Sunny Deol appoints 'representative' to look after Gurdaspur, Congress calls it 'betrayal'

Sunny Deol, BJP MP from Gurdaspur has appointed Gurpreet Palheri as his representative to take care of the matters pertaining to his parliamentary constituency. Deol’s representative would also attend meeting on his behalf and follow up matters to the concerned authorities. The actor-turned-politician has been alleged by Congress of ‘betraying the mandate’ of the people. 

Gurdaspur(Punjab) MP Sunny Deol: I appoint Gurpreet Palheri as my representative to attend meetings and follow important matters pertaining to my parliamentary constituency with concerned authorities. (file pic) pic.twitter.com/175TiMFOmw

— ANI (@ANI) July 1, 2019

A letter signed by the Gurdaspur MP read, “I hereby appoint Gurpreet Singh Palheri, son of Supinder Singh, resident of village Palheri, district Mohali, Punjab, as my representative to attend meetings and follow important matters pertaining to my Parliamentary constituency, Gurdaspur (Punjab), with concerned authorities.” Responding to his appointment, Gurpreet said that he will ensure 24-hour service to the people of Gurdaspur. 

Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, MLA from Dera Baba Nanak, an Assembly segment part of the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha constituency lashed out at Deol saying, “How can an MP appoint his representative? Voters have elected Sunny Deol as MP, not his representative.”

Oddly enough, during the poll campaign, Deol had said that he will ‘live in Gurdaspur after elections.’ “I am getting huge response from the people, if they love me they will make me win. Will work for local issues. Will open hospitals, colleges and work for the development of the constituency,” he had said. “I won’t leave Gurdaspur and will live here,” the BJP leader had said during one of his roadshows.

Earlier, Sunny Deol was also accused of making expenditure beyond EC’s limits in the Lok Sabha election. The notice to Deol to "reconcile" his poll expenditure account was issued by Gurdaspur District Election Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner Vipul Ujjwal.

The BJP had fielded 59-year-old Deol from Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat in 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Deol, 59, defeated the Punjab Congress chief Sunil jhakar with a margin of 82,459 votes. Earlier, late actor Vinod Khanna had represented Gurdaspur constituency four times in 1998, 1999, 2004 and 2014.