Punjab: Campaigning at Gidderbaha reaches fever pitch

Gidderbaha will go to the polls on November 20 along with Dera Baba Nanak, Chabbewal and Barnala. The BJP candidate Manpreet, who is seeking re-election for the record sixth time, is relying upon the centre government-funded development for the constituency.

From batting to legalise the consumption of opium, an addictive narcotic drug, to an appeal to break the past patriarchal tradition by electing a woman candidate for the first time, politicians from various parties are leaving no stone unturned to woo voters for the Gidderbaha byelections.

Union railway minister Ravneet Singh Bittu, who is leading the electioneering for the BJP’s Manpreet Singh Badal, was heard at an election meeting advocating restarting cultivation of opium poppy in the state.

Gidderbaha will go to the polls on November 20 along with Dera Baba Nanak, Chabbewal and Barnala.

Union railway minister Ravneet Singh Bittu, who is leading the electioneering for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate and the former finance minister of Punjab Manpreet Singh Badal, was heard at an election meeting advocating restarting cultivation of opium poppy in the state.

A video that went viral on the social media platform, evoked curiosity where Bittu advocated the centre’s intervention to reintroduce vends of poppy husk and its farming to curb the nuisance of synthetic drugs.

While addressing a rural gathering, Bittu linked the consumption of poppy husk with the success of the ‘green revolution’ claiming that its consumption helped people work hard in the fields.

During the assembly session in March this year, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Sanaur Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra had favoured allowing the cultivation of poppy in Punjab to curb the synthetic drugs few other legislators from the treasury benches had backed the issue.

The BJP candidate Manpreet, who is seeking re-election for the record sixth time, is relying upon the centre government-funded development for the constituency.

On November 8, Manpreet posted his photo with Union home minister Amit Shah, stating his charter of demand for Gidderbaha has been ‘approved’ by the centre, including a railway overbridge, to strengthen irrigation challenges in 50 villages under the Command Area Development Authority (CADA), 15,000 solar powered tubewell connection and streamlining of basic amenities under the AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) scheme.

Saffron party’s candidate stoked a controversy on Sunday after a video went viral where Manpreet, the opponents alleged, was claiming to influence recruitment.

Rubbishing the charge, the BJP nominee stated that on Sunday he was guiding the youth to prepare for recruitment in paramilitary forces and Punjab roadways.

The Congress nominee Amrita Warring, an electoral nominee is appealing for votes to end the male domination in Gidderbaha’s election tradition.

Addressing an election meeting in Gidderbaha town last night, Amrita said that it is the first time that a woman is contesting from the constituency.

She frequently invokes the name of her husband and Ludhiana parliamentarian Amarinder Singh Raja Warring. At the election meetings, she recalls the contribution of “Raja ji” in the development after Gidderbaha got him elected thrice in a row in the last three elections.

Amrita lambasts the BJP candidate as a party hopper and a political opportunist.

“Manpreet Ji started his political career as an Akali and after winning the Gidderbaha seat four times, he ditched his party to float his party. Then he joined the Congress and now he is in the BJP,” she said at various meetings in the last couple of days.

At another election meeting at Bharu village, AAP’s Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon said he is in an electoral battle with two high-profile families but he is confident of public support to allow the Punjab government to bring a slew of development works in the constituencies in the remaining period of two-and-a-half term.

“Manpreet Badal belongs to the powerful Badal clan and remained a legislator on five occasions while the other nominee is the Punjab Congress president’s wife. My “rutba” (status) does not match the rivals but the chief minister Bhagwant Mann expressed faith in my candidature. I am banking upon the support of masses to whom, I was always accessible,” said Dhillon, once a confidant of the SAD chief Sukhbir Badal, who recently joined the AAP.