Chandigarh

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Saturday announced Kamaldeep Kaur Rajoana, the sister of Balwant Singh Rajoana who was convicted for the assassination of former Chief Minister Beant Singh in 1995, as the joint candidate of SAD, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and all panthic organisations for the Sangrur parliamentary bypoll.

A decision to this effect was taken after SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal held thorough consultations on this issue with the BSP leadership as well as the panthic organisations, including the Sant Samaj and the Bandi Sikh Rihai Committee.

 The SAD chief appealed to the 'panth' to wholeheartedly support Kamaldeep Rajoana's candidature. disclosing this, party spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema said that Kamaldeep Rajoana would contest the bypoll on SAD symbol. She will file her nomination on June 6.

Cheema said there was a long-standing demand from the panthic organisations that the joint panthic candidate for the Sangrur bypolls should be from the families of 'Bandi Singhs'.

"The panth feels that this will draw attention on the plight of the Sikh detenues who have been languishing in jails even after completion of their sentences. Akal Takth Sahib Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh had also relayed a message to the community in this regard. The SAD has taken all these factors into consideration before deciding to field Kamaldeep Kaur Rajoana as the joint panthic candidate on the party symbol".

Cheema said Kamaldeep Rajoana was also a victim of police atrocity.

"Her brother was killed in a false encounter and her sister died in police custody. Even her family house was demolished," he said.

Balwant Singh Rajoana, who was convicted for his part in assassinating Beant Singh, is lodged in the Patiala Central Jail.