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Ludhiana | Sukhbir slams old aide Bagga for switching to AAP
Madan Lal Bagga had fought the elections from Ludhiana North in 2017 but lost and in the run-up of elections, he joined AAP; Sukhbir Singh Badal said Bagga was sacked for anti-party activities
Resentful of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidates Maddan Lal Bagga and Ashok Parshar Pappi from Ludhiana North and Central, respectively, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal sailed into his opponents, while canvassing for RD Sharma.
Badal said while Bagga was sacked for anti-party activities, Ashok Prashar Pappi has a criminal background.
During the 2017 elections, some SAD leaders had deserted the party to fight independently. Madan Lal Bagga, being one of them, fought the elections from Ludhiana North but lost. In a two-fold blow to SAD, the then Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Parveen Bansal had also suffered a defeat.
Bagga had later joined Congress and in the run-up of elections, he joined AAP along with Ashok Parshar Pappi.
Badal, while addressing public gatherings in support of R D Sharma in Ludhiana North during his tour to the city said Bagga could not be trusted upon. “Bagga was made the vice-chairperson of Traders’ Board and enjoyed plum position in the government, but he duped the party for his personal gains,” he said.
Once a blue-eyed man of deputy chief minister Sukhbir Badal, the SAD rebel Bagga is now waging a fierce poll battle against the SAD candidate and BJP turncoat RD Sharma.
Bagga said, “It does not matter what Sukhbir Badal says as he is already out of competition. He has to admit the fact that people are with AAP and Kejriwal’s party is going to form the next government.”
Pappi said instead of worrying about him, Sukhbir Badal should better concentrate on his candidate Pritpal Singh Pali, who is not even canvasing in the area.