E-Paper
MLA report card: Mohammed Sadique and Parminder Singh Dhindsa
Hindustan Times takes a look at Punjab MLAs and their performance:
Mohammed Sadique,77, Congress
Constituency: Bhadaur (SC)
Education: Primary
Assets declared in last polls: Rs 50 lakh
Electoral record
2012: Defeated Darbara Singh Guru of SAD by a margin of 6,969 votes
2007: Did not contest, Balvir Singh Ghunas won this seat for the SAD
Assembly record
Questions asked: 20
Call attention moved: 0
Power punch Popular singer, carries Dalit identity of Doom community
What next Likely to again get the Congress ticket
How he performed
Sadique, an eminent folk singer, enjoys popularity amongst voters, though he says his efforts for development were stalled by the SAD-BJP regime. He said the microphone was switched off often when he wanted to speak in the assembly! His efforts for opening a college failed though the panchayat was ready to donate land for it. He mentions that an SDO asked him to deposit `16 lakh to construct a one-km road to a historical gurdwara. He rued no schools were upgraded. Also, his efforts for granting status of nagar panchayat for Shaina did not bear fruit. He did not get any funds for his constituency even from his own party’s MPs. His election from this seat reserved for Scheduled Castes was challenged by SAD’s losing candidate DS Guru, but the Supreme Court upheld it.
Voter speak
Sadique has a sweet voice, is always accessible and is a good human being. Though he could not do much, we have no complaints. No MLA of the opposition could do much.
Ramesh Kumar, 40, educationist
I cannot identify any project which was initiated by him. But, yes, he is a simple man who is a true artist, and is ready to mingle with people.
Sandeep Bansal, 25, advocate
By the way
Singing remains his source of livelihood
Parminder Singh Dhindsa,43,Shiromani Akali Dal
Constituency: Sunam
Education: MBA
Assets declared in last polls: Rs 5 cr
Electoral record
2012: Defeated Congress candidate Aman Arora by 4,656 votes
2007: Defeated Congress candidate Aman Arora by 10,132 votes
Assembly record Finance minister
Power punch Son of Akali veteran Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa
What next Likely to contest from a different seat this time
How he performed
He spent around `150 crore on roads alone, while infrastructure of schools, colleges and ITIs was also developed in the area. Sunam got sewerage, roads and water supply in different villages and towns. The minister also claimed that he would try to establish industry units to generate employment for the youth. However, some villages remained untouched by development works. The region also witnessed a large number of farmer suicides in the last five years. Despite Dhindsa saying that the state government provides several facilities to debt-ridden farmers and also compensation to suicide-victim farmers’ families, the government failed to do much about the agrarian problems in the region. Now the party is planning to hold counselling programmes for farmers.
Voter speak
The area has indeed seen development. Dhindsa was in touch with people and anyone could meet him easily. His being soft-spoken helps in ensuring that people like him.
Inderjit Singh, 24, labourer
People have been facing improper water supply, besides inflation and unemployment. We are not happy with his performance. I don’t know from where he can contest this time.
Bauria Singh, 66, farmer
By the way
Reads and writes religious verses
Tomorrow: Abohar, Barnala, Mehal Kalan, Malerkotla
