They share different stages and croon diverse political songs. But in tune with the latest trend of chanting humorous and captivating phrases, they are breaking the sound barriers with the audience by coming out with haunting one-liners, and catchy hashtags.
Just as the national political parties have devised slogans highlighting their main vision for 2019 polls — like Congress’ “Ab Hoga Nyay” and BJP’s “Fir Ek Baar, Modi Sarkar”, the leaders in Punjab too have come up with catchphrases besides hashtags to woo the voters.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Badal, who had served the State as the Deputy Chief Minister for a decade during SAD-BJP government, has a dedicated team to look after his social media campaign, which has created election hashtags #JoKahangaSoKaranga (I will deliver what I say), and #TarrakiLayeeTakdi (scales-SAD symbol-for progress).
“SAD-BJP, during its 10-year term, had done tremendous development in the State. All the promises and announcements made by Sukhbir Badal was fulfilled, and this is the main poll plank of SAD as the Congress government has failed to fulfil even a single pre-poll promise right from debt waiver to jobs and mobiles for youth, eliminating drugs, among others,” a senior SAD leader told The Pioneer.
All the posts by Sukhbir’s twitter handle and that of his supporters have these hashtags. In fact, his speeches too find mention of these slogans. Sukhbir’s Union Minister wife and Bathinda MP Harsimrat Badal, who is seeking her re-election, has also created a hastag #nimaanisewadaar (humble servant), addressing herself as one in all her posts.
The team of Gurdaspur MP and Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar, who seeking his re-election and is facing a tough challenge from actor-turned-politician Sunny Deol, too has come up with a slogan — Jakhar hai Dhakar (Jakhar is bold and brave).
A Congress leader maintained that people look at Jakhar as “active politician and people’s leader, and consider him as simple and moderate, which he actually is. But to counter the same, to some extent, and match up to his challenger Sunny Deol’s image, we have come up with this slogan to show that Jakhar is indeed bold”. To send across the message that Bollywood action hero may leave them even if he was elected from Gurdaspur, Jakhar has another slogan for his election campaign — Kamm kita hai, kamm karanga, hamesha tuhaade naal khadanga (Have done work, and will do in future. Will always stand by you).
Another Congress candidate from Sri Anandpur Sahib and former Union Minister Manish Tewari has also coined a short catchword — Tuhada Manish (your Manish) — to connect with the electors of the constituency he is contesting for the first time. He was earlier the MP from Ludhiana, from where sitting MP Ravneet Singh Bittu is seeking re-election.
Gurjit Singh Aujla, Congress’ sitting MP from Amritsar and party nominee, has devised “neta nahin beta” (not leader, but son) message to send across the message that he is one among them and would serve them as their “son”.
But it is Congress candidate from Sangrur Kewal Singh Dhillon, a former MLA who is contesting his first Lok Sabha election against Aam Aadmi Party’s sitting MP Bhagwant Mann, who has taken a lead in the race of coining slogans.
Dhillon has, in fact, gone a step ahead by launching a song for his election campaign.
“Aagaz nave Sangrur da”, “Panje da Nishanan, Sangrur di Shaan”, “Kamm karke dikhaaye, chutkule nahin sunaaye” (My work speaks for itself, I am not doling out jokes) — are some of the slogans he has come up with in run up to May 19 elections.
Besides, he is also using songs in his campaign. “Kewal khushali kewal vikaas, Kewal Singh Dhillon Sangrur dee aas, Vikaas kitiya gap nee mare, Galla de naal sapp nee mare, Kam bolde aape dekhlo, Barnale noon vee jila banaya, Congress de parcham lehraya, 90 dina da record todke bridge banaya...,” to highlight his work as Barnala legislator and taking a dig at his main opponent — comedian-turned-politician Bhagwant Mann.
