Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Tuesday replaced its Sultanpur Lodi candidate Upinderjit Kaur with a former Congress leader Capt Harminder Singh, who joined Akali Dal on Tuesday.
In a major blow to the Congress party in Doaba belt, its senior leader and Milkfed’s former chairman Capt Harmander Singh on Tuesday joined Akali Dal along with hundreds of his supporters. Capt Harmander has also served as the president of Congress’ Kapurthala district rural unit.
Welcoming him into the party fold, SAD President Sukhbir Badal was quick to announce that he would also contest the forthcoming assembly elections on the Akali ticket from Sultanpur Lodhi Assembly constituency.
“Former Finance Minister Upinderjit Kaur has stepped down as the candidate, on her own, due to old age,” he said, adding that Capt Harmander has emerged as the consensus candidate of the SAD in Sultanpur Lodhi with the entire rank and file of the party reposing faith in him.
Praising the work done by former Finance Minister Upinderjit Kaur who has been representing the party in Sultanpur Lodhi, Sukhbir Badal said that the veteran leader had informed him six months back that she would not be contesting the 2022 elections due to which the party had now decided to field Capt Harmander Singh from the seat.
Capt Harmander said that he was honoured that SAD and its president Sukhbir Badal had reposed faith in him. “I assure the party that it is an honour to contest the elections from the ‘nagri’ of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji and am confident that I will win the forthcoming elections with a record margin,” he said.
He also disclosed that he had resigned from the Congress as well as the post of Milkfed chairman due to the open division in the party and the fact that the ordinary person was suffering due to intense wrangling for the top post in the Punjab Congress.
Capt Harmander’s son, Karanveer Singh, who had served as an OSD (Officer on Special Duty) to former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, also joined the party along with Capt Harmander.