Jalandhar West bypoll: SAD withdraws support to its pick Surjit Kaur, says part of rebel group

Fifteen candidates are left in the fray for the bypoll to the Jalandhar West reserved assembly segment in Punjab, officials said on Wednesday, on the last day of the withdrawal of papers

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Wednesday withdrew support to its candidate Surjit Kaur for Jalandhar West bypoll leaving her high and dry just weeks ahead of the polling on July 13. The Akali Dal withdrew the support to the two-time municipal councillor, claiming that she belongs to the rebel group which has revolted against the party president Sukhbir Singh Badal.

The bypoll to the Jalandhar West assembly constituency will be held on July 10, and votes will be counted on July 13.

The district party leader said that the decision was taken after consulting Sukhbir and the party will now extend support to the candidate of other political outfit.

However, Surjit will contest on Akali Dal’s symbol as the deadline for withdrawal ended on Wednesday.

“No SAD leader, including the party president, will campaign for Surjit Kaur during the bypoll. Sukhbir Badal agreed to withdraw support as her (Surjit Kaur) candidature was announced by the rebel group, which is seeking the party president’s resignation. She was named as a candidate without consulting local leadership,” claimed Kulwant Singh Mannan, who is Akali Dal’s Jalandhar urban president.

“We approached Surjit Kaur on Wednesday and asked her to withdraw her candidature but she refused. We even approached the returning officer to withdraw Akali Dal’s symbol but were informed that it couldn’t be done at this stage,” he said.

Surjit’s candidature was announced by the party panel, including Bibi Jagir Kaur, Gurpartap Singh Wadala, Sukhwinder Sukhi and Mohinder Singh Kaypee, on June 20, following which she filed her nomination papers a day later. The development comes a day after a group of senior leaders openly revolted against the party president, seeking his immediate resignation. The rebel group included senior SAD leaders Prem Singh Chandumajra, Sikander Singh Maluka, Bibi Jagir Kaur, Parminder Singh Dhindsa and Sarwan Singh Phillaur.

Meanwhile, former SAD MLA Gurpartap Singh Wadala, who was part of the panel that picked Surjit Kaur, said it was a shocking development.

“The party has resorted to such tactics even as the consensus was built before announcing the name of Surjit Kaur. The high command should understand that it has dented the morale of the party workers at the ground level. It is unfair to Surjit Kaur who along with her husband jathedar Pritam Singh has worked for the party for over four decades,” he said.

“We are holding a meeting with other leaders and Surjit Kaur. We will support her if she wants to contest the election after today’s development,” Wadala said.

15 candidates left in fray for bypoll

Fifteen candidates are left in the fray for the bypoll to the Jalandhar West reserved assembly segment in Punjab, officials said on Wednesday, on the last day of the withdrawal of papers.

District election officer-cum-deputy commissioner, Himanshu Aggarwal said one independent candidate, Amit Kumar, withdrew his nomination.

The candidates in the fray include Sheetal Angural of BJP, Mohinder Bhagat of AAP, Surinder Kaur of Congress, Surjit Kaur of SAD and Binder Kumar of BSP.

The bypoll to the Jalandhar West assembly constituency will be held on July 10, and votes will be counted on July 13. There are 1,71,482 eligible voters in the assembly constituency. There will be 181 polling booths for the bypoll.