PUNJAB POLLS 2017 - Capt, Bhattal, Manpreet in Cong list of 61
Friday, 16/12/2016
http://epaper.dailypostindia.com/Details.aspx?id=169783&boxid=65186&uid=&dat=2016-12-16
Chandigarh : The Congress announced its first list of 61 candidates for the upcoming Punjab Assembly Elections on Thursday, choosing to go with winnable candidates across various cross-sections. The party has tried to maintain balance between youth, new faces and experience while giving adequate representation to women candidates. The party has retained 31 sitting MLAs, while choosing to go with seven new faces, backed by strong credibility and winnability criteria. The new faces on the block are Angad Singh (Nawanshahr), Dr Amar Singh (Raikot), Sukhwinder Singh Danny (Jandiala), Kulbir Singh Zira (Zira), Khushbaj Singh Jatana (Talwandi Sabo), Kuldip Singh Vaid (Gill) and Dalvir Singh Goldy (Dhuri).
Five youth, six women, eight former MLAs and one former MP constitute the rest of the first list. Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief Capt Amarinder Singh said all care had been taken to ensure winnability as the key criteria in finalising the nominees.
Since, there were several aspirants in the fray for some of the seats, those who did not make it to the final list will be accommodated once the party forms the next government in the state, he said, appealing to all Congress workers to come together to campaign for the victory of the Congress in Punjab. Capt Amarinder will show his might from Patiala, while vice president Sunil Jakhar will contest from Abohar. Other stalwarts in the fray are Manpreet Singh Badal from Bathinda Urban and Charanjit Singh Channi from Chamkaur Sahib (SC), from where he is the sitting MLA. Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi will contest from Guru Har Sahai. Former minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa has been nominated for the Fatehgarh Churian seat. The ticket for the high-profile Majitha constituency has gone to Sukhjinder Raj Singh Lalli Majthia, while Rana Gurjit Singh will contest from Kapurthala.
Another prominent name in the list includes former Moga DC, Kuldeep Singh Vaid, IAS, who has been pitched from Gill reserved constituency. From Raikot reserved seat, Congress nominee is Dr Amar Singh, vice president of PPCC and brother of sitting MLA Gurcharan Singh Boparai. For Barnala, the party’s choice is Kewal Singh Dhillon. Of the six women, four have been fielded from the reserved constituencies, Ferozepur Rural (Satkar Kaur), Mehalkalan (Harchand Kaur, a sitting MLA), Budhlada (Ranjit Kaur Batti) and Dina Nagar (a sitting MLA Aruna Chaudhary). The other two women in the fray are Razia Sultana (Malerkotla) and Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, sitting MLA and former chief minister, from Lehra.
HIGHLIGHTS
Congress fielded new entrants like Manpreet Singh Badal, former Akali and Finance Minister, from Bathinda Urban, Dalvir Singh Goldy, from Dhuri and Khushbaj Singh Jatana from Talwandi Sabo constituencies where there was no rebellion.
Names of Punjab Congress Chief and former Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh and former CM Rajinder Kaur Bhattal are in the first list.
New faces to get tickets are Angad Singh (Nawanshahr), Amar Singh (Raikot), Sukhwinder Singh Danny (Jandiala), Kulbir Singh Zira (Zira), Khushbaj Singh Jatana (Talwandi Sabo), Kuldip Singh Vaid (Gill) and Dalvir Singh Goldy (Dhuri).
Former Moga DC, Kuldeep Singh Vaid, IAS, is a candidate from Gill reserved constituency, among the candidates announced by the Congress in first list.
At 25 years, Angad Saini, son of sitting MLA Guriqbal Kaur Babli, is the youngest nominee in the Congress first list.
The party has fielded Kulbir Singh Zira, son of Congress leader Inderjit Singh Zira, from Zira.
Seven new faces in the first list of 61
The party has skipped rebellion-marred constituencies in its first list.
Name of All India Youth Congress president Raja Warring, who represents Gidderbaha Assembly, missing from the first list.
