Political activities pick up pace in Tarn Taran
Political activities for the panchayat elections are gaining momentum with preparations afoot to elect sarpanches and members of the 573 gram panchayats in the district. There are reports that the ruling party (AAP) is making efforts to get leaders of its choice elected unopposed. The last date for filing nomination papers is October 4.
Residents of the historic Sri Goindwal Sahib village have rejected the choice of the ruling party (AAP) which has fielded Nirmal Singh Dhoti as its candidate. The leaders of the Opposition parties have chosen Kuldeep Singh Lahauria, a former sarpanch, as their common candidate.
Lahauria was selected as a common candidate by residents and leaders of the Congress, the SAD and other parties at a meeting held on Tuesday. Former Congress MLAs Harminder Singh Gill, Sukhpal Singh Bhullar and Ramanjit Singh Sikki met Deputy Commissioner Gulpreet Singh Aulakh and SSP Gaurav Toora and alleged that some armed persons snatched the nomination papers of candidates of the Opposition parties in Bhikhiwind on Monday and in Patti on Tuesday. They alleged that unknown armed persons were creating disturbances at offices of returning officers.
Gurnam Singh Johal, a resident of Jauhal Raju Singh village, said, “The performance of the state government is to be adjudged by the people. Womenfolk are waiting for their Rs 1,000 per month allowance.”
Kamaljit Singh, an aspirant for the post of sarpanch in Khara village, said, “Earlier, I was elected sarpanch as an Independent candidate. At present, I would prefer to contest election on the AAP ticket.”
Though farm fires are a burning topic in villages, the issue is unlikely to be taken seriously during the elections. Katha Singh and Rachhpal Singh, farmers of Mughal Chack Pannua village, said, “Farm fires will not become an election issue as panchayat polls are not a proper platform for raising such matters concerning farmers.”
‘Papers snatched’
Opposition parties have alleged that armed miscreants snatched nomination papers of their candidates in Bhikhiwind on Monday and in Patti on Tuesday.
