SAD, splinter groups out of poll fray under BJP plan, says Partap Singh Bajwa

Leader of the Opposition and Congress MLA from Qadian Partap Singh Bajwa today questioned the SAD and its splinter groups on not fielding candidates for the byelections and claimed it was a big plan of the BJP, saying the saffron party wanted to see if it would get the panthic votes or not.

Campaigning for Congress candidate Amrita Warring here, Bajwa said, “The Akal Takht stopped Sukhbir Badal from participating in political activities and not the SAD. I ask why the party didn’t field its candidate in any of four byelections in the state. Similarly, the SAD Sudhar Lehar leaders also did not field candidates. Those in the Dibrugarh jail (MP Khadoor Sahib Amritpal Singh and others), who had even announced their candidate from here, had backed out. Everyone should think about it. The BJP is doing an experiment to see if it can get Panthic votes or not. If they succeed, you will see the repeat of what happened with Shiv Sena, Chautalas, etc. And if it failed, the central agencies will reunite all Akali Dals.”

Bajwa said the Congress would come to power in the state in 2027. “People should vote wisely. The Congress government worked for all communities,” he added. He criticised BJP candidate Manpreet Singh Badal saying: “Mirza Galib (Manpreet) first failed the Akali Dal, then our party also made him Finance Minister and he failed the Congress. Now, he is in the BJP.”

He also took potshots at CM Bhagwant Singh Mann, former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. “I question the AAP leaders, what happened to their promise of giving justice in sacrilege cases within a month of coming to power. The AAP has failed on all fronts, including law and order and issues concerning farmers. A farmer recently committed suicide in Sangrur district, but neither the CM, nor any minister or the Deputy Commissioner even visited his house. The farmers are facing problems, but the CM has not visited any ‘mandi’ during the current paddy season,” Bajwa said.