AAP appoints ex-SAD minister Rakhra as Samana halqa incharge

he appointment, announced by AAP’s Punjab in-charge Manish Sisodia and state president Aman Arora four months after Rakhra switched to the AAP from the Shiromani Akali Dal (Punar Surjit), has triggered speculation that he may be fielded from the constituency

Ahead of the Punjab Assembly polls, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday appointed former Akali minister Surjit Singh Rakhra as the party’s halqa in-charge for Samana in Patiala district.

The move has triggered speculation that he may be fielded from the constituency. (HT)

The appointment, announced by AAP’s Punjab in-charge Manish Sisodia and state president Aman Arora four months after Rakhra switched to the AAP from the Shiromani Akali Dal (Punar Surjit), has triggered speculation that he may be fielded from the constituency. Chetan Singh Jouramajra is the sitting AAP legislator from Samana. The party also appointed Balvir Singh (Pala Jalalpur), a kabaddi player, as halqa in-charge for Shahkot. He joined the AAP in April this year.

The state assembly elections are due early next year.

Rakhra had joined the AAP at an event in Patiala in May this year in the presence of chief minister Bhagwant Mann. A two-time former legislator from the Samana assembly, Rakhra had remained one of the more prominent faces of the SAD for several years. During the Akali governments, he handled important ministries, including revenue and rehabilitation. Later, he fell out with the senior Akali leadership, including party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, and distanced himself from the party. He later joined the Shiromani Akali Dal (Punar Surjit).

After Rakhra expressed his intention to join the AAP, the Giani Harpreet Singh-led breakaway Akali faction promptly suspended him from the party for “anti-party activities”.