Top Akali leaders back rebel nominees

In what is being considered as a pointer to the widening rift in the local Akali unit, senior leaders have also come out in the support of real estate baron Kulwant Singh, who has fielded 36 independents against official party candidates.

In what is being considered as a pointer to the widening rift in the local Akali unit, senior leaders have also come out in the support of real estate baron Kulwant Singh, who has fielded 36 independents against official party candidates.

While SGPC member and chairperson of the Women’s Commission, Punjab, Paramjit Kaur Landran came to the rescue of candidate fielded by Kulwant Singh from ward number 45 Salvinder Lamba, SAD-BJP official candidate Gurmeet Singh Shampur said it was an open secret as she had been campaigning and going from door-to-door for Lamba from the past couple of days. Paramjeet Kaur Landran said, “It was not a political function, but a function that I attend every year and is organised by Lamba.”

On February 13 too, during withdrawal of candidature, Dera Bassi MLA NK Sharma, who is also a close friend of Kulwant Singh, was seen with him at the PUDA Bhawan.

According to the sources, Sharma allegedly “helped” arrange the rejection of nomination of some of the candidates, who were contesting against Singh and some of his group’s candidates.

Even Ashwani Sharma, the spokesperson of NK Sharma, is openly supporting Sarabjeet Singh Samana, son of Kulwant Singh, who is contesting from ward number 25 as an independent candidate. Party sources both the BJP and SAD would be expelling the rebels after the meeting with the party leaders. hillary.victor@hindustantimes.com