Punjab polls: CM Channi to contest from Chamkaur Sahib, Navjot Singh Sidhu from Amritsar East

The Congress on Saturday released its first list of 86 candidates for the February 14 assembly elections in Punjab. The party is yet to declare its candidate for the Patiala Urban constituency, which was represented by former chief minister Amarinder Singh.

New Delhi: Congress has released the list of candidates for 86 seats in upcoming Punjab polls. Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi will contest from Chamkaur Sahib SC, while state chief Navjot Singh Sidhu will contest from Amritsar East. The party has also fielded Punjab deputy chief ministers, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa from Dera Baba Nanak and Om Prakash Soni from Amritsar Central, the seats they already represent.

Congress is also fielding controversial Punjabi singer Sidhu Mussewala from Mansa and actor Sonu Sood's sister Malvika Sood from Moga. Rajya Sabha MP Pratap Singh Bajwa will contest from Qadian assembly seat in Gurdaspur, which is represented by Bajwa's brother Fatehjang Singh Bajwa.

The list was released after the party's central election committee chaired by party chief Sonia Gandhi cleared the names in its meeting held on Thursday (January 13). The first list has as many as nine women candidates, representing around 10 per cent so far. The party has given 40 per cent seats to women in Uttar Pradesh, where it is going to polls with a focus on women empowerment.

The party has also adopted 'one family, one ticket' formula while distributing the party tickets. Former PCC president and campaign committee chief Sunil Jakhar will not contest the assembly polls and his nephew Sandeep Jakhar will contest the Abohar assembly seat instead. Similarly, Punjab minister Brahm Mohindra will not contest and his son Mohit Mohindra will contest in his place from Patiala rural assembly seat. All other sitting ministers will contest from their respective constituencies they currently represent.

Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal will contest from Bathinda Urban, PWD Minister Vijay Inder Singla from Sangrur, Water Suppy and Sanitation Minister Razia Sultana from Malerkotla and Industries Minister Gurkirat Singh Kotli from Khanna.
Other ministers like Rana Gurjit Singh will recontest from his Kapurthala assembly constituency, Tript Rajinder Bajwa from Fatehgarh Churian, Randeep Singh Nabha from Amloh, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring from Gidderbaha and Pargat Singh from Jalandhar Cantt.

The party is yet to declare its candidate for the Patiala Urban constituency which was represented by former chief minister Amarinder Singh. The party will also declare its remaining 31 seats for the 117 member assembly soon. Punjab assembly elections are slated in a single phase on February 14 and the results will be out on March 10.

(With PTI inputs)