Other States - Punjab   

Amarinder, 39 others file papers

Absorbing tussles in several Punjab constituencies expected

Photo: Akhilesh Kumar

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh gets a hug from his deputy Rajinder Kaur Bhattal after filing his nomination papers from Patiala city Assembly constituency on Saturday.

Chandigarh: Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and 39 others filed their nominations on Saturday for February 13 Punjab Assembly polls taking the total number of aspirants entering the fray to 69.

No papers were filed for the Amritsar Lok Sabha by-poll which arose after BJP member Navjot Singh Sidhu quit the seat following his conviction in a road rage case.

Amarinder filed his papers from Patiala town segment as eight BSP candidates submitted their papers on day three of filing nominations for election to the 117-member House.

Seven nominees each of Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (B), three each of CPI-M and Akali Dal, two each of Democratic BSP and CPI-ML and one each of RPI and CPI also jumped into the poll arena. Six independents too entered the fray.

The Chief Minister went to the office of the Returning Officer in Patiala accompanied by a large number of party activists. He filed his nomination for the Patiala town seat.

After paying obeisance at various shrines, the Chief Minister's procession wound its way through busy thoroughfares of the Patiala city before reaching the Election Commission's office. The State is set to witness absorbing tussles in many constituencies involving Amarinder Singh's Congress and Parkash Singh Badal-led SAD.

BSP releases second list

Jalandhar: Bahujan Samaj Party, which has decided to contest all 117 seats in the next month's Assembly elections in Punjab, today released its second list of 32 candidates.

"Earlier, we had announced the candidature of 73 and with today's list of 32, the party's total candidates in poll fray in Punjab reached 105," BSP national general secretary Narender Kashyap told reporters here. The list of remaining candidates would be announced in a couple of days, he added.

The BSP has given representation to almost every community and in today's list, out of 32, 15 candidates belong to general category, three from backward classes and 14 candidates belong to scheduled caste category, he said.

Star power

Chandigarh: Political parties in Punjab are preparing to add a dash of glamour to their campaign for the February 13 Assembly elections by roping in film stars.

Punjab BJP chief Avinash Rai Khanna said the `star list' of the party included MPs Hema Malini, Dharmendra and Vinod Khanna.

Flamboyant BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha, who had been sidelined during Bihar election in 2005, is also expected to campaign for the party and its ally Shiromani Akali Dal.

"Dharmendra, Dara Singh, Vinod Khanna and Mukesh Khanna are expected to garner Punjabi votes in favour of SAD-BJP combine nominees," sources in the BJP said.

The ruling Congress is also keen to rope in Bollywood stars for campaigning, sources in the party said. While party MP Govinda is all set to woo voters, Om Puri, who was honoured by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on his home turf at Patiala recently, may campaign for the party. Congress member Rajesh Khanna is a "hot contender" who will be expected to cash in on his "old world charm". -- PTI

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Amarinder, 39 others file papers
Punjab, Haryana get some respite from cold
Temperatures on the rise

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu