Constituency watch: Banga

THE reserved constituency falls on the Phagwara-Ropar highway, but the recent construction of flyovers on the highway has made the town less visible to the commuters zipping past the area. The constituency’s most significant aspect is that it includes Khatkar Kalan, the ancestral village of Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh. Banga’s Municipal Council remains non-functional for almost a year now as no party could get a clear majority. Here are the main candidates from the seat:

Tirlochan Singh Soondh
Party: Congress
Age: 62 years
Qualification: Postgraduate

Background: A former IFS officer, he is the son of ex-minister Chaudhary Jagat Ram, who was killed during terrorism days. He has won the seat twice in 2002 and 2012. He had hurled his shoe in the Punjab Assembly at the treasury benches in 2016, owing to which he was denied ticket in 2017. He had contested Independently and came fifth with 6,300 votes.

Priorities: 1. To stop migration of youth to foreign countries
2. Corruption-free environment
3. Improve education, healthcare

Dr Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi
Party: SAD
Age: 61 years
Qualification: Postgraduate

Background: The sitting MLA from Banga is an ENT specialist and runs a multi-specialty hospital in Banga. Amid the Covid-19 crisis, he treated several poor patients free of cost. He had previously served in the Bahujan Samaj Party and was brought to the SAD fold by Akali chief Sukhbir Badal.

Priorities: 1. To provide better health infrastructure
2. To make govt edu institutions better than private ones
3. To provide better job placements for youths

Kuljit Singh
Party: AAP
Age: 41 years
Qualification: Class X

Background: Hailing from Sarhal village in Banga and an agriculturist by profession, Kuljit joined the AAP five months back. He is getting support from the 2017 AAP’s young candidate Harjot Kaur, who had finished a close second. He will face a tough time aligning the AAP cadre along as they had tendered mass resignations when the party named him as the candidate.

Priorities: 1. To get tehsil status for Aur block
2. To provide government hospital, college
3. Scholarship for higher studies

Chaudhary Mohan Lal
Party: BJP
Age: 54 years
Qualification: Postgraduate

Background: He has twice been the MLA from the area in 1997 and 2007 on SAD symbol. He is the son of ex-Punjab BJP minister Swarna Ram. He entered electoral politics contesting as the BSP candidate in 1992. He remained with the SAD for about 20 years and joined the BJP in 2017. He joined Congress which he again left recently to grab the BJP ticket.

Priorities: 1. Agro-based industry
2. To set up rail connectivity with Delhi via Rahon-Khanna link
3. To create jobs for youth