Punjab Election 2017: Key candidates from Congress, SAD-BJP and AAP that are set to make a difference

Punjab will see 1,145 candidates vying for 117 seats in the state Assembly election that began amid tight security on Saturday. From ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party to Indian National Congress and the latest entrant Aam Aadmi Party, the candidates will test their luck on Saturday as more than 1.98 crore voters turn out to choose their representative in the state Assembly.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has fielded candidates in 94 seats while its ally BJP has nominated candidates in the remaining 23 seats. Congress is contesting alone on all seats. Its alliance partner BJP has fieled 23 candidates in total and features several new faces and dropped some incumbent leaders. Incidentally, the party’s candidate list has been in news for all the wrong reasons including several top players not happy with it.

AAP, which is contesting Punjab polls for the first time, has fielded candidates in 112 seats, while its ally Lok Insaf Party, led by Ludhiana-based Bains brothers, has fielded nominees in five seats. AAp candidates include doctors, lawyers and activists with some popular names like Bhagwant Mann, HS Phoolka, Mohan Singh Phallnawala among others.

Congress’s list features several  top leaders like Captain Amarinder Singh and Manpreet Singh Badal (who fought from SAD ticket in the last Assembly election) along with some new faces like Navjot Singh Sidhu who have brought a lot of star and firepower to the election for the party looking forward to make a comeback in the state.

Other political outfits in the fray include BSP, former AAP leader Sucha Singh Chhotepur-led Apna Punjab Party, the Left comprising CPI and CPI-M, and SAD-Amritsar.

Indian National Congress

Bharatiya Janata Party

Aam Aadmi Party

Shiromani Akali Dal

Lok Insaf Party