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Hot seat Dakha: A rural segment with no clear favourite
In Dakha, one of the largest assembly segments in the state with villages scattered far and wide along the national highway, farmers are expected to play a pivotal role
A rural segment with 110 villages and one town, Dakha shot into limelight when advocate-turned-politician Harvinder Singh Phoolka — who had toiled endlessly for the 1984 riot victims — fighting on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ticket, got maximum votes from here even as he lost narrowly to Congress’ Ravneet Singh Bittu in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Ludhiana. With reports of being considered as the AAP’s chief ministerial in the 2017 assembly polls, Phoolka turned the overwhelming support shown by voters in 2014 into a win from Dakha seat, securing 58,923 votes.
However, in July 2017, he had to resign as the leader of opposition from the Punjab assembly, following the Delhi Bar Council’s decision to allow him to fight the 1984 riot victims’ case only if he gave up the office of profit. Then, on August 28, 2018, he resigned as the MLA to protest against inaction in sacrilege cases.
People of Dakha who had been voting generously for Phoolka felt cheated and hurt following his resignation, so much so that in the 2019 bypolls, AAP candidate Amandeep Singh Mohie could secure only 2,804 votes and his security deposit was also forfeited. The seat went to Shiromani Akali Dal’s Manpreet Singh Ayali, who was the sitting MLA defeated by Phoolka back in 2017.
Come 2022, Dakha has emerged as a hot seat, with a triangular contest on the cards. Ayali, this time, is facing the challenge from Sandeep Singh Sandhu of the Congress and academician KNS Kang, a first-timer pitched by the AAP. In one of the largest assembly segments in the state with villages scattered far and wide along the national highway, farmers are expected to play a pivotal role, as all candidates, including Damanjit Singh Thind of the Punjab Lok Congress, make an effort to woo the rural electorate.
Issues at large
The segment faces a huge problem of unemployment. As one saunters in the narrow lanes of villages, one can sense the absence of youth in this NRI belt of Ludhiana. There are villages where one yearns to see young population, though the old and frail residents are visibly content to see their wards settle abroad. “We educated them so they can get into the mainstream. But where are the jobs?” asks 80-year-old Jarnail Singh, a resident of Chonki Maan village. “My son is settled in Canada and I feel such deep contentment that he is doing well.”
Another key issue of concern is the prevalence of drugs along Sidhwan Bet and adjoining villages. Poor health infrastructure is yet another problem ailing the segment.
The contestants
While it was earlier projected to be a two-cornered contest between the Congress and SAD, the entry of KNS Kang has made it triangular. The AAP candidate, who has a clean image and is entering the poll fray for the first time, has no qualms admitting that he is a political novice. “I can assure the people that they won’t have to make repeated rounds of government offices and there will be complete transparency. People are looking for a change and want an honest government,” he says.
As they campaign door to door, the AAP is facing a lot of negativities in the segment as people still feel hurt by what they call “Phoolka’s betrayal”. “We weighed Phoolka in laddoos when he won; people had voted for change, not this (Phoolka’s resignation),” says Sarwan Singh, a resident of Bhaini Gujran village.
For 47-year-old Manpreet Singh Ayali, who won the seat in 2012 and 2019, people of Dakha are like his family now. “It is my old association with the people that counts. I have spent 15 years with them, sharing their sorrows and happiness and always being there for them. I will never betray them like the AAP did,” he says. Ayali counts on development works done in the area, such as construction of stadiums and sports complexes, as his achievements that helped deter youth from drugs.
For Congress’ Sandeep Sandhu, who remained an officer on special duty to former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, it is his positive attitude towards work and promise to bring employment that will pave his way. “Unemployment is a huge issue. I have developed a road map for the constituency with a sustained vision for development of health infrastructure, bus stand, fire brigade and roads. I am already meeting industrialists to try and generate employment opportunities for the youth here. A foundation started by me ensures employment to 2,000 people of the constituency every year. It is only positive vision that I work for,” he says. However, like in other segments, Congress is facing infighting in this segment too, with many of the local party leaders joining other parties.
