AMRITSAR: The appointment of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) general secretary Manjinder Singh Sirsa as SAD (B) observer for Amritsar district has triggered speculation of the party giving the BJP MLA from New Delhi’s Rajouri Garden assembly seat a major role in Punjab polity. Sirsa, a close confident of SAD (B) president Sukhbir Badal, has been active in taking up various religious and political issues in Punjab of late. However, his appointment as party observer for Amritsar district has surprised many.SAD (B) president had appointed party’s observer and assistant observers in Punjab recently and picked up Sirsa for Amritsar.Speaking to TOI on Tuesday, a senior Akali leader and a Lok Sabha MP ticket aspirant from Amritsar said, “BJP has already burnt its fingers by introducing an outsider candidate in last Lok Sabha elections. In case, the party swaps seat with SAD (B), it will meet the same fate by bringing an outsider.”However, SAD (B) district urban president Gurpartap Singh Tikka claimed Sirsa’s appointment as observer for Amritsar was a routine job. “Outsiders are appointed as observers so that the party high command gets a true picture of its activities, any dissent or groupism in a particular district,” he said. Sirsa has his political future in Delhi, not in Amritsar, he added.Meanwhile, rumours abound of a young Akali leader planning to launch his wife in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The party had also held discussions with its alliance partner BJP. A BJP leader said winning the seat was only criteria for the alliance partners in 2019 Lok Sabha elections. “We have held this discussion in meeting but SAD (B) will take the final call,” he said.Giving example of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, he said people’s anger against Akalis ensured Congress victory . “Similarly now sentiments are not in favour of Congress,” said he.Despite several attempts, Sirsa could not be contacted for his comment.

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