Dakha bypoll: Campaign ends with last-ditch efforts to woo voters in Ludhiana
All main political parties organised roadshows, rallies on the last day of campaigning
With campaigning for Dakha bypoll coming to an end on Saturday, the candidates of all key parties were seen making last-ditch efforts to woo the voters.
All main political parties — Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), the Congress, the Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) — organised roadshows and rallies in the constituency, while not refraining from taking digs at the rivals.
The bypoll in the assembly segment was necessitated after former AAP MLA HS Phoolka resigned from the Punjab assembly. Total 11 candidates are in fray for the elections which would be held on October 21.
With eyeball-grabbing battle between SAD candidate Manpreet Singh Ayali and Congress nominee Captain Sandeep Singh Sandhu, LIP’s Sukhdev Chak and AAP’s Aman Mohi seem to have lost the limelight.
While AAP’s HS Phoolka had won the 2017 assembly polls, LIP president Simarjeet Singh Bains managed to take a lead in the segment during this year’s Lok Sabha elections.
‘CAPT GOVT TRYING TO THREATEN SAD-BJP WORKERS’
Slamming the Congress government for its alleged atrocities on Akali workers in the constituency, SAD candidate Manpreet Ayali alleged that the Captain government was trying to threaten the SAD-BJP workers in every possible way and had even implicated workers in fake cases.
“But we faced the situation bravely. The people of Dakha will vote wisely on October 21 and would never choose a parachute candidate representing the party which has failed to perform in the last more than two years,” Ayali said.
‘DAYS OF DRUG PEDDLERS ARE OVER’
Issuing a clear and categorical warning to Akali candidate Manpreet Singh Ayali and his mentor Bikram Singh Majithia against provoking Congress workers, party nominee Captain Sandeep Singh Sandhu said days of drug peddlers, smugglers and those who committed the sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib were over.
“The SAD is levelling baseless allegations against the Congress government and we would certainly win the Dakha seat with a huge margin,” Sandhu said, while adding that the “frustrated” duo of Majithia and Ayali jumped the gun by “announcing their defeat and admitting it days before the actual day of voting”.
Sandhu said, “Sukhdev Kaur, a close relative of Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha and sports promoter Jagroop Singh Jarkhar, has joined the Congress, while Gurjeet Singh and Dev Sarabha have also pledged their support to our party.”
PEOPLE GAVE GOOD RESPONSE: AAP
AAP candidate Aman Mohi said Bhagwant Mann campaigned in the constituency on the last day of canvassing.
“People gave a good response to the AAP as traditional parties failed to perform in the past,” Mohi said, while adding that people would vote for change on October 21.
‘NOT NEW TO DAKHA POLITICS’
LIP nominee Sukhdev Singh Chak said he was not new to the politics in Dakha constituency.
“People would surely vote for the LIP as the Congress and the SAD have always looted and betrayed them in the past,” he added.