Congress announces Candidates for 6 Punjab LS Seats, Charanjit Channi to contest from Jalandhar

The Congress party has announced its candidates for six Lok Sabha seats in Punjab. Notable selections include former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, along with two current MPs, an MLA, and a former MP.

Key nominations across Punjab

Charanjit Singh Channi will represent the Congress in the Jalandhar constituency. Additionally, sitting MPs Gurjeet Singh Aujla and Amar Singh will contest from the Amritsar and Fatehgarh Sahib seats, respectively. The party has also nominated MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira for Sangrur, former MP Dharamvira Gandhi for Patiala, and former MLA Jeet Mohinder Sidhu for Bathinda.

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The decision to nominate Channi faced opposition from Phillaur MLA Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary, who even resigned as the party’s chief whip in the Punjab Assembly. Chaudhary questioned Channi's candidacy due to his electoral defeats in the 2022 Punjab Assembly polls.

Charanjit Singh Channi, belonging to the Scheduled Castes community, has represented the Chamkaur Sahib Assembly constituency in previous elections and became Punjab's chief minister in 2021. The Congress has strategically selected candidates like MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira and former MP Dharamvira Gandhi, aiming to balance experience and regional representation.

Competing parties and potential candidates

While the Congress finalizes its candidates, other parties like the BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) are preparing for the elections. The BJP has nominated sitting MP Sushil Rinku for the Jalandhar seat, and SAD has announced Anil Joshi for Amritsar and former MLA Harsimrat Kaur Badal for Bathinda.

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The Congress's selection of candidates reflects a mix of experience and regional considerations. Despite internal dissent and competition from other parties, the Congress aims to secure victory in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Punjab.