E-Paper
Punjab elections: Congress expels Attari MLA Tarsem Singh DC for anti-party activities
DC was annoyed ever since the party gave its ticket from Attari to Tarsem Singh Sialka, an SC/ST Commission member
Just two days before Punjab goes to the polls, the Congress expelled its Attari MLA, Tarsem Singh DC, for anti-party activities.
Also read: ‘Systematic bias’: Congress MP Manish Tewari on Punjab CM’s ‘Bhaiya’ comment row
DC, who won the Attari seat by defeating former minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) candidate Gulzar Singh Ranike with a margin of more than 10,000 votes in the 2017 assembly elections, was denied the Congress ticket this time.
“The disciplinary action committee has expelled Tarsem Singh DC (MLA, Attari) from the party with immediate effect in view of his anti-party activities,” said Harish Chaudhary, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of Punjab and Chandigarh, in a press release on Friday.
DC, the party’s Dalit face, had unsuccessfully contested from Khadoor Sahib constituency in 2007 when it was reserved.
DC had reportedly been annoyed since the party had given its ticket from Attari to Tarsem Singh Sialka, a Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribes Commission member.
Sialka said, “The party should have expelled him from the first day when his ticket was cut. He had been encouraging his supporters to support the candidates of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Shiromani Akali Dal from Attari.”
“DC should have respected the party’s decision and supported me. Anyhow, we are in a strong position, for many of the DC’s supporters refused to obey him. Other Congress leaders and supporters in our constituency are united,” Sialka added.
