Punjab Congress in-charge Harish Chaudhary has stated that Sumit Singh Mann, nephew of Navjot Singh Sidhu has earned a ticket to contest the state Assembly elections from Amargarh city on his own capability and work.
"No one has approached anyone for giving ticket to Sumit Singh Mann from Amargarh city but he has been fielded due to his own capabilities and work," Chaudhary said while addressing the people in Manvi village of Sangrur district
Sumit Singh Mann, son of Dhanwant Singh Mann who is the relative of Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu also expressed his abilities to work for the people.
"I worked for the country for 12 years, and then worked diligently for Punjab and made policies. I want to work for the people. If the people of Amargarh give a chance to the Congress party, then I will work day and night for them," Mann told ANI.
Referring to his father's political journey, he stated that his father has been working honestly throughout his life. "I have worked in my whole life by learning from him and everyone knows this," he added.
The Congress candidate from Amargarh city also targeted Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal on his promise of providing employment opportunities to the people of Punjab.
"In Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal promised eight lakh jobs but gave only 440. However, we (Congress) talk about policies, models, and how to work."
Sumit Singh Mann has been a national-level shooter and also won many medals in shooting. Notably, this is Mann's first experience in electoral politics, although he has been working with Navjot Singh Sidhu for a long time.
Meanwhile, AAP has also fielded Professor Jaswant Singh Gaggan Majra from Amargarh and Akali Dal has given a ticket to Iqbal Singh Jhunda from the city.
AAP candidate from Amargarh raised questions on Sidhu's nephew getting a ticket and Sumit Singh Mann has no political ground he has earned the ticket through an approach no one knows about him in this constituency.
"He (Mann) is the son of ex-MLA and nephew of Navjot Singh Sidhu. Not even a single person from this constituency knows his name. Even if Sidhu or Harish Chaudhary had come here, they could not have won. The public has decided that this time the AAP has to be given a chance," Gaggan Majra told ANI.
He further informed that the sitting MLA of Amargarh was never seen here in the last five years. "We (AAP) have experience of developing the national capital, so we will show it by working here too," he added.
The residents of the village showed mixed reactions regarding the expectations from different parties on the Amargarh seat.
"The sitting Congress MLA did not come to this village for the last five years, so this time Congress has given a ticket to Sidhu's nephew. But, we have made up our mind for AAP this time," Tahal Singh a resident from Salempur village, which comes under Amargarh assembly constituency told ANI.
Another villager, Jitendra Singh also said, "We ourselves were supporters of Congress initially and voted them for 35 years, but they had not fulfilled any promise. We are thinking for AAP this time."
Speaking about the sacrilege issues, another resident Jitendra Singh said that Akali Dal has made sacrilege an issue and did not do development work here, so people are disappointed with them too.
"Corruption is very high in Punjab and there are no jobs. We want a good government in Punjab. Akali Dal is better than Congress," Balwinder Singh, another villager told ANI.
Punjab will go to the polls on February 20. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.
( With inputs from ANI )
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