Gurmeet Khudian from Muktsar front runner for chairman’s post

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, July 16

As the Congress government has started the long-awaited process of appointing chairpersons of various boards and corporations, Gurmeet Singh Khudian, former president of the District Congress Committee, Muktsar, is being considered as the front runner for this state-level political post from Muktsar district.

Gurmeet Khudian, son of ex-MP Jagdev Singh Khudian, was earlier in the race for the party’s ticket from the Lambi Assembly segment, but at the last moment Capt Amarinder Singh announced to contest the elections himself in 2017. At that time Khudian had to content himself with filing the nominations as a covering candidate. Later, Khudian was replaced by Harcharan Singh ‘Sotha’ Brar as the president of the District Congress Committee.

Since then Khudian and his supporters have been feeling isolated. Some Congress activists have even made an appeal on public platforms to the core team members of Capt Amarinder Singh and PCC chief Sunil Kumar Jakhar to adjust Khudian.

A senior Congress leader said Capt Amarinder Singh was learnt to have even given the green signal to the name of Khudian and the announcement may be made anytime soon. “Earlier, we were hopeful that the announcement will be made before July 15 about the name of Gurmeet Khudian, but then the CM went to Delhi. His name is most likely in the list of the first 15 chairpersons,” said the Congress leader.

Notably, Khudian had not just actively campaigned for Capt Amarinder in Lambi in the run-up to the elections held in 2017, but was also considered close to Raninder Singh (Amarinder’s son). Further, he is reportedly not facing much opposition from within the party.

Even during the Lok Sabha elections, Khudian had applied for the party ticket from the Bathinda parliamentary constituency, but the party fielded Gidderbaha MLA Amrinder Singh Raja Warring. Despite this, Khudian, along with his family members, had supported Warring from the first day of his campaign in Lambi.

When asked Gurmeet Singh Khudian said, “I have not demanded anything from the party. Whatever the party leadership decides, I will accept that happily and try my best.”