Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh during the road show at Shahkot on Saturday. Express
Campaigning for the May 28 Shahkot Assembly bypoll peaked on Saturday, the last day of electioneering, with road shows by Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh for the Congress and SAD president Sukhbir Badal.
In the trianagular contest, Congress has fielded Hardev Singh Laddi Sehrowalia against SAD’s Naib Singh, son of five-time MLA Ajit Singh Kohar whose death necessitated the bypoll. AAP has fielded Rattan Singh NRI.
Amarinder started his road show from Lohian in a customised bus and passed through the main towns and villages in five hours amid cheers from the crowd. He was accompanied by AICC leader Asha Kumari, PPCC chief Sunil Jakhar, MLA Rana Gurjit Singh, Punjab Mandi Board Chairman Lal Singh and others. The CM’s procession passed through Rupewal, Malsian, Shahkot, Fazalwal, Parijan, Mehatpur and Valmiki Chowk to culminate at the Grain Market.
Sukhbir Badal at the road show. Express
“We will win, and will win with a good lead,” the CM told the cheering crowd, while attacking Akalis for the alleged lack of development in Shahkot.
In response to a question, Amarinder said his government, which had inherited a bankrupt Punjab, had made a good start with the farm loan waiver and employment generation schemes. Sukhbir started his road show from Malsian, after Captain’s cavalcade had passed from there. While Sukhbir sat atop tanker with a tent to shelter from the scorching sun, former SAD minister Bikram Singh Majithia drove a tractor throughout the road show, followed by a number of tractors.
SAD’s road show culminated at Mehatpur in the evening. Their leaders targeted Congress candidate Laddi and MLA Rana Gurjit Singh, calling them “sand mafia”.