YC prez in fray from Ropar once again

Ropar, January 15

The Congress is once again betting on youth leader Barinder Singh Dhillon in an attempt to wrest the Ropar Assembly seat, which the party lost 15 years ago to the SAD.

Congress’ former minister of state Ramesh Dutt Sharma had lost to SAD candidate Sant Ajit Singh in 2007. That time, the Assembly was known as Anandpur Sahib-Ropar. The Ropar Assembly seat was carved out after delimitation in 2012 and the SAD fielded Daljit Singh Cheema, who won the seat defeating Sharma.

In the last Assembly elections, Dhillon, who is currently president of the Punjab Youth Congress, gave a though fight but had to content with the second spot as voters chose taxi driver Amarjeet Singh Sandoa fielded by AAP. This time, while the Congress and SAD have once again given chance to Cheema and Dhillon, respectively, the AAP has dropped Sandoa and fielded RTI activist Dinesh Chadha.

In Anandpur Sahib, Congress’ sitting MLA and Punjab Speaker Rana KP Singh has once again been fielded by the party. He will face AAP and SAD-BSP candidates Harjot Bains, an advocate, and Nitin Nanda, businessman, respectively. The BJP is yet to announce its candidate.

In Chamkaur Sahib, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, after achieving a hat-trick, will take on his political rivals for the fourth time. The AAP has once again showed confidence in Dr Charanjit Singh, who contested on the party ticket and finished second in the last polls. —