This seat doesn’t repeat, MP Mann faces a tough test

State AAP chief has an uphill task to defend the seat as the constituency has repeated its sitting MP only once in five decades

Known as the breeding ground for leftist and then Dalit rights movements, the Sangrur Lok Sabha constituency, a onetime stronghold of Akalis, has been springing surprises from time to time.

The seat, which was won by Bhagwant Mann of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), a newbie party contesting its first election in Punjab, by a record, seems set to witness a tough fight in the upcoming elections. Mann has been campaigning from the time the AAP announced his candidature in October 2018.

Former Sangrur MP and Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) chief Simranjit Singh Mann has also thrown his hat in the ring, but the Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), the two main players in state politics, are still to name their candidates. However, Mann faces a stiff challenge as the parliamentary constituency has repeated its sitting MP only once in five decades. Former chief minister Surjit Singh Barnala of the SAD had won the seat in 1996 and 1998.

But it has sprung surprises in Balwant Singh Ramoowalia and Simranjit Singh Mann, who bagged the seat in 1985 and 1999, respectively. The victory of Bhagwant Mann, who trounced veteran SAD leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa by a record 2.11 lakh votes, had also taken everyone by surprise. “People are with me here. I don’t think I am going to face a tough fight,” he insists.

The Congress is seeing an intense race for the ticket. Public works minister Vijay Inder Singla, former chief minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, former Barnala MLA Kewal Singh Dhillon and Jaswinder Singh Dhiman, the son of Amargarh MLA Surjit Singh Dhiman, are among the ticket-seekers. Singla had won the seat in 2009.

The SAD, which won this seat more times than any other party since 1967, suffered a jolt when Dhindsa recently quit all party posts and announced that no member of his family will fight the upcoming elections. Amid speculation that the party may field his son, Lehra legislator Parminder Singh Dhindsa, the Rajya Sabha MP told his son not to enter the fray as public mood was not in favour of the party.

Former minister Baldev Singh Mann, former Amargarh legislator Iqbal Singh Jhundan and Akali Dal spokesperson Winnerjit Singh Goldy are among the other Akali leaders whose names are doing the rounds.

Former Dhuri MLA Gaganjit Singh Barnala is also seeking the party ticket for himself or his son Simarpartap Singh. Both Congress and SAD are still to reveal their cards.