SAD's Harsimrat Kaur, BJP's Preneet Kaur, other candidates file nominations in Punjab

Chandigarh, May 13 (PTI) A number of prominent candidates, including SAD nominee Harsimrat Kaur Badal and the BJP's Preneet Kaur, filed their nominations in Punjab on Monday for the Lok Sabha elections.

The Congress' Punjab chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, and AAP's Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer and Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal also filed their nominations for the June 1 elections.

Punjab Chief Electoral Officer Sibin C said 209 papers were filed on the fifth day of nominations in the state.

Preneet Kaur and her AAP challenger Balbir Singh filed their papers in Patiala while AAP's Dhaliwal filed his nomination from Amritsar.

Warring, who filed his nomination in Ludhiana, cancelled his roadshow following the death of noted Punjabi poet Surjit Patar.

Patar's last rites were performed on Monday.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) candidate Ranjit Singh Dhillon and AAP's Ashok Prashar Pappi also filed their nominations from Ludhiana.

After filing her nomination, Preneet Kaur took part in a two-kilometre-long roadshow in Patiala, accompanied by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and the BJP's Punjab chief Sunil Jakhar.

"...this election is about renewal of relations between me and the people of the Patiala Lok Sabha constituency. People's unwavering 'bharosa (trust)' and 'ashirwad (blessings)' are my greatest treasures," she said.

Sarma said, "Seeing your enthusiasm, I am sure that the election is just a formality -- Preneet Kaur will win from Patiala again." "The people of Punjab have seen through the charade of the Congress and AAP. The two parties are working as partners in Haryana and Delhi and acting as opponents here. People will not waste their votes on either," Sarma said.

Three-time MP Harsimrat Kaur filed her nomination in Bathinda. She was accompanied by her husband and SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, who also filed his nomination from the constituency as the "covering candidate".

Before filing her nomination, Harsimrat Kaur, Badal and their children offered prayers at Sri Damdama Sahib in Bathinda.

The BJP's Paramal Kaur Sidhu also filed her papers from Bathinda.

AAP candidate Hayer and the BJP's Arvind Khanna filed their nominations in Sangrur while the Punjab ruling party's Laljit Singh Bhullar and SAD nominee Virsa Singh Valtoha submitted their papers for the Khadoor Sahib seat in Tarn Taran district.

The BJP's Anita Som Parkash filed her nomination from the Hoshiarpur seat. She was accompanied by Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma.

Sharma told reporters, "In Punjab, the BJP will create history in the Lok Sabha elections. We feel that the people of Punjab are upset with the present (AAP) government." SAD candidate Sohan Singh Thandal also filed his papers from the Hoshiarpur seat.

From Ferozepur, the BJP's Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi filed his papers, accompanied by Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.

Puri asked people to ensure Sodhi's victory from the seat.

AAP candidate Jagdeep Singh Kaka Brar and Congress nominee Sher Singh Ghubaya also filed their nominations from Ferozepur.

SAD's Daljit Singh Cheema and AAP nominee Amansher Singh Shery Kalsi filed their nominations from the Gurdaspur seat.

The Congress' Amritsar nominee Gurjit Singh Aujla and AAP's Jalandhar candidate Pawan Kumar Tinu also filed their papers.

Congress nominee Vijay Inder Singla filed his papers from Anandpur Sahib. SAD's Fathegarh Sahib nominee Bikramjit Singh Khalsa and the Congress' Faridkot candidate Amarjit Kaur also filed their papers.

SAD's Iqbal Singh Jhundan and Simranjit Singh Mann of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) filed their papers from Sangrur.

Nominations can be filed till Tuesday while scrutiny of papers will take place on Wednesday. The last day for the withdrawal of nominations is Friday.

Polling for Punjab's 13 Lok Sabha seats will be held on June 1. PTI CHS SZM