Tamil Nadu activists add razzmatazz to Hoshiarpur campaigning

HOSHIARPUR: Amid accusations and counter-accusations and a mercury that goes up along with political temperature, they are adding razzmatazz to the Lok Sabha campaign in Hoshiarpur in Punjab.
Even as senior leaders from the big parties - Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) - are descending on Punjab to give the final push to the campaigning, over 20 activists from Tamil Nadu and other states are adding a different colour to the campaigning.
Tamil-origin Sikh Jeevan Singh, who heads Bahujan Dravida Party (BDP) and earlier fielded seven Tamil origin Sikhs in their home state, is contesting the election from the reserved constituency.
Selva Singh and Ranjan Singh, who contested the election in Tamil Nadu, brought their mopeds with them which are also being used in the campaign in nearby areas.
They told TOI that they brought these along in their train journey from Kanyakumari to Delhi from where they further drove these to Raipur village, around 10 kms from Hoshirapur.
The other paraphernalia include a computer, printer, small public address system, a video camera and a few other things to begin the work with minimal resources of their party.
The entire team is camping here at a house in the village, in the vicinity of a gurdwara.
Two of them are also from Kerala. As they go out campaigning daily, the teams mix either with those of the group who know Hindi or the local activists who know Punjabi.
Working on minimal resources, they go to small groups in villages, distribute the pamphlets informing voters about their party, the candidate and the fundamental ideology of their party.
The posters and pamphlets contain pictures of the great Sikh warrior Banda Singh Bahadur, Periyar, BSP founder Kanshi Ram and other Dalit icons.
Advocate Ashok Saket from Madhya Pradesh's Satna Satna understands Punjabi as he has been visiting the state for the last 12 years in connection with his activism in Bahujan politics.
He often translates when Jeevan Singh speaks in English in meetings with groups here.
Adivasi woman activist Jarnail Kaur - earlier Tarika Tarangini from Raigarh district in Chattisgarh, who became Sikh during farm protests at Singhu border after staying there for quite some time - is also accompanying the group.
Sitha Kaur from Tamil Nadu is the other woman member of the group.
"Quite a few local Sikhs are also joining us and they are helping in our campaigning. Most of the support is coming from Sikh groups of diverse backgrounds. Noted intellectuals of the community have also extended support to us," Jeevan Singh says.
Noted Sikh author and former IAS officer Gurtej Singh and Kendri Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Chandigarh president Prof Sham Singh had joined Jeevan Singh when he filed nomination papers.
"Apart from noted names in the Sikh community, Sikh activists who are active on ground are also supporting us," said BDP state president Tirath Singh.