The Patiala Assembly seat in Punjab is one of the most important Assembly seats in the February 13 election as Chief Minister Amarinder Singh is seeking re-election from here on a Congress ticket. While the chief minister, pitted against Surjit Singh Kohli of the Shiromani Akali Dal, is busy campaigning for his party candidates in other parts of the state, the task of garnering support for him has been taken up by his family members led by woman power -- his MP wife Preneet Kaur, daughter Jayinder Kaur and daughter-in-law Reshma.
Having won by a record margin last time against a weak SAD candidate Sarup Singh Sehgal in the 2002 elections, Captain Singh this time is facing a formidable challenge from rival Surjit Singh Kohli even though the SAD nominee is yet to get full support from the alliance partner Bharatiya Janata Party's local leaders.
The total number of candidates in the constituency is 18, highest in the state, including Dr Paramjit Singh of BSP, who had hit the headlines for his unique campaign of distributing milk to counter "distribution of liquor by other contestants to woo voters." Despite a large number of contestants in the poll arena, the real challenge for the chief minister is posed by the SAD-BJP's candidate Kohli, a former minister, who is trying to strike a common chord with the electorate, emphasising, "I am a commoner pitted against the royalty."
Captain Singh, popularly known as "Maharaja saheb", is a scion of the erstwhile Patiala royal family and lives in the stately New Moti Bagh palace.
Kohli's spirited campaign among masses has definitely ensured that members of Singh's campaign team did not allow any letup in the campaign for this seat in his absence.
Even Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has thrown his weight behind Captain Singh to boost his electoral prospects. Lavishing praise upon the government headed by Captain Singh, the prime minister complimented him for "putting the state back on the rails of development."
Pointing out that the chief minister had been able to attract about Rs 1 lakh crore investment to the state, Dr Singh said to make Punjab number one state of the nation once again, it was imperative to vote in the Congress to take forward the "good work" initiated by Captain Singh.
The electoral history of Patiala shows it is a Congress stronghold and the party captured this seat four times in the last six Assembly elections.
UNI
Advertisement
Email this Article 
Print this Article