Jalandhar byelection: Jittery leaders made a beeline for deras

Aparna Banerji

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Jalandhar, May 8

From Dera Sachkhand Ballan to numerous other deras and Christian ministries, politicians are leaving no stone unturned to reach out to every single power centre during the campaign.

The influential Ravidasia seat of Dera Sachkhand Ballan remains the most popular and most visited Dalit power centre of the Jalandhar reserved constituency ahead of the bypoll.

During campaign, politicians have been making a beeline for it. Even as the campaign came to a close, Dera Ballan, in the past two days, saw AAP Delhi MP Raghav Chadha and Congress former CM Charanjit Singh Channi at its door.

Channi’s declaration of establishing the Guru Ravidas Research Centre with Rs 50 crore in 2021 and the release of a cheque for Rs 25 crore was followed by the AAP government’s release of Rs 25 crore for the centre this year. Dera head Sant Niranjan Dass, who wields a considerable influence on the community, hosted many political guests from the Congress, AAP, the BJP and the Akali Dal. The dera influences 19 Doaba constituencies out of 23. Politicians also visited the Dera Baba Murad Shah, the Dera Baba Lal Badshah (both in Nakodar), the Dera Sant Pritam Das Dera Baba Jaure (headed by Ravidasia guru Sant Pritam Das) and Bhagwan Valmiki Yog Ashram (Rahimpur).

The recent entrants are the churches whose popularity has risen despite recent IT raids. BJP candidate Inder Iqbal Atwal called on pastor Ankur Narula of the Church of Signs and Wonders. AAP representatives also met the pastor seeking his support. AAP leaders Harchand Singh Barsat and minister Aman Arora also visited the Baljinder Singh ministries in Jalandhar.

The United Christian Party, had also been floated in Jalandhar, it withdrew its candidate later in support of AAP. Albert Dua, president, United Christian Party, said, “Jalandhar has 900 pastors across churches and 3 lakh believers. At present, there are estimated 1.5 lakh Christian votes in the district. We floated a party to raise the demands of the community.”

CANDIDATES’ PROFILE

Sushil Kumar Rinku
Party: AAP
Age: 47 years
Edu: Class XII
Assets: Rs 78.58L

Background: Rinku had been Congress MLA from Jalandhar (West) Assembly segment in 2017. He started his political career as an MC councillor and defeated Sheetal Angural (AAP MLA) twice in civic body polls. Rinku had lost the 2022 Assembly election to Angural. Till he joined AAP on April 5, he was ex-minister Rana Gurjeet Singh’s protege.

Promises made

• PGI-like hospital
• Sports University

Karamjit Kaur Chaudhary

Party: Congress
Age: 70 years
Edu: Masters
Assets: Rs 1.07 cr

Background: Karamjit Kaur Chaudhary is the widow of two-time Jalandhar MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary, whose demise necessitated the elections. She had served as a professor for over 30 years. She retired as DPI colleges. Prior to that, she was Principal of Government Sports College, Jalandhar.

Promises made

• Clean and green city
• Empowering women

Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi

Party: SAD-BSP
Age: 62 yrs
Edu: MS (ENT)
Assets: Rs 2.13 cr

Background: He is two-time Banga MLA from Akali Dal. He is an ENT surgeon by profession and runs a hospital in Nawanshahr. He was earlier with the BSP before joining SAD. Though some project him as an outsider, he tried his best to establish his connect with the voters.

Promises made

• Improving health facilities
• Uplift of Dalits

Inder Iqbal Atwal

Party: BJP

Age: 50 years

Edu: Matric

Assets: Rs 6.3 cr

Background: He is an ex-MLA from Koom Kalan Assembly segment. His father Charanjit Atwal was Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha and Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha. He and his father were Akalis before they joined the BJP last month. Unlike other candidates who are from Ravidasia community, Atwal is a Mazhbi Sikh.

Promises made

• Proper implementation of Smart City scheme
• To give impetus to sports industry

Party-Hoppers

Charanjit Singh Atwal
Previous party: SAD
Shifted to: BJP

Jagbir Brar
Previous party: SAD
Shifted to: AAP

Mohinder Bhagat
Previous party: BJP
Shifted to: AAP

Chandan Grewal
Previous party: SAD
Shifted to: AAP

Steven Kaler

Previous party: BJP
Shifted to: AAP

Gurjit Singh Sanghera
Previous party: AAP
Shifted to: BJP