‘People once again identifying themselves with political parties’

Ruchika M Khanna 

Tribune News Service

As the sun plays hide-and-seek with clouds on a wintry day, we set off on our journey to assess the mood of the people with election to the state Assembly just two weeks away. As the car moves on the well-laid-out roads of Mohali, winding its way amid high-rises, one can easily be swayed by the claims of development made by the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal. But once you cross the Sohana hospital, it’s the same old story.

It’s a narrow single road and traders encroaching upon roadside--be it fruit-sellers, marble owners, or two-wheeler repair kiosks--is a grim reminder of the flawed model of development. The ugliness of urban planning (or the lack of it) is hidden under numerous flyovers on the national and state highways.

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As the traffic snarl brings us to a halt on the crossing near the Kharar-Landaran road, a fruit-seller knocks on the car window. We roll down the window, buy some kinnows and ask him, “Pher votan da ki lagda hai?” Pat comes the reply, “Tussi kisse party ton ho?”

When told that we are journalists out to know the people’s pulse, he says, “Kaun jittuga eh tan pata nahin. Par ihna hai, ki hun loki pher partiyan naal judan lag paye ne. (I don’t know who will win. But people are once again identifying themselves with parties.) He says people want a change. 

Finally, as the traffic moves and the sun is out once again bringing respite from the icy winds, we head towards Fatehgarh Sahib. Marriage palaces, a water park and a few educational institutes pass by before we see the verdant green fields so beautifully captured by filmmaker Yash Chopra on celluloid.

Soon we find poll symbols of the main political parties on the walls of tubewell rooms and farmhouses. The blue-and-yellow painted SAD election symbol competes for space with the white-and-green ‘Captain di Sarkar’ tagline of the Congress and the white-painted slogans of the AAP. This amply shows that the state is in poll mode.

Just ahead of Chunni, a pile of freshly prepared jaggery beckons us, and we strike a conversation with seller Jaspal Singh. He says, “Vaade tan saare eko jihe karde ne, lokan nu bewakoof samajhde ne. Jehdi hawa challegi, uthe jawakan ne vote paani hai. Assin budhe tan pher vi party nu vote paavange,” he says, clearly indicating that party affiliations still matter for old-timers, whereas the youth would go with the trend. 

When asked if demonetisation is an issue this time, he says, “Precious man-hours were wasted standing in front of bank queues. But it is a small sacrifice if it is for the larger good. Now the money supply is good. So why should it be an issue?” Development, or rather skewed development, is definitely an issue, so is the monopolisation of businesses, he adds. 

From the narrow road, we once again take the highway leading to Mandi Gobindgarh. Bharpoor Singh, a security guard at a now closed-down steel furnace, on the outskirts of the town, recounts how he is forced to work as a part-time security guard, though he owns four acres at Tohra village.

All of 30, he recalls how the village was once prosperous and the late Gurcharan Singh Tohra would ensure the economic uplift of villagers by getting them jobs.

Offering us hot cups of tea, he says, “Loki ihne saal di vafadari te aapsi meljol nahin chhad sakde. Hun kisanan nu samajh hai ki karza maafi koi vi party nahin kar sakdi. Eh tan bankan de hath vich hai, ya pher kendri sarkar de (People will not leave their party affiliations or personal relations with candidates. Farmers know that no party can waive debt, it is only the banks or the Centre that could do it).”   

Soon smoke emanating from factories welcomes us to the steel town. As we confront an industrialist on polls, he, on condition of anonymity, says they are getting numerous calls for “election sponsorship”, a term he has coined for giving donations to various parties. “Demonetisation blues are over. Election blues are what we are facing now,” he says light-heartedly as we sit in his cozy office.

He explains how most industrialists are giving “donations’ to all main candidates in the fray. “The only way to gauge which candidate enjoys more support is: the one for whom the donors host lunch/dinner election meetings first of all.

“I have set aside Rs 5 lakh to be given to candidates in Amloh constituency and Rs 5 lakh for candidates in Khanna. There is no way out. The only silver lining is that after demonetisation we don’t have to increase the amount as compared to what we gave in 2014,” he chuckles.

His friend, a top builder from Ludhiana, who is visiting him, recalls how factory owners in the industrial city are shelling out money for at least two candidates each in three to five constituencies. But that is another story, for another day.