SAD, AAP candidates file nominations
Naib Singh Kohar of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Rattan Singh Kakkar Kalan of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) were among 10 candidates who filed their nomination papers on Wednesday for the Shahkot assembly bypoll scheduled for May 28. Congress candidate Hardev Singh Ladi Sherowalia will file his papers on Thursday, in the presence of chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh, said party leaders.
Naib, 53, is a son of former MLA Ajit Singh Kohar, whose death necessitated the bypoll. He held a rally along with Doaba region’s SAD and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership before proceeding to the office of sub-divisional magistrate Jagjit Singh, who is the poll returning officer. SAD president and former deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal, former minister Bikram Singh Majithia and state BJP unit president Shwait Malik accompanied him.
Rattan Singh of AAP was accompanied by Sukhpal Singh Khaira, the leader of opposition in the assembly. A general secretary of the Doaba zonal unit of AAP, Rattan belongs to an influential family of Kakkar Kalan village in Lohian area. Besides more than 100 acres of farmland, his family has a construction business in Dubai which is managed by his son. He shuttles between Jalandhar and Dubai frequently, and is known to be a social worker.
Others who filed their papers included Bahujan Samaj PartyAmbedkar (BSP-A) candidate Satnam Singh Malsian and SADAmritsar’s Sulakhan Singh.