SAD choses RD Sharma over Vijay Danav in multi-cornered contest in Ludhiana north constituency

Political pundits were predicting that the SAD would field a Dalit candidate from the Ludhiana north constituency, which has a sizeable Dalit population; the name of prominent Dalit leader Vijay Danav had also being doing the rounds.

Putting all speculations to rest, Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday announced RD Sharma’s candidature from the Ludhiana (North) constituency for the upcoming assembly polls.

RD Sharma, a three-time councilor from Ludhiana, has also been the deputy mayor of the city’s municipal corporation. He will contest from the Ludhiana north constituency on SAD’s ticket. (HT Photo)

Political pundits were predicting that the SAD would field a Dalit candidate from the constituency, which has a sizeable Dalit population. The name of prominent Dalit leader Vijay Danav had also being doing the rounds. It was being said that Danav was asked to fight on the BSP symbol; however he refused.

Sharma, a three-time councilor from Ludhiana, has also been the deputy mayor of the city’s municipal corporation. His mother is a sitting councillor from the ward that Sharma represented. He had joined the SAD after quitting the BJP along with former minister Anil Joshi in August.

On Tuesday, SAD had swapped Ludhiana (north) seat with alliance partner Bahujan Samaj party (BSP). RD Sharma, who was booked for murder in March 2014, was later given a clean chit in the alleged honour killing case involving a 22-year-old youngster, whose body was recovered from a train track at Salem Tabri, had deserted BJP over the farm laws.

Multipronged fight

At present, five-time Congress MLA Rakesh Panday of the Congress holds the seat. However, Panday, had also found himself mired in controversy after his son was appointed tehsildar on compassionate grounds. He was offered a job as Panday’s father and former Congress MLA Joginderpal Panday had been assassinated.

Former Akali leader Madan Lal Bagga who had then fought as an independent candidate had received 12,136 votes while councillor Randhir Singh Sivia of the Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) had received 20,387 votes.

Madan Lal Bagga, who has been recently appointed as halka in-charge of the AAP is the front runner in the constituency. The BJP will also field its own candidate from the seat.