Sarpanch poll: Sukhbir active again, participates in SAD's protest

After remaining in hiatus for over a month, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday became politically active again in the field by participating in a protest by the party's district unit over the cancellation of nominations of nearly 25 sarpanch aspirants owing allegiance to the party in the Gidderbaha Assembly segment here.

PCC chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, too, began a protest outside the SDM's office at Gidderbaha over the cancellation of nominations of some aspirants owing allegiance to the Congress.

Party activists blocked the road leading to the district administrative complex (DAC) here. During his public address, Sukhbir warned officers to mend their ways or the SAD would gherao the SDM's office at Gidderbaha on Thursday.

"I warn the Deputy Commissioner and give time to the state government till Thursday to rectify its decision of cancelling the nominations. If the need arises, we will file a petition in the high court. Further, I will visit the Election Commission in Chandigarh. I appeal to all Akali workers to get ready to gherao the SDM's office," he said.

Later, the activists led by Sukhbir went to meet Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) Surinder Singh Dhillon.

Those present in the protest included former Muktsar MLA Kanwarjit Singh Rozy Barkandi, former Malout MLA Harpreet Singh and SAD's Muktsar district president Preetinder Singh Sammewali.

Sukhbir had stopped political activities after Akal Takht declared him 'tankhaiya' (guilty of religious misconduct) on August 30.

Meanwhile, PCC chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, too, started a protest outside the SDM's office at Gidderbaha over the cancellation of nominations of some sarpanch aspirants owing allegiance to the Congress. The Malout-Bathinda highway was blocked at Gidderbaha.