Lok Sabha election: In Brahmpura bastion, SAD dubs taksalis Cong’s B-team

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders on Sunday said the party’s breakaway faction SAD (Taksali) led by Khadoor Sahib MP Ranjit Singh Brahmpura is a B-team of the ruling Congress.

Welcoming nearly two dozen former sarpanches loyal to Brahmpura into the party fold at an election rally in Tarn Taran district’s Shaikh village, senior SAD leaders, including former minister Bikram Singh Majithia and party candidate from Khadoor Sahib Bibi Jagir Kaur, took digs at the sitting MP one by one.

Former state co-operative societies vice-chairman Gursewak Singh Sheikh, ex-block samiti member Gurnam Singh Bhure, former sarpanches Gurpreet Singh, Nirmal Singh, Gurcharan Singh and Balbir Singh were among those who joined SAD.

“The former sarpanches who have joined the Akali Dal were close aides of the MP. But now, Brahmpura stands completely marginalised here. During his five-year tenure as MP, Brahmpura never uttered a word in Parliament for the people of the Khadoor Sahib segment. He is an old man and has lost his senses,” Majithia said.

“Brahmpura betrayed SAD for his personal benefit but party workers from Khadoor Sahib are with the party,” Gursewak Singh Sheikh said.

Bibi Jagir Kaur said, “Brahmpura got plum posts during the SAD’s tenure in the state. Now, he is criticising the same party for his personal benefit.”

Former MLAs Harmeet Singh Sandhu and Virsa Singh Valtoha also cornered the MP. “It was due to former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal that Brahmpura became MLA, minister and an MP. But now, he is singing to the tunes of CM Amarinder Singh and state Congress president Sunil Jakhar. He is an agent of the Congress and now his only motive is to eat into SAD’s vote in Khadoor Sahib,” Harmeet Sandhu said.

“The leaders who joined SAD today were only after posts. But the voters of these villages are still with us,” Brahmpua’s son and former MLA Ravinder Singh Brahmpura said over phone.