Congress is yet to announce 17 more candidates with Punjab Assembly polls just about 22 days away. On Thursday, the party announced 23 more names taking the total number of candidates to 100, for 117-member Punjab Vidhan Sabha polls, scheduled for February 4.
Congress’ third list, on the second day of filing nominations, comes with “Akali touch”. The party fielded SAD MP Sher Singh Ghubaya’s son Davinder Ghubaya, who recently joined Congress, from Fazilka.
A former close associate of Bains brothers of ludhiana, Kamaljit Singh Kanwal, has also secured a nomination from Atam Nagar against Simarjeet Bains despite opposition from local Congress leaders of ludhiana.
The announcement of Karwal’s candidature has reportedly led to local Atam Nagar leaders led by KK Bawa protesting outside Congress headquarters in Delhi.
Among SAD turncoat MlAs, Rajwinder Kaur Baghike has bagged Nihalsinghwala reserved seat.
Deepender Dhillon, a former Akali who fought against Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh’s wife Preneet Kaur in Patiala lok Sabha contest, has been named party nominee from Dera Bassi. Before joining SAD, he was considered Preneet’s right hand man.
Sticking to ‘one family, one ticket’ rule, the party has decided on five seats. Congress has fielded Rajinder Singh, son of former minister and MlA lal Singh, from Samana. The party has put on hold the announcement of candidate on lal Singh’s seat, Sanaur, who has all along been pushing for his son’s candidature.
Applying the same rule, the party has fielded Major Singh Bhaini, son of former MlA Gurdeep Bhaini, from Dakha assembly segment, replacing Jassi Khangura who lost 2012 polls.
Congress chose Amit Vij and Arun Dogra from Pathankot and Dasuya — seats their fathers, Anil Vij and Ramesh Chandar Dogra, had unsuccessfully contested during 2012 polls.
Congress’ Jalandhar MP Chaudhary Santokh Singh failed to secure a ticket for his son, but for his wife Karamjit Kaur, who has been fielded from Phillaur assembly segment as the party deciding against fielding former Cabinet minister and Akali ‘turncoat’ MlA Sarwan Singh Phillaur, being backed by the state party chief Capt Amarinder Singh.
Sitting MlA Rakesh Pandey has been retained at ludhiana North, while former MP Mohinder Kaypee has been rehabilitated to Adampur reserve seat.
ludhiana-based hotelier Jassi Khangura’s relative Bhupender Sidhu has been fielded from ludhiana South, while Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s relative Harminder Jassi has been given party ticket from Maur—a move expecte to give a big boost to the party in malwa region with Dera having stronghold.
Declining the claims of former Union Minister Santosh Choudhry and her family, the party has fielded local district president Pawan Adhia as its candidate from Sham Chaurasi. Harpartap Ajnala will fight from Anjala while Joginder Singh has been fielded from Bhoa.
The party has once again kept in abeyance the controversial seats, including Jalandhar cantonment from where both turncoat MlA and Olympian Pargat Singh and former MlA Jagbir Brar are staking their claims.
It has also withheld announcement of candidate on ludhiana East assembly constituency seat, from where Capt Amarinder is backing the candidature of former Union Minister Manish Tewari but was strongly opposed by the ludhiana MP Ravneet Singh Bittu.
Capt Amarinder has already made it clear that the party has left Amritsar East seat for the Sidhu couple and it is between them to decide who will contest the polls. But, the ongoing suspense on cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu’s officially coming on board has, it seems, upset the Congress plans.