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MLA report card: Sarwan Singh Phillaur and Chunni Lal Bhagat
Hindustan Times takes a look at Punjab MLAs and their performance:
Sarwan Singh Phillaur, 68, SAD
Constituency: Kartarpur (SC)
Education: Graduate
Assets declared in last polls: Rs 2.7 cr
Electoral record
2012: Defeated Cong’s Chaudhary Jagjit Singh by a margin of 823 votes
2007: He won the Phillaur segment; SAD’s Avinash Chander won here
Assembly record
Questions asked: 0
Call attention moved: 0
Power punch 6-time MLA among seniormost SAD leaders, close to CM
What next Most likely to get the ticket again
How he performed
Of his six tenures as legislator, this one brought the veteran Akali leader more brickbats than praise. All was well for him until 2014 when his son Damanvir Singh’s name cropped up in the Bhola drug racket. Phillaur was asked to resign as cabinet minister for jails and tourism. Later, he too was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate in a money-laundering case related to the drug racket. His entire focus remained on defending himself, and he also alleged a ‘media trial’. On work front, he claims credit for two significant projects — the Jang-e-Azadi Memorial and the Centre for Excellence for vegetables in Kartarpur. He says that when he was a minister he had proposed the land at Kartarpur for both projects.
By the way Repeatedly strokes his beard as a habit
Voterspeak
“Despite being a ruling party MLA, he failed to uplift education, health services. Schools don’t have adequate staff. Roads and streets, though, are in a very good condition,” Sunil Kumar, 44, doctor, said.
“With six-laning of national highway and carpeting of inner roads, now commuters feel safe travelling to Kartarpur even late. He also visits people in time of joy and grief,” Sonia, 25, college teacher, said.
Chunni Lal Bhagat, 84, BJP
Constituency: Jalandhar-West (SC)
Education: Class 10
Assets declared in last polls: Rs 1.7 cr
Electoral record
2012: Defeated Cong’s Suman Kaypee by a margin of 11,343 votes
2007: Defeated Cong’s Mohinder Singh Kaypee by 11,915 votes
Assembly record Leader of BJP in House; forest & labour minister
Power punch Support of the Bhagat community; old BJP hand
What next Unlikely to get ticket due to old age and inefficiency; son trying
How he performed
Technically on number-three position in the government, he failed to get any significant project. He did get approved the Satguru Kabir Construction Skill Development Centre but the work on that is lying stalled due to objections raised by the central government for using funds from the Punjab Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board for the project. The politics of the Bhagat family remains focussed on attending bhog and marriages. He remains inaccessible to the public because of his age and, in his absence, his son Mohinder Bhagat runs the show, even taking calls from journalists and answering questions for him. He still enjoys support of the Bhagat community that has always played a major role in his standing.
By the way Son remains de facto MLA and minister
Voterspeak
“There is no development — roads, sewerage, streetlights are all in bad shape. Garbage is strewn ay every corner. Our MLA barely visited this area. Illicit liquor trade is unchecked,” Mandeep Kumar, 34, banker, said.
“The Basti Bawa Khel road is not complete even after five years. Now, with polls almost here, work has started. The MLA’s son is active but he also failed to do much,” Tarwinder Kumar, 50, businessman, said.
On Tuesday: Jalandhar Cantt, Adampur, Mukerian, Dasuya
