By Amrit Pal Singh Brar
Bathinda, 18 May 2019: The Congress candidate for Bathinda Lok Sabha constituency Amarinder Singh Raja Warring has consolidated his position in the urban and rural areas. The atmosphere has been truly electrified with the massive presence of crowds in the strong rally of the AICC General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi organized on last Tuesday in the city.
Though, there are two other candidates, PDAs Sukhpal Singh Khaira and AAPs Baljinder Kaur, but their influence has been seems to be truncated to only certain limits. Most of the supporters of AAP are seen in the camp of Sukhpal Singh Khaira, leaving AAP candidate far behind others. It is almost seems to emerge as a direct fight between SAD BJPs Harsimrat Badal and Congress Raja Warring.
Earlier, there was a perception that anti SAD BJP votes will be splintered between PDAs Khaira and AAP and SADs candidate Harsimrat Badal will gain, but the well planned campaign by the congress leadership has almost changed this opinion. The defection of AAP MLA Nazar Singh has also given a big setback to Sukhpal Khaira, who was emerging stronger.
The anti SAD BJP votes are now seemed to be leaning towards congress in the Bathinda Lok Sabha constituency. This consolidation of the anti-SAD BJP vote is what has given the congress candidate a hope for a big jump in its support and it is very much evident from the attendance of crowds that are joining the rallies and meetings of congress candidate Raja Warring. He has even attracted crowds in the one of the well nurtured constituency of the state .i.e. Lambi represented by Parkash Singh Badal. Even, Capt Amarinder Singh could not attract such enthused meetings in 2017 general elections in Lambi.
Raja Warring, who was earlier viewed as light weight candidate, has proved to be a “heavy weight” with his skills in oratory and an ability to connect with the people. He has a strong team of followers and his biggest advantage is his wife Amrita Warring who has emerged as a force to reckon with. She had addressed election meetings in more than 450 villages with her own team. When she took over the campaign, she was followed by 148915 followers on social media; now it has now increased and reached to 310646 followers which indicate her grown up popularity.
Whole family of Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal campaigned hard in the city to give Raja Warring an edge in the city.
Sensing the hype and buildup made by the congress candidate, Harsimrat Kaur Badal too changed her campaign with more dynamism. She had started a selfie campaign especially with woman voters to connect with them more closely. She also managed the road shows of Hema Malini and Sunny Deol in the cities to counter the effects of Priyanka Gandhi’s visit. Former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has also campaigned in the constituency for Harsimrat Badal during the last two days. All political pundits and observers are silent and nobody is ready to predict anything.
