Avtar Bhat
Divergent views persist over the performance of Charanjit Singh, MLA Kathua Assembly Constituency, who was given mandate in 2008 Assembly elections after contesting the elections as an independent candidate by the people of this border segment touching Punjab in West and South, Hiranagar in North, and Basholi and Billawar in East, as some people are satisfied with his performance and favour his candidature in this year’s Assembly election also while others are totally dis-satisfied with his style of functioning saying that he is unable to represent the Constituency to the best satisfaction of masses.
The Constituency comprising of two blocks i. e Block Kathua and Block Barnoti has 1.15 lakh voters and a sizable number of these voters feel that instead of solving their problems in last five years they have compounded due to self centeredness of their MLA.
A large number of people who were interviewed by this correspondent recently were of the opinion that their MLA is a “down to earth” man and honest to the core but he rarely takes interest in visiting their localities and looking into the problems of masses. Besides, he has no knack to deal with public issues because he has no political background. However there are others who say that MLA deserves to represent the Constituency for next six years too on the basis of his performance and honesty during last five and half years.
Some people appreciated the role of their MLA in Assembly saying he raised the genuine issues of the people in the House during every session and also raised the issues of corruption facing the State.
He highlighted the issues of land grabbing by musclemen in the House and sought action against them, besides the restoration of land to the State. These were his positive points and people have no reservations against him.
However some people in the Constituency while expressing reservations about their MLA said no doubt he is a honest as well as gentleman but he never pays a visit to the Constituency to ascertain the problems of the people. This is a minus point with him. The MLA is supposed to visit every area and every locality in spite of the fact whether people in that particular belt have voted in his favour or not, listen their grievances and take measures for settling them or raising before the Government, said Madan of Pali Ward Kathua.
The youth have altogether the different opinion about the MLA. Jimy Verma a student of Government Degree College Kathua said that a public representative should always be from a ruling party and dynamic leader who can come up to the expectations of the people of his constituency by bringing development projects and taking advantage of various welfare and poverty eradication schemes which our MLA has failed to do.
He said “I hardly heard him raising some important public issues in the Assembly during last five years and turn the attention of the Government towards the sufferings of the people in this Constituency”.
Another youth Lucky Singh also a student of GDC Kathua said that society is so riddled with corruption that honesty of the person becomes his main qualification and same is the case with our MLA. Whether he has been able to solve the problems of the people, raise them in various democratic foras and plead the cause of thousands of unemployed youth, farmers, laborers etc or has been able to bring various development projects and centre sponsored schemes to his Constituency launched by the Government from time to time but people boast of his honesty as they are sick of corruption and corrupt politicians.
Going by the track record of MLA “I think his performance is not so satisfactory as compared to his predecessor who had brought many developmental projects for the Constituency”, he added.
Kulwant Raj a lobour from Pali More Kathua, however said that he was satisfied with the performance of the MLA and does not think any thing wrong in him. “Whenever we visited him for any piece of work he was positive and never hesitated to help us in settling our problems”, he added.
Angrez Chand a small trader of Nehalpur half a kilo meter away from Pali More said that MLA was pro -poor and down -trodden whose doors were always open for the people. He never discriminated on the basis of caste or religion but treats every one alike. Favoring his candidature again, he said the sitting MLA deserves vote on the basis of his performance. However, he said that in case any political party can give a better candidate than him then they will see to it.
Shashi Kanta a house wife of Ward 6 Kathua was satisfied with the performance of MLA saying his performance was totally good and deserves to be repeated.
Maintaining that the performance of the MLA was so -so good, K S Sumbria of Ward 8, Kathua said, he is a honest person and deserves to be repeated.
He however suggested the sitting MLA should join the political party as this can be good for the people of his Constituency.
Asha Rani a teacher of Ward 17 was also satisfied with the performance of the MLA and supports his re-election.
She also favoured that in Assembly elections the votes should be cast on the name of candidate, his qualities and his dynamism and not party. She also supported a CM candidate who controls corruption and contains rising prices but did not name any body.
PC Sharma a Trade Unionist from Kathua also spoke high of his MLA saying that being an honest person, he deserves re-election. The Kathua can’t have a better representative than him, he added.
Om Parkash Sharma of Shaheedi Chowk Kathua said that they have no grievances against their MLA who is people friendly. But the Government was responsible for lack of development as it failed on all fronts. The MLA deserves re-election and in case any party can give a better candidate than him then people will see to it, he added.
He, however, favoured that votes in Assembly elections be given on the basis of political parties which have poll manifesto for the development of the State and betterment of the people. The individual candidates don’t have such manifestos, he added.
He said the people are facing the problems of water scarcity and power cuts. In last over 60 years the Government failed to provide safe drinking water to its people what can the people expect from them. They only make false promises during elections and never stick to them later, he added.
Reeta Sharma a private teacher of Ward 6 said that the MLA took keen interest in the development of her area by constructing all lanes, by lanes and drains in her Ward. He deserves re-election, she added.
However, the MLA has many achievements to count saying that it was due to his efforts that work on University complex in Kathua was restored, .
“I have raised question in Assembly regarding supply of 1150 cusecs of water from Ravi river by Punjab Government to State which was agreed by that Government too. The State Cabinet also approved this project later and work will be started soon”, he added.
Besides the MLA counts construction of circular road from Kali Bari to Hatli More, starting of work on Polytechnic college in Kathua and starting of work on KV in Kathua as his major achievements.
Admitting that he did not visit the areas, Charanjit Singh said that Kathua is the centre place of his Constituency and the distance from various localities of the Constituency to the district headquarters is not more than 12 kilometres. Instead of wasting time i visiting localities, he pursues the welfare schemes and projects for the people. And in case the people have any problem they are free to contact me at my Kathua office any time where I am always available, he added.
In 2008 elections Mr Singh had defeated his nearest rival Som Raj of BSP by a 2362 votes.
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