Punjab Election 2022: Parties Tab Punjabi Singers To Bank On Their Popularity To Lure Voters

With Punjabi pop culture on the upswing, political parties feel that bringing in prominent artists will draw audiences and link them with the people, PTI reported.

Sidhu Moosewala & Anmol Gagan Mann. (Source: Getty Images)

New Delhi: Top Punjabi musicians have come to participate in the upcoming Punjab assembly election, courtesy of political parties looking to capitalise on their fame in order to lure voters.

With Punjabi pop culture on the upswing, political parties feel that bringing in prominent artists will draw audiences and link them with the people, PTI reported.

While the Congress has nominated popular Punjabi singer Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, also known as Sidhu Moosewala and considered close to party state unit president Navjot Singh Sidhu, for Mansa, the AAP has nominated singers Anmol Gagan Mann and Balkar Sidhu for Kharar and Rampura Phul, respectively.

With the Election Commission (EC) prohibiting political parties from staging rallies and roadshows in the aftermath of a spike in COVID-19 cases, popular singer and now Congress election contender Moosewala had been hosting meetings.

The EC on Saturday prolonged the prohibition on physical rallies and roadshows in the five polling states until January 31 but permitted public gatherings of up to 500 people in constituencies voting in the first two phases and loosened door-to-door campaign regulations.

"You have been casting votes to elect leaders but this time vote for your son," Moosewala's appeal to the electorate was quoted by PTI in its report.

Anmol Gagan Mann, a singer and AAP candidate from Kharar, has begun a door-to-door campaign. During one such visit, she encountered a destitute woman who sobbed as she showed her the terrible state of her home. Anmol attempted to reassure her that everything would be ok once her party formed the government.

Balkar Sidhu, speaking at a rally in Rampura Phul, urges voters to elect the AAP in order to restore prosperity to Punjab.

He focuses on drug and crime problems in Congress.

The Congress has also attempted to capitalise on actor and philanthropist Sonu Sood's notoriety by fielding his sister Malvika from the Moga assembly segment.

Punjab Legislative Assembly 2022 Updated Schedule

After multiple political parties from Punjab urged the Election Commission of India Punjab (ECI) to reschedule the single-phase state assembly election poll date in view of Guru Ravidas Jayanti, ECI has accepted the demand.

Earlier this month after the meeting, ECI had announced that the votes in Punjab will be cast on February 20 instead of the earlier schedule of February 14.

Date of Notification: January 25, 2022 (Tuesday)

Last date of Nomination: February 1, 2022 (Tuesday)

Date of Scrutiny: February 2, 2022 (Wednesday)

Date of Withdrawal: February 4, 2022 (Friday)

Date of Poll: February 20, 2022 (Sunday).

Counting of Votes: March 10, 2022 (Thursday).

(With PTI Inputs)