Ludhiana West bypoll: SAD to select candidate in few days

While Sukhbir Singh Badal has been elected as the president of the SAD again, all eyes are on the byelections in the Ludhiana West constituency. Akali leaders in the city maintained that in a day or two, a meeting would be held by the president and in next few days, the candidate’s name will be announced by the party.

One of the senior Akali leaders here said names of three prominent persons are taking rounds. These include a former minister and loyalist of Sukhbir Badal, Maheshinder Singh Grewal, advocate Parupkar Singh Ghuman and Bhupinder Singh Bhinda.

“Since Grewal is close associate of Badals, he may be given the ticket. But we have come to know that Grewal, instead of fighting the election himself, may suggest his son’s name, Hiteshinder Singh Grewal. Ghuman is also in the list of front-runners. Bhupinder Bhinda can also be the choice of the party”, said one of the senior party leaders.

A prominent party leader, who was earlier with the Bharatiya Janata Party, has again been approached by leaders of the BJP to be its candidate in the bypoll. “I have been approached by BJP leaders but I have not made my mind as of now. I have a good rapport with SAD and BJP leaders. I will take the final decision in coming days,” the SAD leader, who served for long in the BJP, said.

The Congress and AAP have already announced their candidates while the BJP and SAD are yet to decide the names of their candidates.