One-time rivals Manpreet Badal, Raja Warring campaign together in Gidderbaha
The erstwhile political rivals Manpreet Badal and All India Youth Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring on Thursday came together for a road show in the Gidderbaha assembly constituency that gave a boost to Warring's election campaign.
The erstwhile political rivals Manpreet Badal and All India Youth Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring on Thursday came together for a road show in the Gidderbaha assembly constituency that gave a boost to Warring's election campaign.
Gidderbaha had once been a battlefield for the tow leaders against each other and Warring had wrested this seat from Manpreet in the 2012 assembly polls. Manpreet had been a four-time MLA from here as a Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader.
"I had called him (Manpreet) up for today's roadshow and he obliged. There was a massive gathering with thousands of people greeting us," Warring told HT.
He said there have never been any differences between them ever since Manpreet had joined the Congress.
Manpreet left his Bathinda constituency, from where he is contesting for the first time, for the day to join Warring's roadshow that got a huge response.
The cavalcade of over 100 vehicles started from Doda village at 12 noon and covered the 15-minute drive to Gidderbaha town in four hours.
Manpreet said, “I always have Gidderbaha in my pocket wherever I am in the world, because what I am today is because of Gidderbaha.”
He said even during the days of his People's Party of Punjab (PPP), he and Raja Warring had stood together as opposition to the SAD in the Gidderbaha municipal council affairs.
Both the heavyweights of the Congress stood all smiles on a jeep, with party cadres hailing them in slogans.
It was earlier in 2014 that both were seen together at a protest against a senior police official for the alleged police inaction for poll violence during the Gidderbaha civic body elections.
Besides Gidderbaha, Manpreet campaigned in Bathinda (rural) constituency on Wednesday to give boost to the campaign of his close associate Harvinder Singh Laddi.
Manpreet, who also campaigned for Gurpreet Kangar in Rampura Phul on Tuesday, said he would be willing to campaign in any of the 117 constituencies for the victory of the Congress.