Punjab polls: AAP’s Shergill playing corruption card, riding on ‘change wave’ in SAS Nagar - Hindustan Times
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Punjab polls: AAP’s Shergill playing corruption card, riding on ‘change wave’ in SAS Nagar

Hindustan Times, Chandigarh | By
Feb 02, 2017 05:15 PM IST

At an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) roadshow in Sector 80, SAS Nagar, it is the slogans that rule the roost. As volunteers and supporters ride on motorcycles, party’s candidate from the constituency Narinder Singh Shergill waves to the crowd from an open jeep.

At an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) roadshow in Sector 80, SAS Nagar, it is the slogans that rule the roost. As volunteers and supporters ride on motorcycles, party’s candidate from the constituency Narinder Singh Shergill waves to the crowd from an open jeep.

Aam Aadmi Party candidate Narinder Singh Shergill interacting with people during a rally at Dussehra Ground, Phase 8, SAS Nagar, on Wednesday.(Ravi Kumar/HT)
Aam Aadmi Party candidate Narinder Singh Shergill interacting with people during a rally at Dussehra Ground, Phase 8, SAS Nagar, on Wednesday.(Ravi Kumar/HT)

“Notan te naa daru te, vote paani e jadhu te. (Vote for the broom and not for money or liquor),” the volunteers shout loud, mustering support for their candidate.

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The 48-year-old AAP candidate, an agriculturist and one of the richest candidates in the district with Rs 25.6 crore assets declared in his poll affidavit, started his day at 8am with door-to-door meetings. A former sarpanch, he joined the rookie party in 2014.

Focus later shifts to road shows and nukkad meetings to connect with people. Shergill has a team of energetic youngsters which reflects in his enthusiastic campaigning.

As Shergill interacts with people, his team distributes posters, pamphlets and party caps to residents and shopkeepers. Prabhjot Kaur, an AAP volunteer who handles Shergill’s social media campaign, clicks pictures and videos of the candidate interacting with locals.

Shergill reaches a neighbourhood park in Sector 79, promising complete development of the area.

Party volunteers welcome him raising slogans amid beats of dhol, “Punjab nu bachawange, chitta band karawange. (We will save Punjab by eradicating drug menace).”

Shergill also has support of some NRIs who move along with him during the campaign. Gulzar Singh Cheema from Toronto, Canada, says, “I have come all the way to support Shergill hoping to see a positive change in Punjab.”

Hardev Singh, a retired central government employee and a SAS Nagar resident, says, “There should be change. But whichever party comes to power it should be honest and willing to work for people.”

Pritpal Singh, a retired government employee and SAS Nagar resident, says, “The Vidhan Sabha (assembly) is not a small institution. We should elect a person who is experienced and knows what is good for his constituency.”

“We will root out corruption,” Shergill says addressing the gatherings.

“Focus would be laid to improve health and education facilities. We will also improve infrastructure for the industry.”

It is night by now and the campaigning comes to an end with a ‘jaggo’, a traditional procession carried out during night.

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