SAMRALA (LUDHIANA): The mood among the voters in Samrala assembly constituency suggests that Sanyukt Samaj Morcha (SSM) president and party candidate Balbir Singh Rajewal has an uphill task in hand. Rajewal, who was one of the main faces of farmers’ agitation, is seeking election from Samrala segment even though his native village is in Khanna.
“Even though the people of my village are rooting for Rajewal, I think he did not get much time to prepare for this electoral battle as the SSM is a new party. I feel that the poll battle in Samrala is between AAP’s Jagtar Singh Dayalpura and SAD’s Paramjt Singh Dhillon. Reason being, that Congress MLA Amreek Singh Dhillon, who is now contesting as an independent candidate, didn’t do much for the constituency,” said Amrik Singh, who is a resident of Mushkabad village.
In the neighbouring Khirnian village, which is the native village of former MLA Jagjivan Singh Khirnia, who left SAD to join AAP, a group of villagers who have just listened to Rajewal’s speech, said they will vote for change. “He speaks against drugs, against youth having to go abroad for employment and other important issues.
We know he has taken up genuine issues, which should be addressed. But, we doubt that he will get winning votes from here as some candidates of main parties will spend (give money) to buy votes. Yet, despite all that, we want villagers to vote for change as we are fed up with traditional parties since they have not tackled our main issues like drugs, unemployment, better basic facilities for long now,” said Harbans Singh.
Another youth from Khirnian chipped in, saying,“We are selfish. When we need farm leaders to fight against farm laws, we are with them. Now when the laws have been repealed, we have abandoned them. ” He added that many other candidates will use liquor and money to lure voters to vote for them, something that Rajewal will not do.
Villagers in some other villages point out why it will not be easy for Rajewal to win from Samrala. “Even though he was one of the faces of the farmers' agitation, the main outfits which were part of that agitation are not supporting Rajewal. Also, some of his statements have not gone down well with voters. He said that he wrote to the PrimeMinister for the construction of a bridge on
LudhianaChandigarh highway, whereas it was because of our struggle that it was built,” claimed Avtar Singh of Gehlewal village.
Even in Samrala townthere is a growing clamour for “vote for change”. “We face the worst water logging in the rainy season as the sewerage system doesn’t work. Also, roads are in a bad shape. . . traditional parties have disappointed us. Now, we will be voting for change and will test another party to see what they do,” said a voter from Samrala town.
Meanwhile, Rajewal, who has been campaigning extensively in villages, spoke to TOI from Khirnia village. There is no doubt about it that he would win the election, he said. “People’s mood is changing now. It is Punjab’s speciality that people’s mood changes three to four days before elections. What they do, doesn’t happen in other states,” he said. Farmers and labourers will support him, he added.
AAP leader Jagjivan Singh Khirnia said Rajewal may be a respected farmer leader but contesting elections is a different ball game.
