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SAD (A) to support gangster-turned-politician Lakha Sidhana candidature for Bathinda LS seat

At a press conference in Bathinda today, SAD (A) president and Sangrur MP Simranjit Singh Mann said that Sidhana will contest as an independent with his party’s support. Mann said the elections will be fought on the anti-establishment plank.

Updated on: Apr 15, 2024, 07:58:12 IST
By , BATHINDA
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The Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) on Sunday announced its support to gangster-turned-politician Lakwinder Singh alias Lakha Sidhana from the Bathinda Lok Sabha seat.

SAD (A) president and Sangrur MP Simranjit Singh Mann and gangster-turned-politician Lakwinder Singh alias Lakha Sidhana in Bathinda on Sunday. (HT)
SAD (A) president and Sangrur MP Simranjit Singh Mann and gangster-turned-politician Lakwinder Singh alias Lakha Sidhana in Bathinda on Sunday. (HT)

Sidhana was fielded by Sanyukt Samaj Morcha (SSM), a political association of farmer unions, from the Maur segment in Bathinda district during the 2022 state polls and finished runner-up. He had fought as an independent back then.

Interestingly, Sidhana polled more votes than the ex-MP Gurmeet Singh Brar of the Shiromani Akali Dal and Congress’ Manoj Bala Bansal. He lost to AAP candidate Sukhveer Maiserkhana.

At a press conference in Bathinda today, SAD (A) president and Sangrur MP Simranjit Singh Mann said that Sidhana will contest as an independent with his party’s support. Mann said the elections will be fought on the anti-establishment plank.

“Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) failed to keep its pre-poll promise to give 1,000 per month to women while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) failed to provide employment opportunities to the youth. We will raise our voice against the Indian intelligence agencies under the BJP government for targeting Sikhs advocating separatist agenda on the foreign soils,” the Sangrur MP added.

Sidhana said that he was impressed with Mann for raising his voice against the biased attitude of the centre against Sikhs but clarified that has not joined SAD (Amritsar).

“I will go to the electorate with ground realities where the rights of Punjabis are being compromised and the migrants are gaining control over various resources. Government jobs are being given to the non-Punjabis and the AAP government has failed to curb illicit drug trafficking. Gangsters have a free run and the state government has failed to control them,” Sidhana said.