MLA report cards: Maheshinder Singh and Rajwinder Kaur Bhagike - Hindustan Times
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MLA report cards: Maheshinder Singh and Rajwinder Kaur Bhagike

Hindustan Times | By
Nov 09, 2016 11:41 AM IST

Hindustan Times takes a look at Punjab MLAs and their performance:

Maheshinder Singh, 60, SAD

Maheshinder Singh (HT Photo)
Maheshinder Singh (HT Photo)

Constituency: Baghapurana

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Education: Law graduate

Assets declared in last polls: Rs 9.6 cr

Electoral record

2012: Defeated Darshan Singh Brar of Congress by 10,574 votes

2007: Did not contest; Darshan Singh Brar won this seat for the Congress

Assembly record

Questions asked: 40

Call attention moved: 3

Power punch Money, muscle; and the legacy of father Gurcharan Singh

What next Wants the ticket again, but party may replace him

How he performed

Maheshinder tried to create a people-friendly impression of himself by listening to problems at his own sangat darshan (public meet) every Monday morning. But that faded with time, and he stopped organising these meets after eight months. He has failed to solve the major problem of the area, that is the incomplete sewerage project which was started seven years ago. However, he has carried out some basic development in his constituency, such as roads, water supply and repair of canals. He remains in touch with the people as he attends bhogs and other functions regularly. He claims credit for a government college, tehsil complex, and bus stand too.

Voter speak

He failed to cooperate with people, and, in his tenure, the SAD here remained busy with factionalism. He failed to provide sewerage, which is the main demand.

Parminder Singh, 43, social activist

Our MLA is very polite, but not fit for politics. He has failed to do any major development. We need a leader who can get funds from the government.

Gaurav Singla, 25, businessman

By the way

Loves chocolates and sweets

Rajwinder Kaur Bhagike, 39, SAD

Rajwinder Kaur Bhagike (HT Photo)
Rajwinder Kaur Bhagike (HT Photo)

Constituency: Nihalsinghwala

Education: Class 12

Assets declared in last polls: Rs 45 lakh

Electoral record

2012: Defeated Ajit Singh Shant of Congress by a margin of 591 votes

2007: Did not contest; Ajit Singh Shant won this seat as an independent candidate

Assembly record

Questions asked: 21

Call attention moved: 0

Power punch Carries the legacy of father-in-law Jaura Singh Bhagike

What next She wants to contest again, but party may replace her

How she performed

For a change, the constituency got an MLA from the ruling party, but she failed to deliver on promises. In the first four years, no work was done as roads, sewerage and other civic amenities remained in a pathetic condition. This was reportedly due to an intra-party rift between her and agriculture minister Tota Singh. There was a proposal to construct a stadium that did not materialise due to a land dispute. However, ahead of elections the constituency got funds, and now work on roads and other basics is underway. The MLA says she has got repaired 216 km of link roads out of a total 426 km, while work on the remaining is underway. Foundation stone of a sewerage project has also been laid.

Voter speak

Our MLA has even failed to provide basic civic amenities; development is a distant dream. She remained busy with attending functions, and in intra-party rifts.

Tota Singh Dina, 30, writer

Our village didn’t even get ‘blue’ (food security) cards. Our MLA failed to do any development. I heard that our constituency recently got a grant of `1 crore, but not a penny was spent.

Chamkaur Singh Lopo, 35, shopkeeper

By the way

An aficionado of designer salwar-kameez suits

Tomorrow: Moga, Dharamkot, Zira, Ferozepur

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    Parampreet Singh Narula is a staff correspondent with the Jalandhar bureau at Hindustan Times. He covers political, rural and agriculture issues in Punjab.

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