On Badal’s home turf, parties yet to get into election mode

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Lambi (Muktsar), September 9

The state Assembly elections are due early next year, but the political scene is altogether different this time in former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s home turf Lambi.

In the past, the elderly Badal used to start holding ‘sangat darshans’ much in advance. This time, however, neither Badal nor his son and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal has started holding public meetings in the villages here. Sukhbir has just held some meetings with the party cadre at his mansion at Badal village, while the senior Badal is mostly connected with the party men over the phone.

Poll din missing

  • The SAD veteran and his son Sukhbir haven’t held any public meeting in the constituency so far
  • The Congress is yet to appoint a suitable person as its constituency incharge
  • AAP recently appointed Gurmeet Singh Khuddian as Lambi in-charge, who has started visiting villages

“Considering his age and the Covid pandemic, Parkash Singh Badal is taking all precautions. He only meets public at his residence and that too after following all Covid protocols,” said a SAD leader.

On the other hand, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) recently appointed constituency incharge Gurmeet Singh Khuddian, son of former MP late Jagdev Singh Khuddian, has started visiting villages. “I have toured all villages in the constituency in about a month. I am getting a good response from people,” said Khuddian, former president of the District Congress Committee, Muktsar. He was in race for the Congress’ ticket from Lambi in 2017. He, however, left the Congress in July and joined AAP.

The Congress is yet to appoint a suitable person as its constituency in charge. Meanwhile, Jagpal Singh Abulkhurana, son of former minister late Gurnam Singh Abulkhurana, and Fateh Badal, son of Maheshinder Singh Badal (an estranged cousin of PS Badal), have started holding public meetings in villages. Maheshinder had unsuccessfully contested the elections from Lambi in 2007 and 2012 as Congress candidate.

On Badal’s home turf, parties yet to get into election mode
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