Modi bubble will be punctured soon, says ‘Shoe’man Jarnail Singh
NEW DELHI: As the AAP candidate from West Delhi parliamentary constituency, the task is cut out for journalist-turned-politician Jarnail Singh.
Singh had garnered attention in April 2009 when he hurled a shoe at the then Union Home Minister P Chidambaram to protest the latter’s remark in connection with the 1984 antiSikh riots cases. He then wrote three books on the subject.
“I was never interested in politics as such. But after interacting with Arvindji and other AAP leaders, I felt that the politics done in this manner (AAP’s politics) can also be a way of fighting against the injustice. There are scores of people who have several grievances,” Singh told HT.
Currently held by Mahabal Mishra of the Congress, the West Delhi seat, after de-limitation in 2008, has a large chunk of Poorvanchali voters apart from the traditional Sikh, Punjabi and Jats.
In the 2013 assembly polls, AAP won Madipur, Vikaspuri, Hari Nagar and Tilak Nagar, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept Janakpuri, Dwarka, Matiala, Najafgarh and Uttam Nagar seats.
The Akali Dal won the Rajouri Garden seat, all part of the West Delhi Parliamentary seat. Simply put, the Sikh activist also has to tide over the large tracts of rural areas and the Modi-wave ahead of the Lok Sabha poll.
Terming the ‘Modi wave’ akin to the ‘Feel Good’ factor during the ‘India Shining’ campaign in 2004, he said, “People are desperate for a change. This wave will be punctured soon.”
“We are overwhelmed by the support that we are getting from all areas, be it rural areas or be it Poorvanchalidominated areas. Those who supported BJP during the assembly elections were not sure about AAP then. Now they too are with us. Also, where AAP did not win, such as Matiala, our candidates were close second,” Singh said.
He has already held meetings with volunteers from the 10 assembly constituencies falling under his Parliamentary constituency. “Today I also addressed general meetings at Tilak Nagar and Ashok Nagar. The official campaign will soon be launched,” he said.
But isn’t the AAP playing the Sikh card in the constituency with dominant Sikh population? “Not at all. Now I want to fight for all Indians.” Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav flagged off a cycle rally from New Delhi on Sunday that will reach Lucknow in two weeks to woo voters for the upcoming Lok Sabha election. Around 500 cyclists are taking part in rally. The rally began at Jantar Mantar. “Cycle chalti rahe,” Yadav said, referring to the his party’s election symbol.