CHANDIGARH: The advance lists have started rolling out. As the backend campaign drama intensifies, the political parties are making it clear to the electorate on who is going to represent them at the various seats. Popular faces, credible first timers… has been a strategy the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) employed since the party was launched. This time too it is no different.
An IPS officer from Amritsar North and a Punjabi folk singer from Kharar seat figure prominently among 30 names released by AAP on Friday as part of its second list of candidates for the Punjab Assembly election out of 117 Assembly seats. Earlier, the AAP had released names of 10 sitting legislators on November 12. The Assembly election will be held early next year.
For political hawks, the choice of a fresh face for Kharar seat candidature comes as no surprise especially after AAP sitting MLA from Kharar and senior journalist Kanwar Sandhu, was recently spotted with chief minister of Punjab Charanjit Singh Channi a few days ago.
AAP candidate for Kharar seat, Anmol Gagan Mann is a singer, lyricist, and music composer; and is known for her Punjabi Folk and Bhangra songs. This 29-year-old Punjabi singer hails from Mohali and is an active performer. At the age of 14, Anmol went to England and won the World Folk Dance Competition in 2014. A graduate in Psychology and Music from Chandigarh’s MCM DAV College, she was also crowned the Miss Mohali Punjaban at Miss World Punjaban competition held in 2013.
AAP candidate from Amritsar North, Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh is a former senior IPS officer and IG of Punjab Police. He was part of the SIT probing the 2015 Kotkapura police firing incident in Punjab. He joined the Aam Aadmi Party on June 22 this year in Delhi.
The first list of AAP comprised 10 candidates, all of who are sitting legislators. The list was announced days after the setback to the party after Rupinder Kaur Ruby, AAP MLA from Bathinda and Jagtar Singh Jagga of Raikot quit the party to join Congress. With the second list the AAP has now announced candidates on a total of 40 out of 117 seats.
For the 2022 assembly elections, AAP is reportedly being considered as a strong contender in Punjab. The party had tried its luck in the state for the first time in the 2017 assembly election and performed well, winning 20 seats in the state and securing the status of the main opposition party.