SAD wants Central forces in Patiala, Faridkot

The Shiromani Akali Dal on Wednesday urged the Election Commission to deploy Central observers in all the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls, and also demanded Central forces in Patiala and Faridkot.

"The Election Commission should intervene without delay as we (SAD) apprehend misuse of power and official machinery by the ruling Congress in Punjab," SAD general secretaries Kirpal Singh Badungar and Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal told the four-member EC team during its interaction with political parties here.

Grewal said that the EC should deploy central forces in Patiala and Faridkot constituencies immediately.

Citing the reason behind the SAD demand, he alleged that the ruling Congress would misuse official machinery to secure victory of party candidate and chief minister's wife Praneet Kaur in Patiala.

While Kaur is pitted against SAD's Kanwaljit Singh in Patiala, Sukhbir Singh Badal will fight former Punjab Chief Minister's daughter-in-law Karan Brar (Cong) in Faridkot.