Khanna: The ‘kingmaker’ constituency

In 1977,the SAD’s Bachan Singh Cheema defeated the Congress’s Shamsher Singh Dullo,and the SAD clinched power. Dullo won in 1980,and his party ended up forming government headed by Darbara Singh.

The SAD’s Sukhdev Singh Libra won the seat in 1985,and the SAD-BJP combine swept to power. Surjit Singh Barnala became the chief minister.

In 1992,Dullo again became victorious,and the Congress went on to form government under Beant Singh. Bachan Singh Cheema of the SAD won in 1997,and his party came to power.

Harbans Kaur Dullo,wife of S S Dullo from the Congress,won in 2002,and the Congress came to power. Then in 2007,the SAD’s Bikramjit Singh Khalsa defeated S S Dullo,and the SAD-BJP combine formed government.

This time,while the SAD’s Ranjit Singh Talwandi has been given ticket,the Congress is yet to announce its candidate. The PPP has fielded Gurpreet Singh Bhatti.

While Khanna was a reserved constituency,it become a general seat after de-limitation. “Until now,by voting for a particular party,the voters have been helping it form the government,” said Gurcharan Singh,85,a resident of Khanna town. “As for the current elections,nothing can be said as a third front has also emerged this year.”