Simranjit to contest Barnala, Amargarh

Barnala: SAD (A) chief Simranjit Singh Mann will contest from Barnala and Amargarh Assembly seats. Mann had won the 1999 Lok Sabha elections from Sangrur, under which Barnala Assembly segment falls. In 2007, he unsuccessfully contested from Dhanaula, also under Sangrur LS constituency. He will face AAP’s Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, SAD’s Surinderpal Singh Sibia and Congress’ Kewal Singh Dhillon from Barnala”. “Mann lost the LS poll from Sangrur twice (2004 and 2009), but his vote share from Barnala went up,” said Barnala unit chief RS Sanghera.TNS

Majithia funded Capt rallies: Mann

Gurdaspur/Batala: Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann on Saturday addressed rallies in Gurdaspur and the neighbouring Batala. Mann, who addressed the gathering in favour of AAP candidate Amarjit Singh Chahal, claimed that in the past, whenever PPCC chief Capt Amarinder addressed rallies, Revenue Minister Bikram Majithia used to fund them. He added Majithia did so to ensure that if the Congress was voted to power, Amarinder would ensure that no action was taken against him. Later, he presided over a gathering in Batala in favour of AAP state convener Gurpreet Singh Waraich. TNS

Gandhi, Brar in talks for pre-poll pact

Chandigarh: Patiala MP and leader of the Punjab Front Dr Dharamvira Gandhi has started talks with Jagmeet Brar, state president of the Trinamool Congress, for an alliance for the upcoming state Assembly elections. Sources said a meeting was held between the two leaders in Ludhiana yesterday. They said both of them discussed the possibility of forging a pre-poll alliance. Dr Gandhi said he had handed over the Punjab Front's agenda to Brar. He said: “We have a clear policy that whoever agrees to our front's agenda can be our ally," he said. Brar said: "Our vision for Punjab and his agenda for state make an ideal combination," he said. TNS

Avtar Henry seeks ticket for son

Jalandhar: Two days after the cancellation of his vote, former Congress minister Avtar Henry today held a show of strength in his constituency (Jalandhar North) seeking party ticket for his son Avtar Singh Junior (popular as Bawa Henry). Henry managed a good show at the rally held at his office. Local leaders, including area councilors, spoke in favour of ticket to Bawa, while condemning the cancellation of his vote. Addressing the gathering, Henry took on both ruling party leaders and the bureaucracy. "My vote has been cancelled at the behest of my rivals. But I will fight back and take up the matter in court to get my vote reissued," he said. tns