Mohinder Singh Kaypee may switch to Akali Dal today

Deepkamal Kaur

Jalandhar, April 21

SAD chief Sukhbir Badal is expected to visit the residence of ex-Congress MP and former PCC chief Mohinder Singh Kaypee, who is likely to join the Akali Dal tomorrow. He may be announced as the party candidate from Jalandhar.

Party insiders said Sukhbir was scheduled to visit his place at 3 pm. The move is set to give the party a boost as Kaypee is closely associated with the Dera Radha Soami Satsang, Beas, which has a sizeable following in the region.

A party leader quipped, “He will be three-in-one for us. He will contest the Lok Sabha poll. He can also be fielded from Jalandhar West from where MLA Sheetal Angural has quit AAP to join the BJP. He will also help bring the party on track in Adampur, where it suffered a loss since ex-MLA Pawan Tinu’s departure to the Aam Aadmi Party.”

Kaypee’s joining SAD will hit Channi as the latter’s nephew Manraj Singh is wedded to Kaypee’s daughter Karishma. Also if Kaypee enters the battlefield, as is being expected, there will be three candidates with Congress connection fighting against one another. BJP candidate and sitting MP Sushil Rinku was in the Congress till last year.

Another than Kaypee, those in queue have been Jalandhar ex-SSP Harmohan Singh, who had joined SAD but quit it to join the BSP to contest from Chamkaur Sahib against Charanjit Channi in 2022. He is reportedly keen to rejoin the Akali Dal. Baba Pargat Nath, dera head of Valmiki Ashram, had also met Sukhbir two days back during his Jalandhar tour to seek ticket for a Valmiki leader.