Don’t ensure Majithia’s victory by voting for Congress: Kejriwal - Hindustan Times
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Don’t ensure Majithia’s victory by voting for Congress: Kejriwal

Hindustan Times | By, Amritsar
Dec 30, 2016 09:24 AM IST

In an apparent attempt to storm the Akali bastion of Majha that has 25 assembly seats, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is focusing on the Majithia constituency where the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has re-nominated cabinet minister Bikram Singh Majithia.

In an apparent attempt to storm the Akali bastion of Majha that has 25 assembly seats, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is focusing on the Majithia constituency where the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has re-nominated cabinet minister Bikram Singh Majithia.

Kejriwal, who held a road show in Majithia constituency and covered more than a dozen villages of the segment, said the AAP will write a new chapter by defeating Bikram Singh Majithia.(Gurpreet Singh/HT)
Kejriwal, who held a road show in Majithia constituency and covered more than a dozen villages of the segment, said the AAP will write a new chapter by defeating Bikram Singh Majithia.(Gurpreet Singh/HT)

Apprehending that each vote to the Congress in Majitha will adversely affect AAP candidate’s winning prospects, party supremo and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday urged people not to give Majithia another chance by voting for the Congress.

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Kejriwal, who held a road show in the constituency and covered more than a dozen villages of the segment, said the AAP will write a new chapter by defeating Majithia.

In his home constituency, the Akali minister faces AAP candidate Himmat Singh Shergill and Congress nominee Sukhjinder Raj Singh Lali.

Kejriwal said, “Voting for the Congress is like voting for Majithia as it will divide the votes and help Majithia directly.”

Taking a jibe at the Congress, Kejriwal said, “Majithia is ‘nephew’ of Captain Amarinder Singh and this is the reason that the Congress fields a weak candidate against him in every election. The candidate who contested against Majithia in 2012 elections could not even save his security deposit.”

‘FRIENDLY MATCH BETWEEN CONG, SAD’

He said, ”AAP is going to expose the friendly match between Majithia and his ‘uncle’ Amarinder Singh, so we have fielded one of our strongest candidates Himmat Singh Shergill from Majitha this time.”

Reacting to Majithia’s comment that Kejriwal is suffering from Majithia phobia, the Delhi CM said, “I am going to the entire state. I appeal people to defeat Majithia in the interest of Punjab.

Kejriwal, who was accompanied by AAP Punjab convener Gurpreet Singh Waraich ‘Ghuggy’ and state party affairs in-charge Sanjay Singh started the road show after paying obeisance at Gurdwara Ber Sahib at Boparai. The caravan went through various parts of the segment and culminated at Nag Kalan village.

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Battle for Majha

As the AAP has not a strong base in Majha, Kejriwal and other prominent party leaders are making regular visits to the region, which has 25 seats.

The AAP supremo’s road show in Majitha on Thursday comes nearly two weeks after he addressed a rally there on December 14. In fact, this was the Delhi CM’s third visit to the region this month.

During his past visits to Majha, Kejriwal addressed rallies in Sujanpur, Pathankot, Sri Hargobindpur and Batala.

Recently, AAP star campaigner Bhagwant Mann also held a road show in Majitha segment.

With Majithia being an Akali top gun and known as ‘Majhe da Jarnail’ within party circles, AAP leaders are especially targeting the minister in an attempt to corner him.

AAP feels that if Majithia is forced to remain confined to his constituency, they can curtail his influence in the rest of the majha region during elections.

As part of the AAP strategy to strengthen its position in Majha, party’s organisational head Durgesh Pathak is also mostly camping in Amritsar and other parts of the region.

Meanwhile to retain its hold on Majha, the SAD has inaugurated a slew of development and tourist projects in the region, especially Amritsar.

BLURB In an attempt to storm Akali bastion of Majha, AAP top brass making regular visits to region that has 25 seats

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    A principal correspondent, Aseem Bassi is the bureau chief at Amritsar. He covers politics, Indo-Pak border, gurdwara politics, crime, border trade and civic issues.

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