Barnala’s grandson may contest as Independent

Sarbjit Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 19

The family of former Chief Minister Surjit Singh Barnala is keeping its option open of fielding Simar Partap Singh Barnala as an Independent candidate from the Dhuri Assembly constituency.

Simar Partap is the grandson of Surjit Singh Barnala.

“We are in New Delhi to remind the Congress leadership of its promise to allocate two tickets to us,” said Gaganjeet Singh Barnala, the father of Simar Partap.

The Congress has not given ticket to the Barnala family in its first list of 61 candidates.

Simar Partap Singh, who had applied for the Congress ticket, is keen to contest from Dhuri. But the Congress has opted for Youth Congress leader Dalvir Singh Goldy.

Last year, Simar Partap had contested byelections to Dhuri on the Congress ticket. He had lost to SAD’s Gobind Singh Longowal.

“We will do whatever our supporters direct us to do,” Gaganjeet said, adding the option to contest from Dhuri as an Independent candidate was open.

Former minister Baldev Singh Mann, who is close to the Barnala family, could contest as an Independent candidate either from Sunam or Sangrur, he said.

The Shiromani Akali Dal (Longowal) headed by Surjit Kaur Barnala, the wife of Surjit Singh Barnala, was merged in the Congress a few months ago.

“We will meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi to convey to them that the party has played foul with us and, in future, no one will trust it,” Gaganjeet said.

He said several Congress workers, including office-bearers, from Dhuri were in New Delhi to lodge their protest against denial of ticket to Simar Partap.