Tribune News Service
Mohali, April 16
While Bollywood actor Gul Panag may have been the star candidate in a place like Chandigarh, there seem to be few takers for her role as a campaigner for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in rural areas of Punjab on the city’s periphery.
Several rural folks did not know Gul Panag when she went to seek votes for the AAP during a poll campaign in an area of Punjab.
The campaign kicked off today with holding road shows in favour of AAP candidate from Patiala Dr Dharamvir Gandhi at Lalru, Dera Bassi, Zirkapur and their peripheral villages.
“Eh jharu waale aaye ne par asi kisi nu pehchande nahi” (These people are from the “Broom party”, AAP’s symbol, but we don’t recognise anybody). These were the words of Surinder Singh and his friend, both residents of Rurki village in the Lalru area.
Similarly, at Handesra village, a woman was heard saying “eh Gul Gulab (Panag) kaun hai" (who is this Gul Gulab). “Haan jhaaru waaliya da saanu pata hai” (We know about the AAP).
However, clad in a simple kurta and jeans and wearing sunglasses, the dimpled actor was the centre of attraction wherever she went today.
Rurki, Handesra, Jarot, Kasauli, Basauli, Rani Majra and Mirpur were some of the villages which Gul Panag covered today.
She left her house at 9 am today to join the party workers at Lalru, the first spot of the campaign.
The road shows in the entire area did not draw the expected response, particularly in the villages. The cavalcade of around 15 cars passed across several villages in the Lalru area, but got a lackluster response there.
Facing the scorching heat and dust for over four-five hours while roaming in an open jeep in the villages of the Lalru area, Panag felt sickness and skipped the programme at Dera Bassi. However, Dr Gandhi continued the programme along with the party activists of the area.
While some of the party workers claimed that she went to have her lunch at Zirakpur, her cousin and campaign manager CS Garewal said they were in a meeting with Bar Counsels.
She rejoined the entourage at Zirakpur after around three hours in the evening. Talking to Chandigarh Tribune, Gul Panag said she was satisfied with the response of the rural folks.
“One important thing I have noticed about the rural people here is that they are more aware than the people living in the urban areas,” said Panag.
“They talk about their problems and want solutions. They seem virtually fed up with the false promises of the two big parties and want a change now,” said Panag.
The absence of proper educational institutes, primary health centres, roads and other basic infrastructure were the main issues in Punjab villages.
After the culmination of the elections in Chandigarh, the party has given her the responsibility to campaign for other AAP candidates in the state.
“Tomorrow, I will go to Ludhiana for the purpose. After that, I will hold rallies in Amritsar, Sangrur and other places,” said Panag.
Source Link: http://www.tribuneindia.com
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