Five-time MLA Om Parkash Soni on firm footing in Amritsar Central

Tribune News Service

PK Jaiswar

Amritsar, January 31

Deputy Chief Minister and five-time MLA Om Parkash Soni seems to be on a firm footing in Amritsar Central constituency, which has predominantly remained a Congress seat.

Out of eight Assembly elections in the past, the seat went to the Congress five times, while the BJP won thrice when firebrand BJP leader Laxmi Kanta Chawla won in 1992, 1997 and 2007. The constituency is located in the heart of the walled city with some segments of rural belt and slums, including Fatahpur, Bharariwal, Gujjarpura, Anngarh.

Soni had successfully contested during the last two terms after Amritsar West constituency was declared as reserved category. He won three times from there; one time as Congress candidate and twice as an Independent. In 2017 Assembly election, he secured nearly 54 per cent votes defeating BJP candidate Tarun Chugh with a margin of over 16,000 votes.

The SAD-BSP had fielded their joint candidate Dalbir Kaur (BSP) as per their arrangement after parting its ways from BJP over farmers’ agitation in Delhi. Dalbir Kaur is mother of notorious gangster-turned-priest Bhupinder Singh, alias Sonu Kangla. She had previously contested and won as an Independent during the Municipal Corporation elections in 2012. Later, she joined the SAD after winning the councillors’ elections, but later switched loyalties to the BSP. She is majorly relying on Dalit votes in the area.

The BJP-PLC alliance has given ticket to Dr Ram Chawla, son of former health minister Dr Baldev Chawla. AAP has fielded Dr Ajay Gupta again. He had secured 7.54 per cent votes. As per experts, SAD has small vote bank here as previously, the seat remained with their former alliance partner — BJP.

On the other hand, though AAP has increased its vote base owing to an upsurge since the Assembly poll was announced and Bhagwant Singh Mann named as its CM face, Gupta is still being considered as a lightweight candidate in front of Deputy CM.

However, Soni might face trouble in several areas. What goes against him is that it is only a particular segment, especially the walled city areas that have seen some development, while a number of rural belts and slums are still facing basic issues. Rampant drug abuse is also a major issue in these areas, including Anngarh, Gujjapura, Bharariwal and Fatahpur.

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