Three Jalandhar brothers trying their luck in municipal elections
Inspired by the success of Ludhiana-based Bains brothers, three brothers from politically influential Karwal family of Adampur in Jalandhar are trying their luck in the municipal council elections.
Inspired by the success of Ludhiana-based Bains brothers, three brothers from politically influential Karwal family of Adampur in Jalandhar are trying their luck in the municipal council elections.
Charanjit Singh, 52, Darshan Singh, 50, and Harjinder Singh, 46, who were in race for the SAD ticket are now fighting as Independents from ward numbers 5, 6 and 7, respectively, and are set to give a tough fight to the candidates of the SAD-BJP alliance.
Only Darshan is experienced among the three as he is the outgoing president of the council that was ruled by the SAD-BJP alliance for the past five years.
“We are four brothers and there were no plans that three of us would contest the polls. We had demanded tickets only for Harjinder and me. But when a few local leaders started using their might against us, under public pressure, three of us decided to contest the polls,” Darshan said.
Sources said the brothers enjoyed the support of former Adampur MLA Sarabjit Singh Makkar. Darshan acknowledged that the senior SAD leader was their political guru.
“But the decision to contest the polls is our own. We never said that we have left the SAD. It’s a fight between the right and the wrong as some people from outside have captured the party and have ignored the grassroots workers,” said Harjinder, hinting at local SAD MLA Pawan Tinu.
The family has business interests and runs a gas agency, a marriage palace, a rice mill and a petrol pump.
Though the brothers claim that they are in the poll fray under pressure from the public, a few SAD leaders have termed this as an attempt by the family to grab the post of the council president.
“I served as president for five years but due to factionalism in the SAD I could not keep many promises. Now, the three of us are contesting so that the incomplete promises can be kept,” said Darshan.
Ludhiana-based independent MLAs Bains brothers — Balwinder Singh and Simranjit Singh — are the role models for the Karwal brothers.
“Yes, they are role models for everyone who wants to serve people with sincerity. Our family has also served the people of Adampur and the results would show that. Like the Bains brothers, we have also not taken even a single penny for any work from the public when I was the president,” said Darshan.
