Yamunanagar, October 14
Bhajan Lal loyalists are enthusiastic about tomorrow’s tea party here as a ‘large turnout’ is expected. They are terming the party as an exercise to strengthen the party base.

Young supporters in the group are projecting Bhiwani MP Kuldeep Bishnoi as the ‘real’ leader of young Congress. Local leaders of the group are busy mobilising supporters.

A section of Congress supporters have hosted a tea party for former Chief Minister and Haryana Congress President Bhajan Lal and his son Kuldeep Bishnoi.

Working president of the Haryana Congress Dr Ram Prakash, too, would be present in the district. “I am here to participate in a function of the Jogi community at Kapal Mochan in Bilaspur”, said Dr Ram Prakash. And he seemed least interested in the enthusiasm of the Bhajan supporters regarding the tea party.

“One can have as many cups of tea”, said Dr Prakash and cautioned the ‘invitees’ at the party “not to speak against Congress President Sonia Gandhi or the Congress”.

On the other hand, the Bhajan-Kuldeep supporters view the tea party as a show of strength. “People of Haryana voted in favour of the Congress as they wanted Mr Bhajan Lal as Chief Minister but the party high command ignored the janmat”, said former MLA from Radour Lehri Singh.

Leaders of the group say Mr Kuldeep Bishnoi will be the main speaker tomorrow.

Mr N.K Sharma, general secretary of the All India Rajiv Gandhi Brigade talking to the Tribune claimed that preparations for the tomorrow’s party were in place. “Bhajan Lal ji is the only mass leader in the state and he alone can strengthen the party in the state,” he said. 

Bahadurgarh (Jhajjar), October 14
In what appears to be a case of honour killing, Amanpreet (20), a newly wed girl from Chandigarh, six months’ pregnant, was murdered at her husband’s house in Teachers Colony here today.

The killers gained entry into the house as acquaintances of the victim. Amanpreet had tied the knot with her long-time friend a year ago and, thus, invited the wrath of her father.

Daughter of Devinder Singh, a resident of Sector 40 in Chandigarh, Amanpreet, a student of BA II in Panjab University’s Distance Education Department, got married to Praveen in October 2005 in a temple in Kalayat, Kaithal, against the wishes of her family.

Her husband is a graduate from DAV College, Chandigarh.

Though Praveen’s family was also against the marriage, they reluctantly allowed them to shift into their house about two months ago.

According to police sources, when two youths, one of them a turbaned Sikh, entered the house, Amanpreet and her sister-in-law, Kavita, were inside. One of the visitors told Kavita, who opened the door, that he was a brother-in-law of Amanpreet. Amanpreet also recognised him and began to talk to him. Kavita left them to take a bath. However, when she came out, she found no traces of the visitor or Amanpreet.

She rushed to the first floor of the house and found Aman lying dead in a pool of blood. Her skull was broken. There were signs of some resistance with bruises on her neck.

The police said Kavita had described the build and faces of the assailants. A case against unknown persons had been filed on the statement of Kavita.

Praveen was on his way to Chandigarh when he was informed about the incident on his cellphone by his sister. He told mediapersons that Amanpreet would often say that her father, an Inspector with the Haryana Police and posted at Panchkula, would never recognise their marriage. She feared that her uncle, husband of father’s sister, a Sub-Inspector in the Haryana Police, could harm them.

Praveen’s father Jai Singh is a bank employee.

Charkhi Dadri (Bhiwani), October 14
Chief Parliamentary Secretary Dharmbir Singh today called upon panchayats to come forward to get work on additional development work schemes started, ensuring proper utilisation of funds.

He said there would be no scarcity of funds for rural development schemes and asked the public representatives and villagers to show solidarity in extending cooperation for implementation of various schemes.

While attending the complaints of panchayats of his Badhra Assembly constituency today, Mr Singh reviewed the ongoing schemes. Representatives mostly from the Hansawas Kalan, Berla, Kadma, Gopalwas, Badrai, Nandha, Chandwas, Lad and Hansawas Khurd panchayats made complaints about irregular supply of electricity and water, which the minister brought to the notice of the officers concerned.