Bholath battle: SAD greenhorn up against AAP veteran

Aparna Banerji

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Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, February 2

‘Bibi takri lai ke auna – apan jharoo naal samjhauna; lekha jokha karna ji, Dal scheman naal jawai da dhidd na bharna ji’.

Balbir Singh, an elderly villager sings a self-written poem into a microphone in a quivering voice as villagers gather at a house in the midst of a verdant field at village Mand Ibrahimwaal to offer their support to AAP candidate from Bholath Sukhpal Khaira.

The digs are aimed at Akali Dal stalwart Bibi Jagir Jaur and her son-in-law Yuvraj Bhupinder Singh, who is contesting his maiden elections from the Bholath constituency this year. Alternately, in village Dhilwan, SAD candidate Yuvraj Bhupinder Singh traverses serpentine streets meeting people as a loudspeaker blares messages exhorting people to vote for the ‘takri’ (SAD symbol). As he enters homes, a bunch of young supporters chant slogans of ‘Shiromani Akali Dal Zindabaad’. An elderly woman places her hand on his head.

A celebrated panthic face of the region, Bibi Jagir Kaur won three out of four assembly elections which saw her in a direct face-off with Sukhpal Khaira (who was with the Congress all three times previously). The constituency of Bholath, which has a rich base in members of the Lubhana community as well as Jatt Sikhs, witnesses a direct fight between Yuvraj Bhupinder Singh (backed by the Akali Dal matriarch) and AAP candidate Sukhpal Khaira these elections.

For Congress candidate Rana Ranjit Singh, who shall be contesting his maiden elections this year, the constituency shall be an uphill climb, with key Congress leaders having sided with Sukhpal Khaira. Rana also has formerly been a protégé of Bibi Jagir Kaur. While the Congress started out with Gurbinder Singh Atwal, his replacement following a rebellion, resulted in his eventually siding with the AAP. The BSP has fielded Satpal as its candidate.

While Bibi Jagir Kaur has won from Bholath in 1997, 2002 and 2012 (the last one with a thin margin), Khaira won the constituency in 2007. While the Bibi could not contest this year due to the Supreme Court rejecting her plea for a stay on her conviction in the murder case (forcible abortion, kidnapping and criminal conspiracy charges) of her daughter Harpreet Kaur, it remains to be seen whether Yuvraj might live up to her legacy and acumen.

However, with chitta and unemployment reigning on the minds of the electorate as key issues, the SAD greenhorn faces a substantial challenge. An active NRI campaign in the constituency – which is claimed to have the highest number of NRIs in Doaba —- is also giving a fillip to the AAP campaign.

Harbans Kaur, a widow who resides in Dhilwan, whose husband Ajit Singh and son Ashok died of illness rues, “In my old age, I pegged hopes on my grandson, Vikas. He has lost his bearing due to drugs and doesn’t go for the job he got in place of his father. I couldn’t secure a blue card or pension. All these years, our needs have not been addressed.”

Another resident of Dhilwan adds, “Chitta is readily available. The youth in the area need to be free of the menace.”