SAD, Congress, AAP candidates among 5 file papers in Ludhiana
Tuesday, 08/04/2014
http://epaper.dailypostindia.com/Details.aspx?id=99292&boxid=57856&uid=&dat=2014-04-08
Ludhiana : The mini secretariat seemed to have turned into political battle ground on Monday where five candidates filed their nomination papers out of which four candidates are being considered as the main contenders. Before filing the nomination papers candidates also staged road shows at grand level where sea of supporters had come to greet their favourite candidate.
The nomination started with independent candidate Simarjeet Singh Bains who reached mini secretariat in the afternoon for filing the documents followed by him reached Akali candidate Manpreet Ayali, Congress candidate Ravneet Bittu and Aam Aadmi Party candidate HS Phoolka. Meanwhile another independent candidate Navpreet Singh Bedi also filed the documents.
Simarjeet Singh took almost one hour to file his nominations due to which the Akali candidate Manpreet Ayali kept waiting in the office of additional commissioner (general) while congress candidate Ravneet Bittu preferred sitting in his car in the mini secretariat premises. The family members and supporters of AAP candidate HS Phoolka had reached mini secretariat but he reached only after Ayali went back after filing his papers.
It was a daunting task for administration to complete the nomination procedure because main candidates came for filing the document while the commuters too had a tough time due to road shows. Despite instructions from the district election officer cum deputy commissioner Rajat Agarwal that candidates should come at one hour interval so that there should not be chaos but even then candidates reached almost at one time.
Amidst chaotic atmosphere at mini secretariat the election code was also violated by Ayali and Bittu who brought more than allowed supporters inside the secretariat and even inside the office of district election officer.
Prior to this, the candidates also organised grand road shows in their respective areas for showing their strength to their competitors. Where Ravneet Bittu reached mini secretariat on feet from Park plaza Manpreet Ayali had organised his road show on Gill Road and even Simarjit Singh Bains came from Gill Road with his supporters. Interestingly AAP candidate HS Phoolka came on bicycle for nomination filing.
