Punjab Polls: Majithia fielded against Sidhu

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Badal has decided to field Bikram Singh Majithia as the party candidate from Amritsar East segment against Navjot Singh Sidhu, PCC president in Punjab. “With the party fielding Bikram against Sidhu, it will be the last election to be contested by Sidhu and end of his political career”, the SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said on Wednesday. This would be the second seat Bikram Majithia will be contesting. He had won the 2012 and 2017 assembly elections from Majithia, an assembly segment in Amritsar, seen as his "safe seat".

Sukhbir Badal also announced that party’s patriarch and five-time chief minister Parkash Singh Badal will fight from the Lambi assembly segment. “He fought during his entire life for Punjab. He has told me that he will not retire in his life. He will be SAD’s candidate from the Lambi constituency.” Badal said “Navjot Sidhu’s arrogance will be his undoing. He has been harping on his support among the masses. Badal said we have called Navjot Sidhu’s bluster. We know he has not done anything in his constituency for the last five years. Satinder Singh Chajjwalwadi, who was denied a Congres ticket from Baba Bakala segment, was also inducted into the SAD. Badal said he will be the party nominee from adjoining segment Jandiala Guru seat. In December, Majithia was booked in a drugs case and later received anticipatory bail from the High Court. He is currently being investigated by a Special Investigation Team. Sidhu, who had declared that "he would not rest" till Mr Majithia is arrested, is yet to respond to the announcement by Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal.