M A I N   N E W S

Massive win for Sukhbir
Sarbjit Singh
Tribune News Service

Five Independent MLAs — Mr Mantar Singh Brar, Mr Dhanwant Singh Dhuri, Mr Malkiat Singh Kittu, Mr Om Parkash Soni and Mr M.S. Kahlon — cast their votes. Though the Vidhan Sabha has a strength of 117 MLAs, the voters eligible for today’s poll numbered 115 as the result of the Majitha assembly poll is still to be announced while in the case of Mrs Satwant Kaur Sandhu, MLA from Chamkaur Sahib, a certified copy of the apex court order staying the order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court unseating her a few months ago was still not available.

Mr Sukhbir Singh’s victory has not only established the sway of the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, over the SAD-BJP MLAs but also exposed the divisions among the rebel Akali MLAs and their leaders. Though the filing of the nomination papers by Mr Khaira against Mr Sukhbir Singh generated some interest in political circles at the initial stage, it soon became clear that he would not get the votes of even the rebel MLAs who had proposed his name.

A few hours after signing Mr Khaira’s nomination papers, the CPI MLA, Mr Ajaib Singh Raunta , declared that he would not vote for him and would abstain from the polling to abide by the party directive in this connection. Soon after, reports from the Tohra camp indicated that a political blunder had been committed by putting up Mr Khaira as a candidate with the support of the rebel Akali MLAs and it would be better to wriggle out of this complex situation under one pretext or the other. In fact, Mr Tohra indirectly told some media persons that he was not consulted by the Ravi Inder Singh camp while putting up Mr Khaira.

Though certain MLAs owing allegiance to Mr Tohra had signed the nomination papers of Mr Khaira, later they remained totally aloof from the whole exercise. Realising that nothing was going in favour of Mr Khaira, his main supporter, Mr Ravi Inder Singh, announced at a hurriedly called press conference here today that Mr Khaira had told all MLAs supporting him not to vote for him as the purpose of his filing the nomination papers had been served.

Mr Khaira ,who was also present at the press conference, said that he was in the contest to merely put up a symbolic fight and at the same time expose the alleged nexus between Mr Parkash Singh Badal and the Congress . He said that under pressure from the Punjab Chief Minister and to ensure the victory of Mr Sukhbir Singh, the Congress announced the boycott of the election a day before the polling.

What made Mr Tohra oppose the strategy of Mr Ravi Inder Singh, who was the brain behind putting up Mr Khaira as a candidate? This question has been raised again and again in political circles here. According to unconfirmed reports, some well-intentioned persons are trying for a patch-up between Mr Tohra and Mr Parkash Singh Badal. They say Mr Tohra’s turning his back on Mr Khaira and his not putting up a candidate for the Majitha byelection are clear pointers towards a possible patch-up.

But on the other hand some political circles say Mr Tohra never wanted that a leader like Mr Ravi Inder Singh should start taking decisions for the group of MLAs owing allegiance to him. Another fear of Mr Tohra was that if the Congress extended its support to Mr Khaira, the Badal camp would get a chance to wield a stick against him ( Mr Tohra) by branding him a friend of the Congress,

According to informed sources, Mr Tohra had also explained to his close associates that he did not put up a candidate in the Majitha byelection as he did not want to be criticised for trying to help the Congress by creating a division in the Panthic votes. However, as Mr Tohra is a shrewd politician it is very difficult to read his moves in spite of the fact that he has been marginalised to a large extent at the moment in state politics.

Meanwhile, talking to mediapersons shortly before the announcement of the result, Mr Sukhbir Singh said Mr Khaira and his supporters were left with no alternative except to run away from the election arena as none extended a helping hand to them.

Without naming Mr Ravi Inder Singh, he said that the leader who was desperate to project himself as the Chief Minister of Punjab was unable to secure even a few votes for his candidate. He said reports that there were several MLAs opposing Mr Parkash Singh Badal within the party had proved wrong. All MLAs came to vote for him to prove the point that they were all united under the command of the Chief Minister.

He said the rebel group led by certain leaders stood exposed. He was in the forefront in the Lok Sabha earlier to protect the interests of Punjab and Punjabis and would continue to play a similar role in the Rajya Sabha, he added.

Counting for Majitha seat today

Amritsar, February 22
Counting of votes for the Majitha assembly constituency, which went to the polls on February 19, would commence here tomorrow.

The byelection was necessitated following the death of Minister and senior Akali leader Parkash Singh Majitha. UNI