SAD to contest 28, BJP 22 seats in Bathinda MC poll

Chandigarh, June 4 (UNI) The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) will contest 28 seats and the BJP the remaining 28 seats in the Bathinda Municipal Corporation poll scheduled to be held on June 22.

This decision was taken at a meeting of the senior leaders of the SAD and BJP held here today.

The elections to the Bathinda MC could not be held last year following clashes between supporters of certain Sikh organisations and the Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda in May and June. The SAD-BJP alliance had captured the other four MCs of Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Patiala.

Meanwhile Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) Working President M S Kaypee will head the 16-member committee of the party for the selection of candidates for the Bathinda Municipal Corporation elections.

Senior Congress leader and MLA Kewal Singh Dhillon will be the convener while Harminder Singh Jassi, the Bathinda MLA will be the co-convener of this committee.

The other members of the committee are Surinder Singla, Inder Singh Sahni, Ashok Kumar, Iqbal Singh Dhillon, Kulwant Rai Aggarwal, Jagroop Singh, Tehal Singh Sandhu, Niranjan Singh Bhola, Chhote Lal, Balwant Rai Nathi, Paramjit Kaur Brar, Jeet Mall and Vimla Garg.

Meanwhile PPCC chief has also appointed Mr Kaypee as election incharge for the lone byelection to the Jalandhar MC. Mr Kaypee will be assisted by Avtar Henry, Tejinder Bittu, Arun Walia and heads of the Jalandhar district units of the Youth Congress and the Mahila Congress.

UNI HS BK1917