Candidates make last-ditch efforts as campaigning ends

PK Jaiswar

Amritsar, May 30

As campaigning for the last leg of parliamentary polls in country ended here today, candidates made last-ditch efforts to woo voters to exercise their franchise in their favour.

Incumbent Gurjeet Singh Aujla is locked in a tough contest with former Indian Ambassador Taranjit Singh of the BJP, Punjab Minister Kuldeep Dhaliwal and former Cabinet Minister Anil Joshi from the SAD.

Punjab would go to polls on June 1. All main political parties today held public rallies and roadshows, besides public meetings to conclude their campaigning.

BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda addressed a public rally in the Ranjit Avenue area in favour of party candidate and former Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu. Addressing the public rally Nadda asked people to vote for Sandhu for the overall development of the holy city.

“If you elect Sandhu from Amritsar, the city would become one of the most developed cities in Punjab,” he said. Later, senior BJP leader RP Singh also addressed the rally.

Aujla along with former Deputy Chief Minister Om Parkash Soni, former MLAs Raj Kumar Verka and Sunil Datti and other leaders held a roadshow in blistering hot conditions in the walled city area in the afternoon. The roadshow commenced from Hall Gate and ended at the Town Hall. He also paid tribute at the historic Jallianwala Bagh memorial.

Later, Aujla held a meeting with students and encouraged them to vote for a change in the country. He said in order to end the reign of corporate houses in the country, people should defeat the BJP led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said during 10 years rule, around 20 per cent people owning big corporate houses had accumulated 80 per cent wealth of the country.

AAP minister Kuldeep Dhaliwal also held roadshow in the rural belt of the district. The roadshow started from Majitha and passed through Ajnala, Rajasansi, Chogwan, Attari and Khasa before culmination. He said the people of Amritsar should vote for the AAP for development of the holy city.

SAD candidate Anil Joshi also held public meetings during which he urged people to vote for him. In all, 30 aspirants, including 18 Independents, are in the fray from Amritsar Lok Sabha constituency.

Over 16.11 lakh voters would seal the fate of 30 candidates on June 1 by exercising their right to franchise in nine Assembly constituencies falling in the Amritsar Lok Sabha segment. Out of these voters, over 8.44 lakh are males, 7.64 lakh females and 64 transgender. The counting of votes would held on June 4.