With Captain Amarinder Singh-led Punjab Lok Congress (PLC) releasing its first list of 22 candidates, several Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders who were eyeing tickets from Ludhiana South, Ludhiana East and Atam Nagar assembly constituencies were left dejected.
Captain’s party is in alliance with the BJP for the upcoming Punjab assembly elections, which means the saffron party won’t be fielding candidates from the seats where PLC is fighting from.
The PLC has named district president Jagmohan Sharma from Ludhiana East, Satinderpal Singh Tajpuri, son of a former cooperation minister in Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) government, from Ludhiana South and former SAD MLA Prem Mittal from Atam Nagar.
Soon after the PLC’s announcement, several BJP workers started sharing messages on social media groups that in the past, the alliance with SAD had brought down the morale of the saffron party workers and now, it is the Captain’s party.
BJP Daba Mandal president Surinder Sharma, said, “We strongly oppose the move of offering a ticket to a parachute candidate Satinderpal Singh Tajpuri. Today, a joint meeting of Dholewal, Daba and Giaspura Mandal was held in which it was decided that we will express our resentment to the party high command and ask them to review its decision. The workers are feeling neglected and have decided to not support parachute candidates.”
Sources in the party said that Gurdeep Singh Gosha, former district president of the Youth Akali Dal (YAD), had deserted the SAD a few days ago and joined the BJP in hope of a ticket from Ludhiana South. With PLC announcing its candidate from this seat, Gosha is now vying to contest from Ludhiana North. But it won’t be a cakewalk for Gosha as BJP’s state vice-president Parvin Bansal, general secretary Jeevan Gupta and spokesperson Anil Sareen are frontrunners for Ludhiana North.
{{/usCountry}}Sources in the party said that Gurdeep Singh Gosha, former district president of the Youth Akali Dal (YAD), had deserted the SAD a few days ago and joined the BJP in hope of a ticket from Ludhiana South. With PLC announcing its candidate from this seat, Gosha is now vying to contest from Ludhiana North. But it won’t be a cakewalk for Gosha as BJP’s state vice-president Parvin Bansal, general secretary Jeevan Gupta and spokesperson Anil Sareen are frontrunners for Ludhiana North.
{{/usCountry}}Sources said that the Ludhiana East and South went into the kitty of PLC, after BJP and Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) led by Simarjit Singh Bains failed to forge an alliance.
PLC candidates to fight on BJP symbol in urban areas: Sharma
Soon after getting the party ticket, Jagmohan Sharma said that it has been decided that PLC candidates will contest on BJP symbol in urban seats, while in rural areas, the party candidate will fight on PLC symbol. The decision has been taken in view of the strong voter-base of BJP in urban areas, which will add to the vote share of the candidates, said the leader.
Captain confidant get ticket from Dakha
Damanjeet Singh Mohi, an active Youth Congress functionary who has formerly served as sarpanch, zila parishad member and chairman of market committee, Mullanpur, will fight from the Dakha seat. Mohi was an officer on special duty (OSD) to ex-CM and PLC chief Captain Amarinder Singh. Captain Sandeep Sandhu, former loyalist of Amarinder, has already got a Congress ticket here. On the other hand, Harpreet Singh Makhu is the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha candidate for this seat. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has fielded KNS Kang. SAD’s sitting MLA from Dakha, Manpreet Singh Ayali, has homeground advantage and has been credited with developing parks and facilities in the villages, stated to be at an advantageous position in the multi-cornered contest.