Those who are tired of conventional celebrations: Ashok Parashar Pappi

In the 2022 Assembly election, AAP candidate Ashok Parashar Pappi, at fifty-nine, defeated three-time Congress Member of Legislation Surinder Kumar Dawar, destroying the Congress stronghold of Ludhiana (Central). Pappi, a cable network entrepreneur, ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2012 from Ludhiana (South) and came in third place. The AAP candidate said in an interview with Nitin Jain that he was nominated after a poll came back in his favor, not because he had sought for the party ticket. The passages:

You ran for the parliamentary election two years ago and were elected as a representative. Why is it the case?

Many people are aware of the contributions our family has made to the political and social arenas. During challenging times, my older brother, former MLA Satpal Parashar, embodied bravery and selflessness by devoting his life to serving Punjab.

Did you apply for the party pass, or did it just show up?

You may be shocked to hear that I never requested a party ticket. It was agreed to give me the ticket after I carried out a thorough poll inside the party and had in-depth conversations with residents, MLAs, and party volunteers.

Do you think serving as a governing party MLA will help you in this election, or will you have to contend with anti-incumbency sentiment and broken pledges?

As an MLA for the governing party for the last two years, I have put forth a lot of effort to keep the promises I made to the people. Accountability and transparency have always been the cornerstones of my work. I’m prepared to discuss any issues that come up in an honest manner.

Do you see Arvind Kejriwal, the leader of your party, as having a benefit now that he is incarcerated, or do you sense his absence in the race for office?

Even though Arvind Kejriwal, the leader of our party, is now facing difficult circumstances, we are committed to serving the people and staying focused on our mission. Though we mourn his absence from the electoral arena, we take courage from his values and go on with our campaign.

What changes in the attitudes of voters have you seen over your extensive political career?

People have had enough of the established parties making empty promises. They want the greatest health and educational facilities, among other necessities. We are also reducing corruption and the drug problem. People want this.