Constituency watch: Nawanshahr

By Avneet Kaur

Nawanshahr became a district in 1995 and was renamed as Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar (SBS Nagar) in 2007. It is a semi-urban constituency with nearly 1.76 lakh voters. The district is divided into 19 wards and 466 villages. The locals here have voted mostly for the Congress. Late Dilbag Singh remained the most influential leader from the seat. He was also responsible for making Nawanshahr a district. This time when the BJP is contesting in alliance with Capt Amarinder Singh's Punjab Lok Congress (PLC), the BSP and SAD are together and the Congress (candidate not announced yet), AAP and new entrant Samyukta Samaj Morcha (SSM) also in the fray, the electoral battle has turned interesting and it's all set to witness a multi-cornered contest. Here are the main candidates from the seat...

Nachhatar Pal Singh
Party: SAD-BSP
Age: 47 years
Qualification: B Pharmacy

Background: Nachhatar Pal Singh, who is BSP’s state general secretary, has been a social worker, a two-time councillor, and former vice-president of Nawanshahr Municipal Council. He contested for the Assembly poll in 2017, also on BSP ticket, but managed just 19,578 votes. He has been associated with the Bahujan Samaj Party since the Kanshi Ram movement and before being appointed as state general secretary, he was district BSP chief.

Priorities:
1. To upgrade the educational infrastructure and establish a college/university in district
2. A medical college & hospital
3. To create job opportunities by setting up more industries

Lalit Mohan Pathak
Party: Aam Aadmi Party
Age: 52 years
Qualification: Graduation

Background: A property dealer by occupation, Lalit Mohan Pathak (popularly known as Ballu), has been a four-time councillor and two-time president of the Nawanshahr Municipal Council. During his tenure, Nawanshahr district topped twice in Swachh Bharat Survekshan in the north zone for urban local bodies with a population of 25-50,000. He was a die-hard Congressman, but due to his differences with sitting MLA Angad Saini and other reasons, he left the Congress and joined AAP.

Priorities:
1. To make Nawanshahr a corruption-free district
2. Establishment of a PGI-like hospital in the district
3. Development of sports parks and stadiums

Kuldeep Singh
Party: SSM
Age: 42 years
Qualification: Class X

Background: A farmer by profession, Kuldeep Singh has been an active farm activist from the region. At present, he is the president of the Doaba Kisan Union. Besides, he is a member of Samyukta Kisan Morcha and Bharatiya Kisan Union. He says he led the farmers’ protest at Singhu border from the region. It was he who took along thousands of protesters to the site and had stayed there from Day 1.

Priorities:
1. Healthcare facilities in every village and hospital in district
2. Will work to make Nawanshahr a corruption-free district
3. Socio-economic uplift of labourers, farmers and other workers

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