Bhagwant Mann apologises to Dakha voters for Phoolka’s abrupt resignation
Phoolka’s resignation in early 2019 has been the cause for much resentment in the Dakha assembly segment. Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) chief ministerial candidate Bhagwant Mann said to voters, “In 2017, you made us victorious by a huge margin. We apologise for what happened. (But) it was not our mistake.”
In a surprise move, Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) chief ministerial candidate Bhagwant Mann on Friday apologised to the electorate for party’s ex-MLA Harvinder Singh Phoolka’s abrupt resignation midway through his tenure after winning the 2017 assembly elections.
Speaking before a well-attended gathering of party supporters during his maiden visit to the Dakha constituency less than five hours before campaigning came to a close, Mann appealed for a second chance from this segment.
Mann, who was on a whistle-stop tour of a section of the Malwa region, stopped for five minutes before a cheering crowd on Ferozepur Road at Mullanpur Dakha. “In 2017, you made us victorious by a huge margin. We apologise for what happened. (But) it was not our mistake,” he said while alluding to Phoolka’s resignation.
“But this time when you press the button, you will be voting for me. You now have the opportunity to vent your anger against 70 years of misgovernance by voting for AAP. AAP’s victory will be your victory,” he said while raising the slogan of ‘Inquilaab zindabad’ before a frenzied crowd that had thronged his cavalcade.
Phoolka’s resignation in early 2019 has been the cause for much resentment in the Dakha assembly segment. Phoolka had defeated the sitting MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali, by about 4,200 votes in 2017 polls. In the subsequent bypoll, the Dakha assembly seat was reclaimed by Ayali with a margin of about 14,700 votes while the AAP candidate, Amandeep Singh Mohi, lost his security deposit while securing a dismal 2,800 votes.
Dakha is now the scene of a three-way contest between two-time sitting MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali (SAD), AAP candidate KNS Kang and Congress candidate Sandeep Singh Sandhu, a former aide of Punjab Lok Congress leader and ousted chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh.
Mann campaigned in various assembly constituencies of Ludhiana, conducting an election march in favour of incumbent MLA and candidate from Jagraon Sarabjit Kaur Manuke, Manwinder Singh Gayaspura in Payal, Jiwan Singh Sangowal in Gill, Hakam Singh Thekedar in Raikot and Tarunpreet Sondh in Khanna assembly constituencies and appealed to people to vote for Aam Aadmi Party. Addressing a gathering of people, Mann said that February 20 is an opportunity to write Punjab’s new destiny. Bhagwant Mann warned the people that corrupt parties would distribute liquor and money from today.