New Delhi: Gurmeet Singh’s name was not heard by many people outside Punjab. quail Before March 10, when the results of the state assembly elections were declared.
However, the 59-year-old, who contested his first assembly election, defeated four-time Chief Minister Parkash Singh in one of the biggest upheavals in the electoral history of Punjab. Cloud From his high bastion in Muktsar district.
Though Khudian had long cherished the dream of fighting Badal, he had to wait for his time. The AAP leader shared with Amandeep Shukla how he got a chance to contest against the Akali leader in 2017 on a Congress ticket, but at the last moment when Capt. Amarinder Singh became a candidate.
Q: You were with Congress earlier. Why did you leave Congress?
Answer: I was the District President of Congress in this area for about five and a half years. I was ready to contest elections in 2017 and even the party leaders let me go ahead. However, a few days before the nomination, the party took the decision and I got a call from Captain Amarinder Singh that the high command wanted him to contest. I agreed. He came, contested and left. He didn’t even thank us and in fact I felt that some discrimination is happening with our constituency since then.
I wanted to raise issues with Capt Amarinder Singh but did not get a suitable opportunity. Then the wave of Kovid had also broken. In the meantime you had contacted me, so I called to join them.
Q: Do you think you had a chance if Congress had given you ticket in 2017?
A: I believe what happened this time would have the same outcome in 2017 if I had been given the chance.
Q: The Badal family was arguably the most powerful family in Punjab. Yet you have been opposing them for a long time. Why did you decide to oppose them?
A: It was from my father (former Akali MP). Jagdev SinghThe time when our paths parted. I have been opposing him since the 1990s. In 1991, I contested Lok Sabha Election from Simranjit Singh Mann’s party. We kept opposing them, sometimes there would be one candidate and sometimes another. None of them could win.
My father had decided to move away from him. In the 1980s there was a feeling that the leadership was not keeping the interests of the people in mind.
Q: Did you face any challenge against the Badal family as you live in the same district?
A: My village is just ten kilometers away from their village. There were challenges but we faced them. Attempts were made to pressurize or calm down. But we continued.
Q: You were adamant against Badal. Why do you think you didn’t get Congress ticket?
A: I think, there could have been some kind of understanding, in fact, it could have been more than comprehension.
Question: Do you think that your victory is an indication that the politics of dynasty is not acceptable to the people of Punjab?
A: Akali Dal was born out of struggle. But after becoming the Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal started giving tickets to relatives to strengthen his hold. He then handed over the chairmanship of the party to his son and formed the Akali Dal Badal. It became a party of merchants and relatives. He earned a lot through his businesses but walked away from the people.
If we look at the new assembly, there is no member of the Badal family in it. Neither are legislators of a clan. No one has brother-in-law or son-in-law in the assembly. Some have come from one background and some have come from somewhere else. If such assemblies are elected, it will be good for the people.
Question: Do you think you could have overcome this problem even if you were not?
A: We are a group of people who were active in opposing them. This was the first assembly election that I contested and many people who remember my father said they would vote for me. I got that benefit.
However, the party was certainly a big factor. Everywhere there was ‘broom’ (your broom symbol).
People were tired of Congress and Akali leaders who did not listen to them and focused on their work.
Now it is our responsibility to work for the people, we may also face similar situation. So now we have to work for the people.
Q: Do you expect a reward, a big responsibility, after this big win?
A: I already have a big responsibility. I am MLA from Lambi. What could be greater than this?
However, the 59-year-old, who contested his first assembly election, defeated four-time Chief Minister Parkash Singh in one of the biggest upheavals in the electoral history of Punjab. Cloud From his high bastion in Muktsar district.
Though Khudian had long cherished the dream of fighting Badal, he had to wait for his time. The AAP leader shared with Amandeep Shukla how he got a chance to contest against the Akali leader in 2017 on a Congress ticket, but at the last moment when Capt. Amarinder Singh became a candidate.
Q: You were with Congress earlier. Why did you leave Congress?
Answer: I was the District President of Congress in this area for about five and a half years. I was ready to contest elections in 2017 and even the party leaders let me go ahead. However, a few days before the nomination, the party took the decision and I got a call from Captain Amarinder Singh that the high command wanted him to contest. I agreed. He came, contested and left. He didn’t even thank us and in fact I felt that some discrimination is happening with our constituency since then.
I wanted to raise issues with Capt Amarinder Singh but did not get a suitable opportunity. Then the wave of Kovid had also broken. In the meantime you had contacted me, so I called to join them.
Q: Do you think you had a chance if Congress had given you ticket in 2017?
A: I believe what happened this time would have the same outcome in 2017 if I had been given the chance.
Q: The Badal family was arguably the most powerful family in Punjab. Yet you have been opposing them for a long time. Why did you decide to oppose them?
A: It was from my father (former Akali MP). Jagdev SinghThe time when our paths parted. I have been opposing him since the 1990s. In 1991, I contested Lok Sabha Election from Simranjit Singh Mann’s party. We kept opposing them, sometimes there would be one candidate and sometimes another. None of them could win.
My father had decided to move away from him. In the 1980s there was a feeling that the leadership was not keeping the interests of the people in mind.
Q: Did you face any challenge against the Badal family as you live in the same district?
A: My village is just ten kilometers away from their village. There were challenges but we faced them. Attempts were made to pressurize or calm down. But we continued.
Q: You were adamant against Badal. Why do you think you didn’t get Congress ticket?
A: I think, there could have been some kind of understanding, in fact, it could have been more than comprehension.
Question: Do you think that your victory is an indication that the politics of dynasty is not acceptable to the people of Punjab?
A: Akali Dal was born out of struggle. But after becoming the Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal started giving tickets to relatives to strengthen his hold. He then handed over the chairmanship of the party to his son and formed the Akali Dal Badal. It became a party of merchants and relatives. He earned a lot through his businesses but walked away from the people.
If we look at the new assembly, there is no member of the Badal family in it. Neither are legislators of a clan. No one has brother-in-law or son-in-law in the assembly. Some have come from one background and some have come from somewhere else. If such assemblies are elected, it will be good for the people.
Question: Do you think you could have overcome this problem even if you were not?
A: We are a group of people who were active in opposing them. This was the first assembly election that I contested and many people who remember my father said they would vote for me. I got that benefit.
However, the party was certainly a big factor. Everywhere there was ‘broom’ (your broom symbol).
People were tired of Congress and Akali leaders who did not listen to them and focused on their work.
Now it is our responsibility to work for the people, we may also face similar situation. So now we have to work for the people.
Q: Do you expect a reward, a big responsibility, after this big win?
A: I already have a big responsibility. I am MLA from Lambi. What could be greater than this?