Pressure from the Sikh diaspora as well as from his own party leaders today forced SAD (Taksali) president Ranjit Singh Brahmpura to withdraw former Army Chief Gen JJ Singh (retd) as the party candidate from Khadoor Sahib.
He said his party would extend support to Punjabi Ekta Party (PEP) candidate Paramjit Kaur Khalra.
“We have withdrawn our candidate in favour of Bibi Khalra.
We have also asked her not to contest merely as a PEP candidate, but of all parties opposed to the Akali Dal and the Congress,” Brahmpura told The Tribune.
This makes the election in this Panthic constituency a three-cornered fight between Khalra, Jagir Kaur (SAD) and Jasbir Singh Dimpa (Congress). Sources say though the entire Taksali leadership was in favour of withdrawing Gen JJ Singh’s candidature, as much for unity as for the lukewarm response he was getting from electorate there, but Brahmpura remained adamant till some leaders from the diaspora intervened.
“I was convinced by their argument that Panthic votes would be divided and others (the Congress and the Akali Dal) would benefit,” he said.
Though both SAD (Taksali) and PEP leaders deny that talks of forging an alliance between the two sides have once again been initiated, sources say the alliance is being worked out by influential Sikh leaders settled abroad.
Brahmpura told Media, “As of now the understanding is only for one seat. Let us see how things work out. In the larger interests of Punjab and the community, we are open to every possibility,” he said.
Sukhpal Singh Khaira, PEP president, when contacted, said he was appreciative of the magnanimity shown by the Taksalis by withdrawing their candidate and it would boost Bibi Khalra’s chances in the polls. “This is a step towards forging 100 per cent unity in Punjab against the traditional parties,” he added.
Withdrew for betterment of Sikh, JJ Singh
“I am not leaving the battleground rather sacrificing the seat in the interest of Punjab and the Sikh community,” said Gen JJ Singh while interacting with the media at Chandigarh a day later.
Vowing to support Bibi Khalra from Khadoor Sahib, Gen JJ Singh said that he has set an “example” by withdrawing his candidature to strengthen the third front in the state to root out the “corrupt” Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal.
“I am sacrificing my seat in the interest of Punjab and the Sikh panth (community). I do not think that I am leaving the battleground,” 73-year-old former Army chief, adding that he has decided to sacrifice the seat “from the position of strength, not from the weakness”.
He said that the “misrule” of the Congress and the Akali Dal in the State should not continue further. “We should root out these corrupt parties from Punjab,” he said.
“If (Paramjit Kaur) Khalra wins, I will consider my sacrifice worth of it,” he said.
Gen JJ Singh said that he had told the SAD (Taksali) chief Ranjit Singh Brahmpura that they should try to defeat the traditional parties — Congress and Akali Dal — at any cost.
“I told him (Brahmpura) that it is important either she (Khalra) step down or she be fielded her from another seat, otherwise I was ready to sacrifice my seat. Because we were fighting each other,” he said.