Now, Sikander Singh Maluka asks SAD to bring in ‘one family, one ticket’ norm

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 30

Digging in heels over denial of ticket to his son, former minister and senior SAD leader Sikander Singh Maluka today said the party should pass a resolution against issuing ticket two candidates from one family, barring the Badals.

Also read: Field ex-minister Sikander Singh Maluka from Maur seat: Akali activists

“I am not talking about the Badal family. Their case is different. But if only one ticket is given to either my son or I for the Punjab Assembly 2022 elections, then the party should pass a ‘one family, one ticket’ resolution,” Maluka told The Tribune.

Workers’ support crucial

We can win Maur or any other constituency with the support of ground-level workers. If they are upset, other parties, even if they seem to be divided, may register win. —Sikander Singh Maluka, SAD leader

A day after the SAD president announced Maluka’s candidature from Rampura Phul constituency, he remains firm that his son will contest the elections from that constituency. Neither party president Sukhbir Singh Badal nor patron Parkash Singh Badal has reached out to him so far. The issue may come up for discussion in the party’s core-committee meeting tomorrow in Chandigarh. Maluka said he would attend the core-committee meeting tomorrow but would not raise the issue there. “I have no plans to raise the issue in the core-committee meeting,” he said.

A bitter Maluka said the party told him to work in Maur but for the past few days, ex-MP Jagmeet Brar suddenly became active there. “I have been active in politics for 45 years. The party leadership told me to focus on the Maur constituency a year ago and my son was working for the party in Rampura Phul since then. It was clear to all that he will contest from Rampura Phul. Now, without even taking us in confidence, the party announced my candidature from that seat.”

Maluka also sounded a warning to the party leadership that victory in the coming elections should not be taken for granted. “We can win in Maur or any other constituency with the support of ground-level workers. If they are upset, then other parties, even if those who seem badly divided, can still win.”

Jagmeet Brar, an ex-Congress MP had joined the Akalis in April 2019, after a political party floated by him failed to any impact. SAD MP from Bathinda Harsimrat Kaur Badal is learnt to be backing his candidature from Maur.

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