This Lok Sabha elections, Ludhiana arguably is a four-cornered contest between Congress' Ravneet Singh Bittu; SAD-BJP's Manpreet Singh Ayali; AAP's Harvinder Singh Phoolka and independent candidate Simarjit Singh Bains. Here's a look at the top contenders for the Ludhiana parliamentary seat.
RAVNEET SINGH BITTU, 38 (CONGRESS)
A graduate in computer applications, he is the sitting MP from Anandpur Sahib who defeated SAD candidate Daljit Singh Cheema by a margin of 67,204 votes. Bittu was handpicked by Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi in 2009.
Grandson of late Punjab CM Beant Singh, he belongs to Ludhiana’s Payal assembly segment.
MANPREET SINGH AYALI, 39 (SAD)
MLA from Mullanpur Dakha constituency in Ludhiana, he is a first-timer in the Lok Sabha elections. A graduate who initially tried his hand at farming, Ayali later ventured into real-estate and construction business. In 2008, he was unanimously elected zila parishad chairman and went on to win a national award.
HARVINDER S PHOOLKA, 59 (AAP)
This Supreme Court lawyer, who has fought cases of 1984 riot victims, is a first-timer in the elections. Did BSc in agriculture from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, he went on to do a law course.
MANPREET SINGH AYALI, 39 (SAD)
MLA from Mullanpur Dakha constituency in Ludhiana, he is a first-timer in the Lok Sabha elections. A graduate who initially tried his hand at farming, Ayali later ventured into real-estate and construction business. In 2008, he was unanimously elected zila parishad chairman and went on to win a national award.
HARVINDER S PHOOLKA, 59 (AAP)
This Supreme Court lawyer, who has fought cases of 1984 riot victims, is a first-timer in the elections. Did BSc in agriculture from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, he went on to do a law course.
Being a close friend of Arvind Kejriwal, Phoolka was his adviser on legal issues and took the political plunge when the AAP decided to contest seats in Punjab.
SIMARJIT SINGH BAINS, 43 (INDEPENDENT)
A graduate, he was district president of Youth Akali Dal and was promoted by SAD president Sukhbir Badal. Denied party ticket in 2012 assembly polls, he resigned along with brother Balwinder Singh Bains.
Both fought as Independents and won. Approached by the SAD, they extended support to the party as associate members. However, differences surfaced after Simarjit failed to get the Lok Sabha ticket.
Past winners:
2009: Manish Tewari
2004: Sharanjit Singh Dhillon
1999: Gurcharan Singh Galib
1998: Amrik Singh Aliwal
1996: Amrik Singh Aliwal
1992: Gurcharan Singh Galib
1989: Rajinder Kaur Bulara
1985: Mewa Singh
1980: Devinder Singh Garcha
1977: Jagdev Singh Talwandi
1971: Devinder Singh Garcha
1967: D. Singh
1962: Kapur Singh
1957: Bahadur Singh
1957: Ajit Singh