CHANDIGARH: One of them flips burgers, the other rustles up noodles at a roadside joint. The two are among the 278 candidates who are trying their luck in the May 19 Lok Sabha elections in Punjab.While 30-year-old Ravinder Pal Singh who owns the popular 'Baba Ji Burger Wale' is contesting from the Ludhiana Lok Sabha seat , Jasbir Singh (55), owner of the famous 'Chacha Maggi Wala' is a contender from the Patiala parliamentary constituency.Both are fighting as independent candidates. "I decided to contest in order to raise awareness about the serious issue of growing cancer cases because of discharge of industrial effluents and chemicals into the 'Buddha nullah'," Ravinder Pal Singh, who has a burger joint at Model Town extension market in Ludhiana, told PTI.Churning out crispy burgers to his customers for the last 12 years, Ravinder Pal Singh said he was also concerned about the dilapidated condition of government schools and hospitals in the state. "I also want the condition of government hospitals and schools to be improved so that the common man has access to better education and healthcare facilities at lesser cost," he said. "My business has taken a hit as some people have coerced some of my workers to desert me so I cannot campaign.

Source: Economic Times May 07, 2019 11:26 UTC