Akalis get ready for Maghi rally, Congress, AAP yet to take call

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, December 16

The SAD has started preparations for a political conference on Maghi Mela even as the Congress and AAP are yet to decide on holding their events here on January 14.

SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal is scheduled to visit this historic town on December 22 to hold a meeting and assign duties to SAD workers. The venue of the SAD rally, which is an SGPC ground on Malout road here, is being given a fresh look. The ground is being levelled and walls whitewashed.

On the other hand, the Congress and AAP are so far undecided about their political conferences.

District Congress president Harcharan Singh Brar ‘Sotha’ said, “As of now, there is no communication from the party chief about a political conference on Maghi Mela. I don’t think the party will hold a conference. Our senior party leaders have already said there would be no political conference on any religious occasion.”

AAP leader Jagdeep Singh ‘Kaka’ Brar, who is incharge of Muktsar constituency, said, “I have not yet got any message from senior party leaders about a political event. Last year too, we had not held a conference here.”

Notably, the SAD (Badal), SAD (Amritsar) and the Insaaf Team (a group of some youngsters) had held their political conferences on Maghi Mela last year but the events had largely remained free from politics. The situation is likely to remain same this year.

Last year, the Congress had, however, sent a delegation of senior party leaders, including some Cabinet ministers, to pay obeisance at the historic gurdwara on the Maghi day, which falls on a day after Lohri.

Meanwhile, the administration and the police have started making arrangements for security and entertainment at the annual fair.