Arvind Kejriwal’s wife, daughter strike a chord in Dhuri
Ruchika M Khanna & Parvesh Sharma
Tribune News Service
Dhuri, February 11
The rather elusive family members of Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal — wife Sunita Kejriwal and daughter Harshita Kejriwal — on Friday campaigned in support of party’s CM candidate Bhagwant Mann, contesting from this rural constituency.
Talking of women empowerment and better education facilities, Sunita made an emotional connect with women of Dhuri by reminding them how they were being forced to mortgage their land to pay for their children’s passage to other countries.
In this AAP stronghold, the only thing missing in the party campaign was the “family push” and a connect with women voters. Though Mann’s mother Jaspal Kaur and sister Manpreet Kaur have been canvassing for him as he criss-crosses the state to campaign for other candidates, they have not been able to match the aggressive campaigning by Simrat Kaur Khangura, wife of Mann’s opponent Dalvir Singh Goldy.
Thus, the two women from Delhi converged here for an entire day of campaigning. While Sunita sought votes for her “devar” Mann, Harshita made an instant connect with both young and old women, as she talked of how if they vote for her Chacha ji, their children would get higher education and jobs in Punjab itself, rather than being forced to send them abroad. “When I used to campaign for my father, people would tell me how education and health services in Delhi have improved by leaps and bounds. Give the AAP a chance, you won’t regret it and won’t be forced to send your children away. The Rs 1,000 promised by the AAP to all women above 18 years of age, may be a small amount, but it will help you have some extra cash and your daughters will have money to pay for their books and for the bus fare to reach college. It will lead to your empowerment,” she said.
As Sunita exhorted people to vote for Mann and the party, she asked them to be the decision makers for their families in this election, where a switch from traditional parties could change the future of women and their children. “If you want good schools for your children and employment for them, then vote for the AAP,” she said.
The campaign today also harped on the blatant drug abuse in rural areas and the lathi-charges on protesting teachers in neighbouring Dhuri — the issues that found favour with the audience. Mann’s mother and sister too sought votes for the party, highlighting their rural background.
