New Chandigarh candidate: SAD leaves decision to Sukhbir

A day after the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) candidate from Chandigarh, Hardeep Singh Saini, resigned from the party, SAD leaders have left the decision to appoint the new candidate to party president Sukhbir Singh Badal.
According to party leaders familiar with the matter, SAD will announce the replacement candidate in a couple of days.
Party’s vice-president and spokesperson Harjit Singh Bhullar is a strong contender for the ticket. Bhullar, who was previously with the BJP, had joined SAD amid the farmers’ agitation.
The last day for filing nominations for the Chandigarh seat is May 14.
The lone SAD councillor in Chandigarh, Saini, 41, on Monday had resigned from the primary membership of the party, citing lack of funds and support from the party leadership for the elections.
This is SAD’s first Lok Sabha election from Chandigarh, as until now, the party had been supporting candidates of the BJP, its alliance partner since 1996. The two parties had snapped ties in 2021 following differences over the now-scrapped three farm laws.
While addressing mediapersons on Tuesday, SAD Chandigarh unit leaders, including SAD chief spokesman Arshdeep Singh Kler, Karnail Singh Peermohammad and Harjit Singh Bhullar, condemned Saini for “misleading people”.
Stating that the party had left the decision for the next course of action to SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, the leaders said only parties like the SAD, which stood by principles, could benefit people.
They said it was unfortunate that Saini had become part of a sinister campaign being carried out in the country to woo leaders from other parties. “This trend has started in Chandigarh too, as the ruling BJP wants to weaken the SAD, which always talks about rights of Punjab and Punjabis. But this conspiracy will never succeed and SAD will continue to work for the rights of the state as a regional party,” they added.