Punjab Diary: Suspense over Congress manifesto

Gurdaspur: Supporters of ex-Gurdaspur MP Partap Singh Bajwa were taken aback when PCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu recently announced freebies for women without taking their leader into confidence. Now, what and when something will be given by the party is the prerogative of the party’s manifesto committee, whose chairman is Bajwa. Detractors of the Congress are happy to point out that chairman Bajwa is now a man without a chair. The development does not augur well for the party in an election year.

MLA extols party ‘virtues’

Gurdaspur: In an election year, politicians waste no time to thank their senior leaders for any “benevolent” gesture they make. Qadian MLA Fateh Jung Singh Bajwa had recently donned the BJP cap and since then he has been extolling the virtues of his party and its leaders. Minutes after PM Narendar Modi announced to declare December 26 as ‘Veer Baal Diwas’, in memory of the sons of Guru Gobind Singh, Fateh Jung thanked him. He added that it was only due to the generosity of Modi that the Kartarpur Corridor had seen the light of the day.

Approaching estranged supporters

Sangrur: The announcement of the Punjab poll schedule has compelled many politicians to visit the houses of their estranged supporters. After getting information that some leaders from the Opposition were approaching his supporters, a local politician had to return disappointed as they refused to meet him. The timing of his visit near the polls was questioned by people. Requesting anonymity, a political leader said many people were waiting for their leaders to visit their area to openly announce their boycott.

Rumour-mongering on social media

Muktsar: As soon as the Election Commission announced schedule for the Assembly elections, rumour mongers got active on the ground. For instance, one such rumour was spread on Saturday evening that a number of senior officers had flocked to Badal village. It was later found that a Facebook page, having nearly 1.92 lakh followers, had fuelled this fake message.

Sidhu Moosewala attacks rivals through FB post

Mansa: Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, through his new Facebook page titled “Mansa Da Sidhu”, has launched an attack on his political rivals within the Congress. He said he was not being opposed by Mansa people but by those leaders whose shops of minting money had been closed due to him. He said they had made politics a business. It is pertinent to mention that since his induction into the Congress, Moosewala is facing opposition from local Congress leaders. Moosewala has been uploading his daily political activities on his page.