Farmers Movement Archive

Big jolt to YAD as Gurdeep Singh Gosha jumps ship, joins BJP

In a major setback to Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), one of its most prominent faces and the president of its youth wing in Ludhiana Gurdeep Singh Gosha joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday.Gosha submitted his resignation letter to SAD leaders in the morning, relinquishing himself from all posts, including that of Youth Akali Dal (YAD) Ludhiana unit chief, before he joined the saffron fold. As per sources, Gosha was keen on fighting the Vidhan Sabha elections and was feeling marginalised after being ignored during ticket distribution. Said to be a close confidant of SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia, who was recently booked in a drug case, Gosha vehemently protested against the Congress-led state government over the case.Gosha was earlier eyeing a ticket from Ludhiana central constituency but the panthic party named veteran leader Pritpal Singh Pali for the seat. Thereafter, Gosha diverted his focus towards Atam Nagar and Ludhiana South constituency. In May last year, Gosha took on Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) chief Simarjit Singh Bains over a road project. However, here too he was ignored and veteran party leader and senior advocate Harish Rai Dhanda, who is fighting the case of a woman who levelled rape allegations against Bains, was offered the ticket.Gosha then began working to clinch a ticket in Ludhiana South or North constituency, but SAD opted for old horse Hira Singh Gabria and BJP defector and former senior mayor RD Sharma from South and North constituencies respectively.Not new to controversiesGosha, along with his party colleague Meetpal Singh Dugri, had made national headlines after they allegedly defaced the statue of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi at a public park in Salem Tabri area on December 25, 2018.He also came out in support of farmer unions and opposed the BJP-led central government’s three controversial farm laws. Gosha was booked by the previous Akali regime for making provocative speeches during the statewide bandh in 2012 against the proposed execution of Balwant Singh Rajoana, convicted for assassinating former chief minister Beant Singh. Gosha had started his career as a worker of SAD (Delhi youth wing) and climbed up the ladder to become the district president of YAD.A headache for the BadalsGosha had become a headache for the then Akali regime led by Parkash Singh Badal and caught instant fame for his sharp criticism of SAD patriarch and Congress. His name also figured in some spats that took place at Chaura Bazar.Later, he parted ways with SAD (Delhi) and joined SAD (Badal) and enjoyed the backing of Bikram Singh Majithia.However, soon he landed in trouble when the national general secretary of the Youth Akali Dal (YAD) and Antarashtri Naat Academy chariman Santokh Singh Sukhana committed suicide in a hotel room near Kotwali in 2015.Sukhana, in his suicide note, had blamed Gosha for allegedly usurping the money he (Sukhana) handed over to Gosha. However, Gosha was exonerated in the inquiry.Recently, he had launched a Save Business Front against the “highhandedness of government officials”. He is also a member of the gurdwara trust.

Hindustan Times

11-01-2022

Chandigarh