AAP candidate from reserve Bhadaur assembly seat Labh Singh Ugoke, whose father is a driver and mother a sweeper, is fighting the elections against Congress’ chief ministerial candidate Charanjit Singh Channi.
The Bhadaur (SC) assembly constituency in Barnala district shot into the limelight when the Congress fielded Channi from a second seat for the February 20 Punjab assembly polls.
Chief Minister Channi is also contesting the elections from his home turf Chamkaur Sahib assembly seat in Rupnagar district.
Exuding confidence that the Congress candidate will bite the dust from the reserve assembly segment, 35-year-old Ugoke questioned Channi's humble background and said the chief minister is wearing a “mask of an aam aadmi (common man).”
Ugoke had joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as a volunteer in 2013.
Ugoke said his father is a driver, while his mother is a sweeper in a government school.
“The only difference I saw after Channi jumped into the fray from this seat is that the attention of the national media is towards me for taking on the CM,” said Ugoke, who earlier ran a mobile repair shop.
He claimed that Channi is not aware of the problems of the people of Bhadaur.
“There are 74 villages in my constituency and I know the problems of every village,” Ugoke told PTI.
“For me, Bhadaur is not a 'halqa' (constituency), it is my family. Channi Sahab does not know the names of even 10 villages of Bhadaur. For Channi Sahab, Bhadaur is a 'halqa',” he said.
Ugoke, who is a 12th pass, says it is his responsibility to address the issues of the voters of his constituency.
Chiding the chief minister for “doing nothing” and just making announcements in his 111-day tenure, he claimed that like from Chamkaur Sahib, Channi will lose from Bhadaur as well.
“After March 10 (the day for counting of votes), Channi will find a person who suggested him to contest from the Bhadaur seat,” Ugoke said, claiming that the constituency is the AAP's stronghold.
The Bhadaur seat comprises 74 villages with Bhadaur and Tapa being only two towns in the reserve assembly segment.
“The Congress has done nothing in Punjab. First Amarinder Singh and later Charanjit Singh Channi, they only made false promises.”
“We are telling people that had he (Channi) done anything in his constituency (Chamkaur Sahib), he would not have any need to come here. We are saying if Channi likes the people of Bhadaur so much, then he should fight only from this seat,” Ugoke noted.
He alleged that Channi tries to show that he is from a humble background.
“No matter how much he tries to project himself as an 'aam aadmi' (common man), but he is not. With just having a certificate of being Dalit, one cannot be called an 'aam aadmi'.”
“Channi Saab is not an 'aam aadmi' even though he is from a Dalit family. He is living the life of a king. He has declared his assets worth crores of rupees,” Ugoke said.
“He is just wearing a 'mukhota' (mask) of 'aam aadmi',” the AAP candidate alleged.
Ugoke highlighted his constituency's various problems including poor conditions of schools, poor health facilities and broken roads.
Addressing a gathering in Kubbe village, Ugoke said the land of Sangrur and Barnala districts will create history this time. “People of Dhuri will make a chief minister (AAP CM face Bhagwant Mann) win while the voters of Bhadaur will defeat a chief minister (Charanjit Singh Channi).”
Channi, who was canvassing in Bhadaur, recently, showed his cricketing skills with the bat while playing with some youths.
“There is great enthusiasm among people. I am meeting them,” said Channi, who is a three-time MLA from Chamkaur Sahib.
Channi also spent some time playing cards with the elders in a village.
Last month after filling his nomination papers from Bhadaur, Channi had said he has come with a “mission” in the Malwa region.
By fielding Channi from the Bhadaur seat, the Congress is eying electoral gains in the politically significant region, which also has a good presence of Dalits in addition to their concentration in the Doaba area.
This move is also being seen as an attempt to counter the AAP's influence in the Malwa region.
Barnala district comprises three assembly segments -- Barnala, Mehal Kalan and Bhadaur. Bhadaur, which falls under the Sangrur Parliamentary constituency, is represented by AAP MP and the party's CM face Bhagwant Mann.
Punjab deputy speaker and MLA from Malout seat Ajaib Singh Bhatti's wife Manjit Kaur is also fighting from the Bhadaur seat as an independent.
In 2017, AAP candidate Pirmal Singh Dhaula had won the seat. However, he last year joined the Congress.
The Congress had won Bhadaur in 2012, while the Shiromani Akali Dal had captured the seat in 1997, 2002 and 2007.
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