CHANDIGARH: Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) have joined the poll bandwagon in Punjab this time. Hundreds have flown in from USA, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, Norway, Thailand and other countries to campaign. Voting is slated for February 4.
While most of them are campaigning for AAP, some are batting for the Congress too. The ruling SAD-BJP combine has been left to fend for themselves. AAP is planning a mega NRI rally on February 2 at Majitha. The Congress is doing some road shows with NRI support.
Businessman Harjeet Singh said: “People want a change in the state. They are fed-up with SAD-BJP rule. We don’t feel safe.” Singh is supporting the AAP candidate from Mohali, Narinder Singh Shergill.
“I’m landing on Sunday along with a few more NRIs and will campaign till the elections,” Harjit Singh Chahal from Germany said. NRI Canada Kuljinder Singh from Canada says: “We want a change in Punjab. AAP is the best option.”
Kuldeep Singh Padda from Sweden is highlighting the state’s failures through videos and sending them back to the NRI community. Naripjit Singh, who runs a bar and an eating joint in Canada, says he supports AAP. More than 400 NRIs from the United Kingdom and Canada have come out in support of the Congress in Punjab and are preparing to join the party election campaign, with a ‘jatha’ likely to be flagged off by party vice-president Rahul Gandhi from New Delhi.
Around 250 NRIs under the aegis of the Indian Overseas Congress, UK, are arriving over the next two days. Daljit Singh Sahota, the Indian Overseas Congress (UK) president Amarpreet Aulakh, President, Indian Overseas Congress (Canada), has already reached India to campaign for the party. The ruling SAD have also launched an NRI campaign, ‘Aao Punjab Chaliye’. But it’s hardly getting any response.