CHANDIGARH, Punjab—The Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) ad-hoc panel senior vice-president Didar Singh Nalvi has announced to openly support the Congress party in the upcoming Assembly elections in the state.
While speaking with the press, Nalvi said, “The HSGMC has agreed to back the Congress principally in the elections as the party kept its promise of forming a separate gurdwara body for the state.” He added that “The HSGMC is likely to call a meeting of its members within a couple of days to discuss the strategy for campaign.”
HSGMC president Jagdish Singh Jhinda said, “The Congress fulfilled the long-pending demand of the Haryana Sikhs at a time when some parties did their best to desist the formation of the separate committee. The HSGMC will factor in this point before taking a stand. We are awaiting the announcement of elections,” he said.
The state has sizable population of Sikhs, numbering nearly 200,000 and they can play a key role in multi-cornered contests. As per experts, Sikh voters could influence in nearly 30 Assembly segments of Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Ambala and Karnal, and Sirsa districts.
