Punjab ZP polls all about expanding family footprint

Deepkamal Kaur

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, September 7

With nominations for the September 19 Punjab Zila Parishad and Block Samiti elections closing on Friday, it has turned out that it is all about kin and kinship. At least four political heavyweights are using the polls as a launching pad for their near and dear ones.

While former Akali minister Bibi Jagir Kaur has fielded her daughter Rajneet Kaur from the Nangal Lubana Zila Parishad (ZP) that is part of the Bholath Vidhan Sabha seat, Bibi’s stronghold, Congress MLA from Khadoor Sahib Ramanjit Sikki has picked his son-in-law Maninderjit Singh Mani for the Ramidi ZP. Ramidi too falls in Bholath. Sikki has been in charge of the seat since 2017. 

Congress MLA Darshan Lal Mangupur, who represents Balachaur, has fielded his son-in-law Gaurav Kumar for the Pojewal Block Samiti zone. Ex-Congress MLA Kawaljit Singh Lally has fielded his son Mehtab Singh for the Patara ZP in Adampur constituency. PPCC general secretary Rana Kuldeep Singh’s son Bhawar Rana is in fray from the Daulatpur ZP in Nawanshahr, while PPCC vice-president Rajinder Singh Johal is the party candidate for the Jandiala ZP in Jalandhar Cantonment. 

The PPCC chief, Sunil Jakhar, had sent out a message that party workers alone would be allotted the party ticket. “It was only a piece of advice,” Jakhar explained.

Bibi’s son-in-law Yuvraj Bhupinder Singh, chairman of the Nangal Lubana ZP since 2013, had contested the Bholath seat last year. Thus, he chose to field his wife for the ZP polls this time. Sikki’s son-in-law Mani, reportedly with the Akalis earlier, joined the Congress years after his marriage.  

Mangupur and his son-in-law too were with the Akalis before they shifted loyalty to the Congress ahead of the 2017 Assembly elections.

While the ruling Congress had several candidates to pick from, the Akalis reportedly faced obstacles in certain areas. Interestingly, a divided Aam Aadmi Party drew a blank almost everywhere in Doaba region, comprising Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur and Kapurthala districts.

Sajjan Singh Cheema, Aam Aadmi Party leader from Sultanpur Lodhi, blamed it on Block Development and Panchayat Officers. “They denied NOCs to 12 of our candidates at the behest of ruling party leaders,” he alleged. 

There are reports of ‘local arrangements’ having been struck in different areas. “We have joined hands with the BSP in Garhshankar,” AAP legislator Jai Kishan Rori said. None of the two parties are fighting on their symbol.  A similar alliance has been stitched in Phillaur. 

Akal Takht chief’s son in fray too

Muktsar: Despite the growing demand for the resignation of Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh for pardoning Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in a blasphemy case, the SAD leadership has fielded his son Manjinder Singh Bittu for the Zila Parishad elections. Bittu filed his nomination from Udekaran here on Friday. His wife Lakhvir Kaur was earlier a ZP member from Harike Kalan. Akali leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa had sought the Jathedar’s resignation and even urged the SGPC to remove him. The Congress has fielded Simarjeet Singh ‘Bhina’ Brar. His father Gursant Singh has been president of Muktsar District Congress. However, Bhinder Sharma, party’s Muktsar block president, too has filed his papers. TNS