Manpreet begins campaign in Lambi; Maheshinder Badal skips all events

Manpreet begins campaign in Lambi 

Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Lambi, March 27
Congress-PPP candidate Manpreet Singh Badal today started his election campaign in the Lambi assembly segment, holding public meetings in villages. But his 'estranged' uncle, Maheshinder Singh Badal, skipped all the events of the day.

Sources say Maheshinder and Gurdas Badal, who are first cousins, do not share cordial ties. On March 19, during a meeting at Maheshinder's residence, some workers had accused Manpreet of "victimising and torturing" Congress men when he was part of the SAD-BJP Government.

Gurmeet Singh Khudian, Congress district president, who accompanied Manpreet said: "Mahesh ji thinks that when I am touring villages with Manpreet, he need not appear at public meetings. He is undoubtedly backing Manpreet." Maheshinder has always given a tough fight to Parkash Singh Badal. Most people of the area say they have always vote for Maheshinder, not for the party. He is popular among the downtrodden people because of charity works.

Manpreet is depending on the Congress in this constituency from where Maheshinder had got more than 43,000 votes in the last assembly elections. In 2007, Maheshinder had lost to Badal by just 9,000 votes.

Manpreet today visited 18 villages. To win over Congress workers, he said: "I lost the Assembly elections because I was alone then. Now I have your support and I will definitely win." Manpreet's father Gurdas Badal accompanied him everywhere.