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SAD releases first list of 64 candidates, Sukhbir Badal to fight from Jalalabad
Of the 97 seats it will contest, the SAD released first list of 64 candidates; it will spare 20 segments for its alliance partner Bahujan Samaj Party under a pre-poll deal; SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal will again 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
