GURDASPUR LS SEAT: Setback for BJP aspirants as RSS leader joins poll race

Ravi Dhaliwal

Gurdaspur, March 19

The meeting of a prominent RSS leader, who is also a ticket aspirant from Gurdaspur, with a Union minister in New Delhi last week has not only unnerved probables here, but also triggered speculation that this time the BJP top-brass may select someone, who has strong RSS roots to contest.

Batala industrialist Paramjit Singh Gill, who is in the reckoning from the Gurdaspur seat, visited Delhi after some influential leaders in the RSS arranged his meeting with

the minister. The school of thought that is slowly gaining strength is the BJP may prefer an RSS leader this time to “maximize its advantage accruing from the consecration of the Ram Mandir.”

In all previous elections, the RSS showed little or no inclination to support a candidate for Gurdaspur. However, this time it is backing one of its own men to the hilt.

Gill joined the RSS in 2012 and, five years later, he joined the Himalaya Parivar Organisation headed by RSS pracharak and member of the Rashtriya Karyakarini (national executive) Indresh Kumar.

The Himalaya Pariwar is a prominent branch of the RSS. The thinking among both BJP and RSS leadership is that as a Jat Sikh, Gill can do well in all five Sikh-dominated seats while his links with the RSS will help him in four Hindu-dominated seats. Gurdaspur has nine Assembly seats.

Batala industrialist in reckoning

Batala industrialist Paramjit Singh Gill, who is in the reckoning from the Gurdaspur seat, visited Delhi after some influential leaders in the RSS arranged his meeting with a Union Minister.