What’s in the nameIJ Everything…especially when it comes to elections.
Sample this: In Batala Assembly segment, AAP’s Gurpreet Singh Ghuggi is facing Gurpreet Singh Ghulli, while Congress’ Ashwani Sekhri will slug it out
against Ashwani Kumar Shakri along with one more Ashwani.
In Dakha, Akali Dal’s Manpreet Singh Ayali is contesting against Manpreet Singh Akali.
From Zira constituency, four Kulbir Singhs and
four Gurpreet Singhs are in fray.
That is not all! There are no less than 78 such candidates, in 26 constituencies, who have their namesakes contesting from the same seat, constituting 6.8 per cent of the total 1,145 candidates in fray.
Other than that, 14 Manjits, 11 Paramjits, 13 Kulwants, 13 Baldevs, 12 Parminders, and many more would be trying their luck in February 4 polls.
Sharing different political ideologies, different election symbols, but when it comes to their names, one just cannot differentiate.
As the lesser known faces in Punjab political scene are sharing their names with the who’s who of prominent political parties, there is confusion. Turning on to the father’s name for help would only make a difference.
Call it a complete coincidence, or an attempt to puzzle the voters, out of 1145 candidates across the State for 117 Assembly segments, 78 share their names with other candidates from the
prominent political parties of the State in the same constituency.
In Batala Assembly segment, all three candidates from prominent parties have their namesakes, so much so to confuse the voters.
Sitting MlA and Congress candidate Ashwani Sekhri will face two Ashwanis, including the one having similar last name, Ashwani Kumar Shakri.
The 40-year-old independent candidate may add more woes to sitting legislator’s election campaign whose brother, Inder Sekhri, has also entered the poll arena as Apna Punjab Party’s (APP) candidate.
SAD-BJP combine candidate and Akali stalwart lakhbir Singh lodhinangal also has his duplicate — the 53-year-old businessman lakhbir Singh, who is contesting from Batala as independent.
For comedian-turned-politician Gurpreet Singh Ghuggi, it would be no less than a comedy of errors who is facing the two political bigwigs in his first elections. Other than Sekhri and lodhinangal, the Aam Aadmi Party’s state convener is also facing a 36-year-old welder Gurpreet Singh Ghulli.
“I have submitted papers by the name of Gurpreet Singh, but everyone here know me as Gurpreet Singh Ghulli…SO, I have asked the election commission to write my name as Gurpreet Singh Ghulli in the ballot paper, and they have accepted that,” said a 10+2 pass, while talking to The Pioneer.
In the same way, all three candidates from prominent parties in Rampura Phul — SAD’s Sikander Singh Maluka, Congress’ Gurpreet Singh Kangar, and AAP’s Manjit Singh Sidhu are facing their namesakes.
Besides 34-year-old Independent candidate Sikander Singh, three Gurpreet Singhs — all independents — are in fray besides one more Manjit Singh from Rampura Phull seat.
Even as the AAP has fielded its most popular leader Bhagwant Mann against Bikram Singh Majithia, it seems one Sukhjinder Singh is not enough for him.
Similar to the name of Congress candidate Sukhjinder Raj Singh (lalli) Majithia, two other independents with the same name are in the contest.
Congress legislative Party leader Charanjit Singh Channi is too facing another Charanjit Singh, 55-year-old AAP candidate, from his bastion, Chamkaur Sahib.
AAP’s another candidate with exactly same
name, Charanjit Singh Channi, is contesting polls from Nawanshahr constituency.
In Guru Har Sahai, Congress sitting MlA Gurmeet Singh Sodhi is facing another Gurmeet Singh Sodhi — a 52-year-old Government contractor. Other than that,
two other Gurmit Singhs are contesting.
In Zira assembly constituency, both Congress candidate Kulbir Singh and AAP candidate Gurpreet Singh are facing their three other namesakes each — all contesting as independents.