Ludhiana: MLAs Simarjit Bains, Sanjay Talwar, Sharanjit Dhillon, 22 others file nomination papers on Day 3
The filing of nominations for the Punjab assembly elections had started on January 25 and will go on till February 1; so far, 43 candidates, including the covering candidates, Independents as well as candidates of little-known parties, have filed their papers to join the electoral race in 14 assembly segments of the district.
With just three more days to go before closing of nominations, 25 contestants, including covering candidates, turned up to file their papers in eight assembly segments of Ludhiana on Friday. The filing of nominations had started on January 25 and will go on till February 1.
So far, 43 candidates, including the covering candidates, Independents as well as candidates of little-known parties, have filed their papers to join the electoral race in 14 assembly segments of the district.
Among those who filed their papers on Friday are SAD candidate from Sahnewal and sitting MLA Sharanjit Dhillon, Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) president and sitting MLA from Atam Nagar, Simarjit Singh Bains, and sitting Congress MLA from Ludhiana East, Sanjay Talwar.
Sharanjit Dhillon’s wife, Pawandeep Kaur, has filed her papers as a covering candidate. As per the documents submitted before the returning officer, Sharanjit Dhillon’s net worth is ₹8.38 crore.
For MLA Talwar, his son Kunwar Talwar has come forward as the covering candidate. As per the declaration, MLA Talwar has accrued movable and immovable assets worth ₹2.98 crore which include cash, bank deposits, jewellery, and residential, commercial and agricultural properties.
Former MLAs and SAD candidates from Ludhiana East and Jagraon, Ranjit Singh Dhillon and SR Kaler respectively, also filed their nominations. Dhillon’s wife Inderjit Kaur and Kaler’s wife Ranbir Kaur are their covering candidates.
In his affidavit, Kaler declared movable and immovable assets worth ₹63.50 lakh and ₹2 crore respectively while Ranjit Singh Dhillon’s net worth is ₹3.63 crore. Kaler faces one FIR in Moga for violation of the district magistrate’s orders and blocking of the national highway.
AAP candidate Kulwant Singh Sidhu and his wife Reetinder Kaur (covering candidate) filed papers from Atam Nagar and AAP candidate from Payal, Manwinder Singh Giaspura and his wife Ramanjit Kaur (covering candidate) submitted their nominations with the returning officers concerned.
As per the affidavit, Sidhu owns movable assets worth ₹73.88 lakh, including a pistol and rifle worth ₹90,000 and ₹2.10 lakh respectively. Further, he has immovable assets including residential, agricultural and commercial properties worth ₹14.60 crore. He has liabilities worth ₹40.56 lakh.
LIP candidate from Gill, Gagandeep Singh alias Sunny Kainth also submitted his nomination along with his brother Parminder Singh as covering candidate. As many as 10 candidates, including Independents and those from little-known parties, also filed their nominations from different assembly segments including Ludhiana East, Sahnewal, Payal, Ludhiana North and South constituency.
Bains submits nomination papers through a proposer
LIP president and sitting Atam Nagar MLA, Simarjit Singh Bains submitted his nomination through his proposer, rather than personally visiting the returning officer’s office on Gill road.
As per the affidavit, as many as 15 FIRs have been lodged against Bains in Ludhiana, Patiala, Jalandhar, and other places. The number of FIRs was eight till 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Since the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Bains’ assets have increased from ₹8.19 crore to ₹8.33 crore.
SAD leader Malhotra, his son join Congress
In a jolt to Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in Ludhiana central constituency, its senior leader and former ADCP Satish Malhotra (retd) and son, Sumit Malhotra, who is a former BJP councillor, joined the Congress in the presence of the party’s sitting MLA Surinder Dawar and Member of Parliament (MP) Ravneet Singh Bittu on Friday. Dawar said the Congress has always valued committed and hard-working individuals and Malhotra will be given due respect in the party.
