Dakha: Akali MLA faces stern test

Minna Zutshi

Tribune News Service

Dakha, January 21

Sitting Akali MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali (42) is pitted against noted Supreme Court lawyer and AAP candidate Harvinder Singh Phoolka and Major Singh Bhaini (Congress) — both 61 — in Dakha constituency of Ludhiana district.

In the 2012 Assembly elections, Ayali had defeated Congress nominee Jassi Khangura by a margin of 16,388 votes. He is seeking votes on the development plank, while Bhaini is raising the pitch against the drug menace. Phoolka, who is in contention for the CM’s post if AAP comes to power, is promising a Delhi-style development model.

At Gujjarwal village, Phoolka is weighed against laddoos arranged neatly in white packets. He takes his shoes off, sits on a durrie and listens attentively to the party worker addressing the gathering. As he gets up to deliver a speech, he takes a look at the all-male audience. “Is this democracy? Are we happy? In which rulebook is it written that the public has to beg before netas to get work done? We will set in order a system whereby you don’t have to keep making rounds to leaders’ homes for drawing their attention to long-pending public works,” he says.

The lawyer, who has been fighting cases on behalf of victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, alleges that Parkash Singh Badal and Capt Amarinder Singh are playing a friendly match. “For 30 years, Badal got (Panthic) votes in my name. He used to say that history would write my name in golden letters!”

At Phallewal village, cars are lined up in a narrow street. Bhaini is sitting on the “chair-less” stage with other Congress leaders, including DCC (rural) chief Gurdev Singh Lappran. After a couple of speakers, it’s his turn to address the villagers. He focuses on the desecration of Guru Granth Sahib and the chitta scourge. “Dakha is the drug capital of Punjab. Drugs have wreaked havoc on the state’s social fabric,” he alleges.

On Phoolka, Bhaini says: “He stays in Delhi. It will take you eight hours to reach him. My village is Bhaini Arayian. If you need my services, I’ll be with you in 40 minutes.”

Ayali’s meeting with Bhanour villagers takes place on the roadside. Men of all ages are sitting on a durrie. A group of women, sitting separately, are sipping tea. As he arrives, he is offered a chair. “All development in Punjab has been done during the Akali government’s tenure,” he asserts, seeking to substantiate it with figures.

“Drains, sewerage, streets – whatever has been asked of us, we have been doing it without fail,” he claims.

The voices of people attending a social function nearby distract the Akali leader. “Andar kaun bol reha hai?” he asks, prompting his supporters to urge the people inside to maintain silence.

He continues: “Phoolka came here after two-and-a-half years. We should know where our MLA stays. If the legislator stays in Delhi, how will you meet him?”

The SAD is the ‘maa’ (mother party) of Punjabis, Ayali claims. Without naming AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, he says: “The new party’s leader is from Haryana. How can you trust him to work for the welfare of Punjab? Punjab di bhalai layee SAD di sarkar sadaa rehnee chaheedi hai (For the welfare of Punjab, the SAD-BJP government should remain in power forever).”