mann had alleged that the Badal family had taxes worth Rs 108 crore waived for a Mohali-based luxury hotel Sukhvilas through a ''tailor-made'' eco-tourism policy during the Akali regime. Mann said that all the people of the Badal family have lost the elections in the recent past. ''Only Harsimrat Kaur Badal is left. In this election, Harsimrat Kaur's security deposit is going to be forfeited from the Bathinda seat. After that, everyone in the Badal family will be defeated. Then they will not blame each other saying 'you lost', 'you lost' because everyone will be a loser,'' he said. Mann said the ''dynastic and traditional politicians'' of Punjab are upset that people from ordinary households became MLAs, ministers, and a chief minister. ''These people considered power their birthright and treated positions as their ancestral estates,'' he said. He also took a dig at former finance minister Manpreet Badal alleging that it was his wont to cite an empty state treasury when he was in the post. ''We have never said this to date. We are filling the Punjab government's exchequer,'' he said. ''We have given 43,000 government jobs in the last two years. A total of 829 Aam Aadmi clinics have been built where two crore people have gotten free treatment. Schools of Eminence have been opened,'' said Mann. ''This year, around 2.5 lakh children changed their schools and got themselves enrolled in government schools. I want to change your compulsion into your choice. Today, it is your compulsion to enrol your children in a private school and get treatment in private hospitals because you do not trust government schools and hospitals yet. ''In the coming days, I will make government schools and hospitals so good that choosing private schools and hospitals will be your choice, not compulsion,'' said Mann. In the two years of his government, the state has provided 300 units of free electricity to the people and purchased a private thermal power plant, he said. Later, Mann took out a roadshow in Bathinda garnering support for Gurmeet Singh Khuddian.

Kejriwal unnecessarily kept entangled by PM Modi, ED: Bathinda AAP candidate Gurmeet Singh Khuddian

The News Mill

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

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

Punjab Polls: General, Police Observers Deployed

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

Punjab Assembly Elections: EC Deploys 15 Expenditure Observers

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

In Punjab, rookie who routed Badal now dares daughter-in-law

The Bathinda Lok Sabha battle involves AAP's Khudian challenging SAD's Harsimrat Kaur Badal, with implications for SAD's revival post-farm laws. Khudian's face-off with Harsimrat at Bathinda comes when her husband Sukhbir Badal is trying to revive the mass base of his party. Many believe SAD can't be written off and will spring back to prominence as people grow weary with the AAP government and anti-incumbency starts kicking in.

Sinister agenda to defame, weaken Akali Dal, says Badal

The Shiromani Akali Dal president was addressing a huge gathering in Sardulgarh in Mansa in favour of his partys Bathinda candidate and his wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal.

Congress Fields Top Leaders in Punjab for Lok Sabha Polls

Chandigarh: In the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Punjab, a quadrangular contest is anticipated, indicating a potential division in the vote bank of various political parties. To strengthen its position, the Congress party has nominated several prominent leaders from the state. The Congress party has fielded its top leaders in Punjab for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Among the nominees are PPCC President Amarinder Singh Raja Wading, former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, former Minister Vijayinder Singla, and former MLA Kulbir Singh Zira. A significant electoral battle is expected in Ludhiana, where PPCC President Raja Wadding will contest against BJP candidate Ravneet Bittu. Both Wadding and Bittu began their political careers in the Congress party. In Gurdaspur, the Congress party has nominated former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, considering the party's strong chances of winning the seat. Randhawa, a four-time MLA, is believed to have the support of the party high command. Raja Wadding, initially seeking a ticket for his wife from Bathinda, has agreed to contest from any seat in Punjab. Consequently, the party has fielded him against Ravneet Bittu in Ludhiana. Former MP and minister Vijayinder Singla has been nominated by Congress from the Anandpur Sahib seat to bring a Hindu face to the electoral contest. The nomination of top leaders and the selection of candidates by the Congress party underscore its strategy to consolidate its position in Punjab amidst the intricate electoral dynamics. The World's Largest International Airport to Be Built in Dubai: Learn About Its Specialties VDG Member Martyred in Encounter with Terrorists in Udhampur Major Drug Bust in Sirohi: 12 kg MD Seized, Two Arrested

BJP fields Harsimrat Kaur Badal as candidate for Lok Sabha bypoll in Bathinda

BJP fields Harsimrat Kaur Badal as candidate for Lok Sabha bypoll in Bathinda Parampal Kaur Sidhu, the BJP candidate from the Bathinda Lok Sabha seat, does not see a big challenge in sitting MP and SAD nominee Harsimrat Kaur Badal, claiming there is a massive'' anti-incumbency against her. The Bathinda constituency is considered a stronghold of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) with Harsimrat Kaur Badal, a former Union minister and wife of SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, bagging the seat in the 2009, 2014 and 2019 general elections. She has been fielded again from the seat by the SAD. Sidhu is the daughter-in-law of senior Akali leader Sikander Singh Maluka. She, along with her husband Gurpreet Singh Maluka, joined the BJP recently while Sikander Singh continues to remain with the Sukhbir Singh Badal-led party. She (Harsimrat) is not a big challenge. There is massive anti-incumbency against her. She has never been in touch with the public, claimed Sidhu, a 2011-batch IAS officer who quit her job to join politics. Sidhu said Harsimrat Kaur Badal, the daughter-in-law of five-time Punjab chief minister and SAD patriarch late Parkash Singh Badal, won in 2019 because of the BJP support. Now, without the support of the BJP, she should not even think about of winning this seat, Sidhu told PTI. The BJP is contesting the Lok Sabha polls in Punjab on its own for the first time since 1996 after the SAD walked out of the NDA in 2020 over the now-repealed farm laws. Accusing Badal of taking credit for development projects in Bathinda, Sidhu said it was because of the BJP government at the Centre that an All India Institute of Medical Sciences and a central university came up in the constituency, besides a network of roads. Keeping in mind the interests of the Sikh community, the BJP government built the Kartarpur corridor, removed goods and services tax (GST) on items used for making langar in gurdwaras and announced Veer Bal Diwas to be observed on December 26 every year to mark the martyrdom day of the sons of Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Sikh Guru. Everything is in the BJP's favour, she asserted. Sidhu said when her father-in-law sees for himself the BJP wave and realises that the public opinion is in favour of the saffron party, he will be convinced that she took a ''good decision''. Maluka, a former cabinet minister, had earlier said that he had tried to stop his son and daughter-in-law from joining the BJP. Donning the role of a politician after working as an officer in the state government, Sidhu said she does not see any positive change in Punjab under the new AAP government while asserting that she has always been working towards resolving the problems of the people. Taking on the AAP, Sidhu alleged there was ''nil'' performance by the Bhagwant Mann-led dispensation in the state. Files are not cleared for several days. There is no review of any department. Nothing is happening in the state government. Only statements are issued, alleged Sidhu whose last posting was as the managing director of the Punjab State Industrial Development Corporation. It is only the BJP which will form the government at the Centre, she asserted. Responding to farmers protesting against the BJP candidates, Sidhu accused the SAD of orchestrating agitations, including those in the Bathinda constituency. Within a few minutes, the pictures of such protests are uploaded on the SADs Facebook, she claimed. The BJP candidates and leaders have been facing protests from farmers during poll campaigning. BJP's Faridkot candidate Hans Raj Hans, Amritsar candidate Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Patiala candidate Preneet Kaur and Gurdaspur candidate Dinesh Babbu have faced the farmers' anger. For the Bathinda parliamentary constituency, Sidhu said she wanted a rail coach factory to be set up and more industrial units to come up. Besides Badal and Sidhu, AAPs Gurmeet Singh Khuddian and Congress partys Jeet Mohinder Sidhu are in the fray from the Bathinda seat.

Punjab: Several govt buildings defaced with Pro-Khalistan graffiti in high-security zone in Bathinda; US-resident SFJ terrorist Pannun claims responsibility

As per reports, in the Pro Khalistan graffiti, the miscreants had written that there should not be any political party in Punjab, neither BJP, SAD, nor Congress.

Khalistan slogans on walls of Bathinda mini secretariat in high-security zone

Khalistan slogans on walls of Bathinda mini secretariat in highsecurity zone

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

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

Sidhu Moose Wala dad in fray from Bathinda?

While not confirmed officially, the buzz in Bathinda suggests that Balkaur Singh, father of the late Punjabi singer and rapper Shubhdeep Singh, also known as Sidhu Moose Wala, might run as an independent candidate in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Jailed pro-Khalistan leader Amritpal Singh to contest Lok Sabha polls, claims his lawyer

CHANDIGARH: Waris Punjab De Head and pro-Khalistan leader Amritpal Singh who is presently lodged at Dibrugarh jail in Assam under the National Security Act may contest the Lok Sabha elections from Khadoor Sahib, claimed his lawyer on Wednesday. Rajdev Singh Khalsa, the lawyer of Amritpal Singh, who is presently in Dibrugarh where he met the pro-Khalistani leader in the central jail there, told The New Indian Express over phone that he requested him to fight the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Khadoor Sahib as it will be a referendum on his arrest by the AAP-led Mann government. He told me that he will fight these upcoming polls, claimed Khalsa and added that his nomination papers will be filed once the process begins. Tarseem Singh, the father of Amritpal Singh, said, We have not met him for long and will be meeting him tomorrow at Dibrugarh jail. This issue of him (Amritpal) fighting the Lok Sabha polls has not been discussed with us at all and we have no knowledge of it. We are not in favour of him fighting these elections but only after we meet him and discuss it can we say anything. 3 turncoats, an outsider battle it out at NRI heartland of Jalandhar Meanwhile, Balkaur Singh, the father of slain singer-turned-politician Sidhu Moosewala, is likely to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls from Bathinda constituency as an independent candidate, said sources. But Balkaur or his family have not come out with an official statement on the issue. If he decides to fight these polls, he will be contesting against the sitting Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MP and former Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal besides Jeet Mohinder Sidhu of the Congress, Gurmeet Singh Khudian of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Parampal Kaur of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Earlier, the Congress had reportedly told Balkaur to fight on a Congress ticket but he said that he was not keen to get into the political arena. Moosewala had contested the 2022 assembly election from Mansa on a Congress ticket but was defeated by Vijay Singla of the AAP.

Punjab: Two Minors Killed In LPG Cylinder Explosion In Bathinda

The incident took place in Punjab's Bathinda after a fire broke out because of the explosion of the cylinder which caused the death of two children.

Two children killed in gas cylinder explosion at slum in Punjabs Bathinda, relief measures underway

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Punjab: 2 Sisters burnt alive in slum fire in Bathinda

Bathinda (Punjab): Two sisters died of burn injuries while several others were injured in a blaze that broke out in the slums of Oriya colony here in the Punjab district early Tuesday. According to the police, the fire broke out around 4 am when most of the people in the slums were fast asleep. Father of the deceased told the police that a family living in the slums was cooking late when the fire started. Strong winds caused it to spread quickly. Both his daughters were hiding in a room that had a cylinder in it. When the fire spread the cylinder exploded close to the girls and both were badly burnt. He had rushed them immediately to the Bathinda Civil Hospital, where the doctors declared them brought dead. Fire brigade officer Paramjit Singh said lack of roads in the slum made accessibility difficult and they could not reach the spot quickly. AAP MLA Jagroop Gill visited the spot and assured help to the families.

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

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

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

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

BJP Releases Second List of Candidates for Punjab Lok Sabha Polls

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