E-Paper
MLA report card: Som Parkash and Gurpratap Singh Wadala
Hindustan Times takes a look at Punjab MLAs and their performance:
Som Parkash, 66, BJP
Constituency: Phagwara
Education: Post-graduate
Assets declared in last polls: Rs 2.6 cr
Electoral record
2012: Defeated Cong’s Balbir Raja Sodhi by margin of 14,579 votes
2007: He didn’t contest; Swarna Ram of the BJP won this seat
Assembly record
Questions asked: 2
Call attention moved: 0
Power punch Close to CM Badal since his days in the IAS
What next Likely to get ticket again on the back of connections and work
How he performed
He is credited with having spent a huge amount on development works. In his tenure, the former IAS officer remained on a foundation-laying spree, the latest being for a Rs 5-crore auditorium project and a Rs 4-crore stadium. One of his biggest achievements has been getting the municipal council upgraded to corporation. Its budget remains slender at just about Rs 34 crore. Getting an office of additional deputy commissioner for Phagwara is also his achievement. A multi-storey parking is coming up too. In villages, money spent on streets, water and toilets is much more than that in the other segments in the region. However, he was in the news also for not being on good terms with state BJP president and Union minister Vijay Sampla.
By the way Admirer of writer Tasleema Nasreen’s work
Voterspeak
“Many new projects have come up in the segment. Converting Phagwara city into corporation has really made the difference. Some of his associates have earned him a bad name,” Priya Chumber, 19, student, said.
“The constituency has seen a lot of development in terms of roads and garbage-collection. But our MLA failed to do anything concrete about the poor drainage system,” Vijay Kumar Padan, 54, shopkeeper, said.
Gurpartap Singh Wadala, 53, SAD
Constituency: Nakodar
Education: Electrical engineer
Assets declared in last polls: Rs 13.7 cr
Electoral record
2012: Defeated Cong’s Amarjit Singh Samra by 8,592 votes
2007: Didn’t contest; father Kuldeep Wadala lost to Amarjit Samra
Assembly record
Questions asked: 10
Call attention moved: 2
Power punch Father Kuldeep Singh Wadala old associate of CM Badal
What next Certain to get ticket on the back of family legacy, work
How he performed
Unlike colleagues in his party, he stays away from politics of vendetta, and even his opponents come to him for work. He was successful in bringing a government college and ITI to Nakodar. He also brought a 30-bed mother-child hospital. However, non-completion of a new grain market at Nurmahal is a failure. Even as the MLA claimed that a record 500 km of roads were repaired in his tenure, many roads in his constituency are in a pitiable condition. The long-time demand of Bet area residents to upgrade the Bilga primary health centre is also unfulfilled. Since the SAD thinks he can win Nakodar again, to show him as more powerful he was made chief parliamentary secretary in April; but work was withdrawn as court struck down the very post of CPS.
By the way Gardening is his passion
Voterspeak
“A government college at Nakodar is our MLA’s biggest achievement. Condition of roads and sewerage has improved. As he is highly educated, he knows issues well,” Gurdev Singh, 51, NRI businessman, said.
“No development took place until the election year, though now work is in full swing. Best thing about the MLA is that he’s easily available and spends most of his time at the local office,” Sahib Tandon, 21, student, said.
Tomorrow: Kartarpur, Jalandhar-West, North and Central
