Constituency watch: Chabbewal

by Sanjiv Kumar Bakshi

The Chabbewal constituency was formed in 2009. In 2012, it saw the first election which was won by SAD candidate Sohan Singh Thandal and in 2017, Dr Raj Kumar won the seat for Congress. Being a rural constituency, the area has diverse problems and requirements. Situated on two state highways, Chandigarh-Hoshiarpur Road and Phagwara-Hoshiarpur Road, the segment has 203 villages. The area is set to see a multi-cornered contest with five major players in the fray.

Dr Raj Kumar

Party: Congress
Age: 52 years
Qualification: MBBS, MD

Background: The sitting MLA is the Chairman of Scheduled Castes wing of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. He contested as MLA for the first time in 2012 but lost. In 2017, he was fielded again by the Congress and became MLA. In 2019 General Election, he was Congress candidate from Hoshiarpur MP constituency but had to face defeat. A radiologist by profession, Dr Raj is known for shunning VIP culture.

Priorities: 1. Bring a technical institute in area
2. Promoting industry for more jobs
3. Women empowerment, self employment

Sohan Singh Thandal

Party: SAD

Age: 65 years

Qualification: Graduate

Background: Sohan Singh Thandal, got elected MLA four times and remained minister in SAD-BJP governments. He represented Mahilpur constituency three times from 1997 to 2012 and after Chabbewal constituency was formed, in 2012 he was elected as the maiden MLA from here. In 2017, he had to face defeat. He had served at various posts in the party and is presently the general secretary of the SAD and in fray for the sixth time.

Priorities: 1. Eradication of drug trade in area
2. False cases, FIRs to be revoked
3. Link roads to be revamped

Harminder Singh Sandhu

Party: AAP

Age: 35 years

Qualification: BA II

Background: Sandhu is the sitting sarpanch of Chabbewal village. He had joined the politics as a SAD worker and had been the president of the SAD youth wing from Chabbewal. In 2016, he joined the AAP and was appointed as the state vice president of the youth wing of the party and constituency in charge in 2018. Having no political background, he was elected as sarpanch in 2018.

Priorities: 1. Improving health, educational infrastructure
2. Solve the problem of unemployment
3. Eradicating mafia and corruption in state

Rashpal Singh Raju

Party: SSM

Age: 49 years

Qualification: Higher Secondary

Background: A political figure in state, Raju had been Bahujan Samaj Party state president. He had also been state in charge appointed by central BSP leadership. He had been a patwari in his early days and after leaving service he entered politics. He opposed the SAD-BSP alliance and left the party. Later, he formed Punjab BSP with the support of other BSP leaders who were opposing the alliance.

Priorities: 1. Eradication of drug trade and check drug mafia
2. Raising standard of educational facilities and infrastructure
3. 24-hour power supply for farmers and labourers

Dr Dilbag Rai

Party: BJP
Age: 63 years
Qualification: MBBS, DUS

Background: Dr Dilbag Rai had been SMO in the Health Department and left job in 2006. In 2007, he was given Congress ticket from Mahilpur but was defeated. In 2012, he was denied ticket from Chabbewal so he left Congress and contested as an Independent but faced defeat. Later in 2012, he joined the BJP. He was state chief of BJP SC Morcha twice and is presently member of the executive council of the BJP.

Priorities: 1. Ending drug trade from area
2. Eradicating sand mining mafia
3. Effective implementation of central schemes