‘Contesting an election is not an individual affair’

AMRITSAR: District president of the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), Rajesh Kumar Honey (41), will be contesting against high-profile Congress candidate Navjot Singh Sidhu (name not declared officially, but Congress has reserved seat for the Sidhu couple) from the East constituency in the upcoming Assembly elections.

Bharatiya Janata Party candidate from Amritsar (East) Assembly segment Rajesh Kumar Honey. photo: vishal kumar

Charanjit Singh Teja

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, January 14

District president of the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), Rajesh Kumar Honey (41), will be contesting against high-profile Congress candidate Navjot Singh Sidhu (name not declared officially, but Congress has reserved seat for the Sidhu couple) from the East constituency in the upcoming Assembly elections.

A large number of party workers along with friends and relatives campaigned for Honey in his constituency today.

Honey said, “Contesting an election is not an individual affair. You cannot take a single step without support of the family and friends. I am lucky that I have political background. My family is used to accepting such challenges in past”.

Honey’s grandfather was associated with Jan Sangh. His father was also elected as Municipal Corporation (MC) councillor with association of the BJP.

He said, “BJP is in my blood. After completing my study, I decided to join politics in 1992. I have come into politics to serve the public. I was elected MC councillor in 2007 and after that in 2012 from Ward No. 27.”

“Now, the party has given me an opportunity to contest from the East constituency. I have accepted the challenge to contest against heavy-weight candidate. I will definitely win from this segment,” he added.

Honey’s family, a native of the city, has been residing in constituency from several decades. Honey said he would defeat outsiders with support of the family and his friends.

“I am residing in the constituency and this is my strength. Other candidates are outsiders. I know residents of my area. They share their grief and happiness with me. I know their problems and solutions. Residents of the area suffered a lot by electing an outsider, Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu, as their MLA. They will not repeat the same mistake. Now, they will elect a person, who will stay with them and is approachable,” said Honey.

“Moreover, I am whole timer in politics, which is a 24x7 affair. It is not a part time job,” he added.