Sidhu gone, Simarjit is AAP’s star campaigner

Mohit Khanna 

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, January 19

Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) supremo Simarjit Singh Bains has taken over as the star campaigner of Aam Aadmi Party. 

He visited Jagraon today to campaign for AAP candidate Sarabjit Kaur. He led a massive rally in various parts of Jagraon hitting out at the CM and PPC chief Captain Amarinder Singh.  He accused both leaders of helping each other in the elections to stop the reign of AAP in the state.  Bains said they would end the menace of corruption and drugs within a year of taking office. 

Darshan Singh Shankar, AAP Ludhiana Zone in charge, said like Bhagwant Mann, Bains was among their list of star campaigners. 

“He is very popular among rural and urban voters for waging war against the corrupt political regime. He locked horns with SAD government when they were exercising their authority. Bains was sent to jail but he continued his fight. He laid bare the sand, liquor and cable mafia operated by the government,” he said.

Bains is touring the state and campaigning for AAP candidate.  So far, he has led nearly 50 rallies conducted by AAP. One of the reasons for Bains being used for campaigning is the unavailability of Bhagwant Mann, who is fighting from Jalalabad against Sukhbir Singh Badal. 

While Simarjit is busy campaigning for AAP, competition has increased on his home turf. SAD candidate Gurmeet Singh and Congress pick Kamaljit Singh Karwal are trying to make the most of Simarjit’s absence in Atam Nagar. 

Cong’s calculated gamble

AAP insiders say Congress played a calculated gamble to plug Simarjit Bains in his constituency. Simarjit is playing the role of a star campaigner for AAP. He is campaigning across the state and holding an aggressive campaign against Congress and SAD. Congress pick Kamaljit Singh Karwal, remained a close aide of Bains. He knows the strong and weak areas of Bains in Atam Nagar  as Karwal was among the election managers of Simarjit during the previous elections.