93 out of 94 candidates of Sanyukt Samaj Morcha lost their security deposit, with chief Balbir Singh Rajewal polling just 4,676 votes in Samrala
Agencies
CHANDIGARH: The Sanyukt Samaj Morcha (SSM), a political party formed by 22 of Punjab farmers’ 32 unions in December last year, has been decimated in the Punjab assembly elections.
Barring one, all of its 94 candidates lost their security deposit in the elections in which the Aam Adami Party won 92 out of the 117 seats.
Only Lakha Sidhana, who along with the late Deep Sidhu is one of the accused in the Red Fort violence during the farmers’ rally in January 2021, put up a respectable fight in the Maur assembly by polling over 20 percent votes. He secured 28,091 votes against AAP’s Sukhveer Singh Maiserkhana who won with 63,099 votes.
SSM president Balbir Singh Rajewal , 79, who was one of the most known faces of the year-long farmers’ agitation on Delhi borders, also lost his deposit as he managed just 4,676 votes from the Samrala assembly seat.
SKM legal cell convenor Prem Singh Bhangu polled only 1,681 votes in the Patiala constituency of Ghanaur.
SSM spokesperson Ravneet Singh Brar also got just 2,971 votes in SAS Nagar.
Dr Sukhmandeep Singh Dhillon, who stayed with farmers at the Tikri border to assist with medical aid and gave up his dream of pursuing MD in the US, polled just 1,315 votes in Tarn Taran.
Another prominent leader of the farmers’ agitation Gurpreet Singh Kotli who campaigned on tractor got mere 880 votes in the Gidderbaha constituency.
DU college professor Anuroop Kaur Sandhu, who joined the farmers’ agitation, got just 909 votes from Muktsar.
Physiotherapist Ramandeep Singh, who too stayed with farmers at the Singhu border during the agitation, received 1,150 votes in Jaito.
Since the hurriedly formed SSM could not meet the criteria for registration with the Election Commission of India, its candidates entered the fray as independents.
So what happens to SSM now?
SSM leader Prem Singh Bhangu told Indian Express, “SSM’s entry into politics was late and perhaps this was the reason that we could not get it translated into votes. We accept the verdict of the people. This was our first attempt. Our fight for farming issues will remain as it is and this is not the end of the road for us. Farm related issues are fought by farm unions only and our next SKM meeting is on March 14 at Delhi over farm issues. We will decide in next SSM meeting whether we need to continue into active politics in future.”
