Sukhbir does away with one-liners

Sukhbir does away with one-liners
Rajay Deep
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, April 19
“Gajj Ke Fateh Bulao — Wahe Guru Ji Ka Khalsa, Wahe Guru Ji Ki Fateh,” is what deputy chief minister-cum-SAD (B) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal starts his election speech with.
Immediately after, wasting no moment, he tries to check the pulse of the audience, cursing the Congress for being apathetic towards the problems of commoners despite remaining in power for more than half a century.
Campaigning in Bathinda Lok Sabha constituency, from where his wife Harsimrat Kaur is contesting the polls, he keeps on saying, "Now, you people have a choice between two families who are representing or have been the chief minister. On the one side, Amarinder Singh had been in power for the last five years and the other, Parkash Singh Badal, who just in the initial two years of his government, has set number of examples of development."
Recounting the development poll plank, he names a number of targets achieved or under progress like, drinking water, Atta-Dal scheme, pension scheme, sewerage projects, power supply, approval of Central University, oil refinery, airport, five-star hotel, roads and various others.
Just after making the claims about his achievements, he says, "Bound by the model code of conduct, I cannot issue any grant but after polls, everything will be yours."
Stepping up his rhetoric against Amarinder further, he says, "He does not know about Bhucho, Goniana, Nathana and other mandis of Bathinda but ask him about Lahore, from where his Pakistani friend Aroosa hails, and he will immediately start narrating even the features of the city."
Speaking of Raninder's home town, Sukhbir said, "Being a Patialavi, he is an outsider, but you know me and my family, which remain with you people 24X7."
Trying to bound all in a spell of sentimentality, he terms the poll fight as not one involving his family but of the "common men against the egoistic kings of Patiala."
During his recent couple of speeches, people have been missing one thing-his sharp one-liners against Captain and his family-- which were quite common in the past.
Before leaving the public meetings, he says, "Finally, I do not want to say anything more but request you to take a paper and pencil in hand and evaluate the candidates and their families and then cast your vote."
One thing that stood out at the rallies of Sukhbir was that almost one-third of the total crowd at all the rallies remained the same.
Many keep following his vehicle and some are so excited that they leave one rally even before it ends and rush to the next venue to ensure a good gathering.