Former Punjab minister and Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Patti (Tarn Taran) MLA Laljit Singh Bhullar, who is behind bars in connection with the suicide case of a warehousing official, on Tuesday announced that he would not contest the upcoming assembly elections.
In a Facebook post, he said, “I have heard the sentiments expressed by the brothers and sisters of the Patti constituency regarding the party fielding me once again in the upcoming elections. However, I have decided not to contest the election.”
He made the announcement days after he did not find a place in the party’s first list of candidates for the polls. After Bhullar went to jail, his wife Surinderpal Kaur continued to lead his supporters in the segment. However, in April this year, the AAP inducted wrestler Jaskanwar Singh, popularly known as Jassa Patti, and elevated him as halqa incharge of the constituency.
Bhullar’s decision follows a major political controversy earlier this year involving the high-profile suicide by Gagandeep Singh Randhawa, the district manager of the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation in Amritsar. Two days after the suicide, Bhullar was arrested on March 23 after being booked under charges of abetment of suicide.His father and PA were also booked. The deceased official had consumed a poisonous substance at his residence in Amritsar. Before his death, he released a video claiming that he was taking the extreme step out of fear of the then minister.
Allegations emerged that the official had been called to Bhullar’s residence, where he was allegedly assaulted, humiliated and pressured. In her complaint, Randhawa’s wife had then claimed that her husband was constantly pressured to allot a warehouse tender to Bhullar’s father and had even threatened to harm him and his family.
{{/usCountry}}Allegations emerged that the official had been called to Bhullar’s residence, where he was allegedly assaulted, humiliated and pressured. In her complaint, Randhawa’s wife had then claimed that her husband was constantly pressured to allot a warehouse tender to Bhullar’s father and had even threatened to harm him and his family.
{{/usCountry}}The incident sparked intense political uproar across the state, with opposition parties mounting severe pressure and demanding strict legal action. Bhullar later resigned as a minister. He was arrested from Mandi Gobindgarh. He was denied bail as the investigation progressed.
Meanwhile, BJP leader Pritpal Singh Baliawal questioned in a post on X whether the former minister himself posted the update from jail. “If so, it raises questions about Punjab’s law and order and the functioning of the jail administration. Is using mobile phones in Punjab jails this easy?” he mentioned.
Later, another post from the ex-minister’s Facebook account clarified, “The information in the previous post was shared through a moderator after a conversation via the government STD phone.”