At Pathankot, PPCC chief reaches out to ex-servicemen
Tribune News Service
Pathankot, June 8
PPCC chief Amarinder Singh today reached out to retired Army men by holding an interactive session here.
This Hindu-dominated district has three Assembly seats — Pathankot, Bhoa and Sujanpur — and all three have BJP MLAs. The ex-servicemen vote bank here is 60,000 strong.
Sources claim that all three seats have a dominant presence of ex-servicemen and it is this vote bank that determines an election outcome.
Observers attribute the huge presence of Army men in the district to the Mamun cantonment and the Air Force station.
“Over the years, whenever any recruitment drive is held, our youngsters are the first to be selected. To join the Army has become a tradition with the residents. Generation after generation, youngsters have been joining the Army or the Air Force. For our children, we see no other avenue of employment except joining the forces. This explains the large presence of Army men in Pathankot, Bhoa and Sujanpur,” said Pushp Lata, mother of Ashok Chakra awardee Lt Triveni Singh.
Senior Congress men, although perturbed at not being invited for today’s programme which was organised by Congress political strategist Prashant Kishor’s team, admit that by reaching out to ex-servicemen, the party is sure to make deep inroads into this particular vote bank.
“These people have traditionally been voting for no particular party and go by the one that promises them something. Amarinder has said that if voted to power, he would provide reservation in jobs for ex-servicemen. He has also promised that he would impress upon the central government to have a re-look at the OROP scheme. Now, it is surely time for us to vote for the Congress,” said a retired Captain.
“Amarinder Singh has assured me that he will be taking up the contentious issue of the Phina Singh dam, being constructed by the HP government, with the authorities in New Delhi. Thousands of villagers, who are likely to be affected by the mega venture, have risen in unison against its construction. When the project is completed, the drinking water supply and water for irrigation of 40 villages will be hit. As many as 50,000 people are likely to be affected,” said Vinay Mahajan, a Sujanpur-based senior Congressman.
Even his detractors admit that choosing Pathankot as the venue for today’s programme was a good move on the part of Amarinder.
Readying for poll battle
The Hindu-dominated district of Pathankot has three Assembly seats — Pathankot, Bhoa and Sujanpur — and all three have BJP MLAs
The ex-servicemen vote bank here is 60,000 strong. Sources claim that all three seats have a dominant presence of ex-servicemen and it is this vote bank that determines an election outcome
Tribune News Service
Pathankot, June 8
PPCC chief Amarinder Singh today reached out to retired Army men by holding an interactive session here.
This Hindu-dominated district has three Assembly seats — Pathankot, Bhoa and Sujanpur — and all three have BJP MLAs. The ex-servicemen vote bank here is 60,000 strong.
Sources claim that all three seats have a dominant presence of ex-servicemen and it is this vote bank that determines an election outcome.
Observers attribute the huge presence of Army men in the district to the Mamun cantonment and the Air Force station.
“Over the years, whenever any recruitment drive is held, our youngsters are the first to be selected. To join the Army has become a tradition with the residents. Generation after generation, youngsters have been joining the Army or the Air Force. For our children, we see no other avenue of employment except joining the forces. This explains the large presence of Army men in Pathankot, Bhoa and Sujanpur,” said Pushp Lata, mother of Ashok Chakra awardee Lt Triveni Singh.
Senior Congress men, although perturbed at not being invited for today’s programme which was organised by Congress political strategist Prashant Kishor’s team, admit that by reaching out to ex-servicemen, the party is sure to make deep inroads into this particular vote bank.
“These people have traditionally been voting for no particular party and go by the one that promises them something. Amarinder has said that if voted to power, he would provide reservation in jobs for ex-servicemen. He has also promised that he would impress upon the central government to have a re-look at the OROP scheme. Now, it is surely time for us to vote for the Congress,” said a retired Captain.
“Amarinder Singh has assured me that he will be taking up the contentious issue of the Phina Singh dam, being constructed by the HP government, with the authorities in New Delhi. Thousands of villagers, who are likely to be affected by the mega venture, have risen in unison against its construction. When the project is completed, the drinking water supply and water for irrigation of 40 villages will be hit. As many as 50,000 people are likely to be affected,” said Vinay Mahajan, a Sujanpur-based senior Congressman.
Even his detractors admit that choosing Pathankot as the venue for today’s programme was a good move on the part of Amarinder.
Readying for poll battle
The Hindu-dominated district of Pathankot has three Assembly seats — Pathankot, Bhoa and Sujanpur — and all three have BJP MLAs
The ex-servicemen vote bank here is 60,000 strong. Sources claim that all three seats have a dominant presence of ex-servicemen and it is this vote bank that determines an election outcome
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