The newly-created Fatehgarh Sahib Lok Sabha (reserve) constituency promises a cracker of a contest, what with stalwarts pitted against each other and infighting and dissidence almost a norm. The constituency was earlier a part of Ropar (reserve) parliamentary constituency.

As many as six political parties have declared their candidates for the seat. The Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP combine has decided to field 14th Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal, while Congress has fielded former Ropar MP Sukhdev Singh Libra, who was recently named a Congress candidate after his expulsion from SAD.

The other candidates in fray are SAD (Amritsar) candidate Kulwant Singh Sandhu, Bahujan Samaj Party’s Rai Singh, Lok Bhalai Party’s BP Singh Gill, and Revolutionary Socialist Party’s Bhupinder Jassal.

Sukhdev Singh Libra (77 ) is pinning his hopes not only from Congress workers, but supporters of late SGPC president Gurcharan Singh Tohra as well. He may also get indirect support from ‘annoyed’ SAD leaders. He may face some opposition from former PPCC president Shamsher Singh Dullo, who was an aspirant of the ticket, but Libra claims that he has met Dullo, who has assured to campaign for him.

Meanwhile, 72-year-old Atwal is the second Sikh to take up the post of Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha after Hukum Singh. Atwal represented Phillaur constituency in 14th Lok Sabha and remained Speaker (Punjab Assembly) from 1997-2002 and was also a member of the Lok Sabha from 1985-1989. A law graduate, Atwal is an experienced candidate, but he is being criticised by his opponents, who term him an ‘outsider’ and allege that Atwal chooses a new constituency every election.

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