Punjab Polls: Congress drops 4 sitting MLAs; gives chance to new faces

In the first list of 86 candidates for ensuing Punjab Vidhan Sabha elections the Congress has dropped four sitting MLAs replacing them with new faces. Harjot Kamal, sitting MLA from Moga, has been replaced with Malvika Sood, Punjab Vidhan Sabha Deputy Speaker and MLA Malout Ajaib Singh Bhatti was also denied ticket. The party picked Rupinder Kaur Ruby, a legislator from Bathinda (Rural) who joined Congress after quitting AAP.

Similarly, the party picked Jagdeep Singh from Hargobindpur denying ticket to Balwinder Singh Laddi, who along with Fateh Jang Bajwal, MLA Quadian, had shifted his loyalty towards the BJP and later made homecoming after a week.

Rajinder Kaur is Congress' choice from Balluana seat this time. The party has dropped MLA Nathu Ram.

Hours after the Congress released its first list of candidates dropping sitting MLA from Moga, Harjot Kamal joined the BJP at Chandigarh on Saturday afternoon .

The party has retained the entire cabinet colleagues to CM Channi and fielded them from their respective constituencies.

CM Charanjit Singh Channi will contest from Chamkaur Sahib, Deputy CMs OP Soni from Amritsar (Central), Sukhjinder Randhawa from Deraka Baba Nanak, Manpreet Badal from Bathinda, Rana Gurjeet Singh (Kapurthala), Trip Rajinder Bajwa from Fatehgarh Churian, Razia Sultana from Malerkotra, Aruna Chaudhary from Dina Nagar, Sukhbinder Sarkaria from Raja Sansi, Sangat Singh Gilzian from Urmar, Vijay Inder Singla from Sangrur, Bharat Bhushan Ashu from Ludhiana (West), Randeep Singh Nabha from Amloh, Raj Kumar Verka from Amritsar (West), Pargat Singh from Jalandhar Cant, Amarinder Warring from Gidderbaha, Gurkirat Kotli from Khanna.

Former ministers (in Capt Amarinder Singh cabinet) Sham Sunder Arora has been fielded from Hoshiarpur, Balbir Singh will contest from Mohali, while Punjab Congress working presidents Kuljit Nagra (Fatehgarh Sahib), and Sukhwinder Danny from Jandiala.

Capt Sandeep Sandhu, a close associate of former CM Capt Amarinder, who shifted his loyalty towards CM Charanjit Singh Channi, is the party candidate from Dakha

While Bollywood actor Sonu Sood's sister Malavika Sood has been given a party ticket from Moga, PPCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu's choice singer Sidhu Moosewala will contest from Mansa.

Two senior party leaders - Brahm Mohindra and former Punjab Congress President Sunil Jakhar- paved ways for their kin, Mohit Mohindra from Patiala and Sandeep Jakhar from Abohar, respectively. Both Braham Mohinrda and Sunil Jakhar have decided not to contest the election this time.

Besides this, two MPs managed to get tickets for their sons. Kamil Amar Singh, son of Fatehgarh Sahib MP Amar Singh, has been given ticket from Rajkot (SC) seat and Vikram Choudhury, son of Jalandhar MP Santokh Choudhary from Phillaur (SC).

Honoring its old starwart late Raghunath Sahai Puri, the Congress accommodated his son Naresh Puri and fielded him from Sujanpur seat. After his father's death, Puri had contested as an independent candidate and has a considerable vote bank in the constituency.