Father steers his campaign, brother does hard work

Gurvinder Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, January 14

It is 8.30 pm, and Jasjeet Singh, younger brother of SAD candidate from Raikot Inder Iqbal Singh Atwal, is making preparations for meetings to be held as part of the poll campaign next morning. 

Campaigning is not new for them, says Jasjeet. Both brothers have seen the election atmosphere since childhood as they rooted for their father, Vidhan Sabha Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal. Inder Iqbal, who won from Kum Kalan in 2002 and lost the seat in the next Assembly elections, is contesting from Raikot this time. 

“We have seen elections and political atmosphere in the family since we were children,” says Jasjeet, who is vested with the responsibility of coordinating and managing the advertising and strategising meetings during campaigning for his brother. “I have had campaigned for my father earlier and brother as well. So, the hectic campaign schedule is not something unusual for me,” he says. 

Day also begins early for Charanjit Singh Atwal (76), as he passes the political baton to his son.  He starts campaigning in villages at 8 am. Owing to Charanjit’s vast experience in politics, his presence is a must during important meetings with party leaders. He is steering his son’s poll campaign. 

Inder Iqbal’s wife Mandeep Kaur campaigns among women as she goes door to door in the morning. She holds “nukkad” meetings with the “mahila mandals” later in the evenings too. “He (Inder Iqbal) leaves early in the morning, and we don’t meet after that, except if we bump into each other during campaigning,” she says. Making most of their vacation, children in the family, including son Antar Iqbal Singh, nephews Jujharjeet Singh and Virenjeet Singh, go around, having an early brush with the election ‘mood’ in the family. “Oh vi jhanda chuk ke jande ne (they too go around holding the (party) flag,” smiles Jasjeet.