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Gidderbaha bypoll: Section of AAP leaders against Dimpy Dhillon’s candidature
AAP halqa in-charge for Gibberbaha Pritpal Sharma, who unsuccessfully contested the last assembly poll, said Dhillon’s candidature had been opposed in the rural areas over allegations of arbitrary rejection of panchayat election aspirants.
A section of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has opposed the candidature of Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon, who switched over from the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) two months ago, for the high-stakes Gidderbaha bypoll.
AAP halqa in-charge for GidderbahaPritpal Sharma, who unsuccessfully contested the last assembly poll, said Dhillon’s candidature had been opposed in the rural areas over allegations of arbitrary rejection of panchayat election aspirants.
Sharma posted a video on his Facebook on Monday where he said the party cadre is complaining about fielding a newcomer by rejecting old guard volunteers for the bypoll.
Later, Sharma told HT that Dhillon remained an Akali leader for nearly three decades in Gidderbaha, and his candidature may cost the AAP dearly. “Unfortunately, the party leadership has failed to assess the ground reality, he added.
“When the election papers of candidates in 20 villages of Gidderbaha block were rejected, the villagers had alleged bias and the Punjab and Haryana high court granted a stay on the rural elections this month. There has been a strong resentment as the candidates whose papers were rejected are AAP supporters and their nominations were rejected to favour the Akalis, who are now the supporters of Dhillon,” Sharma said.
The AAP halqa in-charge said he joined the party in 2017 and played an instrumental role in consolidating support for AAP in Gidderbaha.
“Party supporters have been calling me since yesterday and coming to me to complain that they feel cheated over Dhillon’s candidature. I will not hesitate to quit the party in protest and contest if the AAP supporters in the village ask me to do so oppose the former Akali,” said Sharma.
Meanwhile, Dhillon, a leading private transporter of the south Malwa region, has intensified electioneering in the constituency. His close aides said that Dhillon would file a nomination for the bypoll on October 24 in the presence of senior AAP leaders.
