Natives chip in NRIs flock back home to canvass for their candidates, writes Saurabh Malik As the Assembly elections draw near, overseas wings of parties have started campaigning for their stakes in the state. A delegation comprising around 25 non-resident Punjabis has landed in the state to drum up support for their “candidates”. Otherwise also, the candidates and their supporters have launched the process of dropping a line to their acquaintances in alien lands.

poll opera
As usual, sons and sons-in-law
Chandigarh, January 11
Punjab’s power politics is a dynastic soap opera - the main characters of which are a few leading families. A handful families have established their monopoly over the state’s political craft. While these families dictate terms, lesser political mortals abide by their diktats.

home aids
Bibi squads for that one ‘yes’
Jalandhar, January 11
Families of candidates are deeply involved in the campaign business. Kin of SAD candidates have been following hectic schedules ever since the names were announced last week.

Faithful Bairagis feel ignored by Congress
Sangrur, January 11
The Bairagi community, having around eight lakh votes in Punjab, is apparently unhappy with the Congress over the non-allotment of party ticket to any leader from the community for the past several decades.

Migration cuts numbers
Chandigarh, January 11
Is Punjab’s population declining ? Probably no. However, the voters list for the state shows that the number of voters in Punjab has declined when compared to last year.

Students fight drugs-for-vote policy
Amritsar, January 11
With drug abuse already spreading its tentacles in the holy city, residents of Maqboolpura, which has been losing its men to intoxicants leaving behind widows and orphans, have decided to launch a campaign against the distribution of any type of intoxicants to lure voters.

Wait-and-watch over Pakhoke
Amritsar, January 11
The two-day ultimatum, served by supporters of Mr Alwinderpal Singh Pakhoke, a former acting chief of the SGPC to change official nominee from Tarn Taran Assembly constituency has expired and the supporters have adopted a ‘wait and watch’ policy.

SAD (Longowal) to put up 25 candidates
Chandigarh, January 11
The President of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Longowal), Mr Inderjit Singh Zira, said here yesterday that his party would put up candidates on 25 seats in the state and enter into an electoral alliance with like- minded parties on the remaining seats.

• Dharminder is PPCC secy
• BUZZSTAND

High stakes, big nerves
Chandigarh, January 10
Mohali is Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s flagship of success in Punjab. Lured by exemptions and benefits offered by the Congress government’s mega project policy, a group of companies have poured crores into the area.

BSP’s Second List
A mix of caste and religion
Chandigarh, January 10
The Bahujan Samaj Party today announced names of 30 more candidates for the coming Assembly elections in Punjab. With this the number of candidates announced by the BSP has gone up to 73.

Ticket claimants stumped by Cong observer’s visit
Chandigarh, January 10
A surprise visit by one of the three members of the Congress election committee yesterday left aspirants for the Congress ticket and their supporters in Gurdaspur and Amritsar aghast.

In quest of win, politicians throng temples
Jalandhar, January 10
Historical temples at Baglamukhi and Kamakhiya Devi in Himachal Pradesh have turned out to be the latest spiritual resorts for politicians of all hues, who, are not only thronging the two shrines in a big way, but have started organising yajnas  either to secure party tickets or for their victory in forthcoming polls in the state.

1,034 polling stations ‘very sensitive’
DCs, SSPs told to register FIRs against violators 
Chandigarh, January 10
All Deputy Commissioners and SSPs of districts in Punjab have been told to immediately file an FIR on noticing any election-related offence in their respective areas.

The melody war is on
Crores being spent on campaign through music albums
Chandigarh, January 10
Traditional rivals are ready for war. And as always, both are relying heavily on the power of music to boost their reputation and bring down that of the foes.

Badal case: Court reserves order for January 15
Ropar, January 10
The arguments exchanged between the defence and state counsel during the proceedings of the corruption case involving SAD chief Parkash Singh Badal and his son and SAD general secretary Sukhbir Badal came for hearing before the Special Court Judge, Mr G.S. Saran, here today.

Bhullar likely to join SAD

BUZZSTAND
Like they say, hope never dies
With Assembly elections round the corner, voters have fresh hopes. Demanding a check on inflation, better job opportunities and infrastructure development, they say they will cast their vote for the party most likely to fulfil their aspirations.

It’s just 80 cents a voter in Canada It is 80 cents a candidate can spend on a voter in provincial elections in Canada. And on an average, the budget of a Canadian candidate for election to the provincial assembly varies between $ 80,000 and $1,00,000.

If I win ...
‘Economy top priority’
Putting Punjab economy back on the rails will be my first priority. The five-year misrule of the Amarinder Singh government has put the economy on the downslide with growth rate in state only about 2.4% as against the 8.5% national growth rate.

Capt Kanwaljit Singh, former Finance Minister and candidate from Banur

Disqualify Tota Singh, ex-Cong MLA says
Moga, January 9
Buoyant by his recent success in getting a fine imposed on sitting Akali legislator Tota Singh by the Supreme Court, Mr Vijay Saathi, former Congress MLA, now has sought Mr Tota Singh’s disqualification for six years for the violation of election laws of the country.

Probe sought into code violation
Sangrur, January 9
The district unit of the Democratic Teachers Front (DTF), Punjab, on Monday submitted a complaint to the district administration demanding an inquiry into the alleged “violation of election code of conduct” some days ago in the local Government Senior Secondary School for boys at the time of a farewell party of a teacher who had taken voluntary retirement recently.

Who is watching voters’ interests?
Chandigarh, January 9
Will a registered voter with a photo identity card be allowed to cast his or her vote on February 13?

Khadi — The clear winner so far
Chandigarh , January 9
Just over a month before the Assembly elections in Punjab, so many supporters of different political parties across the state are exercising franchise in favour of khadi.

‘Mulajams’ gear up to grill politicians
Chandigarh, January 9
A beginning is being made by the Punjab Mulajam Sangharsh Committee to ask questions from politicians who will be in the Assembly election fray with regard to their vision and approach to various issues being faced by the state.