The Aam Aadmi Party announced its third list of candidates for 2017 Punjab assembly polls on Friday. The party announced Nazar Singh Manshahia as its candidate from Mansa assembly constituency; Jagdeep Singh Sandhu from Gidderbaha; Dr Ranyodh Singh from Dharamkot; and Manjit Singh Bilaspur from Nihalsinghwala.
The announcement of Manshahia as its candidate from Mansa assembly constituency has disappointed two other ticket aspirants- Gurlabh Singh Mahal and Dr Vijay Singla.
Though the announcement was made in the evening, the supporters of Manshahia had already started celebrating since morning. The 56-yearold, Manshahiya, an engineering graduate from Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College, took a premature retirement from Punjab Pollution Control Board in 2015 after serving as senior environmental engineer in the department.
“Often qualified and retired government officers are given preference. I think my premature retirement and impeccable honesty impressed the high command,” Manshahiya said
Some party workers had raised the issue that Manshahiya belongs to Sardulgarh assembly constituency and he should not contest from Mansa, however, Nazar said he was born and brought up in Mansa and has no ancestral connections in Sardulgarh.
Gurlabh Singh Mahal, who had allegedly directed the sting operation that got Sucha Singh Chhotepur sacked as state convener of the AAP, said may be his scuffle with a Delhi based leader at a conference harmed his prospects for the election ticket.
{{/usCountry}}Gurlabh Singh Mahal, who had allegedly directed the sting operation that got Sucha Singh Chhotepur sacked as state convener of the AAP, said may be his scuffle with a Delhi based leader at a conference harmed his prospects for the election ticket.
{{/usCountry}}Dr Vijay Singla, who was recently announced as the incharge of AAP’s trade wing in Mansa, said, “I can only say that may be being 7-8 months senior in the party, Manshahia was a preferred candidate,” he said
As Manshahiya took celebrations to streets, the other contenders namely Vijay Singla and Gurlabh Mahal were in Chandigarh to meet party leaders ahead of the announcement.