Have almost decided to contest from Bathinda seat: Khaira

Punjabi Ekta Party (PEP) chief and Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira has stepped up activities in the Bathinda Lok Sabha constituency ahead of the parliamentary polls, saying his candidature from the segment is “almost decided”.

Khaira, who had resigned from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to float his own outfit, on Monday held a meeting with party workers from Bathinda, Mansa and Muktsar districts.

In the last three days, he has visited several villages across the constituency.

“Though it’s more or less decided, the final decision on my candidature from the segment will be taken by the political affairs committee of PEP and PDA. The alliance will announce the candidates for 10 out of 13 seats of Punjab in one go in a couple of days,” he said.

On the Vidhan Sabha speaker Rana KP Singh’s remark that he has been evading notice on his disqualification from the assembly, Khaira said he never received such notice. “I will go and meet the speaker to receive the notice and will reply to it,” he said.

The notice was issued to Khaira after a petition by leader of opposition Harpal Singh Cheema, seeking his disqualification as MLA.

“I appeal to the leaders of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Taksali) to stay with PDA. They should withdraw their candidate from Anandpur Sahib and Khadoor Sahib and hold talks with the alliance leaders on the Ferozepur, Gurdaspur, Khadoor Sahib and Sangrur seats,” he said.

Khaira alleged that despite the Congress government’s claims of having controlled drug smuggling in Punjab, the problem is still the same as cops on the ground are making money by colluding with drug peddlers.

“The Congress and SAD exploited the Maur bomb blasts during the 2017 assembly elections by blaming AAP. The Congress government failed to arrest the accused or even unearth the conspiracy behind the blasts even after two years of forming the government,” he added

First Published: Mar 05, 2019 00:22 IST