Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Tarn Taran,The high-voltage election campaign ended in Tarn Taran with Local Bodies Minister Anil Joshi announcing that his fight against the Akali Dal here would continue even after elections, and that “he was not bothered about his chair”.
The Akalis also splashed new posters against Joshi, primarily targeting him on the issue of “ill-gotten wealth”. These posters were mostly put up in Ward No. 14 from where his brother Rajesh Joshi is contesting.
While Joshi culminated the campaign by holding a rally in support of his brother, Akali Dal MLA Harmeet Singh Sandhu made a whirlwind tour of the town while campaigning for the party candidates, particularly his close aide Bhupinder Singh Khera who is contesting from Ward No. 3.
Addressing the rally yesterday , Joshi targeted the Akalis over the issues like illegal encroachments, drug trade and hooliganism. He alleged that the Akalis were creating terror and threatening people in every way possible ahead of the polls.
He also hit out at the local administration and the police. “We have sought shifting of the returning officer umpteen times, but nobody is listening. An Akali candidate booked for violent clash under is roaming freely and campaigning for himself.
The voters’ lists change every now and then. Is this an election?” he wondered. He denied allegations about “ill-gotten” wealth, challenging them to prove it.On reports about him seeking support from Cabinet Minister Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, he said he shared good rapport with everyone. “I have problem with the Akali Dal here only as they have turned it into a battle of bullets,” he said.Sandhu rubbished Joshi’s charges, dubbing him as “frustrated in view of imminent defeat”.
The political lines seem to have blurred with reports of the Congress and the BJP having a “tacit understanding” making rounds. The Akalis too have accused the other parties of “ganging up” against them in the elections. “The BJP has not fielded candidates from the wards where the Congress has and vice versa, though there are a few exceptions as some of their candidates didn’t withdraw,” he charged.Besides, this “secret understanding” shows in banners like the one put up by Independent candidate Jagdish Kumar from Ward No. 11. The banner has photographs of Congress leaders Capt Amarinder Singh and Partap Singh Bajwa along with BJP minister Anil Joshi, besides PPP leaders.
The Ward No. 11 neither has a Congress candidate nor a BJP candidate. Incidentally, even Joshi didn’t clearly deny the “pact” with the Congress when questioned over the issue. He simply said, “Everyone is fed up with the Akalis and they want to teach them a lesson this time.”In another significant development, Kairon’s close aide in Tarn Taran, Jatinder Kumar Sood, made no bones of their rivalry with Sandhu. He said, “I am opposed to misdeeds perpetrated by the ruling Akalis here as they are indulging in grabbing land of innocent people.” There are reports that Kairon, who doesn’t share good equation with Sandhu, is supporting Joshi.
Sources said the Kairon camp is helping Joshi’s brother in Ward No. 14 and a Kairon aide visited Tarn Taran daily to keep tabs on election scenario.
