SAD faces rebellion over ticket to Makkar

Jalandhar : The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is facing a rebellion in Jalandhar for allotting the Jalandhar Cantt ticket to Kapurthala District Planning Committee president Sarabjit Singh Makkar.
Amid allegations from senior party leaders against Makkar for being “tainted” and a “land grabber”, a nine-member committee has been formed to decide on the future course of action.
With the incumbent MLA from Jalandhar Cantt, Pargat Singh, joining the Navjot Singh Sidhu-led Awaaz-e-Punjab, the local SAD ticket has fallen into Makkar’s hands.
The committee opposing Makkar includes district chief Gurcharan Singh Channi, SGPC member Paramjit Singh Raipur and Senior Deputy Mayor Jalandhar Kamaljit Bhatia.
While alleging that Makkar was facing several charges and had a bad reputation, Gurcharan Channi said he would take up the issue with the Deputy CM on Saturday.
“The entire city knows Makkar’s reputation. My objection is about a tainted person like him being allocated the ticket. I shall take up the issue with the Deputy CM tomorrow,” he said.
SGPC member Paramjit Singh Raipur, who had been a ticket hopeful from Jalandhar Cantt, alleged, “A person who lost in Kapurthala has been brought in to contest from Cantt. Leave outsiders aside, he faces the charge of grabbing land of party men. He has squatted over a land of my relatives. In Jalandhar as well as Kapurthala, he faces various land grab allegations.
“Makkar also brought disrepute to the party with his nephew’s involvement in the Gikky Sekhon murder case. How can we tolerate him here?
“The party leadership shall neither support him nor campaign in his favour. The committee constituted for the purpose shall announce its action plan soon.”