Follow Us
Deepkamal Kaur
Tribune News Service
Banga (Nawanshahr), April 23
As Congress candidate from Anandpur Sahib Manish Tewari today took out a roadshow and held a rally in the Banga Assembly segment, he had to grapple with a unique problem. With five leaders from the party striving against one another to seek more mileage, he had to take everyone on board and give them equal limelight at every step.
Party candidate Satnam Kainth, who died last year, had lost his security deposit in the 2017 Assembly polls. Now, it is his medico son Harpreet Kainth (25), who aspires to take his dad’s position. Meanwhile, the party had appointed Satvir S Palli Jhikki as halqa incharge of Banga. Ex-MLA Tarlochan Soondh, who had contested independently last time, too has rejoined the party recently. With party roping in two new BSP leaders, ex-MLA Mohan Lal and Banga candidate Rajinder Thekedar five days ago, they too are seeking attention within the party.
Taking them all along to ensure that he benefits out of the vote bank of all five, Tewari first made them all stand by him in his vehicle during the roadshow. He then made them all sit by him at a public rally organised in the town. He also had to ensure that he made all of them deliver speeches in his rally before him so that none of them felt left out. He even ensured that they all sat by him before starting his media interaction.
But despite Tewari’s attempt to balance it out for everyone, the new entrants had to hear a mouthful from the elder most leader — Soondh. As he addressed the gathering, he showed that he was feeling stifled in the competition-like atmosphere today. He said, “I welcome those who have come here after quitting other parties. It is my request to them that since they have joined us just on April 19, they should not directly start attempting to occupy the pilot’s seat. They have just begun walking with the party as of now. They should not be in a hurry”.
2