Punjab Sikh creating waves in Coimbatore urban elections
Darpan News Desk IANS, 10 Feb, 2022 11:57 AM
Chennai, Feb 10 (IANS) H. S. Anand Singh or Tony Anand Singh is no stranger to news as he became a newsmaker after his active campaign for restoring "Jallikattu" in Tamil Nadu.
In turn, the turban-wearing Sardar whose family had migrated to Coimbatore around 60 years ago has earned the sobriquet, "Thamizh Thozhan" or friend of Tamilians.
Anand Singh is a businessman living in RS Puram of Coimbatore and now he has hit the headlines after filing his nomination papers as an independent candidate from ward no 71 for the Urban local body elections in Coimbatore.
Tony Anand, Singh while speaking to IANS, said: Right from my childhood, I am rooted in Tamil and Tamil culture and are friends of this great society. I know all the issues plaguing my constituency and hence I am trying a hand at the elections I am sure that I can root out all the problems faced by the people in this ward".
His campaign gained momentum after noted Tamil filmmaker K. Bhagyaraj and famous south Indian actor 'Nizhal' Ravi released recorded speeches in support of him.
Tony Anand Singh said: "Bhagyaraj was my classmate in Mani higher secondary school in 1974, and Ravi and me were together in PSG College of Arts and Science (1975-77). I asked them whether they could support my campaign and both sent me recorded speeches in my support."
The actor and director highlighted the social activism of Anand Singh and his social support during the Covid -19 pandemic distributing food packets and masks to the people.
He said that, unlike other candidates, he would not make tall poll promises, instead he would try and address the demands of the people.
Tony Anand Singh has been allotted a lantern as his symbol and he told IANS that he would be commencing door to door campaign seeking votes in the constituency. He said that he had received complaints on the poor situation of roads, lack of parking facilities and drainage and drinking water issues and said that he would be giving these as his priorities.
After the meeting of Rahul Gandhi with Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and T.S. Singh Deo, it is widely expected that the state could see a minor portfolio reshuffle. Singh Deo may be given more importance in the cabinet and it's likely he may be allotted a portfolio soon. Currently he holds the health portfolio.
Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said he will invite Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, Punjab Governor V.P. Badnore and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as guests at the special session.
Chidambaram was addressing a press conference at the fag-end of his two-day visit to the state in the capacity as the All India Congress Committee's senior observer in charge of Goa ahead of the 2022 state assembly polls.
Punjab annually generates 20 million tonnes of paddy straw and this is normally set on fire to quickly clear the fields for the next crop, resulting in choking of the National Capital Region (NCR) in October and November.
Priyanka's remarks came after farmers on Tuesday evening vacated the railway tracks and highways in Punjab after the Amarinder Singh government accepted the demands of the sugarcane farmers.
The 'rebel' legislators reached Dehradun in the morning to apprise Rawat about the mood of the public against the Amarinder Singh-led government in the state. They, among 20-odd party legislators, have been demanding replacement of Amarinder Singh as he failed to fulfill the 2017 poll promises.
