Pensioners’ body supports Kahlon for Ludhiana seat

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, February 5

In a monthly meeting of the Pensioners’ Information Centre Management Committee, the members have unanimously decided to field Lt Col HS Kahlon (retired) to contest the Lok Sabha election from Ludhiana.

Lt Col HS Kahlon, Vir Chakra awardee of 1971 War, is patron of the committee.

Chairman of the committee, VK Khanna, said there must be a representative of pensioners in the Lok Sabha to raise their demands as the present set-up of political parties was only interested in their vested interests and there was nobody to support the demand of pensioners.

“Lt Col HS Kahlon has been awarded with Vir Chakra. He has assured to work for the welfare of the pensioners and Army men. Our committee members conducted a meeting on Monday and they assured to support Lt Col HS Kahlon in all respects by mobilising their relatives and friends to support him and assure his success,” VK Khanna said.

Meanwhile, sources said Col Kahlon is also seeking a ticket from the Congress to contest the Lok Sabha elections. In a press release, Brigadier Inder Mohan Singh said, “In the last general elections, the BJP gave tickets to two first timers, Gen VK Singh, former Chief of Army Staff, and Col R Rathore. Both won and were first time ministers. Why Punjab should not do the same.”

“In the case of Punjab, veterans form a sizable strength of voters. The state has about 2.83 lakh veterans, who along with similar strength in Haryana, is the second highest after UP where the strength is about 3.50 lakh, not much more than Punjab despite having seven times more population. For every veteran there are at least six close family members — children, their spouses and parents. If we take into consideration brothers and sisters and their close family members, it would be 10 or more votes with every veteran. This makes it about 28-30 lakh votes, almost the equivalent of voters in two parliamentary constituencies. Shouldn’t a veteran from this strong voter base be eligible for contesting elections,” he said.

“In the 2017 Punjab Assembly elections, veterans were mobilised across the state to elect one of their own, Capt Amarinder Singh, as Chief Minister. This fact cannot be denied by him. Lt Col HS Kahlon has been associated with the Congress ever since he retired. He has been equally active in the affairs of veterans. The veterans’ community contributed wholeheartedly to the victory of Capt Amarinder Singh. We request Captain Singh to consider Lt Col HS Kahlon as the Congress candidate from Ludhiana,” he said.