Bargari Morcha poll plan fizzles out as constituents disintegrate
Tuesday 26/03/2019
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BATHINDA: The second phase of Bargari Insaaf Morcha to give a political alternative to the people of Punjab has fizzled out with its constituents choosing their own paths in the run up to the Lok Sabha polls.
Of the four morcha candidates for Lok Sabha polls, announced by acting parallel jathedar of Akal Takht, Dhian Singh Mand in February this year, two are no more in the contest, while another has chosen to contest as a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate under the banner of Punjab Democratic Alliance (PDA).
The morcha had announced president of United Akali Dal (UAD) Mohkam Singh and its general secretary Gurdeep Singh as candidates from Khadoor Sahib and Bathinda segments, respectively, while SAD(A) president Simranjit Singh Mann was to contest from Sangrur and Vikram Singh Sodhi from Anandpur Sahib parliamentary segments.
Now, the UAD has decided to not contest polls, while Sodhi is a BSP candidate of the PDA. Now, Mann is the only one left in the fray from morcha. However, SAD(A) and UAD have decided to support Sodhi.
With the UAD opting out of the contest in Bathinda, SAD(A) on Monday announced Gursewak Singh Jawaharke as its candidate from the segment even as leaders of the UAD remained non-committal on supporting him. SAD (A) and UAD were two main constituents of the morcha, besides other Panthic organisations, including Dal Khalsa, SAD(1920) and Takht Damdama Sahib parallel jathedar Baljit Singh Daduwal. SAD(1920) and Daduwal had already parted ways, alleging that morcha sit-in was called off by Mand in haste without consulting others.
Gurdeep Singh said they had tried to bring all groups together to provide an alternative to the people but they have failed. “We are not in a position to contest the Lok Sabha polls, so the UAD has decided against it. We are supporting three BSP candidates from Anandpur Sahib, Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur, and Simranjit Mann in Sangrur. The decision to support candidates in other segments will be taken at a meeting on April 7,” he said.
Mand couldn’t be contacted despite repeated attempts to reach him on his mobile phone. His personal secretary Jagdip Singh said they have decided to support only Panthic candidates.
