PPP to throw up more surprises,Manpreet may contest from Maur too

The People’s Party of Punjab is likely to throw up more surprises in its next list,with indications that party chief Manpreet Singh Badal may contest from two seats and not just at Gidderbaha alone. Maur is being tipped to be the other constituency from where the rebel Akali leader and former finance minister could contest the polls. There could be further surprises with student leaders being projected for some seats while the intelligentsia is also being approached to enter the poll fray.

Manpreet Singh Badal had announced a first list of 41 candidates on December 31 from Amritsar. While Manpreet has announced his candidature from Gidderbaha,the state’s Malwa belt may witness an interesting contest if he decides to contest from another seat like Maur. The Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) has already allotted the Maur ticket to Irrigation Minister Janmejah Singh Johal,while the Congress list is yet to be declared with Sukhraj Singh Nakk being tipped to be the party’s candidate from here.

The newly carved Maur assembly constituency which falls in Bathinda district,comprises of some 64 villages and is primarily a rural constituency. With no sitting MLA here,the seat is open to all parties. The SAD(B) had sprung a surprise by announcing Janmejah Singh Johal as a candidate from here as Jagdeep Singh Nakai had been working in the area and was tipped to get the party’s nod for the seat.

Meanwhile,a senior member of the PPP who did not want to be named,said: “The first list that we announced comprises of a doctor and an income tax commissioner. The list shows that we are bringing in people who have a clean image and want to do something for Punjab. There are many leaders who have approached us for tickets and some of them are even winning candidates but PPP has denied them tickets for they do not have a clean image.”