Triangular contest in NRI polls
Monday, 21/01/2013
http://epaper.dailypostindia.com/Details.aspx?id=60491&boxid=58142&uid=&dat=2013-01-21
Jalandhar : Following the withdrawal of nomination of one candidate, a triangular contest would be witnessed between three time old-timer NRIs for the post of Punjab NRI Sabha president, which is scheduled for January 27.
As Germany based NRI Sukhwant Singh Padda withdrew his nomination on Sunday, now three candidates namely-Pritam Singh Narangpur, Kamaljeet Singh Hayer and Jasbir Singh Gill were left in fray. SDM-I-cum-assistant returning officer Iqbal Singh Sandhu said that Sunday was the last day to withdraw the nominations. “Initially seven candidates filed their nomination papers out of which five withdraw their names, leaving three contenders in the field. The candidates are also allotted elections symbols,” he added.
While Pritam Singh Narangpur would be contesting the elections for the fourth time in a row, Hayer would be trying his luck for the third time after remaining the president of the Sabha for two consecutive terms. Jasbir Singh Gill would also be contesting the elections for the fourth time.
A US (New York) based ex-NRI, Narangpur was the first ever elected president of the Sabha. Narangpur maintained that because of the coming up of the NRI Sabha in Jalandhar the NRIs across the state got an identity back home.
“Even the recent initiatives of the Punjab government to set up NRI Commission, NRI Police Stations, amendments in Punjab Urban Rent Control Act including the coming up of new laws for the welfare of the NRIs is all because of the efforts and demands made by the NRI Sabha in this direction,” he stated.
He also added that it was during his previous term, 2002 to 2004 that the NRI Sabha building came up in Jalandhar. “NRI Sabha has a major role to play in bringing major policy changes for the Punjabis settled abroad,” he said.
Similarly, UK based NRI Kamaljeet Singh Hayer, who remained the president of the sabha for two terms, 2008 to 2010 and from 2010 to 2012 said if elected to power once again, bringing online complaints redressal system for the NRIs would be his priority.
Hayer who owns a hotel and a petrol pump back home in Jalandhar said that NRI Sabha has been phenomenal in providing a common platform to the large number of Punjabis settled in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, the European nations and those in the Gulf countries.
On the other hand UK based NRI Jasbir Singh Gill had remained the senior vice president of the sabha and contested the elections thrice. He would be contesting the elections for the fourth time in a row. Jasbir, who owns an industry in Jalandhar has been playing an active role in the NRI Sabha executive since its inception. “I have been reaching out to the NRIs in the villages for making them the members of the sabha. Even this time, I worked hard to ensure that the sabha gets maximum members and a good turnout of votes is seen for the deciding the next the president of the sabha,” he asserted.
