Buoyed by Tarn Taran bypoll result, SAD buckles up for rural contest

To keep the momentum going after finishing runner-up in the recently held Tarn Taran Assembly bypoll, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal has directed his party district leaders to field their strongest loyalists – including influential families – in the zila parishad and panchayat samiti polls scheduled for December 14.

In Muktsar, the party has fielded Manjinder Singh Bittu, son of former Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh, in the zila parishad election from the Udekaran zone.

In Bathinda, it has brought in Bhai Gurjinder Singh from Bhucho zone for the zila parishad election.

Gurjinder is younger brother of Bhai Sukhdeep Singh Sidhu, who served as an OSD to Sukhbir during the latter’s tenure as the deputy CM. Gurjinder recently got the best sarpanch award for turning around his native Bhucho Khurd village.

A more surprising pick is Harblas Singh Jasseana, a youth leader from Muktsar district who was once considered close to gangster Goldy Brar during his student days.

He will contest the panchayat samiti election from the Gulabewala zone.

The party has also fielded some Youth Akali Dal (YAD) office-bearers in Mansa, Patiala and Amritsar.

To keep the cadre energised, Sukhbir held long meetings at his Badal village residence and touring up to four or five districts a day.

“On Monday, he covered Muktsar, Ludhiana, Faridkot and Barnala districts. He is the only leader in Punjab who can criss-cross the state like this daily,” a senior SAD leader claimed. He added that a large number of people have been joining the SAD and more are expected in the coming days.

Meanwhile, AAP had fielded Kala Singh, father of Punjabi singer Sabba Marar Kalan, for the panchayat samiti election from the Marar Kalan zone in Muktsar district, but he backtracked today.

Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring also spent two days in his home district Muktsar, holding several meetings, inducting some AAP leaders into the party.

The BJP is also working hard on the ground, sending its former cabinet ministers in every district to hold meetings with party leaders and workers. Surjit Kumar Jyani and Manpreet Singh Badal recently held an election meeting in Muktsar.