Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) and elected MP from Sangrur Lok Sabha seat Simranjit Singh Mann on Sunday attributed his victory to Khalistani extremist leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who was killed during Operation Bluestar conducted by the Indian Army in June 1984. Taking out the terrorists and all the ‘martyrs’ (killed during terrorism) hiding in the Golden Temple complex.
Mann recently launched his campaign on the murder of popular singer Sidhu Musewala.
The 77-year-old MP dedicated his victory to late actor-turned-activist Deep Sidhu, who was accused of being the main conspirator of the Red Fort violence on Republic Day last year, and late singer Sidhu Musewala, who had met him a few days ago. He was assassinated on 29 May by “those who gave their blood for the Sikh community”.
Convent-educated and former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, Mann, who defeated AAP candidate Gurmel Singh by 5,822 votes on Sunday, criticized the Shiromani Akali Dal’s leadership for its efforts to keep people in jails without trial. Not doing anything. ,
He is also a strong supporter of Punjab’s long-pending demands, including river water sharing, handing over of Punjabi speaking areas and transfer of Chandigarh.
Mann, a three-time Member of Parliament, resigned from IPS in 1984 and Lok Sabha in 1990 after he was not allowed to carry swords inside Parliament.
Shiromani Akali Dal-A candidate Mann defeated his nearest rival Gurmel Singh of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) by over 6,000 votes, leading in most of the rounds including the former Muslim-majority Malerkotla assembly seat.
Mann, 77, who had failed to contest the assembly elections in February, won the parliamentary election from Sangrur in 1999.
Just 45.3% of the electorate – 27.1 per cent less than in the 2019 elections – exercised their franchise to decide the fate of 16 candidates on June 23.
The by-election for Sangrur was necessitated following the resignation of Bhagwant Mann, who won the assembly election from Dhuri constituency in February and became the chief minister.
Other prominent contenders were Kamaldeep Kaur, 44, adopted sister of Balwant Singh Rajoana, who was contesting on a Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) ticket, Kewal Dhillon (72) of the BJP and Dalveer Singh Goldie (40) of the Congress. Both Dhillon and Goldie are former MLAs.
(with inputs from agencies)
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