Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], March 10 (ANI): Bhagwant Mann, MP from Sangrur and Aam Aadmi Party's face for the Punjab assembly polls, is set to be the next chief minister with the party poised for a historic verdict in the state.

Hoshiarpur (Punjab) [India], February 4 (ANI): Senior BJP leader and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said that Bharatiya Janata Party wants to improve the 'ease of doing business' in Punjab and is also determined to tackle the drug menace in the state.

New Delhi [India], February 4 (ANI): Ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party will release the official theme song for its state unit for the polls on Friday.

New Delhi [India], February 4 (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will address public meetings today in Dasuya, Sujanpur and Gurdaspur districts of poll-bound Punjab.

New Delhi [India], January 31 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that Rajya Sabha MP, Sardar Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa's passion for Punjab's progress is always visible.

Chandigarh Jan 30 PTI Punjab politics iron lady and the states only woman chief minister so far Congress leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal exudes confidence about winning the Lehra seat in the assembly polls and says her opponent Parminder Singh Dhindsa of the SAD Sankyut is just a Modi representativeThe 76-year-old Bhattal had been winning the seat since 1992 until she lost the poll in 2017 to Dhindsa who is now leader of the SAD Sanyukt which is headed by his father and veteran leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and is seeking re-election from the segmentHowever the Congress veteran and five-time legislator is eyeing to wrest the seat from Parminder who had shifted his seat from Sunam to Lehra in 2017 to contest against Bhattal He is Modis numayanda representative she saysThe BJP has a tie-up with the SAD Sanyukt and former chief minister Amarinder Singh led Punjab Lok Congress PLC for the February 20 pollsAmong others in the fray from Lehra also known as Lehragaga include AAPs Brindar Kumar Goyal and SADs Gobind Singh Longowal a former SGPC president The contest in the constituency which has traditionally been between the Congress and SAD until 2017 has been spiced up with the entry of AAPIn the wake of the Election Commissions Covid-induced restrictions on holding rallies Bhattal has been addressing small meetings in the constituencyIn her speeches the Dhindsas are at the centre of her attack while she also does not spare other opponents including the BJP former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and Aam Aadmi Party from her broadsideDespite her age Bhattals campaign schedule is packed and her public addresses are sharp where she takes on the oppositionI have a dream of making my constituency a model one among all the constituencies in the entire state Bhattal tells a gathering of locals in the assembly segment while appealing to people to elect her and strengthen the Congress handsThe Congress will return to power with an overwhelming majority and common people are appreciating several decisions which the Charanjit Singh Channis government took for welfare of various sections during a short stint of 111 days before the Model Code of Conduct came into force with the poll announcement Bhattal told PTIWhat Channi did in less than four months many could not achieve that in years says the Congress loyalist whose son-in-law Vikram Bajwa has been fielded by the party from SahnewalWhile recalling her own term in 1996-97 when she got a nearly three-month term as chief minister Bhattal praises Channi for not just making announcements but ensuring his government issues notifications to immediately implement thoseBhattal had succeeded Harcharan Singh Brar as CM towards the end of 1996 before the Shiromani Akali Dal led government came to power after polls in 1997During her poll campaign she hits out at Dhindsas and Amarinder Singh over their tie-up with BJPCapt Amarinder Dhindsa and company will be routed in these polls Capt and Dhindsa are dubte suraj setting sun says Bhattal with part of her attack directed at Amarinder with whom she never really enjoyed cordial relations and had sought his removal when he was in his first-term as CM 2002-07Amarinder Singh who had been at loggerheads with Navjot Singh Sidhu was made to resign by the Congress last year after which he floated his outfit PLCBhattal tells the gathering that Amarinder and Dhindsa are dancing to the tunes of BJP which was responsible for bringing farm laws against which farmers from Punjab and elsewhere agitated for more than one year forcing the Centre to rollback the legislationsOver 700 of our farmers died during the agitation What answer will they give to the people she asksTaking on the Aam Aadmi Party she says many of their MLAs deserted the party and recently the outfits Ferozepur Rural candidate Ashu Banger had quit the party after being allocated a ticket and joined the CongressBhattal also said the AAP was anxious after Sanyukt Samaj Morcha a platform of farmers organisations decided to contest the polls and not support themShe also slammed the AAP for having divergent stand on various issues concerning Punjab including water issuesBhattal recalls development works she undertook in the constituency as MLA including construction of bridges and irrigation facility for several villages and other works done in the health and education sectorPTI SUN VSD DV DV

New Delhi [India], January 26 (ANI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah met the Punjab BJP leaders at the party office on Tuesday to discuss the candidates for the remaining seats in Punjab and the next list is likely to be declared on January 27.

Chandigarh Jan 25 PTI The SAD Sanyukt an ally of the BJP on Tuesday announced its two remaining candidates for next months Punjab assembly polls Gurpal Singh Goldy will contest from Raikot seat and Harshit Kumar Sheetal from Payal assembly constituency according to the party The party had earlier announced 13 candidates The Shiromani Akali Dal Sanyukt which is led by Rajya Sabha MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa is contesting the state assembly polls in alliance with the BJP and the former chief minister Amarinder Singh-led Punjab Lok Congress According to the seat-sharing arrangement the BJP will contest on 65 seats the PLC on 37 seats and the SAD Sanyukt on 15 seats Voting for Punjabs 117 Assembly seats is scheduled for February 20 and the counting will take place on March 10 PTI CHS VSD SMN SMN

Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], January 5 (ANI): Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt) president and Rajya Sabha MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa has tested positive for COVID-19.

Chandigarh Dec 22 PTI Shiromani Akali Dal Sanyukt leader Ranjit Singh Brahmpura will rejoin the SAD on ThursdayBrahmpura is the patron of the SAD SanyuktSAD Sanyukt general secretary Karnail Singh Peermohammad on Wednesday said Brahmpura will rejoin the SAD in the presence of Akali stalwart Parkash Singh Badal on ThursdayHe added that senior vice-president of the party Ujagar Singh Wadali will also join the SADA decision in this regard was taken on Wednesday evening Peermohammad saidHe said they were against an alliance or a seat-sharing arrangement with the BJP for the 2022 Punjab Assembly pollsAt present Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa is the president of the SAD SanyuktEarlier this month Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said the BJP was in talks with former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh and Dhindsa for electoral tie-upsRecently the BJP announced its alliance with Singhs party the Punjab Lok Congress for the upcoming Assembly pollsBrahmpura a former MP was expelled from the SAD in 2018 after he raised a banner of revolt against the party leadershipSubsequently he launched his own party the SAD TaksaliDhindsa also floated his party the SAD Democratic after he was expelled by the Akali Dal in 2020Brahmpura and Dhindsa joined hands and formed the SAD Sanyukt after dissolving their respective outfits this yearThe Punjab Assembly polls are due early next year PTI CHS VSD RC