SAD zeroes in on nominees in brainstorming session

Tribune News Service

Jupinderjit Singh

Chandigarh, April 2

SAD has zeroed in on several candidates in the two-day brainstorming session with party leaders and workers even as a resentful party MLA , Manpreet Ayali from Dakha (Ludhiana), attended his first meeting with party president Sukhbir Badal after a gap of one-and-a-half years.

Joshi likely from amritsar

• Prof Chandumajra may fight from Anandpur Sahib
• Virsa Singh Valtoha is among the front-runners from Khadoor Sahib constituency
• BJP-turned Akali leader Anil Joshi may contest from Amritsar parliamentary constituency
• Ex-minister Sohan Singh Thandal and ex-District Health Officer Lakhvir Singh shortlisted from Hoshiarpur

Ayali had questioned the control of the Badal family on the party and had been staying away from the party meetings. Sukhbir has been trying to mend fences with many rebels to take a united party to the Lok Sabha elections. Earlier, several senior leaders — including former MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and SGPC ex-president Jagir Kaur — had returned to the party fold.

Party sources said the candidates almost finalised for the polls were NK Sharma from Patiala and Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra from Anandpur Sahib. It’s learnt party spokesperson Dr Daljeet Cheema was also interested in contesting from Anandpur Sahib.

Virsa Singh Valtoha was the front-runner to contest from Khadoor Sahib while ex-minister Sohan Singh Thandal and ex-District Health Officer Lakhvir Singh had been shortlisted from Hoshiarpur.

Anil Joshi, who quit the BJP to join the party, is likely to contest from Amritsar.

The party had also shortlisted candidates for other seats, but their names had been withheld for now. Sources said the party might take more time to announce the candidates as there Punjab was scheduled to go to the polls in the last phase, on June 1.

Sources said the candidates could be announced this week, unless a decision is made to wait until Baisakhi.

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