Once minister’s shadow, Anita Som Parkash now BJP pick for Hoshiarpur
Deepkamal Kaur
Hoshiarpur, April 16
Having always worked like a shadow of Union Minister and sitting MP Som Parkash since the start of his political career, Anita Som Parkash (64), who was announced as the Hoshiarpur (reserved) candidate on Tuesday, is not new to politics.
Those associated with the family know that Anita was more active socially and connected with leaders and workers than even her husband. While Som Parkash used to be in the national capital for meetings, sessions and other issues, it was Anita who used to do the work.
Anita had been aspiring to enter into the political fray for long. She was desirous of getting the Phagwara Assembly ticket even in 2019 when Som Parkash was elected as the MP and the seat had got vacated.
Som Parkash had got elected twice as MLA in 2012 and 2017. She, however, was refused the chance in the 2019 bypoll and even in 2022.
But she kept on nurturing the Assembly segment through various welfare projects. Through her NGO, she ran ‘Janta ki rasoi’ providing Rs 10 per person meal to 800-1,000 people daily. She ran Sehat Suvidha Sanstha for providing free medicine to the poor. Having distributed 5 lakh packets of sanitary pads in the past two years, she is also popular among the rural women of her area. Anita was reportedly more vocal and more active than her husband.
Anita, however, will face challenges in Assembly segments other than Phagwara, Hoshiarpur, Dasuya, Mukerian and Tanda where she had a personal touch and even the party is comfortably placed. The party will have to work hard Bholath, Hargobindpur, Sham Churasi, Garhshankar and Chabbewal segments for an overall gain.
