GS Paul
Amritsar, February 9
Ahead of Punjab polls, the Congress suffered a jolt in Majha belt as Harpinder Singh Gill ‘Rajan’, the brother of Lok Sabha MP Khadoor Sahib Jasbir Singh Gill ‘Dimpa’ joined the SAD in the presence of party president Sukhbir Singh Badal in Amritsar.
Along with him, various sarpanch, panch, block level leaders of the Congress too switched over their loyalty with the SAD.
In the backdrop, MP, who had skipped Rahul Gandhi’s recent visit to the Golden Temple and other shrines in Amritsar, was dejected after the Congress had rejected a ticket for Harpinder from Khadoor Sahib Assembly constituency for the ensuing polls.
Ironically, the MP had got filed nomination papers for Harpinder as ‘Congress candidate’ from Khadoor Sahib, parallel to the Congress candidate and two-time MLA Ramanjit Singh Sikki on February 1, but their candidature was rejected for want of an authority letter from the party.
The MP had taken to Twitter to express his disgruntlement then. “What should be done if your party ignores hard work, loyalty and honesty amp; prefers stacks (sic),”
Earlier, Sikki whose name was on the list of AICC, had already filed his nomination papers on January 29. SAD has pitched its stalwart and former MP Ranjit Singh Brahmpura.
Interestingly, Sikki has filed his two nominations from the seat — one as an independent and the other as a Congress nominee.
Party leaders, on condition of anonymity, said that the MP can cause damage to the Congress candidates from the Baba Bakala, Khadoor Sahib and Jandiala assembly constituencies where he has a substantial sway.
In a clear sign of resentment, the MP, on Wednesday tweeted an advice for the people to vote for the most honest candidate irrespective of which party he or she belongs to.
Punjab polls: Congress MP ‘Dimpa's' brother joins SAD
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