While the probable Congress candidate Manish Tewari has already been holding rallies and meetings, former MP and now SAD-BJP candidate Gurcharan Singh Galib is also following suit.

On Saturday evening, Galib attended a function at the Geeta mandir in Vikas Nagar. Earlier during the day, he addressed a public gathering at Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar. Welcoming Galib, Sanjiv Bassi, General Secretary, Chamber of Industries and Trade, Ludhiana, praised him for his contribution to the city and the state of Punjab in general. He said, “Galib has a clean image even after 50 years of public life which is very rare in our country.”

Former mayor of Ludhiana, Apinder Singh Grewal, complimented Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal for giving the party ticket to Galib saying that he was a strong candidate who was bound to win the seat. A number of speakers said it was unfortunate that the Congress party had ignored local candidates and given the ticket to an “outsider who had no concern or connection with Ludhiana”.

General secretary of Ludhiana Auto Industries, P S Bhandari, submitted a memorandum to Galib on behalf of the auto industry. Another memorandum was jointly given by M S Shukla, president of Shiromani mandir committee, Ludhiana, and Rajinder Gupta, president of Agarsain Samaj Society. They also pledged their support to Galib.

Speaking on this occasion, Galib assured the gathering that he would raise issues concerning trade and industry and also the development of the city with the chief minister and deputy chief minister when they visit the city during the election campaign.

On the other hand, the Ludhiana Congress has already geared itself for the parliamentary elections with the whole party rank and file organising regular programmes across the city. The party leadership including former ministers Harnam Dass Johar and Rakesh Pandey, former Parliamentary Secretary Surinder Dawer, former legislator Milkiat Singh Dakha, District Congress Committee president Jagmohan Sharma, District Youth Congress president Dimple Rana and councillors and ward presidents can be spotted addressing rallies and public meetings.