With so many options at hand, difficult to gauge psyche of voters

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Tarn Taran, January 15

The district, mostly with border areas, has four Vidhan Sabha seats —Tarn Taran, Khadoor Sahib, Patti and Khemkaran.

Besides the traditional Congress party and SAD, AAP, farmers outfit Sanyukt Samaj Morcha (SSM), too, has entered the political arena this time.

So far, it was the SAD, which had declared its all four candidates. On Saturday, the ruling Congress, too, declared its two candidates from Tarn Taran and Patti, while the BJP and farmer outfit Sanyukt Samaj Morcha are yet to declare its candidates.

From Tarn Taran, the candidature of Harmeet Singh Sandhu (SAD), Dr Kashmir Singh Sohal (AAP), Dr Dharambeer Agnihotri (Congress) has been declared.

From Patti, Adesh Partap Singh Kairon (SAD), Laljit Singh Bhullar (AAP), Harminder Singh Gill (Congress) has been declared

Meanwhile, Virsa Singh Valtoha (SAD) and Sarwan Singh Dhunn (AAP) have been declared from Khemkaran seat.

It is the Khadoor Sahib seat, from where Ranjit Singh Brahampura’s candidature (SAD) had been declared, while the Congress and the AAP are yet to announce their candidates. Hartjinder Singh Tanda of the SSM, too, has entered the fray from Khadoor Sahib.

The district has total 8,06,427 voters, of which 8,204 are new voters between the age of 18 and 19 years. There are 88,053 voters between the age group of 18 and 25 years and 79,849 between the age group of 25 and 29 years.

In the 2017 election, the Congress had won all four seats. It is the traditional parties — SAD and the Congress — who have been ruling so far.

Sukhraj Kaur (50) of Bhullar village was of the view that though the voters are yet to set their mind as to whom to vote for, there are reports that the traditional Congress and SAD have not lost grip from the masses. She said leaders of traditional parties were quite familiar with voters.

Sonu (26) and his brother Monu, residents of Tarn Taran, who run a fruit rehri from the local Noordi Adda, said AAP had gained much ground among the masses after announcing freebies and other facilities, but the SAD, too, has its base at the grassroots.

Salwinder Singh, former sarpanch of Pandori Rehmana village, said as most of the parties were yet to launch their election campaign, voters are not ready to disclose their allegiance so far.

Nanak Singh (60) of Banwalipur village said the Congress and SAD still have a strong mass base. He quoted that a few days ago, Patti’s SAD candidate came to their village and was accorded a warm welcome.

Nishan Singh (48) of Padhri Khurd said though AAP had gone ahead in social media campaign, it was still difficult for them gauge the psyche of the people.

Congress declares candidates from tarn Taran & Patti

Tarn Taran: The Congress supporters expressed happiness over the decision of the party to announce their favourite candidates from two out of the four seats in the district. According to the list released by Mukal Wasnik, general secretary of the AICC, also the in-charge of Congress Election Committee (CEC), Dr Dharambeer Agnihotri would be the candidate from Tarn Taran, while Harminder Singh Gill will contest from Patti seat. The district has Tarn Taran, Patti, Khadoor Sahib and Khemkaran four Vidhan Sabh constituencies. The Congress won all four seats in the 2017 election defeating SAD candidates. Both candidates whose names were declared on Saturday won the election for the first time from their respective constituencies after defeating their nearest rivals of the SAD — Harmeet Singh Sandhu (Tarn Taran) and Adesh Partap Singh Kairon (Patti). Harminder Singh Gill is a farmer by profession, while Dr Agnihorti a qualified medical practitioner. Both have a good strength of supporters in their respective areas. OC

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Voters are yet to make their mind as to whom to vote for. There are reports that the Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal have not lost grip among the masses. Traditional parties are quite familiar with voters. — Sukhraj Kaur, A resident of Bhullar village