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Buzz | Maur on Jeet Mohinder’s mind
Sidhu has contested from Talwandi Sabo twice each on Congress and SAD tickets and once as an Independent; he also unsuccessfully contested the 2024 Lok Sabha polls from Bathinda as a Congress candidate
Congress leader and four-time former MLA from Talwandi Sabo, Jeet Mohinder Sidhu, who lost the last two assembly polls in 2017 and 2022, has hinted at shifting to the Maur assembly constituency. He opened his political office in Maur on March 15. A known party hopper, Sidhu invited leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa and other senior party leaders to the inaugural function in the rural segment. He has been facing tough competition from senior Congress leader Khushbaz Jatana, who is working to stake a claim to the Talwandi Sabo seat. Sidhu, the son of ex-bureaucrat and former Punjab Public Service Commission chairman Bhupinder Singh Sidhu, has contested from Talwandi Sabo twice each on Congress and SAD tickets and once as an Independent. He also unsuccessfully contested the 2024 Lok Sabha polls from Bathinda as a Congress candidate.
Nabha MLA’s ‘rough’ act
Aam Aadmi Party’s Nabha MLA Gurdev Singh Dev Maan is facing criticism after being caught in an act that has sparked outrage. The MLA, who once cycled to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha in 2022 projecting humility, was recently seen allegedly kicking an elderly man, drawing sharp reactions on social media. The controversy erupted after a video surfaced online purportedly showing him kicking and pushing an elderly man off a stage. The incident reportedly occurred on March 8 during a function held in Ludhiana’s Dugri area to pay tribute to Punjabi singers Amar Singh Chamkila and Amarjot Kaur on their 38th death anniversary. Clarifying his action, Dev Maan claimed the man was allegedly intoxicated and repeatedly tried to climb the stage despite being asked to step down. “I respect elders and would never insult them,” he said.
Batter Pappi’s quickfire 25
Aam Aadmi Party’s Ludhiana Central MLA Ashok Parashar Pappi showcased his cricketing skills during a friendly match held on Sunday morning at the multi-sports ground behind Lord Mahavira Civil Hospital, a facility he recently inaugurated. Batting with confidence, Pappi scored 25 runs in just two overs while chasing, guiding his team to a comfortable victory. After the match, he was seen sitting on the grass humbly alongside fellow players, watching another game in a relaxed and sporting spirit. He also announced that he would make it a point to play regularly with local teams on Sundays.
Sukhbir on promise spree
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal has been holding political rallies under the party’s ‘Punjab Bachao’ campaign, announcing a flurry of promises for the welfare of the people of Punjab if voted to power in 2027. At one such rally in Shahkot, a flood-prone area in the state, Sukhbir said a permanent solution must be found to the recurring problem of floods every year. “I promise that all the bundhs will be made pucca (cemented) along the river, from Himachal Pradesh to the Pakistan border, and a dam system will be created,” he said, adding, “Political parties only need the will and power to resolve any issue.”
Pargat’s straight talk
At a talk on making Punjab’s leadership more authentic organised by the Panj foundation, Congress MLA Pargat Singh chose honesty over pleasantries —and even managed a smile while at it. He observed that people often say what others want to hear, and leaders, in turn, prefer listening only to what suits them. “I speak with logic, that’s why people don’t like me,” he quipped, keeping the tone light. He pointed out that Punjab has been on a gradual decline for years —something that clearly won’t be fixed by selective hearing.
Notice blooper leaves Hry Cong red-faced
The adage - the left hand does not know what the right is doing - aptly reflects the state of affairs in the Haryana Congress. Smarting from cross-voting by five of its legislators in last week’s Rajya Sabha polls, the state unit issued show-cause notices to the ‘errant’ MLAs. However, it turned out that the show-cause notices were inaccurately worded, accusing the party MLAs of “deliberate invalid voting” rather than cross-voting. After a section of journalists pointed this out, a rephrased version of the notice was issued explicitly accusing party MLAs of “not casting their vote in favour of the official Congress candidate Karamveer Singh Boudh and casting their vote in favour of another candidate”. While the gaffe left many a red-faces in the state Congress, AICC in-charge for party affairs in Haryana BK Hariprasad sought to play down the matter stating that first notice also intended to highlight cross-voting by Congress MLAs. The episode, however, laid bare a troubling lack of due diligence and oversight in the party’s functioning.
Next-gen Abdullahs
Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah introducing his two sons to the public is not new. With his niece by his side at the Tulip Garden inauguration last week, speculating is growing that the next generation of the Abdullah family is being groomed for politics. With the upcoming panchayat and urban local body polls, the younger Abdullahs are likely to be in the spotlight. After all, dynastic succession is a common trend in politics. Both senior leaders of the National Conference, Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah, began their political careers at a young age the same way. In later years, they took over the reins of the party, which has ruled over J&K several times.
A compassionate gesture
Mandi deputy commissioner Apurva Devgan is being widely praised for his compassionate gesture. On his birthday last week, the mother of late Rahul Mandiyal from Sundernagar visited his office and broke down after seeing a resemblance to her son, who died in a landslide. Moved by the moment, Devgan embraced and comforted her like a son, leaving everyone present deeply emotional – highlighting the human side of public service beyond official roles.
(Contributed by Karam Prakash, Vishal Joshi, Tarsem Singh Deogan, Navrajdeep Singh, Aneesha Sareen Kumar, Hitender Rao, Mir Ehsan, Shailee Dogra)
