3 min readChandigarhFeb 8, 2022 04:44 AM IST
First published on: Feb 8, 2022 at 04:44 AM IST
The anguish of his party losing the panthic seat of Fatehgarh Sahib in two consecutive assembly elections, in 2012 and 2017, was on full display as SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal addressed a party rally in favour of party nominee Jagdeep Singh Cheema and asked the gathering whether “repeated victories (of Congress) meant that there is some fault with us” and that “what could be more shameful than Congress winning from here”.
Playing the panthic card to the hilt, Sukhbir invoked the sacrifice of Chhote Sahibzaade (two younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh) against tyranny and urged the gathering to make Akali Dal candidate win from the constituency in February 20 elections.
“In this land of the guru, younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh sacrificed their lives for the Sikh community. But those who are enemies of quom, who attacked Golden Temple, how come they win from Fatehgarh Sahib repeatedly. This means there is some fault with us. You are at a land which fought against tyranny. What could be more shameful than Congress winning from here,” Sukhbir said in his address before a gathering.
Pointing out that someone may have differences with him, Sukhbir added that how can people of the constituency vote for the candidate of a party “which attacked guru ghar” and who was “favourite of Gandhi family”.
Sukhbir’s disappointment continued as he further said. “Pher aapan nu hoya ki hai. Kitte kitte main sochdaan aapan nu hoya ki hai (Then what has happened to us. I sometimes wonder what has happened to us.”
The SAD chief told the gathering that he would “get angry from heart” if they voted Congress or any other party nominee to victory from Fatehgarh Sahib this time.
Congress’ Kuljit Singh Nagra is sitting legislator from Fetahgarh Sahib. Nagra had defeated Didar Singh Bhatti, the SAD candidate from the constituency in 2017 elections, by more than 23,000 votes. Bhatti is contesting from Fatehgarh Sahib on BJP ticket this time after switching over to SAD’s former ally.
In 2012, Nagra had defeated Akali heavyweight Prem Singh Chandumajra by over 3000 votes.
Akali Dal candidate from the constituency, Jagdeep Singh Cheema is the son of former minister Randhir Singh Cheema and had contested unsuccessfully from Amloh constituency in 2012.
Meanwhile, Sukhbir re-iterated his poll pitch that Akali Dal was “Punjabis’ own party” and that be it gurdwara row in Sikkim or any problem Sikhs faced in the country, they “approach Sukhbir Badal” and “not Sonia [Gandhi], [Arvind] Kejriwal or Amit Shah”.
Referring to AAP by its election symbol jhaaroo (broom), Sukhbir said, “There was no jhaaroo in Majha and Doaba.” He added that AAP had presence in only in some pockets in Malwa.
SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal (File) 
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