MC polls: Couples take to canvassing in various wards

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 7

While the history of the MC house is replete with leaders handling the work of their councillor wives in proxy, this year is also marked by many well-known councillor couples of the district either jointly in the fray of campaigning together. On the first day after the filing the nominations, The Tribune takes a peek at the campaign plans of some of these duos.

Kuldeep Oberoi,Arvinder Kaur Oberoi

Having denied ticket by the SAD at the last minute, reportedly due to the intervention of former Local Bodies Minister Manoranjan Kalia, the couple are contesting as Independents from ward number 50 and 51. Both have held two terms each in their earlier ward number 29. They say the janta of the ward can vouch for the myriad works having been accomplished in the area by them.

Kuldeep Oberoi said, “We can take the credit for getting the most amount of tube wells in ward number 29. We have a lot of work planned up for these wards. The public is giving us a lot of love and wherever we go, people show a lot of respect."

Jagdish Raja, Anita Raja

Jagdish Raja, the Congress Leader of Opposition, and his wife Anita Raja have been chosen to contest on the Congress ticket from Ward No. 48 and 49. The couple have divided areas amongst themselves.

Raja canvassed in Dyal Nagar, Hujral Nagar and Niwan Tahliyan today. His wife is taking care of the older ward areas. Raja says, “There have been three new areas added to the ward after delimitation, which include Udham Singh Nagar, Niwan Suranj Ganj and Ajit Nagar. I have also been visiting areas like the Shakti Nagar, Islamabad among other areas.”

Speaking about their agenda, he said, “We as a couple have addressed majority of the issues in the areas and have taken up a lot many projects. For the coming tenure, development projects and encroachment is on our agenda.”

Rajinder Beri, Uma Beri

While they aren’t exactly a councillor couple with Rajinder Beri being a Congress MLA, they, however, hold a joint front for canvassing in the ward. While Uma Beri has been chosen to contest from ward number 19 for the Congress, she has been holding door-to-door campaigns in the area. The couple, who have spent five tenures as councillors in the area, say their thrust has always been to render the area better and upgrade the development works.

Uma Beri said, “Various works have already been completed by us in the area, among the new works which hold key priorities for us include the development of parks and building of more pumps in the area.”