IAS batchmates to clash swords in Fatehgarh Sahib

Surinder Bhardwaj

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Fatehgarh Sahib, April 6

Congress workers and leaders celebrated the announcement of the party ticket to Dr Amar Singh, retired IAS officer, for the Fatehgarh Sahib (reserved) parliamentary constituency.

A keen contest is on the cards between two retired batchmate bureaucrats — Cong candidate Dr Amar Singh, who retired as Principal Secretary to the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, and SAD-BJP candidate Darbara Singh Guru, retired Principal Secretary to former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

The Punjab Democratic Alliance (PDA) has fielded engineer Manvinder Singh Giaspura and the AAP has given the ticket to Baljinder Singh Chonda.

Dr Amar Singh is considered to be a close aide of Digvijay Singh, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and senior Congress leader.

The Fatehgarh Sahib (reserved) parliamentary constituency may be the only constituency where highly qualified candidates will contest. The parliamentary constituency comprises nine Assembly constituencies — Fatehgarh Sahib, Bassi Pathana and Amloh of Fatehgarh Sahib district, Khanna, Sahnewal, Samrala, Payal and Raikot of Ludhiana district and Amargarh of Sangrur district. There are 14,74,947 voters. Among the reserved category voters, the Ramdasia community has 80 per cent share, whereas Balmikis 20 per cent. That’s why both the main parties preferred Ramdasia candidates.

HAD PLAYED KEY ROLE IN NREGA

• A physician by training, Dr Amar Singh opted for the IAS. He was born into a family of landless Dalits from Boparai Kalan in Ludhiana district. 
• On completing MBBS from Government Medical College, Amritsar, he made it to the Punjab Civil Medical Services (PCMS) and worked as a doctor in Samrala. 
• As an IAS officer, he served as Secretary to Madhya Pardesh CM for 10 years. He played a key role in the formulation of NREGA and National Rural Livelihood Mission during his stint with the Ministry of Rural Development. He also had a role in the formulation of the National Food Security Act.