The saffron party, which is hoping to dislodge three-time Congress MLA Surinder Dawar from the Ludhiana central constituency in the upcoming assembly elections, is looking at a four-cornered contest for the party ticket with three state body leaders, and the daughter of a former cabinet minister in the fray.
BJP state vice-president Parveen Bansal, treasurer Gurdev Sharma Debi, trade cell convener Dinesh Sarpal and former health minister Satpal Gosain’s daughter, district vice-president Rajeshwari Gosain, are likely to slug it out for the BJP ticket. The final decision will be taken by the party high command.
The leaders have already started rounding up their troops, and have been mustering residents’ support in the central constituency. Bansal and Debi have gone so far as to opening offices to contest from the central constituency.
Debi, who had contested the last election from the central constituency under the SAD-BJP alliance, had lost to Dawar by a whopping 20,000 votes, while Bansal has been losing the last two assembly elections from the north constituency to Congress’ Rakesh Pandey.
Posturing himself as a possible candidate, Bansal said, “Since 1997, I have thrice been elected councillor from the central constituency, and have also served as senior deputy mayor from 2007 to 2012. My home has always been in this constituency and even when I contested from the north, I regularly tackled the issues being faced by people here.”
{{/usCountry}}Posturing himself as a possible candidate, Bansal said, “Since 1997, I have thrice been elected councillor from the central constituency, and have also served as senior deputy mayor from 2007 to 2012. My home has always been in this constituency and even when I contested from the north, I regularly tackled the issues being faced by people here.”
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, Debi said he had been continuously working for the constituency for the last five years, even when Bansal was busy in the north. “I believe the party will choose the candidate who has been working for the betterment of residents in the constituency.”
Putting his best foot forward, Sarpal, who has been affiliated with the party for 15 years, said his involvement with the BJP’s trade cell could give him an edge. “The constituency is the hosiery hub, and I am also the president of the Ludhiana Hosiery Manufacturers’ Association. My forefathers have been living in the central constituency and I have also been active on social platforms.”
The lone woman in the fray, Rajeshwari Gosain, says, “I have an edge over others as my father has won the assembly elections thrice from this constituency. I have worked with my father, and have been doing my best to ensure the betterment of people in the constituency ever since. People know us and admire our work.”
Whoever gets the saffron party’s ticket will contest against Pritpal Singh Pali of the SAD-BSP alliance, and former Congress leader Ashok Prashar Pappi, who has joined the AAP.