Gidderbaha (Punjab), Nov 5 (PTI) Ahead of the byelections, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday lashed out at BJP nominee Manpreet Singh Badal and state Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, accusing them of “doing nothing” when they represented the Gidderbaha Assembly segment.
Bypolls to four Assembly seats in Punjab — Gidderbaha, Dera Baba Nanak, Chabbewal and Barnala — will be held on November 20 while the counting of votes will be taken up on November 23.
Canvassing for Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate in Gidderbaha, Hardeep Singh ‘Dimpy’ Dhillon, Mann said Manpreet Badal and Raja Warring, who together represented the seat for 29 years, did “nothing” for the people of the constituency.
The people of Gidderbaha cannot be easily swayed as they know that the leaders of the traditional parties betrayed them time and again, Mann claimed.
Appealing to the voters to make Dhillon victorious, Mann said the people of Gidderbaha now have an opportunity to elect a candidate who is their own.
Notably, Manpreet Badal represented Gidderbaha in 1995, 1997, 2002 and 2007 on Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) tickets, while Warring won the seat in 2012, 2017 and 2022 as a Congress nominee.
The seat fell vacant after sitting MLA Raja Warring got elected to the Lok Sabha from Ludhiana in the parliamentary elections held earlier this year.
The BJP has fielded Manpreet Badal from Gidderbaha, while the Congress has named Warring’s wife Amrita Warring as its candidate.
AAP nominee Dimpy Dhillon joined the party after quitting SAD in August this year.
Addressing people at Khidkianwala, Harike Kalan, Kotali Ablu and Bentabaad, Mann said politics should only be done on the basis of work, something which the AAP has done “exceptionally” over the past two-and-a-half years.
The chief minister also said that people of Gidderbaha are well aware of the “use and throw” tactics of the traditional political leaders who only appeared before them during elections.
“Your gathering today is a testament that you are looking to write a new story for Gidderbaha. The election on November 20 is not just another voting day, it is an opportunity to bring about a lasting change,” Mann said.
Detailing his government’s “achievements”, Mann spoke about providing 45,000 government jobs, free electricity, purchase of a thermal plant, upgradation of schools, and opening of mohalla clinics.
“While the previous leaders were born with silver spoons in their mouths, I am just one of you. I am not here for money. Politics is not a business for us. We are here to serve the people,” Mann claimed.
Stating that he left his successful career as a comedian to serve the public, the chief minister urged the people of Gidderbaha to choose a leader who truly understands their struggles.
“Elect your own, someone who lives among you, knows your issues, and is committed to solving them. This is not just about votes, it’s about a real connection with the people,” he said, calling Dimpy Dhillon a true representative of the people.
The chief minister also took a swipe at the opposition parties, calling their poll promises “lollipops” as he reminding the crowd that the “AAP delivers results”.
“From improved schools to mohalla clinics and free electricity, AAP is delivering what people need. AAP’s victory is not just about winning elections, but about continuing the journey of true progress for Punjab,” he said. PTI CHS ARI
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