Sarwan Singh Phillaur stakes claim for Congress ticket from Jalandhar and Hoshairpur constituency...

Chandigarh, 6 Feb'19: (Niel Bhalinder Singh): Sardar Sarwan Singh Phillaur today applied for the Congress candidature from Jalandhar and Hoshairpur parliamentary constituencies.   He is considered to be the right choice for Congress, as Shiromani Akali Dal and AAP have lost credibility in Punjab, particularly Doaba region, because of the sacrilege issue for the former and Kejriwal’s apology to Majithia in the case of AAP.

In such a scenario, Sarwan Singh Phillaur can attract the floating votes towards Congress, considering his four decades long political career. Born on May 30, 1948 at Chak Des Raj, Sarwan Singh hails from Phillaur in district Jalandhar, Punjab. He is married to Nirmaljit Kaur and has a son Damanvir Singh Phillaur and a daughter Amanpreet Kaur. Phillaur did his schooling in his native village Chak Des Raj and completed his Intermediate in Govt.School Dosanjh Kalan under the Phillaur constituency.

Arvind Kejriwal

Sarwan Singh started his political career in 1977, when he won the assembly elections from Phillaur constituency. Phillaur was elected MLA 6 times, which is a rare feat. What's more, he has been minister three times. Phillaur has a mass following in Banga and Nawanshahr also, which will help the congress secure a win from Anandpur Sahib constituency too.  

Congress is serious for Doaba as it was congress’s strong hold in earlier times but in the last Vidhan Sabha 2017 elections Congress lost 4 seats in Jalandhar and 2 in Nawanshahar district when the Akali -BJP combine bagged just 14 seats in the whole of PUNJAB. Phillaur is likely to be a strongest Dalit face of Congress in Doaba region. Considering his powerful roots in the region, Capt Amarinder Singh had persuaded Phillaur to leave Shiromani Akali Dal(Badal) and join Congress in 2016.  

Capt Amarinder Singh

It is pertinent to mention here that Sarwan Singh Phillaur who was the Jail Minister in the previous Akali government, has got a major relief from the Supreme court (SC). The Apex court has put a stay on the complaint no 8 in the trial case that was going on against Phillaur in the infamous Bhola drug racket matter in the CBI court Mohali.

This development has sounded a major setback to the Enforcement Directorate agency which is investigating the matter. The SC order has clearly vindicated Phillaur's stand that he was made a scapegoat by the Shiromani Akali Dal(Badal) party and was falsely implicated in the case by the top leadership of the party.