Workers of Congress, Aam Aadmi Party and Samajwadi Party on Tuesday joined Manish Tewari during his padyatra ahead of filing the nomination papers from Chandigarh parliamentary constituency.

As a commitment towards his resolve to preserve and safeguard the constitution of the country, Tewari carried a copy of the Constitution of India along. He pointed out, it was the same very Constitution that has given every Indian the right to vote or contest an election.

He said, it was an irony that the same constitution, which has given the people of the country the freedom to elect their representatives and governments, was being threatened by the same people who were getting elected because of the rights conferred by the same constitution. 

To avoid inconvenience to the public, Tewari decided not to hold any public roadshow before filing his nomination papers. He met his supporters at Sector 17 before he proceeded towards the Deputy Commissioner cum Returning Officer’s office to file his nomination papers.  He was accompanied by the Chandigarh Congress president HS Lucky, the AAP Chandigarh Co-incharge SS Ahluwalia, Chairman of the Chandigarh AAP Campaign Committee, Chandermukhi Sharma, Chandigarh Mayor Kuldeep Kumar, SP Chandigarh president Vikram Yadav and others. 

After filing his nomination papers, when asked the purpose of carrying a copy of the constitution along, Tewari said, the purpose was to convey a clear and categorical message to everyone that this constitution will not be allowed to be changed or replaced.  

To another question about his challenge to his BJP opponent for a debate, Tewari reiterated that Tandon was hiding behind the bushes. “Even today, he has asked me to list my achievements in Ludhiana and Sri Anandpur Sahib and that is precisely what I have been telling him (Tandon) to come and ask me as many questions as he wants, but he is afraid and is running away”, he pointed out.