Punjab polls 2017: AAP names five more, replaces 2 nominees

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 4

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today changed two more candidates besides announcing five new candidates. The party has now declared candidates on 98 seats of the 117 in the state.

The party today announced it has changed the candidates on the Nakodar and Balluana seats.

AAP state convener Gurpreet Singh Waraich said the candidature of Punjab NRI wing head Jagtar Singh Sanghera was being withdrawn from Nakodar after the party decided to give him some additional responsibilities. Sarwan Singh Hayer, 54, is the new candidate from Nakodar.

He said Balluana candidate Giriraj Rajoura was being replaced by Simarjit Singh as the reports about his poll campaign “have not been very positive”.

The new candidates announced today are Ranjit Singh Cheema, 36, who will take on SAD’s Adaish Partap Singh Kairon from Patti; Manjit Singh Sidhu, 47, who will take on Akali stalwart Sikander Singh Maluka in Rampura Phul; Dinesh Bansal (Sangur); Ashutosh Joshi, 40, (Rajpura) and Harkrishan Singh Walia, 37, (Jalandhar Cantt).

Cheema is a businessman, while Sidhu is the chairman of the Petroleum Dealer Association. Bansal is vice-president of the Arhtiya Samaj Sanstha. Joshi has been working with the party since Anna Hazare movement. Walia is president, Jalandhar Car Dealer Association.