SAD returns to panth politics, nominate Beant assassin's sister for Sangrur bypoll

Chandigarh (Punjab): Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)’s move to nominate Kamaldeep Kaur Rajoana, sister of Balwant Singh Rajoana, convicted of death sentence for his involvement in assassinating former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh in 1995, as party’s candidate for Sangrur parliamentary bypoll on June 23 was not entirely unexpected.

Even since its rout in recent assembly polls, Badal family, who is currently at helm of over 100 years old political party established in 1920 to safeguard religious and political interest of Sikh community, has been making attempts to consolidate its panth vote base, which, it is alleged, eroded under their leadership.

The party president Sukhbir Singh Badal, who in run-up to Punjab elections claimed he never met Sikh hardliner Simranjeet Singh Mann, shared stage with him last month to seek release of Sikh prisoners, who have been languishing in jails even after the expiry of their life sentences.

Even Giani Harpreet Singh, Jathedar Akal Takht (high temporal seat of Sikhism) recently asked SAD-controlled, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandak Committee (SGPC), a prominent Sikh body looking after historical Sikh Gurdwaras, to raise this issue through different Sikh bodies on this issue.

Nomination of Rajoana’s sister is an extension of the party's revived attempt to reach out to core Sikh vote and also use her nomination to create a movement for release of Sikh prisoners, of which Rajoana is one of them.

Rajoana, a death row convict for the past 26 years, has long been waiting for the decision on his petition in Supreme Court regarding commuting his death sentence to life imprisonment. If the decision goes to his favour, there is a possibility of him coming out of jail. SC on May 2 asked the centre to take a final call on his plea within two months.

Mann fell out of SAD’s poll strategy

Before declaring Rajoana’s sister as party candidate on Saturday, SAD president also held a meeting with Simranjeet Mann to nominate a joint candidate for Sangrur bypoll.

Mann, who went solo by filing his nomination for the coming polls Saturday afternoon, hit back at Badals, saying that they should first appoint Bandi Singhs (prisoned Sikhs) as chiefs of the respective organisations they are heading.

“Those who give advice should first make sacrifices themselves. Then only they should give advice to the people,” Mann said, referring to Badal, and SGPC chief HS Dhami.

Later in evening, SAD then issued a media statement, announcing Rajoana sister as the joint candidate of the SAD, Bahujan Samaj Party and all panthic organisations for the Sangrur parliamentary bypoll.

The SAD president then appealed to the ‘panth’ to wholeheartedly support Rajoana’s candidature.

In the statement, Dr Daljeet Singh Cheema, SAD’s senior leader and party spokesperson, said there was a long standing demand from panthic organisations that the joint panthic candidate for the Sangrur bypoll should be from the families of ‘Bandi Singhs’.

“The panth feels that this will focus attention on the plight of Sikh detenues who have been languishing in jails even after completion of their sentences. Sri Akal Takth Sahib Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh had also relayed a message to the community in this regard. The SAD has taken all these factors into consideration while deciding to field Biba Rajoana as the joint panthic candidate on the party symbol,” said Cheema

The by-election for Sangrur parliamentary bypoll was necessitated after incumbent MP Bhagwant Mann of Aam Aadmi Party resigned before taking oath as Punjab Chief Minister on March 16.

AAP has meanwhile nominated Mann’s close aide and its Sangrur district president Gurmel Singh for June 23 polls. Congress and BJP are yet to declare their candidates.

Akalis promoting destruction politics: Beant’s Grandson

Late Beant Singh’s grandson and Congress leader Gurkirat Kotli slammed Akali Dal for its move to nominate death convict row Rajoana’s sister. He told Newsdrum that the Badal family was promoting destructive forces and adding fuel to the fire in already tense Punjab.

“When they are in power, they talk about peace and harmony. Out of power, they go back to fostering religious sentiments. People of Punjab have already rejected their petty politics and will further reject them. They will not be successful in their hidden agendas,” he added

Another Congress leader Sukhpal Khaira called it a treacherous politics by SAD president to exploit the Sikh sentiments by fielding Rajoana sister as party’s office candidate for Sangrur bypoll to help AAP as well as the BJP. “He (Badal) is definitely anti-Punjabi and anti-Sikh,” Khaira added.

Senior journalist and author Jagtar Singh too was critical of Akali Dal’s latest move.

He tweeted, “When in power, Akali Dal posted Sumedh Saini as police chief. Dumped by people, it put up Kamaldeep K Rajoana, for the Lok Sabha poll. What a contradiction!”

On the other hand, AAP Punjab spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang told Newsdrum that the move is nothing but a face saving by Akali Dal to save its political fortune. But these moves would not work. SAD does not have much of a mass base left in Punjab. People have lost faith in the party leadership because of their failures.

Meanwhile, Political analyst Pramod Kumar told Newsdrum that there has been an existential crisis in SAD after the party's rout in recent election. (SAD reduced to just three seats out of 117 seats, worst ever performance of the party).

He said Rajoana’s candidature was not just guided by its attempt to consolidate what was the original support base of the party.

“It is also an offshoot in wake of Bharatiya Janata Party’s ongoing  effort to expand its base among Sikhs by inducting several Sikh politicians from different parties,” he added.