Dhindsa in a fix: Sydney or son's election campaign

Onkar Singh in New Delhi

Union Minister for Sports Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa is facing an unusual problem. He was all set to visit Australia in September to watch the Olympic Games in Sydney.

However, when the Election Commission on Monday announced the date for the by-election to the Sunam assembly constituency in Punjab, his plans went awry. The by-election is slated to take place on September 29.

Parminder Singh Dhindsa has been given the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal faction) ticket to contest the by-election. Twenty-six-year-old Parminder is the son of the Union minister.

Parminder, who got married only five months ago, is a graduate. However, he had not taken up any job.

As the date of the election is less than a month away, the sports minister finds himself in a very delicate position. Though he wants to go to Sydney to watch the Olympic Games, at least for a couple of days, he cannot afford to neglect his son's election campaign.

Dhindsa has to choose between filial loyalty and the opportunity of a lifetime.

"I want to go to Sydney but since my son is contesting for the first time from Sunam, I have not made up my mind whether to go or not," Dhindsa told rediff.com.

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