Newspaper Groups Back Gujral

Leave nothing to chance. This seems to be the strategy of Prime Minister I K Gujral, who is making a serious attempt to enter the Lok Sabha from Jalandhar, despite the support extended by the Akalis.

Gujral is spending quite some time in Jalandhar, addressing election meetings and trying to win new friends in the constituency. The Prime Minister understands that Umrao Singh, the Congress nominee is not a lightweight. Singh had won the seat in a byelection in 1993.

Proprietor-editors of two leading newspaper groups based in Jalandhar are virtually conducting Gujrals campaign. His main election office is located in the premises of the one of the two leading dailies. There is a dash of colour too: actress Shabana Azmi is out campaigning in his favour.

 

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is harping on his favourite theme that Gujral has done a great favour to Punjab by waiving the huge special term loan of Rs 85000 crore the state owed to the Centre. Punjab had secured the loan from 1984 onwards to combat terrorism in the state.

But, Punjab Congress leaders are not impressed. Former chief minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal as well as Umrao Singh are questioning Badal on the issue of loan-waiver. They accuse both Badal and Gujral of misleading the people of Punjab. According to them, only three yearly instalments of Rs 2100 crore of the loan amount have been waived off.

In his election campaign, Gujral is focussing his attack on the Congress alone. He is squarely blaming the Congress for Operation Bluestar, the anti-Sikh violence in the country in 1984 and for the troubles in Punjab, including the rise of terrorism. Gujral is not attacking the BJP and the BSP.