Teaching in the History department of the Jammu University for over two long decades, Prof Nirmal Singh, BJP candidate from Billawar Assembly segment in Kathua district, is inching closer to rewriting history of his long political career.
Fighting against two-time sitting MlA Manohar lal Sharma, Minister of State for Cooperative, Prof Nirmal Singh, if voted to power would become the first BJP candidate to win the seat in this historic town dotted with heritage temples and picturesque tourist resorts.
In a political career spanning three long decades, 58-year-old Singh has never tasted victory in the poll arena. He first lost the lok Sabha by-polls in 2002. In 2004, lal Singh, Congress candidate from Jammu-Poonch lok Sabha, defeated him by a narrow margin. Unfazed, he once again took an electoral plunge at the peak of Amarnath land row from Gandhi Nagar Assembly segment in 2008 but missed it again.
In 2009, the history teacher, could not change history and once again lost the seat against lal Singh. Since 1957 voters in Billawar Assembly segment have been traditionally voting for the Congress candidates. the Congress won the prestigious seat on seven out of 10 occasions. In 1977, Janta Party candidate Dhan Singh won the seat and on two occasions National Conference captured the seat in 1957 and 1962 polls.
This time Prof Singh is upbeat. His arch rival of two lok Sabha elections lal Singh has also joined BJP after he faced humiliation at the hands of congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad.
Keen on changing history Prof Singh is also not leaving any stone unturned to cross the last barrier before reaching the State Assembly. Singh is also relying on the support base of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in the region.
His confidence stems from the fact that BJP candidate polled over 44 per cent votes during the lok Sabha polls from this Assembly segment spread over 46 villages/Panchayats. Billawar Assembly constituency with a total voter base of 95,728 voters is neglected by successive State Governments in the State.
BJP leaders campaigning in the area are exposing the poor working of the ruling alliance during the previous term and banking on the model of ‘good governance’ of the Narendra Modi Government at the Centre.
Regular passengers traveling on the main road connecting Billawar with Dayalachak junction on the National Highway claim the road is in bad shape and need urgent repair.
lack of health care facilities, education infrastructure, transport, water supply schemes and poor maintenance of tourist spots in the area has generated hate wave against the sitting Congress MlA in the area.
BJP candidate Prof Nirmal Singh is also working hard for last couple of days to make inroads in the strong holds of congress candidate. The assembly constituency has sizeble voter population belonging to all castes including Rajputs, Brahmins, Schedule caste and minorities.
On an average Prof Singh has been addressing over one dozen street corner meetings in the remote constituency to garner support of common masses in his favour. He is often accompanied by his wife Mamta Singh, a senior BJP leader on campaign trail. The congress candidate Manohar lal Sharma is toiling hard on foot and prefer door to door campaign. No Central or other senior leader of the party has come out in his support to hold any public meeting due to prevailing unrest in the area.
The BJP candidate is also relying on star campaigners Navjot Singh Sidhu, Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s charisma to romp home victoriously. Sidhu has addressed series of meetings in the constituency. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also scheduled to address big political rally in the constituency on December 16.