Days after his release from jail, AAP MLA Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra organised a religious ceremony on Sunday at his residence attended by SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal. Pathanmajra is working hard to gain ground against the backdrop of two FIRs and his subsequent arrest, all under the AAP regime. While both the leaders kept their cards close to their chest, political observers see the visit as an opportunity for Pathanmajra, a former SAD leader likely to shift sides given his recent utterances against AAP top brass. With numerous Akali Dal leaders and workers also present at the event, speculation of political upheaval is rife ahead of the Assembly elections.
AAP’s changing stand on dynastic politics
The AAP, which has been criticising their opponents for promoting their close kin, is now itself toeing the same line. While 28-year old Padamjit Mehta—son of Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) president Amarjit Singh Mehta, a senior party leader—has been re-elected Mayor of Bathinda for a second consecutive term after the party won 35 of the 50 wards in Bathinda Municipal Corporation. Also, the party’s Mohali MLA Kulwant Singh’s son, Sarabjit Singh Samana, was elected mayor of Mohali. These developments have not gone well within the party circles, with leaders suggesting that the rigid line against political inheritance is being abandoned.
‘So-called young leader’: Puri takes jibe at Rahul
Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri recently took a dig at the LoP in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, without naming him. While interacting with media in Ludhiana, he said, “Do not trust a so-called young leader.” Puri went on to say that once foreigners had called India a “dead economy” out of sheer frustration, the young leader kept on repeating it at all the forums. The opposition leader completely ignored the data of the World Bank and other international instructions. Puri once again assured the general public of enough energy in the country, saying the supply situation of crude oil, LPG, and natural gas is quite comfortable.
Harpreet Bajwa
Our correspondent in Chandigarh
hsbajwa73@gmail.com