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PUNJAB POLL
BSP releases list of candidates
Our Correspondent

Jalandhar, January 21
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) today released a list of 80 candidates for the forthcoming Assembly elections in the Punjab. Twelve women, five Jat Sikhs and a defected SAD(B) MLA from Banga found a place in the list.

Releasing the list at a press conference here today, the President of the BSP, Mr Kanshi Ram, said that it was decided to contest 80 seats and the leave 37 seats for Panthic Morcha. He said though his party would not field any candidates in these 37 constituencies, the Panthic Morcha was free to contest at all the 117 constituencies.

Regarding the recent judgment of the Supreme Court asking the Punjab Government to complete the Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal within one year, Mr Kanshi Ram declared that his party would oppose the completion of work on the canal if voted to power. He ruled out poll alliance with the Panthic Morcha and said that since the Panthic Morcha could mar the chances of the SAD(B) candidates, his party had decided to leave 37 seats for the latter as a poll strategy to defeat the SAD-BJP combine. “During the last Assembly elections in the state we had contested 64 seats and polled 6 per cent votes. Now we are sure to win at least 60 seats by cornering 30 per cent votes,”he added.

The party has fielded the defected SAD(B) MLA, Mr Mohan Lal Banga, from Banga constituency, besides giving 12 tickets to women candidates. The BSP has decided to field Mrs Parveen Kumari against the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, from Lambi constituency. Mr Kanshi Ram said the party would release its poll manifesto by January 31.

The following is the list: Mr Jaspal JP (Gurdaspur), Capt Sohan Singh Panthe (Mukerian), Ms Sulekha Rani (Dina Nagar), Mr Shiv Kumar (Nirot Mehra), Mr Som Raj (Sujanpur), Mr Keshav Das (Pathankot), Mr Ravinder Singh Nagi (Batala), Mr Jagir Singh (Qadian), Mr Satpal Pakhoke (Verka), Mr Ravinder Hans (Amritsar North), Mr Ram Lal Khosla (Amritsar Central), Mr Manjeet Singh (Tarn Taran), Mr Sukhdev Singh Doll (Beas), Mrs Sukhwantjit Kaur (Attari), Mr Joginder Singh (Rajasansi), Mrs Hardev Kaur Shant (Jalandhar Cantt), Mr Pawan Tinu (Jalandhar South), Mr Avinash Chander (Kartarpur), Mr Harbhajan Singh Shrihn (Nakodar), Mr Om Parkash Sidhi (Kapurthala), Mr Tarsem Singh Dola (Sultanpur Lodhi), Mr Sukhbir Singh Shalimar (Adampur), Mr Ram Kishan Bassowal (Phillaur), Mr Harbhajan Singh Bassowal (Phagwara), Mr Satish Kumar Bharti (Sham Chaurasi), Mr M.P. Singh Goraya (Noormahal), Mr Ram Kishan (Nawanshahr), Mr Kuldeep Singh Sidhu (Bhulath), Mr Mangal Singh (Sri Hargobindpur), Mr Jaswinder Singh Parmar (Hoshiarpur), Mr Avtar Singh Karimpuri (Mahilpur), Mr Shangara Ram Sahungra (Garhshankar), Mr Hargopal Singh (Balachaur), Mrs Nirmala Devi (Gardhiwala), Mr Mohan Lal (Dasuya), Mr Nirmal Singh Suman (Anandpur Sahib), Mr Ram Das Gogi (Khanna), Mr Jaspal Singh Gaddu (Chamkaur Sahib).

The nominees include Mr Avtar Singh (Nabha), Mr Mann Singh Manhera (Amloh), Mrs Surinder Kaur (Sirhind), Mrs Sultana Begum (Dhuri), Mrs Karamjit Kaur (Banur), Mr Rajinder Singh (Shutrana), Mr Shamsher Singh (Dakala), Mr Gurcharan Singh (Ghanaur), Mr Om Parkash Chohan (Ludhiana North), Mr Ravinder Singh Sohal (Ludhiana West), Mr Jai Pal (Ludhiana East), Mr Gurmail Singh Pehlwan (Ludhiana Rural), Mr Gurdial Chand (Kum Kalan), Mr Jarnail Singh Narangwal (Kila Raipur), Miss Mandeep Kaur (Dakha), Mr Gurinder Pal Singh (Dhanaula), Mrs Naresh Kumar (Barnala), Mr Nirmal Singh (Bhadaur), Mr Chet Singh (Dirba), Mr Harnek Singh (Sherpur), Mr Jagjit Singh (Raikot), Mrs Gurdeep Kaur (Nihalsinghwala), Mr Sham Singh Jaura (Bathinda), Mr Jodha Singh (Pakka Kalan), Mr Pushvinder Pal Singh (Nathana), Mr Surjit Singh (Rampura Phul), Mr Jagdeep Singh Gogi (Talwandi Sabo), Mr Mangat Rai Bansal (Budhlada), Mr Gurcharan Singh (Malout), Mr Narinder Kumar (Kot Kapura), Mr Binder Singh Bhim (Panjgrian), Mr Sant Ram (Bagha Purana), Mr Charan Kamal Jakhar (Abohar), Mrs Usha Rani (Balluana), Mr Subash Chander Malatia (Fazilka), Dr Mohan Singh (Jalalabad), Mr Surjit Singh Sidhu (Ferozepore), Mr Chamkour Singh Sandhu (Ferozepore Cantt), Mr Joginder Singh (Guru Harsahai), Mr Lal Singh Sulhani (Dharmkot).