akali-dal-names-candidates-for-punjab-lok-sabha-polls

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), the regional political party in Punjab, announced its first list on Saturday, naming candidates for the approaching Lok Sabha polls. 

 

The list of candidates was announced by party leader Daljit Singh Cheema in a post via X.

 

Constituency                                                 Candidates fielded 

 

Gurdaspur                                                       Dr. Daljit Singh Cheema

Anandpur Sahib                                            Prof. Prem Singh Chandumajra

Patiala                                                              NK Sharma

Amritsar                                                          Anil Joshi

Fatehgarh Sahib                                            Bikramjit Singh Khalsa

Faridkot                                                           Rajwinder Singh 

Sangrur                                                           Iqbal Singh Jhundan

 

Cheema wrote in the post, "SAD President S Sukhbir Singh Badal announced a list of 7 senior leaders of the party as candidates for the Parliament Elections 2024. Choosing the historic & pious occasion of 'Khalsa Sirjana Divas' as the most suited day to sound the poll bugle, he released the first list of candidates." 

ਸ਼੍ਰੋਮਣੀ ਅਕਾਲੀ ਦਲ ਦੇ ਪ੍ਰਧਾਨ ਸ.ਸੁਖਬੀਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਬਾਦਲ ਨੇ 2024 ਦੀਆਂ ਲੋਕ ਸਭਾ ਚੋਣਾਂ ਲਈ ਉਮੀਦਵਾਰਾਂ ਵਜੋਂ ਪਾਰਟੀ ਦੇ 7 ਸੀਨੀਅਰ ਆਗੂਆਂ ਦੀ ਪਹਿਲੀ ਸੂਚੀ ਦਾ ਐਲਾਨ ਕੀਤਾ ਹੈ।
‘ਖਾਲਸਾ ਸਾਜਣਾ ਦਿਵਸ’ ਦੇ ਇਤਿਹਾਸਕ ਅਤੇ ਪਵਿੱਤਰ ਦਿਹਾੜੇ ਮੌਕੇ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੇ ਪਹਿਲੀ ਸੂਚੀ ਜਾਰੀ ਕੀਤੀ। ਹੇਠ ਲਿਖੇ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ ਉਮੀਦਵਾਰਾਂ ਦੀ ਸੂਚੀ:
1. ਡਾ.ਦਲਜੀਤ… https://t.co/tUKYv6OG92 pic.twitter.com/EEgejoT3b1

— Shiromani Akali Dal (@Akali_Dal_) April 13, 2024

SAD will be contesting the Lok Sabha polls on its own for the first time since 1996 when it joined hands with the BJP. The Sukhbir Singh Badal-led party walked out of the NDA in 2020 over the now-repealed farm laws. The BJP had announced on March 26 that it would go solo in the general elections in Punjab.

 

The SAD has fielded former education minister Cheema from the Gurdaspur seat, currently held by BJP's Sunny Deol. 

 

He is pitted against BJP candidate Dinesh Babbu. The Congress and the AAP are yet to announce their candidates for the seat, currently held by Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla. 

 

From Amritsar, the SAD has fielded former BJP MLA and former minister Anil Joshi, who was Amritsar North MLA in 2007 and 2012. He quit the BJP in 2021 and joined the Akali Dal. 

 

He will be facing BJP nominee and former diplomat Taranjit Singh Sandhu and AAP's Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal. Amritsar seat is presently represented by Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla. 

 

From Patiala, the SAD has fielded former MLA N K Sharma. He will be facing BJP's Preneet Kaur and AAP's Dr Balbir Singh. 

 

The SAD has fielded senior party leader Iqbal Singh Jhundan from the Sangrur seat, currently held by Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) MP Simranjit Singh Mann. 

 

From Faridkot, the SAD has fielded Rajwinder Singh, the grandson of the late Punjab minister Gurdev Singh Badal, from Faridkot seat which is currently represented by Congress MP Mohammad Sadique. 

 

Polling for 13 Lok Sabha seats will be held in the last phase on June 1.