Gurdaspur, 21 September: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday took lead from its political opponents in the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha by poll scheduled for October 11 as its nominee Maj. Gen. (retd) Suresh Khajuira was the first to file nomination papers.
Khajuria was accompanied by Punjab AAP, president and Sangrur MP, Bhagwant Mann, Leader of the Opposition (LOP) Sukhpal Khaira, secretary Gulshan Chabra, alliance partner and president of Lok Insaaf Party (LIP), Simarjit Singh Bains and AAP’s district president, Gurpartap Singh Khushhalpur when the former went on to file nomination papers before Gurdaspur deputy commissioner Gurloveleen Singh Sidhu.
Earlier while addressing a huge gathering of AAP supporters and volunteers Mann said Gurdaspur Lok Sabha constituency which was a border district of Punjab has been facing all kind of problems and was most neglected by all political parties in the past.
Mann said the BJP government at the centre and congress led by Capt Amainder Singh in the state neither waived off the agricultural debt of the farmers nor paid them the remaining amount of the sugarcane crop as promised by both political parties before the polls.
He said the industry in Gurdaspur including that of Dhariwal and Batala has completely collapsed under successive governments while farm and farm labour has never been on the agenda of SAD-BJP alliance government which remained in power in Punjab for many years.
He said businessmen, traders, employees and ex servicemen while on one hand were disillusioned by the betrayal of poll promises of both the BJP and the Congress on the other they were reeling under corruption and the rising prices of the essential commodities.
Despite change in the guard in the state both land and the sand mafia were ruling the roost in Punjab with impunity and has been openly collecting Gunda Tax from the traders.
Mann said being a border district Gurdaspur also had to suffer the onslaught of drugs and terrorism from time to time.
The congress has hugely disappointed the unemployed youth in Punjab who were promised jobs by Capt Amarinder Singh before coming to power. ” The congress will once again lure you with false promises to win the Lok Sabha seat but this time don’t get cheated by such elements”, said Mann to the people.
Khaira called upon the people of Gurdaspur to reject the political parties which have been luring the voters with all kind of inducements such as money or liquor. ” AAP has always been trying hard to cleanse the political system thats why we have nominated a clean and transparent candidate in the form of Maj. Gen. Khajuria.
Taking a dig at both BJP and Congress parties Khaira said the candidates nominated by them have been parachuted from Mumbai and Abohar who would never be able to commit full time for the service of Gurdaspur voters.
Meanwhile speaking on the occasion Maj.Gen. Khajuria said he had served the nation with honesty and commitment during his services in the armed forces and he would endeavour to do the same for the people of Gurdaspur Lok Sabha constituency.
Others who were present on the occasion included deputy leader in Punjab Vidhan Sabha Sarabjit Kaur Manuke, MLAs, Manjit Singh Bilaspur, Pirmal Singh, Najar Singh Mansahia, Jai Singh Rori, Master Badev Singh Jaito, Meet Hayer, Jagdev Singh Kamalu, vice president Kuldip Singh Dhaliwal, treasurer Sukhwinder Singh Sukhi, Kamalpreet Singh Kaki, Joginder Singh Chhina, Gurwinder Singh Shampura and Dalwir Singh Dhillon.
