A man denied the federal Liberal nomination in his Edmonton riding is going to court with allegations of dirty politics he claims got him booted from the ballot in favour of a city councillor.
Varinder Bhullar will argue for a court injunction Wednesday to prevent the party from acclaiming Ward 12 councillor Amarjeet Sohi as its candidate in Edmonton-Millwoods.
Bhullar said he got the green light in December 2013 to run for the nomination in the riding. Months later, he said he was pressured to bow out.
“I started hearing the rumors in April, but they finally approached me in May, trying to ask me that I should back off and let Councillor Sohi run,” Bhullar said.
He refused. Last month, the Liberal party disqualified him as a candidate.
Twelve days later, Sohi announced his candidacy for Edmonton-Millwoods. The Liberals have announced he will be acclaimed by the party.
When asked about the reasons for the disqualification, the Liberal party told CBC News that “serious issues prevented (Bhullar) from completing the process.”
Bhullar’s application for an injunction says he was accused of selling fraudulent party memberships to invalid members, a charge he denies.
In his filing, Bhullar argues that all the people who were sold memberships were on the party’s official membership list, which expired at the end of 2014.
Bhullar said he has lost faith in the party and thinks he was forced out for the Liberals’ preferred candidate.
“Very disappointing. I feel sick to my stomach,” he said.
“When I think that the party that has always stood with the democratic process is not following the democratic process now.”
The Liberal Party of Canada did not comment further on Bhullar’s claims, but did say it would be in court to oppose the injunction.
Sohi declined to comment, saying the matter was between Bhullar and the party.
The injunction application will be heard in the Court of Queen’s Bench in Edmonton Wednesday morning.
