Former district Youth Akali Dal (urban) president Simarjit Singh Bains formally announced on Friday that he would contest the assembly election as an Independent candidate from Atam Nagar, where the SAD has fielded jail minister Hira Singh Gabria. Bains’s brother Balwinder Singh Bains will also contest as an Independent from Ludhiana South. Simarjit Bains said his supporters would also enter the fray as Independent candidates from Gill (Reserved), Ludhiana East and Ludhiana West. The names of the three candidates would be announced soon. He said many ticket aspirants from these seats were in touch with him.
The Independent candidate to be fielded by Bains from Gill (Reserved) will be pitted against Darshan Singh Shivalik of the SAD. Addressing mediapersons at his residence here, Bains said his supporters, who wanted to get rid of “corrupt” leaders, had asked him to file his nomination as an Independent candidate.
Three councillors, Kamaljit Singh Karval, Paramjit Singh Soma and Swarandeep Singh Chahal, also attended the press conference. “As Anna Hazare is raising his voice against corruption at the national level, I have also launched a campaign to eradicate corruption in the city,” said Bains, in an oblique reference to Gabria.
Claiming that he was feeling relieved after leaving the SAD, he said he no longer needed to take permission from the party high command for speaking against corruption. Bains has been constantly levelling allegations of corruption against Gabria. The former district YAD president said he was not expelled from the party, but chose to leave on his own after the party president conveyed to him that he would not be getting the ticket for Atam Nagar. “After winning the seat, I’ll be free to join any party,” he said.
News Source: H Time
