Will bring more int’l flights to Mohali: Anandpur Sahib AAP MP-elect Kang

A national basketball player, who embarked on his journey in public life by becoming the Panjab University Students’ Union (PUSU) president in 2002 and 2003 besides being a PU Senate member, Aam Aadmi Party’s Malvinder Singh Kang, 45, has come a long way to becoming the member of Parliament (MP) from Anandpur Sahib. Talking to Hindustan Times, Kang shared his priorities and plans for the constituency.

What are your priorities?

None of the MPs elected from Anandpur Sahib have won a second term so my priority will be to work and restore the faith of the people in their choice. I will bring more international flights to Mohali and improve connectivity. I plan to get new projects for Mohali and develop infrastructure in Kharar besides setting up sports centres in Balachaur, Banga, Nawanshahr and Garhshankar. Improving irrigation and drinking water facilities along with health and education are priority.

But the AAP government in Punjab blames the Centre for non-cooperation.

The Lok Sabha results are an eye-opener for the Centre. The old dispensation was interfering in the functioning of state governments through governors but now that won’t be the case anymore. The Centre is yet to release pending dues of ₹8,000 crore to Punjab. It is Punjab’s right and we will get it released.

The AAP could win only three of the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab.

Our party will soon be meeting to analyse the election results. Chief minister Bhagwant Mann continues to be the most reliable leader in the state. People are with the AAP due to the honest functioning of the party but we will find out why we failed to win more seats.

Do you think the AAP lost ground in Delhi and Punjab after party leader Arvind Kejriwal was jailed?

People were furious with the BJP-led government at the Centre after Kejriwal was jailed in the excise policy case. Those emotions led to the decline of the National Democratic Alliance’s performance in the elections. Kejriwal will be out soon.

Will there be an alliance of the AAP and the Congress in Punjab now?

There is no reason or need for an alliance with the Congress in Punjab.

What were the three factors that led to your win?

The performance of the AAP government in the state in two years was a major factor. We fought the election unitedly as all senior leaders and party workers together campaigned for me unlike the infighting in other parties. My credibility since the student politics days and clean image worked.

Despite AAP MLAs in Mohali and Kharar, you polled fewer votes in the two segments.

We were hopeful of doing better in Kharar and Mohali but will now need to introspect on the reasons. Mohali witnessed low voting as most youngsters here have moved abroad.