Phagwara, January 30
A face- to-face programme of Congress, BJP and BSP candidates, organized by a social organization at Poonam Hotel here, had to be halted midway following noisy allegations and counter-allegations made by the supporters of the respective candidates on Tuesday evening.
Though the JCI Phagwara Elite organized this programme to present the problems of the residents and give an opportunity to the candidates to present their future plans and their achievements, if any, the chaotic scenes destroyed all such chances.
In the first 90
minutes, the programme went on smoothly and the respective candidates answered almost all the queries of the audience with utmost patience.
Congress candidate Joginder Singh Mann gave details of his achievements, including cent percent water and sewerage facility, uninterrupted power supply to Industrial Area, resuming the construction work of much-awaited Satnampura Railway over -bridge, new bus stand and flyover near Mehtan-Mehli bypass, whereas BJP candidate Ch Swarna Ram claimed that Satnampura Railway over -bridge and flyover of Mehtan bypass were initiated by the SAD-BJP government. Interestingly, BSP candidate Harbhajan Singh Balalon alleged that both the Congress and the SAD-BJP alliance had wasted their respective tenures by indulging in the politics of the allegations and counter-allegations, and had done nothing for the development of the town.
Though the three candidates had their different views on several issues, they remained mum on the issue of corruption.
Mann, Swarna Ram and Balalon, while giving their forcible consent to the audience, made promises to work for making Phagwara as 'District Headquarters' and to increase the municipal limits, which could not be increased for the past 35 years. All the three candidates supported the reservation openly. Mann and Swarna Ram promised to provide sufficient parking place in the town and to remove illegal encroachments.
It was also observed that the supporters of the Congress, BJP and BSP candidates attended the programme in large numbers whereas the Independents preferred to skip it.
A police force headed by SHO Upinder Sharma had to intervene when the gathering turned unruly and the candidates left the venue under police protection after a slanging match between them.
