Anand Kumar Patel

Oath Taken, Navjot Singh Sidhu Touches Captain Amarinder Singh's feet: 10 Points

India News | Reported by Anand Kumar Patel, Edited by Veer Arjun Singh | Thursday March 16, 2017

After 10 years, Punjab has a Congress government. Captain Amarinder Singh, 75, took oath as Chief Minister this morning. Third on the list of nine ministers who was sworn in was Navjot Singh Sidhu, the cricketer-turned-politician who quit the BJP last year. The positioning is seen to suggest that Mr Sidhu is unlikely to be Deputy Chief Minister, a...

Capt Amarinder Singh Takes Oath Today. Eyes On Navjot Sidhu Role: 10 Facts

India News | Written by Sonal Mehrotra Kapoor and Anand Kumar Patel | Thursday March 16, 2017

Punjab, the Congress' only consolation in the recent assembly elections in which it lost four other states including Uttar Pradesh to the BJP, will get Captain Amarinder Singh, 77, as its Chief Minister today. This will be the second stint of the Captain, as the Congress' Chief Minister-designate is also called, in the state's top job and marks the...

Man Thrashed, Dragged From Car Allegedly By Haryana Politician's Son, Dies

India News | Written by Anand Kumar Patel | Wednesday March 15, 2017

A 26-year-old was hauled off his meal last evening by half-a-dozen men, who went on to thrash him, slash him with swords and then dragged him through the streets of Panchkula near Chandigarh, held by his ankles from the boot of a car. The men, allegedly led by the son of the local politician, left him to die a little over a kilometre away. He did, ...

Red Carpet Treatment In Amarinder Singh's Polling Booth. Why That's Okay

India News | Reported by Anand Kumar Patel, Edited by Aloke Tikku | Saturday February 4, 2017

A red carpet rolled out in a polling booth in Patiala where Capitan Amarinder Singh and his family will cast their vote triggered accusations from rival parties that the special treatment was aimed at the Congress' chief ministerial candidate, a local royal. Patiala is one of the two assembly seats from where Amarinder Singh is contesting.

Parkash Singh Badal's Number Game: 7 Decades, 5 Times Chief Minister, 89 Now

People | Reported by Anand Kumar Patel, Edited by Divyanshu Dutta Roy | Friday February 3, 2017

Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister of Punjab, faces one of the toughest battles of his political career when he takes on Captain Amarinder Singh of the Congress in Punjab's Lambi on Saturday.

Punjab Elections 2017: AAP Outsider In Punjab, Can't Leave Border State To Them: PM Modi

India News | Reported by Anand Kumar Patel, Edited by Anindita Sanyal | Sunday January 29, 2017

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today dubbed Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party as "an outsider" in Punjab and told voters that unless the Akali-BJP combine comes to power again, Punjab as well as the entire nation could face a "crisis".

Punjab Elections 2017: AAP Manifesto Focuses Heavily On Drug Addiction

India News | Reported by Anand Kumar Patel, Edited by Divyanshu Dutta Roy | Friday January 27, 2017

Free laptops for students ahead of their board exams, meals costing just Rs 5 at subsidized canteens, cheaper electricity and the abolition of property tax are some of the promises made by Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party to voters in Punjab.

Punjab Elections 2017: In First Of Its Kind, Liquor Distribution Slips Seized In Ludhiana

India News | Written by Anand Kumar Patel | Thursday January 26, 2017

Election Commission are now using slips to distribute liquor to lure voters. A team of excise officials conducted raids at two wine shops in Samrala assembly constituency in the Ludhiana district and seized bundles of such slips from them.

Punjab Elections 2017: 1,941 Candidates File Nominations

India News | Written by Anand Kumar Patel | Thursday January 19, 2017

With assembly elections in Punjab less than a month away, the process of filing nomination papers came to an end on Wednesday with 1,941 candidates filing nominations for the 117 assembly constituencies in the state. Congress's newest recruit Navjot Singh Sidhu, state Congress chief Amarinder Singh and the Aam Aadmi Party's Bhagwant Mann were among...

160 Kg Gold Worth Rs 21 Crore Seized In Punjab's Mohali

India News | Written by Anand Kumar Patel | Wednesday January 18, 2017

160 kilogram of raw gold was seized by the Punjab Police from a car in Mohali on Tuesday. The gold, it is estimated, is worth around Rs 21 crore.

Not Quitting, Says BJP's Punjab Chief Vijay Sampla After Meeting With Amit Shah

India News | Reported by Anand Kumar Patel, Edited by Raija Susan Panicker | Tuesday January 17, 2017

Vijay Sampla, the BJP's Punjab chief, has denied reports that he has resigned or threatened to, over selection of candidates for the assembly elections in the state. Mr Sampla, who is a union minister, had met BJP chief Amit Shah this morning, amid reports that he was upset at a candidate he wanted not being picked by the party's central selection ...

Congress' Amarinder Singh Will Take On Chief Minister In Punjab Polls

India News | Written by Anand Kumar Patel | Tuesday January 17, 2017

It will be a battle of the heavyweights in Punjab's Lambi constituency as Congress' Punjab chief Captain Amarinder Singh takes on Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in the forthcoming polls.

Arvind Kejriwal Says 'I'm Delhi's Chief Minister, Can't Be Punjab Chief Minister'

India News | Reported by Anand Kumar Patel, Edited by Shuchi Shukla | Wednesday January 11, 2017

The Chief Minister will be from Punjab if the Aam Aadmi Party comes to power in that state, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal asserted today, after his deputy Manish Sisodia's comments were seen to hint at a shift for him.

Punjab Election 2017: Navjot Singh Sidhu And 40 Seats, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi To Decide

India News | Reported by Anand Kumar Patel, Edited by Shuchi Shukla | Tuesday January 10, 2017

With Rahul Gandhi back in town after a holiday abroad, the Punjab Congress hopes to wrap up selection of candidates - the party is yet to announce candidates for 40 of the state's 117 seats even a week after assembly elections were announced. Rivals Akali Dal-BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party are well off the mark and campaigning hard.

Congress Manifesto Offers To End VIP Culture In Punjab

India News | Written by Anand Kumar Patel | Tuesday January 10, 2017

The Congress manifesto for the Punjab assembly elections was released today by former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in New Delhi. The manifesto was released simultaneously in six other cities of the state.

AAP Legislator Jarnail Singh To Take On Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal In Punjab Polls

India News | Written by Anand Kumar Patel | Thursday December 29, 2016

Aam Aadmi Party convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday announced the candidature of Delhi legislator and party's Punjab unit co-in charge, Jarnail Singh from Lambi constituency, a traditional Akali seat in Muktsar district. This is likely to pit him against Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

9 Women Injured In Acid Attack In Punjab's Kapurthala

India News | Reported by Anand Kumar Patel, Edited by Anindita Sanyal | Tuesday December 27, 2016

Nine women -- one of them a minor -- were injured in an acid attack during a clash over a land dispute at a village in Punjab's Kapurthala.

Aamir Khan's Dangal Declared Tax Free In Haryana

India News | Written by Anand Kumar Patel | Sunday December 25, 2016

Filmstar Aamir Khan's latest movie Dangal has been made tax free in Haryana. The film traces the journey of wrestling champion sisters Geeta and Babita Phogat trained by their father Mahavir Singh Phogat hailing from Balali, a small town in Haryana.

Congress Second List For Punjab Polls Skips Navjot Sidhu's Wife

India News | Written by Anand Kumar Patel | Saturday December 24, 2016

The Congress has announced its second list of candidates for the Punjab assembly polls today, but the name of Dr Navjot Kaur - wife of cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu's - was not among the 16 on it.

BJP Sweeps Chandigarh Municipal Polls, Amit Shah Calls It Vote For Notes Ban

Chandigarh News | Reported by Anand Kumar Patel, Edited by Shuchi Shukla | Tuesday December 20, 2016

Punjab's ruling BJP-Akali Dal alliance has scored a landslide win in municipal elections in capital Chandigarh, just ahead of crucial state assembly polls. The allies have won 21 of the 26 seats - the BJP taking 20, Akali Dal one - while the Congress has had to settle for just four. One seat has been won by an independent candidate. BJP chief Amit ...

Drug Smugglers Caught With 12 Lakhs In New Notes, 'Pak Angle' Under Probe: Police

India News | Written by Anand Kumar Patel | Monday December 19, 2016

The police in Punjab say they have arrested three drug smugglers with more than Rs 15 lakh in cash and 600 grams of heroin. The possibility that the drugs and the cash, which may be counterfeit, could have come from Pakistan, is being investigated, police said.

ISIS Suspect, Planning To Visit Syria, Arrested In Himachal Pradesh

India News | Written by Anand Kumar Patel | Sunday December 18, 2016

A suspected member of ISIS was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and local police from a Himachal Pradesh village. He was accused of planning to go to Syria.

Smart Phones Or Not: Haryana Employees To Exhibit Government's Digital Push

India News | Written by Anand Kumar Patel | Wednesday December 14, 2016

Government employees in BJP-ruled Haryana have a new mandate and they are not pleased. Each employee has to make at least one digital transaction per week, the record of which will be compiled in a compliance report and sent to a nodal officer.

After Jan Dhan, Money Laundering In MNREGA Accounts? A View From Punjab

India News | Reported by Anand Kumar Patel, Edited by Anindita Sanyal | Friday December 9, 2016

As deposits in Jan Dhan accounts - suspected to be black money -- are reducing following warnings from the government, MNREGA accounts are suddenly flush with funds.

Man Who Allegedly Shot Dead Pregnant Dancer At Wedding In Punjab's Bathinda Arrested

Chandigarh News | Reported by Anand Kumar Patel, Edited by Divyanshu Dutta Roy | Monday December 5, 2016

The man who allegedly killed a 25-year-old pregnant woman in celebratory firing during a wedding in Punjab's Bathinda on Saturday, has been arrested.

25-Year-Old Dancer, Pregnant, Shot Dead In Celebratory Firing In Punjab's Bathinda

Cities | Written by Anand Kumar Patel | Sunday December 4, 2016

A 25-year-old woman was killed in celebratory firing during a wedding in Punjab's Bathinda on Saturday evening, the police said. Kulwinder Kaur, who was pregnant, was shot in the stomach while performing on stage. She died on the spot.

13 Hours In Line At Bank, Then A Sleepover, Finally He Got Rs 10,000

India News | Written by Anand Kumar Patel | Thursday December 1, 2016

At 10 pm, Baljinder Singh, a senior citizen, is curled up on the pavement outside a state-run bank in the village of Sangrur in Punjab.

In Nabha Jailbreak Case, 3 Arrested For Conspiracy And Abetment

India News | Written by Anand Kumar Patel | Wednesday November 30, 2016

Three people, including assistant jail superintendent, were arrested by Patiala Police on charges of conspiracy and abetment in the Nabha jailbreak case.

Man Arrested As 2 Terrorists, 4 Others Escape From Jail In Punjab's Nabha: 10 Updates

India News | Reported by Anand Kumar Patel, Edited by Anindita Sanyal | Sunday November 27, 2016

A group of gun-toting men in police uniforms stormed Punjab's Nabha Central Jail early on Sunday and freed two terrorists - including the head of Khalistan Liberation Force, terrorist Harminder Singh Mintoo - and four criminals. A man has been arrested from Uttar Pradesh for allegedly aiding the jailbreak.

Arvind Kejriwal Says Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Will Be A Dalit Leader

India News | Written by Anand Kumar Patel (with inputs from agencies) | Saturday November 26, 2016

The Aam Aadmi Party has announced that a Dalit leader will be the deputy chief minister of Punjab if the party comes to power in the assembly elections next year.