AMRITSAR: With their significant presence in Punjab, the Sehajdhari Sikh Party (SSP) has offered the Congress an alliance and have also staked claim to a ticket from at least one of the two parliamentary constituencies of Anandpur Sahib and Sangrur “Sehajdharis Sikhs have around 70 lakh voters in Punjab and they have always played a decisive role in Congress politics and even worked as a B team for Congress,” said SSP president Paramjit Singh Ranu while talking to TOI on Wednesday. He claimed that they were in touch with the Congress high command in Delhi as well as the state Congress leadership. He argued that the SSP had demanded ticket from one of the above mentioned two Lok Sabha constituencies since they had a large vote bank in both constituencies.The Gujjars of Garhshankar and Nawanshar, which is an NRI belt and majority of the NRIs and their families are non-kesdharis, will wholeheartedly support the SSP, he said.Presently SAD, SAD(T) and AAP have announced Prem Singh Chandumajra, Bir Devinder Singh and Narinder Shergill as their candidates from Anandpur Sahib Lok Sabha seat, respectively, while from Sangrur Lok Sabha constituency only AAP had announced the name of Bhagwant Singh Maan.Drawing a parallel with Lingayat community in south India, he said that it was facing similar issues in south India as Sehajdharis in Punjab. “Lingayats are not accepted as Hindus by the Brahmins and similarly, Sehajdhari Sikhs are not accepted by mainstream Sikhs,” he stated, adding that now with the support of the Congress the Lingayats had been granted a separate religious minority. “We expect the same in Punjab after getting political power,” said Ranu.President of the SSP claimed that it had proposed his name to contest either from Anandpur Sahib or Sangrur constituency. He claimed that it could be a major help to the Congress to win seats in other constituencies also. Giving an example, he said in Gurdaspur parliamentary constituency there were around 4.5 lakh Sehajdhari Sikhs who could turn the tide in favour of the Congress nominee.

Stay updated with all the Amritsar Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.