E-Paper
MLA report card: Tarlochan Singh Soondh and Nand Lal
Hindustan Times takes a look at Punjab MLAs and their performance:
Tarlochan Singh Soondh, 62, Congress
Constituency: Banga (SC)
Education: Post-graduate
Assets declared in last polls: Rs 8.7 cr
Electoral record
2012: Defeated SAD’s Mohan Singh by a margin of 3,275 votes
2007: SAD’S Mohan Singh defeated Soondh by a margin of 2,725 votes
Assembly record
Questions asked: 95
Call attention moved: 0
Power punch Prominent Dalit face of the region for Congress
What next Likely to get ticket as Cong has no other prominent leader here
How he performed
He says the government did not help him and not a single street was repaired on his recommendation. However, he spent Rs 14 crore from the MPLAD funds of Ravneet Singh Bittu when he was MP from Anandpur Sahib (Banga is part of this Lok Sabha segment). The money was used for carpeting roads and laying sewerage, besides on drinking water facilities. The MLA has also supported shopkeepers during their agitation against a four-lane road project. His graph appears to have gone up after he hurled a shoe at the treaury benches in the Vidhan Sabha recently. Seeking to encash the anti-incumbency mood against SAD-BJP, his workers are projecting him before the public as a ‘daring Dalit’ who hurled a shoe at SAD ministers.
By the way Got wide fame after hurling shoe in Vidhan Sabha
Voterspeak
“As he belongs to opposition, he does not have much in his hands. But, when residents raised the issue of a bypass road for Banga, the MLA supported it, even sat on a dharna,” Mohinder Singh Dosanjh, 79, farmer, said.
“No development has taken place here in the last five years. Our MLA Soondh has no power with himself as he is in the opposition, and also because he does not push for it,” Narinder Kumar, 40, document writer, said.
Nand Lal, 62, SAD
Constituency: balachaur (SC)
Education: Class 8
Assets declared in last polls: Rs 1.5 cr
Electoral record
2012: Defeated BSP’s Shiv Ram Singh by margin of 3,275 votes
2007: Defeated Cong’s Santosh Kumari by margin of 1,101 votes
Assembly record
Questions asked: 0
Call attention moved: 0
Power punch Gujjar community support; remained a CPS too
What next Likely to get the ticket again
How he performed
The four-time MLA, who first won as an independent candidate in 1997, is appreciated by voters for bringing a government college and a sewerage project, besides a 25-bed government hospital; and for the roads in the Kandi belt near the foothills. He failed to curb the land and sand mafia. It helps his case and prospects that the constituency has around 33% Gujjar community voters, and he has successfully established himself as their leader. He claimed to have increased the strength of teachers in government schools, especially in the Kandi belt. He also claimed that he constantly raised the issue of setting up a Kandi canal, a project that is close to completion now. This is going to tackle irrigation needs of a number of villages.
By the way So simple that doesn’t care about ironing clothes
Voterspeak
“He got a college and de-addiction centre, though a sewerage project was inaugurated only this year despite being a demand for two decades. He is very approachable,” Mohan Lal, 40, garment seller, said.
“Sand mafia is working unabated in the area. The MLA said he tried his best, but he failed to bring any industry. There were many tall claims made by him,” Karamjeet Singh Saini, 54, trader, said.
Tomorrow: Anandpur Sahib, Rupnagar, Chamkaur Sahib, Kharar
