Chandigarh, December 13 The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) have almost sealed a pre-poll seat-sharing arrangement with the two deciding to retain the same number of seats each as during the 2007 elections. The two have, however, agreed to exchange four seats. The BJP will contest 23 seats. It will give up its claim on the Garshankar seat in lieu of the Ludhiana (West)... 

CHANDIGARH : In a populist move, the Punjab government has decided to extend the benefit of 100 units per month of free electricity to 15 lakh families, instead of the present 10 lakh families. The move ahead of Vidhan Sabha elections is being seen as another shot at power politics, which even the predecessor government had indulged in just before the previous elections. The SAD-BJP government has... 

JALANDHAR: Former Punjab and Maharashtra DGP S S Virk — who was removed by the Election Commission in early 2007 from the post of Punjab DGP and was arrested by the Punjab Vigilance bureau under the Prevention of Corruption Act also in 2007 when he was repatriated to his parent cadre, the Maharashtra police — has applied for a Congress ticket from Dasuya for the Assembly elections. In 2007,... 

FARIDKOT/BAGHAPURANA: Belying the claims of Sanjha Morcha chairman Manpreet Badal that an alliance with BSP is at final stages, the latter is preparing to go it alone in the upcoming elections to state assembly. Addressing party rallies at Faridkot and Baghapura in Moga on Monday, BSP Punjab incharge Narinder Kashyap said that BSP has not entered into any electoral pact with any party so far and that... 

In an attempt to woo the Rai Sikh community which comprises a formidable chunk of electorate in this border area, PCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh today announced that a representative from this community would be given Congress ticket from one of the assembly segments. The PCC chief addressed a “Punjab Bachao Yatra” rally here today. The rally, which was organised by Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi, MLA,... 

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Monday said the results of the State Assembly elections would make former Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal, realise his mistake of leaving the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), as he and his party would be completely routed. Manpreet Badal recently launched third front along with the Left and Shiromani Akali Dal (Longowal) after formation of a new party, People’s... 

BATHINDA: Former minister in previous Shiromani Akali Dal government has been shown the door from the party. Chiranji Lal Garg has been thrown out of the party on the accusations of indulging in anti-party activists. Garg on his part has announced to contest the next assembly elections and has hinted to contest on the ticket of Manpreet Badal-led Peoples’ Party of Punjab. Ever since 2007 when...