Political Parties In Punjab Reward Turncoats With Assembly Tickets

Chandigarh:

A number of turncoats, slicing throughout political strains, have been rewarded with tickets by their new events for the February 20 Meeting polls in Punjab.

Distinguished amongst these embrace former sports activities minister and sitting MLA Gurmit Singh Sodhi, MLA Fatehjang Singh Bajwa and former minister Anil Joshi.

Mr Sodhi, who was the sports activities minister within the Amarinder Singh-led Congress authorities, later joined the Bharatiya Janata Social gathering (BJP). The saffron get together has now fielded the four-time Guruharsahai MLA in Ferozepur district from Ferozepur Metropolis Meeting seat.

One other former Congress chief and MLA Fatehjang Singh Bajwa, who converted to the saffron get together, has been fielded from Batala. Bajwa is a sitting legislator from Qadian. The Congress has fielded his elder brother and Rajya Sabha member Partap Singh Bajwa for the February 20 polls.

Former Punjab minister Anil Joshi, who stop the BJP and joined the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) final yr, will contest from Amritsar North Meeting seat. Joshi was the MLA from this constituency in 2007 and 2012. He, nonetheless, confronted defeat within the 2017 Meeting polls.

Sitting MLA and ex-Congress chief Harjot Kamal, who too joined the BJP, will contest from Moga. Kamal stop the Congress after the get together denied him the ticket from this constituency and selected to subject Malvika Sood Sachar, sister of actor and philanthropist Sonu Sood, as an alternative.

After becoming a member of the BJP final month, Kamal had stated he labored wholeheartedly for the Congress for 21 years however the get together ignored him. “What’s her qualification (Malvika Sood)? She is simply Sonu Sood’s sister,” Kamal had then stated.

Two-time MLA and former Congress chief Arvind Khanna, who lately joined the BJP, will contest from Sangrur. Thought of near former chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh, Khanna had stop the Congress in 2015.

Former Punjab minister and three-time MLA Joginder Singh Mann, who joined the Aam Aadmi Social gathering (AAP) after snapping his 50-year-old ties with the Congress, can be preventing from Phagwara.

Earlier than becoming a member of the AAP, Mann in an emotive letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, had written, “The Maharajas, landlords, moneybags and opportunist leaders like Captain Amarinder Singh, Navjot Singh Sidhu and others got here within the get together for sake of vested political pursuits on account of which the get together had drifted from its core values and focus shifted merely to contest the polls and seize energy.” Two-time minister within the Congress authorities Hans Raj Josan, who left the grand previous get together and joined the SAD, will contest from Fazilka seat.

Former AAP MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira has been fielded from Bholath seat.

Mr Khaira, who had floated his personal get together after quitting the AAP in 2019, re-joined the Congress in June final yr. In 2015, he had converted to the AAP from the Congress.

Sitting MLA from Bathinda Rural Rupinder Kaur Ruby, who joined the Congress final yr after quitting the AAP, has been given the ticket for Malout seat.

One other sitting legislator Jagtar Singh Jagga from Raikot will contest from Jagraon. Jagga left the AAP and joined the Congress.

Former Congress MLA Mohinder Kumar Rinwa, who final yr got here into the SAD fold, will battle from Abohar.

The BJP has fielded former SAD MLA Sarabjit Singh Makkar from Jalandhar Cantonment. Makkar shifted allegiance to the BJP after the SAD denied him the ticket for this constituency.

Former Akali MLA Didar Singh Bhatti, who joined the BJP, will battle elections from Fatehgarh Sahib seat.

Former Punjab AAP convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur, who joined the SAD final yr, will contest from Batala.

Laali Majithia, who joined the AAP after leaving the Congress early this month, has been fielded from Majitha constituency in Amritsar.

Raman Bahl, who left the Congress final yr and joined the AAP, will battle from Gurdaspur.

Former MLA Mohan Lal Banga, who lately joined the BJP after quitting the Congress, has been fielded from Banga constituency whereas former Congress chief Nimisha Mehta, who too joined the saffron get together, will contest from Garhshankar.

(Apart from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is printed from a syndicated feed.)