Defiance costs Bolaria Youth Akali Dal Majha post

Chief parliamentary secretary and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MLA from Amritsar (south) Inderbir Bolaria’s open defiance of the party leadership on the Bhagtanwala dump issue has led to his removal from the post of Youth Akali Dal (YAD)’s Majha zone incharge.

Chief parliamentary secretary and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MLA from Amritsar (south) Inderbir Bolaria’s open defiance of the party leadership on the Bhagtanwala dump issue has led to his removal from the post of Youth Akali Dal (YAD)’s Majha zone incharge.

Inderbir Singh Bolaria (with mic) with Bhagtanwala residents.(HT FILE PHOTO)

The SAD has chosen Ravikaran Singh Kahlon, son of former Assembly speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon, in Bolaria’s place.

Two-time MLA, Bolaria had raised a banner of revolt against the party leadership when he insisted that the garbage dump must be shifted from Bhagtanwala in his constituency and the proposed solid waste management plant must also be set up elsewhere.

However, the SAD leadership, including deputy CM and party president Sukhbir Singh Badal, paid no heed to Bolaria’s plea.

Sat on dharna with locals

After sitting on dharna along with locals, Bolaria repeatedly said the people of Bhagtanwala were facing serious health issues due to the garbage dump, which was his only concern.

Sukhbir, along with MC officers and his party leaders of Amritsar south constituency who were opposed to Bolaria, visited the dump and insisted that it would stay at Bhagtanwala, and so would the solid waste plant.

But Bolaria, along with locals, continued with the protests leading to intensifying the tussle between Bolaria and the party leadership.

For the past year, Bolaria, once close to SAD general secretary Bikram Majithia and even Sukhbir, had fallen out of favour and after raising the banner of revolt had joined the camp of food and civil supplies minister Adesh Partap Singh Kairon.

Expulsion rumours were rife

Earlier in the day, there were rumours that Bolaria had been expelled from the SAD. However, later it was confirmed that he had only been removed from the YAD post.

Bolaria’s reaction to the rumour was, “If they have done so, it is unfortunate as I had raised my voice about the concerns of people of my constituency who had twice elected me. I have always raised people’s voice and will continue to do so.