Women’s brigade in campaign mode for male family members

Ludhiana: Having taken time off from their household chores, these women have stepped out of their domestic boundaries into the poll arena to canvass for the male members of their families contesting the elections. Since the candidates cannot go door-to-door on their own, these women are seeking votes in favour of their spouses, while organising small get-togethers and meetings in different areas.
SAD-BJP candidate Maheshinder Grewal’s wife Parminder — along with her two sisters-in-law and some friends — has already organised meetings in many areas of the city, while campaigning for her husband. She said: “Our entire family is contesting this election, and we are running a parallel campaign with men’s teams. We are reaching out to housewives and service women with an appeal for voting.” She said they were receiving good response from voters, and they were making people aware of the policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, telling them to vote for the Akali Dal if they want to make Modi the PM again.
“It gets quite hectic, as sometimes we start very early, especially when we visit public parks, and campaigning comes to an end only late in the evening,” she said, while adding that her two sisters-in-law Bhupinder and Sarabjit, and a few friends are helping her in the campaigning. She said they were making the issue of women’s safety a top priority.
Meanwhile, all women in the family of Congress sitting MP and candidate Ravneet Bittu are on the job, seeking votes for him. Bittu’s wife Anupama Jhajj, while sharing details about the campaigning, said: “We have divided the areas among us, so that maximum ground is covered. We are going door-to-door, organizing meetings with residents to make them aware of the works Bittu did in the past five years, and also tell them about upcoming projects for the city.”
She said even Bittu’s mother Jasbir Kaur and other women in the family were going for campaigning in different areas. “We are telling people that Bittu, after getting elected as MP, will work on improving the city’s environment by developing greener areas, electric buses, and solar panels. People are giving a good response, and there is enthusiasm among voters,” she added.
Similarly, Surinder Kaur, the wife of Punjab Democratic Alliance (PDA) candidate Simarjit Singh Bains, also began campaigning for her husband from Saturday. She went door-to-door canvassing in support of her husband, along with her sisters-in-law and other women party workers.
She said: “I am meeting housewives to make them realize how decisions taken by the parties are affecting our households. I am telling them that due to certain policies, there is corruption, black-marketing, and inflation in the country, and it gets difficult to run a household under these circumstances.” She said it was due to the demonetization exercise of PM Narendra Modi that even women had to stand in queues outside banks to exchange their currency. “Even the Congress government did nothing for the welfare of society, but Simarjit, if given a chance, will fulfil all the promises made with voters,” she added.
Routines go haywire
There are no set timings of campaigning for these ladies. For most of them, their routine has changed completely, as they are now dependent on domestic help for household chores. After sending their children to schools, they move out for canvassing. Sometimes, they do not even get time to have food at the right time. For at least 8-10 hours a day, they are out to meet the maximum number of voters.
According to Parminder Kaur, educating people about the SAD-BJP alliance in Punjab is testing their patience. She said: “People are aware of PM Narendra Modi, and are willing to vote for him as well, but we are educating them that here, they will have to vote for the scale symbol of the Akali Dal candidate if they want to vote for Modi.” She said they were telling people that Grewal is the joint candidate of SAD-BJP, and the scale was his election symbol.
Women campaigners were also taking the help of women wings of the parties to approach the voters. Women workers are organising meetings in different areas with voters, and doing door-to-door canvassing, while also targeting clubs, kitty parties, and public parks for reaching out to voters.
A JOINT FAMILY EFFORT
Mohit.Behl
Ludhiana: The entire family of Congress candidate Ravneet Singh Bittu, except his minor son, is busy campaigning for him. Five family members of Bittu’s family — including his mother Jasveer Kaur, wife Anupama, sister Amandeep Kaur, sister-in-law Tript, and uncle (father’s brother) Tejprakash are campaigning in different areas since last week. Assisted by Congress councillors and presidents of wards, Bittu’s family members are going door-to-door, meeting people.
Jasveer is even visiting villages like Badhowal and campaigning for her son. She said: “Since little time is left for May 18, the date of polling, we are helping Ravneet in his campaign. We are just trying to share his workload by going to areas where he has not been able to campaign so far.” When asked about Bittu’s electoral prospects, she said: “People are well aware about the good works done by him, and his honesty and sincerity towards people of Ludhiana, and they will shower their love on him even more than last time.”
Speaking to TOI, Bittu said: “I feel blessed to have such a family. Ever since my candidature was declared by the Congress party, all my family members have been working tirelessly for me, and now they are even campaigning from morning to night, even in far-flung areas. My mother, sister, bhabhi and wife all are chalking out their campaign plans on their own and visiting different wards. It is very heartening to see that people giving them such love and affection.”