Aam Aadmi Party ‘s(AAP) national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday named the senior party leader Jarnail Singh as its candidate from SAD patron and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s bastion, lambi Assembly constituency, for the upcoming Assembly elections.
“We have to defeat the Badals. That’s why I propose the name of our lion, Jarnail Singh, to fight against Prakash Singh Badal,” Kejriwal said while addressing a rally in lambi.
Fourtythree-year-old Jarnail, who is AAP legislator from Rajouri Garden, had also unsuccessfully contested the 2014 lok Sabha polls from West Delhi on the party ticket.
A former scribe, Jarnail was sacked for hurling a shoe at the then Union Home Minister P Chidambaram over the anti-Sikh riots issue. Early this year, the party elevated Jarnail as co-in-charge of Punjab and its spokesperson in the State.
Minutes after declaration of his candidature from Badal’s home constituency, Jarnail Singh challenged the five-time chief minister to have an open debate with him on “superficial development” the Akali Dal has been talking about.
“Thousands of farmers have committed suicide, youngsters have been dying due to drugs, transport, liquor and cable businesses have been captured by Badal family…Is this the model of development the Badals were boosting offIJ,” Jarnail quipped adding that let Badal choose venue and time for open debate of his choice.
AAP has already fielded prominent leaders like its Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann from Jalalabad, a seat represented by Deputy Chief Minister and SAD president Sukhbir Badal; and Himmat Singh Shergill against Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia.
Kejriwal said: “So far, PPCC president Capt Amarinder Singh and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, with tactical understanding, have been nominating weak candidates against each other, so that their opponents could pose easy wins.”
“However, this time, we will not let Parkash Singh Badal, Sukhbir Badal and Capt Amarinder Singh to have a walkover in the elections. That is why we are fielding our strongest candidates against Amarinder, Badal, Sukhbir and Majithia in order to give them a
taste of political dust,” Kejriwal said.
Both Capt Amarinder and Badal not only jointly contest election to facilitate each other’s win but also share business interests such as in sand and gravel, transport, liquor and above all backup candidates, who have been embroiled in drug trade in Punjab, alleged Kejriwal.
Delhi Chief Minister said that for instances, “Sarwan Singh Phillaur, senior Akali leader, who had to step down from the cabinet after his and his son’s name cropped up in drug trade, Capt Amarinder welcomed him in Congress with open arms”.