Lagatar24 Desk
Chandigarh, Jan 24: In the Punjab elections next month, the BJP will run for 65 seats, while former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh’s new party Punjab Lok Congress will run for 37, and their third coalition partner Shiromani Akali Dal (Samyukt) will run for 15.
Captain Singh, BJP head JP Nadda, and Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt) chief Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa announced the seat-sharing agreement at a news conference in Delhi.
Nadda praised Punjab as a “leader” in the country’s defence and food security, saying, “Today Punjab need special attention, a double engine government, and improved coordination between the centre and the state.”
Captain Singh released his party’s initial list of candidates for the February 20 state elections to the 117-member parliament on Sunday, with Ajit Pal Singh, the ex-captain of the Indian hockey team, among the famous names.
“We have given a good set of candidates with a clear focus on winnability while ensuring due representation across regions and various sections of the society,” said Captain Singh.
Captain Singh’s share of the 37 seats includes 26 from the Malwa region of the state, which he has strong family ties to and which used to be part of the old royal estate of Patiala.
On Saturday, Amarinder Singh announced his intention to run for the seat of Patiala Urban, his home constituency.
