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Sidelined, Sikander Singh Maluka stays away from canvassing for SAD
Party leaders confirmed that in the last two weeks, Maluka has not attended even a single party event in his strongholds Rampura or Maur
Sidelined by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), veteran leader Sikander Singh Maluka, who heads the party’s disciplinary panel, has been keeping away from electioneering in his strongholds -- Rampura Phul and Maur assembly segments.
Party leaders confirmed on Wednesday that in the last two weeks, Maluka has not attended even a single party event in Rampura, which is part of the Faridkot parliamentary constituency, or Maur, a constituent of the high stakes Bathinda seat.
SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal had removed Maluka as the halqa in-charge of Maur segment, a day after the latter’s son Gurpreet Maluka and daughter-in-law Parampal Kaur Sidhu joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
An ex-IAS officer, Sidhu has been nominated as the saffron party’s candidate from Bathinda, an Akali stronghold from where three-time MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal has been fielded again.
Rajwinder Singh, son of three-time Dharamkot MLA Sheetal Singh and grandson of former cabinet minister Gurdev Badal, is the SAD candidate from Faridkot.
On April 12, Maluka was replaced by veteran leader Janmeja Singh Sekhon as in-charge of Maur.
Maluka, who nurtured Rampura Phul as his bastion, has been contesting the assembly polls from here as a SAD nominee since 1997. He won twice to become the irrigation minister in the cabinet of late chief minister Parkash Singh Badal.
Later, he started working in Maur and the party nominated him as in-charge of the constituency. Party sources said Maluka was intending to field his son Gurpreet Singh Maluka from Rampura Phul, which is why he started building his political base in Maur.
A party functionary said that the cadre is now confused over Maluka’s role in the party. “His absence from electioneering is worrisome for the party as he maintains a strong network of political activists in different segments of both parliamentary constituencies,” he said.
Maulka did not respond to the calls on Wednesday.
But party leaders close to Maluka said that for the last few days, the veteran leader has been staying in Chandigarh.
SAD halqa in-charge of Rampura Harinder Singh Hinda said Maluka continues to stay away from the electioneering.
“I can confirm that he has not left the party yet. But Maluka saab has not joined any party activity in Rampura and he has also not been seen working in Maur. I spoke to him a few days ago where Maluka saab said he would join canvassing soon, but no programme has been finalised yet,” said Hinda.
