Amarinder Singh will take on Jaitley in Amritsar

Ambika Soni is pitted against Prem Singh Chandu Majra of Shiromani Akali Dal

In a bid to inject some enthusiasm into its cadres, the Congress on Friday nominated two of its seniormost leaders, the former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and party general secretary Ambika Soni from Amritsar and Anantpur Sahib respectively.

Captain Singh, the former Maharaja of Patiala, who was a Lok Sabha MP last in 1980, will take on the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley of the BJP, while Ms. Soni has been pitted against Prem Singh Chandu Majra of the Shiromani Akali Dal.

Party sources said both Captain Singh and Ms. Soni had to be “persuaded” to contest these elections.