PANCHAYAT ELECTIONS: Leaders leaving no stone unturned to make party aspirants win polls
With a keen contest for the upcoming panchayat elections, prominent urban leaders from political parties with roots in villages are throwing weight behind their respective nominees to make them win polls.
Born in Gumtala village, Lok Sabha Member of Parliament Gurjeet Singh Aujla has been enthusiastically taking part in canvassing for Congress candidates contesting the polls. During media briefings, Aujla has been alleging that the AAP government has been indulging in malpractices in the run-up to the elections.
He demanded that the Election Commission of Indian should initiate probe against officials involved in panchayat elections to find out whose instructions they were following while working. He claimed that in villages, BDOs, BDPOs and election officers were working as per the will of ruling AAP legislators. He said these elections would have an impact on the Punjab politics.
He did not hold back from picking holes in the administration of the AAP government blaming its leaders for miserably failing in maintaining the law and order situation. Demands for ransom, firing and robbery incidents were being reported each day across the state, he claimed.
Ahead of the panchayat elections, which is scheduled to be held on October 15, Aujla galvanised his party leaders former MLA Sunil Dutti, former Improvement Trust chairman Dinesh Bassi, former councillor Vikas Soni, former panches and sarpanches of many villages, who collectively staged a sit-in at the BDPO office, to highlight irregularities in the run-up to the elections.
Former minister and senior Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia has also been supporting his party candidates contesting panchayat elections. He is not losing any opportunity to target the AAP-run state government. He alleged that AAP was muzzling democracy by using money and muscle power. Coming in support of his party candidates, Majithia openly accused the AAP for taking the help of outlaws.
Harjit Singh Sandhu, BJP district president, accused election officials of cancelling nomination papers following diktats of the ruling AAP. Though the BJP has limited following in the rural areas, leaders of the Saffron party are trying to gain some footprints in villages through panchayat elections.
Aujla canvassing for candidates
Born in Gumtala village, MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla has been enthusiastically taking part in canvassing for Congress candidates contesting the panchayat polls. During media briefings, Aujla has been alleging that the AAP government has been indulging in malpractices in the run-up to the elections.