Seat-sharing mires grand alliance talks

JALANDHAR: Even as the leaders of Punjab Democratic Alliance (PDA), BSP and SAD (Taksali) have already forged an alliance to contest parliamentary elections, while underlining importance of third alternative in Punjab, the talks between the ‘maha gathbandhan’ constituents are still caught in contentions on sharing of seats.

If strong differences have emerged between BSP and Taksalis over Anandpur Sahib seat, there are differences between Sukhpal Khaira’s Punjab Ekta Party and Brahmpura’s SAD (Taksalis) on Khadoor Sahib and Sangrur seats. Each alliance partner is trying to get a bigger slice of the pie as negotiations on seat sharing drag on. Bains brothers, whose influence has remained confined to Ludhiana, have now staked claim to Fatehgarh Sahib seat also.

Sources said that the parties could not agree on the some of the seats to be allocated to the alliance partners the talks remained inconclusive on Wednesday and these were posted for next round. Meanwhile, BSP is also trying to take on board Bargari Morcha leaders.

Meanwhile BSP has made it clear that for it Anandpur Sahib seat is non-negotiable on which SAD (Taksali) leaders want to field former Punjab assembly deputy speaker Bir Devinder Singh. “We can have slight adjustment on numbers but for us Anandpur Sahib seat is simply not negotiable,” said BSP state president Rashpal Rahu while speaking to TOI on Thursday.

Taksalis are facing issues at Khadoor Sahib and Sangrur also. While Punjab Ekta Party (PEP) founder Sukhpal Singh Khaira wants to field Paramjit Kaur Khalra, wife of human rights activist late Jaswant Singh Khalra who was eliminated by Punjab Police after he exposed forced disappearances of Sikh youths, Taksalis has already announced the name of General J J Singh (retd), who joined them on Wednesday.

Khalra fought a dogged battle for over a decade against Punjab Police and establishment and secured conviction for some police officials who were responsible for elimination of her husband.

It is learnt that for Sangrur, Taksalis are bagging for former MP Rajdev Singh Khalsa who had won in 1989 but PEP wants to field its own candidate.

Meanwhile, Lok Insaf Party’s Simarjit Singh and Balwinder Singh Bains – who wish to show their presence beyond urban areas of Ludhiana, have staked claim for Fatehgarh Sahib seat also and they are bargaining hard for it. Again, Khaira’s wants to field his candidate from there.

However, none has shown interest for Gurdaspur seat, considered to be a predominantly Hindu seat.

Bargari Morcha and BSP figure it out

A day after announcing that it would contest four seats, Dhian Singh Mand who led the Bargari Morcha, formed a five member committee which also includes former SGPC secretary general Harcharan Singh, Gurdeep Singh Bathinda and SAD (Amritsar) leader Jaskaran Singh. BSP state president Rashpal Rahu said that talks with Morcha were still on and they expected to resolve the issues and keep them on board. “Morcha leaders have said that they are ready for adjustments,” he said.