Impressive show by AAP, Sisodia absent

Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, May 25

Three days ahead of the Shahkot byelection, the AAP held a roadshow in support of candidate Rattan Singh Kakar Kalan, putting up a show of strength here on Friday. Almost all key state leaders participated.

However, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia skipped the roadshow. Instead, two party MLAs from Delhi Alka Lamba and Naresh Yadav joined the event. AAP leader Bhagwant Mann joined the cavalcade midway. It also saw the presence of Leader of Opposition Sukhpal Khaira and Sunam MLA Aman Arora.

As hundreds of vehicles were in the cavalcade, which started from the Lohia Khas T-point, traffic moved at a snail’s pace for hours.

While other parties have been holding rallies regularly in the region, this was the only major show of strength by AAP, which has so far concentrated on door-to-door campaigning.

While the party hired at least 40 to 50 autorickshaws for the roadshow, volunteers from Jalandhar took around 50 vehicles to extend support.

Not leaving AAP, says Mann

Dismissing rumours on his joining the Congress, Mann said he was still part of AAP. “The SAD is spreading false rumours about me. I am very much with AAP,” he added.