‘People have never let me down in any elections’

PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, January 16

At 8 am, OP Soni is ready to go to his office, on ground floor of his house, located in the posh Rani Ka Bagh area. His nephew, Vikas Soni, a former Youth Congress leader, is also accompanying him.

At the office they formulate plans for their poll campaign in the Amritsar (Central) constituency for the day. Soni senior prefers door-to-door campaigning and as he enjoys a special connection with people of the holy city while Vikas, being young and energetic, also stresses on the use of social media.

“I am people’s man. Love to meet them,” says Soni. “Vikas helps me out as I cannot go to each and every place. Instead of attending election meetings I am appealing to people to vote for the Congress,” he says.

“Whenever I am not available, Vikas also attends to people in the office,” he adds. “Even my other family members also campaign for me during elections sometimes,” he says.

“This rush and election atmosphere is not new to me. I have witnessed this for the past two decades when I was a teenager,” says Vikas, who seems to be in a hurry to attend another meeting at the Amritsar (Central) constituency from where OP Soni is contesting for the second time.

“I have been getting calls from several workers in the constituency, who are waiting for me,” he says. Previously, Soni had defeated the BJP candidate, Tarun Chugh, who is also fighting election against him.

“The people have showered their so much love. They have never let me down in any elections. They consider me their companion in every thick and thin,” says OP Soni while adding that he, too, had tried his best to meet expectations of the public.

“I am not a leader. I am a serviceman (sewadar) of people and my family is my moral support,” says Soni.

Soni is not a new name in the political circle in the city. He was the first Mayor from 1991 to 1996. Development works done by him are still afresh in minds of people, who still fondly refer to him as ‘Mayor Saab’. He contested Assembly elections four times (two times as Independent candidate). Soni always defeated his rival with good margins.

His easy accessibility is his USP. Everybody and anybody can approach him at any time of the day and this is what people like about him.