Backed by Khalsa, Deep Sidhu’s brother goes whole hog for Gidderbaha poll battle
Priority is release of Amritpal and delivery of justice in the sacrilege cases, says Mandeep Singh Sidhu
A day after the Independent parliamentarian from Faridkot, Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa, announced that Mandeep Singh Sidhu, brother of deceased Deep Sidhu (Sandeep Singh Sidhu), the controversial founder of Waris Punjab De (WPD), will contest the forthcoming Gidderbaha assembly bypoll, Sidhu has intensified electoral meeting programmes in the area.
On Sunday, Sidhu, a practising lawyer, visited several villages in Gidderbaha with Khalsa and Tarsem Singh, father of jailed MP and radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh.
Even as the by-election to the politically prestigious seat is yet to be announced, the traditional stronghold of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Congress is seeing a strong electoral groundwork by the panthic workers.
Political analysts opine that the last parliamentary election results encouraged the panthic elements to try their hands in the Gidderbaha bypoll, part of the Faridkot Lok Sabha constituency. The Election Commission data shows Faridkot MP Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa secured the highest 32,423 votes in Gidderbaha of the total 1,17,005 votes polled in the assembly constituency.
MP Khalsa, son of one of the two assassins of former prime minister Indira Gandhi, said Sidhu is the most appropriate candidate for the forthcoming election and the decision was taken considering the views of various panthic organisations.
“We will work together to assure Sidhu’s victory. Sidhu has a strong support base in Gidderbaha,” Khalsa said on Sunday. Before Sidhu, Behbal Kalan police firing victim Krishan Bhagwan Singh’s son Sukhraj Singh had announced to contest the Gidderbaha bypolls on September 2. The seat fell vacated after Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring won the parliamentary election from Ludhiana.
When contacted, Sidhu said, “We are talking with SAD (Amritsar) chief Simranjit Singh Mann and Sukhraj Singh to build a consensus on panthic issues. I am waiting for a written endorsement from our leader (MP) Amritpal from Dibrugarh prison for my candidature and candidates for three other seats awaiting byelections,” said Sidhu.
Settled in Ludhiana, Sidhu hails from Udekaran village in Muktsar district, part of the Faridkot constituency. Besides “poor” civic amenities in Gidderbaha, Sidhu said his priority is panthic issues, like release of Khadoor Sahib MP and his core team members detained under the National Security Act (NSA) and delivery of justice in the sacrilege cases.
“I am deeply connected to my native place. The Waris Punjab De has the maximum following in Muktsar district. The Sikh sangant feels upset that all those behind the sacrilege and related violence against Sikhs have not been punished,” he added.