DHURI BYPOLL : Congress MP Bittu questions ticket to Barnala’s grandson

Chandigarh, Congress MP from Ludhiana Ravneet Singh Bittu today opposed the nomination of Simar Partap Singh Barnala as party candidate for the Dhuri Assembly byelection. He said: “It is a wrong decision that has demoralised the party cadre. The high command should immediately review it.”
Speaking to The Tribune over the phone, Bittu said PPCC president Partap Singh Bajwa and Amritsar MP Capt Amarinder Singh should take up the issue with the high command.
“Simar is a grandson of former Akali Chief Minister Surjit Singh Barnala and son of former Akali MLA Gaganjit Singh Barnala. The decision to field him has sent a wrong message to the party workers. I have got calls for a number of workers who want a review of the decision,” he said.
“The byelection is an opportunity for the party to test its strength ahead of the 2017 Assembly elections. But by not putting up its own candidate, the party has played a wrong card,” the MP said.
He said earlier the nomination of Manpreet Badal to contest the parliamentary election from Bathinda too was a questionable decision. “The decision had affected the morale of the party rank and file. Had we fielded a Congress candidate from Bathinda, we would have won,” Ravneet Bittu claimed.
Sehajdhari party backs Simar Preet Barnala
Chandigarh: The Sehajdhari Sikh Party today announced support to Congress’ Dhuri candidate Simar Partap Singh Barnala, grandson of former Punjab Chief Minister Surjit Singh Barnala.
Party president Dr PS Ranu said the national executive council of the party had decided to support Simar Partap. Pannu appealed to all likeminded political forces and other organisations to join hands to defeat the Akalis. He said the party had supported the Aam Aadmi Party openly during the last Lok Sabha elections. Had AAP fielded any candidate, the party would have supported him, he added.