SAD-BJP too zeroing in

Chandigarh, September 20

The SAD-BJP has begun the exercise to contest the bypoll on four seats. SAD will name candidates for the Dakha and Jalalabad seats while the BJP will contest from Mukerian and Phagwara.

Former Akali MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali is a favourite for the party ticket from Dakha in Ludhiana. The election has been necessitated after the incumbent AAP MLA, HS Phoolka, resigned from the seat. Ayali was elected from the seat in 2012 but he lost to Phoolka in 2017. He is also a former Ludhiana Zila Parishad chairman.

For Jalalabad seat, the party has decided to put up a leader from the majority Rai Sikh community but no name has been finalised yet. The seat fell vacant after the incumbent MLA and former Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal became Ferozepur MP.

BJP sees intense lobbying

The BJP, which will contest Mukerian and Phagwara seats, is witnessing tough competition for the ticket.

There are reports of intense lobbying for the seat of Phagwara, which is reserved. The seat got vacated due to election of MLA Som Parkash as MP. Names of Som Parkash’s wife, son of former Hoshiarpur MP Vijay Sampla and a relative of another senior leader, Dilbagh Rai, are doing the rounds.

For Mukerian, which is witnessing elections due to the untimely death of Congress MLA Rajnish Kumar Babbi, names of two-time MLA Arunesh Shakar and another senior leader, Jangi Lal Mahajan, is doing the rounds.