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Khaddor Sahib Panthic seat in for close contest between SAD, Cong yet again
Congress’ Ramanjit SinghSikki had won the seat twice by defeating SAD candidates Ravinder Singh Brahmpura and his father Ranjit Singh Brahmpura in 2017 and 2012, respectively. The SAD had represented the seat for over 20 years
Even as the Shiromani Akali Dal’s flock is back to its old strength with the return of former MP Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, wresting Khadoor Sahib will not be easy for the party’s old guard. The Congress party has once again placed its bet on Ramanjit Singh Sikki, a prominent Sikh face and two-time MLA from the Panthic segment.
AAP’s Manjinder Singh Sidhu, who had unsuccessfully contested the last Lok Sabha elections from Khadoor Sahib constituency, is also there but the contest seems to be between the Congress and the SAD.
Sikki had won the seat twice by defeating SAD candidates Ravinder Singh Brahmpura and his father Ranjit Singh Brahmpura in 2017 and 2012, respectively. Sikki resigned as a legislator in October 2015 over sacrilege incidents, necessitating a by-election in 2016 that he boycotted. Ravinder defeated AAP’s Bhupinder Singh Bittu in the bypoll.
Before 2012, the assembly constituency was reserved and the SAD represented it for at least 20 years. In 2012, the Naushehra Pannuan constituency, the citadel of the Brahmpura family, was merged into Khadoor Sahib.
The Akali Dal lost the ground in the segment after Ranjit Brahmpura, along with former minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan and ex-MP Rattan Singh Ajnala revolted, and formed a breakaway faction in 2018. Brahmpura Senior attacked SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal during his self-chosen exile for failing to bring justice in sacrilege and drug cases. Brahmpura re-joined SAD only two months ago, leaving a section of leaders who were working for the party in Brahmpura’s absence uncomfortable. It required Sukhbir’s personal intervention to put the party cadres behind Brahmpura after he was declared the party candidate.
However, the road ahead is also not smooth for Sikki either. He has been facing stiff opposition from his own party MP Jasbir Singh Dimpa whose brother Rajan Gill recently joined the SAD. Dimpa had lobbied for the Khadoor Sahib ticket for his son Updesh Gill. However, the joining of former AAP leader Bhupinder Singh Bittu, who secured more than 17,000 votes in the 2016 by-election, goes in his favour.
Sikki has been targeting Brahmpura over the sacrilege and drugs issues while the latter has been raising the issue of the former’s long absence from the constituency. AAP candidate Manjinder Sidhu is talking about ‘bringing a change’.
“He (Brahmpura) is the same person who used to accuse Sukhbir Badal of doing little for justice in the sacrilege and drug cases. Now, he is again contesting the elections under the Badals. People will reject such a person who took a fake pledge at the Akal Takht to fight against the Badal family. This is greed for power,” Sikki said while addressing a gathering during his campaigning.
Recently, chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi had addressed a rally in favour of Sikki and promised to make him a cabinet minister if he wins the seat and Congress forms the next government.
“The people of Khadoor Sahib are fed up with the incumbent MLA for his absence from the constituency. He is banking on money power but the people will not let him sail through,” Brahmpura said.
“People of Khadoor Sahib don’t want to repeat their mistakes. Things have changed and a history will be created from the seat,” said AAP candidate Sidhu.
