From our Special Monitoring Service
Amritsar — Self-seekers like Randhir Singh Cheema, Jaswinder Singh Brar, Parkash Singh Majitha, Mohinder Singh Sarup wali and Iqbal Singh Dhillon have left the United Akali Dal and revived the old Talwandi Akali Dal, replacing Jagdev Singh Talwandi by Randhir Singh Cheema as Acting President and Jaswinder Singh Brar as Chairman Parliamentary Board. This group has decided to contest the elections. Efforts are afoot to enter into alliance with the Longowal faction who is insisting on the condition that all these persons should first welcome the accord.
Other senior leaders like Atma Singh, Ujjagar Singh Sekhwan and Jagdev Singh Talwandi have said that they will abide by the decision to boycott the elections.
It appears that Congress (1) and Akali Dal (L) have entered into an arrangement to the effect that Congress will put up weak candidates for Assembly constituencies and Akali Dal (L) will put weak candidates for the Parliamentary seats. This impression is the result of such unknown candidates as Sudesh Kumar Sharma who has been put against Ravi Inder from Morinda Constituency in Ropar district.
Similarly Barnala and Balwant Singh are also facing extremely weak and unknown Congress (1) candidates. Barnala is contesting from His old constituency of Barnala and Balwant Singh is contesting from Lohian in Kapurthala district.
Amarinder Singh, Maharaja Patiala, will contest from Talwandi Sabo in Patiala district.
The impact of United Akali Dal’s appeal for boycott is fairly impressive in the rural areas and public is responding to it in a big way.
Meanwhile, Congress (1) has released its list. More than half the members of the dissolved assembly have been either dropped or their constituencies have been changed.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 6, 1985
