DAILY EXCELSIOR, JAMMU MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2013 (PAGE 9) A grand return to power Raman Singh, the silent performer gives BJP a hat-trick in C'garh RAIPUR, Dec 8: Antyodaya scheme and at Rs 2 for others below the poverty line for Vasundhara Raje Fondly called as 'Chawal (BPL) families were touted as JAIPUR, Dec 8: elected to the state assembly thrice before she rallied her supporters Wale Baba' (the rice God), Dr one of the main achievements of and five times to Lok Sabha. to bounce back last year. Raman Singh, who today led the Raman Singh government. Vasundhara Raje, who failed After being appointed as BJP's First, she cut RSS-favourite BJP to a consecutive third victo- five years ago on account of Despite the recurring Maoist National Executive member in Gulab Chand Kataria, a seasoned ry in the Naxal-affected state of violence for which he has had infighting in BJP, reinvented her- 1984, she became vice-president party leader and chief ministerial Chattisgarh, has earned the rep- self and galvanised the cadre to his share of criticism, tech- of Yuva Morcha in Rajasthan a aspirant, to size by forcing the utation of being a silent per- savvy Singh has turned the spearhead her party's spectacular year later and was elected to state party to cancel his planed 28-day former. comeback to power in Rajasthan. backward state into a model of assembly the same year. yatra across the State last year. Never regarded as a very 60-year-old Raje, who development. Since then Raje's rise has been The yatra, he believed, would right-wing Hindu-nationalist belongs to the royal Scindia fami- steady which culminated in her have propelled him as the BJP's He was also credited for ly of Gwalior and married in politician, bringing in Chhattisgarh Food becoming the state's first woman face in the State at a time the Singh(61) is Rajasthan, had even once threat- chief minister in 2003 when the Ashok Gehlot Government was Security Act to ensure food to ened to quit the party. But then she known to people of the state, much before "angrezi-speaking maharani", a seemingly in a drift. skirt contro- managed to get the BJP high com- phrase used by her critics to refer A majority of party's MLAs the National Food Security Act versial issues mand fully behind her in her bid to to her elitist and royal back- sided with her, knowing well that which was being considered as a oust the Congress Government ground, led BJP to its most she and not Kataria had the such as "game changer" by the Congress headed by Ashok Gehlot. famous victory in the predomi- charisma of bringing the party Hindutva and party. The icing on the cake for her conversions nantly rural State. back to power. A reluctant BJP Singh has won praise from Aam Admi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal with other partymen flashing victory sign during a was the full-throated backing The saffron party had bagged national leadership had little and focused from Narendra Modi who exten- political rivals including press conference in New Delhi on Sunday. (UNI) a majority for the first time -- it choice but to bow to her wishes only on the development and Finance Minister P sively toured Rajasthan during the won in 120 out of 200 seats -- a and let her helm the party's achievements, and promises of a election campaign. Chidambaram (during his tenure feat which had eluded even its affairs. better life for the people in his as Home Minister) for adopting Her rise from a National stalwart and former CM Bhairon Raje was appointed state poll campaign. AAP a movement of disparate groups, Executive member of BJP to one pro-active policy to tackle nax- Singh Sekhawat. party president and launched An Ayurvedic doctor-turned of its most powerful leaders in If she was seen as an efficient Suraj Sankalp Yatra in April, alism. Rajasthan can be attributed to her politician, the two-term Chief He was credited for forming administrator with a grip on which drew a good response from Minister, who had an uninter- broom proves ominous for Dikshit charismatic personality and strong bureaucracy, she was also accused people, lifting the morale of party 'Salwa Judum'--an anti-naxal will, which have helped her tide rupted 10-year rule of the tribal- movement, to check left wing of having authoritarian tendencies workers. She was later named dominated state. Earned the NEW DELHI, Dec 8: went along with the party’s victims of sexual harassment over political crises from within which antagonised powerful party's chief ministerial candi- extremism in the state-- but it 'Chawal Wale Baba" sobriquet slogans of cleaning the polity and rape, including the intro- and outside in her 30-year-long satraps and numerically signifi- date. was decried by human rights for the popularity of unique pro- When fledgling Aam of corruption amid a spate of duction of a stronger anti-rape political career. cant groups like Gujjars and She also vociferously sup- activists. Aadmi party was alloted While she is adored by her Meenas, resulting in BJP losing a ported Narendra Modi's prime welfare schemes including dis- Overcoming anti-incumben- scams that dogged the UPA law. ‘broom’ as its poll symbol just government. Hazare and Kejriwal agreed supporters for her plainspoken tight electoral race in 2008 to ministerial candidature within the tribution of rice at Rs one and Rs cy factor in the state, BJP led by 100 days back, there may have “With this, the party has on September 19 2012 that and outgoing manners, her detrac- Congress. party and as the Gujarat Chief two per kg to families belonging Singh is all set to form the gov- tors believe her inaccessibility and been ominous signs for crossed the second milestone their differences regarding a Raje became the leader of Minister's graph rose so did hers, to extremely poor and below ernment in Chhattisgarh for the like-it-or-lump-it attitude was the Congress which ruled Delhi (after its registration) on its role in politics were irreconcil- Opposition but had to quit in neutralising any potential obsta- poverty lines categories. third time after a tightly fought reason behind BJP's debacle in for 15 straight years if one way to cleaning up the polity able. February, 2010, on the party's cle she might have had to face. Rice for Rs 1 a kg under the elections. (PTI) 2008 assembly polls and the sub- directions after BJP suffered a A graduate with economics went by some historic broom of the country,” the AAP said Kejriwal had support from sequent Lok Sabha elections. drubbing in Lok Sabha polls, win- and political science degrees from lore. in a statement after it was some well-known people Member of a Maratha royal ning only four of 25 seats. Mumbai University, Raje'e ener- Tehelka case: Goa police slaps And Arvind Kejriwal’s alloted the reserved ‘broom’ involved in the anti-corruption family who married into a Jat It was the time when RSS was getic campaign has been one of the AAP, which had its roots in the symbol on August one. movement, such as Prashant family, she enjoys a connect with asserting itself in the party's hallmarks of the electioneering. civil society’s historic anti- “With the ‘broom’ which Bhushan and Shanti Bhushan, masses cutting across castes and affairs and Raje was never a At a personal level, she is additional charges on Tejpal corruption movement spear- symbolises dignity of labour, but was opposed by others such communities that lends her the X- favourite of the Hindutva organi- more of the quintessential modern headed by Gandhian Anna the party hopes to clean the as Kiran Bedi and Santosh PANAJI, Dec 8: factor in a heterogeneous state like sation. woman leader who is as much at Hazare that brought govern- filth which has permeated our Hegde. Rajasthan where acceptability of Unlike her mother, who pas- ease in the traditional tribal dress In what can spell further trouble for Tehelka founder editor Tarun ment on its knees in mid-2011, government and our legisla- On October 2, the birth most politicians wilts outside a sionately advocated political hearing out the concerns of vil- Tejpal, accused of sexually assaulting a woman colleague, the Goa made an old tale come true for ture. The country needs a clean anniversary of Mahatma particular region or group. Hinduism, Raje kept RSS and its lage population as she enjoyed Crime branch has pressed additional charges against him. the one-year-old party. sweep of its corrupted main Gandhi, Kejriwal announced Daughter of founding BJP affiliates at an arm's length from walking the ramp or interacting A senior crime branch official said that the first information report According to an old stream political parties,” it that he was forming a political leader Vijayraje Scindia and sister Government's affairs. with celebrities in royal parties. filed against Tejpal now has additional two sections of Indian Penal American folklore, if you said. party which was formally of deceased Congress leader Marginalised by her party, she And her supporters love their Code - 341 (wrongful restraint) and 342 (wrongful confinement). place a broom on the floor, it And Kejriwal may also take launched on November 26 Madhavrao Scindia, she has been kept a low profile for some time 'maharani' for this. (PTI) The officials interrogating Tejpal said that additional sections were will indicate to your guests inspiration from another old coinciding with the anniversary invoked after statements of the victim, witnesses and going through the that they have stayed long folklore in which it was said of India’s adoption of its con- CCTV footage of the hotel where the alleged incident took place. enough. that in World War II, if the sub- stitution in 1949. Bill to provide UIDAI legal Tejpal, who is currently in police custody, is already booked under Besides the symbolic mes- marine crew fired all their tor- The party name reflects the section 354-A (sexual harassment, physical contact, advances involv- sage it conveys, the broom pedoes successfully, they phrase Aam Aadmi, or “com- ing unwelcome and explicit sexual overtures, or any other unwelcome may perhaps being the engi- would tie a broom to the con- mon man”, whose interests status may come this week physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature), 376 (rape) and neer-turned-IRS officer’s way ning tower when arriving in Kejriwal proposed to represent. 376(2)(k) (rape by a person of a woman in his custody taking advan- of telling three-time Delhi port, to signify a “clean A party constitution was NEW DELHI, Dec 8: approved the proposal of the In the meantime, UIDAI has tage of his official position) of IPC. Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit sweep”. adopted on November 24, Ministry of Planning to move been functioning under an exec- Tejpal's police custody was yesterday extended by four days till that she has been staying in It may not be a clean sweep 2012. The Government intends to official amendments to the bill utive order issued by the December 10 in connection with the case. office for long and that it was but AAP has made a stunning The party claims that the bring in Parliament next week a in October. Government in January 2009. Tejpal, accused of sexually assaulting a junior woman colleague in time to leave. debut to become the main common people remain bill to provide statutory status to The Government had intro- The bill proposes to consti- a hotel here in early November, was arrested by Goa Police on AAP, the underdog, had opposition party besides help- unheard and unseen except the Unique Identification duced the National tute a statutory authority to be November 30. pledged during the launch of ing end the 15-year uninter- when it suits the politicians to Authority of India (UIDAI), Identification Authority of India called the National Shoma Chaudhary, the former Managing Editor of the weekly the party a year back that it rupted rule of Congress. consider them. It wants to which issues Aadhaar numbers Bill, 2010, in December that Identification Authority of India magazine, yesterday recorded her statement before the Chief Judicial was here to stay as a political AAP, which emerged as the reverse the way that the to residents. year. and lay down its powers and Magistrate here in connection with the case. (PTI) party and change the way poli- second largest party after BJP accountability of government "The Government has The Lok Sabha Speaker, in functions, the framework for tics is done in the next 20 in Delhi, ws formally launched operates and has taken an inter- planned to bring the National consultation with the Chairman issuing Aadhaar numbers and years. on November 26 2012. pretation of the Gandhian con- Identification Authority of India Akali Dal (B) councilor of the Rajya Sabha, had referred define offences and penalties Mainstream parties often It came into existence fol- cept of swaraj as a tenet. Bill, 2013, in Parliament next and incidental matters through the bill to the Parliamentary poked fun at broom-wielding lowing differences between Kejriwal says AAP refuses week," an official said. an Act of Parliament. arrested in murder case Standing Committee on AAP leaders and workers but Kejriwal and Hazare regarding to be guided by ideologies and According to the official, all Finance. UIDAI has so far issued JALANDHAR, Dec 8: they extracted a sweet whether or not to politicise the that they are entering politics steps for discussion and passage The Committee presented its about 51 crore Aadhaar num- revengue. popular India Against to change the system: “We are of the bill in Parliament have report to the Lok Sabha and bers, which serve as proof of Phagwara police have arrested one Akali Dal (B) councilor A contemptuous message Corruption(IAC) movement aam aadmis. If we find our been taken. tabled it in the Rajya Sabha on identity and address. (PTI) from Phagwara for killing Vijay kumar alias Vicky in a firing dur- was also posted about the anti- The Union Cabinet had December 13, 2011. ing the Viana riots in 2009. that had been demanding a Jan solution in the left we are Councillor Balbir Singh Bittu was handed over to the Jalandhar corruption activism in the Lokpal Bill since 2011. happy to borrow it from there. police who is investigating the Vicky murder case. It produced him country by Sonia Gandhi’s Hazare preferred that the If we find our solution in the Harsh Vardhan, the man who brought magistrate Anuradha who had sent him before in judicial custody son-in-law Robert Vadra who movement should remain right, we are happy to borrow it for 14 days. wrote on his Facebook page: politically unaligned while from there,” he was quoted as Police said Vickey was killed in a firing during the riots erupt- “Mango people in banana Kejriwal felt the failure of the having said. ed at Jalandhar after the murder of sant Ballan Wale in May 2009 republic. agitation route necessitated a The party produced a sepa- Delhi BJP factions together at Viana. The AAP, which was built direct political involvement. rate manifesto for each con- NEW DELHI, Dec 8: scarcity of water, unemploy- the Anglo-Sanskrit Victoria A case was registered against Balbir and BSP activist Nathpal on idealism and brought The AAP has led several stituency. The candidates were ment and promised to offer a Jubilee Senior Secondary in this connection. Nathpal had already been arrested and is in the together disparate groups on a protests since its formation. being screened for potential Harsh Vardhan, anointed clean government besides prom- School in Daryaganj in central jail. (UNI) platform to fight corruption, Among these was a campaign criminal backgrounds and the BJP’s Chief Ministerial nominee ising to slash by 30 per cent the Delhi. had submitted ‘broom’, ‘can- against an alleged nexus party claimed to have selected less than a month before the power tariff, an emotive issue Later, he did his MBBS and Sindhurakshak:India not to accept dle’ and ‘tap’ as its three most between government and pri- honest candidates. Delhi Assembly polls after a bit- for Delhiites. specialisation in ENT from preferred symbols in the order vate corporations relating to The AAP’s central mani- ter internal squabble, steadfastly During his Ministership in GSVM Medical College in of priority. Price rise was also price rises for electricity and festo promising to implement united various factions to bring the Delhi government (1993- Kanpur. Russian probe offer for now high on AAP’s agenda. water in Delhi. Another saw the Jan Lokapal Bill within 15 enthusiasm among workers to 98), people had found him As a Health Minister, he had The symbol of ‘broom’ also the party demanding justice for days of coming to power. (PTI) keep the party on course to remarkably accessible and offi- launched the polio eradication NEW DELHI, Dec 8: regain power from Congress cials respected him for his initiative in Delhi in October, Despite repeated Russian offer to help in the investigation of after 15 years. hands-on style of functioning. 1994. Taking cue from the suc- the sinking of Naval ship Sindhurakshak following an explosion, Bolt from the blue for Dikshit, stares An RSS member since his “He joined politics with the cess of the programme, the India is preferring to complete its own probe first. younger days, 59-year-old laudable objective of using his Union Health Ministry adopted According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the Government Vardhan, a practicing ENT sur- considerable medical knowl- the same as a national pro- was currently not going to take a call on the Russian offer. geon known for his disarming edge and experience for serving gramme later. He had also visit- A massive explosion had occurred on August 14 at the Russian at uncertain political future simplicity, sucessfully connect- the common man,” former ed various states to persuade the made submarine of the Indian navy, sinking the ship and killing 18 ed with the voters while leading Prime Minister Atal Bihari health ministers to cooperate in NEW DELHI, Dec 8: seven to eight rallies daily to Uncontrollable inflation, Navy personnel, including three officers on board. The a high-voltage campaign from Vajpayee had said once about making the country polio free. take on formidable BJP which which left vegetables out of Government has ordered an inquiry into the matter which was still After ruling Delhi for 15 had deployed a battery of star common man’s reach just two the front despite undercurrents Vardhan. He is also credited with consecutive years, three-time going on. The submarine had been commissioned into the Navy in campaigners including its Prime months ahead of polls, also of friction in the Delhi party Apart from being an effec- bringing the Delhi Prohibition Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit 1997. Ministerial candidate Narendra seemed to have sealed unit. tive minister, he also proved his of smoking and non smokers today stared at an uncertain When asked whether the issue was raised during Prime Modi. Congress’ fate in its traditional People close to him said organisational capabilities by health protection bill. Soon, political future after she bore Minister Manmohan Singh's recent annual Summit with President Apart from extensive cam- bastions. Vardhan’s easy-going attitude rebuilding the BJP’s operations many states followed Delhi’s Putin, MEA Spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said, "This offer was the ignominy of losing to fledg- and disarming smile were his in Delhi, virtually from scratch, example, culminating in a paigning by AAP on the issue of Looking at AAP, born out of made and it has been raised previously and a response has been ling AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal in a the civil society movement greatest assets because of which after the party’s defeat in the Central legislation banning shock defeat adding to the rout corruption, Dikshit was faced indicated that currently we are in the process of undertaking our with daunting task of overcom- headed by Anna Hazare, as the party drew support from var- 2003 Assembly Election. smoking in public places in own investigations and once these are finalised, we will take a call of the ruling Congress. ing the unpopular image of her lightweight and often terming it ious quarters, some of them In late 2003, he was appoint- 2002. on how best to go about it further." 75-year-old Dikshit’s elec- party at the Centre and the as a “non-party”, Dikshit was unexpected. ed as president pf Delhi BJP. He The World Health He also said "If there is a requirement, we will take this up with toral fortunes came crashing in under- currents within DPCC served a knock out punch by Vardhan had entered the is credited with rebuilding the Organisation, recognising his our friends outside." UNI) the Delhi Assembly elections political fray in 1993 when he party at the grassroot level after contribution, had awarded him where senior leaders were greenhorn which resorted to billed as a litmus test for door-to-door campaigning high- successfully contested the the party’s defeat in the assem- the Director-General’s Congress ahead of Lok Sabha unhappy over her unilateral Assembly polls from Krishna bly polls that year. Commendation Medal in May, Injured in 26/11 attack, ex-NSG choice of candidates. lighting alleged corruption by polls next year and which wit- the Congress besides focussing Nagar constituency in East In April 2007, the party 1998. Though she bit the dust, ana- nessed the first-ever triangular on its “misrule”. Delhi in 1993. He went on to recaptured power in the In December 2004, Vardhan commando wins Delhi Cantt seat lysts said credit cannot be taken contest. Congress and BJP were Born in a non-political fami- retain the seat in the 1998, 2003 Municipal Corporation of Delhi had come out with his own NEW DELHI, Dec 8: trapped inside Taj Hotel. away from Dikshit for ushering the traditional rivals since the ly in Kapurthala district on and 2008 assembly elections. and in 2008, the party emerged account on how he conceived The 35-year-old commando first Delhi elections in 1993. in reforms in power sector, e- Former NSG commando March 31, 1938, Dikshit, eldest Fondly called “Doctor Saab” victorious in the Delhi and implemented the Pulse who was on a deputation from the A stung Dikshit—one of the governance in various depart- Surender Singh who was severely of three daughters, was exposed by supporters and opponents Cantonment Board election Polio programme. The book, Army's Grenadiers unit, had most successful woman politi- ments, series of social security injured during 26/11 Mumbai to politics after she married alike, Vardhan is known for his under his leadership. titled - A Tale of Two Drops — joined the rescue operation barely cians—probably could not have schemes besides significantly attack while flushing out mili- Vinod Dikshit, an IAS officer efforts in eradicating polio in Vardhan, known for his sim- was released by Atal Bihari four days after his first child was expected the scale of drubbing enhancing the city’s infrastruc- tants from Taj hotel, emerged vic- and son of former union minis- Delhi when he was the Health plicity and amiable leadership Vajpayee. born. for Congress that came as a bolt ture during her uninterrupted torious in political field also as ter and Governor Uma Shankar Minister. style, is admired by many lead- Married to Nutan, a special- A day after Ajmal Kasab was from the blue as entry of Aam rule. today he won from Delhi Cantt Dikshit. He is known to share a very ers belonging to various politi- ist in hospital administration hanged, Surender had slammed Aadmi Party(AAP) altered the On the infrastructure issue, seat on Aam Aadmi Party ticket. Dikshit received her primary cordial relationship with RSS cal parties. who preferred to be a homemak- the government claiming that he she, however, faced severe criti- Surender defeated BJP's political landscape in the education at Delhi’s Convent of and people close to him say he Recognising his leadership er, Vardhan has two sons and a was offered only a bulk of his cism ahead of the Karan Singh Tanwar by a margin national capital. Jesus and Mary school and still retains the Swayamsevak’s qualities, Vardhan, who hails daughter. financial benefits. With Dikshit herself losing Commonwealth Games in 2010 of 355 votes from Delhi Cantt The ex-commando was dis- due to delays in implementing graduated from Miranda House, tendency to downplay the from Baniya community, was Vardhan is also involved in seat. from New Delhi at the hands of Delhi University and obtained a “Swayam” (self) giving prece- given presidentship of Delhi promoting ideologies of Shyama charged from service after a med- AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal, the projects. He was left hearing impaired ical board ruled him unfit for The taint of corruption in the post-graduation degree in dence to “Seva” (service). BJP for three terms between Prasad Mookherjee, the founder after a grenade explosion during future of the three-time Chief History. Senior Delhi BJP leaders 2003 and 2008. of the Jan Sangh, and Deen service. Minister appears to be uncer- CWG projects had reached the the rescue operation at Taj Hotel. Aam Admi Party today made doors of her government as First elected to the Lok said his anointment to the top Vardhan managed to bring Dayal Upadhyay. Later he plunged into politics tain. Sabha in 1984 from Kannauj post has helped the party give a enthusiasm among grass root As secretary of the Shyama a stunning debut in electoral poli- Dikshit was the lone face of Prime Minister-appointed after retiring from active service. tics by winning or leading in 28 Shunglu Committee, CAG and Parliamentary Constituency of tough fight to both the green- workers whose morale had Prasad Mukherjee Foundation, Hailing from a family of lim- the Congress, except for a few Uttar Pradesh, she served as a horn Aam Admi Party and taken a beating following he has taken up projects to of the 70 Assembly seats in Delhi fleeting appearances of Sonia CVC pointed various alleged ited means in Jhajjar of Haryana, and stopping BJP short of a irregularities though she strong- Minister under Rajiv Gandhi Congress. party’s image of a “divided assemble the collected works of Surender has served in the Army and Rahul Gandhi, as she car- first as the Minister of State for In the campaigning, Vardhan house” when Goel openly Mukerjee, to restore his house in majority in an election that top- ried the burden of the poll cam- ly refuted them. for 14 years. pled the three-term Congress Dikshit was often accused of Parliamentary Affairs and later attacked the Congress on range staked his claim for the post. Kolkata and to promote research Surender was severely paign. as a Minister of State in the of issues including price rise, Born on December 13, 1954, in topics of national importance. Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. She campaigned hard across not grooming second rung lead- wounded in Operation Black (PTI) ers in Delhi Congress. Prime Minister’s office. (PTI) corruption, rising power tariff, he had done his schooling from (PTI) Tornado while rescuing people the city addressing around