Anu Randhawa carries on with her political legacy

Gagan K. Teja

Patiala, January 15

Having secured a Master’s degree in Public Administration, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate from Ghanaur Anu Randhawa (35) had never dreamt of carrying on the legacy of her late father Jasjit Singh Randhawa, who was a Congress legislator. All she wanted to do was to immerse her in activities of social welfare. However, her father’s supporters compelled her to take up active politics as the best means of serving society and that’s how she started her political career.

Since her father was a Congressman, the natural option was to start working for the Congress and she was amongst the ticket aspirants from Ghanaur. However, when the Congress denied her ticket, she did not get disappointed and backed by her supporters, she decided to join the AAP.

Now that the party high command has shown faith in the capabilities of the young first-timer, Anu is hopeful that her late father’s prevailing sway over the electorate would send her to the state Assembly.

Called as ‘Nirol-pendu’ constituency (purely rural), Ghanaur is Jatt Sikh-dominated belt that lies on the eastern border of Patiala district, bordering Haryana, and has a large number of problems, mainly non-availability of water for irrigation and drinking apart from poor education and medical facilities.

While two of its blocks are already in the list of dark zones, in certain blocks the water has gone below 400ft and the farmers are waiting to get in-land irrigation system as the tubewells are fast drying up.

When the digging of Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal started in 1984, farmers looked in hope that the channel would bring water and subsequent prosperity to the region. However, developments over the SYL issue left them high and dry as the canal might never become the lifeline for the farmers of Ghanaur.

Speaking to The Tribune, Anu said she never wanted to be a politician but could not disrespect the feelings of her late father’s supporters who had high hopes on her. “However, ever since I made up my mind, there had been no looking back and I am committed for the welfare of Ghanaur residents that my father treated as his own family,” Anu said.

“The Congress and the SAD are not what they used to be once. With the induction of corrupt and selfish leaders over the period of years, both traditional parties have become money-minting political bodies. AAP is one party that delivered what it promised in Delhi and I was highly impressed by its ideology and working style. That is how I ended up joining AAP and I am very proud of my decision now,” she said.

Anu accepts that Ghanaur had a large number of problems, but claims that she had already discussed all aspects with the party high command, who, in turn, had promised to resolve them, mainly the water woes, at the earliest.

Banking on the door-to-door campaign, which is the USP of AAP, Anu claims that there was still no replacement of the personal connection. “Even though we are active on social media, a major chunk of voters of my area are still untouched by the social media. Thus I am personally counting on my teams of volunteers who are working day and night for party’s victory in the area,” Anu said.

Though political observers are of the view that it would be a close contest for Anu in the area, they claim that AAP’s tag would certainly give a major boost to her political career.