Trouble for Jassi as local Congmen revolt

Nikhila Pant Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, January 15

Sukhraj Singh Natt, Bhupinder Singh Gora and Balkar Sidhu – all Congress ticket hopefuls from Maur constituency – today united against Harminder Singh Jassi, who has been given the ticket from the constituency.

They gave the party high command time till January 17 to cancel Jassi’s ticket.

After forming a 21-member committee, the trio hinted that one of them – in all probability Natt – could file nomination as an independent candidate from the constituency on January 18 against “parachute candidate Jassi”.

Bhupinder Singh Gora addressed a public meeting at Titarsar Gurdwara.

Addressing the supporters, Sukhraj Singh Natt said, “I have been working for the Congress in Maur for the past 15 years, Gora has been working for the past five years and Balkar Sidhu has been working for the past one year. Jassi has not undertaken any party activity in the constituency all these years. I worked hard to assemble Congress supporters for party’s Badlav Rally whereas Jassi only jostled for space on the stage.”

Maintaining that they were against Jassi’s candidature, Gora said, “Even if the party gives the ticket to a labourer or a landowner from the constituency, we will support the candidate. The candidate should be a resident of Maur and should be easily accessible. Jassi’s candidature is bereft of these conditions.”

Natt said the party had been meting out step-motherly treatment to Congress leaders from the constituency and this was proven by the choice of candidates from the area – Mangat Rai Bansal and Narinder Bhuleria.

“Both contested elections unsuccessfully from Maur and never came back to the constituency to raise the image of the party in the eyes of the voters,” Natt added.

He said Jassi was given the ticket only because of his close relation with Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim.

“If the Dera comes out publicly and asks its followers to support the Congress, we will extend our support to Jassi. He must prove that the factor on the basis of which he got the ticket is helpful to the party,” he said.

Announcing a committee to brainstorm over the matter, Natt said, “January 18 is the last date of filing nomination papers. In case our demand is not heeded, one of us could contest as an independent candidate.”

Natt was also denied Congress ticket in the 2007 elections. He had contested as an independent candidate from the then Joga constituency, which also comprised of Maur.

While SAD’s candidate Jagdeep Singh Nakai had won the seat, Natt was a close second and Congress candidate Narender Bhuleria came third.