LUDHIANA: Just before the district election authorities could declare the result for Block Samiti member of
Chakkar village after holding elections, a majority of the
villagers had come up with a consensus candidate, even as the Congress candidate is in fray from the seat. About a week ago, around 150-200 villagers had gathered in the village, and announced a consensus candidate for a member of the Block Samiti.
Joginder Singh, who is contesting the election as the consensus candidate, said: “I was a Panchayat member, and don’t have a political background. About a week ago, villagers — including Panchayat members, Gurudwara Committee, and prominent citizens — had met in the village and decided to choose me as member of Block Samiti from Chakkar. They had decided that anyone standing against me in the elections would face a boycott. However, the Congress has fielded a candidate against me, and I will fight him in the elections. I am thankful to villagers for reposing faith in me and giving me the opportunity to fight for them. I will strive for better facilities in the village, even as NRIs — mainly the Late Ajmer Singh — had turned our village into a heaven with better facilities.”
Meanwhile, the local leadership of the Congress party said only a few people were supporting the independent candidate. “The SC community forms about 50% of the voters, and they were not consulted before declaring Joginder Singh as a candidate. Only a few persons are supporting him, and we don’t need Joginder as a Block Samiti member from Chakkar village,” said local Congress leader Jagtar Singh, who accompanied the party’s candidate Nath Dass to file nomination papers on September 7. He added that funds for the village had not been properly used, so after being elected, the party candidate would work in that direction.
Chakkar block elects a Block Samiti member for Manuke zone. The village has a population of more than 7,000, of which around 5,300 are voters.
