Hotseat| In politically sensitive Kotkapura, key players try to shrug off past baggage

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[google-translator]

Currently represented by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s Kultar Singh Sandhwan, the quasi-urban Kotkapura assembly segment had remained politically sensitive during the 2017 assembly elections due to the public outburst against the sacrilege and police firing incidents of 2015.

SAD nominee fighting ghost of Kotkapura firing

Though the Kotkapura incident had cost Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)’s veteran player Mantar Singh Brar his seat in 2017, the party has again fielded him, hoping to reclaim its position. Brar was among those named and chargesheeted in Kotkapura firing case by the Punjab police special investigation team (SIT).

With the Punjab and Haryana high court quashing SIT’s probe report, and no party raking up the issue, the matter seems to have been partially diffused.

Brar, who is fighting the sixth consecutive election from this seat, is the son of former cabinet minister Jaswinder Singh Brar. He had contested his first election as an independent in 1997 and defeated SAD’s candidate. He was subsequently inducted into the party fold, and won on the party ticket twice– in 2002 and 2012.

Performance of five years a challenge for AAP nominee

For AAP’s Sandhwan, it is his performance of the last five years that may pose a challenge. The grandson of former President Giani Zail Singh’s brother, Sandhwan had struggled to carry out development works as AAP was in the opposition and he had remained at loggerheads with officials. But he maintains, “I am way ahead of the Congress and SAD, they are both just fighting for the second position. People want a change from traditional political parties.”

Congress struggles with infighting

For the Congress, infighting has always remained a challenge on this seat. The party has fielded first-timer Ajaypal Singh Sandhu on this seat, who is struggling to garner support from his own party workers. The infighting was evident from the fact that no senior leader turned up during Priyanka Gandhi’s Kotkapura rally. Even Faridkot MLA Kushaldeep Singh Dhillon and Jaitu candidate Darshan Singh Dhilwan gave it a miss. Recently, Bhai Harnirpal Singh Kuku, who unsuccessfully contested from Kotkapura in 2017 on a Congress ticket, along with his son Bhai Rahul Singh Sidhu joined SAD after the ticket was denied to his son, which is likely to have an impact on the elections.

Sadhwan village, epicentre of Kotkapura politics

Sandwan village in Kotkapura segment holds significance in political history. After the assembly elections of 1972, Giani Zail Singh became chief minister of Punjab and Jaswinder Singh Brar was elected the leader of opposition. Both were residents of Sandhwan village. Congress’ Zail Singh was elected from Anandpur Sahib constituency while Jaswinder Brar was elected from Kotkapura on SAD ticket.

Now, the kin of both leaders are up against each other and continue to stay in this village. Giani Zail Singh’s son Joginder Singh had lost to Mantar Brar in 1997 when he contested his first election as an independent.


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