SAD's Ayali retains Dakha, only seat AAP lost in district

Tribune News Service

Nitin Jain

Ludhiana, March 26

Dakha, a rural Assembly seat, remained an exception as it was retained by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and was the only among a total of 14 constituencies in Ludhiana district, that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) lost in the February 20 Vidhan Sabha elections.

The two-time SAD MLA, Manpreet Singh Ayali, 47, won his third election as the ruling party AAP’s first-timer Dr KNS Kang, 56, finished third in a triangular contest.

The Congress nominee, Capt Sandeep Singh Sandhu, 52, a former close aide of the former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, finished runner-up while all other seven candidates, including the one fielded by the Capt Amarinder’s Punjab Lok Congress (PLC), lost their security deposits.

Ayali, who contested his fourth Assembly election, having won two out of three in the past, polled 49,909 votes, which accounted for 34.97 per cent of the total polled votes while Capt Sandhu got 44,102 votes, constituting 30.9 per cent vote share. Dr Kang secured 42,994 votes, accounting for 30.12 per cent vote share.

Those, who lost their security deposits by failing to get even the minimum required 16.67 per cent vote share, included Capt Amarinder’s former OSD Damanjit Singh Mohie of the PLC, Harpreet Singh Makhu of the Sanyukt Sangharsh Party (SSP), Simrandeep Singh of the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), Karamjit Singh of the Peoples Party of India (Democratic), Dr Devinder Singh Gill of the Aam Lok Party United (ALPU), and two Independents Jagdeep Singh Gill and Neetu Chhatranwala.

Know your MLA

Manpreet Singh Ayali, 47, is one of the total three SAD candidates, who won the Assembly polls in Punjab this time. He had won his maiden election in 2012 and had lost in 2017 to AAP’s Harvinder Singh Phoolka, whose resignation in 2018 had necessitated the by-poll in 2019, which also Ayali had won.

Having passed BA (First year) from the Government College, Ludhiana, Ayali was elected sarpanch of Ayali Khurd village in 2008 and had remained president of Cooperative Society, Ayali Khurd, from 1999 to 2009, chairman of Zila Parishad, Ludhiana, from 2007 to 2013, and member of the Punjab Pollution Control Board from 2008 to 2013. He was awarded as best Zila Parishad Chairman, Ludhiana, in 2013.

An agriculturist-turned-realtor, Ayali is taking forward the legacy of his father Gurcharanjit Singh, who also remained sarpanch of their native Ayali Khurd village for 15 years.

He is also recipient of a national award conferred by former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh for his novel project to treat waste water through village ponds.

A player of basketball, which he played at the state level, Ayali has been elected the leader of the SAD legislature party in the present Vidhan Sabha.

“I am committed to provide better health, education, employment and sports facilities to my area people,” the new MLA said, while underlining the dire need to tackle unemployment on a priority basis.

Ayali added that his re-election despite the AAP tsunami that had swept the entire state, including Ludhiana district, had validated his selfless public service, which he vowed to continue in future as well.

Past trend

Dakha has remained a stronghold of the Parkash Singh Badal-led Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). While the SAD had so far represented this seat for a maximum of 10 times since its inception in 1967, the Congress had won from here thrice and the AAP once.

Manpreet Singh Ayali of the SAD had won Dakha in 2022, 2019, and 2012, Harvinder Singh Phoolka of the AAP in 2017, Darshan Singh Shivalik of the SAD in 2007, Malkiat Singh Dakha of the Congress in 2002 and 1992, Bikramjit Singh of the SAD in 1997, Basant Singh Khalsa of the SAD in 1985, 1980, 1972, and 1969, Charanjit Singh of the SAD in 1977, and J Singh of the Congress was elected from here in 1967.

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