Both BJP, AAP roadshows draw crowds

Aparna Banerji

Jalandhar, May 6

Hours after the Aam Aadmi Party’s roadshow from Jyoti Chowk in favour of Sushil Rinku, the BJP began its roadshow from the Company Bagh Chowk in favour of candidate Inder Iqbal Atwal.

Pegged as a “cultural” affair, the show saw the presence of the senior BJP leadership of the state. Turbaned women and a sea of BJP flags dotted the chowk in Jalandhar from where the party began its procession.

Gujarat ex-CM Vijay Rupani, state president Ashwani Sharma, former CM Capt Amarinder Singh, senior BJP leader Sunil Jakhar, state vice-president Subhash Sharma, leaders Raninder Singh and Jaiveer Shergill among others rode on a huge open vehicle bearing the cutouts of Atwal and PM Modi. Women donning saffron turbans and men carrying party’s flags and Modi’s photos participated in the roadshow.

Rupani, Amarinder, Jakhar take part

Those present in the roadshow were Gujarat ex-CM Vijay Rupani, state president Ashwani Sharma, former CM Capt Amarinder Singh, senior BJP leader Sunil Jakhar, state vice-president Subhash Sharma, leaders Raninder Singh and Jaiveer Shergill.

Life-size cutouts of BJP candidate Inder Iqbal Atwal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president JP Nadda were also put up at all places where party leaders set up platforms to cheer the crowds and showered petals and garlands on them.

Band parties and dhols accompanied the procession, so did vehicles with loud speakers blaring patriotic songs.

The roadshow travelled through Jyoti Chowk, Basti Adda Chowk, Purani Sabzi Mandi Chowk, Patel Chowk, Sain Dass School, Valmiki Gate and Tanda Chowk and ended at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Chowk.

Earlier, the AAP procession that started from Jyoti Chowk gained a substantial strength as it went through the Jalandhar North and Jalandhar Cantt consituencies.

Earlier, commenting on the people who turned up at the roadshow, the state CM said, “After we go, you may ask the people who came here, ‘dihari te taan nahi aaye’? (whether they are hired). No, they have come on their own. We didn’t call them.”