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Remorseful for past, ‘dabangg’ Sidhana gives political future a shot
SSM candidate Lakha Sidhana is facing 14 criminal cases, including those of attempt-to-murder, unauthorised use of a mobile phone in jail, in different states
MANSA KHURD (BATHINDA) Gangster-turned-politician Lakhveer Singh, aka Lakha Sidhana, who has been fielded by Sanyukt Samaj Morcha (SSM) from Maur constituency, is banking on his tailored ‘dabangg’ (fearless) image against the political establishments.
Sidhana is facing 14 criminal cases, including those of attempt-to-murder, unauthorised use of a mobile phone in jail, in different states. His most recent claim to notoriety was over his alleged role in the Red Fort violence during farmers’ protest on Republic Day last year. He appeals to the electors of the rural seat to make him win so that he can take on the ‘sarkar’.
“Tussi Bhagwant Mann nu dekhya hona Parliament vich, kiwen Modi sarkar nu tikhe sawal karda hai. Sarkaran uss vele hee kam kardiyan han jado koi una nu khhich ke rakhda hai. I am a fearless person who can raise voice for my people. You all have seen my contribution in the farmer agitation,” he said at an election rally at Sandoha village, about 50 km from Bathinda, on Tuesday. Sidhana invariably mentiions promotion of ‘maa boli Punjabi’ and Punjabiyat.
‘Mann is good, AAP is not’
While appreciating Mann, he quickly expresses his strong difference with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal. At every election meeting, he waves a book translated in Punjabi that Sidhana claims exposes the political avtar of Delhi CM. “Kejriwal wants to control Punjab whereas we need a leader from our own state for good governance. I admire Bhagwant. O mera veer hai. But he is powerless before autocrat like Kejriwal,” he said.
Former AAP member of Parliament from Patiala Dr Dharamvir Gandhi, who came out in support of state Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu recently, also canvassed for Sidhana.
The 42-year-old is contesting as an Independent due to a delay in recognition to SSM from the Election Commission of India. Sidhana is a political protégé of Bathinda MLA Manpreet Singh Badal. In 2012, Sidhana had contested his first election unsuccessfully from Rampura Phul assembly segment as a candidate of People’s Party of Punjab (PPP) that was floated by Manpreet before it merged into Congress.
Fighting opponents and fatigue
Pitted against heavyweight ex-MP Jagmeet Singh Brar of the SAD, Congress’ Manoj Bala Bansal and Sukhvir Singh of the AAP. “Brar spent decades in the Congress and made his political career fighting against the Badal family. Now, he is representing the Akalis from Maur and singing paeans to the same feudal family,” he tells the villagers at the residence of his supporter Punjab Singh. Hectic electioneering has taken a toll on his health, and on Tuesday, he was struggling even to stand due to fatigue.
“I lost 11-kg in the recent days. I feel like visiting a doctor for a blood pressure examination. But countdown for crucial election has begun and not much time is left,” he tells this reporter. Sidhana gets a warm reception from villagers, mostly youths. He undertakes door-to-door campaigns to greet the elderly.
At Mansa Khurd village, people appreciated his role during the farmer agitation. “It was leaders like Lakha Bai (brother) who organised the ‘kisani andolan’ that made the ‘Modi sarkar’ bend on the contentious farm laws. We want a representative like him,” said a group of young voters.
Sidhana appeals to villagers to read newspapers and pool funds to open libraries. “Tusi lok galiyan-naliyan di repair nu hee tarakki samajh rahe hon. Khatam honde paniyan di te gandi hondi hawa di gull kyun ni karde. Partiyan te voter de agende te eh mudde kyun nahin honde,” he said, adding that he doubts if the electors are mature enough to understand these issues.
‘People know I stand for them’
Sidhana boasts of leading people fighting the mafia in the private healthcare and education sectors.
“Police complaints were filed when I made the doctors to not charge exorbitantly from the poor. Similarly, I resolved matrimonial disputes where innocent women were harassed by their in-laws,” he says with a smile. In the same breath, he doesn’t shy away from discussing his criminal past. Sidhana named a prominent politician from Bathinda district for pushing him into the world of organised crime and “political violence”. “I suffered three bullet injuries during electioneering about a decade ago. After having a brush with death, I realised my blunder. I deeply regret my criminal past. I bade goodbye to it,” he tells this reporter at Sandoha before heading for his next stopover.
