Jalandhar West Assembly bypoll: Shiromani Akali Dal announces support to BSP nominee, disowns its candidate

PTI

Chandigarh, June 27

The SAD will support the BSP nominee in the bypoll for the Jalandhar West Assembly seat instead of the officially fielded candidate, as she was picked by a panel two of whose members have now rebelled against party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal.

The Shiromani Akali Dal is unable to change its authorised candidate now as the last day for this has already past.

The SAD now does not have its own authorised candidate for the July 10 bypoll, senior party leader Daljit Singh Cheema told reporters on Thursday.

On Wednesday, SAD’s Jalandhar district unit chief announced that the party has withdrawn support to its Jalandhar West candidate Surjit Kaur who is a two-time municipal councillor.

Surjit Kaur was selected for the seat by a SAD panel comprising Bibi Jagir Kaur, Gurpartap Singh Wadala, MLA Sukhwinder Sukhi and Mohinder Singh Kaypee.

However, Jagir Kaur and Wadala are now among rebel party leaders who revolted against Badal, demanding that he should step down as party chief.

Cheema said the party has conveyed to its workers to support Bahujan Samaj Party nominee Binder Kumar in the Assembly bypoll.

The senior SAD leader also said he has requested Surjit Kaur not to contest the by-election.

The last date of withdrawal of the nomination was June 26.

Surjit Kaur has already been allotted the SAD symbol and is among 15 candidates who are left in the fray for the bypoll, which was necessitated following the resignation of Sheetal Angural as Aam Aadmi Party legislator.

SAD’s Jalandhar district unit chief (urban) Kulwant Singh had said that the decision to withdraw the support to Surjit Kaur was taken after consulting party chief Badal.

Singh said that the candidate was allegedly in touch with the rebel leaders and her candidature was announced without consulting him and other party leaders.

SAD leader Cheema said that the party’s position in the Jalandhar West seat was weak, saying it could manage just 2,600 votes in this assembly segment during the Lok Sabha elections.

Cheema further said that the party had advised against fielding the candidate from this seat.

Then the BSP, SAD’s former ally, requested the party for support in the Jalandhar West bypoll, he further said.

Banga MLA Sukhwinder Sukhi, who was a member of the SAD panel, said the party had duly informed Surjit Kaur about its decision of not contesting the by-election.

She had agreed to withdraw her nomination, but later took a U-turn, said Sukhi.

The SAD also questioned the detractors of the reason for fielding Surjit Kaur and then creating a mess in Jalandhar itself.

The party claimed that it was a planned move to ensure her defeat and then put the blame on the party president.

Meanwhile, the SAD’s move to withdraw support to Surjit Kaur drew a sharp reaction from rebel party leaders, who on Thursday said they will support her in the bypoll, accusing the party leadership of “running away” from the electoral battle.

Reacting to the development, Wadala condemned the SAD’s move, saying it was “injustice” with the party candidate.

“They (SAD leadership) have deceived and disrespected the candidate,” Wadala told reporters here.

“We will go to people to seek support for her in the bypoll,” he said.

A section of senior party leaders has revolted against Badal, demanding that he should step down as party chief following its debacle in the recently held Lok Sabha elections in Punjab.

Among prominent leaders who raised a banner of revolt included former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra, former SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur, ex-MLA Gurpartap Singh Wadala, former ministers Sikandar Singh Maluka, Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Sarwan Singh Phillaur, and Surjit Singh Rakhra, and party leader Sucha Singh Chhotepur. 

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#Shiromani Akali Dal #Sukhbir Badal