Lok Sabha election: Congress likely to field ex-MLA Dimpa from Khadoor Sahib
An Akali citadel, Khadoor Sahib has been voting in favour of SAD candidates since 1977, except in 1992 when the party boycotted the elections.
In a bid to halt the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) juggernaut in Khadoor Sahib, the Congress has decided to field former MLA from Beas Jasbir Singh Dimpa from the Panthic seat. The formal announcement will be made after Holi (March 21).
Dimpa has also started campaigning in all nine assembly constituencies —Tarn Taran, Khadoor Sahib, Patti, Khemkaran, Jandiala, Baba Bakala, Zira, Kapurthala and Sultanpur Lodhi — that fall under the Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha segment.
An Akali citadel, Khadoor Sahib has been voting in favour of SAD candidates since 1977, except in 1992 when the party boycotted the elections.
“Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh has given clear-cut instructions to all MLAs of the nine assembly constituencies of Khadoor Sahib to help Dimpa win election. Earlier, the party had decided to make Dimpa’s announcement today (on Tuesday). But it was postponed as the people in our religion believe that serious decisions should not be taken during Holi festivities,” a senior Congress leader privy to the development said.
“On the directions of the CM, I have started organising public meetings in the segment and we are getting good response,” said Dimpa.
Dimpa was elected MLA from the Beas constituency, which was renamed as Baba Bakala (reserved) after delimitation, in 2002. He unsuccessfully contested the 2007 assembly polls from Beas. Dimpa’s name was also doing the rounds for the Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha constituency in 2014 but the party gave ticket to Harminder Singh Gill.
The SAD has already fielded two-time Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Bibi Jagir Kaur from the seat. SAD had to find a “suitable” Panthic face for its bastion after the party’s senior vice-president and incumbent MP Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, along with former minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan and former MP Rattan Singh Ajnala, formed a new political outfit — Shiromani Akali Dal (Taksali) in December last year.
While the Taksalis have fielded former army chief General JJ Singh from the seat, Sukhpal Singh Khaira-led Punjab Ekta Party (PEP) has given ticket to Paramjit Kaur Khalra, widow of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra.