LS polls: Dhindsas unwilling, SAD banks on Jhundan from Sangrur

CHANDIGARH : With Rajya Sabha MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and his son and former state minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa expressing their unwillingness to contest the Lok Sabha polls from Sangrur, the Shiromani Akali Dal is now banking on low-profile face, Iqbal Singh Jhundan, a twotime former MLA.

Senior Dhindsa had resigned from all party posts in September last year citing health issues, pushing the Akali Dal into a crisis that snowballed into a fullfledged revolt by taksali leaders Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, Rattan Singh Ajnala and Sewa Singh Sekhwan against the leadership of Sukhbir Singh Badal. The party later had expelled the three Majha veterans after they refused to relent. The three later formed a breakaway faction — Shiromani Akali Dal (Taksali).

Despite Dhindsa having lost consequently from the Sangrur seat in 2009 and 2014 to Congress’ Vijay Inder Singla and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’S Bhagwant Mann, the party was considering the veteran and his son as its best bet from the constituency.

He won from the segment in 2004. He was nominated as Rajya Sabha MP in 2010 and 2016.

The party also offered Parminder, who was finance minister in the previous SAD-BJP government, but he too is learnt to have declined. “Neither me nor Parminder will contest from Sangrur seat. There’s no point for him to contest the parliamentary polls. If he wins, the Lehragaga assembly constituency will fall vacant,” Dhindsa told HT.

Jhundan, who currently is the party’s district president, won in 2007 and 2012 from the Dhuri and Amargarh assembly segments. “I have no desire to contest the LS elections, but I will not refuse whatever responsibility party gives me,” Jhundan said.

When during the constituency-level meetings with party workers Sukhbir gathered feedback on the possible candidate for the LS polls, Jhundan emerged as a strong contender. Besides, the Badals also trust him.

The family of Surjeet Singh Barnala, a former Punjab CM who also was governor of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Uttarakhand and joined the SAD (Badal), is also keen on pitching one of its members from the constituency on party ticket. They merged their party SAD (Longowal) with SAD.

“Why shouldn’t we be keen to contest? The final decision lies with the party president,” said Barnala’s son Gaganjit Singh Barnala, who is a general secretary of SAD. Barnala’s wife Surjeet Kaur and grandson Simarpartap Singh are learnt to be in the race for ticket.