AAP MLA issues threat during Panchayat election rally, video goes viral

AAP MLA from Jaitu Amolak Singh has courted a controversy by issuing threats to his political opponents in the area during an election rally in run up to the Panchayat election.

He was addressing a gathering at Dhilwan village in support of a candidate. While lending his support to a person for the post of sarpanch, in a video which went viral on social media, he has been heard saying that he was not announcing the name of a candidate for the post of sarpanch but the name of the next sarpanch of the village.

In a veiled threat to the voters and opponents, the MLA has been heard saying that those opposing their candidate and disturbing brotherhood in the village, would be taught a lesson.

Gone are the days when we were not allowed to file nomination papers in Panchayat elections and our supporters were dragged out of polling stations, not allowing them to cast their vote, he added.

I have come here not to announce the candidate but declare the next sarpanch of the village, the MLA can be heard saying in the video.

While senior SAD (B) leader Rajwinder Singh Randhawa, who contested the last Lok Sabha election on SAD (B) ticket in Faridkot, has made a complaint to the state election commission and DGP Punjab for appropriate action against the MLA for threatening voters and other candidates in the election, Amolak declined giving any threat.

“I was speaking in the context of previous time that such mischief will not be allowed now. Regarding announcing sarpanch instead of the candidate, this is a part of the election campaign,” he claimed.

Earlier, Amolak had courted controversy in July 2023 when he was accused by a traffic police official in Chandigarh of misbehaving with him after a video of an altercation between them surfaced on social media. The MLA had denied the allegation and charged the traffic police official with inappropriate behaviour.