Ex-kabbadi player Gurlal ready to take on heavyweights in Ghanaur

Karam Prakash

Patiala, February 4

After a successful career in sports, former international kabaddi player Gurlal Ghanaur has taken a plunge into politics.

Simplicity is my USP

We are going door to door in all villages to seek votes. The direct connect suits us and it seems to be working for us. Unlike other candidates, I am a simple person, which is my USP. — Gurlal Ghanaur

Gurlal, who was an ASI in the Punjab Police, is locking horns with political heavyweights — Madan Lal Jalalpur and Prem Singh Chandumajra — from the Ghanaur Assembly constituency as AAP candidate.

Experts said Gurlal’s toughest opponent was sitting MLA Jalalpur, who had been active in electoral politics for around two decades. Jalalpur has won twice from Ganaur. The other formidable competitor of Gurlal is said to be SAD veteran Chandumajra, who is a three-time MP and an ex-minister.

A known face in the area due to his sports achievements, Gurlal had joined the AAP in June last year. Gurlal, who is said to have been gaining momentum with every passing day, said people of Ghanaur did not have any option earlier. “They are already fed up with the candidates of traditional parties. A majority of the promises, made by them, have never been fulfilled. People want a change this time.”

When asked about his poll campaign, Gurlal said people want to connect directly with the candidate and not through any sarpanch or party workers.

Gurlal said he would work to uplift sports infrastructure at the grass-roots level and work for providing respectable government jobs to the sportspersons through a new policy.