In search for activist, Sikh face, AAP zeroes in Baba Seechewal

Two Rajya Sabha seats from Punjab will fall vacant in July as terms of Congress MP Ambika Soni and SAD MP Balwinder Singh Bhunder are coming to an end. The elections for the two seats are scheduled for June 10. The last date of filing nominations is on May 31. Having 92 MLAs in the 117-member Punjab House, it is likely that the AAP will lap up both the seats.

Sources said that AAP had to go on the backfoot after it nominated two Delhi-based party leaders to Rajya Sabha in March this year. The Opposition had also hit at AAP alleging that it had sent non-Punjabis to the Upper House of the Parliament from the state. The party had also faced criticism for not nominating a Sikh or a social activist.

Seechewal is an environment activist credited with cleaning of 160-km long Kali Bein rivulet in Sultanpur Lodhi. He has been spearheading a river cleaning campaign in the state also and has assisted successive government in cleaning the Budda Nullah in Ludhiana.

Mann, while speaking at Seechewal on Friday said that the previous government had made Sant Seechewal a member of Punjab Pollution Control Board but without any powers. “We will give new ink to your pen. You take decisions, we will implement them,” Mann was heard saying at the function.

If AAP is able to make Baba Seechewal to agree for Rajya Sabha, it will be able to send a message across that they have chosen an environmentalist, a Punjabi and a Sikh.

Sources close to Baba Seechewal said he was considering the offer and will convey the decision to CM within a day or so. He had earlier in the past declined a similar offer from the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP).

Mann had met Baba Seechewal alongwith a team of National Green Tribunal (NGT) 10 days ago also.