From clicking selfies with constituents, to roping in star campaigners, candidates vying for a seat in the Punjab assembly from the Ludhiana central constituency are leaving no stone unturned to woo voters.
Amid restrictions on holding big political rallies, candidates from the constituency are carrying out door-to-door campaigning, nukkad meetings, auto-rickshaws with loud speakers, and pamphlet to win over voters. The constituency has been engulfed in political colours and candidates and their supporters can be seen roaming in the narrow streets of old city areas amid beats of dhol and sloganeering. Flags of different parties can be seen on buildings in most areas of the old city including Field Ganj, Prem Nagar, Brown Road, Daresi, Kidwai Nagar and Shahpur Road.
The Ludhiana central constituency, a bastion of the Congress since 2012, will see a four-cornered contest in the Punjab assembly elections scheduled on February 20. While three-time MLA Surinder Dawar is fighting to retain the seat, Bhartiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) Gurdev Debi, Shiromani Akali Dal’s (SAD) Pritpal Singh Pali and Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Ashok Prashar Pappi are making every effort to breach the stronghold. There are around 85 prominent areas/colonies in the constituency, including residential, commercial and mix land use and industrial areas. The biggest transport nagar of the state, civil hospital and areas known as the hub of hosiery/textile including Madhopuri, Bajwa Nagar and New Madhopri also fall under the constituency.
Parties leveraging social media
{{/usCountry}}Parties leveraging social media
{{/usCountry}}Candidates are also using the power of social media to woo voter and take digs at their rivals. As per the candidates, door-to-door campaign starts early in the morning at around 7 or 8 am, following which mohalla or nukkad meetings are held.
Dawar banks on developmental works
Three-time MLA Surinder Dawar is banking on developmental works carried out during his tenure – covering the ‘ganda nullah’, installation of static compactors and construction of government schools near Suffian chowk and Millerganj area – to get him another term in the assembly.
Warning the voters against his competitors, Pali and Debi, Dawar said, “Tuhanu pta hi hai ohne de baare, ki kuj krde rahe ne’ (You know about their involvement in notorious activities).”
On what he would do if voted to power, Dawar said he would focus on chronic problems of traffic congestion, water logging, upgrade the civil hospital; establish a skill development centre, and fulfil other pressing requirements.
A resident of Kidwai Nagar, Jaideep Singh, said, “Dawar has been available to residents round the clock, and even answers calls at night, in case of an emergency.” However, a section of residents also want a change in leadership.
Meanwhile, the Opposition has been targeting the sitting legislator, accusing him of encouraging corruption, drug menace and ignoring the chronic problems of the constituency. Debi had lost to Dawar in the 2017 assembly elections by around 20,000votes, while Prashar and Pali are contesting the elections from the central constituency, which has over 1.58 lakh voters for the first time. Prashar is a former ally of Dawar and left Congress to join AAP in October, 2021.
Debi wants to eradicate drug menace
With The Great Khali, wrestler Dalip Singh Rana, backing him, BJP’s candidate Gurdev Debi was seen running a power-packed campaign, focussing on the youth. “I want to eradicate the menace of drugs from the constituency, so that the youth stay healthy, and can contribute to society. Dawar has ignored chronic issues such as traffic congestion, lack of parking space, and water logging.”
Pappi makes corruption poll plank
Running a door-to-door campaign near Iqbal Ganj chowk , AAP candidate Ashok Prashar Pappi was seen asking for votes on the basis of old bonds. He targeted Dawar for encouraging corruption and the drug menace.
Pappi was seen hugging the voters, takling selfies with them, and even giving them his “aam-aadmi cap. “My family members have been serving the residents as councillors for the last 25 years and we have been associated with old city areas from the beginning,” said Pappi, while promising to upgrade education and health infrastructure, and resolving the issues of traffic congestion and lack of parking spaces.
SAD-BSP candidate Pritpal Singh Pali was seen asking for votes on the basis of the work he had been doing as president of the Gurdwara Dukhniwaran Sahib management committee. “ I have been working selflessly as president of the management committee for around 36 years and it is my vision to serve the poor and work for the development of the constituency with transparency.”
He also targeted Dawar for encouraging corruption and said that in some areas people were struggling to get potable water.
Traffic congestion, water logging and encroachments among major issues
The constituency comprises mostly of old city areas, where narrow streets, traffic congestion, lack of parking space, encroachments, illegal constructions and open dumping of garbage are among the major issues being faced by the residents.
Due to the decades old sewer systems and absence of storm water sewer, waterlogging during the monsoons has been an issue for a long time.
Open drains moving through the constituency near Shivaji Nagar and Dharampura overflow during the monsonns and sewer water accumulates on roads. MC started the work to cover the Shivaji Nagar Nullah last year, while the project to cover Dharampura nullah has recently been approved.
The transporters have been raising hue and cry over the pathetic condition of road infrastructure and sewer for decades, but to no avail. Sewer water accumulation and potholed roads can be seen in transport nagar all through the day. Recently, MC started construction of cemented roads in the area, but it hasn’t been fully covered and no solution has been provided for choked sewer lines.