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Amarinder comes to a royal welcome in Patiala

PATIALA: Former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh was accorded a rousing reception on Friday by unprecedented crowds when he visited his home city, Patiala, for the first time after he was appointed as president of the State unit of the Congress party.

The charisma of the scion of the royal family of the erstwhile princely State of Patiala could be gauged from the fact that thousands of his supporters and admirers virtually swarmed the 42 public receptions organised from Zirakpur town on the outskirts of Chandigarh to Patiala.

Of these as many as 20 functions were held in Patiala city, which came to a standstill as his cavalcade comprising at least 100 vehicles wound through the streets.

People in large numbers lined up on both sides of the road at various functions organised by local Congress leaders at Zirakpur, Banur, Rajpura, Kauli and the gates of Punjabi University while the “Maharaja” accepted greetings from atop an open Multi Utility Vehicle.

People showered floral petals, burst crackers, distributed sweets, danced enthusiastically to the beat of the ‘dhol' (Punjabi drum) and raised slogans. Capt Singh was accompanied by his wife “Maharani” Preneet Kaur, who is the MP from Patiala and Union Minister of State for External Affairs.

At various places supporters carrying the Congress flags blocked the progress of the cavalcade, as they stepped forward with bouquets, kirpans, siropas (robes of religious honour), momentos or just wanted to shake hands with their leader.

While an aircraft showered petals wherever a large crowd greeted Capt Singh, two elephants decked up in Congress colours led the procession at Zirakpur.

Many youth workers carried multi-shot crackers over their heads as they accompanied the cavalcade at Banur and Rajpura. While Nihang Sikhs were present in noticeable numbers enroute, the management of the Lal Masjid in the Sheranwala gate market accorded a special welcome.

Visibly overwhelmed by the ground swell in his favour, Capt Singh said that the countdown for the Akali Dal-BJP alliance in Punjab had begun.

“I had not imagined that people would shower so much affection,” he said.

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