Groundwork paid off, will work for Kandi's development, says Dr Ravjot

Aparna Banerji

Jalandhar, March 17

In his third electoral outing in the state, not only did he turn successful, he also remained victorious with the highest vote margin in Doaba, toppling stalwarts from other parties.

Sham Chaurasi MLA Dr Ravjot Singh won generous affection from his voters and in the most decisive mandates across the region. Receiving a whopping 48.97 per cent vote share from his constituency, he won with a victory margin of 21,356 votes.

One of the 12 doctors among 92 winning MLAs of the state, Dr Ravjot who had a 20-year-long career as a medical practitioner, joined the Aam Aadmi Party in September 2013. Since then, it had been a tumultuous journey, full of toil, the dividends of which he has reaped with the 2022 Assembly elections victory.

Having started practice as a doctor in 2002, it was in 2017 that Dr Ravjot Singh contested his first election and in 2019, his second. In 2017, he was the Vidhan Sabha candidate from Sham Chaurasi for the AAP and in 2019, he was the party’s Lok Sabha candidate for Hoshirapur.

Dr Ravjot Singh says, “I’m feeling very happy. It feels wonderful to be serving my electorates. I was on the ground for the past 7-8 years in the constituency. I believe my ground work has paid off.”

While his concerns range from better health care to connectivity, he has in his mind the remotest of the villages of his constituency, comprising large stretches of the Kandi area, which has remotest of villages falling in the partial hilly terrain. Areas which often escape attention in campaigns and have languished for years due to their inaccessibility are especially the ones that reign heavy on his mind.

He says, “Our plan is to follow the Delhi model to provide a progressive state for the people. Corruption-free government, better health infra and eradication of drugs are on priority. In my area, putting a stop to the drug menace as soon as possible is an important issue on my mind.”

The all-round development and better connectivity in the Kandi areas is another one of his key issues. He says, “My area has many border villages which have distinct and unusual problems. There’s a village in the Bahri Khadd in the constituency which has a distinct problem. Villagers’ domicile and their Aadhaar details are from Punjab, but the water supply, power and other amenities come from Himachal Pradesh. There are often shortages and cuts. We want to bring 24-hour proper amenities to such villages from Punjab itself.”

Dr Ravjot Singh
Party: AAP
Constituency: Sham Chaurasi
Votes polled: 60,730
Vote margin: 21,356
Vote percentage: 48.97
Defeated: Pawan Kumar Adia (Congress)

Priorities

MLA Dr Ravjot Singh, who emerged victorious with the highest vote margin in Doaba, toppling stalwarts from other parties, seeks better connectivity and accessibility in Kandi areas through roads and internet connections. The MLA wants to provide better healthcare facilities in remote areas. In addition to these issues, corruption, the scourge of drugs, education also remain major concerns.