The Aam Aadmi Party has named the first lot of candidates for the 2017 Punjab assembly election. In its first list, the party has named 19 candidates including lawyer and activist HS Phoolka.
The party has seized the initiative over its rivals — the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Congress — by naming the candidates.
Besides some of the party’s known faces, on the list are a former Indian Peace-Keeping Force commander, BSP founder Kanshi Ram’s associate, grandnephew of former President Giani Zail Singh, a two-time MP, a doctor and a decorated sportsman.
The party has clearly given equal importance to the youth as well as old-timers. The names were announced by AAP’s Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann in Chandigarh on Thursday. He was accompanied by Punjab affairs incharge Sanjay Singh and women’s wing chief Baljinder Kaur.
Eminent lawyer HS Phoolka has been fielded from Dakha, party’s legal wing incharge Himmat Singh Shergill from Mohali and youth wing incharge Harjot Singh Bains from Sahnewal.
Arjuna awardee Sajjan Singh Cheema and Gurdit Singh Sekhon, former basketball players, will contest from Sultanpur Lodhi and Faridkot, respectively.
Retired Brigadier Raj Kumar, 59, who was part of the first batch of the IPKF that arrived at Sri Lanka’s Jaffna in 1987, will contest from Balachaur. Kultar Singh Sandhwa, grand-nephew of former President Giani Zail Singh, who runs Bhai Ghanaiya Cancer Roko Seva Society, is the party’s candidate from Kotkapura.
Law graduate Rupinder Kaur Ruby, 27, will contest from Bathinda (Rural) while Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjer, who is associated with Pingalwara, will contest from Amritsar (South).
The party has given the ticket to two former BSP members — two-time MP Mohan Singh Phalianwala and Santokh Singh Salana. Phalianwal headed the BSP’s state unit for 15 years. He will contest from Ferozepur (Rural). Salana, who in 2004 had organised the Kanshi Ram Bachao Sangharsh Committee in association with Kanshi Ram’s family members, will contest from Bassi Pathana.
Gurvinder Singh Shampura served as SGPC member for 16 years. He has been picked for the Fatehgarh Churian seat. Ahbaab Singh Grewal, general secretary of AAP farmers’ wing, will contest from Ludhiana (West), Samarbir Singh Sidhu, 25, from Fazilka and Jagdeep Singh Brar and Jasvir Singh Jassi Sekhon, members of AAP’s political review committee, from Muktsar and Dhuri, respectively.
Taxi operator Amarjeet Singh has been nominated for the Rupnagar (Ropar) seat and Gurpreet Lapran, a trader, from Payal.
Following the release of the party’s first list, reports emerged that the party state convener, Sucha Singh Chhotepur had resigned from the party, which were later rubbished by Chhotepur himself.
