Noted candidates in Punjab may not cast vote for themselves

Chandigarh, Apr 14: There are a few prominent candidates in the fray in

who will not be able to vote for themselves from the seats they have been fielded from, as their names are enrolled in other constituencies.

Among them are senior BJP leader and party nominee from Amritsar Arun Jaitley, his Congress there leader Amarinder Singh, actor-turned-politician Vinod Khanna from Gurdaspur, former Union minister and Congress candidate from Anandpur Sahib Ambika Soni.

In his maiden Lok Sabha battle, Jaitley's name is enrolled in Vejalpur assembly segment of Gandhinagar Parliamentary constituency in Gujarat.

Jaitley who replaced incumbent MP Navjot Singh Sidhu from Amritsar, is locked in a high-profile battle of ballots with former Punjab chief minister and Congress candidate Amarinder Singh and AAP's Daljit Singh.

The Congress leader and erstwhile Maharaja of Patiala, Singh is enrolled in Patiala assembly segment. Though initially reluctant, Amarinder was asked by Congress high command to enter the fray from Amritsar seat to take on veteran Jaitley.

Actor Vinod Khanna, who is BJP candidate from Gurdaspur seat, is enrolled in Malabar Hill at Mumbai in Maharashtra, thus he will not be able to vote for himself. 68-year-old Khanna is pitted against Punjab Congress chief and incumbent MP Partap Singh Bajwa and AAP candidate Sucha Singh Chhotepur.

Similarly, former union minister and Congress leader Ambika Soni, contesting Lok Sabha polls for the first time, is enrolled in Hoshiarpur assembly segment which falls in Hoshiarpur Parliamentary constituency.

71-year-old Soni entered electoral battle replacing incumbent MP Ravneet Singh Bittu from Anandpur Sahib seat. This time she is in the fray against SAD candidate Prem Singh Chandumajra.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate from Ludhiana Harvinder Singh Phoolka's name is enrolled in Kasturba Nagar assembly segment in Delhi.

The 58-year old Supreme Court lawyer is locked in multi-cornered poll battle against SAD candidate Manpreet Singh Ayali, Congress candidate Ravneet Singh Bittu and SAD rebel Simarjeet Bains from Ludhiana seat.

Congress' Bittu who is contesting is enrolled in Payal (SC) assembly segment which falls in Fatehgarh Sahib (SC) Parliamentary constituency.

PTI