SANGRUR, Punjab—Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (Longowal) have finally declared to field former Punjab Chief minister Surjit Barnala’s grandson Simarpartap Barnala jointly in Dhuri by-poll. He will contest the polls on Congress’s election sign i.e. hand.
Simarpartap’s father Gaganjit Singh Barnala said that that his son would file nomination papers on March 23 in presence of Punjab Congress president Partap Singh Bajwa, MP Captain Amrinder Singh and national secretary Shakeel Ahmed.
Some senior party leaders including MP from Ludhiana Ravneet Bittu and former MLA Dhanwant Singh have opposed the decision of fielding Barnala’s grandson in the elections. “It is a wrong decision that has demoralised the party cadre. The high command should immediately review it,” said Ravneet Bittu.
“Simar is the grandson of former Akali Chief Minister Surjit Barnala and son of former Akali MLA Gaganjit Barnala. The decision to field him has sent a wrong message to the party workers. I have got calls from number of workers who want a review of the decision,” he added.
“The by-election is an opportunity for the party to test its strength ahead of the 2017 Assembly elections. But by not putting up its own candidate, the party has played a wrong card,” the MP said.
