On the day the nomination process in Punjab closed (February 1), the EC approved SSM’s application for becoming a political party and asked it to initiate the final step of putting out a public notice in newspapers and wait for a 30-day period.
Prem Singh Bhangu, screening committee member of the SSM, said, “Now we have to give a public notice in two English newspapers and two vernaculars. From the date of putting these out, if no objections come within the next 30 days, our political party will stand registered. But all this will be completed by next month. So, this time we all have to contest as Independents only.”
The SSM has been claiming that the approval was delayed due to objections raised by rival political parties. Pointed out that even if the application had been approved by EC earlier, even then one-month public notice would have meant fighting as Independents, Bhangu said, “Yes, even then registration wouldn’t have happened on or before February 1 which was the last day of filing nomination papers.”
The SSM was formally announced on December 25. It had filed its application before EC on January 7.
SSM president Balbir Singh Rajewal after filing nomination papers had accused AAP and BJP leaders for causing a deliberate delay in their registration process.
Bangu supported the same and said, “Objections raised were baseless. We had submitted our application on January 7, but we got a revert from EC about objections on January 13. We reworked on the application and submitted it again on January 17. Ten days were lost and objections were baseless only.”
Meanwhile, SSM candidates will not be getting tractor or trolley as a symbol while fighting as Independents as candidates have not asked for it in their applications.
“We have been given choices such as a cot, pitcher and one more. Now, let’s see what do we get. No doubt a poll symbol would have given us a major boost but now we will have to work harder,” said Lakha Sidhana, SSM candidate from Maur.
Gurpreet Singh Kotli, another SSM candidate from Gidderbaha, added, “We had been pressing upon the party to expedite the symbol allotment process as people used to ask us about it in the area. Now, let’s see what symbol we get on February 4.”
Meanwhile, all the SSM candidates have filled the same three options for symbols.
Ruldu Singh Mansa, another screening committee member of SSM who is campaigning for candidate Gurnam Singh Bhikhi in
Mansa, said, “We are getting huge response from villages. No doubt registration of party would have given a boost, but even now we will not lag behind. People recognize us, so public support matters.”
Meanwhile, SSM couldn’t field candidates from all 117 seats. They fielded candidates from 104 seats only. CPI and CPI-ML Liberation were earlier with SSM, but decided to field their own candidates on their own symbols. Sanjha Punjab Morcha also emerged out of SSM last week and even they have fielded 38 candidates under Bahujan Mukti Morcha.
“We fielded all our candidates under the banner of Bahujan Mukti Morcha, an already registered political party. Our party and many other organizations had extended support to farmers’ protest. As of now, we have fielded 38 candidates and our symbol is manja (cot),” said Kuldeep Singh Issapuri, president of Sanjha Punjab Morcha.