Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Congress leader Bir Devinder Singh surprised every one on Monday by formally launching an election campaign from the Anandpur Sahib constituency, of which Mohali and Kharar are part. The amazement resulted from the fact the next Lok Sabha elections have not even been announced yet.
Claiming himself to be the 8220;most eligible8221; candidate of the Congress from the newly carved parliamentary seat, the former Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker lead a cavalcade of around 300 vehicles from Mohali. He kickstarted a mass contact programme after paying obeisance at Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib in Anandpur Sahib today.
8220;Although I8217;m yet to get the Congress ticket, I want that the people of the constituency to accept me as their candidate,8221; said the former Kharar MLA. Singh was denied the Congress ticket for the February 2007 Punjab Assembly elections despite being the sitting party legislator. Bir Devinder made it clear that he will report all his activities to Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
8220;I8217;ll go beyond the Congress votebank and seek support from everyone 8212; cutting across all party lines. People have started seeking development on the lines I had spearheaded in Kharar Assembly segment from 2002-07, which has become model for the entire state now,8221; he asserted.
Besides his supporters, Bir Devinder8217;s family also accompanied him on the campaign trail.
From Anandpur Sahib, the family went to Gurdwara Phambour Sahib on the banks of the Sutlej in Nangal, where they recited the chopoi, a prayer by the tenth Sikh Guru Gobind Singh.
