Congress Faces Strong Challenge From United Front

From Our Staff Reporter

Jullundur. January 24

The Congress is facing a strong challenge from the United Front in the Noormahal, Nakodar and Nawanshahr Constituencies. This challenge is far more serious than it was in the past elections.

In the Noormahal Constituency the Congress stalwart, Mr Darbara Singh, former Home Minster, is pitted against the Akali candidate, Mr Balwant Singh, who was a Minister for Excise and Taxation in the United Front Ministry. Mr. Darbara Singh was elected from this constituency last time whereas Mr. Balwant Singh was elected as a Congress nominee from the Sultanpur Constituency in Kapurthala district. Mr Balwant Singh had later defected and became a Minster in the United Front Ministry.

Mr. Balwant Singh is now being supported by all the United Front parties, the CPI, CPI (M), Jan Sangh and SSP, except the RPI (A) , which is silent. Caste prejudices are being fully exploited. The political forces in the area are however, only the two Communist Parties and the Congress. The Jan Sangh may be able to supply a few hundred votes to Mr. Balwant Singh. But he has the disadvantage of being a defector from the Congress. Mr Darbara Singh is, however, considered to be one of the most loyal and nationalist Congressmen. The intelligentsia is critical of both the Communist Parties and the Jan Sangh for supporting a defector.

CONGRESS CONFIDENT

Congress circles are confident of success again. They say all Opposition parties joined hands last time too but the CPI candidate, Mr. Teja Singh Swatantar was defeated by Mr. Darbara Singh.

Mr Darbara Singh had received 23,230 votes, Mr Swatantar 16,451 votes, the RPI candidate 2,869 votes, and the Independent, the PSP and the Master Akali Dal candidates about a thousand votes in all.

The supporters of Mr. Balwant Singh say that the Akali Dal had not wholeheartedly supported Mr. Swatantar last time as they were busy then in contesting the Patiala Parliamentary seat against the Maharani of Patiala. They further feel that all the Jan Sangh votes would go for Mr. Balwant Singh. Last time both Mr. Darbara Singh and Mr. Swatantar had shared the Jan Sangh votes. The Communist Parties, according to them, had gained more strength now particularly because of the anti-seed farm agitation in the area. Those affected by the seed farm agitation would oppose Mr. Darbara Singh and they are in good number. The RPI candidate Mr. Mohan Lal and Mr. Samuel an Independent, have not been given any importance by the people.

CASTE FEELINGS

The other advantage, which the supporters of Mr. Balwant Singh claim, is that he belongs to the Kambo caste which commands about 8000 votes in the constituency.

The Akali leaders say that the Kambos were earlier against the Akalis as they considered the Akali Dal to be dominated by the Jats. Now the Akali Dal has given the ticket to a Kambo and this has pleased them. The Akalis also think that the anti-Darbara Singh Jat groups would support Mr. Balwant Singh.

All the Kambos who voted for Mr. Darbara Singh last time might not vote this time and Jats, who opposed Mr. Darbara Singh last time, might not do so now, as the Kambo Jat feeling have been generated in the constituency.

Even Communist circles are convinced that Mr. Balwant Singh cannot get more Communist votes than what Mr. Swatantar secured last time. All these probabilities have made the success of any candidate unpredictable.

NAKODAR

The main contest in the Nakodar Constituency is between Mr. Darbara Singh (Independent) and Mr. Darshan Singh (Congress). Mr. Darbara Singh was elected as an Independent candidate last time by defeating Mr. Umrao Singh. Mr Darshan Singh was elected from the Adampur Constituency last time. Mr. Darbara Singh had later become a Deputy Minister in the United Front Ministry. The contest between the two has become a close one with the entry of a Janta Party candidate, Mr Mohinder Singh, who is a big landlord and Chairman of the Land Mortgage Bank, Nakodar, and has a healthy family background. He also hopes to get some votes because of the support of Mr. Gill, who is contesting in the neighbouring constituency of Dharmkot across the river. Mr. Mohinder Singh himself may not win but he is making both Mr. Darbara Singh and Mr Darshan Singh scramble for votes.

CHANGED SITUATION

The only support Mr. Darbara Singh is learnt to have got last time was of a powerful faction of the Congress because of the inner party conflicts. Now Mr. Darbara Singh is being supported by the Akali Dal, both the Communist Parties and the RPI(A). The Jan Sangh this time also has put up its candidate. Mr. Darbara Singh is not likely to get the support of the Congress faction which supported him last time as Mr. Darshan Singh belongs to that faction. Though the supporters Mr. Darbara Singh claim the support of the other faction in the Congress now yet it appears that the Congress is fighting more untidily this time. Mr. Darbara Singh may however make up the loss of Congress votes by the Akali support he is getting. The Master Akali Dal candidate had got 3,640 votes, the Sant Akali Dal candidate 2300 votes and the Jan Sangh candidate 5,632 votes. The RPI, whose candidate had last time secured 643 votes, has not put up any candidate this time. The RPI(A), whose candidate had secured 1273 votes, is supporting Mr. Darbara Singh.

STRONG CANDIDATE

Mr. Darshan Singh is certainly a stronger candidate than the Congress nominee in Nakodar last time. Mr. Umrao Singh. Mr. Darbara Singh had got 11,755 votes and Mr. Umrao Singh 8437 votes in the last election. Mr. Mohinder Singh is likely to suffer because of the anti-Gill feeling created by the arrest of Mr. Darbara Singh during the Gill Government. Left to himself, Mr. Mohinder Singh is as popular as Mr. Darbara Singh or Mr. Darshan Singh in the constituency.

The Jan Sangh candidate, Mr. Harbhajan Lal, in Nokodar, may get a little more than the votes which the Jan Sangh nominee got last time. The increase in the Jan Sangh votes may depend upon the caste of the candidate. Mr. Harbhajan Lal is a Balmiki Harijan whereas its candidate last time was a carpenter by caste and a medical practitioner by profession.

Against 11 candidates in the field last time there are only four candidates now.

NAWANSHAHR

In the Nawanshahr Constituency the picture is not very rosy for the Congress. Mr. Dilbagh Singh, the present Congress nominee, had won the seat last time on the Congress ticket defeating the Sant Akali Dal candidate, Mr. Hardev Singh, who is now the Akali candidate against him. Mr. Dilbagh Singh had got 22,048 votes and Mr. Hardev Singh 14,094 votes last time.

The third candidate, Mr. Banta Ram, is a RPI nominee. It is difficult to assess the strength of the RPI candidate when he is not being supported by any other party. There are a large number of Harijans in the constituency. If he mobilises these votes he becomes one of the main contestants. But what goes against Mr. Banta Ram is that he is contesting from two constituencies, the other being Banga. Lack of resources may stand in his way.

STIFF CONTEST

The support of both the factions of the Akali Dal both the Communist Parties, RPI(A), and the anti-Dilbagh Singh groups had made the contest between the Congress and the Akali Dal stiff in this constituency.

In fact, the Congress will not have easy time in all the constituencies of Jullundur district. The Bara Pind, Adampur and Phillaur Constituencies are already giving much trouble. In Bara Pind Mr. Amar Singh, like others is a serious candidate. 

But the main contest, however, remains between Mr. Umrao Singh (Congress) and Mr. Harkishan Singh Surjeet, CPI (M).