AMRITSAR: The Akali Dal President, Mr. Parkash Singh Badal, is Reported to be in quandary over the “selection of the party candidate from the Tar Taran seat in the next Lok “Sdbha elections since this seat is being contested by his close relative and sitting MP, Mr. Surinder Singh Kairon, on the Congress ticket.

The constituency is considered an. ‘Akali stronghold bot Mr. Badal has privately revealed his mind to certain leaders for fielding weak candidate as Feaving it uncontested for the sake of his relative will bring criticism within the party.

Mr, Kairon is father-in-law of the daughter of Mr. Badal and he will not like to annoy Mr. Kairon over this issue.

On the other hand, certain political tivals within the party like the SGPC President, Mr, G.S. Tohra, want to ‘ring downfall of Mr. Badal on this ‘question since they will get open ‘chines to defame him if the Akali ‘Candidate was defeated at the hands Of Mr. Kairon, Mr, Tohra is reported of have expressed this view to his close confidants during his visit here recently.

According to sources close to Akali leaders, the name of a former Punjab Minister and an ex-SGPC Senior Vice-president, Mr, Major Singh Uboke, is mentioned as the Akali candidate of Mr, Badal’s choice, Mr. Uboke, who was earlier close to Mr. Tohra, had Shifted his loyalty to Mr. Badal when the unity talk with the Badal faction failed in March 1994 and the Akali Dal (Amnitsar) was formed. Mr. Tohra, senor local leaders and many Akali sarpanches and panches Of the area, are openly opposed to Mr, Uboke being pitted against Mr, Kairon and have asked for a strong candidate to be chosen for this and all other seats 0 as to put the case of the Sikhs before the new Parliament.

The names of the party’s Vice-president, Mr. Manjit Singh Brahampura, and Mrs, Gurmeet Kaur, wife of the missing general secretary of the human rights wing of the Party, Mr. Jaswant Singh, Khalra, are also being, mentioned.

The local Akal leadership is much perturbed over this question. This has fed to a demand for choosing a local and strong Akali for the seat to contest 45 an Independent or on the ticket of Akali Dal (Mann) if Mr. Badal fails to choose a suitable candidate so that the seat should remain in the hands of traditional Akalis. In this respect some leaders are reported to have exerted pressure on Mr. Bailal not to sacrifice the party for the sake of his relations. Local leaders have suggested certain names which included that of Mr. Kashmir Singh Patti, who is presently the chairman of the Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission and who fought cases of Mr, Tohra and Sikh youth detained at Jodhpur in the past The name of Bhai Manjit Singh is also being mentioned for the scat but he is not keen to return to the Lok Sabha and will prefer to become member of the Punish Vidhan Sabha. The powerful leader of the constituency, Mr. Prem Singh Lalpura, who: has virtually settled in the USA, is also supporting Mr, Patti, A signature ‘campaign is launched in the district to pressurize Mr. Badal for electing a successful candidate.

Article extracted from this publication >>  January 24, 1996