Kartarpur, Feb 14: Mohinder Singh Kaypee has been named the Shiromani Akali Dal halqa incharge for Kartarpur, marking a significant move by party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal to reclaim influence in the Jalandhar district. The 68-year-old leader, who served as a Punjab minister twice, will now oversee the constituency that has seen a revolving door of leadership in recent years.
The move follows a period of transition for the SAD in Kartarpur after former MLAs Sarwan Singh Phillaur and Avinash Chander departed for other political outfits. “We are building a dedicated team to serve the people of Kartarpur under the guidance of seasoned leaders,” Badal mentioned while addressing workers. He added that the feedback from local residents played a crucial role in the selection process.
Kaypee’s political journey includes serving as the Minister of State for Youth and Sports Affairs and later heading the Technical Education and Transport departments. Although he is a relative of Congress MP Charanjit Singh Channi, Kaypee chose to contest against him in the last general election on an Akali ticket. His appointment follows recommendations from SAD (rural) Jalandhar chief Bachitar Singh Kohar and Gurnek Dhillon, who conducted extensive field meetings.
The SAD is looking to stabilize the Kartarpur seat, which was previously part of the seat-sharing arrangement with the BSP. With the resignation of former incharge Paramjit Reru after the 2022 polls, the party is banking on Kaypee’s experience as a former MP and legislator to bridge gaps within the local unit and mobilize the cadre.
