Manpreet hits rural road on Punjab bypoll campaign trail, vouches for his 30-yr-old Gidderbaha connect

Children wearing saffron T-shirts with PM Narendra Modi’s photo and a message ‘Hum hain Modi ka parivar’ and yellow t-shirts with the slogan ‘Sadi vote Manpreet Badal nu’ (our vote to Manpreet Badal) clamour at the venue to catch a glimpse of the leader.

Manpreet had started his political journey with SAD. But he resigned after differences over debt waiver issues. In 2011, he formed the PPP. Facing a major defeat in 2012 Assembly elections, Manpreet merged his party with the Congress in 2014. In January 2023, he joined the BJP. Manpreet, who held the post of finance minister in Punjab for two terms, has presented nine budgets in the Vidhan Sabha.

While addressing voters in Darshan Singh’s house, he said, “Manpreet lokan de Dil jittan aaya hai (Manpreet has come to win the hearts of people). The BJP has started schemes such as SC scholarship, NREGA, Ayushman health card, subsidised LPG cylinders, PM Ghar Awas Yojna etc for the people and in order to change the fate of the Punjab, you have to vote wisely.” Gidderbaha will go to polls on November 13.

He added that not only political, but he also has an emotional connect with the people here. “I first came to this area with my uncle and former CM Parkash Singh Badal when I was 4 years old. People need a good leadership to fix Punjab. I can guarantee you that Gidderbaha will be a model constituency in the next two years. I am going to the people with a vision unlike my opponents who have no plans at all,” he says as he inducts several villagers into the party fold.

He says, “I will convince the leadership to take Gidderbaha in 75000 plus population smart City project under which sewerage, water supply, street lights etc will be under centre sponsored scheme. Solar tubewell connections will be given to farmers. I was the finance minister twice and I know the schemes from which money for development can be received.”

As he walks from one house to another passing through narrow lanes with BJP posters stuck on the walls, Manpreet says, “BJP is very much visible in rural Punjab and we will take the state to new heights. BJP cannot be taken lightly.” Manpreet adds, “I remained an MLA of this place for 20 years. I have seen that this area prosper when we gave tubewell connections to masses who shifted to paddy from cotton. The underground water used to have lead, uranium and other heavy metals earlier and Gidderbaha was the first constituency to have first RO system. I brought NDA school in Mohali which is giving out toppers now. The list is long and even now I have big plans ahead for the people. They deserve better and the BJP can bring that change in the area.”

As he stopped to attend to a phone call, a villager asked him if he thinks he will win. To this, Manpreet replies in his old poetic style, “Imtihaan ki ghadi aan padi hai tau koi fikar nahi, humne sau baar zamaane ka bhram toda hai (The time of trial has arrived, but there’s no worry; a hundred times, we’ve shattered the illusions of the world).