Farmers Movement Archive

SAD releases first list of 64 candidates, Sukhbir Badal to fight from Jalalabad

Taking yet another lead over rival parties, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Monday announced 64 candidates for the 2022 Punjab assembly polls, trying to striking a balance among the party’s old guards and fresh faces. The party will contest on 97 seats and spare 20 for its alliance partner Bahujan Samaj Party under a pre-poll deal. Party president Sukhbir Singh Badal will again seek people’s mandate from Jalalabad. However, the names of party’s patriarch and five-time chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, and former minister Bikram Singh Majithia, representing Lambi and Majitha constituencies, respectively, are not there in the list. Youth Akal Dal president Parambans Singh Banti Romana will be SAD candidate from Faridkot. Of the 64 names listed on Monday, 22 had already been announced by party president Sukhbir Badal during party’s outreach programme (Gal Punjab Di) launched on August 18 and suspended on September 3 after farmers protesting against Centre’s three farm laws made attempts to disrupt the Akali poll meetings. According to party spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema, winnability is the key criteria and party’s political affairs committee has also looked into a candidate’s personal credentials and stature in the constituency. The party has also got a survey done before finalising candidates. Among the old guards who have got the green signal to take the electoral plunge again in 2022 include Tota Singh (Dharamkot), Janmeja Singh Sekhon (Zira), Daljit Singh Cheema (Ropar), Maheshinder Singh Grewal (Ludhiana West), Sikander Singh Maluka (Rampura Phul), Gulzar Singh Ranike (Attari-SC), and Adaish Partap Singh Kairon (Patti). Kairon was staking claim on Khem Karan seat that went to Virsa Singh Valtoha. Tota Singh’s son Barjinder Singh is a candidate from Moga. Five candidates in the list are those who switched sides to join Akali Dal. They are: Anil Joshi (Amritsar-North) and RK Gupta (Sujanpur) who came from the BJP, and former Congress leaders Jagbir Brar (Jaladhar Cantonment), Hansraj Josan (Fajilka) and Jagmeet Brar (Maur). The party has fielded nine new faces in Kulwant Singh Kanta (Barnala), Talbir Gill (Amritsar South), Sarabjot Singh Saabi (Mukerian), PS Dhillon (Samrala), Charanjeet Brar (Rajpura), Satnam Singh Rahi (Bhadaur), Prem Arora (Mansa), Chandan Grewal (Jalandhar Central) and Pritpal Singh Pali (Ludhiana Central). Of the party’s 14 sitting MLAs, names of eight figure in the list. They are: Kanwarjit Singh Rozy Barkandi (Muktsar), NK Sharma (Dera Bassi), Sharanjit Singh Dhillon (Sahnewal), Pawan Tinu (Adampur-SC), Gurpartap Singh Wadala (Nakodar) Sukhwinder Sukhi Banga (SC), Manpreet Singh Ayali (Dakha) and Harinder Pal Singh Chandumajra (Sanour). Other than Badal Senior and Bikram Singh Majithia, Sardoolgarh MLA Dilraj Singh Bhunder is waiting announcement of his candidature. More than half of the names in the list are of those who had lost the 2017 elections. The list has only one woman candidate in Vaninder Kaur Loomba who is a candidate from Shutrana-SC constituency. She, too, had lost the election in 2017. Here’s the complete list:Raj Kumar Gupta – Sujanpur Gurbachan Singh Babehali – Gurdaspur Amarpal Singh Bonny – Ajnala Malkiat Singh AR – Jandiala Anil Joshi – Amritsar North Dr Dalbir Singh Verka – Amritsar West Talbir Singh Gill - Amritsar South Gulzar Singh Ranike – Attari (SC) Harmeet Singh Sandhu – Tarn Taran Virsa Singh Valtoha – Khem Karan AdaishPartap Singh Kairon - Patti Baldev Singh Khaira - Phillaur Gurpartap Singh Wadala - Nakodar Chandan Grewal - Jalandhar Central Jagbir Singh Brar - Jalandhar Cantt Pawan Kumar Tinu - Adampur (SC) Sarabjeet Singh Saabi - Mukerian Sohan Singh Thandal - Chabbewal (SC) Surinder Singh Bhulewal Rathan – Garhshankar Sukhwinder Singh Sukhi - Banga (SC) Daljeet Singh Cheema - Ropar Ranjit Singh Gill – Kharar Jagdeep Singh Cheema - Fatehgarh Sahib Gurpreet Singh Raju Khanna - Amloh Paramjeet Singh Dhillon – Samrala Sharanjit Singh Dhillon – Sahnewal Ranjit Singh Dhillon - Ludhiana East Harish Rai Danda - Atam Nagar Pritpal Singh Pali - Ludhiana Central Maheshinder Singh Grewal - Ludhiana West Darshan Singh Shivalik – Gill (SC) Manpreet Singh Ayali – Dakha SR Kaler – Jagraon (SC) Teerath Singh Mahla - Bhagha Purana Makhan Barjinder Singh - Moga Tota Singh – Dharamkot Janmeja Singh Sekhon – Zira Joginder Singh Jindu - Firozpur Rural Vardev Singh Noni Maan - Guru Har Sahai Sukhbir Singh Badal - Jalalabad Hans Raj Josan - Fazilka Hardeep Singh Dimpy – Gidderbaha Harpreet Singh Kot Bhai - Malout Kanwarjeet Singh Rozy Barkandi – Muktsar Parambans Singh Bunty Romana – Faridkot Mantar Singh Brar - Kotkapura Suba Singh Badal – Jaitu Sikander Singh S Maluka – Rampura Phul Darshan Singh Kotfatta – Bucho Mandi Sarup Singla - Bathinda Urban Prakash Singh Bhatti - Bathinda Rural Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu – Talwandi Sabo Jagmeet Singh Brar - Maur Prem Kumar Arora – Mansa Gulzar Singh Gulzari – Dirba Satnam Singh Rahi – Bhadaur Kulwant Singh Kanta – Barnala Iqbal Singh Jhunda – Amargarh Kabir Dass – Nabha Charanjit Singh Brar - Rajpura NK Sharma – Dera Bassi Harinderpal Singh Chandumajra - Sanour Surjit Singh Rakhra- Samana Vaninder Kaur Loomba – Shutrana

Hindustan Times

14-09-2021

Chandigarh