Pedalling for their demands

Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Sangrur, April 21

Members of Freedom Fighters Successors Organisation, Punjab (FFSOP), which has announced two candidates from Patiala and Bathinda, today started their campaign from Sangrur. Short of funds, they will move around in these two constituencies on cycles.

“We have arranged cycles for our members. We do not have money to compete with rich politicians, who have amassed property with corrupt means. But we can assure our voters and they will get 100 per cent honest MPs if they support us,” said Harinder Khalsa president, FFSOP. From Patiala, the organisation has given ticket to a farmer, Avtar Singh, while from Bathinda, a retired junior engineer, Jaswant Singh, is their candidate. After a state-level meeting here, Khalsa along with other members announced to start campaign on cycles.

“If residents want honest politicians, they should support honest candidates. We cannot even serve tea to our voters, but our promises are not shallow,” claimed Khalsa.

The members said in all cities falling in both Bathinda and Patiala constituencies, their members would arrange cycles from locals and in villages, they would go on buses and campaign on foot.

Their main demands include free 300 units of power to the families of freedom fighters, exemption from toll charges, 5 per cent quota in government jobs, free bus travel facility and financial aid to construct houses.

In January, FFSOP members had met Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, who had assured to look into their demands, but the members alleged that nothing happened on ground. “We request all to support us if they want to get their issues raised in Parliament,” said Avtar Singh, Patiala candidate.