Bypoll jolts Waris Punjab De hopes

Akali Dal Waris Punjab De, a party headed by jailed Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha MP Amritpal Singh, won the Panthic halqa of Khadoor Sahib, which includes the Tarn Taran assembly segment, with a thumping majority.

Collectively, the Akali Dal Waris Punjab De, SAD faction headed by former Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh and the SAD group led by Simranjit Singh Mann endorsed the candidature of Mandeep Singh, who is the brother of Sandeep Singh Sunny, main accused in the 2022 daylight murder of Shiv Sena leader Sudhir Suri who attacked three ex-cops, killing one and injuring two others inside Patiala jail on September 10.

He ended up third in the bypoll with 19,620 votes while Amritpal had gained a lead of about 24,000 votes over his nearest opponent only a year ago from the segment.

Considered a staunch Panthic seat, it went to a candidate of the secular political outfit AAP, while SAD (B), known as a moderate Sikh party, stood second.

Jasbir Singh, a resident, said after the Lok Sabha election, people did not find a leader to connect with, report their grievances and raise their demands which they normally expect from an elected MP. This caused a vacuum.

Leaders of the Akali Dal Waris Punjab De did not address the problem either as they did not even open an office in Khadoor Sahib.

“The electorate’s love for Panthic values and traditions are strong. They did not exercise their franchise for any religious goal this time. Development and contest of political personalities were prime poll factors in this by-poll,” they pointed out.

Political analysts are of the view that the Akali Dal Waris Punjab De did not appoint leaders at the grassroots level and focused on cadre building in villages which weakened its control over the electorate.

According to them, different Panthic factions, endorsing the candidature of Mandeep Singh, failed to present a united face to the voters. They even opened separate offices, held rallies and roadshows separately. On November 9, Akali Dal Waris Punjab De and the former Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh-headed Akali Dal carried out separate roadshows. Mandeep Singh participated in the roadshow of Akali Dal Waris Punjab De but did not take part in other public gatherings.