Congress releases second list of Punjab nominees, drops two MLAs

The names announced by Congress General Secretary Madhusudan Mistry include Barinderjit Singh Pahra from Gurdaspur.

New Delhi, Dec 23 The Congress on Friday released the second list of 16 candidates for the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections.

The names announced by Congress General Secretary Madhusudan Mistry include Barinderjit Singh Pahra from Gurdaspur. With his father, Kartar Singh Pahra, representing the seat 1997-2002, the junior Pahra has been working in the constituency for the last several years.

Congress dropped sitting MLA Tarlochan Singh from Banga (SC) and replaced him by Satnam Singh Kainth, who was an MP in the 12th Lok Sabha from Phillaur (SC) constituency as an independent.

The party has retained three-time MLA Jagmohan Singh Kang in Kharar, three-time MLA Amrik Singh Dhillon in Samrala, Amrinder Singh Raja in Gidderbaha and Karan Kaur Brar in Muktsar.

Sitting MLA from Bhadaur (SC) segment Mohd Sadique has been shifted to Jaitu (SC) constituency, whose sitting MLA Joginder Singh has been dropped. Sitting MLA from Bhucho Mandi (SC) Ajaib Singh Bhatti has been shifted to Malout (SC) seat.

The Central Election Committee (CEC) of the Congress had on Tuesday finalised 25 candidates in the second round, but it announced names of only 16 of them. The party announced the first list of 61 nominees for the Punjab polls last week. In the first list, the party retained, as candidates, 31 of its 42 legislators.

IANS