Constituency watch: Balachaur

Balachaur, a Gujjar-dominated constituency, in the sub-mountainous region (Kandi belt) of the state, has been a SAD stronghold. The importance of being a Gujjar leader here can be gauged from the fact that voters have chosen late Chaudhary Nand Lal of SAD for four times in a row between 1997 and 2012. The Dalits are about 28 per cent of the 1.54 lakh voters, while the Gujjars’ vote percentage is 33 per cent. The Jat Sikhs form the third-largest chunk at nearly 23 per cent. The remaining population comprises Sainis and Ramgarhias among others. Balachaur is also the native place of war heroes like Brig Kuldip Singh Chandpuri, the hero of 1971 Longewala battle, and Lt Gen Bikram Singh, popularly known as ‘Hero of Ladakh’. The electoral battle in this rural segment seat is all set to witness a tough contest as all parties stand nearly equal. Here are the main candidates from the seat:

Darshan Lal Mangupur

Party: Congress
Age: 72 years
Qualification: Class X

Background: He is the sitting MLA from here. He remained Sarpanch of Mangupur village for two consecutive terms between 1992 and 2002. He had also served Nawanshahr as Zila Parishad Chairman from 2008 to 2013. He also contested for the assembly poll from the seat on the People’s Party of Punjab ticket in 2012 and got 19,000 votes. When the PPP merged with the Congress, he contested on Congress ticket in 2017 and defeated four-time MLA Nand Lal.

Priorities:
1. Bringing in industry to create jobs for youth
2. Setting up stadium and sports parks
3. Push to educational infra

Ashok Bath

Party: BJP
Age: 62 years
Qualification: MA, LLB

Background: He retired as AIG from the Punjab Police in 2019. He has also worked as the SSP in several districts of Punjab, including Moga, Fazilka, Bathinda. Having served the police department for 32 years, he is now all set to try his luck in politics. He says during his police service, he had made sure to facilitate common people in every way and now his decision to enter politics was guided by people in his constituency.

Priorities:
1. Corruption-free system
2. To provide better education and health facilities
3. Bringing in industries to provide jobs to youngsters

Sunita Chaudhary

Party: SAD
Age: 46 years
Qualification: BA, ETT

Background: A teacher by profession, Sunita is the daughter-in-law of former chief parliamentary secretary and four-time MLA late Chaudhary Nand Lal. She took interest in politics for the first time in 2004 when she contested for Zila Parishad elections but couldn’t win. She then started to focus on her teaching career and alongside kept helping her father-in-law in his campaign. Now, to carry forward the legacy of late Nand Lal, she’s contesting from the seat.

Priorities:
1. Bringing in industry for more employment
2. Improving medical facilities
3. Push to education and proper water supply in villages

Santosh Kataria

Party: AAP
Age: 56 years
Qualification: ITI diploma

Background: Former Cong leader Santosh Kataria comes from a political family and her father-in-law Ram Krishan Kataria was also an MLA. She first contested elections from Balachaur in 2007 and was also chairperson of Zila Parishad from 2003 to 2007. She was Mahila vice-president of the Congress in 2007. Her differences with Congress started when she was denied ticket in 2017. She joined AAP two years ago after the party promised to field her from the seat.

Priorities:
1. Keeping youngsters away from drugs
2. Making Kandi Canal operational
3. Bio-fencing to prevent wild animals from raiding fields

Daljit Singh Bains

Party: SSM
Age: 45 years
Qualification: Class XII

Background: A farmer by profession, Daljit Bains has remained personal assistant of four-time MLA late Chaudhary Nand Lal for 14 years. He says it was he who took care of all official work of Nand Lal during his tenure as MLA. He is also an active member of Sarbat Da Bhalla committee in Nawanshahr for the past many years. He says it was under the banner of Sarbat Da Bhalla trust, he participated in farmers’ protest at Singhu border.

Priorities:
1. Solar fencing to protect crops from wild animals
2. Construction of link-road from Balachaur to Ropar
3. Campaign against drugs