Lok Sabha poll: Electioneering gets fillip after Congress, SAD announce candidates

Tribune News Service

Manmeet Singh Gill

Amritsar, April 15

Electioneering in the Amritsar Lok Sabha constituency has entered its final phase with all four major political parties announcing their candidates from here. Though the local residents and political circles were almost clear about the SAD fielding former BJP leader Anil Joshi and Congress selecting sitting MP Gurjit Singh Aujla, their names had not been officially announced.

Earlier, the BJP had put up Taranjit Singh Sandhu and AAP had chosen Cabinet minister Kuldeep Dhaliwal.

In Aujla, the Congress tried to field a young, dynamic and non-controversial political leader who had first won the Lok Sabha bypoll necessitated by Captain Amarinder Singh’s resignation after he was sworn in as Chief Minister in 2017.

In 2019, Aujla managed to win as Captain Amarinder Singh was still the boss in Congress and had the power to enforce his will on party leaders from all assembly segments in the seat. However this time, given the lack of leadership in state Congress, it would be difficult for Aujla to get support from halqa in-charges.

His first battle would be to mend relations with former Deputy CM OP Soni who had contested Aujla’s claim to the ticket. Next comes getting support from all the halqa in-charges in the remaining eight assembly segments.

SAD’s decision to field former BJP leader Anil Joshi is expected to help the party as he is being considered a serious contender. A Hindu face, Joshi also enjoys respect in rural areas, especially in farming community, as he was expelled from the BJP after he chose to spoke in favour of farmers agitating at Delhi’s borders.

In city, Joshi is still remembered for his work done when he was the Minister for Local Bodies. Local residents still talk of how he had changed the condition of streets and parks in the city, especially in Amritsar North constituency.

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