Congress leaders are making a beeline to Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) patron Parkash Singh Badal’s Lambi assembly segment under a combative strategy to defeat SAD’s Bathinda Lok Sabha candidate and Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, who is pitted against party’s nominee Amrinder Singh Raja Warring.

While Warring kicked off his campaign by staying a night at Badal village, other Congress leaders are now visiting Lambi to mount an offensive against the Badals in the run-up to the elections.

Cabinet minister Sukhjinder Randhawa campaigned in Lambi last week whereas Congress’ Zira MLA Kulbir Zira and Warring’s wife Amrita Warring separately visited villages in the segment on Thursday.

Why Lambi is important

Lambi had played a deciding factor in 2014 parliamentary polls, when Harsimrat secured a lead of 35,000 votes in the segment and managed to win Bathinda seat by a narrow margin 19,000 by defeating Congress’ Manpreet Singh Badal, now finance minister

The Congress had performed well in the panchayat, block samiti and zila parishad polls here and party leaders now have high hopes from the segment.

“We won rural polls in Lambi. There is a public resentment against Badals. We are getting a positive response from people,” said Gurmeet Khudiyan, former Congress district president.

On Thursday, Amrita Warring addressed public meetings in Mithdi, Gaggad, Fathuhi wala and Killianwali villages.

Addressing the meetings, Amrita said, “The Badal family has looted public in the name of Panth, but they are responsible for sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib. It is high time to teach Badals a lesson. Harsimrat Badal has failed to provide basic amenities to the public in Bathinda.”

“In Gidderbaha, Raja Warring has done a commendable job. A college and a bridge have been sectioned by the government, thanks to his efforts. The people need a leader like him, who can stand by them in their tough time,” she added.

Kulbir Zira, while campaigning in Gurusar Jodha, Pakki and Midda villages in Lambi, said, ‘The Modi government has ruined the public by its policies like demonetisation. Public still await Rs15 lakh promised by Modi in every citizen’s account.”

First Published: May 02, 2019 21:24 IST