Before getting the AAP ticket you were the mayor of the city and there were many projects like city bus service which could not take shape despite your tall claims. Any reasons for this?
The project was delayed due to many reasons. In 2017, the Congress government had come to power and the government did not clear the projects. City bus service project was one such project. The government had also raised questions over the purchase of a modern pruning machine. But most of the work was completed during my tenure.
What is your vision for Mohali?
The city has changed a lot. Many areas have come under the jurisdiction of the city making it difficult for fulfilling the basic needs of the people. I want to provide basic needs to the people which include clean drinking water, proper roads and sanitation.
Why could these facilities not be given to people when you were the mayor?
We tried, there are new areas which had come under the MC’s limits where there are problems of basic needs. During my tenure we got water supply from Kajauli which the present mayor is taking credit for. The parks were well maintained. People were happy with the sanitation.
Youngsters in the villages of city’s periphery are also facing issues of unemployment. What is your roadmap for them?
Yes, this is emerging as a big issue. The people lost the landholding due to land acquisition. If I am elected, I will try to bring more industry so that it could become a source of employment generation. It is the need of the hour.
Since Mohali’s recognition as a constituency, Balbir Singh Sidhu is the only leader who became a cabinet minister. How do you see his tenure as a minister?
Well, people are not satisfied with his tenure as a minister. He got a big chance to make history but he failed miserably. He will be remembered as a cabinet minister for wrong reasons. He did not bring a single big project for his constituency. He wasted five years of the people of Mohali. This time, people would teach him a lesson.
Sidhu remained the state health minister. What is your take on Covid-19 management in his home constituency?
I would say a total failure. The patients had to suffer a lot. There was no supply of oxygen, patients were either referred to Chandigarh or to private hospitals. There was shortage of ventilators. The home constituency of state health minister did not have a good government hospital where poor people could go for their treatment.