Cong gets tough with rebels
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Nov 16 — The Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) today expelled three rebel members contesting against official nominees in the November 25 Assembly elections.

DPCC president, Ms Sheila Dikshit expelled Mr Brahm Yadav, general secretary of the DPCC, Mr Balram Singh Tanwar, president of the Mehrauli district committee and Mr Jagdish Pradhan, municipal councillor, for six years for "anti-party" activities, a release said.

While Mr Brahm Yadav is challenging the official nominee in Rajendar Nagar, Mr Tanwar is contesting from Mehrauli and Mr Pradhan from the Karawal Nagar Assembly segment, DPCC leaders said.

Asked if a deadline had been set for taking action against other rebel candidates, senior Delhi Congress leader, Jag Pravesh Chandra informed reporters that action was being taken as and when complaints were made to the party.

Meanwhile, several office-bearers and workers of the Yuva Rashtriya Janata Dal have joined the DPCC. They include its president Rafiaqat Ali, vice-president Rajesh Chauhan, secretary Tarun Datta and other, DPCC leader Deep Chand Bandhu said.

Also, the Jamait Ulema, Delhi, has decided to support the Congress in the forthcoming Assembly polls keeping in mind the secular character of the party under the leadership of Mrs Sonia Gandhi, a statement by Jamait Ulema general secretary S D Qasmi said.

Meanwhile, Mr Vijay Kumar Malhotra, chairman of the BJP’s Election Campaign committee, said the Congress had created a "cell" through which efforts were being made to vitiate the electoral atmosphere in the country.

He said a "conspiracy" was being hatched through the "cell" to create artificial scarcity of essential commodities and spread rumours in the Capital to malign BJP leaders.

The Congress today described the BJP manifesto as a "hotch potch document of confused political thinking.

Mr Jag Pravesh Chandra said the tall claims, unrealistic promises and unfulfilled assurances had been given.

He said "unashamedly, the BJP has promised to make Punjabi the second official language again. For four years it never allowed me to introduce my Bill ‘The Adoption of Punjabi as Second Official Language’ and in the fifth year when I was allowed to introduce, the ruling party got it rejected."

"It promises to the posts of Punjabi language teachers and Urdu language teachers. But during five years no post was filled. Such is the callous attitude of the BJP towards Punjabi and Urdu," he added.

Meanwhile, Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, President of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) and member of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee will address public meetings in Vishnu Garden on Thursday to seek support for his party in the coming Assembly elections.

The President of the SAD Amritsar), Delhi State, Mr Jaswinder Singh Virk told The Tribune that Mr Mann will also address a public meeting in Hari Nagar in support of the Janata Dal candidate.

Senior Janata Dal leader, Ram Vilas Paswan will also campaign for his party candidates in Delhi.

Mr Satish Yadav, President of the Delhi Pradesh Janata Dal and a candidate from the Shahbad Daulatpur Assembly constituency, said that Mr Paswan would address meetings in Najafgarh, Shahbad Daulatpur, Seelampur, Matia Mahal, Patparganj and Saket on Saturday.

The Working President of the Indian National Lok Dal and former Chief Minister of Haryana, Mr Om Prakash Chautala expressed confidence that the Congress would suffer a defeat in the Delhi Assembly elections.

Mr Chautala addressed public meetings in Bawana, Dariyapur, Auchandi, Qutubgarh, Jonti, Nizampur, Laadpur, Kanjhawla and Karala, he said in a release.

BHOPAL (PTI): The Congress on Monday expelled 12 rebels in Madhya Pradesh, including a minister, from the primary membership of the party for six years for contesting against its official nominees in the November 25 assembly poll in the state.

The remaining 26 rebels had been directed to withdraw from the poll, failing which disciplinary action would be taken against them, AICC general secretary Tariq Anwar told reporters here.

He said Mr Derhu Prasad Dhritlahre, Minister for Aviation and Public Grievances Redressal, would be dropped from the Cabinet and Chief Minister Digvijay Singh had probably already written to the Governor in this regard.

The others who were expelled from the primary membership of the party included MLA Mayaram Negi (Bhatgaon), former MP Shiv Kuma Singh (Burhanpur), former minister Prabhu Dayal Gehlot (Sailana) and Praneeta Pandey (Raipur).

JAIPUR (PTI): The BJP and the Congress on Monday expelled four rebel members each from their parties for contesting the November 25 assembly elections in Rajasthan as Independents opposing the official nominees .

While the four BJP men expelled included two sitting MLAs, Mr Badu Lal Bacher and Mr Nand Lal Vyas, seeking re-election as Independents from Dudu and Bikaner, respectively, the expelled Congress rebels included a sitting legislator, Mr Bhim Raj Bhati in the fray from Pali.

The BJP also expelled Mr Dharam Veer Sharma and Mr Ajay Agarwal for contesting against the party nominees from Laxmangarh and Bikaner.