Will boycott candidates who lure voters with alcohol, drugs: Villagers

Balwant Garg

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, December 16

With the Panchayat elections are drawing near, political activities have picked up pace at the village level.

Coming with an initiative, residents of Sher Singh Wala village in the distinct have decided to boycott any candidate who will try to lure the voters with liquor or any drug.

The village has about 1,600 voters. Besides, the residents have also decided to rise above the political straitjackets.

Showing a unique spirit of friendliness, residents of this village have ‘selected’ Baldev Singh as the sarpanch of the village unanimously. Not a single aspirant has filed nomination papers so far in the village. Now, they will cast their votes for electing nine members of the panchayat.

As the drug route is said to be the easiest way to lure male voters in the panchayat elections, 20 youngsters, members of Naujawan Sabha, in the village have decided to raise a banner of revolt against the use of drugs.

Moreover, roping in many young and old villagers, the members of the sabha started a campaign against drugs during the elections. Villagers warned the candidates, who will try to lure them with drugs, to boycott them.

Members of the Naujawan Sabha are doing yeoman jobs in the village with the help of over 200 NRIs of this village, settled in the USA, Canada and Australia.

They are using the funds received from the NRIs to lay interlock tiles, hold cleanness drives and maintain parks in the village. “Rather than calling it elections, residents of the village prefer to call it selection this time. So there is no need to have an electoral contest for the post of sarpanch in the village. We wanted the villagers to agree on an amicable name,” said members of Naujawan Sabha.