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Punjab: Burj is Cong’s pick for Tarn Taran bypoll
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has approved the candidature of Karanbir Singh Burj for the upcoming Tarn Taran assembly byelection, according to an official statement released on Saturday
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Amritsar
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has approved the candidature of Karanbir Singh Burj for the upcoming Tarn Taran assembly byelection, according to an official statement released on Saturday.
The bypoll was necessitated by the death of AAP MLA Kashmir Singh Sohal in June. The Election Commission is yet to announce the date for the election, but the political race is already intensifying. This announcement by Congress comes just a day after chief minister Bhagwant Mann declared Harmeet Singh Sandhu as the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP’s)candidate for the seat.
Burj, 50, hails from Burj 169, a village near the India-Pakistan border, and currently resides in Khairdeenke village within the Tarn Taran constituency. A Taksali Congress family member, Burj is an agriculturist and realtor by profession and serves as a vice-president of the Tarn Taran Congress.
Burj’s political lineage
His father, Jasbir Singh ‘Jas’ Burj, served as general secretary of Punjab Congress but was unable to contest elections due to the Attari seat being reserved for Scheduled Castes. Jasbir Singh Burj passed away in 2015 and Karanbir Singh Burj has worked to continue his father’s political legacy.
Though Burj sought a party ticket in the 2017 elections, it was given to Dr Dharambir Agnihotri, who won the seat. However, Dr Agnihotri lost to AAP’s Dr Sohal in 2022, giving Burj another opportunity to seek the party nomination.
Intra-party rivalry
Burj’s longstanding connection with the local electorate and his popularity among voters were key factors in his selection as the Congress candidate, according to party functionaries. His ability to remain in touch with the people, despite not holding an official post, has bolstered his standing in the community.
Other contenders for the Congress ticket included Davinder Singh Lali Dhalla and Rajbir Singh Bhullar, but Burj’s grassroots appeal and his family’s political legacy ultimately made him the preferred choice.
Rival candidates
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has fielded Sukhwinder Kaur Randhawa for the bypoll, while the BJP has chosen Harjit Singh Sandhu as its candidate. The Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De), led by jailed Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, holds considerable sway in the constituency but has not yet announced its candidate.
Meanwhile, the breakaway faction of SAD, led by Giani Harpreet Singh, has formed a panel to decide on its candidate for the election.
