Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is gearing up to conquer new grounds on its old and trusted strategy. The party has decided to station its tried and tested soldier, Bikram Singh Majithia, at Rajouri Garden till the conclusion of canvassing for the Delhi Assembly polls.
Also, Youth Akali Dal (YAD) president, party’s ‘troubleshooter’ Majithia will be seen campaigning “vigorously” for the party’s youth leader and a multi-millionaire Manjinder Singh Sirsa — known for routing out Sarnas from Delhi’s Sikh Gurudwara management Committee by defeating SAD (Delhi) chief and former DSGMC president Paramjit Sarna in his bastion, Punjabi Bagh.
In line with party’s previous strategy, Majithia will be camping exclusively in Rajouri Garden — the Congress citadel — for the entire election campaign along with his youth team including legislators from Majha Virsa Singh Valtoha, Inderbir Bolaria, Baljit Jalalusma, and others.
The Assembly segment with sizeable number of Sikh voters assumes significance for as in 2008 polls, SAD candidate Avtar Singh Hit lost by a margin of just 46 votes to Congress’ Dayanand Chandela, who has been replaced by his wife, Dhanvantri Chandela, after Congress dropped his name in view of serious criminal charges against him.
Besides Majithia, SAD’s rank and file, including Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, his deputy and SAD president Sukhbir Badal, and other senior party leaders, will be camping in Delhi till December 2.
“The party’s MPs, MlAs, CPSs, general secretaries, secretaries, the entire rank and file will camp in Delhi, at least till the campaigning is on,” said SAD spokesperson and secretary Daljeet Singh Cheema.
The decisions were taken during a high-level party meeting at Sukhbir’s Delhi residence to chalk out the party strategy for the December 4 polls.
Kick starting its election campaign from Friday, the blue brigade has assigned election campaign responsibilities to its party leaders and workers. The party has mainly decided to focus on door-to-door canvassing — one thing that cost the party during previous polls, and worked wonders in DSGMC polls.
“Even as the party is contesting elections on four seats, its leaders will also campaign for BJP candidates. A comprehensive action plan has been prepared and duties have been assigned to the leaders at booth level to come in touch with the people,” said Cheema.
He added that leaders and workers would personally contact the voters “creating awareness among voters about pro-people policies of SAD-BJP alliance and explicitly highlighting anti-people activities of Sheila Dikshit-led Delhi Congress Government”.
Destination next
Ready to take flight in the national political scene, SAD is eyeing to expand its wing in other states after attaining victory at all four seats it is contesting in Delhi polls.
“A thumping victory on all four seats would encourage party to contest on more than 40 seats in Uttar Pradesh,” said Sukhbir.
He said that Delhi polls provided opportunity for party to expand its base and on registering record victory in these elections, party would consider putting up its candidates in Punjabi-dominant areas of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh.
Clean sweep
Enthused with past success, the Akali Dal is aiming at clean sweep. Giving a clarion call for the big win on all seats, Sukhbir motivated party leaders and workers to create new history. “Delhi is fed up of Congress’ corruption and mismanagement and thus it is all set to put Congress party on mat in these polls,” he added.
Assured of party’s win on all four seats, Sukhbir in Sangrur function stated that Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party would have to face the same results, which Manpreet Badal’s People’s Party of Punjab had to face in Punjab.
Party candidates
While Sirsa would be contesting polls from west Delhi’s Rajouri Garden, Shyam lal Sharma is party’s candidate from Hari Nagar. Both leaders would be contesting polls on party symbol — the weighing scales. Besides, the Akali Dal has fielded Harmeet Singh Kalka and Jatinder Singh Shanty from Kalkaji and Shahdara Assembly constituencies respectively — they will be contesting polls on the BJP’s symbol — lotus.
Star campaigners
The blue brigade’s political stalwarts are all set to shine on Delhi during the party’s election campaign.
Among those “stars”, who has already landed in Delhi to give an impetus to the party’s poll campaign, includes the party’s titans from Badal family, including Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, his deputy son Sukhbir Badal, Bathinda MP and Sukhbir’s wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal, and her brother-Bikram Singh Majithia.
Interestingly, the name of senior Akali leader and Badal’s son-in-law Adeish Partap Singh Kairon-Punjab Food and Supplies Minister is missing from the list of party’s star campaigners.
The heavyweights, putting their weight behind the SAD-BJP combine candidates, includes the Rajya Sabha Members of Parliament (MPs) — Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Balwinder Singh Bunder, Ratan Singh Ajnala, former Union Minister and party’s senior national vice-president Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, party’s vice-presidents Tota Singh and Bibi Jagir Kaur.
Other key campaigners includes, SAD general secretary Prem Singh Chandumajra, Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee president Avtar Singh Makkar, DSGMC president Manjit Singh GK, Punjab Cabinet Ministers — Gulzar Singh Ranike, Janmeja Singh Sekhon, and former Ministers — Sucha Singh langha and Sewa Singh Sekhwan.