Tackling drug menace, better health facilities Manjinder Singh Lalpura's top agenda

Khadoor Sahib
Gurbaxpuri
Tarn Taran, March 31

AAP’s Manjinder Singh Lalpura (37), a first-time MLA who won from the Khadoor Sahib constituency, is a mature politician. He defeated Congress’ Ramanjit Singh Sikki by a margin of 16,491 votes. SAD stalwart Ranjit Singh Brahampura too was in the fray from the seat.

Manjinder Singh Lalpur agot 55,756 votes against his nearest rival Sikki who secured 39,265 votes, while Brahampura got 38,532.

Lalpura had unsuccessfully contested the 2019 Lok Sabha election from the constituency and could get only 13,656 (1.31 per cent) votes and even lost the security deposit.

In the present elections, he declared his assets worth Rs46 lakh as against Rs44 lakh in the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

He served in the Indian Army as a constable (sepoy) but took voluntary retirement after six-year term to serve his maternal grandparents.

Lalpura said he had decided to join the Aam Aadmi Party after listening to party supremo Arvind Kejriwal’s speech that he delivered on December 28, 2013, when he took an oath for the post of Delhi Chief Minister. He remained the party’s district unit president for six years and state president of the AAP Youth Wing for over two years.

He said the area falling under the Khadoor Sahib constituency was like his home and he knew all problems that the residents were facing.

“I’m also a victim of the drug menace in the area as I lost my brother to drugs. Eliminating drug menace from the area is my top priority. The administration has been instructed to prepare a list of peddlers, who smuggle drugs, and their associates, who back them,” said Lalpura.

“A lot of improvement is also required in the sectors of health and education, roads and transportation facilities too need to be revamped in the area,” he added. “We’ll also be working to find a solution to the problem of washing away of crops in the Mand area, under which majority of farmers’ lands fall,” he said.

There would be zero tolerance towards anti-social elements, who aid drug peddlers, and they too would have to face legal action.

“I will spend most of my time in listening to the problems being faced by the masses and resolve them at the earliest. As health and education sector are in a deplorable state, special attention will be paid to improve them,” said Lalpura.

Priorities

Eliminating drug menace from the Khadoor Sahib constituency; zero tolerance towards anti-social elements, who aid drug peddlers; resolve problems being faced by residents; improve sectors of health and education and revamp roads and transportation facilities; will work to find a solution to the problem of washing away of crops in the Mand area, under which majority of farmers’ lands fall