Farmers Movement Archive

Punjab elections: SAD expels ex-CPS Mohinder Kaur Josh

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Thursday expelled former MLA from Sham Churasi, Mohinder Kaur Josh, from the party for anti-party activities. Also read: Another jolt for Punjab Congress, Lalli Majithia quits as Pungrain chiefSAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal announced the party’s decision at a rally in Sham Churasi. He said the former chief parliamentary secretary had breached discipline earlier and was given a chance to return but this would not happen again. “She is expelled from party’s membership for life,” he declared. A three-time MLA from Sham Churasi who came to the political centre stage after she was picked by the SAD to contest the byelections in 1998 following the death of her father and sitting MLA Arjan Singh Josh, Mohinder Kaur had contested as an Independent when she was denied the ticket in 2002. She lost to the Congress nominee. She, however, won the subsequent election on the SAD symbol in 2007 and again in 2012. In 2017, she secured the third position. Josh started showing signs of revolt soon after the seat was allotted to the Bahujan Samaj Party but on Thursday, she threw an open challenge to the party president by holding a parallel rally at a venue just metres away from where Sukhbir Singh Badal was addressing a gathering. Responding to her expulsion, Josh said Sukhbir Badal might have expelled her but her constituents had not. “I am determined to contest the elections as an Independent,” she said, adding that she had deliberately organised a show of strength on the day of Sukhbir’s visit and it was as per the wishes of her supporters. Later talking to the mediapersons at the residence of former Rajya Sabha member Varinder Singh Bajwa, who himself had returned to the party fold only recently, Sukhbir said that his party would not take back leaders who stabbed it in the back. He said only those persons were leaving the party who had been denied tickets. “Those who are joining the BJP are disregarding the sacrifices made by farmers to get the farms laws repealed,” he said, adding that the SAD had parted ways with the BJP on the sole issue of the controversial farm laws. He alleged that national parties were trying to establish their rule by using money and power but the people of Punjab would stand by the SAD, a local party that has and will stand by them. “The national parties have never done any good to Punjab. Their sole motive is to gain power, Punjab’s interests are secondary. The SAD has always fought for the state’s rights and will continue to stand by its people. Assi jeena marna ikathe (We will live and die together)”, he claimed. He said that the PGI satellite centre of which Prime Minister Narendra Modi was to lay the foundation stone on January 5 was, in fact, got sanctioned by him. Ruling out any alliance with the BJP, post-elections, he said that the SAD would win at least 85 seats. Sukhbir held a roadshow in Hoshiarpur town in favour of BSP candidate Varinder Parihar and paid obeisance at several places of Sikh and Hindu faith.

Hindustan Times

30-12-2021

Chandigarh