The high stakes battle of ballots in Punjab is set to witness two sitting MPs and four former parliamentarians testing their luck in the electoral arena of the state.
MPs Ravneet Singh Bittu of Congress and Bhagwant Mann of AAP are locked in a key contest against Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal from Jalalabad Assembly constituency.
Sukhbir, who is seeking another term from his pocket borough Jalalabad is a former MP from Faridkot Lok Sabha seat. While Bittu is an MP from Ludhiana, comedian-turned-politician Mann represents Sangrur Parliamentary seat.
Amarinder Singh, who has vacated his Amritsar parliamentary constituency, is entering the battle of ballots from his traditional Patiala urban assembly seat and is also trying hard to upset Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal's apple cart in from his traditional Lambi seat.
Amarinder had resigned as Lok Sabha member last year protesting the Supreme Court's verdict on sharing of Punjab's waters.
The 74-year-old Punjab Congress chief, who has declared that this is his "last election" has a tough task at hands. Badal (89), his opponent at Lambi constituency, has dubbed him an "outsider".
Also vying to gain entry to Punjab Legislative Assembly from Sangrur seat is former MP Vijay Inder Singh of Congress. He was drubbed by Mann from Sangrur Lok Sabha seat at the last hustings.
Former BJP MP and cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu is trying his luck from Amritsar east seat, which has been vacated by his wife Navjot Kaur. Sidhu is battling it out on Congress ticket this time.
The sons of sitting MPs are also in the election fray.
SAD MP Sher Singh Ghubaya's son Davinder Singh has been fielded by Congress from Fazilka. MP Ranjit Singh Brahmpura's son Ravinder Singh is a SAD in Khadoor Sahib assembly seat. while MP Balwinder Singh Bhundar's son Dilraj Singh, also from SAD is fighting it out at Sardulgarh seat.
Akali stalwart and Anandpur Sahib MP Prem Singh Chandumajra's son Harinder Pal Singh Chandumajra is a first-timer who has been fielded from Sanour seat.
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