The Kila-Raipur rural games near Ludhiana, which has earned the sobriquet of “Rural Olympics” by showcasing the Punjabi gusto, daredevilry and endurance, is courting controversy this year for organisi

In Punjab elections, claims and counter-claims, allegations and counter-allegations are making news. In the heart of Malwa (southern Punjab), which sends more than half of the legislators to the state Assembly, there is an issue affecting many lives and has already claimed thousands of lives, but is yet to become a serious poll issue.

Taking Punjab election campaigning to its crescendo, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi on Friday blamed the Akalis and BJP for standing against the FDI in retail bill which is going to benefit the farmers immensely.

If there is any political battle which is worth noticing in the overall political war between the Congress and the Akali-BJP alliance in Punjab, it is without any doubt in Lambi, where chief minister Parkash Singh Badal is in a triangular contest with his two brothers.

The stern imposition of election code by the Election Commission has definitely taken out the colour out of the campaigning in Punjab. In the one-and-a-half hour drive from Chandigarh to Patiala there were no banners or party flags and barely a vehicle was encountered campaigning for the candidates.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday lambasted the Akali Dal-BJP alliance government for wasting funds meant for Centrally-sponsored schemes on the sangat darshan programme (public interaction) and bringing down Punjab from its No. 1 position to 12th position. Mrs Gandhi was addressing a public rally in support of Congress candidates at Gurdaspur.

With polling just a week away in Punjab, Central leaders have descended on the state. The information and broadcasting minister, Ms Ambika Soni, who belongs to the state, is also slogging it out for last 10 days to ensure the victory of her party candidates.

Politics as a career could well be the best option it seems.

Punjabis are known for their hospitality and flamboyance, but thanks to a proactive Election Commission in the state, both these qualities are missing from the election campaigning in Punjab this time. “Sober campaigning” would not be a euphemism, considering the fact that Elections Commission is counting even the number of tea cups served by a particular candidate in public meetings now.

The top leadership of Congress — Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and general secretary Rahul Gandhi — would address around 10 rallies between them in the Punjab assembly