Khadoor Sahib bypoll: Bhai Baldeep Singh''s papers rejected, out of race

KHADOOR SAHIB: The candidature of independent aspirant Bhai Baldeep Singh, an AAP rebel, in the Khadoor Sahib byelection was rejected by the Election Commission on Thursday, leaving the ground open for the SAD, as the Congress had yesterday announced its decision to stay away from the contest.

AAP rebel Bhai Baldeep Singh. — Tribune file photo

GS Paul
Tribune News Service
Khadoor Sahib, January 28

The candidature of independent aspirant Bhai Baldeep Singh, an AAP rebel, in the Khadoor Sahib byelection was rejected by the Election Commission on Thursday, leaving the ground open for the SAD, as the Congress had yesterday announced its decision to stay away from the contest.

The nomination papers of Bhai Baldeep Singh, who had applied as an Independent candidate, were rejected today on the grounds that he could not furnish proof of being a voter in Punjab, a legal requirement.

Also read: Capt elects to give bypoll go-by

Bhai Baldeep Singh is a registered voter in Delhi. He had recently submitted an application to cancel his vote in Delhi and had applied for it in his home town Sultanpur Lodhi.

Only a voter in Punjab can contest Assembly elections in the state. As Bhai Baldeep Singh could not produce the required proof, Returning Officer and Sub-Divisional Magistrate Ravinder Singh had issued a notice to Singh to produce the required documents by 11 am today, which he failed to do.

A classical musician, who unsuccessfully contested the parliamentary elections from Khadoor Sahib on the AAP ticket in 2014, Bhai Baldeep Singh had support of other rebel AAP leaders, including MPs Dharamveera Gandhi, Harinder Singh Khalsa and Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav.

Dubbing the developments illegal action at the behest of the ruling SAD-BJP government, Bhai Baldeep Singh said: “This is illegal and undemocratic vendetta on the part of the SAD, for whom I was the biggest threat.”

The development would work in favour of SAD candidate Ravinder Singh Brahmpura, as he would now be faced with virtualy no competition in the contest for the Khadoor Sahib Assembly seat.

Now only Congress rebel Bhupinder Singh Bittu, a former market committee chairman and close confidantof senior Congress leader Partap Singh, and another AAP rebel Sumel Singh Sidhu, who was the first convener of AAP in Punjab, are the serious contenders left in the contest.

Others in the fray include Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate Puran Singh Sheikh and Majhabi Sikh Balmiki Morcha candidate Sukhdev Singh Khosla.