With assets worth Rs 250 crore, Kulwant Singh, the former Mohali Mayor and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate from Mohali Constituency, who is the richest among all those contesting the Punjab Assembly elections from the district, says the wind is blowing in favour of AAP in Mohali and across the State. AAP will be forming the next government in Punjab and Mohali will definitely contribute to it, he says. AAP candidate says that even after so many decades, there has been no improvement in the health and education sectors in Mohali. The issue is not government formation, but saving Punjab from the corruption and hooliganism spread by the traditional political parties, he adds.
The 60-year-old Singh is the owner of Janta Land Promoters Limited, which has real estate projects in Mohali, Ludhiana as well as Himachal Pradesh. His political journey began when he contested the Mohali Municipal Corporation Elections in 1995 and secured victory. He served as the senior vice-president in the MC from 1995 to 2000 and remained the president till 2005. In 2014, he unsuccessfully contested the Parliamentary elections from Fatehgarh Sahib. In 2015, he managed to become the first mayor of the MC, Mohali with the support of the Congress Party. Later, in 2017, he joined Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). He was expelled from SAD for “anti-party activities” as he had decided to contest the 2020 Mohali MC polls independently. After remaining associated with various parties in the past, he floated his own Azad Group of independents in Mohali and fought MC Elections. He joined AAP in December last year and the party has put him as candidate from Mohali Constituency. In an interview with ‘The Pioneer’, Kulwant Singh talks about his election campaigns, AAP’s stands on Punjab issues, its challengers Congress among other issues. Excerpts from the interview:
In 2015, you became the first Mayor of MC, Mohali with support of Congress Party. Now you are contesting elections against senior Congress leader and former State Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu. Where do you see yourself in this election?
During my tenure as mayor, we conducted maximum development works in Mohali. But the local legislator could not bring development in this region. Even after so many decades, there has been no improvement in health and education in Mohali. If the health facilities were good, our health minister would not have got treatment in private hospitals. If education was satisfactory, our ministers and bureaucrats would have sent their children to Government schools instead of private schools. Candidates of the Congress and other Political parties, SAD, BJP made the same old hollow promises after every five years that they would improve health and education facilities. Not only the Mohali Assembly constituency but the people of entire Punjab are in the mood to teach a lesson to the Congress and other traditional parties and have made up their mind to give a thumping majority to AAP in the State.
You and senior AAP leaders are seeking votes in Punjab on the basis of ‘Delhi model’ but the opposition terms this model as”a terrible failure”. What would you say?
I would say there is no need to criticize AAP’s ‘Delhi model’. The promises made by the party chief Arvind Kejriwal in the election manifesto had been fully implemented in Delhi. The Delhi model was known for its pro-people governance and it would be implemented in Punjab by Kejriwal and AAP state president Bhagwant Mann after the Party forms the government. AAP’s fight is against the policies of the previous governments and not against an individual or a party.
Opposition accuses you of influencing voters with money?
This is a false allegation. People welcome us during door to door campaigns. The wind is blowing in favour of AAP. Party faces no competition in this Assembly election in Mohali and across the State. People of the constituency have decided to send me to the assembly.
You are campaigning door to door over the last many weeks. According to you, what do people want from the elected representative?
People want development and strict implementation of welfare schemes. They want health facilities and education for their children. Today, corruption and mafia have taken deep roots in the governance system. The leaders of traditional parties have looted the state and are responsible for its current poor condition. The nexus between the drug mafia and politicians has destroyed the youth. Corruption and mafia have left the state's treasury empty. We ask the people to give a chance to AAP to end dirty politics, corruption and mafia. We hope that February 20 will prove to be a historic day, when people of Punjab will write a new story by electing the AAP.
What are the real issues in this election?
Due to poor health infrastructure in government hospitals, people do not get proper treatment. Providing quality education in Government schools and colleges, employment opportunities for youth, checking illegal sand mining and drug menace are the key issues in the Assembly elections.
What are you offering to the people of your constituency?
We are aware of the city’s issues and people of Mohali will be relieved of all difficulties once the AAP comes to power. We are campaigning with party leaders and workers through door to door in different wards of the city, villages and also visiting shops, showrooms, and booths. We are appealing to the local public and shopkeepers to vote for AAP. The issues of Phase 1 will be resolved. We are getting huge support from people of all walks of life.
Where do you see your party in this election in the States?
In the MC election held in Chandigarh AAP has done wonders. This will also reflect on Punjab assembly elections. AAP emerged as the single largest party in its MC poll debut in Chandigarh by winning 14 seats. This shows how people have accepted AAP and its manifesto. AAP will free Punjab from the clutches of Congress and SAD. As AAP has swept Chandigarh MC polls, the party will emerge as the largest party in forthcoming assembly elections in Punjab.
To whom your party is fighting in this assembly election?
People of the State have been deprived of their basic needs due to rampant corruption. This fight is a fight to save Punjab, to eliminate corruption and mafia, and to get the youth out of the clutches of drugs through good education and employment. We would also work to make farmers prosperous. The responsibility of this historic battle of Punjab is in people’s hands. With the support of the people, we all party leaders are confident that AAP will form the next Government in Punjab.