Friends-turned-political opponents locked in contest in Fatehgarh Sahib seat

Once upon a time they were friends, but now two former IAS officers are pitted against each other in an electoral battle from Fatehgarh Sahib (reserve) constituency in Punjab. These days the ex-colleagues are trading barbs over their respective contribution to Punjab. Shiromani Akali Dal candidate Darbara Singh Guru claims that Congress nominee Amar Singh, who served in Madhya Pradesh, has come from "outside", whereas he himself served in Punjab.

Singh questions Guru for his contribution towards Punjab, asking whether he framed any scheme for the state when he served as a bureaucrat. Guru was the principal secretary to former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and Amar Singh was the principal secretary to former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijaya Singh.

Guru and Singh knew each other very well. Whenever Guru visited Bhopal for any official assignment, he would have meals at Amar Singh's residence. "Being in service, we knew each other. Now our parties are different," said Singh.

Guru said, "I have spent my entire life serving the people of Punjab. I have been principal secretary to the chief minister and I know the functioning here (in Punjab) very well and how to get work done." He said his experience would help him address the issues concerning the people in his constituency.

"Amar Singh was a Madhya Pradesh cadre IAS officer and he served there throughout his career. He has come from outside. Only after his retirement, did he come to Punjab," said Guru. Meanwhile, Amar Singh said he served for 10 years at the Centre and contributed to the formulation of the National Food Security scheme and the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme (MGNREGA).

"I contributed towards NREGA and National Food Security scheme. He (Guru) was in Punjab his whole life, but ask him, has he contributed towards framing any scheme for Punjab," said Amar Singh. "Since my retirement in 2013, I have been living in Punjab. I am the son of a labourer and I have been here for quite some time," he said, responding to Guru's charge of that he had come from outside.

"He (Guru) was the principal secretary to CM for five years, while I was the principal secretary to CM for 10 years," said Amar Singh. He said that people do not vote for individuals, rather they vote for parties. "Who is ready to vote for the Akali Dal this time which has been facing the people's ire over its handling of desecration incidents," said Singh.

Amar Singh, who was born in Ludhiana's Boparai Kalan village, said that during his stint at the Centre he was aware about the issues in Punjab. Both ex-bureaucrats have fought assembly polls earlier. While Guru contested and lost from Bhadaur (Barnala) and Bassi Pathana (Fatehgarh Sahib) assembly seats, Amar Singh unsuccessfully fought from the Raikot seat.

For Guru, national security is one of the main issues during the Lok Sabha polls and he is seeking votes for the development of this constituency. Congress nominee Amar Singh wants to put Fatehgarh Sahib on international tourist map and boost iron and steel industry of Mandi Gobindgarh.

The AAP and the Punjab Democratic Alliance have fielded Harbans Kaur Dullo and Manwinder Singh Giaspura from Fatehgarh Sahib for the polls. In 2014, Harinder Singh Khalsa had won from Fatehgarh Sahib seat on AAP ticket, but later, he was suspended. Khalsa joined the BJP last month.

Fatehgarh Sahib has nine assembly segments—Bassi Pathana, Fatehgarh Sahib, Amloh, Khanna, Samrala, Sahnewal, Payal, Raikot and Amargarh and out of these, seven assembly seats are held by Congress MLAs.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)