Congress central poll panel to meet in Delhi today, may review Punjab’s Faridkot, Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat

The Congress is wary that the issue may not spark a row in the party and may end up annoying Majhbi Sikhs and Valmikis across the state that could caste a shadow on all the seats across the state.

Lok Sabha elections 2019: Capt Amarinder Singh Congress Punjab

While Amarinder is backing Sadiq strongly, sources said a resentment is prevailing among Valmiki and Majhbi leaders

Amid an internal revolt in two reserved Lok Sabha seat, Faridkot and Jalandhar, after declaration of candidates, the Central Election Committee (CEC) of the Congress, will meet in Delhi on Thursday. Sources said that candidates in these two constituencies were likely to come up for discussion during the CEC meeting. The CEC meeting is otherwise scheduled to take a call on four constituencies of Punjab including Ferozepur, Bathinda, Anandpur Sahib and Sangrur.

Faridkot, a strategically important constituency for being the epicentre of Bargari sacrilege and Behbal Kalan firing, has seen a revolt from Majhbi Sikhs and Valmikis.
The party has announced a Muslim folksinger and a former MLA Mohd Sadiq as candidate from Faridkot resulting in a revolt from Majhbi Sikhs and Valmikis — both same castes but different religions. While Majhbis are Sikhs, Valmikis are Hindus, and they make two predominant sub-groups of SCs in Punjab. Faridkot, an SC reserved constituency, has a predominant population of Majhbi Sikhs. Punjab has 32.5 per cent population of SCs. Out of the 32.5 per cent chunk, 25 per cent are Majhbi Sikhs and Valmikis.

While Amarinder is backing Sadiq strongly, sources said a resentment is prevailing among Valmiki and Majhbi leaders, including Dr Raj Kumar Verka, who have revolted against the ticket to him stating that Majhbis and Valmikis did not have a representation in Punjab Cabinet and now they were denied a ticket in the Lok Sabha election.

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The Congress is wary that the issue may not spark a row in the party and may end up annoying Majhbi Sikhs and Valmikis across the state that could caste a shadow on all the seats across the state.

It is learnt that Congress MLAs from Faridkot, including Kaka Lohgarh, Cabinet Minister Gurpreet Singh Kangar, Dr Harjot Kamal, Satkar Kaur, Kushaldeep Singh Kiki, Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, have written letters to the CM backing the nominee. The CM would produce the letters in the meeting Thursday if the need arises.
Satkar Kaur, a Majhbi Sikh and belongs to Behbal Khurd village where the police firing took place, had revolted against Sadiq, but Amarinder is learnt to have intervened and got the differences ironed out between the two. Satkar Kaur met Sadiq at Amarinder’s residence in Chandigarh Tuesday.

The SAD has fileded a Majhbi Sikh, Gulzar Singh Ranike from Faridkot. So has Sukhpal Singh Khaira’s outfit in Master Baldev Singh. In Jalandhar, former MP Mohinder Singh Kay Pee has been protesting against ticket to sitting MP Chaudhary Santokh Singh. He has already declared that he would contest as an Independent against the official nominee. Amarinder has already met Kay Pee in a bid to pacify him.

Though sources said it was highly unlikely that the nominations could be reviewed as it would open a pandora’s box for the party, but Majhbi Sikh issue was weighing on minds of the senior leaders and something may come out of this anxiety. The time of the CEC has not be finalised yet as Sonia Gandhi would be in Rae Bareli to file her nomination. It could be organised later in the day o may be postponed.

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