Punjab Assembly polls: AAP’s first candidate list out

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday released the first list of 19 candidates for the upcoming 2017 Punjab Assembly elections. Senior lawyers, HS Phoolka and Himmat Singh Shergill found a place for themselves in AAP’s first list of candidates for the Punjab Assembly polls.

Phoolka, who was unsuccessful in Lok Sabha polls from Ludhiana earlier, will now contest from Dhaka constituency. The senior lawyer has even led a campaign for the justice of 1984 anti-Sikh riots victims and could be a strong Chief Ministerial face if the party wins the election.  

On the other hand, Himmat Singh Shergill will contest from Mohali constituency, who had earlier ineffectively contested from Anandpur Sahib, Lok Sabha constituency.

Among the other candidates in the list are Sajjan Singh Cheema, a basketball player and a former police officer will contest from Sultanpur Lodhi, Jagdeep Singh Brar (Sri Muktsar Sahib), and the only woman candidate, Rupinder Kaur who will contest from Bathinda (Rural). Former state convener of AAP youth wing President, Harjot Singh Bains, will contest from Sahnewal. 

A farmer, Samarbir Singh Sidhu is party’s candidate from Fazilka, another farmer and social activist Jagdeep Singh Kaka Brar will contest from Muktsar, an ex-municipal president, Rajpreet Singh Randhwa from Ajnala. 

Party’s activist and zonal Incharge from Sangrur, Jasvir Singh Sekhon is a nominee from Dhuri. 

By releasing the first list of the candidates ahead of the polling schedules being announced, the party intends to replicate the Delhi story. When it contested its maiden elections in the national capital 2013, the AAP had declared candidates way before the polling schedules were announced. The 

party that is currently in power in Delhi is hoping to repeat its success story in Punjab too.

Speaking to Millennium Post, Punjab Incharge and General Secretary of AAP Sanjay Singh said, “Our main focus is organisation priority. We have selected volunteers who are working with us for two- three years. We have selected our candidates from every field which includes farmers, Youth wing President, legal cell president, lawyers etc.” He further added that the second list of the candidates to come out soon.