Punjab poll diary: Bhadaur plays Krishna to Channi’s Sudama

What is with the constituency of Barnala and Chandigarhians. First, it was the cola king Kewal Dhillon, whose mansion used to be once a landmark in Sector 9, who went there to win an election in 2012. Now it’s the turn of Manish Bansal, the elder son of former railway minister and city MP Pawan Kumar Bansal. While many thought Manish may start his political innings from the City Beautiful, it seems he’s been secretly eyeing Barnala all along. No sooner did the last list of Congress candidates go public than Manish sent out a WhatsApp message, asking everyone in Chandigarh to figure out a mama, mami, chacha, chachi and door-waali maasi in Barnala to figure out votes for him. Meanwhile, papa Bansal has already reached Bhadaur and could be seen in the same frame as CM Channi when he went to file his nomination on Monday.

Dhindsa and his wonderful meeting with PM

It was definitely a day of warm meetings. Despite the busy budget session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took out the time to meet Rajya Sabha MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa . Later he tweeted about this “wonderful” meeting. “It is always a delight to hear his insightful views on key subjects. His passion for Punjab’s progress is always visible,” he wrote. No wonder Dhindsa Saab, we hear, was looking so blissed out.

Chaduni wows with poppy

If there is one leader who has most of Malwa and Majha country cousins swooning, it has to be Gurnam Singh Chaduni, founder of Sanyukt Sangharsh Party. The farmer union leader who took Haryana by the storm is now espousing the cause of afeem. He says if voted to power, the farm unions will legalise poppy farming, which is already being grown across the border in Rajasthan. Needless to say, many people are over the moon. Bhukki, bhukki, bhukki.

From Delhi, with love

It was a busy Monday for Delhi BJP leaders who descended on Punjab to give moral support to their candidates and allies. While Inion minister Gajendra Shekhawat dashed to Patiala to give company of PLC chief Capt Amarinder Singh, Union Minister Hardeep Puri flew to Amritsar, his karam bhoomi, in solidarity with first-timer and fellow bureaucrat Jagmohan Singh Raju, who is fighting from Amritsar East.