Amarinder among 41 candidates file nominations in Punjab

Chandigarh, Jan 20 (UNI) Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh was among 41 candidates who filed their nomination papers today for the February 13 Assembly elections in Punjab.

However, no nomination papers were submitted for the Amritsar Lok Sabha by-election.

Capt Amarinder Singh filed his nomination papers as a Congress candidate from Patiala Vidhan Sabha constituency while his son Raninder Singh submitted papers as a'covering' (independent) candidate.

Capt Singh, who filed two sets of nomination papers, went in a procession to the office of the returing officer where he submitted the papers. Earlier he paid his obeisance at the ''Samadh'' of Baba Ala Singh, the founder of Patiala and ancestor of the chief Minister.

The procession was given a rousing welcome as it passed through the busy ''bazars'' and mall road till it reached the office of Returning Officer.

The Chief Minister was accompanied by his wife Parneet Kaur, MP, his mother Rajmata Mohinder Kaur, his daughter and his son. After filing his nomination papers, the Chief Minister and his family members paid obeisance at the historic Gurudwara Dukhniwaran Sahib.

The maximum number of seven nominations were filed in Patiala district, followed by five each in Faridkot and Hoshiarpur districts, four each in Amritsar, Mansa and Ludhiana districts, two each in Sangrur, Gurdaspur and Nawashahar districts and one each in Tarn Taran, Kapurthala, SAS Nagar, Barnala, Ferozepur and Muktsar districts.

Those who filed their papers belonged to INC, BSP, CPI(M) and SAD(B) besides seven independents.

With today's nominations, the total number of papers submitted since the opening of nominations rose to 69.

However, no candidate has so far filed the nomination for the Amritsar Parliamentary by-election, for which the polling would also take place on February 13. The seat had been vacated by BJP's Navjot Singh Sidhu after his conviction in a 19-year-old road rage murder case by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on December six.

The last date for filing of nominations is January 25 and scrutiny will be held on January 27. Ths last date of withdrawal of candidatures is January 29. Polling will be held on February 13 from 0800 hrs to 1700 hrs.

The counting of votes for both Assembly and Amritsar Lok Sabha polls will take place on February 27. The election process will be completed before March two.

UNI