Even as Driba MlA Harpal Singh Cheema has achieved a new high in his not-so-long political career on Thursday, the first-timer has a herculean task ahead to balance various factions within the party.
AAP has replaced a dominant Jat Sikh leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira by appointing Cheema, a Dalit face, ahead the ensuing 2019 lok Sabha elections as the leader of Opposition — apparently with an eye on Dalit vote bank in Punjab which has the highest population.
Besides being a Dalit leader, Cheema’s clean, simple, free-from-controversy image has gone in his favour or the appointment. Despite AAP’s Punjab unit being in a political turmoil, Cheema stayed away from the controversies.
A lawyer by profession, 43-year-old Cheema is considered a loyalist of AAP’s most popular leader Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann. He has been the president of Sangrur district bar association in 2014, and had also unsuccessfully contested the Zila Parishad elections as an independent.
Cheema, who was born and brought up in an economically weak family of Cheema village in Dhuri subdivision, now represents one of the most developmentally backward constituencies, Dirba.
He completed his graduation from Sangrur’s Government Ranbir College, and completed his llB from Punjabi University, Patiala.
His first brush with politics started during student days in Punjabi varsity, when he became a member of some left-leaning student outfit.
In 2017 elections, Cheema won with a margin of only 1,645 votes, defeating Congress’ Ajaib Singh, and SAD’s Gulzar Singh.