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Keen contest on the cards in Kapurthala

KAPURTHALA: With Assembly elections in Punjab only a few days away, all the four assembly constituencies -- Kapurthala, Phagwara, Sultanpurlodhi and Bhoalth -- falling in this district are set to witness tough contest between SAD-BJP and Congress as no clear wave prevails in favour of any party.

Bhoalth Assembly constituency is much in news due to the political feud between former SGPC President and sitting SAD MLA Jagir Kaur and District Congress Committee President Sukhpal Singh Khaira.

Traditionally an Akali stronghold, Bhoalth mostly remained under the control of former Education Minister Sukhjinder Singh Khaira and Jagir Kaur since 1977.

There are about 1.9 lakh voters in the constituency, which is mainly dominated by Lubana and Jat communities.

Kaur, who belongs to Lubana community, is hoping for a hat-trick this time but facing a stiff challenge from Sukhpal Singh Khaira, who belongs to Jat community.

Khaira is contesting the polls on development plank, claiming that Congress government has spent over Rs 100 crore in the constituency which was ``neglected'' by Kaur.

Congress MP from Jalandhar Rana Gurjit Singh won from Kapurthala as an MLA in 2002 and after becoming an MP, the seat was vacated by him and wrested by his sister-in-law Sukhjinder Kaur Rana. This time, his wife Rajbans Kaur Rana is contesting on a Congress ticket.

There are about 1.19 lakh voters and 11 candidates are in the fray. The main contest is between Rajbans Kaur and former Akali Minister Raghbir Singh, the SAD-BJP nominee.

Development issues have taken a backseat in the Assembly segment of Kapurthala as both the ruling and opposition parties are trading charges against each other over the rise in the crime graph in the town. PTI

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Keen contest on the cards in Kapurthala

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