Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], April 22 (ANI): Amarinder Singh Raja Warring took charge as the chief of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee on Sunday in the presence of senior party leaders, MLAs, and MPs from Punjab.

Amritsar (Punjab) [India], April 15 (ANI): Newly appointed Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja on Friday assured that the party will come to power in the state as soon as the internal frictions of the party get fixed, adding that these things should not be publicised.

New Delhi [India], March 21 (ANI): Senior Punjab Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa on Monday emphasised that the appointment of the next state party chief should be based on the seniority and loyalty of the person.

Chandigarh Feb 18 PTI The Congress on Friday released its manifesto for the February 20 Punjab Assembly polls promising Rs 1100 per month for needy women eight free cooking gas cylinders per year and one lakh government jobsThe party also promised a hike in old-age pension end of mafia raj in sand and liquor procurement of pulses oilseed and corn at minimum support price MSP besides free education and health servicesAddressing the media here state party chief Navjot Singh Sidhu said if the party returns to power they will end the mafia raj by creating corporations for the sale of liquor and sand miningIt is our road map and agenda with which we can change the lives of the people of Punjab he said on his partys 13-point agenda adding that it was inspired by the philosophy of Guru Nanak Derev and also reflects Congress leader Rahul Gandhis vision Flanked by Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi Congress leaders Sunil Jakhar Harish Chaudhary Rajiv Shukla and Pawan Khera Sidhu said The party manifesto is an instrument for the resurrection of Punjab If the Congress returns to power the first file which the CM will sign will be for giving one lakh jobs he promisedThe partys 13-point agenda also covered the points of the Punjab Model of Sidhu and also of Channis Both Sidhu and Chani were in contention for being the Congress chief ministerial candidate in the assembly polls The party recently announced Channi as the chief ministerial candidateThe Punjab Congress chief also stressed on the elimination of the mafia in the state and said it could happen by creating government corporations for liquor sale and sand miningHe also spoke about breaking the monopoly in the cable TV sector The party promised to reduce cable TV charges from Rs 400 to Rs 200 per month per householdThe manifesto released on the day the poll campaign came to an end promised Rs 1100 per month for needy women and eight free cooking gas cylinders every yearIt is a historical decision to make womenfolk as partners and shareholders of the economy said Sidhu adding We are strengthening our society by strengthening the homemakers The party also promised to give pucca houses to the poor within six months of forming the government This issue had earlier been raised by ChanniIt also talked about raising the old-age pension from Rs 1500 to Rs 3100 per monthStating that nobody had given any road map on the farming sector Sidhu while referring to other promises in the manifesto said We will procure oilseed pulses and corn at the minimum support price He stressed that it will promote crop diversification which was the need of the hour The party also promised free education for all needy students in government schools colleges and universities while SC scholarship will continue There will be free health services for all in government hospitals said Sidhu adding that the spending on the health sector will be hiked The party also promised Rs 5000 for needy girls who pass class 5 Rs 10000 for those who clear class10 and Rs 20000 and a computer for those who pass class 12The party also promised a hike in wages for MGNREGA workers from Rs 270 to Rs 350 and also an increase in man days from 100 to 150 daysSidhu also spoke about having an investment fund of Rs 1000 core for startups and an interest-free loan of Rs 2 lakh for themHe said cluster-based industries will be developed in the stateBesides promising to end Inspector Raj Sidhu said 170 government services will be made available onlineFlanked by Sidhu CM Channi said if the party returns to power they would run the government as a teamWe want to serve Punjab by taking everyone along with an honest intent My party may have named me as the chief ministerial candidate but it is the team work and in this Navjot Singh Sidhus role will have a key role And the government will run according to the party he saidChanni said eradicating corruption mafia raj and providing good governance will be the governments responsibilityWe will provide a transparent honest and stable government and work as per peoples aspirations added ChanniChanni also attacked the Aam Aadmi Party AAP accusing it of running its poll campaign on falsehood and liesHe said AAP leaders first level false allegations and afterwards tender apology as he gave the example of Arvind Kejriwal apologising to Akali leader Bikram Singh MajithiaHe accused Kejriwal of trying to divide people on the basis of caste and religionChanni alleged that Kejriwal was so frustrated that he was making false statements and alleged that he had raised the issue of insecurity of Hindus in Punjab to come to powerHe Kejriwal says Hindus are unsafe in Punjab How could Punjabis be unsafe They have made many sacrifices for the country said ChanniChanni alleged that Kejriwal wanted to come to power at any costPunjab belongs to Punjabis said Channi adding that there was no casteism in the stateWhat AAP is doing is not in the interest of Punjab and they want to capture Punjab with the support of anti-national forces he alleged PTI CHS SUN VSD SRY

Chandigarh Feb 18 PTI The Congress on Friday released its manifesto for the February 20 Punjab Assembly polls promising Rs 1100 per month for needy women eight free cooking gas cylinders per year and one lakh government jobs The party promised a hike in old-age pension and procurement of pulses oilseed and corn at MSP besides free education and health services Addressing the media here state party chief Navjot Singh Sidhu said if the party returns to power they will end the mafia raj by creating corporations for the sale of liquor and sand mining It is our road map and agenda with which we can change the lives of the people of Punjab said Sidhu speaking on his partys 13-point agenda Flanked by Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi Congress leaders Sunil Jakhar Harish Chaudhary and Rajiv Shukla Sidhu said This is an instrument for the resurrection of Punjab Sidhu said the partys 13-point agenda reflects Congress leader Rahul Gandhis vision If the Congress returns to power the first file which the CM will sign will be for giving one lakh jobs Sidhu said The Punjab Congress chief also stressed on the elimination of the mafia in the state and said it could happen by creating government corporations for liquor sale and sand mining He also spoke about breaking the monopoly in the cable TV sector The party promised to reduce cable TV charges from Rs 400 to Rs 200 per month per household The manifesto promised Rs 1100 per month for needy women and eight free cooking gas cylinders every year It is a historical decision to make womenfolk as partners and shareholders of the economy said Sidhu adding We are strengthening our society by strengthening the homemakers The party also promised to give pucca houses to the poor within six months of forming the government This issue had earlier been raised by Channi The Congress also promised to raise the old-age pension from Rs 1500 to Rs 3100 per month Stating that nobody had given any road map on the farming sector Sidhu while referring to other promises in the manifesto said We will procure oilseed pulses and corn at the minimum support price He stressed that it will promote crop diversification which was the need of the hour The party also promised free education for all needy students in government schools colleges and universities while SC scholarship will continue There will be free health services for all in all government hospitals said Sidhu adding that the spending on the health sector will be hiked The party promised Rs 5000 for needy girls who pass Class 5 Rs 10000 for those who clear Class 10 and Rs 20000 and a computer for the girls who pass Class 12 The party also promised a hike in wages for MGNREGA workers from 270 to Rs 350 and also an increase in man days from 100 to 150 days Sidhu also spoke about having an investment fund of Rs 1000 core for startups and an interest-free loan of Rs 2 lakh for them He said cluster-based industries will be developed in the state Besides promising to end the Inspector Raj Sidhu said 170 government services will be made available online PTI CHSSUN VSD RDK RDK

Chandigarh Feb 18 PTI The Congress on Friday released its manifesto for the February 20 Punjab Assembly polls promising Rs 1100 per month for women eight free cooking gas cylinders per year and one lakh government jobs The party also promised to end the mafia raj by creating corporations for the sale of liquor and sand mining Addressing the media here state party chief Navjot Singh Sidhu said the partys government will procure oilseed pulses and corn from farmers The Congress manifesto has come on the last day of the campaigning for the Assembly polls Sidhu said the partys 13-point agenda reflects Congress leader Rahul Gandhis vision Sidhu said if the Congress returns to power it first decision will be to give one lakh government jobs Homemakers will be given Rs 1100 per month as financial assistance besides eight cooking gas cylinders per year Sidhu said Oilseed pulses and corn will be procured from farmers he added PTI CHSSUN VSD RDK RDK

Amritsar (Punjab) [India], February 11 (ANI): Punjab Congress President Navjot Singh Sidhu on Thursday said that no one can cast an evil eye on Christianity as long as he is alive.

Chandigarh Jan 30 PTI The Congress fielded Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi from a second seat Bhadaur SC in the Punjab Assembly polls and replaced three MLAs as it released its final list of eight candidates on SundayThe final list of candidates of the Congress came two days ahead of the last date for filing nominations for the February 20 electionThe ruling party in the state has now announced candidates on all 117 seatsThe announcement to field Channi from a second seat comes days after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the party would go to the Punjab polls with a chief ministerial face and the decision in this regard would be taken soon after consulting the workersAAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal took a jibe at Channi saying he had pointed out that according to his partys survey the chief minister would lose the electoral battle from the Chamkaur Sahib SC seat which he currently represents in the AssemblyI had said that according to our survey Channi is losing from Chamkaur Sahib Today the Congress announced that he will contest the polls from two seats Does it mean that the survey is right Kejriwal wrote on TwitterThe Congress has fielded former Union minister and former Chandigarh MP Pawan Bansals son Manish Bansal from the Barnala Assembly seatThe party has fielded former Patiala mayor Vishnu Sharma from the Patiala Urban seat Former chief minister Amarinder Singh will also contest the polls from Patiala UrbanSharma rejoined the Congress this month He was the Patiala mayor from 2002 to 2007 when the Congress was in power in the stateFrom Jalalabad where the Shiromani Akali Dal SAD has fielded its president Sukhbir Singh Badal the Congress has nominated two-time former MP Mohan Singh Phalianwala The seat is currently represented in the Assembly by Congress MLA Raminder AwlaAwla was learnt to have been seeking the party ticket from Guruharsahai However in its previous list of candidates the Congress fielded Vijay Kalra from the seatThe party has fielded Channi from the Bhadaur SC seat in Barnala district The chief minister was earlier nominated from the Chamkaur Sahib SC seat which he has been representing in the Assembly since 2007By fielding Channi from Bhadaur the Congress is eying electoral gains in the politically-significant Malwa region which has a good presence of Dalits in addition to their concentration in the Doaba areaThe party would also hope to check the Aam Aadmi Partys AAP influence in the Sangrur-Barnala belt by fielding Channi from BhadaurNotably Punjab has a 3194 per cent Scheduled Caste SC populationChanni who replaced Amarinder Singh last year is the first SC chief minister of Punjab Earlier his name was doing the rounds for being fielded from the Mehal Kalan SC seat in BarnalaRebel AAP leader Pirmal Singh is the current Bhadaur MLAThe AAP has fielded Labh Singh Ugoke from the seatBarnala district has three Assembly segments -- Barnala Mehal Kalan and Bhadaur -- which fall under the Sangrur Lok Sabha constituency State AAP president and the partys chief ministerial face in the upcoming polls Bhagwant Mann is the MP from SangrurThe Congress has denied ticket to its MLA Tarsem Singh DC from Attari It has fielded Tarsem Singh Sialka from the seatThe party has also denied ticket to Nawanshahr MLA Angad Saini and has fielded Satbir Singh Saini in his placeAngad Saini had recently said his allegiance to the Congress cannot not be doubted and his wifes defection to the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP is inconsequential to his loyalty to his constituentsHis wife Aditi Singh is an MLA from Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh She joined the BJP after quitting the Congress last yearFrom Khemkaran the party has retained the current MLA Sukhpal Singh BhullarIt has fielded Ishwarjot Singh Cheema from Ludhiana South PTI CHS SUN VSD RC

Amritsar Jan 27 PTI Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited the Golden Temple here ahead of his virtually rally in Jalandhar on Thursday Gandhi will partake langar along with party candidates at the Golden Temple and also visit Durgaina Temple and the Bhagwan Valmiki Tirath Sthal here Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi partys state unit chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and Deputy Chief Ministers Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and OP Soni received Gandhi at the Amritsar airport on his arrival from DelhiThe Congress has announced 109 candidates for the February 20 Punjab Assembly polls The names of candidates for eight seats are yet to be announced At Jalandhars Mithapur Gandhi will address the Punjab Fateh virtual rally in the afternoon before returning to Delhi in the evening The Election Commission had extended the ban on physical rallies and road shows till January 31 in the five poll-going states including PunjabPunjab goes to polls on February 20 PTI CHS VSD DV DV

New Delhi Jan 24 PTI The Congress on Monday refused to comment on the Sanyukt Samaj Morcha SSM fielding Lakha Sidhana an accused in the Republic Day violence at Red Fort last year in the upcoming Punjab assembly electionsCongress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said the real issue is what the government has done for the welfare of farmers and why Ajay Mishra Teni continues to be the Union minister even though his son is the prime accused in the case of mowing down of farmers Lakhimpur Kheri Uttar PradeshI dont think the issue is about who is fielding whom It is about what is this government doing for farmers We are six days short of February 2022 when farmers income was supposed to be doubled The reality is that the average farmer in India is earning an average of Rs 27 per day What is the government doing about it Shrinate told reportersWe are living in a regime where Ajay Mishra Teni continues to be the Union minister while his son is the main accused she addedShe also cited Meghalaya Governor Satya Pal Maliks recent claims against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the farmers issuesWhen Malik met Modi he told him that 500 farmers have died but the prime minister asked whether they had died for him she saidThe Congress leader asked why the government has increased the cost of agriculture by Rs 25000 per hectare by inflating the cost of diesel pesticides and fertilisers She also highlighted the death of a farmer in Uttar Pradeshs Lalitpur while waiting for his turn at fertiliser shop for two daysThese are the questions that one needs to raise and I think the foremost question is how Ajay Mishra Teni still a minister she askedSSM is a political front launched by 22 farmers unions to contest the upcoming assembly elections in Punjab It fielded gangster-turned-activist Lakha Sidhana from the Maur assembly constituency in its list of 34 candidates released on Sunday PTI SKC RHL RHL