Amarinder Singh, JJ Singh file papers among 573 Punjab candidates

Chandigarh: Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh and former Army chief Gen JJ Singh (SAD) were among 573 candidates who filed their nominations on Tuesday, the penultimate day for filing of papers for Assembly polls in the state.

With today's nominations, the total number of candidates for next month's polls has risen to 884.

Former chief minister Amarinder filed his nomination papers from the Patiala assembly constituency to launch the countdown to his last electoral battle.

He was accompanied by wife and Patiala MLA Preneet Kaur and other family members.

Earlier, 74-year-old Amarinder stopped en route to offer prayers and take blessings at the gurudwara and temple at Burj Baba Ala Singh at the historic Qila Mubarak in his ancestral home, followed by the Kali Mata Mandir, built by his family, as well as Gurduwara Dukh Nivaran Sahib.

After filing papers, he embarked on a roadshow through his hometown. Amarinder will file his papers from Lambi, the other seat from which he is contesting the assembly polls, tomorrow.

At Lambi, he is taking on Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal head-on in what he himself has dubbed the "grandfather of all battles".

Talking to mediapersons after filing his nomination, Amarinder said he was determined to defeat Badal from Lambi in order to teach a lesson to all future chief ministers misusing their powers for personal and family gains.

He ruled out any serious threat to him from Shiromani Akali Dal's Gen Singh who he refused to call 'General' saying it was a fluke due to his seniority and not a result of merit.

Gen Singh also filed nominations papers as SAD nominee against Amarinder. After filing papers, he hit back at his opponent and termed him as a "fraud soldier".

"He has no authority to judge me. I've been decorated in every rank. I think he has no idea, he should read my autobiography. And then he will know what I am talking about," Gen Singh said.

He added, "I was branded as 'Shaitan Singh' by Pakistani militants as I have tightened the noose against the extremists in Kashmir".

Gen Singh dubbed Amarinder as a "gumshuda" (missing) leader, saying his political career would end soon.

He said the Congress leader would lose from both Patiala and Lambi Assembly seats.

"He will get tired. I am working 18 hours a day; he cannot work even six hours a day. He needs rest. My roots are here and he says I have nothing to do with Patiala. I think he knows nothing," he said.

The former Army chief's outburst against the Congress leader came after he described him as an "average" general.

He alleged that Amarinder has shown his face only during elections and his wife ran the show in his absence. He said that it was just proxy politics played by Amarinder. 

Meanwhile, bad weather prevented deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal from accompanying the former Army chief for filing nominations.

Another former chief minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal filed her papers from her pocket borough Lehra Gagga as Congress candidate, finance minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa (SAD) from Lehra Gagga, and Punjab Congress vice president Sunil Kumar Jakhar from Abohar.

Others included Barjinder Singh Makhan (SAD), son of cabinet minister Tota Singh, from Moga, NK Sharma of SAD from Dera Bassi, late minister Kanwalhjit Singh's widow Sarvjit Kaur of AAP from Dera Bassi, Ranjit Singh Gill of SAD from Kharar, Balbir Singh Sidhu of Congress from Mohali, Pargat Singh of Congress from Jalandhar cantonment, Jarnail Singh of AAP from Lambi, and Hardeep Singh Kingra of Apna Punjab Party (APP) from Faridkot.

Setting a new example, lawyer HS Phoolka of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) submitted his nomination forms from Dakha Assembly seat in the presence of school, college and university teachers.

Phoolka said that whatever he could do in his life was entirely due to his teachers. Teachers' role in moulding my life and achieving higher goals has been immense, significant and highly contributory, he said.

Farming is second most important agenda of AAP through which standard of living of farmers in Punjab will be enhanced, Phoolka said.

For Anandpur Sahib seat Rana Kanwarpal Singh and Shashi Kanta of Congress party, Gurbachan Singh of Bahujan Samaj Party and Subhash Chander Sharma of Punjab Democratic Party filed their papers.

In Rupnagar Sajjan Kumar of Shiv Sena, Amarjit Singh Sandoa and Balwinder Kaur of Aam Aadmi Party, Makhan Singh of BSP and C S Saini of CPI have filed nominations.

In Chamkaur Sahib, Shinderpal Singh of Jai Jawan Jai Kisan Party, Harjinder Singh of Punjab Democratic Party, Raminder Singh and Narinder Singh of BSP, Charanjit Singh SAD (Amritsar) and Parvinder Kaur and Kulwinder Kaur of Apna Punjab Party filed their nominations.

Congress rebel Jagmeet Singh Sahota, former president of Municipal Council, Mandi Gobindgarh, his wife Hardeep Kaur Sahota filed their nomination papers from Amloh constituency.

Congress official candidate from Amloh and sitting MLA Randeep Singh and his wife also filed their nomination papers from Amloh constituency.

Jagmeet Sahota, who was close to former Finance Minister Manpreet Badal was strong contender of Congress ticket from Amloh assembly segment but the party allotted ticket to sitting Amloh MLA Randeep Singh.

Raising banner of revolt against Congress high command he had announced to contest as an independent candidate.

He had contested last Assembly Election from People Party of Punjab (PPP) from Amloh constituency.

Sahota, who hails from Mandi Gobindgarh town of district Fatehgarh Sahib was active in Congress for long time. Sahota was contender of Congress ticket from Amloh constituency during last assembly election also but the ticket went to Randeep Singh.

Former member of Punjab Pardesh Congress Committee,

Sahota was close to Maninderjit Singh Bitta, former president of All India Youth Congress. He had served as state president of All India Anti-Terrorist Front headed by Bitta.

SAD candidates Gurpreeet Singh Raju Khanna, his wife Kirandeep Kaur, SAD (Amritsar) candidate Lakhbir Singh, independent candidate Rajinder Singh, Congress candidates Randeep Singh, his wife Behshesta Singh, Hindustan Shakti Sena candidate Sanjiv Kumar, independent candidates Jagmeet Singh Sahota and Hardeep Kaur Sahota filed their nomination papers from Amloh constituency.

SAD candidate and former bureaucrat Darbara Singh Guru, Samaj Adhikar Kalyan Party candidate Sumandar Singh, Apna Punjab Party candidate Manjinder Singh filed their nomination papers from Bassi Pathana constituency.

SAD (Amritsar) candidate Kuldeep Singh, Aam Adami Party candidates Lakhbir Singh, Kanwarvir Singh, Congress candidates Kuljit Singh Nagra, his wife Mandeep Kaur, Apna Punjab Party candidate Tarlochan Singh filed their nomination papers from Fatehgarh Sahib constituency.

Five candidates, including Gurinder Singh of Apna Punjab Party (APP), filed their papers for the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat by-poll which was necessitated following the resignation of sitting MP and Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh.

Assembly polls and by-poll to Amritsar Lok Sabha seat will be held on February 4.

Candidates can file their nomination papers till January 18. While scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on January 19, the withdrawal of candidature can be done till January 21. Counting of votes will take place on March 11.

Punjab will witness a three-way fight between the SAD, AAP and Congress in all 117 seats.

While the Congress is going it alone on all seats, ruling SAD and its ally BJP will contest on 94 and 23 seats respectively.

A new entrant to Punjab Assembly Elections, AAP has fielded candidates for 110 seats and its ally LIP on seven.

Other political outfits in the fray include BSP, Apna Punjab Party (APP), the Left comprising CPI and CPI(M), and SAD-Amritsar.