AMRITSAR: All is not well in Amritsar BSP unit after the party’s local leadership allegedly raised objections over possible fielding a person of criminal past as a party candidate from Amritsar Central assembly constituency in consultation with their alliance partner the SAD.
According to highly placed sources, BSP was mulling over the name of a person having over two dozen FIRs lodged against him as a party candidate from Amritsar Central constituency, which is currently being represented by deputy chief minister O P Soni.
Sources further stated that senior leaders of both BSP and SAD had already discussed the matter and had also scheduled the induction of said person in the BSP during the visit of party general secretary Bhagwan Singh Chohan, who was here to attend a function on September 20.
“When Chohan came to know about the chequered past of the said person, he talked to party coordinator for Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh Randheer Singh Beniwal following which the induction was cancelled,” said sources.
When contacted, BSP state general secretary Gurbax Singh Shergill said, “We had already discussed the issue with party high command had have shared our opinion now it is up to them to take the decision”.
Rohit Kokhar, who aspires to get party ticket from Central assembly constituency on BSP’s ticket, said “ This person with questionable past has a zilch contribution to the party whereas I have been working for years together yet, being a committed party worker, I will abide by the final decision of the high command.”
Sources added that the SADwas allegedly pressurizing BSP to field the said person so as to use his influence in Amritsar South assembly constituency where Akali’s had fielded former cabinet minister Bikram Singh Majithia’s personal assistant Talbir Singh Gill.
“Both BSP and SAD(B) know it is difficult to win the Amritsar Central seat since the Congress has a strong presence. Deputy chief minister O P Soni had won consecutively twice from Amritsar Central assembly constituency in 2012 and 2017 by defeating BJP’s Tarun Chugh.”
SAD Amritsar district president Gurpartap Singh Tikka said, “Rumors abound about a person with ambiguous past to be fielded by BSP, but then it is their internal matter.”
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