Charanjit Channi files nomination papers from Bhadaur, Sukhbir Badal from Jalalabad

Chandigarh, January 31

Punjab Chief Minister and Congress candidate Charanjit Singh Channi on Monday filed his nomination papers from the Bhadaur (SC) seat in Barnala district.

After filing his nomination papers, Channi said the Congress had directed him to contest from Bhadaur seat.

“I have come with a mission in Malwa (region),” he said, adding that this area is backward in terms of development.

“Though Capt (Amarinder Singh) and Badal sahib (Parkash Singh Badal) were there, the area lacked development,” he said while promising to uplift the area.

Channi said he had come like ‘Sudama’ and hoped the people of Malwa would take care of him like ‘Lord Krishna’.

“We will register a big win in Malwa,” said Channi who was flanked by senior Congress leader and former Union minister Pawan Bansal, whose son Manish Bansal is the party contestant from Barnala.

Asked about Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s claim that he would lose from Chamkaur Sahib, Channi dared the AAP leader to contest against him from any constituency in Punjab.

“Let Kejriwal come and contest against me from any seat in Punjab,” he said.

Kejriwal on Sunday had taken a jibe at Channi for contesting from two seats, saying he was losing from the Chamkaur Sahib (SC) seat which the Congress leader currently represents.

The Congress on Sunday had fielded Channi from the second assembly seat Bhadaur (SC). Channi is also contesting from his home turf Chamkaur Sahib.

Sukhbir Badal files nomination papers from Jalalabad

Chandigarh: Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Monday filed his nomination papers from the Jalalabad Assembly constituency in Punjab’s Fazilka district.

Badal was accompanied by his wife and former union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal when he filed nomination papers before the returning officer in Jalalabad.

Talking to reporters, Badal said the Jalalabad Assembly constituency is like his family.

Asked about his rival Congress candidate Mohan Singh Phallianwala, Badal said, “I wish him best of luck.”

Sukhbir Badal, a sitting MP from Ferozepur, had represented Jalalabad assembly constituency thrice in 2009 (bypoll), 2012 and 2017.

Badal, the former deputy chief minister, had quit as legislator in 2019 after becoming an MP.