A day after parting ways with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Ferozepur MP Sher Singh Ghubaya on Tuesday joined the Congress—becoming the second sitting parliamentarian of the BJP-led NDA to join the grand old party in the last three days after BJP MP from Uttar Pradesh Savitri Bai Phule.
With his joining, Ghubaya is a likely claimant of the party ticket for Ferozepur Lok Sabha seat for the ensuing elections. Though it is being claimed that Ghubaya has joined the Congress unconditionally, it has been learnt that the deal was struck after he was assured of getting the party ticket.
However, the preliminary signals on tickets will be clear on March 10 when the first screening for the Punjab Congress candidates happens in Delhi.
After more than two years of his hostility with the party, Ghubaya finally bid a final adieu to the Akali Dal. Earlier, he was expected to join the Congress on March 7 during the party’s national president Rahul Gandhi’s rally at Moga.
However, his “hurried” induction in the party has raised many eyebrows within the Congress circles. It is believed that Ghubaya’s induction a day after was done to keep any sort of controversy away.
“Many senior leaders have raised objection over Ghubaya’s induction, especially the possibility of giving him the party ticket. Moreover, many have also opposed his induction citing Ghubaya’s sleazy video that went viral ahead 2017 elections,” a senior Congress leader told The Pioneer requesting anonymity.
Notably, Ghubaya’s son — Devinder Singh Ghubaya — is Congress MLA from Fazilka after winning 2017 state assembly polls.
Two-time MP, Ghubaya hails from the Rai Sikh community which is a dominant vote bank in Ferozepur constituency. He is a two-time MP from Ferozepur parliamentary seat—first in 2009 and then in 2014. He has also been elected MLA twice from Jalalabad in 1997 and 2007, and later left the seat for Sukhbir.
On the other hand, the Congress’ old guard and senior party leaders are not in favour of fielding a “turncoat” or anyone who had opposed the party in the past as its candidate while ignoring the workers.
While making public his resignation from the SAD, Ghubaya had blamed the party president Sukhbir Badal’s “wrong policies” for resigning from the primary membership and all posts of the party.
Hours later, the SAD issued a press note from its headquarters at Chandigarh saying that Sukbir has “expelled” Ghubaya from the primary membership of the party for his “anti-party activities”.
While Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar — who was the party’s candidate in 2014 elections and is now sitting MP from Gurdaspur — has already made clear his intention of seeking re-election from Gurdaspur, the state Cabinet Minister Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi had claimed the party ticket from Ferozepur either for himself or his son Anumit Singh ‘Hira’ Sodhi.
Sodhi, who is MLA from Guru Har Sahai constituency which is a part of Ferozepur Lok Sabha seat, was also in race for the party ticket during previous general elections, but lost to Jakhar, who was given party ticket.
Up in arms against the decision, Sodhi had revolted against the party in 2014 even indicating crossing over to SAD, while his son Anumit had given enough indications of entering the electoral field as an “independent”. But the party managed to pacify them later on.