Strategic move?

The regional editors conference that starts in Chandigarh on Monday is being billed as an attempt by the central government to brief at least 150 senior editors about the “surgical strikes” carried out by India on Pakistani terror camps last month. Insiders say the Centre would also take the opportunity to publicise the social and minority welfare programmes it implemented in the last two years. Ministers from the food, agriculture and road transport portfolios, among others, are likely to address the conference. The meeting is being held in Punjab, which goes to the polls in 2017. The Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party combine, which is in power in the state, is said to face a tough fight from the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party.