Former three-time MLA Ghuriana rejoins SAD

Archit Watts
Tribune News Service
Badal (Muktsar), March 21

Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, three-time former MLA Gurtej Singh Ghuriana from Balluana assembly constituency in Fazilka district, who had joined the Congress just before Punjab Assembly elections in 2017, on Thursday rejoined the SAD.  

Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal welcomed him back to the party fold at his residence in Badal village here.

Ghuriana, who twice served as chief parliamentary secretary (CPS), had left the SAD when the party fielded his rival Parkash Singh Bhatti from Balluana in 2017 elections.

Interestingly, among others, Bhatti too was present at his rejoining the SAD today.

Bhatti even presented a ‘siropa’ (robe of honour) to Ghuriana on this occasion.

A senior SAD leader informed that Ghuriana had met party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal in August last year.

Since then the talks were underway of his rejoining the party, he said.

Notably, Ghuriana, who is in his mid-sixties, had won on the SAD ticket from Balluana in 1997, 2007 and 2012.

He had, however, lost in 2002 to Parkash Singh Bhatti (then a Congress candidate).

Before coming into active politics, Ghuriana practiced as an advocate at Malout. He was considered close to late Surinder Kaur Badal, wife of former CM Parkash Singh Badal, who had brought him into politics. He is presently residing at Abohar.