Punjab: Opposition surrounded the government over rejection of the paper

Punjab: Panchayat Elections The political atmosphere has heated up in Gidderbaha area, where assembly by-elections are due soon, after the nominations of several candidates were cancelled. Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring protested for nearly 30 hours outside the SDM office and blocked the Malout-Bathinda road, demanding revision of the list of eligible candidates. Addressing his supporters, Warring said, “We are removing the blockade as election observer MS Jaggi has assured us that the State Election Commission will conduct a fair inquiry into the matter. However, we will burn the effigy of Deputy Commissioner Rajesh Tripathi and Gidderbaha SDM Jaspal Singh Brar in those 29 villages where nominations of Congress-affiliated candidates were cancelled despite being allotted election symbols.” Earlier in the day, Congress workers blocked the Fazilka-Delhi road in Malout. The SAD has also begun preparations for a protest on Thursday against gross irregularities in the panchayat elections. The protest will be led by party chief Sukhbir Badal. Sukhbir Badal has suspended his public engagements for over a month after the Akal Takht declared ‘tankhaiya’ on August 30. Yesterday, Sukhbir met Muktsar ADC (D) Surinder Singh Dhillon and demanded revision of the lists within the next two days. Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal visited Gidderbaha today and blamed the AAP government for the controversy. Besides, differences among local AAP leaders surfaced today. Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon, the frontrunner for the AAP ticket for the Gidderbaha bypoll, held a press conference today and accused some of his own party leaders of colluding with the Congress. “Those who earlier represented the party in the region are playing fixed matches with the Congress. Therefore, they are upset now,” he said. Three AAP workers close to him claimed that their nominations were also rejected without any reason. There was a war of words between senior BJP leader Manpreet Singh Badal and Waring, who had defeated Manpreet from this seat in 2012. DC Tripathi said, “I was on half-day leave yesterday. Waring spoke rudely to me on the phone. No candidate complained to me or the election observer in this regard.”