Khuradpur village is in Adampur constituency, another reserved seat. And people here are rooting for the AAP, the newcomer which has made the fight for Punjab a triangular contest. “We do not know the candidate. But our village is going to vote for the ‘jharoowali party’ this time,” said Jeet Ram who works as a farm hand in Khuradpur.
In Phagwara, Balwinder Singh complains about the law and order situation. “One can see drug flow freely in several areas of the city. We don’t need this. We have been with the BSP for long. But this time, we will vote for some other party.”
Across Doaba, there is a clamour for “badlav” (change). And this is not only troubling the SAD-BJP but also the Congress which has “committed votes” in these constituencies — up against inroads made by the AAP.
This region has 23 seats — Malwa accounts for 69 seats and Majha 25 in a House of 117 — and is home to 46 per cent of Punjab’s Dalit population. While eight are reserved constituencies, 20-30 per cent of the voters are Dalits in the remaining constituencies.
In the 2012 assembly elections, the SAD-BJP won seven of the eight reserved seats. Its score in Doaba was 17/23.
