Dhillon files nomination papers as SAD-BSP candidate from Sahnewal

Lovleen Bains

Sahnewal, January 28

Sharanjit Singh Dhillon filed his nomination papers as the SAD-BSP candidate from the Sahnewal constituency today. Dhillon’s wife Pawandeep Kaur, however, filed the nomination papers as a covering candidate.

The electorate should decide wisely without any external pressure. The developmental phase, through which the state had passed during the Akali regime and the deterioration thereafter, must be enough to make voters decide as to which party actually deserves a chance. — Sharanjit Singh Dhillon

As opposed to the Congress, Dhillon is the sole candidate from the party without any internal opposition. He won the Sahnewal seat in the Punjab Assembly elections in 2012 and 2017.

He was the only candidate from the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to win from Ludhiana in 2017. His victory in 2017 elections, despite an anti-incumbency move in the last elections, was seen as consistent efforts made by him during his last tenure.

Later, he was appointed as chief of the SAD in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha. Prior to this, he was chairman of the Agro Industry, Punjab, Ludhiana MP and president of the Youth Akali Dal. He also remained the PWD Minister and Irrigation Minister of Punjab. Besides ensuring sewerage and water supply in the town, a railway overbridge, sub-tehsil status, constructing roads even in remotest villages, construction of Dream Park, a model police station, Mattewara overbridge and Cycle Valley in Dhanansu are considered among his major contributions as MLA of the Sahnewal constituency.

“The choice is very clear this time. No candidate of any party has any competition with me. Congress candidate Bajwa has suddenly surfaced after a gap of nine-and-a-half years. AAP candidate Hardeep Singh Mundian has been shuttling from one party to another. SAD has been the only party, which has remained steady in Sahnewal. My victory in every election bears testimony to the fact that people love me for being rooted to the place, remaining aligned to them and rising above the party limits,” Dhillon asserted.

“The electorate should decide wisely without any external pressure. The developmental phase, through which the state had passed during the Akali regime and the deterioration thereafter must be enough to make voters decide as to which party actually deserves a chance. The Congress has a bad reputation in the Centre as well as the state. It stands as a divided party today. Its leaders are seeking majority votes within the party itself,” said Simranjit Dhillon, the Akali leaders’ son.