Akalis accuse Warring of trying to bribe voters

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh/Bathinda, April 27 

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today appealed to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) to lodge an FIR against Bathinda Congress candidate Amrinder Singh Raja Warring for “trying to forcibly bribe voters”.

The party wants his immediate arrest and cancellation of his nomination.

A SAD delegation, led by party senior vice president Dr Daljit Singh Cheema, submitted a formal representation to the Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, Dr S Karuna Raju, in this regard along with video as evidence. They alleged that Warring had not only violated the model code of conduct, but also indulged in corrupt practices under Section 123 of the Representation of People’s Act, 1950, and Representation of People’s Act, 1951. It said in light of this fact, he should be arrested immediately after registration of a case against him. 

Meanwhile, Punjab Ekta Party (PEP) president and PDA candidate from Bathinda Sukhpal Singh Khaira too lodged a complaint against Warring with the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Khaira alleged that AAP worker Tinku Madaan of Budladha in Mansa was forced by Warring in the presence of a large number of Congress workers to accept Rs 50,000 to shift his loyalties to the Congress. He claimed that he had a video of the incident. 

Reacting to this, Warring has uploaded a video on Facebook in which he has stated that he don’t know Tinku Madaan. Congress leader Manju Bala took him to Tinku’s house stating that he was joining the Congress. He said, “As we reached there, Tinku started raising allegations that I have offered him money.”

The SAD delegation alleged that as per Tinku’s statement Congress leader Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti handed over the money to him following which Manju Bansal told him that it was a gift from the Chief Minister, while Warring told him, “Rakh la rakh la. Ghar aayi Lakshmi nahi morde”.

‘Charge baseless’

I don’t know the person who has levelled false allegation. A party leader took me to his house, stating that he wants to join the Congress. As we reached there, he started levelling allegations that I have offered him money Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, MLA