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Political scene hots up in district

BATHINDA: Political activities in Bathinda have picked up pace ahead of the Lok Sabha elections as leaders of all parties have started coming out and making direct connect with the public.

Political scene hots up in district

Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal addresses people at public events in Bathinda. File photos



Sukhmeet Bhasin

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, January 14

Political activities in Bathinda have picked up pace ahead of the Lok Sabha elections as leaders of all parties have started coming out and making direct connect with the public.

It seems that the Bathinda Lok Sabha seat will again witness a VIP contest among the present Member of Parliament Harsimrat Kaur Badal, her estranged brother-in-law Manpreet Badal and Sukhpal Khaira.

In the past two weeks, Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal has increased his public meetings and has even been releasing grants for development projects in the city.

He even laid foundation stones and started various development works. Last month, in his absence, his son Arjun Badal held public meetings.

He is focusing on revamping the education system by construction of new buildings of schools and providing sports infrastructure for students.

It is learnt that the AICC national president Rahul Gandhi has given him some indication that he would be fielded as party candidate from Bathinda in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections as the former wants Manpreet to be in his team if he gets a chance to form a government at the centre.

While talking to mediapersons a few days ago, Manpreet Badal said clearly stated he would contest the Lok Sabha elections from here if his party asked him to do so and also cleared the air that no other member of his family would contest the election.

While Union Minister for Food Processing Industries and MP from Bathinda, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, is also visiting her constituency these days.

She visited various villages in the district on Sunday and gave Rs 85 lakh grant from her MPLAD funds to 13 SAD panchayats.

Apart from this, Harsimrat, along with former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, held joint public meetings in the district lately.

It is learnt that leaders are gauging the pulse of the public by organising rallies as it is learn that SAD may also field Harsimrat from Ferozepur.

Party sources claim that the party high command thinks that there will be two-term anti incumbency against Harsimrat in Bathinda this time, whereas she would be a new face in Ferozepur. Moreover, SAD doesn’t have any candidate in Ferozepur after its MP Sher Singh Ghubaya allegedly indulged in ‘anti-party’ activities by fielding his son from Fazilka on Congress ticket.

While talking to Bathinda Tribune, Harsimrat Badal neither accepted that she would not contest from Bathinda nor refuted that Ferozepur might be her next turf.

Harsimrat said it was up to the party to decide as earlier in 2009 too, she was not into politics but her party decided her to field her against Capt Amarinder Singh’s son.

Moreover, MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira, who has floated his new outfit Punjabi Ekta Party, has also announced that he would contest from Bathinda in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. He even opened his party’s first office in the state in Bathinda on Sunday.

This time also, Bathinda will see a four corner contest with AAP also fielding a candidate if it doesn’t have any alliance with any political party.

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