Chandigarh set for a triangular contest as SAD throws its hat in ring
The contenders for the ticket include SAD’s Chandigarh unit president and two-time MC councillor Hardeep Singh, former mayor Harjinder Kaur, and party’s organisation secy and spokesperson Harjeet Bhullar
City Beautiful is set to see a triangular contest in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections as the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has also thrown its hat in the ring. This would be the first time that the SAD will be fielding its candidate from the city for the Lok Sabha.
Until now, it had been backing candidates of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with whom it has been in alliance since 1996.
The SAD candidate will be up against BJP’s former Chandigarh president Sanjay Tandon and Congress’ Manish Tewari, who is currently the Anandpur Sahib MP.
As per sources, SAD’s Chandigarh unit president and two-time MC councillor Hardeep Singh, former mayor Harjinder Kaur, and party’s organisation secretary and spokesperson Harjeet Bhullar are the contenders for the ticket. Bhullar, who was previously with the BJP, had joined SAD ahead of the 2022 Punjab Vidhan Sabha elections.
Hardeep Singh said the ticket announcement will be made in the next few days. “We are fully prepared to contest the elections. In 2021, when we contested the municipal corporation (MC) elections independently, the Bharatiya Janata Party could win only 12 seats in the 35-member House,” said Hardeep Singh.
The SAD and BJP had parted ways in 2021 following differences over the now-scrapped three farm laws.
In the MC elections held in December 2021, the Congress had garnered 29.79% of the total votes, BJP had a vote share of 29.30%, AAP 27.08% while SAD managed 2.78%. Out of the 35 seats, AAP had won 14, Congress 8, BJP 12 and SAD had one seat.
The SAD had contested in 15 wards and garnered around 10,000 votes.
Last month, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal had formed an 11-member election committee to decide its candidate. Former state president of Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, Ajit Singh, has been appointed the chairman of the committee.
SAD in-charge of Chandigarh, Dr Daljeet Singh Cheema, said, “We are set to contest from Chandigarh for the first time. Our unit in Chandigarh is already preparing for it.”