Sri Hargobindpur choice leads to revolt in Akali Dal

Ravi Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Sri Hargobindpur, Dec 12

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal’s move to shift some MLAs to other Assembly segments to trump anti-incumbency has hit a roadblock in Sri Hargobindpur (reserved) seat. The local unit of the party has revolted against Manjit Singh Manna, who replaced controversial MLA Des Raj Dhugga.

Local leaders said they would not back an outsider. Manna is an MLA from Baba Bakala. He has been fielded from Sri Hargobindpur after party’s survey reports did not paint a rosy picture of him.

Leading the revolt is Mangal Singh, general secretary of SAD’s SC wing, three Zila Parishad (ZP) members and nearly 130 panchayats.

The seat comprises 11 Municipal Committee (MC) wards and 180 villages. There are four ZP members in the area, out of which HS Kahlon, Amandeep Kaur and Amarjit Singh Sekhwan have revolted. The anti-Manna lobby also has the support of Kulwant Singh Cheema, chairman of the Sri Hargobindpur market committee and brother of Education Minister Daljit Singh Cheema.

Baba Harjit Singh Bhalla, MC president who commands support of eight out of 11 councillors, said he would convene a meeting of councillors to decide the next course of action. Sources said the meeting is a formality and he is sure to join hands with dissidents.

Manna said, “The party has decided to field me from Sri Hargobindpur. I should not be blamed.”

Sources claimed he had been shifted to Sri Hargobindpur after he faced opposition in Baba Bakala. “Manna has remained a two-time MLA from Khadoor Sahib. In the previous Assembly elections, he was fielded from Baba Bakala. In view of his seniority, the party had to adjust him somewhere. The onus is on him to counter the opposition,” a senior leader said.

From the Congress, Manna might face either Namita Chowdhury, daughter of former Union Minister Santosh Chowdhury, or Balwinder Laddi, backed by Partap Singh Bajwa.