Punjab bypolls: BJP names 3 candidates, fields Manpreet Badal from Gidderbaha
The BJP on Tuesday announced three of the four candidates for the November 13 bypolls in Punjab.
Former state Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal has been fielded from Gidderbaha, former Congress leader Kewal Dhillon from Barnala and former Akali leader Ravi Karan Kahlon from Dera Baba Nanak.
The party held discussions for the Chabbewal seat in Hoshiarpur but could not finalise the candidate today. The names of Vijay Sampla and Anita Som Parkash are doing the rounds for the seat but the party can spring a surprise also.
The party has chosen to the Lok Sabha election formula by fielding non-traditional BJP leaders for the bypolls. All three candidates named today joined the BJP in the last two years.
However, the party could not win any seat in the state by following the formula in the Lok Sabha elections this year when it had fielded 11 former Congress leaders. However, its vote share had increased by three times in the elections.
BJP sources said state party president Sunil Jakhar was part of the discussions held for choosing the candidates. Earlier, Jakhar had told the party high command that he did not want to continue as the state chief. However, he was in the limelight last week when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Chandigarh to participate in the oath-taking ceremony of the Saini government in Haryana and to chair a meeting of the NDA chief ministers.
Modi spent time with Jakhar at the airport holding his hands. Jakhar was given respect and importance at the other functions also.
Meanwhile, Jakhar's name was at the top of the list of 40 star campaigners submitted by the party to the Election Commission today. Other prominent leaders who figured in the list were Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini and Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu.
The Gidderbaha bypoll would be keenly watched due to the candidature of Manpreet Badal who has support of ex-Congress cadre in the constituency. At the same time, his relationship with cousin Sukhbir Singh Badal and his former party — the Shiromani Akali Dal — has also improved.
