Captain Amarinder Singh takes on Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in the forthcoming polls.
It will be a battle of the heavyweights in Punjab's Lambi constituency as Congress' Punjab chief Captain Amarinder Singh takes on Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in the forthcoming polls.
The Congress leadership in Delhi on Monday cleared Mr Singh's name for the seat after his request to contest the polls from the Lambi seat, a traditional stronghold of the Akali Dal's first family in Muktsar district.
Congress seems to have gained more momentum with cricketer-turned politician Navjot Singh Singh, a former BJP lawmaker and its star campaigner, joining the Congress. He said that he was born a Congressman and it was his 'ghar wapsi'. He will fight from the Amaritsar East.
The Congress on Monday also announced six more candidates and changed the nominations of four others brining in Mr Sidhu's associate and former hockey player Pargat Singh who will fight the polls from Jalandhar Cantt, and Jagbir Singh Brar to contest the Nakodar seat. Former Punjab Information Commissioner Harinder Pal Singh (Harry) Mann has been given the ticket from Sanaur seat.
Nominees for the pending seats of Amritsar South, Mansa and Ludhiana East will be announced by Tuesday.
Also in contest and looking to make their mark, the Aam Aadmi Party has fielded its Punjab unit's co-in charge Jarnail Singh to take on the Congress and the Akali Dal strongmen from Lambi. AAP has fielded lawmaker Bhagwant Mann from the Jalalabad seat held by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal where Congress has fielded its Ludhiana MP Ravneet Bittu.
AAP's legal cell head Himmat Singh Shergill will fight from Majitha assembly seat, represented by state Revenue Minister Majithia.
"This time, we will not allow Parkash Singh Badal, Sukhbir Singh Badal and Amarinder Singh a walkover. That is why we are fielding our strongest candidates against the three and (Bikram) Majithia to give them a taste of political dust," AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal had said.
Punjab will vote on February 4 and the counting will take place on March 11.