E-Paper
Punjab assembly elections: BJP ex-councillor to fight as independent from Ludhiana South segment
Surinder Sharma, a former councillor, who had been aspiring for a BJP ticket, said he won’t shy away from fighting independently if the party fails to change the decision. The BJP, which is in alliance with the PLC, won’t be fielding any candidate from Ludhiana South as part of a seat-sharing arrangement.
A day after Punjab Lok Congress (PLC) named Satinderpal Singh Tajpuri as its candidate from Ludhiana South constituency, a member of its alliance partner, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has revolted against the decision and announced to contest as an independent.
Surinder Sharma, a former councillor, who had been aspiring for a BJP ticket, said he won’t shy away from fighting independently if the party fails to change the decision.
Terming Tajpuri, who is the son of a former cabinet minister, a parachute candidate, Sharma opposed the seat-sharing arrangement between BJP and PLC and stated that BJP should field its candidate from the assembly segment. Sharma is the president of BJP Daba-Lohara Mandal.
Sharma’s son Pankaj said, “Earlier during SAD-BJP alliance, the segment was reserved for SAD and now it has been reserved for PLC, which is unfair to the party workers. My family has won three municipal elections in the constituency and we have been preparing to contest from the seat since September 2020 when BJP and SAD parted ways. The office-bearers of BJP Daba-Lohara, Giaspura and Dholewal Mandal are also with us and want the party to rethink its decision.”
“We gave a 24-hour ultimatum to the party on Sunday. If the party fails to change the decision, my father has decided to contest as an independent,” said Pankaj.
Meanwhile, BJP district president said that they have tried to stop Sharma as it is the decision taken by the party and everyone should stay with the decision. If Sharma still fights the election as independent candidate, then the party will take the decision on what further action has to be taken.