Raj Independent candidate woos locals with border trade talk

Soumik Dey

Sri Ganganagar, Nov 26 (PTI) This small town in the
western Indian state of Rajasthan, going to polls on December
4, has an Independent candidate who is generating considerable
interest among locals with his promises of opening of a rail
track for trade between India and Pakistan.

Many voters who had crossed over from Pakistan to here
backs Maninder Singh Mann's vision and have offered him
support so that he can advocate for opening up the
inter-border rail route.

"My thrust will be on development in the city's civic
utilities and opening of the inter-border rail route for trade
purpose between India and Pakistan. Already a rail route
exists at the Hindumalkot point," says Mann.

Mann became popular among farmers and agricultural
workers after he streamlined the local Agricultural Produce
Marketing Committee (APMC) administration and ensured right
entries for produces.

"My dream now is to streamline the city's development
progress, get new sewerage lines in place. And then I can
campaign to open up the border for a trade route between India
and Pakistan. That, in turn, will contribute to the overall
prosperity of the place and to the ailing local economy," Mann
says.

Sitting Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) MLA Surendra Singh
Rathore is also fighting as an Independent while veteran
Congressman Radhe Shyam is fighting on a BJP ticket after
defecting to the party.
Congress has named newcomer Raj Kumar Gaur as its
candidate.

Rathore was denied a ticket this time by his party
after he developed differences with Rajasthan Chief Minister
Vasundhara Raje.

The BJP alloted its ticket to Radhe Shyam, who faced
the heat from the Congress.

According to sources, Raje wanted to field a candidate
for securing votes of the Punjabi-speaking Sikhs and Aroras in
the region and Shyam was the perfect choice.

Better civic conditions and trade and industry
environment are the major demands in this town dominated by
agrarian economy and located just five km from the Punjab
border and about 28 km from Pakistan.

Gaur is seeking votes by highlighting the
"brutalities" of the Raje government.

"Farmers were shot dead when they demanded water for
their fields. There is corruption abound and little
development. I am fighting this polls for the poor in our
constituency," says Gaur.

Shyam is seeking attention from industry after a
proposed industrial park in the area at his behest failed to
take off.

"I want to give this city a three-star hospital, heavy
industry and a rail workshop. And all this will be for the
poor. I also want to implement the sewerage master plan that
was drafted during 1970s when I was the city municipality
chairman," promises Shyam.

A political observer claimed that Shyam has been
wanting to finish all his pending projects since he had not
been re-elected over last two terms.

However, Mann's promise to get the Indo-Pak trade
route opened had excited the local trading community even
beyond those sharing his linguistic orientation, the observer
said.