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Sandeep Rana
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, May 16
A strong cup of tea and quick perusal of newspapers, Congress candidate for the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat is all set for the day’s rallies. “There are some good and some not so good news,” he observes, as he steps out.
In UT villages, he talks of development issues — lal dora, water and sanitation. In the city, he speaks of Metro, leasehold system, sanitation and the Centre cutting City Beautiful’s budget.
“Modi was in power. What did he do for Chandigarh? The city’s budget was slashed. It was neglected. If elected, I will first work on getting more funds from the Centre. There will be zero tolerance on the sanitation issues and I will accord top priority to Metro,” he says.
After a visit to Sector 52, he heads for Guru Ka Langar Eye Hospital in Sector 18 and interacts with patients and doctors. Bansal then returns to his Sector 28 residence decked up with party flags. Party workers inside are busy preparing for the election.
Bansal goes to his office room where journalists and party workers are waiting. He quickly goes through the day’s schedule. At 11:40 am, he has to reach PU to interact with professors and senators.
Short of time, he requests journalists to accompany him to PU even as his phone rings incessantly. “I am not interested in the university politics, but the university itself,” he remarks. As he reaches PU, people have already gathered to receive him. Some NSUI leaders shake hands with him while a few touch his feet. Senior Congress leader raises national issues, the Centre ‘demolishing’ democratic institutions, demonetisation and GST and the unfulfilled Rs 15 lakh promise. On nationalism, he tells the gathering, “They failed on issues. So they switched to the narrative of patriotism. They are seeking votes in the name of martyrs and questioning others’ patriotism.”
He leaves the PU for home for lunch. Some rest and the youth wing of All-India Aggarwal Sammelan is there to meet him. Before he settles down, a number of major public interactions are lined up. He goes to Pushpak Society in Sector 49 and later to Sector 56 where two-time Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda had reached to campaign for him.
Later, he campaigns in Sector 40 and Ram Darbar.
At his evening interactions, atmosphere at the venue is charged up with people, donning Congress caps and holding party flags, raise slogans in his and the party’s favour.
His last event of the day ends around 10 pm and he reaches home half an hour later. “I wish before retiring to bed around 11 pm, I could read books, which I normally do. But I am already very tired and have to get up early in the morning,” he signs off.