AAP announces 5 LS candidates in Punjab

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday announced the names of its five Punjab candidates for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. There are 13 parliamentary segments in Punjab.

The party has fielded sitting MPs Bhagwant Mann and Sadhu Singh from their respective constituencies, Sangrur and Faridkot. AAP’s Majha zonal in-charge Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal will contest from Amritsar, whereas Dr Ravjot Singh, who unsuccessfully fought the assembly election from Sham Chaurasi seat, has been fielded from Hoshiarpur. Narinder Singh Shergill will be the party candidate from Anandpur Sahib.

“These five candidates were cleared by the 22-member core committee of the state unit in its last meeting. The names of candidates for the remaining eight seats will be announced next month (November) in all probability,” said AAP state core committee chairman Budh Ram at a press conference here.

He was accompanied by Talwandi Sabo legislator Baljinder Kaur who has been appointed chief spokesperson of the state unit.

The AAP, which is the first party in the state to name its candidates, had burst onto the political scene in Punjab in May 2014 by winning four of the 13 Lok Sabha seats, the only ones it won in the country, and a fourth of the total votes polled.

Baljinder Kaur said the party will go to the people to seek their support by showcasing the ‘Arvind Kejriwal model of governance’ in Delhi where it is in power. “(Prime Minister Narendra) Modi and (Punjab chief minister) Amarinder Singh made tall promises but failed to deliver whereas the Kejriwal government has brought about total transformation in education and health sectors in Delhi,” Baljinder Kaur said.

Asked about the dissident faction’s criticism of their decision to name candidates while peace talks were still on, Budh Ram termed it as “need of the hour”.

“Our party has been naming its candidates well in advance. It allows time to nominees to start their campaign,” he said, brushing aside criticism.