M A I N   N E W S

Big cats to battle it out in Malwa
Sarbjit Dhaliwal
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 18
The Malwa region, once famed for its sand dunes and jungles, is now known for its political heavyweights. The region, with 65 Assembly seats, has been dominating the state’s political landscape in various forms for the past four decades. Virtually, it has emerged main electoral combat zone in this Assembly elections.

Most of the political heavyweights are engaged in the tough electoral bouts in this region. Besides incumbent Chief Minster, Capt Amarinder Singh, two former Chief Ministers, Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and Mr Parkash Singh Badal, are seeking mandate from the region.

While Capt Amarinder Singh is pitted against the SAD former Minister, Mr Surinder Singh Kohli from Patiala, Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Deputy Chief Minister, is matching her swords with the SAD leader, Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra, who entered the party fold recently. The Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, is fighting the electoral battle against his cousin brother, Mr Mahesh Inder Singh, who is a Congress candidate.

Mr Shamsher Singh Dullo, president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, is fighting the electoral battle against Mr Bikramjit Singh Khalsa, who is son of late Akali Minister Basant Singh Khalsa. Mr Dullo’s throwing hat in the election arena is seen as a major political development in the Congress circles.

The Congress candidate, Mr Kanwarjit Singh Brar, son of former Chief Minister Harcharan Singh Brar, is trying his luck from Muktsar against the SAD candidate, Mr Sukhdarshan Singh Mrar.

Mr Manpreet Singh Badal, nephew of Mr Parkash Singh Badal, is contesting from Gidderbaha for the forth time in a row against the Congress candidate, Mr Raghbir Singh. Mr Gaganjit Singh Barnala, son of former Chief Minister Surjit Singh Barnala, is trying his luck second time against the Congress candidate, Mai Roop Kaur, who belongs to the Bagarian family and had been a Member of the Punjab Public Service Commission. She submitted her resignation yesterday, it is learnt.

There are several other VIP candidates who are engaged in the electoral battle in this region. Former SAD Finance Minister Kanwarjit Singh is engaged in an electoral bout with Mr Rakesh Sharma, son of late Hans Raj Sharma, president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. The Congress high command has nominated Mr Rakesh Sharma on the recommendation of the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda. Late Hans Raj Sharma has contested from the Banur segement a number of times.

From the Sunam Assembly segment, the SAD candidate, Mr Parminder Singh Dhindsa, who is son of the former Union Minister, Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, is contesting against the Congress candidate, Mr Aman Arora, son of late minister Bhagwan Dass Arora. At Sardulgarh, the senior SAD leader, Mr Balwinder Singh Bhunder, is pitted against the Congress candidate, Mr Ajit Inder Singh Mofar.

At Kotkapura, the SAD candidate, Mr Mantar Singh Brar, son of late Jaswinder Singh Brar, has been fielded against Mr Ripjit Singh Brar, brother of the firebrand Congress leader, Mr Jagmeet Singh Brar. Mr Sunil Jakhar, son of Governor of Madhya Pradesh Balram Jakhar, is contesting from the Abohar constituency. The Congress candidate, Mr Harnam Dass Johar, is contesting from Ludhiana (West).

After the reorganisation of Punjab in 1966, most of the Punjab’s Chief Ministers, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, Mr Harcharan Singh Brar, Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Capt Amarinder Singh, late Giani Zail Singh, late Justice Gurnam Singh and late Beant Singh and late Lachhman Singh Gill, have been from the Malwa region.