Stopped From Meeting Arrested Party MLA, Allege Punjab Congress Leaders

Mr Khaira’s arrest came amid talks of seat sharing in the INDIA bloc. (file)

Chandigarh:

Punjab Congress leaders Partap Singh Bajwa and Amrinder Singh Raja Warring on Friday claimed they were not allowed to meet arrested party MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira in Fazilka.

Mr Khaira was arrested here on Thursday by the Punjab Police in connection with a 2015 drug trafficking case. After his arrest, the MLA from Bholath was produced in a court in Fazilka’s Jalalabad and remanded in police custody for two days.  On Friday, Mr Bajwa, who is the Leader of the Opposition in the state, Mr Warring, and other senior leaders went to meet Mr Khaira, who is under the custody of Punjab Police in Fazilka.

“We wanted to meet our colleague and assure him that his party and we all stand behind him. But the police did not permit us to meet him,” Mr Bajwa told reporters in Fazilka.

“I am Leader of Opposition, my elected MLA has been arrested. We wanted to meet him in police presence. It was a courtesy call, but permission was denied,” he said.

Partap Singh Bajwa also lashed out at the Bhagwant Mann dispensation, accusing it of indulging in vendetta politics.

A Punjab Congress delegation had on Thursday met Governor Banwarilal Purohit, complaining about the alleged fake case.

Mr Khaira’s arrest came amid talks of seat sharing between the members of the opposition INDIA bloc.

The Punjab Congress has already opposed any alliance with the ruling AAP in the state for the general elections.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)