As the dust settles, electors dissect ‘badlaav’, slogans: March 10 will tell…

Asked which way did his village vote, Sewak is quick to respond: “There’s so much misuse of power by politicians even if they win a panchayat member’s election…you can imagine the highhandedness of MLAs. This time, we want a third front”.

Sitting with him is 40-years-old Harwinder Singh, a contractual employee of the water works department. He says no one is sure who will form the government this time, but adds that he has “realised that we do not need to fold our hands before politicians; they get salaries and they need to do their job”.

“In contractual jobs, your will be kicked out if you fail to perform. In the same, the sarkar (government) should be shown the doors. Their contract is for 5 years. Do with them as they do with contractual staff,” chips in Baljinder Singh (52), a farmer.

But Swarn Singh reminds Baljinder that “a contractual staff is kicked out on the same day but we suffer for 5 years.. iss da vi koi hal hona chahida hai (we need a solution for that)”. The 23-year-old further says that Malwa is home to 69 of the total 117 Assembly constituencies. “Malwa can make or break a government, but this part of Punjab has remained most backward despite the fact that former CMs Parkash Singh Badal and Capt Amarinder belong to this region”.

A few kilometers ahead is village Naruana where 83-year-old Daleep Kaur has a grouse. “My husband and all my four sons are dead. I stay with my daughter-in-law and grandchildren. Our needs are limited. I used to get Atta-Dal through the government scheme but that was stopped by the Congress. I don’t know about any issue. For me it is a question of survival. Whosoever comes to power, I want the revival of the scheme”.

Prodded about her choice this time, Daleep says, “10 nu pata lag javega. Meri ek vote naal ki farak pai javega ( You’ll get to March 10 how much difference my one vote will make).”

The village falls in Bathinda rural constituency from where AAP’s Amit Rattan, Congress’s Harwinder Laddi and SAD’s Parkash Singh Bhatti are in fray. “When people talk about badlaav, they forget the credentials of the candidate, and instead but go by the wave. This what they did in 2017 after hearing the slogan ‘Captain di sarkaar’. This time many have been swayed by AAP’s ‘Ek Mauka’. But how much of it translated into votes, will only be revealed on March 10,” pitches in Gurminder, the 50-year-old daughter-in-law of Daleep.

Politicians are suddenly reminded of women in poll season and have been announcing monthly dole, she says. “What if every household has earning hands? Then we will not be in need of any alms”.

The seat is represented by Rupinder Kaur Ruby of AAP who has defected to Congress.

The signs that polls were held a day ago are visible in Bathinda Urban constituency. Near DAV College, disposable paper and plastic cups are seen strewn by the roadside. Just ahead, the poll graffiti and posters, most of AAP, are still visible on boundary walls.

“This time Manpreet Singh Badal, the sitting MLA, campaigned only in his constituency. Still AAP’s Jagroop Singh Gill, who left Congress 6 months ago, has given him a tough competition,” says Ramandeep Kaur near the DAV College. She adds,”Politics now is all about marketing. A wave is built up for the party’s whose marketing campaign is the strongest…we want jobs, not lathis, cities need to be clean and hygienic, our rivers need to be free of pollution, but who cares. One catchy slogan and all such issue fall by the side. This time that slogan and marketing strategy was AAP’s Ek Mauka”.

A little head lies Rampura Phul where SAD’s Sikander Singh Maluka was pitched in a triangular contest with Congress’ Gurpreet Kangar and AAP’s Balkar Singh Sidhu. On Monday, Maluka was busy working in his garden. “Poll percentage was overwhelming, which shows people want a change. I am am sure this change will be in favour of the SAD-BSP combine”.

At a market in Bhadaur, Reshma Devi asks why we can’t give sills training to students and laments lack of job avenues. “Our children are jobless even after completing their education. The educational institutes need to have courses as per the demands of the job market. We not only need jobs for our children but also the right type of courses which can make prepare them for employment”.

A dhaba owner at Bhadani Kalan village in Nihal Singh Wala, Jagrup Singh didn’t take part in poll campaign this time. “It is a waste of time. First they spend huge amounts of money to woo voters and later follow corrupt practices to make what they spent multiple times over…”

Moving ahead in Dakha, opposite the office of AAP candidate KNS Kang, is a huge park where villagers are basking under sun. Kang contested against SAD’s Manpreet Singh Ayali and Congress’ Sandeep Sandhu. “10 march nu sab pata lag javega. Pa diti hai vote (The results will be out on March 10. I have voted,” says Bunty, a young man who had been jogging in the park. His friend Lavjit Singh is preparing for IELTS in Amritsar and has come to meet him. “Punjab will soon turn into a land of senior citizens,” he says, but is quick to add, “If they create jobs here, why will I move to a foreign land?”.