Not a cakewalk for 3 sitting MPs in Malwa, all eyes on Bathinda
SAD candidate Harsimrat in Bathinda, Congress’ Ferozepur nominee Ghubaya and AAP’s Sadhu Singh from Faridkot are facing a tough challenge to retain their respective seats
BATHINDA: Three sitting MPs in Malwa region are facing a tough electoral battle in the state, which goes to polls in the seventh and final phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Sunday.
These sitting MPs are Union minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) candidate Harsimrat Kaur Badal in Bathinda, Congress candidate Sher Singh Ghubaya in Ferozepur and AAP candidate Sadhu Singh in Faridkot (SC).
During the campaign, the ruling Congress and the opposition AAP focused on 2015 sacrilege incidents of Guru Granth Sahib while the SAD-BJP banked on the Modi factor, besides raising the 1984 riots issue against the Congress. Developmental issues were given a lesser importance by all parties.
Harsimrat, her husband and SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, and party patriarch Parkash Singh Badal remained the direct target of the Congress on the issue of sacrilege and police firing in which two protesters were killed.
On the defensive, the SAD raised the old issues of Operation Bluestar and 1984 anti-Sikh riots to corner the Congress.
Harsimrat, who is seeking to get re-elected for the third time in a row, is facing a tough challenge from Amrinder Singh Raja Warring of the Congress. Warring, 41, is a sitting MLA from Gidderbaha seat. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and star campaigner Navjot Singh Sidhu campaigned in Bathinda to boost Warring’s prospects.
A political turncoat, Sukhpal Singh Khaira, is the candidate of Punjab Ekta Party (PEP) in the constituency. An AAP MLA from Bolath, Khaira had quit the party in January this year after differences with its central leadership and formed PEP.
His campaigning was limited to rural areas of Bathinda to garner the support of the AAP rebels, and supporters of allies, including the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Left parties.
AAP’s Baljinder Kaur also focused on the villages in the constituency. On Saturday, Harsimrat and Sukhbir paid obeisance at Golden Temple while Raja Warring and his wife Amrita Warring paid a visit to Gurdwara Qila Mubarak Sahib in Bathinda.
GHUBAYA TAKES ON EX-BOSS SUKHBIR
In Ferozepur, sitting SAD MP Ghubaya is now contesting on the Congress ticket. Ghubaya represented the seat for two consecutive terms.
He is facing tough opposition from his former political boss and SAD president Sukhbir Badal. The Akali Dal’s ally BJP also wields a sizeable influence in the border area of Ferozepur.
Ghubaya is also facing opposition from within the Congress as his candidature has not been accepted by a section of party leaders.
However, the Congress leadership is targeting Sukhbir over the sacrilege incidents.
UPHILL TASK FOR SADHU SINGH
Similarly, it will not be cakewalk for Sadhu Singh in Faridkot (SC), who is the sitting AAP MP in the constituency.
He is pitted against Mohammad Sadique of the Congress and veteran Akali leader Gulzar Singh Ranike. Congress president Rahul Gandhi had campaigned for Sadique and AAP national Arvind Kejriwal took out a roadshow in support of Sadhu Singh.
However, Ranike’s electioneering remained a low-key affair due to the sacrilege issue weighing against the Akali Dal.
The sacrilege incidents took place in Faridkot constituency, which led to police firing in Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura.
The Congress made all efforts to corner the SAD over the issue in Faridkot. During his Bargari rally, Rahul promised strong action against the culprits of sacrilege.