In the Punjab elections next month, the BJP will run for 65 seats, while former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh’s new party Punjab Lok Congress will run for 37, and their third coalition partner Shiromani Akali Dal (Samyukt) will run for 15.
Captain Singh released his party’s initial list of candidates for the February 20 state elections to the 117-member parliament on Sunday, with Ajit Pal Singh, the ex-captain of the Indian hockey team, among the famous names.
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At a press conference, Captain Singh, who will run for the Patiala Urban seat, stated, “We have offered a good set of candidates with a clear focus on winnability while providing due representation across regions and all sections of the society.”
Captain Singh’s share of the 37 seats includes 26 from the Malwa region of the state, which he has strong family ties to and which used to be part of the old royal estate of Patiala.
Captain Singh’s agricultural reforms had helped the Congress win the 2007 election in the region. The former Chief Minister’s supporters believe that the eventual annulment of the farm legislation by the federal government will help him this time.
The PLC leader claimed all of the candidates have excellent political credentials and are well-known figures in their respective areas when he released the initial list of nominees.
Farzana Alam Khan, a former Shiromani Akali Dal MLA and wife of late police chief Izhar Alam Khan, is the only woman among the candidates. She will run from Malerkotla in the Malwa area.
On Saturday, Amarinder Singh announced his intention to run for the seat of Patiala Urban, his home constituency.
