SAD infighting out in the open ahead of MC polls

Alleging “unfair” treatment at the hands of senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders, Kulwant Singh, a real estate baron from Fatehgarh Sahib, who contested last year’s parliamentary elections on the party ticket, has decided that his group members will contest the municipal corporation elections, including two of his sons, as independents.

Alleging “unfair” treatment at the hands of senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders, Kulwant Singh, a real estate baron from Fatehgarh Sahib, who contested last year’s parliamentary elections on the party ticket, has decided that his group members will contest the municipal corporation elections, including two of his sons, as independents.

Kulwant-Singh-along-with-his-supporters-at-the-nomination-filing-centre-in-SAS-Nagar-on-Wednesday-Gurpreet-Singh-HT

“We’ve been given stepmotherly treatment. Left with no option those associated with us have decided to contest on their own,” he said. Other disgruntled partymen are likely to follow suit.

This has effectively put the ongoing internal wrangling within the SAD leadership out in the open with the other group being identified as those led by senior Akali leader Balwant Singh Ramoowalia.

The outcome is bound to affect the vote bank of Akali leaders and may tarnish their image in the polls.

Kulwant’s sons, Sarabjeet Singh and Manpreet Singh, are also running as independents from wards no 25 and 49, respectively.

Kulwant had lost to Gurnam Bindra, then with the Congress party, by a narrow margin of 52 votes in the 2006 MC elections. Now Bindra has joined SAD and will be pitched against Kulwant’s son in ward 49.