Major blow for SAD at Badal village

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Tribune News Service

Badal (Muktsar), December 30

The Shiromani Akali Dal on Sunday got a major jolt as Udayveer Singh Dhillon, a relative of former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, lost the election of sarpanch to Jabarjang Singh ‘Mukha’, a Congress-backed candidate, at Badal village here.

Notably, relatives of Badals had campaigned in his favour. Even the Badal family and their relatives, who otherwise live in Chandigarh, had come to cast their votes in his favour.

Udayveer (30), BCom (Hons) from Delhi, belongs to a landlord family. His grandfather has remained the village sarpanch for 10 years. However, the other candidate, 48-year-old Mukha, who is just Class XII pass, owns just about 3.5 acres in the village.

Mukha was having the support of Congress leader Maheshinder Singh Badal, who has unsuccessfully contested the Assembly elections against Parkash Singh Badal.

Some locals (pleading anonymity) said though Udayveer belonged to a rich family, people had doubts that he would not stay at the village.

“We need sarpanch for day-to-day works, but feared that Udayveer would rush away to Chandigarh after winning the polls,” some locals said.

Sources said four out of total nine members elected for village panchayat were backed by the Congress.

Jabarjang Singh Mukha won with 376 votes. There were three candidates in the fray for the post of sarpanch.