Cong, BJP cite drug, law & order issues, CM vows growth as campaign for Jalandhar West bypoll ends
Security personnel hold flag march in the constituency. As many as 700 cops with three BSF companies will guard the assembly segment.
The 15-day campaigning for the Jalandhar West assembly bypoll ended on Monday with political parties making a last ditch effort to woo voters for the July 10 election.
Addressing his last rally, chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann termed Jalandhar as his ‘karambhoomi’ (land/area of action) and promised that he would clear everything related to its development. He reiterated that AAP candidate Mohinder Bhagat, if elected, would be made minister. Without naming BJP candidate Sheetal Angural, who had resigned as an AAP MLA a few months ago necessitating the bypoll, the CM said, “A corrupt person resigned on his own. Now, Jalandhar will get an honest MLA. Let’s win this election for Arvind Kejriwal while he is in jail in a false case fighting against the dictators.”
The Congress carried out a 2-km foot march. Party’s state chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring said the Punjab government and its CM had failed in ensuring development. “Be it drug menace, law and order, education or healthcare, everything has deteriorated in the past two years. Even during the byelections, there has been immense misuse of power by AAP. Votes are being bought by the AAP government,” he alleged.
Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa said, “The people know the AAP government has ruined the state.”
Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar highlighted “poor” law and order, mentioning incidents of attacks, robberies and extortion calls. “The lack of will power to understand issues of the state and do something constructive is the hallmark of the CM,” Jakhar said.
As many as 15 candidates are in fray, including Congress’ Surinder Kaur, AAP’s Mohinder Bhagat, BJP’s Sheetal Angural and Shiromani Akali Dal’s Surjit Kaur. The campaigning witnessed opposition parties highlighting “corruption, lawlessness, betting and lottery, drug, unemployment, use of muscle power” while the ruling party banked upon free electricity and 43,000 jobs, etc to woo voters.
CM Mann, who had shifted to his rented accommodation here, remained the one-man show for the party as he addressed nearly 24 rallies and gatherings besides meetings industrialists, traders and employees’ unions.
For the Congress, Warring, Bajwa and Jalandhar MP Charanjit Singh Channi were at the forefront, targeting the government continuously.
Senior BJP leaders camped in the city, hoping to retain the party’s “stronghold”. Meanwhile, district electoral officer (DEO) Himanshu Aggarwal led a flag march of armed forces. The aim is to bolster the voters’ confidence and ensure a secure environment. “The law and order would be strictly maintained,” he said.
As many 700 police personnel and three companies of the Border Security Force will be deployed in the constituency. At sensitive booths, extra arrangements of paramilitary will be in place.