Summary:
BATHINDA: The Congress managed to win the support of three sitting councillors of Bathinda municipal corporation ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.The three councillors, Harmandar Singh, Rajinder Singh Sidhu and Baljit Singh joined the Congress on Thursday in the presence of Punjab finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal. Akali-turned-Congressman Rajinder Singh Sidhu faces a case of abetment to suicide.Accusing the SAD of promoting the culture of hired persons, these five resigned on January 12. On the same day, the party tried to compensate for the loss by getting former Punjab Congress secretary Iqbal Singh Dhillon and councillor Sherry Goyal to join.Councillors Harmandar Singh, Rajinder Singh Sidhu and Baljit Singh claimed that Akali Dal has been accused of sacrilege and ensuring pardon to Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim. Another SAD leader and former president of Bathinda Truck Union, Tehal Singh also joined the Congress.Initially, the Congress planned to induct four sitting councillors and a former councillor but former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal intervened on Wednesday night and prevailed upon one of the sitting councillors, Nirmal Singh Sandhu and a former councillor, Parminder Kaur to return to the Akali fold..