The BJP on Thursday released its first list of candidates for the Punjab Assembly elections while the Congress released its third list.
The Congress released a list of 23 candidates while the Bharatiya Janata Party announced 17 candidates for Punjab. The BJP is contesting in 23 seats in Punjab, while its alliance partner Shiromani Akali Dal is contesting in 94 seats. The Congress has till now announced 100 candidates.
Punjab Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh said the party had selected candidates strictly adhering to the one-family-one-ticket rule.
The Congress has nominated Karmjit Kaur Chaudhary from Phillaur (SC), while from Samana, it has chosen Rajinder Singh.
First-timers
Among the first-timers, Davinder Gubaya, son of sitting Akali MP Sher Singh Gubaya, has been nominated from Fazilka. Kamaljit Singh Karwal, ex-Akali leader who recently joined the Congress, has been given the ticket from Atam Nagar. Another ex-Akali leader to find his name in the list is Pritam Singh Kotbhai from Bucho Mandi.
Few notable names in the list include sitting Congress MLA Rakesh Pandey (Ludhiana North) and sitting Akali MLA Rajwinder Kaur Bhagikay from Nihal Singh Wala (SC).
Others in the list include Tejinder Bittu (Jalandhar North), Mohinder Singh Kaypee (Adampur), Deepinder Singh Dhillon (Dera Bassi) and Arun Dogra (Dasayu).
Nod for list
On the other hand, the BJP’s Central Election Committee that met in New Delhi under the chairmanship of party president Amit Shah on Thursday gave the nod to the list of candidates for Punjab.
Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda released the first list of BJP’s 17 candidates but withheld the announcement for six seats, where the party has sitting MLAs, hinting that some of them could be dropped.
Sources said there was difference of opinion at the CEC meeting among senior leaders in the party over dropping some of the MLAs, resulting in delay in the final announcement.
The BJP has retained five sitting MLAs in the first list, who include Dinesh Singh Babbu (Sujanpur), Seema Kumari (Bhoa), Ashwani Sharma (Pathankot), K.D. Bhandari (Jalandhar North) and Sukhjeet Kaur Sahi (Dasuya).
The party has given ticket to Rajesh Hani from Amritsar East, a seat held by Navjot Kaur Sidhu, who along with her husband Navjot Singh Sidhu has quit the BJP. The BJP’s National Secretary Tarun Chugh will contest from Amritsar Central.
Lok Sabha seat
The BJP has announced Dr. Rajendra Mohan as its candidate for the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat, which fell vacant after the resignation of Congress leader Capt. Amarinder Singh. The by-poll for Amritsar is also slated for February 4.
