Commoner who breached SAD patriarch’s fortress
AAP leader Gurmeet Singh Khudian, 59, son of former Faridkot MP late Jagdev Singh Khudian, emerged as a ‘giant killer’, defeating grand old man of Punjab politics and five-time former Chief Minister-cum-SAD patron Parkash Singh Badal from his home turf Lambi.
Gurmeet’s father was elected to Parliament in 1989 as an SAD (Amritsar) candidate. But within a few days, he disappeared mysteriously and his body was found from a canal six days later. Later, the family joined the Congress.
Till last year, Gurmeet was the lone Congress leader to take on the Badals in Lambi. However, after staying in the Congress for 30 years, Gurmeet joined the AAP last July on the assurance of a party ticket from Lambi.
Gurmeet, a matriculate and an agriculturist, was keen on contesting the elections in 2017 too, but ended up being a covering candidate of former CM Capt Amarinder Singh in Lambi. After the polls, he was removed as the district Congress chief.
Gurmeet said: “Badal’s younger brother Gurdas used to tell people only a commoner can defeat Badal in Lambi. Now, the public has proven it right.” — Archit Watts
Steadfast Labh Singh Ugoke countered ‘poor CM’ narrative
Up against outgoing CM Charanjit Singh Channi, AAP’s Bhadaur MLA Labh Singh Ugoke remained confident of victory right from the start, targeting him regularly with his “real versus fake poor” narrative.
Ugoke’s humble background helped him counter Channi’s claim of being a “poor CM”. His father works as a driver, while his mother is a contractual sweeper at a school. He had studied up to class XII and had been earning his livelihood repairing mobiles at his village. Ugoke joined the AAP in 2013 and became its block and circle president before being made the halqa incharge. His name was considered for a ticket during the 2017 polls, but the party gave it to Pirmal Singh Dhaula. Ugoke continued to plug away for the party in the area.
After Dhaula joined the Congress, many had predicted end of the AAP in the constituency. Ugoke not only revived the party’s prospects with his efforts, but ended up defeating the Congress stalwart. As per his affidavit to the Election Commission, Ugoke had assets worth Rs 1,29,634. With meagre assets, Ugoke managed his campaign with the help of area residents. — Parvesh Sharma
