I can tell you he has already won the Amritsar seat for the BJP," predicts grocer Darshan Singh. His fellow shopkeepers Surinder Kapoor and Lekh Raj nod in agreement.

Women and children go to the rooftops to have a look at the man who is challenging 81-year-old local Congress strongman R L Bhatia, who has represented Amritsar five times since 1980.

Sidhu greets the elderly with a namaste and has a jaunty wave for the kids.

"Chowka Chikka Lage Ga, Bhatia Ethon Bhage Ga (When Sidhu hits fours and sixes, Bhatia will run away)," shout Sidhu supporters.

The traders have put up a tarazu (weighing scale) to weigh Sidhu with ladoos. The Punjab batsman, who weighs 75 kg, refused to go along with the weigh in, walking away when his supporters tried to get him to play along. "The ladoos will be distributed among people," explains local shop owner K S Bhatia.