Nabha teen poll-vaults in Australia

At an age when youths are more at ease playing football, Nabha boy Samraat Garewal, 18, is going to take a shot at a different goal Down Under. He will be contesting the New South Wales state legislative elections next month. Having his roots in Nanoki village of Nabha division in Patiala district, Samraat seems to have set sights on a political innings in Australia where he has been living since birth.

Samraat has been picked up by the Christian Democratic Party (Fred Nile group) after the party noticed his cany political insight and zest in pursuing goals for the uplift of society. Unlike most first-timers in the poll field, Samraat is unfazed by the big challenge.

Contesting from Mount Druitt seat, Samraat is pitted against experienced politicians of major political parties, including Edmond Atalla of Labour Party and Brent Robertson of Greens party.

However, Samraat clearly knows what he wants. “I have a passion to do something and serve society. In this country, people have migrated from different parts of the world and there is no hatred between the people of different races or religions. In school, we have children who are Buddhists, Chinese, Indians, Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims, and others. Like any other part of the world, no youngster here wants to join politics. My area, Mt Druitt, largely having a middle-class population, has been ignored by successive politicians and governments. If I come to power, I would definitely uplift my area.”

Even Samraat’s academic option is in sync with his goal. He has enrolled for a diploma in leadership. Samraat joined the leaders of CDP around seven months back with the motive to help and learn more about politics, but the party leaders, he claimed, wanted him to contest.

Samraat’s father, Aninder Singh, who shifted base to Australia around 20 years ago, says, “He always had a passion to learn about international and national issues and used to read a lot about politicians and politics of a number of countries, be it India, China, USA, or Russia. I urged him to help some politicians, but they want him to contest for the seat.”

Established in 1977 the Christian Democratic Party (CDP), a socially conservative party in Australia, never sent a member to the federal parliament, but since 1981 state election it has had at least one member in the New South Wales Legislative Council.

Meanwhile, Samraat's grandfather Surinder Singh and other villagers of Nanoki village are excited about Samraat's entry into politics. Samraat had come to his native villagethree years back.