Ex-minister Jassi’s close aide meets Sukhbir, hints at joining SAD

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, December 26

Former Congress minister Harminder Singh Jassi’s close aide Iqbal Singh Babli Dhillon, who was earlier secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), met SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal along with his supporters, including a sitting councilor, on Wednesday.

This meeting has led to murmurs of Dhillon joining SAD ahead of Lok Sabha elections, despite the fact that Congress party is in power in the state and SAD is also facing heat from the people on the issue of Bargari firing and sacrilege incidents.

His joining the SAD also indicates that he might have been assured of some big post in the party and bigger responsibility in the coming days.

It is pertinent to mention that in August earlier this year, Dhillon had resigned from the party after PPCC general secretary Sandeep Singh Sandhu issued a show-cause notice to him for anti-party activities. The notice was issued on the complaint of councillors Jugraj Singh and Nirmal Kaur over holding parallel meetings in the city. The councillors had lodged a complaint with Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and PPCC chief Sunil Jakhar, recommending action against Jassi’s key aide.

They had alleged that Dhillon was holding public meetings in the name of Capt Amarinder Singh and promising people to get their works done. They had also appealed to the party workers to stay alert and not come under any wrong influence.

It is pertinent to mention that earlier, when Manpreet Badal and Jassi were in the city on the same day, both would hold separate public meetings. Jassi has not shared dais with Manpreet Badal since the latter became MLA from Bathinda (Urban).

The reason behind the bitter relation between the leaders is that Jassi had become MLA from Bathinda in 2007 and contested unsuccessfully in 2012, but in 2017, Manpreet Badal succeeded in getting the ticket from Bathinda, shifting Jassi to Maur.