Jalandhar likely to see contest between Atwal, Chaudhary

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, February 25

The Lok Sabha contest for the Jalandhar parliamentary seat is likely to be seen between SAD’s former Phillaur MP and former Vidhan Sabha speaker Charanjit Atwal (81) and sitting Congress MP Chaudhary Santokh Singh (72).

While Atwal is a Mazhabi Sikh, Chaudhary hails from the Ravidassia community that dominates the region. Atwal, who was earlier more keen on contesting from Fatehgarh Sahib, has turned towards Jalandhar ever since there has been a buzz that former AIG, Punjab Police, Harmohan Singh, is likely to get SAD ticket from Fatehgarh Sahib, from where Atwal had unsuccessfully contested in 2009.

Atwal has reportedly started canvassing from Sunday onwards. He has been touring in Phillaur and the Goraya area, which were a part of his erstwhile Phillaur Lok Sabha constituency in 2004-09. Phillaur and Goraya is also the areas where Jalandhar MP has given maximum doles in the five-year tenure to help his only son Vikramjit Chaudhary, who lost in the 2014 poll, despite now AICC president Rahul Gandhi’s rally.

Atwal was present even at the programme of Union Minister Harsimrat Badal at Sangha Farms today. The SAD is said to be planning to field Atwal, despite the fact that the party had got a beating when it fielded Sufi singer Hans Raj Hans, a Valmiki.

“While Hans tried to polarise the votes on the basis of caste, Atwal will not repeat the mistake and will take all castes together. The fact that he is a turbaned Sikh will also help,” party insiders believe.

The SAD had last time fielded sitting MLA Pawan Tinu, who this time chose not to recontest. The party was also learnt to have been contemplating on roping in BSP’s last time contender Sukhwinder Kotli, an educated and active leader from the Ravidassia community.

From the Congress side, former MP Mahinder Singh Kaypee and sitting MLA Sushil Rinku have been keen to contest.

Lok Sabha elections

While Charanjit Atwal is a Mazhabi Sikh, sitting Congress MP Chaudhary Santokh Singh hails from the Ravidassia community that dominates the region. Atwal, who was earlier more keen on contesting from Fatehgarh Sahib, has turned towards Jalandhar ever since there has been a buzz that former AIG, Punjab Police, Harmohan Singh, is likely to get SAD ticket from Fatehgarh Sahib, from where Atwal had unsuccessfully contested in 2009.