bhaibaldeep

A TOI report by Yudhvir Rana in regards to my press conference held at Khadoor Sahib yesterday.

Khadoor Sahib: A renowned ‘ragi’ (hymn singer) and former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Bhai Baldeep Singh, who has announced to contest the Khadoor Sahib assembly by-election as an independent candidate, intended to bring back the original party, which was not formed by one but many people. He claimed to have the support of AAP’s dissident MPs Dr Dharmavira Gandhi and Harinder Singh Khalsa to contest the bypoll.

After performing ‘ardas’ at historical Gurdwara Angitha Sahib on Tuesday, Baldeep Singh said Gandhi and Khalsa had extended support to him as elders of Punjab. “I am contesting elections as an independent candidate, and many elders of Punjab have extended support to me, including Gandhi and Khalsa,” he said.

He said he had entered politics 27 years ago when he had decided to revive the politico-cultural traditions of Punjab. “With the same aim in mind, I had established the Anad foundation in 2004-05 and entered electoral politics in 2014,” he said, adding that he had the support of many elders of Sant Samaj, Panthic organisations, Swaraj Abhiyan and Aam Aadmi Volunteer Front.

He said he would be fighting the Khadoor Sahib by-election on the issues of health, education, environment and farming crisis and would come out with a comprehensive manifesto on local and state issues.

Asked whether he intends to join AAP, he said, “It is too early to reply on this for now. I am busy in working on my manifesto.”